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### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
As the players retreated to the pavilion in dwindling light, it was clear that one Test team had again increased its standing on day one at The Oval. Australia. What a job they did on England in the winter, that Alastair Cook and his colleagues should have made such hard work of these Indian tourists this summer. How did Cook nearly lose his job, and his marbles, to this lot? How were England staring at a series defeat coming out of that second Test at Lord’s? Australia really did a number on England in the last Ashes series. Shaken: Alastair Cook and England have made hard work of the five-Test series against India this summer . Stirred: Australia did such a number on England that their confidence was shaken going up against India . CLICK HERE TO READ THE REPORT FROM ENGLAND V INDIA DAY ONE AT THE OVAL . It has taken them to here, almost, to recover their confidence and swagger. India’s failed attempt to wage disciplinary war on James Anderson after Trent Bridge appears to have united England and, in doing so, healed some of the wounds of the winter. Until that point, Australia had rendered England vulnerable and meek, their captain a shell of himself, even the younger members of the squad catching the fear that seemed to pervade the dressing-room at the first hint of crisis. Some fragility remains. England are still at risk from a tail-end with its dander up and in the last two years have given up 50 runs or more to the 10th-wicket partnership on eight occasions. So it was here. The stand between India’s captain MS Dhoni and the returning fast bowler Ishant Sharma was worth 58 from 98 balls, the most successful Indian pairing of the day by a margin of 34. England seem unable to get the job finished under pressure — a remnant, perhaps, of a similar failing in the back-to-back Ashes series. There is no doubt Australia hurt them and one wonders in what direction this series would have swung had their opponents been made of sterner stuff. As it is, India have lived down to the national stereotype, lousy tourists lacking the appetite for the challenge presented by a five-Test series. Increasingly, there is a disconnect between these countries. In England, the Test is valued above all, the one-day game a lucrative sideshow. Yet Indian cricketers are revered through the IPL competition, and the limited overs internationals are the only ones that now fill stadiums to capacity and beyond. Bowler: The war against Jimmy Anderson after Trent Bridge appears to have united England together . Recovery: Anderson's row with India went a long way to helping England turn the corner in the five-Test series . Some think India will be more engaged this summer once the long-form fixtures are done. What a pity. It makes the events of July, when England struggled so pitifully, ever more mysterious. England bowled extremely well on Friday— as impressively as they have done in this campaign — yet without doubt India have lost their edge. ‘Believe me, they are not this bad,’ Sunil Gavaskar wailed during his commentary, as wickets fell with alarming regularity. Yet they are. Any team that loses its focus is precisely this bad. And England lost their way in Australia this winter. Battered into submission, they became every bit as clueless as India were on Friday, a malaise that has taken close to six months to shake off. They are coming out of the slump now, slowly. Chris Jordan opened his first spell with two wicket maidens, the first time an England bowler has made that happen since Monty Panesar against Pakistan in 2006. In the circumstances, then, the innings played by Dhoni in defiance of England’s bowlers was a small wonder. It can be argued that he should be doing more as captain to inspire this squad, but his performance with the bat on Friday was the definition of resistance. Chris Jordan's two wicket maidens was an England bowler's first since Monty Panesar over Pakistan in 2006 . Dhoni made 82 in a total score of 148, the first time an Indian captain has been responsible for more than 50 per cent of his team’s total. His ally, Sharma, made just seven in a stand of 58. Sharma rode his luck, as did India, dropped by Ian Bell just five balls into his innings with the score on 95. Had India failed to make three figures, however, there really could have been no complaints, but then The Oval crowd would have missed Dhoni’s knock which included 15 fours, plus a six off the mercurial Jordan. The sight of his team-mates playing like men with scarce interest in the art of Test batting only put Dhoni’s achievement in sharper relief. He was the sole Indian batsman who played as if not ticking off the days to Heathrow’s departure lounge. Strange, considering India have close to three weeks of one-day cricket remaining when the final Test is over. Proud: MS Dhoni looks like one of the few Indian batsmen that doesn't have his eyes fixed on Heathrow yet . Dhoni's 82 was the first time an Indian captain was responsible for more than 50 per cent of his team’s total . Priorities? India have close to three weeks of one-day cricket remaining when this final Test is over . This was the match in which Jimmy Anderson could realistically overtake Sir Ian Botham’s record of 383 Test wickets. He began the game on 376, needing only eight in two innings to be crowned England’s greatest bowler (although, as Botham archly observed, that still leaves him 15 Test centuries shy of true parity). When Anderson claimed the wicket of Gautam Gambhir after just four balls of play, it appeared the milestone could be on — certainly over two innings — but India, too willing to give up their wickets, soon dashed that hope. Anderson’s quest was quickly hampered by a fairer division of the spoils with Stuart Broad (two), Jordan (three) and Chris Woakes (three) all successful. Anderson picked up the spare. As England’s opening partnership steered a way past India’s 10th-wicket benchmark of 58, the narrative became increasingly familiar. Given the meagre nature of India’s score they needed to send England to bed two or three wickets down, but there is no Mitchell Johnson to inspire fear and an early breakthrough. India will claim they were cursed by misfortune when Cook looked to be out lbw to Bhuvneshwar Kumar with the score on 20. The appeal was rejected, much to Kumar’s fury, yet with no DRS to correct errors, India simply had to live with it. This is not the first time Cook has benefited from a little luck in this Test series. By next summer, he could be back to his best. He will need to be. Australia are here again, and they are better than this bunch; either of them, on the evidence of the passing summer. Help: Anderson shared the wicket spoils with Stuart Broad (two), Jordan (three) and Chris Woakes (three) Record in sight: Anderson needs six more in order to overtake Sir Ian Botham’s record of 383 Test wickets .
### SUMMARY:
| Australia shook England up so much that Alastair Cook and England have made hard work of the five-Test series against India .
The Test is valued above all in England with one-day game a sideshow, yet Indian cricketers prefer the Indian Premier League competition .
The war against Jimmy Anderson after Trent Bridge united England together .
Chris Jordan's two wicket maidens were the first time an England bowler made that happen since Monty Panesar against Pakistan in 2006 .
MS Dhoni looks the only Indian that doesn't fancy heading for Heathrow . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
While she is preparing to take off her mask for the first time, Dana Vulin has revealed she is fighting another battle, but this time, it's cancer. The 28-year-old was doused with methylated spirits and set on fire by a woman jealous of her beauty two and a half years ago in a horrific premeditated attack to 'ruin her pretty face'. On Sunday, after 30 months of agonising reconstructive surgery and more than 30 procedures, the Perth woman will take off the mask that she's been forced to wear to cover her burnt face. Ms Vulin suffered third-degree burns to two thirds of her body, including her face, and has endured constant pain since the horrific attack. She survived against incredible odds but recently, Ms Vulin revealed she suffered another agonising pain when she was told by her doctor that she has cervical cancer. Scroll down for video . Dana Vulin suffered horrific burns to her face and body when she was attacked by Natalie Dimitrovska . 'As soon as I looked into his eyes I said to him, 'it's bad isn't it?' And he said, 'Yeah I'm sorry, you have cancer',' Ms Vulin told Channel Seven's Sunday Night show. 'I just couldn't believe that, dealing with so much at once, there were times where I thought how much can one person deal with?' Appearing on Channel Seven’s Sunday Night this weekend Ms Vulin explained how her life has changed since the attack. 'In my wildest dreams in the beginning I didn't for one second think I could look in the mirror and see the old Dana again,' Ms Vulin said. 'I'm going to make this burn my bitch, I'm going to kick it in the face and I am going to rock scars, look hot with my scarred-up body and just make this work. 'It would've been easier to die but I've never taken the easy road to anything so. It is the hardest, rockiest, biggest mountain you can possibly think of.' The 28-year-old will take off the mask that she has been forced to wear for two and a half years . Ms Vulin was on her sofa at home in Perth, Western Australia on February 16, 2001, when a woman's voice said: 'Hello, Dana.' Natalie Dimitrovska, the jealous estranged wife of a man named Edin who Ms Vulin had met at a New Year’s Eve party, stood before her. Dimitrovska hurled a bottle of methylated spirits over Ms Vulin, a convicted drug user, while she was reportedly holding a lamp used for smoking crystal meth. 'I was pretty much instantly on fire,' a weeping Ms Vulin told Western Australia's District Court. 'I was a human fireball.' 'The moment I was on fire, [Dimitrovska and a male accomplice] just laughed and ran out of my apartment,' she added. Ms Vulin, seen here before the attack, was set alight by a jealous estranged wife of a man she had met once . The university graduate always took pride in her appearance before the crime . Since coming out of a coma, Dana has suffered agonising pain from her burns and has been forced to wear the pressure suit and mask between countless operations. 'I've been faceless and it makes you feel like a nothing and a no one,' she said. 'I know who I am, but I'm beige. I don't have any expressions on my face, you can’t see my mouth, you can’t see my nose, you can literally only see my eyeballs, not my eyebrows. It makes me feel like a faceless nothing, that’s the best way to describe it.' Of the mask that has covered her face for so long, she added: 'I respect the s**t out of this mask, and I appreciate it, but I also hate its guts. Without it I couldn't be where I am right now, but if I had a choice I'd rather endure physical pain than wear this mask.' Channel Seven reporter Rahni (left) is seen standing with Ms Vulin (right) behind a table full of her rehabilitation equipment and clothing . She has suffered agonising pain from her burns and has been forced to wear the pressure suit and mask between countless operations . 'My skin and my burns and my scars are obviously a part of me now, but this is not me,' Ms Vulin says . Ms Vulin always took pride in her appearance before the attack and enjoyed having her hair and nails done regularly. ‘Not one minute of my day is the same. Your exterior is a representation of your interior, and this is not me…my skin and my burns and my scars are obviously a part of me now, but this is not me. I’ve not been able to wear earrings, I had no hair so I haven’t been able to do anything with my hair, I’ve been fashion repeating for over two years. '(When I look in the mirror) I see someone I know and someone I don’t know, does that make sense? It’s crazy what I’ve accepted as normal. It’s crazy that I've accepted wearing that mask all day and night normal, and having my face out as not normal and natural.' The university graduate added: ‘It’s your identity, so I think in order for somebody to heal inside you have to heal on the outside. I have the right to have my face that I was born with back. Everyone has the right to have their face.' A sketch taken in Perth's District Court on July 22, 2013, of 28-year-old Natalie Dimitrovska, who was charged with grievous bodily harm after she allegedly set fire to acquaintance Dana Vulin in February 2012 . Dana Vulin leaves court after watching the woman who set her alight and left her to burn to death jailed by a Perth judge for 17 years . On October 11 2013, Dimitrovska wept as she was jailed for 17 years for grievous bodily harm with intent. In sentencing, Judge Bruce Goetze described the attack as being in the worst category of grievous bodily harm with intent. He said the attack was also premeditated as in the weeks leading up to the incident Dimitrovska had threatened to 'ruin (Ms Vulin’s) pretty face'. Dimitrovska ran away after setting Ms Vulin on fire. 'It is really difficult to imagine how one human being could leave while another human being is on fire,’ Judge Goetze said. ‘It is totally unimaginable how you could not put out the flames, or try to do so, or at least call for help. Instead, you laughed and ran away.’ Speaking on Sunday Night, Ms Vulin said: 'I am a strong person, and more than anything that I've learnt in my burn is that I will never change and I know the person I am, and '’m confident in the woman that I am.' Watch Dana Vulin's reveal on Channel Seven's Sunday Night on Sunday at 8.30pm.
### SUMMARY:
| Dana Vulin, 28, was set on fire by Natalie Dimitrovska on February 16, 2012 .
Dimitrovska doused her in methylated spirits at her Perth home .
She was jealous that Ms Vulin had spoken to her husband at a party .
Ms Vulin suffered third-degree burns to two thirds of her body .
She has worn a mask for the past two and a half years .
She will unveil her new face after reconstructive surgery .
And reveal her recent cervical cancer diagnosis on Channel Seven's Sunday Night this weekend . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Steve Bruce spent close to £40m in the summer transfer window, but the Hull manager cannot have done many better bits of business than the acquisition of Mohamed Diame and Andy Robertson. The pair, who cost about £6.3m between them, combined to score the crucial first goal against Crystal Palace before Nikica Jelavic sealed the points with a minute to go, ending Neil Warnock’s run of unbeaten league matches. Diame’s header in the 60th minute from Robertson’s left-wing cross was his third goal in four matches since signing from West Ham. VIDEO Scroll down for reaction from both managers . Mo Diame celebrates after scoring to put Hull City 1-0 up midway through the second half at the KC Stadium, in their match against Crystal Palace on Saturday . Hull City forward Mo Diame beats Damien Delaney to the ball, as he heads home to put his side 1-0 up against Crystal Palace at the KC Stadium on Saturday afternoon . Hull City captain Curtis Davies celebrates Mo Diame's goal that put Hull City 1-0 up against Crystal Palace at the KC Stadium on Saturday afternoon . Hull City (3-5-2): Harper 7; Chester 7, Davies 7, Dawson 7; Elmohamady 7 (Bruce, 90), Livermore 6, Huddlestone 6, Diame 8, Robertson 8 (Rosenior, 81, 6); Jelavic 7, Hernandez 6 Ramierez, 75, 6). Subs not used: Jakupovic, Brady, Quinn, Ben Arfa . Goals: Diame 60, Jelavic 89 . Bookings: Livermore 35 . Manager: Steve Bruce 8 . Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Speroni 6; Ward 6, Dann 6 (Mariappa, 12, 6), Delaney 6, Kelly 6; Jedinak 5, McArthur 6 (Gayle, 70, 6); Bolasie 5, Ledley 6, Puncheon 5, Campbell 4 (Chamakh, 63, 6). Subs not used: Hennessey, Guedioura, Zaha . Bookings: Campbell 44, Mariappa 55 . Manager: Neil Warnock 5 . Man of the match: Mohamed Diame (Hull) Referee: Mike Dean . Attendance: 24,281 . Jelavic then added his fourth goal of the season in the closing stages after being put through on goal by Jake Livermore. ‘In the end it was a wonderful cross and a great finish from Diame to get us the victory then a good finish from Jela too,’ Bruce said. ‘I first came across Diame when he was at Wigan and blasted one in . ‘I think he got me the sack when I was at Sunderland, actually. He’s a really good player. ‘He’s got a right foot, a left foot and now he’s scored with a header. He’s not quite complete but he’s big, strong, athletic, he handles the ball well. He’s good in the air. ‘He’s had a really good start so let’s hope it continues.’ Hull came into this having conceded 13 goals in a winless run of five matches, so it was little surprise that Bruce opted to revert to the 3-5-2 system that has served him so well in his two years with the club. The Tigers based promotion from the Championship and then survival on a sound defensive base but that steely determination has eluded them recently. The onus was on wingbacks Ahmed Elmohamady and Robertson to bombard Palace with crosses and Hull finally carved out a chance when the visitors failed to fully clear a delivery from the former. Diame played a one-two with Abel Hernandez to create space eight yards out but the Senegal midfielder’s shot from an angle flashed across the face of goal and wide. The visitors finally cracked on the hour mark. Hull had plenty of bodies forward and another accurate Robertson cross from the left was met by the head of Diame, giving Julian Speroni no chance. Yannick Bolasie was quiet but burst into life when he checked inside to shoot from 30 yards. At 39, goalkeeper Steve Harper was sprightly enough to keep it out with a one-handed save. Nikica Jelavic fires home to put the result beyond doubt; his 89th minute goal made the score 2-0 and ensured Crystal Palace went home with nothing . Nikica Jelavic scored in the 89th minute to secure the win for Hull City - his goal making the score 2-0 against Crystal Palace at the KC Stadium . Julian Speroni, Crystal Palace goalkeeper, looks dejected as Mo Diame's goal puts Hull 1-0 up at the KC Stadium on Saturday afternoon . Crystal Palace centre-back Scott Dann was stretchered from the field early on in the match after picking up a knee injury . As Palace pushed forward, they were susceptible on the break and Hull took advantage in the 89th minute. Livermore won possession in midfield and threaded a pass through to Jelavic. The Croatian kept his cool to check inside Martin Kelly before firing right-footed under Speroni. ‘I can’t fault the effort but we needed a little bit more belief,’ Warnock said. ‘When we went a goal down, that was our best spell but I wanted to see that before we went a goal down. I thought it was a compliment that they changed their system completely.’ Steve Bruce (left), manager of Hull City, issues instructions to his players next to Neil Warnock (right), manager of Crystal Palace, during the match at the KC Stadium . Crystal Palace midfielder Jason Puncheon (left) battles with Hull's Andrew Robertson during the first half at the KC Stadium on Saturday afternoon . Martin Kelly of Crystal Palace makes a challenge on Hull City's Abel Hernandez during the two side's Premier League match at the KC Stadium . Tom Huddlestone (centre) goes down under the challenge of Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak (right), who had scored two goals in two matches before Saturday . Crystal Palace full-back Joel Ward spent the afternoon up against Ahmed Elmohamady, the Palace man pictured beating his opposition down the wing . Click here to see our brilliant match-zone, including the move for Mo Diame's goal: . Hull City's Jake Livermore (left) vies with Jason Puncheon (right) during the first half of Hull vs Crystal Palace at the KC Stadium on Saturday . Hull City captain Curtis Davies evades the challenge of Crystal Palace forward Fraizer Campbell in the two side's Premier League match at the KC Stadium . Tom Huddlestone (centre) looks to offload the ball as he is surrounded by Palace duo James McArthur (left) and Mile Jedinak (right) Adrian Mariappa (right) started the game as a substitute, but was called upon early on in the match after the injury to Crystal Palace centre-back Scott Dann .
### SUMMARY:
| Crystal Palace were dealt an early blow when centre-back Scott Dann was stretchered off after 12 minutes .
Mo Diame broke the deadlock on the hour mark when he headed home to put Hull one-nil up .
Nikica Jelavic made sure of the victory when he slotted past Julian Speroni late on to make the score 2-0 .
The defeat condemns Neil Warnock to his first defeat since returning to Crystal Palace .
Hull leapfrog Palace into 8th position, while the Eagles' first league defeat since August 23 sees them drop to 14th . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
It's been a whirlwind few days for Pippa Middleton, who was pictured leaving Wyoming after reportedly being hired by NBC's Today show. The Duchess of Cambridge's younger sister was spotted at Jackson Hole airport in Wyoming after apparently inking a deal to be a correspondent for the popular NBC show. Pippa had been shopping for gifts and a teddy bear, possibly for her nephew Prince George, was peeking out of her bag. And she's off! Pippa Middleton leaves Wyoming after reportedly being hired by NBC's Today show and squeezing in a hoedown dance with locals surrounded by cameras on Wednesday evening. It is believed that she was filming a test piece for the Today show . The socialite and author looked comfortable and chic in jeans, a cosy cardigan and black boots. She accessorised with a chunky gold necklace and subtle rings. Pippa Middleton was spotted dashing in and out of the Big Apple this week for talks with Today show execs over a new correspondent's job for a reported $500,000 pay packet. Christmas gift? Pippa had been shopping for gifts and a teddy bear, possibly for her nephew Prince George, was peeking out of her bag . Still stylish: Despite the long flight ahead, the author looked comfortable and chic in jeans, a cosy cardigan and black boots . The Duchess of Cambridge's 31-year-old sister was seen wheeling her case to a waiting SUV at JFK around 5pm on Monday, dressed in a pristine Mackintosh with coordinating Loewe 'Amazona' purse which costs around $2,400. Less than 12 hours later, jet-setting Pippa was back at Kennedy to catch an outbound flight, dressed comfortably in a padded jacket, glasses and ankle boots. Pippa flew to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where she was spotted at a hoedown dance with locals surrounded by cameras. It is believed that she was filming a test piece for the Today show. It's a real royal hoedown! Pippa Middleton was spotted in Jackson Hole, Wyoming this week taking part in swing dancing while she was filmed by cameras in what appeared to be a test segment for NBC . Take your partners for a hoedown! Pippa tries her hand at dancing with a local at a bar in Jackson Hole, Wyoming as a cameraman films her in what was believed to be a test segment for NBC's Today show . 'She was moving fast' one local said on social media after Pippa surprised everyone by popping up (with a camera crew) in Jackson Hole . According to the Daily News, the freelance columnist is hoping for a deal 'upward of $500,000' to report on lifestyle and health issues for NBC. Pippa has been in talks with the 'peacock network' for a new job after she was interview by Matt Lauer this summer, Page Six first reported, then confirmed to MailOnline by sources. NBC News previously denied that a deal was in the works but the network has reportedly been in serious talks with Pippa for months about becoming a lifestyle and health correspondent. Excited locals in Jackson Hole, posted pictures all over social media of Miss Middleton this week, dressed in boots, skinny jeans and wearing a checked shirt. Pippa performed a routine which involved some twirling and sashaying with an elderly gent in a cowboy hat before going on to have a drink at the bar. Emily hash-tagged one video clip with 'pippamiddleton' before saying that she had told the 31-year-old she was happy she visited, and received a gracious smile as a reply. Another person at the bar, Wyomingsith, remarked that she was 'moving quickly' and had only stayed for around ten minutes. Pippa got stuck in on the dancefloor in Jackson Hole at a local hoedown as she spun round with some locals . Pippa was on mark with the local fashion stakes fitting in with her flannel shirt, denim and boots as she enjoyed a spirited dance . Pippa first piqued NBC's interest in June when her interview, where she chatted over tea about her sister and Prince George, brought in high ratings for the network. It is expected that Ms Middleton, a former party planner and cookbook author who has been writing occasional columns about sports and lifestyle, will continue to focus on these subjects in her new role. NBC has declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. It is highly unlikely that Prince William's sister-in-law would report on the Royal Family as the subject is deemed off-limits. She is not the first with Royal connections to cash in as Charles Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, also had a gig at NBC in the 1980s. The Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, also dabbled in TV in the 1990s, forming the production company, Ardent, in 1993. The company made a number of documentaries and dramas but was voluntarily liquidated in June 2009, with total assets amounting to $65. Test run: Pippa Middleton's interview with Today's Matt Lauer in June brought in big ratings . In 2012, it was reported that NBC would offer Pippa $600,000 to be a royal correspondent but this was denied by the network. During her interview with Matt Lauer in June, which marked Pippa's first-ever TV appearance, the glamorous socialite shed light on her relationship with her sister, who is a member of the British Royal Family through her marriage to Prince William. Pippa seems set to join 'peacock' network NBC following months of secret talks over the deal . Asked about her relationship with Kate, Pippa said she and her sister are still very close and enjoy doing 'sisterly things'. Miss Middleton famously stole the spotlight during the Royal Wedding in 2011 when she donned a curve-hugging white bridesmaid’s gown for the ceremony. Pippa's media career has suffered a few minor setbacks this past year. Her party-planning book, Celebrate, suffered disappointing sales, and in May it was announced that Middleton had been dropped as a columnist for The Daily Telegraph after just six months. She still writes for Vanity Fair and is associated with the supermarket Waitrose. Pippa is currently dating stockbroker Nico Jackson, 36, who in July took a new job at a hedge fund in Switzerland. However according earlier reports, the couple's relationship has gone stale, Nico told friends. Pippa was recently spotted enjoying lunch with millionaire hotel tycoon Andre Balazs at his A-list haunt the Chiltern Firehouse in Central London. Balazs, who is now reportedly dating pop starlet Kylie Minogue, is known for his web of celebrity connections and owns several U.S. hotels including the Chateau Marmont in LA and New York's The Standard. Freelancer: Pippa Middleton, pictured at a memorial service for journalist Sir David Frost at Westminster Abbey in March. She is reportedly in the works for a half-a-million dollar deal with NBC . Scene-stealer: Pippa became a viral sensation when she appeared at the Royal Wedding in 2011 dressed in a particularly flattering white bridesmaid's gown .
### SUMMARY:
| Pippa seen in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, carrying teddy .
Spotted country dancing in a bar surrounded by cameras on Wednesday .
The freelance columnist is hoping for a deal 'upward of $500,000' to report on lifestyle and health issues for NBC . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
80% of Britons are too tired to kiss their partner goodnight at bedtime . 90% do not say 'I love you' before drifting to sleep . 46% turn their back on their partners as soon as they get in to bed . But it is sleeping positions that really reveal what is going on in relationships . What happens in your bedroom when the lights go out? If a new survey is to be believed, the answer is not much. As a nation we are becoming a loveless lot, turning our backs on our partners as soon as we settle down, not bothering to kiss each other good night or say I love you and in 25 per cent of cases hoping that our partners don't even touch us as we try and drift to sleep. But despite our efforts to ward off intimacy as we are trying to fall asleep, psychologists say it is the positions we take up when actually deep in sleep that reveal how we really feel about each other. The positions we sleep in can say a lot about our relationships: The Liberty - back to back but not touching - shows a couple feels connected whilst independent enough to sleep separately . During sleep, you cannot fake your body language, this is . the time when you are honest and vulnerable and your sleeping position . can therefore reveal a lot about your relationship. Relationship psychologist Corrine Sweet and the Travelodge hotel group have investigated what Britons’ sleeping positions say about their . relationship. Sweet said: 'Couples fall into habitual ways of . sleeping together that suits their personalities and personal . preferences. 'These are negotiated at the outset, so if something . changes in how they sleep together, this can reflect a change in their . relationship and cause concern for the other partner.' The Cherish - back to back but touching - means a couple are comfortable, intimate and relaxed with each other . Spoons - male with the female on the inside - this is a traditional position in which the male takes the lead and protects his lover . Pillow Talk - face to face - this position represents an intimate need for one-to-one contact and conversation in bed . Lovers Knot or Lovers - face to face with legs intertwined - if couples separate after 10 minutes it demonstrates a loving independence, if legs intertwined all night it means you cannot bear to be separated . She added: 'Individual . psychological states also affect how we sleep and the positions we . sleep in, so if we are stressed we may be irritable, and not want to . snuggle up with our partner. Arguments often lead to sleeping wide . apart, as people feel loathe to touch.' 'Inevitably, once the first flush of lust wears off, with couples naked . and entwined, it is more likely that the need for a good night's sleep . predominates, so sleeping back to back becomes a favourable position in . bed.' The research highlighted a new trend . for sleeping apart. Nowadays one in 10 couples admits to sleeping . separately from their partner in the quest for a good night’s sleep. Alarmingly a quarter of couples in their sexual prime age (35 and above) are considering sleeping in separate beds. Couples . not in favour of having their own bed are still vying for more space . between the sheets with more than half now opting for a King Size bed . and over a quarter considering an upgrade from their standard double. 1. LIBERTY: Back to back but not touching (28%)This couple feel . connected whilst independent enough to sleep separately. They are used . to each other and accept each other’s sleeping habits. 2. CHERISH: Back to back but touching (18%) This couple are comfortable, intimate and relaxed with each other. A popular position in a new relationship. 3. SPOONS (MALE): Male spoons with the female on the inside (13%)This . is a traditional position, in which the male takes the lead and . protects his lover. Couples sleep side-by-side each curled up with each . other in the foetal position. Traditional spooning is the most common . position adopted by couples during the first few years of their . relationship or marriage. It shows both a strong sexuality and feeling . of security in the relationship . 4. PILLOW TALK: Face to face (7%) This position represents an intimate need for one-to-one contact and conversation in bed. 5. LOVERS KNOT: Face to face, legs intertwined for 10 minutes then couples separate to sleep (8%) This . position demonstrates a loving independence, it’s a sign of intimacy, . love and sexual activity - even though the couple separate and sleep . apart. 6. SPOONS (FEMALE): Spoons with the female on the outside (5%) In this position the female takes the lead and protects her man while he is sleeping. 7. THE LOVERS: Face to face with legs intertwined all night (4%) This . is love’s young dream position where you cannot bear to be separated as . each moment together counts. A position for the born romantics. 8. THE ROMANTIC: Woman lying with head and arm on man’s chest (1%)This . is the popular Hollywood movie bed scene position. An intimate pose . much favoured in a new relationship or after love making. It represents . new / rekindled love. 9. SUPERWOMAN: Woman lying in star fish position with man hanging off the bed (1%) The woman rules the bed in this position, she likes her space and the man takes a secondary role and lets her take it. 10. SUPERMAN: Man lying in star fish position with woman hanging off the bed (1%) In this position the male is king of the bed, he likes to have his way and the female is happy to oblige. The sleep behaviour report also found that one in four couples constantly argues in bed because they are kept awake by their partners sleeping habits. The survey also revealed that more than half of people questioned said they felt their sex life was better if they ‘cuddled-up’ more. More men at 67% responded that their sex life was better if they cuddled more during the night. 34% of men said that it annoyed them if their partner did not cuddle them in bed in comparison to 26% of women. Experts have stated longevity of a marriage is enhanced when couples fall asleep and wake up at the same time. Couples who go to sleep together and get up at the same time are content in their relationship. Over half of adults can tell if their partner is cheating on them by the way they sleep. Nearly two thirds of women are more vigilant under the duvet and can detect if their other half is playing away by his bedroom antics. Nearly one in 10 men have made the cardinal sin and called their wife or girlfriend the wrong name in bed. Spoons - with the female on the outside - in this position the female takes the lead and protects her man while he is sleeping . The Romantic - woman lying with head and arm on man's chest - this is the popular Hollywood movie bed scene position. An intimate pose much favoured in a new relationship or after love making . Superwoman - woman lying in star fish position with man hanging off the bed - the woman rules the bed in this position, she likes her space and the man takes a secondary role and lets her take it . Superman - man lying in star fish position with woman hanging off the bed - in this position the male is king of the bed, he likes to have his way and the female is happy to oblige .
### SUMMARY:
| 80% of Britons are too tired to kiss their partner goodnight at bedtime .
90% do not say 'I love you' before drifting to sleep .
46% turn their back on their partners as soon as they get in to bed .
But it is sleeping positions that really reveal what is going on in relationships . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
The dreaded polar vortex will rear its frigid head this year despite previous predictions to the contrary, an expert Michigan forecaster said Thursday, just as New York City officials warned Gothamites to brace for the first snow of the season. Michigan meteorologist Mark Torregrossa revealed his predictions on Mlive.com, where he writes 'the polar vortex is already dropping farther south than normal.' His report goes head to head with one out of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration just last month, which suggested this year's cold months simply won't be as historically bone-chilling as last winter. Scroll down for video . Chilled: Things weren't looking good for the Midwestern US on Thursday afternoon as high temps were below freezing in some unfortunate places--Minneapolis and Chicago among them . Polar vortex? A massive arctic bubble ahead of a polar vortex expected to settle near Hudson Bay by Tuesday was set to force temperatures down to around 10F below normal for this time of years just about everywhere except the West Coast, Southwest and Southern Florida . Sign of things to come: New York City, still shell-shocked from last year's record chills, already had snow on the way Friday. The folks at NYC Sanitation included a photo, presumably from last year, as an unsettling reminder . As of Thursday, with Midwest temps poised to dip to record lows for November and snow already threatening the Eastern Seaboard, it appeared Torregrossa's was the forecast to follow. Accuweather.com predicts an 80 percent chance of snow and ice would clog travel up I-95 from northern New Jersey into southern New England starting Thursday and stretching into Friday. NYC Sanitation issue a 'snow alert' for 8pm THursday. 'Salt spreaders are loaded and ready to be deployed,' they tweeted. 'Drive carefully.' New York can expect about a half-inch of the white stuff to pile up Thursday. Meanwhile, a massive arctic bubble ahead of a polar vortex was set to force temperatures down to around 10F below normal for this time of years just about everywhere except the West Coast, Southwest and Southern Florida. 'It looks like we are heading for a much colder than normal start to the winter,' Torregrossa writes. Pointing toward a 'long expected' El Nino this winter, NOAA forecaster Mike Halpert just last month wrote: . 'A repeat of last winter is not particularly likely.' We can hope NOAA has the more accurate predictions, but until then, expect a bracingly cold weekend in much of the U.S. The Arctic chill is gripping the Rockies and Upper Midwest - and it's crawling east. A new study says that as the world gets warmer, parts of North America, Europe and Asia could see more frequent and stronger visits of that cold air. Researchers say that's because of shrinking ice in the seas off Russia. Normally, the polar vortex is penned in the Arctic. But at times it escapes and wanders south, bringing with it a bit of Arctic super chill. That can happen for several reasons, and the new study suggests that one of them occurs when ice in northern seas shrinks, leaving more water uncovered. Normally, sea ice keeps heat energy from escaping the ocean and entering the atmosphere. When there's less ice, more energy gets into the atmosphere and weakens the jet stream, the high-altitude river of air that usually keeps Arctic air from wandering south, said study co-author Jin-Ho Yoon of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash. So the cold air escapes instead. That happened relatively infrequently in the 1990s, but since 2000 it has happened nearly every year, according to a study published Tuesday in the journal . A visual representation of the dreaded polar vortex. Is it coming and do we have melting sea ice to blame? Sharp drops in temperature are expected in other parts of the U.S. in the coming days, thanks to a powerful weather system that hit Alaska with hurricane-force winds over the weekend before blanketing several state ins snow. Dangerously cold weather was expected to linger until Thursday in eastern Montana, where temperatures could reach as low as negative 30 degrees. Denver's high was only was 5 degrees on Wednesday, a day after the snow-covered city broke a nearly century-old record for the lowest temperature ever recorded on a Nov. 11. The frigid air was expected to crawl into the Appalachians, mid-South and the East Coast by Thursday. Forecasters have issued freeze and cold-weather warnings across parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. In Billings, Montana, where temperatures fell from the high 60s into the single digits on Tuesday, Patsy Kimmel said she was warned about the weather before arriving from Oklahoma to celebrate her 70th birthday with family. 'Yesterday I was wearing sandals and a short-sleeve shirt, and today I'm wearing a coat and scarf and turtleneck and sweatshirt and gloves,' she said. Snow and ice: Accuweather.com predicts an 80 percent chance of snow and ice would clog travel up I-95 from northern New Jersey into southern New England starting Thursday and stretching into Friday. Get ready, New York: The Arctic chill is gripping the Rockies and Upper Midwest - and it's crawling east. Sharp drops in temperature are expected in other parts of the U.S. in the coming days, thanks to a powerful weather system that hit Alaska with hurricane-force winds over the weekend before blanketing several state in snow . Temperatures fell more than 30 degrees overnight in northern Illinois, from a high of 58 on Tuesday to 26 degrees on Wednesday. Similar swings hit Oklahoma City, where temperatures went from 80 degrees Monday to a low of 30 on Tuesday. In the Dakotas, wind chills made it feel like 20 below in some places. But that was good news for Action Mechanical Inc. of Rapid City, South Dakota, a heating and ventilation business that was doing booming trade. 'Bang! We get this arctic blast, and it just opens the floodgates,' said John Hammond Jr., a department head. 'We're behind right now as we're sitting here talking.' Parts of Michigan's Upper Peninsula were buried in more than 3 feet of snow on Wednesday, with more snow forecast through the weekend, along with temperatures that dipped in the 20s and 30s. Up to 18 inches fell in northern Wisconsin, while parts of central Minnesota saw more than 16 inches of snow. Many roads were snow-covered and slippery Wednesday in the Upper Peninsula, where residents are accustomed to snowy conditions. Of his drive into work, National Weather Service meteorologist Justin Titus said that roads were 'just rutted out and kind of felt like you were driving over a washboard.' Even chillier: Tonight will get even worse. As the sun sets, snow was expected to push east and dust the Eastern Seaboard from northern New Jersey up through southern New England . Friday night will chill much of the United States below typical temperatures as well. Only the Southwest and Southern Florida can expect to be spared .
### SUMMARY:
| A Michigan weather expert predicts the dreaded arctic phenomenon could be a common sight in the States this winter .
The Midwestern U.S. will experienced temps 10F below average in the coming days .
The prediction comes despite previous NOAA forecasts to the contrary and just as New York City is bracing for half-inch snowfall Thursday .
These would be the first flurries of the season in winter weary and it's only November . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
This is the picture which last night intensified pressure on the head of the Government’s child abuse inquiry to resign. It shows Fiona Woolf with Lady Brittan, the wife of former Home Secretary Lord Brittan, at an awards ceremony in October 2013. This is despite Mrs Woolf telling MPs that she had had no social contact with the Brittans since April 2013. Victims of sexual abuse, their lawyers and MPs last night called for Mrs Woolf to resign over her dinner-party links to Lord Brittan, who is likely to be called to give evidence to the inquiry about allegations – which he denies – that he was at the centre of an Establishment cover-up of sex abuse claims. Fiona Woolf (left) was with Lady Brittan (right) at the 2013 Dragon Awards at Mansion House in October last year - alongside journalist Martyn Lewis (centre) - but did not mention this meeting to MPs . There are calls for Fiona Woolf to quit after she admitted she entertained former Home Secretary Leon Brittan and his wife three times at dinner parties at her house, and twice went to his central London home for dinner . Corporate lawyer Mrs Woolf, who lives in the same Central London street as the Brittans, wrote a letter to Home Secretary Theresa May, in which she claimed her last social contact with Lady Brittan had been in April 2013. Mrs Woolf, the Lord Mayor of London,boasted of having ‘carefully checked through my records’ to ensure she had not missed anything when she wrote to Mrs May. And she told MPs this week she had ‘gone the extra distance’ to produce an exhaustive list of contacts. Last night a Home Office source insisted it was a ‘minor omission’, but Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs queued up to demand her resignation. Critics said that, even if the mistake was an oversight, it did not bode well for the chairman of a sensitive inquiry to have such a flimsy grasp of the facts. As Downing Street and the Home Office desperately tried to prop up their candidate: . But the emergence of the picture was the most damaging revelation. It shows Mrs Woolf QC and Lady Brittan talking to former BBC newsreader Martyn Lewis at the Dragon Awards in October 2013. All three were judges of the awards, which recognise City firms’ contribution to the community. In her letter to Mrs May, Mrs Woolf said: ‘I have had no further social contact with Lord and Lady Brittan since April 23, 2013, and have not spoken to either of them in person or by telephone since, other than disclosed in this letter.’ She told the Home Secretary that she and Lady Brittan were ‘both judges for the Dragon Awards in 2014’, adding the extra detail that Lady Brittan did not attend the 2014 awards ceremony. But she makes absolutely no mention in her letter of the 2013 awards. Then on Tuesday this week, she offered additional reassurance to the Home Affairs Select Committee, telling its members: ‘I have gone the extra distance to make sure I have dug out any possible connection.’ Her assertion unravelled within 24 hours as the new photo emerged. Home Secretary Theresa May has insisted the inquiry can go ahead, despite the chairman's links to Leon Brittan (right, with his wife) On Tuesday, she offered additional reassurance to the home affairs select committee, saying: ‘I have gone the extra distance to make sure I have dug out any possible connection.’ Her assertion unravelled within 24 hours as the new photo emerged. Last night committee chairman Keith Vaz said he was ‘surprised’ by the new information. He added: ‘It is important to give her the opportunity, as I will do when I write to her, to ask her why this particular piece of information was missing.’ Lord Brittan is accused of burying a dossier given to him by MP Geoffrey Dickens in 1983. It documented the alleged involvement of VIP figures in a child sex ring. He has denied the claims. These are the unanswered questions: . In her letter to Mrs May, Mrs Woolf made the damning admission that she had entertained the former Home Secretary and his wife three times at dinner parties at her house, and twice went to their home for dinner. But despite their social and professional contacts, she insisted she did not have a ‘close association’ with the peer. Lord Brittan is accused of ignoring, or burying, a dossier given to him by MP Geoffrey Dickens in 1983, allegedly documenting the involvement of VIP figures in a child sex ring. He denies the claims. Mrs Woolf made no further comment yesterday. A Home Office spokesman said: ‘Fiona Woolf has written to the Home Secretary setting out any issues, including her involvement in the Dragon Awards, which might be seen to cast doubt on her impartiality. ‘The Home Secretary is confident that this panel, under the chairmanship of Fiona Woolf CBE, will carry out a robust and thorough inquiry, and will challenge institutions without fear or favour, in order to get to the bottom of this issue and stop it from happening again.’ But Labour MP Caroline Flint said: ‘I just don’t think at this stage it’s viable that she’s the person that leads this.’ Asked if Mrs Woolf had the confidence of people involved in the inquiry, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude told the BBC: ‘I think she will need to show that and time will tell.’ A lawyer representing victims said her social relationship with Lord Brittan put her ‘beyond the pale in terms of her credibility’. Alison Millar said ‘evidence of dinner parties with Lord Brittan really puts her beyond the pale in terms of her credibility with my clients’. Lib Dem MP John Hemming called on Mrs Woolf to stand down, calling her appointment a mistake. One of the two victims of abuse sitting on the panel, Sharon Evans, said the inquiry had got off to a ‘very difficult start’. The Home Secretary's first choice to lead the inquiry into historic child abuse was Baroness Butler-Sloss (left), but she was forced to step down because her brother was the Government's attorney general. Labour MP Simon Danczuk called for her to stand down . Has she misled Parliament? If MPs conclude Mrs Woolf deliberately misled Parliament – of which there is no evidence – she could be hauled back before them to correct what she said. Under an antiquated procedure last used decades ago, she could theoretically be forced to come to the House of Commons to be admonished publicly by the Speaker. It is known as being ‘called to the bar of the House of Commons’. The last time a non-MP was summoned to the bar was on 24 January 1957. In addition, any MP can table a motion calling for the House of Commons to censure someone.
### SUMMARY:
| Theresa May appointed Fiona Woolf after her original choice quit .
Lady Butler-Sloss stepped down because her brother was attorney general .
But Woolf admitted she is a dinner party friend of top Tory Leon Brittan .
Brittan rejects claims he failed to act on 1980s dossier of abuse allegations .
Lawyer for victims said Mrs Woolf was 'beyond the pale' over links .
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg distances himself from Mrs Woolf .
Victim of child sex abuse launches legal challenge to her appointment .
A group of victims launched a legal challenge to Mrs Woolf’s appointment on the grounds her friendship with the Brittans undermined her impartiality; .
A senior Tory minister admitted Mrs Woolf would have to show she had the confidence of victims and ‘time would tell’ if she had that; .
An abuse victim on the inquiry panel admitted it had got off to a ‘very difficult start’; .
Labour said her position was ‘not viable’. |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Luis Suarez scored his first goal for Barcelona and in doing so opened the way for Lionel Messi to rewrite the history books once again, with a hat-trick that took him past Raul as the Champions League all-time top-scorer. Barça were struggling to break down a stubborn APOEL defence when Suarez spun away from his marker and buried a shot into the far corner of Urko Pardo's net after 27 minutes. It was the goal that lifted the weight of not having scored in his first five games from his shoulders…it also opened the Messi floodgates. Last week Messi told Argentine newspaper Olé he would like to stay at Barcelona for the rest of his career but that 'players don't always get what they want'. What sane of mind president would sanction his sale after his latest landmark performances? Barcelona forward Lionel Messi moved ahead of Raul in the Champions League all-time scorers list, he is now the sole record holder . Luis Suarez scored Barcelona's opening goal, it was also his first goal for the club since his £75million move from Liverpool . Messi wheels away after scoring his first, and his club's second goal of the evening against APOEL Nicosia in the Champions League . Messi scores his second goal of the evening while defender Amorin, who was eventually sent off, watches on . The La Liga side's two goal scorers celebrate together during their comfortable win against the Cypriot side . APOEL Nicosia . Urko Pardo 5, Sergio 6, Guilherme 5, Carlao 6, Antoniades 6; Gomes 7, Vinicius 5, Morais 5, Aloneftis 6; Manduca 5, Sheridan 6 . Red cards: Guilherme . Barcelona . Ter Stegen 7; Alves 8, Piqué 7, Bartra 7, Jordi Alba 8; Rakitic 7, Mascherano 8, Rafinha 6; Suarez 8, Messi 9, Pedro 7 . Goals: Suarez, Messi (3) Red cards: Rafinha . The 27-year-old is now Barcelona's all-time top scorer; the Spanish league's all-time top scorer; and the Champions League's all-time top scorer, too. And such is the 27-year-old's genius that he has broken each one of those records by scoring a hat-trick. He bagged a treble against Granada last season to become the club's all-time leading scorer; he got three against Sevilla at the weekend to top La Liga's all time list; and he surpassed Raul's record 72-goal haul with three more against the Cypriot champions. He moved past Real Madrid legend Raul when he diverted a Jordi Alba shot past APOEL keeper Urko Pardo. He doubled his tally in the second half converting an Alves pass and then made it 4-0 from Pedro's cross to put him on 74 goals in 91 games. The Messi-show began after Suarez broke down APOEL's well-marshalled defence. Their keeper Pardo had saved from Messi after just two minutes and when Alves blasted over the keeper's bar from distance on ten minutes it was a symptom of the visitors' growing frustration. Suarez spurned a glorious chance on 18 minutes when Messi wriggled down the right and crossed. But the former Liverpool striker had to get his shot away quickly in a packed area and it went tamely straight at Pardo. Messi then teed-up Alba with a perfectly lofted pass but the full-back sent his shot over from the edge of the six-yard box. Barcelona were enjoying over 70 per cent of possession but still could not find a way through. Marc Bartra, Rafinha and Javier Mascherano run over to congratulate Messi after the three-time Ballon d'Or winner broke the record in Cyprus . Barcelona's players show their support for the La Masia graduate, who was made captain for the night in Cyprus . VIDEO Messi breaks Raul goal-scoring record . Barcelona midfielder Rafinha was sent off in the second half after picking up his second booking of the match . Former Manchester United defender Gerard Pique attempts to escape the attention of APOEL's Gustavo Manduca . APOEL forward Cillian Sheridan jumps over Pique as he runs down the line at the Neo GSP Stadium in the Cypriot capital . Then finally the breakthrough came as Suarez turned away from his marker down the left-hand channel and finished into Pardo's far corner. The tension lifted, both for him and his team-mates. Messi turned in Alba's shot to make it 2-0 and then back-heeled to Suarez who went for power over precision and sent his shot wide. The Argentine then chased 30 yards back to win possession as Barcelona finished the half strongly. He was in the mood for more goals and duly delivered them after the break, first from Alves' pass and then after good work from Pedro. Messi also set up Suarez who missed the chance to double his tally and when with 20 minutes Rafinha was harshly sent off, Suarez was replaced by Sergi Busquets as Luis Enrique looked to compensate for going a man down. Messi completed his hat-trick and not even a Dani Alves booking – meaning he misses Barcelona's last group game at home to Paris Saint-Germain – could ruin the night. Guilherme was later sent off for APOEL as the home side failed to grab a consolation goal. Barça will miss their Brazilian full back in the last game that they have to win to qualify as group leaders. But, full of confidence after the final whistle, Suarez said: 'We know how strong Paris [Saint-Germain] are but we are at home so it is in our hands to win the game and top the group.' Rafinha beats APOEL midfielder Vinicius during their Champions League clash on Tuesday night . APOEL's Spanish goalkeeper Urko Pardo pats Messi after gathering the ball in his box during the first half . APOEL's Carlao challenges Uruguayan forward Suarez for the ball and slaps him in the mouth in the process . Manduca dribbles with the ball while Spain international Jordi Alba tracks back to try and tackle him . Barcelona's Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic finds himself in space early on in the game while defender Pique watches on . Barcelona manager Luis Enrique shouts instructions to his team from the sidelines in Cyprus . Barcelona's Spanish forward Pedro is challenged by Vinicius while Brazilian defender Joao Guilherme looks on . APOEL Nicosia fans light flares in the build up to the Champions League clash at the Neo GSP Stadium in the Cypriot capital . The smoke caused by the home fans' flares meant the game began under a shroud of smoke . After using all their flares, APOEL fans showed their support with their scarves and vocal cords .
### SUMMARY:
| Former Liverpool man Luis Suarez scored his first goal for Barcelona since joining in the summer .
Lionel Messi then doubled Barcelona's lead over APOEL Nicosia in the Cypriot capital .
Messi added two more goals to his tally in the second half .
The Argentine has now scored more Champions League goals (74) than any other player .
Rafinha was sent off for Barcelona and Guilherme was sent off for APOEL .
Barcelona now currently sit second in Group F with 12 points, one behind leaders PSG .
Luis Enrique's men will face PSG in mouthwatering Champions League clash to decide who tops the group . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
He is best known for wrapping the Reichstag in fabric and lining California highways with yellow umbrellas - but Christo's latest, almost inconceivable project will dwarf them both. The artist will spend £212m building the 'Mastaba', the world's largest permanent sculpture, from over 400,000 multi-coloured oil barrels in the middle of the desert near Abu Dhabi. The flat-topped pyramid will be 492ft high, just taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza and three times the height of Nelson's Column. Scroll down for video . Artwork: The proposed 'Mastaba', a 490ft tall sculpture constructed from oil barrels and conceived by Christo to be built in the middle of the Abu Dhabi desert . Grand designs: Christo, who is best known for wrapping buildings and bridges in fabric, with a sketch of his latest creation . It is intended to be a landmark for Abu Dhabi - despite being 100 miles from the city itself - in the same way the pyramids are for Egypt and the Eiffel Tower is to Paris, with two million visitors expected annually. Christo and his late wife Jeanne-Claude first envisaged the project 30 years ago, after being inspired by the colourful sands of the desert but its completion has been delayed by various conflicts in the region. The Mastaba chimes with Abu Dhabi's latest ambition to turn itself into a centre of art and culture. The emirate's rulers have approved a site near Liwa oasis, in the south-east of the United Arab Emirates close to the border with Oman. The region is home to some of the highest sand dunes in the middle-east and the yellow and red colours in the sand have inspired the design. Christo said: 'When the sun rises, the vertical wall will become almost full of gold.' Stack: The Mastaba will be made of 410,000 multi-coloured oil barrels, though Christo insists it is not a commentary on the region's oil wealth . Long-held dream: The first sketches of the 490ft flat-topped pyramid structure were drawn up 30 years ago, but conflicts in the region have stalled its construction . Design on the dunes: Christo during a scale model test at the proposed sight neat the Liwa Oasis, 100 miles from Abu Dhabi city in the south-east of the United Arab Emirates . The Bulgarian-born artist, 74, is collaborating with Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed al-Nayhan, the crown prince’s elder brother, with the royal family ‘very excited to realise the project.’ Although Christo hasn’t said whether the ruling family have contributed financially towards it, he said it had mainly been financed ‘independently’ and through sales of his work. He denied that choosing oil barrels to build the structure was a comment on the region’s chief source of wealth and stressed that his idea was not born out of economic or political events, just ‘joy and beauty.’ Location: The Mastaba will be situated here, with the yellow and red colours of the sands said to have inspired Christo in his design . Plans: The Mastaba is slightly taller than the Great Pyramid of Gaza in Egypt. Christo and the project's backers hope it will attract two million visitors a year . Flat-topped pyramid: Another design sketch as the Mastaba takes shape . Site: The Mastaba will be constructed in the south-east of the country, 100 miles from Abu Dhabi and close to the border with Oman . It has been inspired by Islamic architecture, with Christo saying: ‘When Louis XIV was building that kitschy castle Versailles, the greatest architecture in the Middle East had incredible simplicity… and play with colours.’ Construction of the Mastaba will take 30 months, with hundreds of people involved. A German company has been commissioned to supply the coloured barrels. A nearby ‘art campus’ will include an exhibition on the project, as well as housing a luxury hotel and restaurant. Christo, born Christo Javacheff, is best known for wrapping everyday items including bottles and chairs in sheets or tarpaulin. Scouting locations: Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude, who died in 2009, look at possible locations for the sculpture on a visit to the UAE in 2007 . Long time coming: Christo and Jeanne-Claude scouting for possible sites in February 1982 . He famously wrapped the Reichstag, the German government building in Berlin, and the Pont-Neuf Bridge in Paris in fabric. His ‘Umbrellas’ project, between 1984 and 1991, involved setting up 3,000 umbrellas along highways in Japan and the United States. Surrounded Islands, 1983 . A two week installation in Biscayne Bay, Miami to surround 11 islands with 1.98m square feet of pink floating plastic. The luminous pink colour of the fabric proved a great hit with everyone who could see it from the surrounding islands, beaches and causeways. In total, 430 workers fitted the 11km of plastic and 120 monitors watched it day and night. Pretty in pink: The 1983 Surrounding Islands project in Miami involved 11km of pink plastic sheeting . Pont Neuf, Paris (1985)After nine years of negotiations with the then mayor of Paris, Jacques Chirac, Christo received permission to 'wrap' one of the most picturesque bridges in the French capital. It needed 130,000 square feet of sand-coloured fabric to cover and took just under a month to complete. Three million people came to have a look in the ensuing two weeks. The Umbrellas, Japan and California (1984-1991) The plans was to line highways in California and Japan with yellow and blue umbrellas respectively at the same time. Two thousand workers were brought in during September 1991 to install the umbrellas into their reinforced metal bases at a cost of £16m. By September 7, 1991, there were 1,340 blue umbrellas in Ibaraki, Japan and 1,760 yellow umbrellas at the Tejon Ranch in southern California. Three million people saw the six-metre high installations and became a huge tourist attraction. On October 26, 1991, one of the umbrellas broke loose in high winds, killing one woman and injuring several others. The installation was immediately closed. Cloaked: Christo's most famous work, covering the Reichstag in Berlin in white fabric in 1995 . The Reichstag, Berlin (1995)His best known project, Christo and wife Jeanne-Claude wrapped the German parliament building in fabric in the summer of 1995, attracting five million visitors. They sought the support of the President of the Parliament, Rita Sussmuth, and all 662 delegates of the Bundestag by writing and phoning them. They received permission following a 70-minute debate in the parliament on February 25, 1995. It involves 1,076,000 square feet of white fabric and 15km of rope to completely cloak the building.
### SUMMARY:
| £212m Christo creation will be built in the desert 100 miles south of Abu Dhabi .
It will consist of 400,000 multi-coloured oil barrels .
'Mastaba' will be just taller than the Great Pyramid and three times taller than Nelson's Column .
Christo most famous for wrapping the Reichstag in fabric in 1995 . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Mark Zuckerberg defiantly pushed forward with the overhaul of Facebook this afternoon as he announced more radical changes to the site with completely new profile pages covering years before the site even existed. The site founder unveiled some of the biggest changes in the site's history with the introduction of the new 'timeline' profile pages at the company's f8 conference in San Francisco. The announcement came as Zuckerberg continues to face wide scale anger from users at the way that the news feed was changed at the start of the week. Scroll down for video . Unveil: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduces Timeline during his keynote address at the Facebook f8 Developers Conference in San Francisc . New profile: The redesigned page looks more like an online scrapbook and users can add photos to their 'timeline' from before Facebook existed, such as photos of their birth . The new timeline feature is reminiscent of an . online scrapbook, with the most important photos and text that users . have shared on Facebook over the years. The timeline can go back to include years before Facebook even existed, so users can add photos and events from, say 1995 when they got married or 1970 when they were born. Zuckerberg said the new profile page had been designed so that, 'you can tell the whole story of your life on a single page'. The redesigned pages have a more magazine-like photo-heavy feel, with a large 'cover photo' at the top of the page . On the right of the page there will be a . timeline that breaks down all posts from a person's time on Facebook . and allows viewers to jump back to people's earliest posts with a break down month-by-month. Features: The profile page has closer integration with apps such as Netflix and Spotify, allowing users to watch films and listen to music on Facebook . For the first time, the site will allow you to add photos and content from before Facebook existed in a new 'Way Back' section. In his presentation, Zuckerberg showed how to add a baby photo at the beginning of your timeline. 'It's fun and easy to fill out your timeline,' said Zuckerberg. In other changes to the profile page, . users will be able to choose what is featured on their timelines, with . the ability to star favourites to double their size or hide things . altogether. Zuckerberg took the stage after a humorous skit, in which Saturday Night Live actor Andy Samberg impersonated him. Changes: The new 'timeline' profiles will look more like an online scrapbook with a much larger space at the top of the page for a profile picture . The real Mark Zuckerberg looked . considerably more playful and at ease than he has in past events, . suggesting he is growing into his role as the public face of Facebook. But . he quickly got down to business as he introduced the timeline as 'the . story of your life - all your stories, all your apps and a new way to . express who you are.' Expanding on its ubiquitous 'like' buttons, Zuckerberg said Facebook will now let users connect to things . even if they don't want to 'like' them. 'We . are making it so you can connect to anything you want. Now you don't . have to like a book, you can just read a book,' he said. 'You don't have to like a movie; you can just watch a movie.' Timeline: The right hand side of the site has been changed to show a chart of posts from the past . The . latest changes come days after Facebook overhauled the news feed . feature, which largely succeeded in goading its 750 million users into a . fury. Users . have been infuriated by the overhaul of the site with dozens of . Facebook groups set up to protest the changes - some with thousands of . members. On . Facebook's official blog more than 7,000 users have offered comments on . the new 'update' to the news service - many of them furious rants in . capitals - and a mere 1,800 users have 'Liked' the service. Tech . sites are offering 'workarounds' to disable the new features - and many . users have said on Twitter and Facebook that they are switching to . using Facebook on smartphones such as iPhone, where the the new News . Feed and News Ticker have not yet been added to the apps. The . focus of most people's anger seems to be the arbitrary way in which the . site 'chooses' which stories might be 'important' to you - general . opinion is that the site seems to invariably choose wrongly. All change: Zuckerberg has made several announcements this week as the site has faced competition from the likes of Google+ . The new update to the site 'splits' news into 'top stories' - the company declined to explain how these are . chosen for each individual - and a 'news ticker' that crawls up the . right side of the screen, adding updates as they come in. 'I want to choose my own news and my own friends. I do not need Facebook to choose these items for me,' said one commenter. 'News Feed is awful. It's . taking me much longer now to find the news I really want, now that . Facebook has decided incorrectly that some algorithm knows better than I . do,' said another. Although Facebook is still the . world’s largest social networking site with 750million users, it has . been under pressure from Google and other media sites for a number of . months, especially since the launch of Google+. Watch the video . Spoof: SNL's Andy Sandberg introduces the new fake features while pretending to be Mark Zuckerberg . Before Mark Zuckerberg launched the latest changes to the site, 'Saturday Night Live' cast member Andy Samberg took to the stage to introduce two new fake features. Wearing Zuckerberg's usual attire of a hoodie and sandals, Samberg did his impersonation of the Facebook founder, which has become a regular feature on the show. 'Let's get to the part where I brag about user growth,' Samberg said. 'We continue to expand to the point where we've stop counting you guys. 'It's more than the population of Europe, the cast of 'Glee' and the . amount of people claiming they came up with Facebook. Burn!' Samberg then introduced the 'I'm not really friends with these people' section of the site. The fake Zuckerberg said the new feature would be a place on your friends list to put people that you feel obligated to be friends with, but that you do not really like. 'It's the perfect place to put awkward friends from middle school, older drunk women you meet at charity events, racist neighbours, and aunts,' he said. Then he revealed the 'slow poke', which is a poke that moves so slowly that you can take it back if for example you gave the poke while drunk. 'The Slow Poke' gives users 24 hours to 'realise you're an idiot' before it is sent to the friend. The real Zuckerberg then took to the stage interrupting the monologue saying, 'drop the act now, man'. 'The slow poke isn't even a real feature,' Zuckerberg said while chuckling. 'The deal . was I was supposed to feed you real information through the earpiece.' <br/> .
### SUMMARY:
| Networking site pushes forward with major overhaul despite protests .
Profile pages redesigned as 'timelines' that include years from before Facebook .
Music and movie sites integrated into new profile pages .
Zuckerberg announces half a billion people used Facebook in just one day last week for the first time .
Facebook blog already inundated with protests from thousands of users at changes to news feeds unveiled at start of week . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
After weeks of promotion, Tony Bellew and Nathan Cleverly finally come together in the most bitter of grudge matches and in an eliminator for the WBO world cruiserweight title. The build-up has made both fighters household names. We sold out the Echo Arena in 48 hours, it's the fastest-ever selling sporting event there and the pay-per-view numbers look really strong. I've been nervous this week. We've seen some grudge matches before but this is more bitter than I've ever experienced. With George Groves against Carl Froch it was a case of, 'I can't stand that bloke,' but this is more like, 'I want to finish him now.' Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew get set for their rematch at Liverpool's Echo Arena on Saturday . Both Cleverly and Bellew weighed in in Liverpool ahead of their cruiserweight clash . The atmosphere wasn't pleasant at the press conference on Thursday or up on stage at the weigh-in because it was very personal; there were plenty of insults traded. I think Nathan believes that Tony is using these insults because he's desperate. To be honest, I thought Tony would lose his marbles more than he has but he’s been able to keep it together. Obviously Tony will have the majority of the support with the fight being in Liverpool but I think this is the kind of event to which neutrals will come. If you are a neutral, you'd probably favour Nathan because he has kept himself to himself in the build-up. You're more likely to have an opinion of Tony. There is plenty of bad blood between the pair, who have fought on one previous occasion . Security step in as things get heated on stage at the weigh in for Saturday's fight . Marco Huck, the WBO champion, and the WBC champion Grigory Drozd are flying in to see what is the biggest fight in the division; they all want to fight the winner. Either fighter against Huck and either fighter against the winner of Ola Afolabi against IBF champion Yoan Hernandez is a massive fight. But if you asked Nathan and Tony if they'd rather win a world title or win on Saturday night, the answer would be to win this fight. It means much more to them than a world title. I believe there's a future for both of them in the division but losing is not an option for either of them. I really like both guys and my job as a promoter is to provide the best fights, and that was this one. Welshman Cleverly weighed in just below the 200lb cruiserweight limit set for the fight . Bellew was also just inside the weight limit at 199lbs when he stepped on the scales . Cleverly at an open workout in Cardiff in the week leading up to the fight . But unfortunately one of them will lose and he will be my fighter. Normally I am screaming and shouting at ringside but I won't be this time. I don't have any favourites, it's a case of may the best man win. There are so many questions surrounding this fight. We don't know how hard Tony punches at cruiserweight. He's had two good knockouts against two durable fighters but Nathan stood up to Tony before. How mentally strong is Nathan? He looked massive on the scales but does he still have the speed he had at light-heavyweight. Does he punch harder? The only argument I don't think you can make is a Tony Bellew victory on points; that's the only result I don't see happening. I see Nathan on points and by stoppage and I see Tony by stoppage. I think it will come down to game plans going out the window and both guys trading and one guy getting knocked out spectacularly. It could be either one. Bellew is determined to beat Cleverly this time having pushed him all the way during their first meeting . Joe Calzaghe (right) joins Eddie Hearn (left) and Cleverly at his training session in Cardiff . Bellew and Cleverly fought in 2011 at Liverpool's Echo Arena with the Welshman winning a thrilling bout . Whatever happens, I want both men to shake hands but I don't think they will which is a shame. But that's one of the reasons the fight is so big, because of that vicious rivalry. The point of boxing is to leave it all in the ring and afterwards it is about respect. I will be straight in the ring to tell both fighters to congratulate each other. I tried to do it after Froch-Groves I but it didn't really work out because of the way it finished. Sometimes it runs too deep and this might be another example of that. George Groves and James DeGale are heading for a rematch and it almost happened after the weigh-in when both camps came face-to-face and the fighters had to be pulled apart by security. There were family members and team members involved. They don't like each other and it goes way back. You talk about Nathan and Tony but this goes way deeper; back to when they were teenagers. There is a lot of history there and it's distracting because they're both in big fights on Saturday night. George Groves will face Denis Douglin on the undercard at the Echo Arena . James DeGale is on course for a rematch with Groves and their camps clashed on Friday at the weigh-in . James has a tough fight against Marco Antonio Periban and George takes on Denis Douglin but it's the kind of distraction that could sometimes prove to be a banana skin. What it means, however, is that the rematch gets bigger and bigger; it looks inevitable for next year. Also on the undercard, Scott Quigg defends his world title against Hidenori Otake who is unbeaten in 17 fights since 2007 and is here to win. He has brought 20 or 30 people to watch him; boxing is big in Japan and they have a lot of world champions. I think it's going to be tough; he's very durable. Quigg is getting better but I expect this to be his toughest fight yet. Scott Quigg will defend his world super bantamweight title against Hidenori Otake . Jamie McDonnell also has a very tough fight against late replacement Javier Chacon who was already in training. He's a little rottweiler and will be on Jamie non stop. But our man must win to secure his unification clash with Tomoki Kameda next year. Jamie McDonnell will take on late replacement Javier Chacon in a WBA bantamweight title defence . Callum Smith against Nikola Sjekloca is such a great fight. The Montenegrins are here to win. It's the same group who came over with Dejan Zlaticanin who beat Ricky Burns and they fully believe they are going to beat Callum. He has his hands full. Olympic heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua meets the experienced Michael Sprott. Many feel that AJ's speed and power will be too much for Sprott, but he has other ideas and is really up for this one. Keep your eyes peeled also for recent signing Bradley Saunders, lightweight champ Scotty Cardle and German KO king Vincent Figenburtz. Anthony Joshua (right) will face experienced Brit Michael Sprott in his 10th professional bout . Catch all six hours of this monster show live and exclusive on Sky Sport Box Office - go to www.skysports.com/cleverlybellew for more info.
### SUMMARY:
| Tony Bellew takes on Nathan Cleverly in Liverpool on Saturday .
The rivals meet for a second time after Cleverly won first contest .
Atmosphere on stage between pair wasn't pleasant and very personal .
George Groves and James DeGale heading for a rematch and their camps had to be separated by security in Liverpool .
Scott Quigg faces a tough title defence against Hidenori Otake . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Jessica Silva has been found guilty of manslaughter for the stabbing death of her estranged drug-using partner following years of abuse. Ms Silva, from Marrickville in Sydney's inner-west, lay down in the dock and began screaming and crying after the jury delivered their verdict following five days of anxious waiting. Ms Silva was accused of stabbing James Polkinghorne, 28, up to five times outside her family home in Marrickville in Sydney's inner west on Mother's Day in 2012. Scroll down for video . Jessica Silva leaving NSW Supreme Court after being found guilty of manslaughter for the stabbing death of her estranged partner following years of abuse . The 24-year-old pleaded not guilty to murder on the basis of self defence, with the Supreme Court hearing she had suffered years of abuse at the hands of her boyfriend of four years. Over the course of her trial, Silva repeatedly broke down as the court was played phone conversations in which her estranged partner abuses and insults her, before threatening to 'cave her face in'. In one text sent to Silva on the day he was stabbed, Mr Polkinghorne wrote: 'I hope your mother gets poisoned by the flowers that you give her and you get gang raped.' Ms Silva claims that Mr Polkinghorne attacked her outside her family home, fighting with her brother and father while she ran inside. She claims he punched her and ripped her pants before she retrieved a knife to defend herself with, stabbing him up to five times, reported 9 News. Mr Polkinghorne died later from wounds to the back and shoulder. The court found her not guilty of the murder of Mr Polkinghorne but guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. The 24-year-old pleaded not guilty to murder on the basis of self defence, with the Supreme Court hearing she had suffered years of abuse at the hands of her boyfriend of four years . Minutes before the jury came back into court the 24-year-old was crying and hugging supporters as they became increasingly distressed by the news that a verdict was to be delivered. Ms Silva's father allegedly told Mr Polkinghorne's mother 'I will never forgive you', telling her that she 'could have stopped this'. Silva, who has been on bail throughout the trial and has been sitting next to her lawyer, was then asked to step into the dock for the first time. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a jury of seven men and five women were not able to reach a unanimous decision on Ms Silva's guilt. Judge Clifton Hoeben gave the jury further instructions before they returned with their verdict for the 24-year-old. After the jury left the room, Justice Clifton Hoeben said he would be considering a large 'spectrum' of sentences for Silva from non-custodial to custodial. 'I have a completely open mind,' he said. He said Silva's bail should be continued before she returns to court for sentencing in February. The crown said the case was 'not a popularity contest' and no matter what Mr Polkinghorne had done while he was alive, disputes were not solved by force. But Silva's barrister, Gregory Scragg, said all she had ever wanted was for Mr Polkinghorne to stop hurting her. At the time of his death, Mr Polkinghorne was the suspect in another murder case, reported The ABC. Evidence from the murder investigation of Nikolas Argiropoulos was used as evidence in Ms Silva's trial. Her trial heard recordings of a series of frantic phone calls she made to her brother Miguel in the hours before Mr Polkinghorne died. Ms Silva arrived at court on Thursday morning after five days of waiting for a jury verdict . , Minutes before the jury came back into court the 24-year-old was crying and hugging supporters as they became increasingly distressed by the news that a verdict was to be delivered . Ms Silva was accused of stabbing James Polkinghorne, 28, up to five times outside her family home in Marrickville in Sydney's inner west on Mother's Day in 2012 . According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Polkinghore texted Ms Silva on Mother's Day calling her a 'f---ing slut', saying she deserved to be raped and threatening to come over to smash up her parents' house. 'He reckons he's gonna come and kill me, right now,' Silva says in one call to her brother Miguel. When Miguel tells her to call the cops, an increasingly distressed Silva replies: 'Why do you think I don't tell them so he can bash me up all the f***ing time. I'm sick of it ... and I don't know what to f***ing do any more.' 'Is there anyone we can f***ing contact ... to get him killed or something?' she asks, later adding: 'Don't worry I'll f***ing stab him myself'. When Mr Polkinghorne arrived outside the family home that night, Miguel told the court he was 'screaming and carrying on' and that his sister was afraid for her and her family's life. When Miguel went outside with his sister in an attempt to calm the situation, he alleged Mr Polkinghorne came quickly towards him. 'He tried to punch me. I think when I put my hand up, and he broke my finger,' Miguel added. Jessica Silva reportedly used this knife to stab her ex-boyfriend to death . Mr Polkinghorne was allegedly carrying this pipe on him when he went to Jessica Silva's house on the night of his death . This image shows the alleged drugs that were on Mr Polkinghorne on the night he died . Moments later, the two men were on the ground with Mr Polkinghorne on top, grabbing Miguel near his throat, the court heard. 'Was he screaming out, `I'm going to get you, you f***ing c*** ... I'm going to kill youse (sic)'?' defence barrister Gregory Scragg asked. 'Yeah,' Miguel replied. It wasn't until their father came outside to help wrestle Mr Polkinghorne to the ground that he saw blood everywhere and noticed the 28-year-old had a gash to his head, the court heard. Miguel said his sister was the only person he saw with a knife that night. She allegedly stabbed him four or five times to the back, shoulder and head and he died on the road while Miguel and Ms Silva's father restrained him. In the weeks before Mr Polkinghorne's death, Miguel told the court the 28-year-old had become increasingly paranoid from the drug 'ice'. 'The drugs had gotten to him really bad.'
### SUMMARY:
| Jessica Silva was accused of murdering her estranged partner James Polkinghorne in 2012 by stabbing him up to five times outside her home .
Ms Silva pleaded not guilty to the charges and on Thursday afternoon NSW Supreme Court found her guilty for the lesser charge of manslaughter .
The court heard her Mr Polkinghorne had been abusive and had attacked Ms Silva and her family outside their home before she stabbed him .
Mr Polkinghore texted Ms Silva calling her a 'f---ing slut', saying she deserved to be raped, and threatening to smash up her parents' house .
In the weeks before his death he had become increasingly paranoid after taking ice .
The 24-year-old was crying and hugging supporters as she waited for a verdict and became increasingly distressed .
Ms Silva lay down in the dock and screamed after the jury delivered their verdict after five days of waiting .
Her bail will continue before her sentencing in February next year . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Louis van Gaal is expected to take Manchester United back into the top three in the Premier League this season — and he will have to do it without any major signings in January. The target was revealed by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward as he detailed the club’s accounts for last season and made forecasts for this campaign. Figures published show United had record income of £433.2million for the 2013-14 season, but that is expected to plunge to £395m because the club are not in the Champions League, from which they made about £55m last season. VIDEO Scroll down to watch United won't win title - Robson . More deals: Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has admitted Manchester United could spend in January . Big money: United signed Angel di Maria from Real Madrid for a British record transfer fee of £60million . All change: Holland international Daley Blind was part of United's £150m summer recruitment drive . Influence: United will consider any requests from Louis van Gaal for more new players in January . £433.2m United’s income for the 2013-14 season (the year to June 30, 2014), made up of £108.1m matchday income (tickets, pies etc), £135.8m broadcasting (TV cash) and £189.3m commercial income (sponsorship, kit deals etc) 10% The amount United expect their income to FALL in 2014-15, to around £395m. This is mainly because of a £55m black hole caused by United not being in the Champions League. Last year they earned £36m in prize money and £19m from five CL home games. £5.2m Compensation pay-offs made to former manager David Moyes and to ‘certain members of the coaching staff’ who were axed last season. £214.8m United’s total wage bill in 2013-14, £34.3m more than the previous season, a whopping 19 per cent rise. And that is before this summer’s transfer spree. £341.8m Gross debt still sitting on the books as a result of the Glazers’ takeover in 2005. This was down 12.2 per cent year on year, from £389.2m, but United spent £27.4m on interest and debt-related payments in 2013-14. Getting back into Europe is an urgent priority for United and Woodward confirmed Van Gaal’s target when he said: ‘We assume third in our budgets.’ Another consequence of David Moyes’ miserable year in charge was £5.2m in ‘exceptional costs’, most of which represented compensation payments to the former manager and his staff. Woodward gave the strongest indication yet that there will not be a further splurge in January to follow the £153.1m spent on Angel Di Maria, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Radamel Falcao. ‘We don’t intend to significantly increase capital expenditure [by buying players] in January,’ he said during a conference call aimed at investors in the 10 per cent of the club that is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. ‘We will continue to monitor in association with Louis his view of the squad and which areas we want to strengthen and which areas we want to sell. I wouldn’t have expectations for January but if there is a willingness from the manager, we will engage with him and if there is an opportunity, we will try and take that as we did last January.’ Woodward said the club was ‘very proud’ of the record income figures and added: ‘With Louis van Gaal at the helm as manager, and the recent signing of some of the world’s leading players to further strengthen our squad, we are very excited about the future and believe it’s the start of a new chapter in the club’s history. ‘Louis’ footballing philosophy fits very well with Manchester United and he has an impressive track record of success throughout his career, winning league titles with every club he has managed.’ New boy: United splashed out a £6million loan fee to bring Radamel Falcao to Old Trafford on loan . Same again? Woodward admitted that United could spend in January, as they did to sign Juan Mata (right) Rebuilding job: Van Gaal has assembled a new-look squad at Old Trafford but may want to spend more . VIDEO United won't win title - Robson . One potentially worrying figure for United was their wage bill of £214.8m, up 19 per cent on the previous year. United say salaries will drop in 2014-15 because there will be no Champions League bonuses, though they are not expected to fall by much. United’s debts have fallen 12.2 per cent year-on-year but still stand at £341.8m — all a result of the Glazer family’s leveraged takeover in 2005. United spent £27.4m serving the debt in 2013-14, approximately the price of Luke Shaw. Critics of the Glazer family regularly cite the amounts spent on debt financing — now well over £500m — that might have been used to bring in more big-name players. Compensation: It cost United £5.2m to sack David Moyes and his coaching staff last season . But the debt in itself does not endanger United’s future. They remain by a considerable margin England’s richest club by income. In global terms, only Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are at their level of half a billion euros of income or more per year. The club’s revenue last season was split between match day income of £108.1m — effectively from ticket sales, pies, pints and programmes — at an average of £3.5m per game at Old Trafford; £189.3m from sponsorship, kit deals and other commercial partnerships; and broadcasting income of £135.8m. Match day income is likely to remain stable. The other two streams are growing, respectively up 24.1 per cent (commercial) and 33 per cent (TV) year-on-year and are likely to increase significantly in the medium term. The recently announced kit deal with adidas is worth £75m per year for 10 years from 2015-16, £50m more every year than the expiring Nike deal. They can expect to pocket TV money of between £90m and £100m from the Premier League this season and next. That is likely to go up under the TV rights deals for 2016-19, which are due to be negotiated soon. Champions League income for British clubs will also soar from next season because of BT Sport’s near £1bn deal to show all European football from 2015-16. Last season’s £36m UEFA cash for United could feasibly be double that or more by next season — as long as they are back at Europe’s top table.
### SUMMARY:
| Manager Louis van Gaal will be allowed to recommend new players despite spending £150million on talent over the summer .
Woodward's announcement came after the club revealed their financial results for 2013-14 .
United reported a record annual revenue of £433.2m and profits of £23.8m .
But they expect a 10 per cent drop in revenue after failing to make the Champions League last season .
Former boss David Moyes and his staff were paid £5.2m in compensation after being sacked .
Annual wages have now pushed through the £200m mark after a 19 per cent rise . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Scotland Yard detectives probing the disappearance of Madeleine McCann today grilled a convicted rapist over her disappearance for over six hours. Operation Grange chief, DCI Andy Redwood, arrived in Portugal this morning for three days of questioning with 11 witnesses. It is the third time the pig farmer, Joaquim Jose Marques, has been quizzed about the youngster's disappearance from her holiday apartment in May 2007. Marques - initially linked to Madeleine's disappearance after being identified by an artist's drawing of the potential suspect - assaulted two cameramen as he left Faro Police Station following his interrogation. He fell to the ground as he tried to throw a punch at one, and threw a bottle of water at another when he returned from a quick lunch. Scroll down for video . Questioned: Joaquim Jose Marques (right) is one of the 11 people being questioned over the disappearance . Witness: Marquez, a convicted rapist, assaulted two cameramen after being interrogated in Faro today (left). He threatened reporters with a gun outside his Algarve pig farm when he was first identified as a suspect in January 2008 (right) Interrogated: Mario Marreiros (pictured), who worked as a laundryman at the holiday resort where Madeleine went missing, was also quizzed . Investigation: Last month it emerged the British police investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann (pictured) has cost almost £8million . Marques threatened reporters with a gun outside his Algarve pig farm when he was first identified as a suspect in January 2008, but was understood to have been ruled out of the investigation after providing an alibi. He was questioned 20 days after Madeleine vanished in May 2007, and again after the release of a sketch done by a forensic artist from the FBI, based on descriptions by British tourist Gail Cooper. She told the police a 'creepy man' came to her villa in the Praia da Luz resort where Madeleine disappeared from to ask for donations for a nearby orphanage -- days before the youngster went missing. Marques, who was living with his British hairdresser girlfriend and their three-year-old daughter at the time, was then identified as a convicted rapist by Portuguese press. Diario de Noticias reported he was sentenced to five years in jail in 1996 for raping a British teenager in Praia da Luz in 1995, while an accomplice targeted her friend. Police also questioned a former laundryman at the Ocean Club holiday resort where Madeleine was staying at when she vanished. Mario Marreiros, 48, revealed last year how he told police about a man wearing sunglasses lurking in a stairwell near Madeleine McCann's apartment just 24 hours before she vanished. The man who claimed he had never spoken to British police told a newspaper: 'My theory is that guy must have been involved, either in the kidnapping or studying what to do - their movements. 'He was there for something, for sure.' The potential suspect, later identified by the ex-Ocean Club worker, is also understood to have been ruled out of the Madeleine McCann inquiry after turning out to be a tourist. Scotland Yard detectives arrived in Portugal this morning to oversee the fresh round of interviews over her disappearance. Seven of the men and women due to be questioned have been described as people of 'high interest' to the Madeleine McCann probe. Four others thought to be of lesser importance include a former British suspect, Robert Murat, and his wife. Mr Murat's lawyer confirmed he has been asked to attend Faro Police station as a witness, along with Michaela Walczuch. The pair are due to arrive tomorrow morning at around 9.30am for questioning. Probe: DCI Andy Redwood (left) has arrived in Faro, Portugal to oversee the questioning of 11 witnesses over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann (file photo, right) Rushed: The Operation Grange chief (right) refused to comment as he made his way into Faro Police Station . Interview: The lawyer of a former British suspect, Robert Murat, has confirmed he and his wife will be questioned at Faro Police Station tomorrow morning (file photo) Francisco Pagarete said: 'Mr Murat will be questioned tomorrow. I will be attending the police station with him. 'He has been asked in for questioning as a witness. Michaela has also been asked in for questioning on the same day.' John Hill, manager of the Ocean Club holiday resort where Madeleine was staying when she vanished on May 3, 2007, is also expected to be interviewed. British police have reportedly supplied over 250 questions for the Portuguese authorities to ask the 11 witnesses. DCI Nicola Wall from the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command Unit, who is due to take over leadership of the investigation when Mr Redwood retires on December 22, is expected to arrive in Faro later this week. British detectives are expected to ask for permission to carry out new tests on DNA material held at a lab in Coimbra, northern Portugal, once she's in charge of the Operation Grange case. The interviews arranged for this week follow a fifth international letter of request from the British authorities. They are the first since four men were quizzed as 'arguidos' or suspects at the start of July. All four, who included Russian businessman Sergey Malinka and a schizophrenic heroin addict, insisted they had nothing to do with Madeleine McCann's disappearance. Individuals in Portugal are given 'arguido' status if authorities suspect their involvement in a crime but are not in a position to arrest or charge them. The 11 men and women due to be questioned this week could in theory be made arguidos at any time. If that happens, they can only be quizzed in the presence of a lawyer and can refuse to answer questions. IT consultant Mr Murat, who had his arguido status removed in 2008 when the first Portuguese probe into Madeleine's disappearance was shelved, has said his conscience is clear and he is happy to speak to police again if required. Vanished: Madeleine McCann was three years old when she disappeared from her holiday resort in Praia da Luz (pictured) in May 2007 . Brtitish police maintain the belief that Madeleine was killed during a bungled burglary -- a theory their Portuguese counterparts have privately rubbished. Parts of the Praia da Luz resort where Madeleine vanished were dug up in June at Scotland Yard's request in a grim search for her body which failed to yield any clues. Last month it emerged the British police investigation into Madeleine's disappearance has cost almost £8million. DCI Redwood and his colleagues, who normally fly with British Airways, jetted to Portugal yesterday morning with budget carrier, EasyJet. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
### SUMMARY:
| Convicted rapist, Joaquim Jose Marques, was quizzed for over six hours .
He assaulted cameramen outside police station following the interrogation .
Laundryman from resort where Madeleine disappeared also questioned .
Operation Grange Chief, DCI Andy Redwood, arrived in Faro this morning .
Seven of the 11 people being questioned are of 'high interest' to search .
Former British suspect, Robert Murat, and his wife will be questioned too .
British police have reportedly supplied over 250 questions for witnesses .
Interviews this week are the latest since four suspects were quizzed in July .
Madeleine McCann was three years old when she disappeared in May 2007 . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Suicide: An autopsy report has confirmed that director Tony Scott killed himself in August . Filmmaker Tony Scott had anti-depressants and sleeping pills when he killed himself by jumping off a bridge in August, an autopsy report revealed on Monday. The report by the Los Angeles County coroner confirmed that the Top Gun director's death was a suicide, and listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. It said that he also drowned after leaping from the Vincent Thomas Bridge into Los Angeles harbour on August 19. Scott had therapeutic levels of the anti-depressant Remeron and the sleep aid Lunesta in his system when he died, the report has revealed. It has long been assumed that the director had killed himself, as he left a number of apparent suicide notes in his car when he died. However, the notes did not suggest any motive for the suicide, and his death certificate did not initially list a cause. Initial reports that he had been suffering from terminal brain cancer have now been confirmed to be incorrect. 'There was no evidence of neoplasia - cancer - identified,' coroner Craig Harvey told the Los Angeles Times. He added that Scott did not appear to have been suffering from any serious long-term illness at all. 911 tapes released earlier this month revealed that at least five female motorists reported seeing Scott leap to his death. The 68-year-old filmmaker committed suicide by jumping off Vincent . Thomas Bridge, linking the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach, in broad . daylight on August 19 in full view of boaters and passing drivers. Disheveled: Scott was pictured looking pained as he dined out in Beverly Hills on July 23 . ‘We are just on the Vincent Thomas . Bridge and there’s a guy that looks like he’s just about to jump off … . he’s jumped, he’s jumped, [off] the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro!’ said one 911 caller. Another witness reported the fatal . leap to 911 operators, and was then transferred to a fire dispatcher. During the transfer, she could be heard gasping: ‘Oh my God.’ The caller said: ‘He was a bald white guy. Oh my gosh, he just jumped off the bridge. We actually witnessed the whole thing.’ Motorists driving over the bridge . reported seeing a black Toyota Prius, lights still flashing, parked on . the side, as an older white male climbed a pole before leaping more than . 185 feet into the water. Scott had been preparing to do a sequel to his 1986 Tom Cruise hit Top Gun. He and Cruise were spotted in Fallon, . Nevada — where the Navy’s Top Gun program had been based before moving . to San Diego — meeting with Navy officials, a week before the suicide. Unclear: His death certificate initially failed to list a cause of death for the well-known director . Coroner's office spokesman Ed Winter . says one of the notes left in Scott's black Toyota Prius was a list of . emergency contact numbers and another found in his study included . messages to friends and loved ones. The note in the car listed names and . contact numbers - including that of his wife - so police could call his . friends to tell them of his death, TMZ reported. Brother: Ridley Scott is pictured here at his office in West Hollywood in the days following his brothers death . The mystery surrounding the suicide . deepened after the chairman of 20th Century Fox said that the director . was 'burning with excitement' over new projects just two weeks before . his suicide. 'We had a meeting just two weeks ago . and he was burning with the excitement of creating stuff,' said Tom . Rothman. Scott had more big-budget Hollywood . films lined up, but his death has left them in limbo, as well as . stunning his family and friends. Friends of the director said that he . had no marriage or money problems and was focused on the 'Top Gun' sequel which was preparing to go into production early next year. Scott was also in pre-production on . an underwater drug-trafficking thriller 'Narco-Sub', another smuggling . drama 'Lucky Strike' and a remake of the 1969 western 'The Wild Bunch'. While celebrity website TMZ reported . that Scott's wife didn't know of any serious illness that may have been a . motive, it raised the possibility that the director of Crimson Tide . may have kept his illness secret. If not there must have been a . different reason behind his decision to leap from the Vincent Thomas . Bridge in Long Beach on Sunday afternoon. He left a contact list of people to . be informed about the tragedy in the Toyota Prius he abandoned before . climbing a fence and jumping into the Pacific. The director was said to have leaped to his death 'without hesitation' in an effort to spare his family the pain of watching his slow death, . ABC News reported. But hours later, ABC backed away from that report and the Los Angeles Times confirmed that Scott's family told the corner's office Scott did not have cancer - or any major illness. 'The . family told us it is incorrect that he has inoperable brain cancer,' Craig Harvey, a chief at the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office told . the newspaper. Tragic: Los Angeles polie officers pulled the body of Tony Scott from the water beneath the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, California . The denial of his brain cancer begs the question - what could have driven the successful director, whose . films have grossed more than $2 billion and who left behind a young family, to kill himself? Tony Scott's tragic death came just . weeks after he was pictured looking pained as he left a Beverly Hills . restaurant on July 23 - but friends denied he had problems in his . marriage to wife Donna. A source told the New York Post: 'He did have . cancer, and for a while he was cancer free. He didn’t have any money . problems or marriage problems.' The beloved filmmaker, who . directed movies including Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II and Enemy Of . The State and was the younger brother of director Ridley Scott, fell within feet of a cruise boat as horrified tourists watched. 'He landed right next to our tour boat, and many . of us saw the whole thing,' a witness, who had been on the cruise around the Los Angeles Harbour, told TMZ. According to the Contra Costa Times, Scott climbed a fence on the south side of the bridge, which spans San Pedro and Terminal Island, and leaped off 'without hesitation'. A view of the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, California from where Tony Scott jumped to his death . A witness, who was a passenger in a car driving along the bridge, said Scott looked nervous. 'He was on the roadway close to the fence looking around. He was looking around and fumbling with something at his feet. He looked nervous,' David Silva told the Los Angeles Times. Silva thought he was a stuntman or taking part in an extreme sports event - until he realised there was no safety cord. He went on: '[He] paused a couple of seconds and then began . to climb the fence. He put his foot on the top of the fence and paused . again. Then he threw himself off. I immediately thought, that guy is . dead.' Friends told the New York Post they were not surprised that the director chose to leap to his death as he was a thrill-seeker who loved scaling high mountains. Several people called 911 around . 12.35pm to report that someone had jumped off the bridge, according to Los Angeles police Lt. Tim . Nordquist.
### SUMMARY:
| Director's cause of death confirmed as suicide two months after he killed himself by jumping off bridge into Los Angeles harbour .
Autopsy report reveals he had taken anti-depressants and sleeping pills .
But coroner found 'no evidence of cancer' despite earlier rumours . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
A star Vanderbilt student has testified in her alleged rapists' trial that she only knew she had been assaulted when she watched video footage of the alleged attack. The woman, whose identity is being concealed, took to the stand in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday in the rape trials of former football players Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey. The men and two of their teammates stand accused of sexually assaulting the unconscious woman in a dorm room after a night of drinking in June 2013. The court has already heard testimony from other witnesses that the woman had been assaulted with a water bottle, smacked, raped and urinated on while Vandenburg 'egged on' the men. Accused: Brandon Vandenburg, left, and Cory Batey, right, are on trial in Nashville, Tennessee for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman in a dorm room at Vanderbilt in June 2013 . On Thursday, the alleged victim recounted how she had drank more alcohol than usual while out with friends at a local bar, the Tin Roof, and while there, she bumped into Vandenburg, whom she was dating. The last thing she can remember is being in the bar at around midnight, she said. 'I remember waking up in an unfamiliar room at 8-something the next morning,' she said. After the alleged attack, she had walked to a friend's neighboring room and slept there for about three hours. She woke up feeling disorientated, sick and in pain, she said. She recalled how she felt pain on some parts of her body, such as her shoulder, wrist and knee, but she did not feel as if she had been sexually assaulted. 'I was sore all over but those hurt particularly badly,' she recalled. That afternoon, the woman said that Vandenburg invited her to his room before initiating sex . They had unprotected sex for a few seconds, which left her 'confused', she said. Injuries: Katherine Parnell, a nurse at Metro General who carried out a rape kit on the victim, said the young woman had multiple bruises across her thighs and buttocks, and scratches on her feet . In the days after, she became 'somewhat' aware of rumors about the incident, she said, but when she texted with Vandenburg, he insisted that he was 'getting blamed for stuff that didn't even happen'. Initially the woman offered to help him, she said. Several days after the alleged assault, she went to Metro General to undergo a rape kit. The nurse who attended to her, Katherine Parnell, testified on Thursday that rape kits are usually carried out within 72 hours of the incident - putting the woman's outside that window. Parnell had noted that the student had multiple bruises across her thighs and buttocks, scratches on her ankles and a wound to her knee. By looking at how the injuries were healing, it appeared they had likely occurred around the time of the incident, Parnell testified. She added that when the woman came to the hospital, she could recall nothing of an alleged assault, including whether or not she had had sex or if condoms had been worn. Shocking: The victim's former roommate took the stand on Wednesday to describe what she looked like the morning after the attack, expressing her shock at how disheveled her friend had appeared . It was only later that the woman watched cell phone footage from the assault and identified herself as the victim, she said, The Tennessean reported. She only watched it once, she said. The jury previously heard how Vandenburg had sent footage and pictures of the alleged attack to friends in California before urging them to delete it the following morning. 'Did you consent to any of the acts done to you?' Prosecutor Tom Thurman asked the woman. 'Absolutely not,' she responded. On Wednesday, the woman's best friend described how her then-roommate's distressing appearance the morning after the attack is said to have occurred. Lauren Miller said she went to a bar with the victim the night leading up to the attack, and told the court her reaction the next time she saw her friend the following morning. She says her roommate came back to their condo with a gash on her leg, looking ill and 'out of it'. 'My immediate reaction was "Woah, what happened to you?"' Miller recalled. Co-accused: Former Vanderbilt players Jaborian 'Tip' McKenzie (left) and Brandon Banks (right) also face charges connected to the alleged rape. McKenzie testified that he did not touch the woman . 'So just from a physical standpoint, starting from top to bottom, her makeup was completely disheveled, the one thing I very clearly remember was the state of her hair. She had had it curled the night before and I remember being like, "'Did you go jump in a pool?"' She says she also found her roommate's black heel on the lawn outside their condo, and later overheard a voicemail message left by Vandenburg that her friend played on speaker. 'I heard him talking to (the woman) and saying he had just gotten out of football meeting, and he was being accused of some very horrible things that he did not do,' Miller recalled. 'And he was telling (the woman) to not believe anything she heard.' Vandenburg and former teammates Cory Batey, Jaborian 'Tip' McKenzie and Brandon Banks face five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg faces an additional charge of tampering with evidence and unlawful photography. Two other former Vanderbilt athletes took the stand as well on Wednesday to give their witness accounts of the event. Questions: Miles Finley, Vandenburg's friend from California, told jurors he was receiving graphic videos from his friend on the night of the attack but did not know that the alleged rape was happening at the time . 'Enablers': Former Vanderbilt athletes Michael Retta (left) and Dillon Van Der Wal (right) testified on Wednesday that they saw the victim passed out in front of Vandenburg's door but did not inform police . Then Vanderbilt tennis player Michael Retta and football player Dillon Van Der Wal told the jury that they saw the victim lying outside of Vandenburg's room that morning but neither reported the incident to police at the time. They both gave conflicting reports about whether Vandenburg asked for help moving the girl to his bed. Retta says he saw the alleged victim naked in the morning hours of June 23, while Van Der Wall said he saw the woman with 'handprints on her buttocks'. He also described Vandenburg's emotions that morning, saying he was 'extremely fidgety,' 'not acting normal,' and pacing. The prosecution rested on Thursday afternoon. The trial was expected to last 10 days but is now in its third week.
### SUMMARY:
| Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey are accused of raping an unconscious student at Vanderbilt with two other men in June 2013 .
On Thursday, their alleged victim took to the stand and said the last thing she remembered was being in a bar and drinking with Vandenburg .
She awoke the next day in a friend's room and felt in pain - but did not feel as if she had been sexually assaulted, she told the court .
A nurse who carried out a rape kit several days later said she had bruises over her legs and buttocks and scratches to her feet and knee .
The victim said she later saw herself in cell phone footage 'of the attack'
Prosecutors say the woman was dragged into the room and assaulted with a water bottle, smacked, raped and urinated on as the four men laughed .
The prosecution has now rested . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(InStyle.com) -- Check out these seven truly amazing destinations and plan the best place for your great escape. The Farm at Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand is the best place for an adrenaline rush. GIRL'S GETAWAY: Ojai Valley Inn & Spa -- Ojai, California . Why it's great: This Spanish Colonial hideaway offers 308 rooms -- many with fireplaces and private terraces with mountain views. (No wonder Kate Walsh celebrated her wedding here.) What to do: Activities range from hiking and horseback riding to the more esoteric (take a watercolor class or customize your own massage oil.) Watch what stars pack for trips » . Bring it back: Honey lip balm from a local bee farm; pixie tangerines (some of the sweetest fruits in this valley). Book it: ojairesort.com . HIP SIGHTSEEING: Haymarket Hotel -- London, UK . Why it's great: Haymarket manages to capture the cool, contemporary buzz of today's London to a tee. It's where Posh and Becks stay when they cross the pond and where Jude Law drops by for dinner. All 50 guest rooms are spacious and done in a bold color scheme. What to do: Shop at OG2 the new shop from of-the-moment designer Duro Olowu, whose vintage prints draw clients like Sienna Miller; visit Eco, a Green store opened by Colin Firth in Chiswick; or head to the Fashion and Textile Museum, spearheaded by designer Zandra Rhodes. For London's hottest new table, return to Haymarket's Brumus. Bring it back: Blue-suede weekend bag at Conran; new Lulu Guinness jewelry collection (we love the glamour-girl charm); colorful candles or twist tumblers from Nina Campbell. Book it: firmdale.com . SHOPPING SPREE: Villa Mangiacane -- Tuscany, Italy . Why it's great: You'll feel as if you stumbled onto a Bernardo Bertolucci set at this retreat, with its sculpture garden and gnarled olive grove. The 26 guest rooms are located in two villas, but romantics should stay in the 16th-century main villa, whose loggia is decorated with historic frescoes. You can request to have dinner in a new spot each night (try the dreamy vineyard). What to do: Florence is a short drive away -- spend the day shopping at the city's hottest fashion emporium, Luisa via Roma, and Loretta Caponi for exquisite lingerie, then head to the roof of Hotel Continentale, where the Ferragamos go for sunset cocktails. Bring it back: In Florence, find hand-finished leather gloves from the family-run Madova shop; soaps from the historic Santa Maria Novella pharmacy; a bottle of Mangiacane wine (the property produces Merlot and Chianti). Book it: steinhotels.com/mangiacane . LAZY BEACH TIME: Rosewood Mayakoba, Mexico . Why it's great : Located on the super-hot Riviera Maya, which has drawn the likes of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Rosewood Mayakoba has 128 suites, which are actually freestanding villas with luminous bathrooms and private plunge pools. It's also eco-minded: Building materials are indigenous, and guests can navigate the property's network of freshwater canals via electric boats. What to do: Visit the Mayan ruins of Tulum; have dinner in the beach town of Playa del Carmen (try the hip Glass Bar/ Di Vino); snorkel in underwater caves (cenotes); or book a treatment at the Rosewood's spa, which occupies its own little island. Bring it back: A string hammock from Tulum for lounging; beauty products, like scented candles and linen spray, made with local ingredients, such as tropical wood and coconut, from chic eco-retreat (Coqui Coqui). Book it: rosewoodmayakoba.com . COZY WEEKEND: Winvian -- Morris, Connecticut . Why it's great: When it comes to throwing the ultimate weekend get-together, this new 113-acre resort is the place. The heart of the property is a restored colonial farmhouse, filled with antiques, but guests stay in 18 lavish cottages -- each boasting a unique design scheme and at least one open fireplace. One pick: Stable, a duplex with a sunken bathtub. What to do: Plenty of outdoor activities, like hiking and antiquing, but you may want to stick close to Winvian's spa (facials with top U.K. aesthetician Eve Lom's products) and fabulous restaurant (the chef trained under Alain Ducasse). Bring it back: Furniture from the historic town of Woodbury (once home to American antiques dealer Wayne Pratt); a first edition from a nearby antiquarian book dealer, like Nutmeg Books in Torrington; maple syrup tapped at a local farm. Book it: winvian.com . ADRENALINE RUSH: The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand . Why it's great: This luxe lodge is situated on a 6,000-acre sheep and cattle farm in Hawke's Bay, one of the country's premier wine regions. It offers 24 suites, spread among several cottages (all have private decks with sweeping views). What to do: There's no end to the activities, whether you love the beach (surfing) or the countryside (hiking). Ask the lodge to arrange sporting expeditions with an expert guide, a helicopter excursion, or a trip to local wineries. And don't miss the stunning seaside golf course, designed to make the most of the natural topography. Bring it back: Sheepskin slippers (locally made from merino wool); a bottle of sauvignon blanc (Hawke's Bay is known for it). Book it: capekidnappers.com . SURFING AND SAMBA: Fasano -- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil . Why it's great: Rio tops current hot lists, and there's no better place to soak up the vibe than at the new Fasano. Located in a prime spot overlooking Ipanema beach, the hotel has 82 rooms, ten suites and three mini apartments -- all designed by Philippe Starck -- and boasts a 1950s bossa-nova ambience. What to do: Sip Rio's best caipirinhas, the national cocktail, at Club Chocolate; spend a day at Posto 10 (the city's chicest beach); or for authentic samba music, head to Carioca a Gema (but never before 11 P.M.). Bring it back: A teeny Isabel Capeto bikini and matching sarong; a CD by Gilberto Gil; loose Thai pants from the outdoor Ipanema hippie market. Book it: fasano.com.br E-mail to a friend . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE! Copyright © 2007 Time Inc. All rights reserved.
### SUMMARY:
| You can enjoy the same posh places as the stars .
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in California is great for weekend getaway .
Learn to samba at Fasano in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil .
Shop your heart out in Villa Mangiacane in Tuscany, Italy . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- After scathing criticism from the son of slain Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, police in Los Angeles, California, have apologized for including the clothes the senator was wearing when killed in an exhibit of high-profile homicide cases. The clothing -- a shirt, tie and jacket, with what appears to be bloodstains on the shirt -- was removed from the exhibit, "Behind-The-Scenes: The LAPD Homicide Experience," at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition, Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley and Police Chief Charlie Beck, in an open letter Thursday, apologized to any other victims' family members who might have been offended by the other items in the exhibit, running Tuesday through Thursday at the California Homicide Investigators Association's 2010 conference. "Based on the feedback we have received, it is now clear that a few of the items on display have offended some crime victims' families," the letter said. "We have both been to hundreds of murder scenes in our law enforcement career and we have consoled many family members. It was never our intent to cause grief to victims of crime or their families." In a statement issued last month, the LAPD had billed the exhibit as "a glimpse into some of the most notable homicides and critical incidents that occurred in Los Angeles over the past 100 years." "It's about the history of Los Angeles, as told through the eyes of homicide investigators of the Los Angeles Police Department," Beck said Tuesday on CNN's "Larry King Live." "This is an opportunity for homicide investigators from all over the country to get together, to share ideas, to share best practices and to talk about some of the most famous cases in Los Angeles history, as well as their current cases." But in an opinion piece in Wednesday's Los Angeles Times newspaper, Maxwell Taylor Kennedy, son of the late senator, called the display of his father's clothing "a cheap bid for attention." "The chief of police and the district attorney took my father's blood-soaked clothing and displayed it, as part of a macabre publicity stunt," he wrote. "It is almost incomprehensible to imagine what circumstances would have led to a decision to transport these items across state lines to be gawked at by gamblers and tourists. It is demeaning to my family, but just as important, it is demeaning to the trust that citizens place in their law enforcement officers." The exhibit also features evidence associated with the death of Marilyn Monroe, the 1963 "onion field" case in which LAPD Officer Ian Campbell was slain, the O.J. Simpson and Charles Manson cases, and the so-called "Black Dahlia" murder, according to the LAPD statement announcing it. Family members of some victims in those cases told "Larry King Live" the LAPD should have notified them about the exhibit. "From my perspective, it's very disturbing," said Debra Tate, sister of actress Sharon Tate, slain along with six others in 1969 by the Manson family killers. "Number 1, I didn't get any notice that this was going to occur. But these are very personal artifacts to me. These are things that bring back horrible memories, not only for myself, but other Manson family victims." The items include ropes used in the murders of Tate and others, and a fork used to stab one of the victims, said retired LAPD Sgt. Glynn Martin, the curator of the exhibit. "We certainly try to concern ourselves with the thoughts and concerns of victims, and certainly our hearts go out to them," Martin told King. "... Likewise, we have an obligation, both as a museum and then the bigger one as the police department, to train, educate and inform officers and the public about people that do this particular job of investigating people that have lost their lives." Debra Tate said she can see the educational value, and might consider seeing the exhibit, but "I think a little bit of notice for people to prepare themselves would have been very, very nice." Also featured are the bloody gloves from the Simpson trial and a watch cap collected as evidence, Martin said. Simpson was acquitted in 1995 of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. "Had we been given a little bit of notice, it would have been easier to avert your eyes," Goldman's sister, Kim, told "Larry King Live." "... I think there is an educational value, and I understand that." But, she said, "it just comes back to sensitivity." "If we've offended anybody, certainly we extend our apologies to them," Martin said. "But the intent here is to inform and educate, with the idea that we're going to serve a greater public good." The exhibit opened to the public Wednesday, and "thousands of guests have stood in lines for up to two hours to glimpse Los Angeles' history," said the letter from Cooley and Beck. "A number of the exhibits show evidence that was collected during various well-known incidents, and they were carefully designed so visitors would gain a better appreciation for the tragedy of murder and the difficult jobs law enforcement detectives have in solving often very complicated cases," the letter said. "Murder is the absolute worst thing one human being can do to another and the displays were designed to provide a unique insight into the sacrifice of victims and their families as well as the emotional toll murder takes on homicide detectives and the district attorneys who prosecute the cases." "Homicide is by nature horrific, but the entertainment media often portrays it as sterile and benign," the letter said. "When people see the reality of murder, it becomes an unthinkable act." The exhibit "was designed to be educational and show the public how murder cases are very carefully investigated," the letter said. Kennedy was a New York senator running for president when he was shot to death in June 1968 at Los Angeles' Ambassador Hotel, shortly after declaring victory in California's Democratic presidential primary. His killer, Sirhan Sirhan, is serving a life sentence at a California prison. In his op-ed, Maxwell Kennedy said that he had contacted Beck and that he was pleased the chief had agreed to remove the items. "When I called to express my surprise and disappointment, the chief maintained to me that hanging my dad's bloody shirt from a mannequin in a casino was part of an effort to train detectives," he wrote. "Perhaps he believes that, but to me it seems like a cheap bid for attention. It is almost like a traffic cop inviting motorists to slow down and take a good look as they go past a tragedy." The California Constitution guarantees crime victims and their families will be treated with dignity and respect, he wrote. And as a former assistant district attorney, Maxwell Kennedy said, "I understand that proper storage of property and legal evidence is a critical part of the judicial process." He said he requested the return of his father's clothing nearly 10 years ago, and the district attorney's office refused, but he was promised the items would be treated with care and kept out of the public view. Beck, he wrote, should remember that "such items are personal property, entrusted to the state's care, not to be exploited. He relies on crime victims to prosecute virtually every criminal. He cannot long succeed if he continues to put victims' pain on display for publicity."
### SUMMARY:
| LAPD apologizes after son of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy objects to Las Vegas display .
Tie, jacket, shirt senator wearing when slain removed from exhibit .
Chief calls exhibit, which includes evidence from other high-profile crimes, educational .
In editorial, Maxwell Taylor Kennedy calls clothing display "a macabre publicity stunt" |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- It's every African-American parent's nightmare: seeing your son being led away in handcuffs when you know he's done nothing wrong. The surreal scene happened to me one recent morning. While sitting in my backyard I heard adult male voices around the side of the house. I opened the gate and saw a white police officer handcuffing my 13-year-old son. The plainclothes Evanston, Illinois, officer and his partner did not identify themselves as police. They did not ask our son's age or where he lived. They told him first to put his hands up and then handcuffed him. They assumed he was guilty, of what we didn't know. His crime appeared to be that he was a black male. Later, we would listen to the 911 tape of what preceded the incident. It was apparent police had targeted my son while he was riding his bike home from a friend's house. Why? According to officers, he fit the description of a burglary suspect who had allegedly entered a nearby home. The description they offered: a black male wearing cargo shorts. Our son was wearing cargo shorts, but that identification could have applied to hundreds of black males in Evanston on that particular day. Why didn't the 911 dispatcher ask for a more detailed description of his skin color? His build? Whether he had facial hair? (He doesn't.) Whether he had a tattoo or piercings? (He doesn't.) Or whether he was wearing a hat? (He was.) Authorities on the scene didn't care about my son's other attributes. He is an honor roll student, saxophone player, basketball player and law-abiding teenager. All they saw was his gender and race. To make matters worse, after handcuffing him, police paraded him to the front of our house in full view of neighbors and passersby, and at least three other armed, uniformed officers surrounded him and me. They leaned him against a cop car, his hands still cuffed behind him, and made him wait so the alleged victim could be driven over to identify him in what's known as a "show up." When I protested, asking why my son needed to be handcuffed, they told me he might flee. Give me a break! He's going to try to run with five armed cops and his mother standing near him? The humiliation of being forced to participate in a quasi-lineup was unconscionable. When the alleged victim said our son was not the intruder, the officer uncuffed him and his partners left almost as quickly as they had swarmed in. But before the officer who handcuffed our son left, I demanded an apology. The halfhearted response seemed insincere at best. He didn't even look either of us in the eyes. These officers clearly did not like it that I verbally resisted my son's detainment or my telling them it seemed like racial profiling. That police could handcuff a fully cooperating, nonresisting 13-year-old boy at his home with his mother in plain sight ought to leave all Americans shaking in their boots. It was unnecessary. It was unfair -- un-American. But it happens more often than we know, particularly to young African-Americans, who often don't have the resources to advocate for themselves. This is the United States of America, where one is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. But this rarely applies if you're a male of African descent. Trayvon Martin's killer has claimed self-defense, but did Martin deserve to be approached by a neighborhood watchman and shot to death? He was carrying a bag with soda and some Skittles candy, not a weapon. I'm reminded of the 2009 incident involving Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates, one of the nation's top African-American scholars. Gates returned home to find his key wouldn't work because his lock was jammed. Initially, police thought he was breaking into his own home. Even though he produced identification to prove he lived in the house, he was ultimately arrested for disorderly conduct after he angrily accused officers of racial profiling. Prosecutors dropped the charges. I teach at Northwestern University, which is home to the Medill Innocence Project, a program whose work has overturned wrongful convictions and influenced Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn's effort to end the state's death penalty. It's not surprising that many of those exonerated are African-American men. In fact, the National Registry of Exonerations tracked 958 former convicts exonerated in the United States. Of that total, 45% were African-American men, even though they make up only about 6%-7% of the country's population. Racial profiling has a long history in the United States and there seems to be little relief in the so-called "age of Obama." A 2009 American Civil Liberties Union report called racial and ethnic profiling "a widespread and pervasive problem throughout the United States, impacting the lives of millions of people in African-American, Asian, Latino, South Asian and Arab communities." In 2012 it continues to be a common rite of passage for young black males. Just ask any black male you know and he will tell you a story. No wonder some hate the police. My husband and I cannot undo what happened to our son. At 13 he is now officially inducted into black manhood. I shudder to think what could have happened if I had not been home. Thank God we had taught him at around age 10 to cooperate with police. He complied in every way. But what if he'd gotten scared and run? What if he had reached for his cell phone and police thought it was a weapon? The officers never patted him down. What if police had planted something on him? What if the victim had lied and said my son was the perpetrator? To be sure, police officers have a tough and dangerous job and are vulnerable to injury at a moment's notice. They should try to catch criminals, but not at the expense of treating people with respect and dignity. We have to fight crime without automatically indicting black males. The ACLU report concluded that alienating marginalized groups would ultimately prevent police from reducing crime. When police make mistakes, they must own up to them. They could have identified themselves first and politely asked my son some questions with me present. They also could have profusely apologized. Despite our harrowing experience, I know we are lucky. It was 10 minutes of our lives. The truth prevailed and we will move on. But we will never be the same. The incident is forever seared into my brain and is giving me sleepless nights. The worry I already had for my son being away from home or school is now magnified right at the time he wants to be more independent. We've told our son that he shouldn't think all police officers are bad. However, it is clear more training of Evanston dispatchers and police officers is needed. To parents of African-American youth, as your children (particularly males) return to the routine of classes and homework, remember to school them about the police. They are not always their friends. It's unfair that black parents have to teach this lesson while most white parents don't. But if we don't educate them early and often we may be sending them to an early grave. Follow CNN Opinion on Twitter. Join the conversation on Facebook. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ava Thompson Greenwell.
### SUMMARY:
| Ava Thompson Greenwell: Recently her son, 13, was stopped, handcuffed by police .
She says it happened next to her house, she objected, they said they were seeking burglar .
She says her son was stopped because he was black .
Greenwell: Every black mother's nightmare, that her son could be profiled. This must stop . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- Dear 2012, now that you're gone, please take these lame words with you: trending, spoiler alert, bucket list, superfood, guru and job creators. Oh yeah, and don't forget yolo. That's the message from scholars at Lake Superior State University. For the 38th straight year, the tiny state college tucked away in Michigan's Upper Peninsula unveiled on Monday its list of useless, overused or misused terms: 12 words or phrases the school wants "banished" from the English language in 2013. "I'm in the word banishment business," admits university PR director Tom Pink, who helped whittle down the list from thousands of nominations submitted to the school's website. "There's a slightly serious side to this, but mostly we're trying to have fun with it." Sure it's fun. But it also makes you wonder why some new words stick and others don't. English warmly welcomes some new words into its family for generations. But other words are treated like one-night stands. We love 'em and leave 'em. Here's the list: . 1. Yolo, an acronym for the phrase "you only live once" Who needs "carpe diem" when you've got yolo -- branded on Twitter, in pop song lyrics and in celebrity tattoos. Now it looks like yolo's in trouble. Twitter hashtag #In2013NoMore includes Tweeters swearing off yolo forever. Yolo is annoying because it encourages "wannabe Twitter philosophers who think they've uncovered a deep secret of life," wrote Brendan Cotter of Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, who nominated the word for the list. Sadly, poor little yolo's story is all too common, says Geoffrey Nunberg, a linguist who teaches at the University of California at Berkeley School of Information. "These words that are often very effective and attractive have very short half-lives because everybody picks them up at once, and they lose their punch," says Nunberg, who calls this phenomenon the "nine-day wonder." "If the words even last nine days at all." Related: 'Twitterverse' among annoying words of '12, poll says . The list takes shots at serious words, too: . 2. Fiscal cliff, a media term to describe expiring federal tax cuts and across-the-board government spending cuts which are set to become effective 12/31/2012 . "Just once, I would like to hear it referred to as a financial crisis," wrote a nominator from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Appropriately, her name is Barbara Cliff. "Journalists always like cliffs," Nunberg jokes. "There's more pressure to use phrases like that, because if you soft peddle things, nobody's going to read the story." Two other politically tinged phrases made the list. 3. Kick the can down the road, a metaphorical phrase that describes the concept of substituting a short-term fix in place of a final decision . 4. Job creator/creators, a person or business directly responsible for adding employed workers to the economy . Words like "job creators," Nunberg says, represent an entire set of phrases that bubbled up during the 2012 presidential campaign. These words reflect recent changes in the way Americans talk about differing economic and social classes. "It's the '47%,' the 'moochers,' the 'makers and takers.'" These kinds of words, Nunberg suggests, fuel the fire of class warfare in American life. The list is peppered with words embraced by corporate culture, Nunberg says. 5. Passion/passionate, an intense devotion to an idea, thing or endeavor . The popularity of this word results from the "bloating of the language of corporate life," Nunberg says. "People are expected to manifest a kind of emotional attachment and investment in their jobs that wasn't required back when jobs were a lot more secure." 6. Superfood, a nonscientific word for food with extremely high nutritional benefits . It's a term which Nunberg says shows how influential the explosion of marketing has become in our culture. Another food word on the list: . 7. Boneless wings, small hand-held pieces of processed chicken without bones which are often enjoyed in sports bars . "Can we just call them chicken (pieces)?" pleaded John McNamara, of Lansing, Michigan, who nominated the word. 8. Trending, currently popular . "There are lots of ways to say it, but none in as few as eight letters," jokes Nunberg. "It's a little trendy." Here's one that Pink says has lost its meaning: . 9. Bucket list, a personal list of experiences people desire before they die, also known as "kicking the bucket" This one has got to go, says Pink. There was a time when it could mean something like climbing a mountain, he explains. Now a bucket list can include less-lofty pursuits -- like catching a two-for-one sale at the mall. Rounding out the rest of the dozen: spoiler alert, guru and double down. Words and phrases that almost made the list -- but failed: "wheelhouse," "skill set." Also, Pink singled out an annoying phrase that fell under particular consideration. That phrase was, "I know, right." Says Pink, "That one came close." What do you think? Here are some suggestions from CNN commenters: . "Banish 'Mother Nature' from weather references FOREVER!" writes snowdogg. "I would like to request that the words 'epic', 'chillax', and 'splitsville' also be removed from the world's vernacular," suggests Daniel. Also this gem, from gemurray: "The author uses one of the words that drives me crazy in the last couple of paragraphs - 'Interwebs' has got to go too! It's either 'Internet' or 'World Wide Web', there is no such thing as '"interwebs!'" F-word and A-word . The F-word and the A-word are often nominated for the list, but Pink says offensive words aren't considered. "We try to keep it lighthearted." Nunberg's book, "Ascent of the A-Word," follows a**hole from its invention by WWII GIs to today, where the word has become a "basic term that a lot of us use all the time in our emotional and moral lives, for example when somebody cuts us off on the highway." In fact, Nunberg says words from the 1940s -- like the A-word -- are more likely to survive than words invented in the '90s. "You'd think more of the older words would be obsolete now, but no." More words are being invented now than ever before -- partly because of easy and fast communication on the interwebs. (Sorry, gemurray) "But the more words that are produced increases the competition," says Nunberg. There's a kind of process of natural selection. The words that survive often "become signs of important social movements or changes," he says. The loser words will die -- never to be spoken again by countless mouths of future generations. Hey little yolo, if you're reading this, you better find some new friends. And fast. If you know what's good for ya.
### SUMMARY:
| NEW: CNN commenters suggest epic, chillax and interwebs .
School takes aim at a dozen overused, misused, useless words and phrases .
Lighthearted list includes fiscal cliff, job creator, yolo, trending, bucket list .
Words offer clues to how society is changing, says linguist . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Washington (CNN) -- Lawyers within the Obama administration disagreed with the president's decision that U.S. participation in the NATO-led Libyan military mission doesn't come under the War Powers Resolution, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday. President Barack Obama is in a stand-off with House Speaker John Boehner over the issue, and Congress might vote on measures to restrict funding for the mission this week to protest what Boehner says is Obama's violation of the war powers law. The president disagrees, based on a legal analysis of the situation backed by his general counsel, the State Department and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Carney said. "This is not a unanimous legal decision within the administration, and it would be shocking if it were," Carney said in reference to what he called constant debate over the war powers measure since it was passed in 1973. "... But the president makes the decision. Obviously, his White House (and) State Department lawyer also agree with his assessment, and we feel very confident that the legal reasoning is sound." Carney also noted that Justice Department lawyers took part in the discussion, but he didn't include them among those he listed as supporting Obama. "As the Justice Department has stated publicly, its views were heard," Carney told reporters. House Republican sources told CNN on Monday that several options are under consideration for votes this week -- probably Thursday -- to exert some congressional control over the Libya mission. No decision will be made on how to proceed until GOP legislators return Tuesday from a long weekend in their districts. Cafferty: Should Congress cut off funding? One idea is a vote to prohibit funding for any ground troops in Libya. Obama has pledged no ground forces will be sent to the mission, and the House Republican sources said the proposal would be intended to prevent any possible escalation in the mission and give legislators a chance to express their disapproval. "Ultimately (the legislation) needs to have enough teeth for it to be to worth it," said one senior House GOP aide. The House already was planning to take up the 2012 defense spending bill this week, and legislators including liberal Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio intend to propose an amendment to cut off funding for the Libya mission. According to the House GOP sources, separate votes on the Libya mission are likely before the defense bill comes up in order to allow legislators to signal their displeasure through legislation that doesn't go as far as the proposal by Kucinich. In addition, House members were further angered by news of strong disagreement within the Obama administration over the president's analysis of whether the Libya mission came under the War Powers Resolution. GPS: Debate over War Powers Resolution . The New York Times reported Saturday that a lead attorney for the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel as well as counsel at the Pentagon argued internally that the president needs congressional authorization for the Libya mission, and the president overruled them. Carney's comments Monday acknowledged the disagreements, but portrayed them as part of the normal discourse on the war powers legislation. "For me to get up and tell you that by some miracle, every lawyer in this administration was in agreement on that issue, you wouldn't believe me, because it's simply been too contentious for now 38 years," Carney said. Even if the House passes measures intended to limit funding for the Libya mission, it is unlikely the Senate would do the same. On Sunday, two influential Republican senators said Congress should support the military campaign to send the proper message to allies and foes. "The president's done a lousy job of communicating and managing our involvement in Libya, but I will be no part of an effort to defund Libya or to try to cut off our efforts to bring (Libyan leader Moammar) Gadhafi down," conservative Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told NBC's "Meet the Press," later adding that Obama "needs to step up his game with Libya but Congress should sort of shut up and not empower Gadhafi." Gates also backed the Libyan mission, saying Obama was right to limit the scope of U.S. involvement and that he believes the president has complied with the War Powers Resolution. "What was going on in Libya was considered vital interest by some of our closest allies. Those are the same allies that have come to our support and assistance in Afghanistan," Gates told CNN's "State of the Union." "And so it seems to me the kind of limited measured role that the president decided on, in support of our allies who did consider it a vital interest, is a legitimate way to look at this problem." One of the GOP sources noted that the Republican leadership is facing the same dilemma it did earlier this month, when Kucinich was pushing a resolution that would have withdrawn all U.S. forces from the Libya mission. To prevent that from passing, Boehner was forced to counter with a watered-down version that gave the president two weeks to send Congress information justifying the U.S. strategy in Libya. Obama responded with a report to Congress last week that argued the limited role of U.S. forces in the NATO-led Libya mission failed to constitute engaging in hostilities as defined by the War Power Resolution. On Friday, Boehner said he specifically asked if the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel agreed with the administration's legal analysis, and that the White House's failure to answer that question made cutting funds for the mission a possibility. "The House of Representatives will not allow the White House to continue skirting its obligations to the American people, this Congress, and the laws of this nation," Boehner said in a statement. "Over the coming week, our members will review all options available to hold the administration to account." Passed in 1973, the War Powers Resolution gives the president 60 days to get congressional approval for sending U.S. forces to war, followed by a 30-day extension to end the hostilities. That 90-day period ended Sunday. In the Senate, Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts have drafted a resolution that supports the Libyan mission. If adopted by Congress, the resolution would serve as congressional authorization under the War Powers Resolution, they say. Congressional opponents of the Libya mission include liberals such as Kucinich who generally oppose any war effort, as well as some Republicans who complain its objective of civilian protection fails to match the stated U.S. goal of Gadhafi's ouster. The opponents also say the Libya situation could become a stalemate that drains resources at a time of mounting federal deficits that must be addressed. The White House, however, says incremental progress is occurring through increasing diplomatic, political and military pressure on Gadhafi to step down. Carney has repeatedly emphasized that Obama had kept his word to the American people that the initial U.S. leadership role in the mission would get reduced to a supporting role, and no U.S. ground troops would take part. Even though the Senate in March unanimously passed a nonbinding resolution supporting a no-fly zone over Libya, some Republicans now express total opposition to the U.S. support for that effort. In its report on the mission, titled "United States Activities in Libya," the administration said the cost of military and humanitarian operations through June 3 was about $800 million. It estimated the total cost through September 30 would be $1.1 billion. CNN's Dana Bash, Deirdre Walsh, Dan Lothian and Tom Cohen contributed to this report.
### SUMMARY:
| The dispute involves the U.S. role in the NATO-led Libya military mission .
President Obama decided he didn't need war powers authorization from Congress .
House Speaker Boehner warns Congress may try to cut mission funding over the issue . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Jinan, China (CNN) -- With the hotel front desk clerk busy checking me in, her co-worker picked up the ringing phone. "Do we have any foreign journalists staying here?" she repeated the question being asked at the other end of the phone. "No," she replied, before the clerk helping me threw her a look. "Oh yes, three just got here." With the local authorities now presumably alerted to our presence, any hope we had of maintaining a low profile at the start of our reporting trip to cover the most anticipated trial in China in recent memory had ended. We arrived in the eastern city of Jinan on Tuesday, two days before the local Intermediate People's Court was set to try disgraced Communist leader Bo Xilai, who was once tipped to be a future president but now faces charges of bribe-taking, embezzlement and abuse of power. Bo's spectacular downfall -- complete with tales of murder, corruption and betrayal -- triggered the greatest political crisis for the ruling Communist Party in decades. During his trial, the charismatic and controversial politician is expected to make his first public appearance since April 2012 when he was stripped of his top Party posts. Timeline: The Bo Xilai scandal . Given the high drama and political stakes, it seems prudent for China's top leaders to pick one of the country's blandest cities for the spectacle. Jinan is far away -- more than 780 miles (1,200 kilometers) -- from Chongqing, Bo's former powerbase, or other places where he had held senior positions. The presiding judge is said to be a tested and reliable official in the eyes of Beijing. Coincidentally, Shandong province -- with Jinan being the capital -- is also home to the ancient sage Confucius, whose philosophy emphasizes respect to authority -- an idea that nervous local officials probably wish "unruly" foreign journalists would learn quickly. The courthouse sits at the end of a narrow, tree-lined downtown street, surrounded by high-rise apartment buildings. All looked normal and quiet as we exited the car, if not for the dozen soldiers unloading plastic barriers from trucks across the street from the court's main gate. A press pen was in the making. While our cameraman tested satellite signal strength for potential live shot locations, an official directed us to a nearby hotel, where the government had set up a media center. After going through a metal detector and a hand-wand inspection, we entered the building and reached the first position in what seemed to be an assembly line for the credential application process -- involving passport check, form distribution, information verification, data entry and photo-taking. Five steps later, we were told our press cards would be ready the following afternoon. But officials there didn't seem to know much else about the "open" trial -- questions about likely courtroom access, live broadcast opportunities or press conferences went unanswered. Almost as soon as the trial date was set last weekend, we had been calling the court trying to apply for a spot inside the courtroom -- only to be kicked around by different departments. As night fell Tuesday, we started live broadcast near a side entrance to the court. A notice posted in the bulletin board by the gate announced Bo's trial information. Pedestrians stopped to snap photos of the notice with their phones. Meanwhile, I received a text message from human rights activist Chen Guangfu, elder brother of the blind lawyer Chen Guangcheng, who had intended to "witness" the trial. He said, after he got off the train, state security agents awaiting him at Jinan's west railway station forced him to return to his home village some 125 miles (200 kilometers) away. Hu Jia, another prominent rights advocate, tweeted that the authorities in Jinan had tightened their grip over all activists ahead of the trial. The day before the trial brought a new excitement and a degree of chaos to the courthouse's doorstep. Despite a heavy police presence, some Bo admirers -- he retains considerable support in Chongqing and elsewhere in China -- showed up in the morning, along with onlookers and petitioners with various grievances -- all eager to take the rare opportunity to share their stories and opinions with the gathering foreign reporters. "During Chairman Mao's time, everyone was equal and we had no corruption -- 'singing red and smashing black' was achieving that and benefited people," declared a 66-year-old local resident who only identified herself as Ms. Li, as she referred to Bo's famous campaign to revive Maoist ideology and crack down on crimes. "He's not a god or perfect, but the masses supported him," she added. "They can't just condemn him to hell -- I want him to have a fair trial." "Why bother?" scoffed 62-year-old retired worker, named Mr. Liu, who stood next to her. "Bo's a victim of political struggles." "You think he actually believed in this 'singing red and smashing black' stuff? It was all for appearance's sake," he continued and turned sarcastic. "We ordinary people should just feel happy to be fed and clothed, and watch whatever news they put on TV." As the crowd grew larger and louder, the police decided to intervene, shooing off the speakers for disrupting traffic and ordering reporters to stay inside the designated media zone across the street. But an elderly petitioner's cry for help briefly caused new commotion. Wearing a paper headband with the character "wronged" written on it, the woman kept yelling at policemen who were dragging her away in front of news cameras: "I'm 80 years old and have a heart condition -- stop pushing me!" The atmosphere among the assembled press was just as excitable -- at one point a number of reporters rushed to the city's west railway station as a rumor circulated that a train carrying Bo would be arriving. By late afternoon, a legion of newly accredited journalists -- almost all from overseas media as most domestic outlets are barred from covering politically sensitive events -- had settled in. Some journalists questioned whether a day spent running around in the summer heat to cover a trial where the outcome is all but certain was really worth it. The conviction rate for first- and second-instance criminal trials in China -- where the Party controls the police, prosecution and courts -- stood at 99.9% in 2010, a U.S. State Department report cited the Supreme People's Court as saying. The only "unknown" in the Bo case seems to be the sentencing. After a long day of stakeout and live reports, we finally headed back to the hotel two blocks away from the court. As we walked into the Hyatt Regency Jinan, part of a sprawling mixed-use development, I was reminded by the sign that the hotel's Chinese name is Jinan Wanda Hyatt -- a nod to the property's owner, the Dalian-based Wanda Group. The real estate conglomerate -- headed by China's richest man -- saw its business take off in the 1990s, propelled by land deals with the local government when Bo was mayor of the coastal city in northeastern China. Wanda is not implicated in the Bo case, but it seems -- despite the top leaders' best efforts to choose a "neutral" location for the trial -- Bo's shadow looms large even in Jinan.
### SUMMARY:
| Bo Xilai set to be tried at the local Intermediate People's Court in Jinan .
Former political star faces charges of bribe-taking, embezzlement and abuse of power .
Jinan is far away -- more than 780 miles -- from Chongqing, Bo's former powerbase .
It will be Bo's first public appearance since April 2012 when he was stripped of his posts . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- President Barack Obama reframed U.S. foreign policy priorities on Tuesday by focusing his administration's immediate attention on Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and the Middle East conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. "While these issues are not the cause of all the region's problems, they have been a major source of instability for far too long, and resolving them can help serve as a foundation for a broader peace," he said in a 50-minute speech on the opening day of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. At the same time, Obama challenged the world body to enforce its ban on chemical weapons by agreeing to crack down on Syria -- even militarily -- if the regime of President Bashar al-Assad fails to turn over control of its stockpiles. "There must be a strong Security Council resolution to verify that the Assad regime is keeping its commitments, and there must be consequences if they fail to do so," he said. "If we cannot agree even on this, then it will show that the U.N. is incapable of enforcing the most basic of international laws." His speech, which received little reaction from the gathered world leaders, sought to project a robust commitment to defending U.S. interests abroad while declaring receptiveness to potential diplomatic openings that have emerged. It's not about regime change or asserting U.S. dominance, he insisted in calling for more unified international action in the world's most persistent and contentious trouble spots. Noting that new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have stated their nation only seeks the peaceful use of nuclear power, rather than nuclear weapons, Obama said the issue comes down to Iran demonstrating its sincerity. "To succeed, conciliatory words will have to be matched by actions that are transparent and verifiable," he said, noting that "this isn't simply an issue between America and Iran -- the world has seen Iran evade its responsibilities in the past, and has an abiding interest in making sure that Iran meets its obligations in the future." Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, both will attend a Thursday meeting of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, plus Germany. Discussions will surround restarting talks on Iran's nuclear program. Obama sounded cautious about any possible breakthrough, saying "the roadblocks may prove to be too great, but I firmly believe the diplomatic path must be tested." Later Tuesday, Rouhani said in his U.N. speech that Iran was prepared for immediate nuclear talks that are "time-bound and result-oriented ... to build mutual confidence and removal of mutual uncertainties." The Iranian leader also said he Iistened carefully to Obama's speech and hoped that the United States "will refrain from following the short-sighted interests of warmongering pressure groups" so that the two nations "can arrive at a framework to manage our differences." Rouhani touched on one of those differences, criticizing what he described as "structural violence" against Palestinians. While he never mentioned U.S. ally Israel by name, the intention of his comments was clear. "Palestine is under occupation; the basic rights of the Palestinians are tragically violated, and they are deprived of the right of return and access to their homes, birthplace and homeland," he said. "Apartheid as a concept can hardly describe the crimes and the institutionalized aggression against the innocent Palestinian people." Obama earlier called for "the entire international community" to support renewal of the Middle East peace process, noting that Israeli and Palestinian leaders "have demonstrated a willingness to take significant political risks." "Now the rest of us must also be willing to take risks," Obama said. "Friends of Israel, including the United States, must recognize that Israel's security as a Jewish and democratic state depends upon the realization of a Palestinian state. Arab states -- and those who have supported the Palestinians -- must recognize that stability will only be served through a two-state solution with a secure Israel." On Syria, Obama addressed both the August 21 sarin gas attack on suburban Damascus that he blamed on al-Assad's regime and the civil war that has raged for more than two years and killed over 100,000 people, according to U.N. figures. Critics at home and abroad contend the United States was too slow in backing rebels fighting the Syrian regime, which allowed al-Assad's forces to gain the advantage with help from Russia, Iran and Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon. At the same time, Obama's threats of a U.S. military attack on al-Assad's forces to try to prevent any further chemical weapons attacks failed to generate support from the United Nations, due to Russia's opposition, as well as normally reliable NATO ally Great Britain and Congress. Some Obama opponents argued he showed weakness by not attacking Syria anyway, despite the lack of international support. Obama said such criticism "mirrors a contradiction that has persisted in the region for decades." "The United States is chastised for meddling in the region, and accused of having a hand in all manner of conspiracy," he said. "At the same time, the United States is blamed for failing to do enough to solve the region's problems, and for showing indifference toward suffering Muslim populations." He outlined U.S. foreign policy for the remainder of his presidency, declaring a willingness "to use all elements of our power, including military force" to secure core interests in the Middle East and North Africa. Obama specified that the United States would confront aggression against allies and partners and ensure the free flow of Middle East oil to the world, adding that "although America is steadily reducing our own dependence on imported oil, the world still depends upon the region's energy supply, and a severe disruption could destabilize the entire global economy." He also pledged to continue the fight against terrorist networks by working with other nations and taking "direct action" when necessary. In words clearly directed at Iran, Obama specified that "we will not tolerate the development or use of weapons of mass destruction." "Just as we consider the use of chemical weapons in Syria to be a threat to our own national security, we reject the development of nuclear weapons that could trigger a nuclear arms race in the region, and undermine the global non-proliferation regime," he said. Noting that the United States was emerging from a "perpetual war footing" after more than a decade of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama acknowledged that unilateral American action -- particularly military action -- was unable to achieve the desired development of democratic systems, open markets and respect for human rights around the world. "Iraq shows us that democracy cannot be imposed by force," he said. Obama also directed a challenge to his fellow world leaders, noting that the United Nations was created in ashes of World War II so that nations could work together to confront global challenges and conflict. "The question is whether we possess the wisdom and the courage as nation states and members of the international community to squarely meet those challenges; for the United Nations to meet the challenges of our time," he said. That means answering the inevitable call for action, Obama said. "While the U.N. was designed to prevent wars between states, increasingly we face the challenge of preventing slaughter within states," he said, adding that "in such moments, the international community will need to acknowledge that the multilateral use of military force may be required to prevent the very worst from occurring."
### SUMMARY:
| NEW: Rouhani says Iran is ready for "time-bound and result-oriented" talks .
President Obama reframes the immediate U.S. foreign policy priorities .
Obama challenges the United Nations to enforce its regulations on chemical arms .
He calls for a strong U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- About 15 years ago, when the United States was first experimenting with wide-ranging sanctions against Iran, an Iranian acquaintance remarked to me, "I certainly hope Iran doesn't become another Cuba." At that point, the U.S. had imposed a total embargo on Cuba for more than three decades. As he said it, I detected that part of him could not believe that a rich and cultured nation on the other side of the globe could ever be treated like an island dictatorship off the American coast. But I also saw a glint of apprehension in his eyes as he considered for the first time how America's vision of its own national interests could change when viewed through the prism of raw domestic politics. The cases are not at all the same. Yet today, Cuba has been under U.S. embargo for 50 years, and Iran has passed the 16-year mark. Cuba experienced a U.S.-sponsored invasion before the sanctions began. Iran is still waiting for its Bay of Pigs. When the Obama administration came into office, talk was all about "smart sanctions." President Obama's foreign policy advisers had seen what indiscriminate sanctions had done to Iraq. Ordinary lives were destroyed and, in the words of a friend whose family was in Iraq, the entire middle class was criminalized, driven to smuggling and black-market dealings just to survive. The sanctions also created a sympathetic backlash with the Iraqi population and visceral anti-Americanism throughout the world. We were not going to make that mistake again. Instead, we would target sanctions only against the decision-makers and abusers. Yet today, the sanctions regime in Iran is resembling, more and more, the Iraqi and Cuban cases. We have arrived by a very different route. Instead of controlling all goods going into the country, we have ingeniously found ways of manipulating Iran's banking system. That, together with regional boycotts, has the prospect of blocking a large proportion of Iran's oil sales. In Iran there has been a run on the currency, food prices are soaring, and every single person is beginning to experience some form of economic pain. That has been the source of considerable public satisfaction in Washington and elsewhere. It is also reminiscent of the early stages of the Iraqi experience. Add to that the serial murders of civilian scientists, cybertampering with Iran's centrifuges, flyovers of U.S. drones, and covert assistance to Iranian separatist groups. Forget the euphemisms. What would we think if a nation were doing all of this to us? The benign image of sanctions as graduated pressure has been transformed. In reality, it is war with Iran in all but name. Until now, the threat of escalation has been a tool for promoting sanctions. I remember vividly my own experience in the White House during the original Iranian hostage crisis. At that time, President Carter and his National Security Council staff quite deliberately used the threat of a possible U.S. military action against Iran to encourage Europeans and other allies to adopt sanctions against Iran. The purpose of the sanctions was to persuade Iran to release the American diplomatic hostages. It didn't work. The threat of military action was, however, very effective in getting allies to take economic actions that were contrary to their own national interests. The thinking was that economic sanctions and boycotts, however disagreeable, were less costly than the outbreak of a military conflict in the oil-rich Persian Gulf. The same tactic was used by the George W. Bush administration to twist the arms of reluctant allies. The presence of such uber-hawks as Vice President Dick Cheney, U.N. Ambassador John Bolton and others, as well as the formal security doctrine of the administration to launch pre-emptive military attacks, gave the argument credibility. Upon the arrival of the Obama administration and its initial policy of engagement with Iran, the role of enforcer shifted to Israel. The first major media storm about an Israeli attack on Iran came in the final months of the Bush administration, when John Bolton predicted without qualification in an interview with The Daily Telegraph that Israel would launch its attack before Bush left office, on the grounds that the incoming administration would be less sympathetic to the idea. Since then, such predictions have become almost an annual event. Jeffrey Goldberg, writing in the Atlantic Monthly in September 2010 after extensive interviews with key Israelis, concluded that "there is a better than 50 percent chance that Israel will launch a strike by next July," 2011. That date came and went. Then about a month ago, Israeli commentator Ronen Bergman wrote in The New York Times magazine that "After speaking with many senior Israeli leaders and chiefs of the military and the intelligence, I have come to believe that Israel will indeed strike Iran in 2012." It is a bit ironic that Bergman spoke to the same individuals who had previously convinced Goldberg that a strike was coming in 2011. Moreover, many of those interviewed openly expressed great doubt about the feasibility and wisdom of any such attack. This included the recently retired Mossad chief Meir Dagan and the former Israeli chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi, who said that "the Iranian threat was not as imminent" as some had suggested and that "a military strike would be catastrophic." But the article resonated powerfully, especially in an election year. Congress has been extremely active in trying to prevent the administration from pursuing negotiations. H.R. 1905 -- the Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011 -- proposes to ban U.S. diplomats from contact with "any Iranian official who poses a threat to the United States." There is scarcely anyone in Iran who has not chanted "Death to America"; does that constitute a threat and disqualify that person from contact with American diplomats? More recently, a proposed Sense of the Senate resolution tries to define the terms and acceptable objectives of any United States policy dealing with Iran: . • It rejects "any policy that would rely on containment as an option in response to the Iranian nuclear threat," thus ruling out a policy that the United States used successfully against the Soviet Union. • It defines the U.S. "red line," where we would consider the use of force, not as Iranian possession of a nuclear weapon, but rather as an Iranian "nuclear weapons capability," which by many calculations Iran already has. • Finally, it sets as the objective of any negotiations "the full and sustained suspension" of uranium enrichment by Iran. But Iran regards enrichment for peaceful purposes as a right conferred by the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and that principle is supported by a vast majority of the Iranian population, including even the reformist opposition. This resolution is not binding, and it does not yet have majority support in the Senate. However, it is apparently intended to be used as a centerpiece in the pro-Israeli AIPAC meeting that started this weekend in Washington. And it comes just at the moment when it appears that negotiations between Tehran and six major powers are likely to resume. There is an inevitability about sanctions imposed for political reasons. Serious negotiations and compromise are precluded, and the appetite for ever-stronger sanctions grows with the realization that past efforts were a failure. If you set an impossible objective and then begin imposing sanctions to achieve it, the result is always more sanctions, until you arrive at the point where there are no more sanctions and only force remains. We are approaching that point. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gary Sick.
### SUMMARY:
| Gary Sick: Sanctions against Iraq, Cuba harmed the whole population, not just leaders .
Sick: Sanctions against Iran causing anti-Americanism and ruining ordinary lives .
16 years of Iran sanctions changed nothing, he says, amount to war in all but name .
Sick: When sanctions get harsher and harsher and do nothing, war becomes inevitable . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Denver, Colorado (CNN) -- When the sun dips below the Rocky Mountains and the streets of Denver go dark, Lokki, his girlfriend Magic and their friend Tripp head home. They climb in between the rafters of a highway overpass, crouching as they sit under the concrete structure that rumbles with every car that crosses overhead. It is where they will sleep tonight. It is where they say they can live safely after escaping from abusive homes. "It's pretty hard," says Magic, 18, when asked about living on the streets. "But most of the time it's just life, you know. Life's not going to be easy." She refuses to talk about what caused her to leave home. Her boyfriend Lokki has a different outlook: He says he enjoys the fun and freedom of life on the streets. "I don't really have to worry about anything," says Lokki, 20. "I get some food and kick back with the homies." Out of the three friends, Tripp seems to be the most concerned about the future. He says he began living on the streets two years ago, after escaping a violent relationship with his stepfather. "If I defended myself against him, I always got looked at badly," he said. "So when I turned 18, I left." He stops talking as he watches a homeless man walk by. "I'd hate to think that's the way I'm going," says Tripp. "That I'm going to end up being 40 years old and on the streets." Getting off the streets is a daunting challenge for these young adults and others like them, who have no address, no job, very little education, and many times drug addictions and mental health issues. "We see a lot of kids really since age of 7 or 8 [who] haven't had any real roots to call their own," according to Tom Manning, spokesman for Covenant House, which helps those who are young and homeless. "Those are the 18-year-olds who [have] very limited education and really need to start from square one." Manning, who has worked with homeless youths for 20 years, said a key goal is reaching these young adults before they "disappear into the streets." "It sounds like a movie, but it's true: Pimps and traffickers, they spot these kids and go after them," Manning said. "If we don't get to them, many will end up on drugs or in prison." The youths can be helped, he said, if they can learn to establish healthy relationships with others. "It's a trust issue: Most of these kids have been abused and taken advantage of by every adult they've met," Manning said. Trust is at the heart of the family that Lokki has created for a small group of his friends living on the streets of Denver. They call themselves "Juggalos" -- the name for fans of the rap group Insane Clown Posse. But now, the name has a more important meaning. "Juggalos started as a family for people who feel like they don't have family," Lokki explained. "Other people see it as a gang, but we just look out for each other any way we can." They mostly hang out, swimming in the Platte River or -- if they manage to panhandle a few dollars -- buying beer or marijuana. Most days, they eat lunch at Sox Place, which was set up in 2002 by Doyle "Sox" Robinson. He got his street name after spending a year handing out clean socks to street kids. Every day, about 100 young people come by to eat lunch, use the computers, watch movies and also pick up a fresh pair of socks. "They are just like any other kids out there, they have the same struggles, the same issues," Doyle said. "They still want love, they want acceptance, they want protections, they want rules, they want to be held accountable." Robinson said his goal is simply to provide a stable place where they can be loved for who they are. "I don't try to change them," he said. "If they want to change, we're here for them. If they don't want to change, we're still going to love them." Robinson, 55, says his Christian faith motivates him to help these kids, although he doesn't try to push religion on anyone at Sox Place. He says he lies awake at night after hearing their stories of abuse and neglect. "It shakes my faith in people," he said. "How can we allow this to happen in our own country?" Read more about Robinson's perspective on faith . The Obama administration recently unveiled a plan to end homelessness in the United States over the next decade. The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness will "harness public and private resources to build on the innovations that have been demonstrated at the local level nationwide," according to council chairman Shaun Donavan. Robinson is skeptical about whether the government can adequately address the root causes of homelessness. "We need less government and more grass roots," he said. "We need taxes not to go to renovating parks, but renovating lives." All the government can really do is put a roof over someone's head, he said. And that doesn't necessarily constitute a "home." "They don't have a home, the sense of family," Robinson said. "All we're doing is pushing them to the sides, we're not dealing with the real issues." Belle wandered into Sox Place one afternoon in June, a pretty young woman with an air of confidence that contrasts with the cuts across her cheek and the brace on her knee, injuries she said were inflicted by her pimp. "People think it's a choice to be on the streets, but it's never a choice," said Belle, 18. She said she has been sexually abused since she was 6 years old and was in and out of foster care until recently. Now, she is living in a camp with other homeless kids, hiding from her pimp. "Yeah, it's not a house, but a house isn't everything," she said. "Family. Love. Friends. This is my family. All I ever wanted was a family." She wants to go to college to study psychology and help other street kids, but she knows the odds are against her. "I don't have the building blocks to get up in life, to be able to do what I need to do, because I never learned it," she said. "I have to learn that on my own." The odds were against Liz Martinez, who left home at age 12 and eventually became a member of the Juggalos. "They were better than my own biological family," said Martinez, who is now 21. "They didn't put their hands on me, they fed me, they kept me safe, they cared about how I felt." After nearly a decade on the streets, she has just gotten her first apartment with her boyfriend and is looking forward to a more stable future for her 5-month-old daughter. "I have almost $1,000 saved up from selling plasma and doing day labor, and hopefully in the next month and a half to three months, I'll have my GED," she said. Martinez has drawn strength from living on the streets, and she thinks others can do the same: . "If you can survive off of living on the street and sleeping on cold concrete or behind a Dumpster when it's snowing, you know you have the strength to do just about anything."
### SUMMARY:
| Hundreds of homeless teens and young adults live in Denver, Colorado .
Many fled abusive families or foster parents .
Doyle "Sox" Robinson has opened a drop-in center for homeless youths .
"They are just like any other kids out there," Robinson says . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
After 17 minutes and 14 seconds of Sunday's "El Clasico" encounter with Real Madrid, Barcelona fans will offer a vocal demonstration of why the club's motto is "mes que un club" -- more than a club. The team's Nou Camp stadium will erupt with the sound of the Catalan national anthem, sung in the language native to this semi-autonomous region of Spain. It is to commemorate September 11, 1714, and the people who died when the ruling monarchy defeated Catalan troops during the War of the Spanish Succession. It is arguably the biggest club game in the world -- though all too often surrounded by a bucketload of bile between players, coaches and fans -- but as austerity tightens its grip on the Spanish economy, the desire for Catalan independence grows ever deeper. The fixture against Real, a club so long synonymous with Spain's rulers and its royalty, provides a poignant opportunity for the Catalonian cause to be expressed directly to the Madrid powers. "For every Euro Catalonia gives to Spain, it only receives 57 cents," Catalan sports commentator Ernest Macia told CNN. "There is a feeling of injustice regarding the fiscal system." "Also there are the constant political attacks in terms of linguistic policy. For Catalonia the language is very important. Catalan is different from Spanish language, not better or worse, just different. "The Spanish government is trying to erode the educational system where in Catalonia you study in Catalan but also Spanish ... the government is trying to regain the power in the education system." So on Sunday in a demonstration of national pride, 98,000 placards will turn the Nou Camp into a giant Catalan flag emblazoned with the word "Barca!" prior to kick off. "It symbolizes the Catalan sentiment," continued Macia. "It's the color of the Catalan flag. People come to enjoy the football, yes, but also to make clear it is a time to be Catalan." The Catalan nationalism cause has a powerful supporter in the shape of iconic former Barca coach Josep Guardiola, who led the team to 14 trophies during a glittering four seasons in charge. Speaking from New York, where he is currently living, Guardiola delivered a video message of support to his native region on Catalonia's national day, saying: "Here's one more vote for independence." Despite the views of one of its favorite sons, the football club is less forthright in extolling the virtues of independence, reflecting that not all Barca fans are against a unified Spain. However, Macia suggests the success of Barcelona's football team and the views of some of the region's other top sport stars has helped promote the idea of self governance. "I would say there is an increasing union around Barcelona of people who didn't necessarily care about the independence of Catalonia but now understand the reasons through football and the club's other sports teams," added Macia. "Sarunas Jasikevicius, a Lithuanian basketball player for Barcelona, said he is open to independence. "In football, the team is less explicit. Xavi and Carles Puyol, for example are proud to be Catalan but they haven't said openly they would play for Catalonia instead of Spain." Catalonia even has its own national football team, though it is not allowed to participate in World Cups or European Championships. The team, which has been playing fixtures since 1912, are permitted to play matches but are barred from participating in competitions which Spain also contests. Over the years, Catalonia's best players such as Xavi, Guardiola and Puyol have pulled on the red and gold shirt alongside "guest" stars such as Johan Cruyff and Hristo Stoichkov. But it is Barca, with its core of local players, which has come to represent Catalan footballing honor and so fixtures with Real have a tendency to become ill-tempered. Red cards and the red mist have become the norm. In August 2011 Real coach Jose Mourinho poked Tito Vilanova -- Guardiola's then assistant who has gone on to replace him in the hotseat -- in the eye during a touchline fracas. In 2000 Luis Figo was the subject of Barca fans' ire after moving to Real, and when he returned to the Nou Camp as one of Madrid's fabled "Galacticos", the Portuguese forward was pelted with objects including cigarette lighters, cell phones and a pig's head. However, rather than breed contempt, familiarity seems to have begun to blunt this rivalry. Last season the teams played each other on six occasions, after five meetings during the 2010-11 campaign. "There have been an awful lot of Clasicos over the last few years, which really has diluted things quite a bit," said Madrid-based Spanish football expert Tim Stannard. "It's not like it was even 12 months ago, when you had Mourinho and Guardiola really kicking off at each other. "We had the two SuperCup Clasicos recently and nothing happened then. We actually had two calm and quite exciting games." And just as in the rest of Spain, the people of Madrid have worries which are more pressing than whether Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi is the world's best footballer as unemployment climbed to nearly 25 percent last month. Recent protests against anti-austerity measures taken by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government led to violent confrontations between civilians and police on the streets of the capital. "What we saw was a situation gone bad," continued Stannard. "Some protestors were infiltrated by those looking for a riot. Almost all the time demonstrations here go very peacefully, that's why it made the news. "There haven't really been any instances since. People are just suffering at the minute." With Real currently trailing table-toppers Barca by eight points heading into the first league Clasico of the season, the Madrid club's fans haven't had much to cheer either. Despite that start which has seen Mourinho team drop eight points in its first six matches, Stannard suggests this weekend's match offers Real fans brief respite from a dark financial climate. "It's a distraction from the grim reality of life for many in Spain at the moment," he said. "It gives them something to smile about. This Clasico is not a massively hyped one. In recent years we have had Champions League semifinals and all this bitterness built up between the two teams. A lot of that has been taken out of it." And what do Madrilenos make of calls for Catalan independence? "It's hard to speak for everyone here, Madrid is very diverse," responded Stannard. "A lot of people simply don't care." Back in Barcelona, Macia suggested Spain's financial woes might have given the campaign for Catalan secession extra impetus. "The feeling is that it has probably helped to create new converts to the independence movement," he said. "In Germany, the richer states give 4% to the GDP, to the central government. "In Catalonia, it is 8% and everyone in Catalonia is becoming more conscious of the problem." Macia remains hopeful he will see a day when Catalonia has true independence from Spain. "It will be very slow," he said. "It will take some time and some verbal violence. I'm not happy to live in this moment, because from Spain come some insults from Catalonia. "I think both parties will reach an agreement. I'm not sure if it will be to celebrate a democratic referendum. It will probably take at least another year."
### SUMMARY:
| Barcelona face Real Madrid on Sunday in "El Clasico"
Spain is engulfed by serious financial crisis .
Many in Catalonia are calling for the semi-autonomous region to become independent .
Anti-austerity measures have led to protests and violent clashes in Madrid . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
When Zhou Yuxia, 24, returned to Beijing after studying in the United States, she had real trouble securing a job. She had the right qualifications for the positions she was looking for -- she just wasn't a man. "I was on a job hunting site and saw this ideal position as a marketing manager. One of the requirements was that I had to be male," she told CNN. "If I am desperate I will apply anyway because I think I am qualified. But I'll send them an extra video outlining why I can do the job despite being female." This happened a fortnight ago, just weeks after a similar gender discrimination case made headlines in China. Recent graduate Cao Ju took Beijing-based private tutor company Juren Academy to court after they refused to employ her on the basis of being female. The company later settled for 30,000 RMB (US$4,925), in what has been described as the first gender discrimination lawsuit of its kind in the China. 'Important breakthrough' Geoff Crothall from China Labour Bulletin, an NGO that promotes the rights of workers in China, described the Beijing case as "an important breakthrough." He says he expects more women to actively challenge discrimination moving forward but cautioned against being too optimistic. "It is very difficult to get courts in China to accept discrimination cases, as Cao Ju herself experienced," Crothall told CNN. "Very often employers blatantly discriminate because demand for a particular job is very high and they can get away with setting strict and discriminatory stipulations." Wang Xiao, 28, knows a thing or two about this. Upon graduating from a top Beijing university, she spent a year working as a headhunter. There she was approached by clients who specified only male candidates. Factory-based jobs and those within engineering were two professions commonly demanding male applicants, as were roles that involved travel or working overseas. "There's a perception that (travel) to certain countries is not safe for women, and also that if a woman is older her priorities will be more home-based, whereas the man's will still be work first," she said. Wang experienced discrimination herself upon changing jobs. She was working as a teacher's assistant at a well-established tutorial company in Beijing and when her boss left, he referred Wang to the director as the best person to fill his role. The director, though, wanted a man. Wang lost out to someone more junior than her. "At my company the high-level positions were usually filled by men," she noted. These anecdotes are commonplace. Data in the Third Chinese Women's Social Status Investigation, jointly carried out in 2010 by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) and the National Bureau of Statistics of China, revealed that more than 72% of women had a clear perception of "not being hired or promoted because of gender" discrimination. Over 75% believed they were dismissed due to marriage and childbirth, with fears that this could worsen as China relaxes its one-child policy. Meanwhile, the federation calculated that urban Chinese women in 2010 earned 0.67 RMB for every 1 RMB men earned, down from 0.78 RMB in 1990. From overt to recessive . Women must also compete amongst themselves. In China, where applicants often attach a photograph to their CVs, there are jobs requiring women to measure up to a certain level of attractiveness. In her book, Buying Beauty: Cosmetic Surgery in China, anthropologist Wen Hua noted the prevalence of job ads with detailed appearance and height requirements for women. The Chinese government itself is guilty of this, she says. "They are trying to attract the tallest or the prettiest people, because it makes (the government departments) look good," Wen wrote. "The belief that better looks secure better jobs has pushed more and more Chinese college students to spend lavish amounts of money on cosmetic surgery." She told CNN the situation has changed since her research back in 2006-7, saying there are fewer of these ads around nowadays -- but she is also wary. "Gender discrimination in employment still widely exists in China's workplace in different ways that are hidden. The discrimination has changed from overt to recessive, whilst the situation might be even worse because hidden prejudice and discrimination against women is harder to avoid and punish." Leveling the playing field . Some women adapt to the situation. As a teenager, Lin Wanru wanted to be a doctor. Her mother had other plans, telling her that, "Medicine is not a good profession for a woman to be in -- it will not attract a man." Instead Lin became a journalist and satisfies herself with writing medical stories. Lin's story touches on a greater phenomenon, namely women are still being engineered to see marriage as their first priority and career as second. Those who fail to conform to this stereotype risk being labeled a "leftover." READ MORE: China's 'leftover women' choose to stay single . Zhang Chao is a member of Lean In Beijing, a women's professional development group inspired by Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg's bestselling book Lean In. For her, this attitude is troubling. A 25-year-old HR coordinator in the telecommunications industry, she says that plenty of her female counterparts were ambitious at school and college, but their ambition later disappeared. "When we step out of school and enter the society, all of the goals turn to the pressure of marrying a good husband. It becomes the major standard of how we evaluate our life," she told CNN. This is a far cry from when the Communist Party came to power in 1949, when elevating the status of women was central to their manifesto. Chairman Mao famously declared that women hold up half the sky and, superficially at least, went about promoting women into jobs previously designated to men. But it's not all bad in today's China. According to the 2014 Hurun Global Rich List, 17 of the 358 US-dollar billionaires living in Greater China are women (up from 14 a year ago), and 19% of Chinese women in management positions are CEOs. The perception women are on the rise has even led to the coining of a phrase -- yin sheng, yang shuai -- which means the female (yin) is on the up, while the male (yang) is moving down. Celebrating women the wrong way . The Chinese treatment of International Women's Day, which still features in the Chinese annual calendar on March 8, shows the disparity between rhetoric and reality. Once seen as an occasion to highlight the plight of women, it has now become another commercial opportunity, like Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. Some companies give women time off; others provide presents for their female staff -- often presents that feed into gender stereotypes. In 2013, a total of 1.72 million men bought gifts for women in the 10 days leading up to International Women's Day, according to a report issued by Taobao, China's largest online shopping website. Beauty vouchers and kitchen supplies were a dominant theme. Retailers commonly offer sales on women's products as well. With International Women's Day approaching, the offers are already on display -- bouquets of flowers, and nice accessories to give to your wife, mother or employee. Chinese women are once again being reminded that when it comes to work, there's a gulf between themselves and their male cohorts.
### SUMMARY:
| Discrimination against women in rife in China .
Successfully-fought gender discrimination cases are almost nonexistent .
Discrimination changing from "overt" to "recessive"
International Women's Day celebrations in China can be misguided . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
"Brothers, what we do in life echoes in eternity" (line from the film Gladiator) Gladiators, ready? From the ancient ruins of Rome, a new empire rises. But with a nod to the past, the city's newest gladiator James Pallotta's eyes light up when his thoughts turn to historic sites like the Colosseum. For if all roads lead to Rome, the AS Roma president is leaving no stone unturned in his intention to marry the Eternal City's historic past with Italian football's new emerging force. "I have one big goal," Pallotta tells CNN, with an infectious smile. "I want to get the city to let us play somebody like Barcelona or Bayern Munich or someone like that at the Colosseum." While the idea might have the marketing department rubbing their hands with glee, Pallotta could have his work cut out, persuading those maintaining these sites to allow Francesco Totti and Daniel de Rossi to put on an altogether different kind of gladiatorial show. Commissioned by Emperor Vespasian, the Colosseum remains Rome's most iconic monument and while others may not have ever considered bring the modern day Roman legion to entertain the masses, Pallotta is not like any other owner. "We'll do a pay-per-view on it, $25 around the world," adds the Bostonia, elaborating on the idea. "We could get 300 million people wanting to watch that around the world -- a game in the Colosseum which they'll never see again. "We take that money, which could be billions of dollars, and then set up a foundation in Rome to fix up the antiquities even faster and put the rest towards inner city programs in Rome." Vespasian died before he could see the Colosseum completed by his son, Titus, in AD 80, with the 55,000 arena becoming an integral part of Rome's history. Pallotta jokes he wouldn't mind seeing a few lions let out of the traps to speed up the match tempo, and the 56-year-old American-born investor, who took over the job of rebuilding Roma in 2012 , is clearly a man in a hurry. While millions flock to the Italian capital to gaze upon the likes of St Peter's Basilica, the Pantheon and the Sistine Chapel, Pallotta wants future visitors to embrace a new modern Roma. "When you walk around the city, you cannot keep your head down," he said. "You have to look up because of the architecture and every step you take is amazing. "For us not to have Rome be a significant part of what we are doing with the team would be foolish." A fixture between Roma against world class opposition at the Colosseum or perhaps more realistically, at the Circus Maximus given rock concerts have been staged there, is just one of Pallotta's many ideas. Neither Barca nor Bayern responded to CNN's request to see if they would consider playing against Roma in one of these venues in a friendly. However, more tangible is Pallotta's intention to provide Rome with a new stadium which the club hopes will be ready for the 2016-17 season. Able to accommodate up to 60,000 people, the arena is intended to become the focal point for a new chapter in the club's history. A "Peak Performance Center" will be built adjacent to the stadium providing facilities for the club's first and youth teams to train, while a deal has been struck with local authorities to extend the metro line allowing easier access for supporters. A new club village, which will host restaurants, bars and shops will also be built with the 13,500 square meter fanzone helping to create thousands of jobs. Given that Rome was not built in a day, Pallotta has big plans for Roma's youth academy and the city's youngsters. "In the past year, we had Roma kids on our shirts which is the foundation we set up for inner city programs in Rome," explained the American. "In terms of the youth side of things, we've got good programs but what we've instituted is a new educational framework. "I didn't think we were doing enough. We know only three or four kids are going to make it to Serie A or the Premier League, so what are they going to do when they're 18 or 19? "Are they going to be a clerk somewhere? Or get a menial job with no education? "So we instituted a 9th-12th grade formal program which is online and this will help them get into college. "They'll get accredited if they can't make it in football and we'll help them." A fan of NBA franchise Boston Celtics, Pallotta is well aware of the role that history can have in promoting a brand and he has used some of the NBA's ideas to help reinvigorate Roma. A Hall of Fame was set up following a vote by supporters, while the club's logo was changed and the name 'AS Roma' registered as a trademark. He is hoping that the likes of inspirational captain Totti, known as 'el Capitano,' will remain at the club when he retires in an ambassadorial role. Pallotta talks about how each of the players is like a son to him, while he insists that those who work in the kitchens or security department equally command his respect. "Francesco is going to be with us forever," says Pallotta with that trademark smile as he talks about the 38-year-old player, who made his debut for Roma at the age of 16. "Part of the role will be defined by him on what he wants to do. "We would like him to be around the pitch, talking to people who are coming into the club and telling them, 'I've been here 20 years, this is what Roma's all about.' "You would love to have him with the youth team and once in a while actually going out there and having a drill with them. "And the other thing you'd love is for him to be an ambassador for us. If I'm a nine-year-old and Totti walks in and sits down with you and your parents and says 'I was here and this is what is going on at Roma' then the kids will be thinking 'OK, wow.'" While the past and future are being taken care of, the present is very much up to those on the field of play. Roma, which faces Bayern Munich in the Champions League Tuesday, has made an encouraging start to the domestic and European season. Under head coach Rudi Garcia, the team has impressed with the likes of Totti, Miralem Pjanic, and Mattia Destro all catching the eye. All three men played a vital role in Roma's 3-0 win over Chievo last weekend -- a result which leaves the team in second place and just one point behind leaders Juventus. Bayern represents the biggest test faced by Roma at the Stadio Olimpico so far this season but for Pallotta, it is these kind of challenges which has put his club back in the big time. "People are starting to talk more about what is going on at Roma," Pallotta says with a smile. "It's a long-term thing. You can do it in one or two years and people will think it's a fluke, but the objective is to do it over 20 years and have that stability. "We want to be in the Champions League, compete for the title which I feel we can do this year." Bayern Munich -- the gladiator awaits.
### SUMMARY:
| AS Roma President James Pallotta outlines new strategy for Italian club .
Pallotta wants to see his team play at Rome's Colosseum or Circus Maximus .
Club's new stadium set to open in time for 2016-17 season .
Roma faces Bayern Munich in Champions League on Tuesday . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
The Supreme Court's decision Thursday to uphold the Affordable Care Act means that the predictions about how it will affect Americans remain in place. Obama: Supreme Court ruling on health care a victory for all Americans . The court did rule that a part of the law involving Medicaid must change. The law calls for an expansion of eligibility for Medicaid, which involves spending by the federal government and the states. The law threatens to remove existing Medicaid funding from states that don't participate in the expansion. The high court said the government must remove that threat. Several groups that follow the health care law closely said they were concerned about the high court's ruling on the Medicaid portion of the law. Read the court ruling (.PDF) Here are some highlights: . The uninsured . The decision leaves in place the so-called individual mandate -- the requirement on Americans to have or buy health insurance beginning in 2014 or face a penalty -- although many are exempt from that provision. In 2014, the penalty will be $285 per family or 1% of income, whichever is greater. By 2016, it goes up to $2,085 per family or 2.5% of income. Health care exchanges, which are designed to offer cheaper health care plans, remain in place as well. American Cancer Society CEO John Seffrin said his organization was looking at the ruling on Medicaid, and is "concerned that the decision may limit the expansion of quality coverage to some of our nation's most vulnerable citizens." The group Health Care for America Now, which spent tens of millions of dollars on ads supporting the health care plan, said it was "disappointed" and will work to make sure no states "choose to exclude the lowest-income uninsured adults from their Medicaid programs." Medicaid Health Plans of America, the trade group representing Medicaid health plans, praised the court "for keeping in place key elements of this historic legislation" and said it remains "committed to a strong partnership with the states and CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) to find a way to cover this population in need." Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Georgia, a physician who staunchly opposed the health care law, told CNN he believes many who would have received Medicaid will now enter the health care exchanges, which offer subsidized plans. That, he argued, could cost taxpayers billions of dollars across the country. Breaking down the court's decision . The insured . Because the requirement remains for people to have or buy insurance, the revenue stream designed to help pay for the law remains in place. So insured Americans may be avoiding a spike in premiums that could have resulted if the high court had tossed out the individual mandate but left other requirements on insurers in place. Young adults . Millions of young adults up to age 26 who have gained health insurance due to the law will be able to keep it. The law requires insurers to cover the children of those they insure up to age 26. About 2.5 million young adults from age 19 to 25 obtained health coverage as a result of the Affordable Care Act, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Two of the nation's largest insurers, United Healthcare and Humana, recently announced they would voluntarily maintain some aspects of health care reform, including coverage of adult dependents up to age 26, even if the law was scrapped. People with pre-existing conditions . Since the law remains in place, the requirement that insurers cover people with pre-existing medical conditions remains active. The law also established that children under the age of 19 could no longer have limited benefits or be denied benefits because they had a pre-existing condition. Starting in 2014, the law makes it illegal for any health insurance plan to use pre-existing conditions to exclude, limit or set unrealistic rates on coverage. It also established national high-risk pools that people with such conditions could join sooner to get health insurance. As of April, a total of only about 67,000 people were enrolled in federally-funded pools established by the health care law, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. More than 13 million American non-elderly adults have been denied insurance specifically because of their medical conditions, according to the Commonwealth Fund. The Kaiser Family Foundation says 21% of people who apply for health insurance on their own get turned down, are charged a higher price, or offered a plan that excludes coverage for their pre-existing condition. Photos: Who is John Roberts? All taxpayers . No matter what the Supreme Court had decided, it would have been a mixed bag for all Americans when it comes to federal spending. There is heated dispute over what impact the health care law will have on the country over the long term. The federal government is set to spend more than $1 trillion over the next decade to subsidize coverage and expand eligibility for Medicaid. It is not immediately clear how the high court's ruling on the part of the law dealing with the expansion of Medicaid eligibility could affect spending. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the law could reduce deficits modestly in the first 10 years and then much more significantly in the second decade. The CBO said a repeal of the mandate could reduce deficits by $282 billion over 10 years, because the government would be subsidizing insurance for fewer people. But the nation faces costs in various ways for having people who are uninsured. The Urban Institute's Health Policy Center estimated that without a mandate, 40 million Americans would remain uninsured. Meanwhile, the Flexible Spending Accounts that millions of Americans use to save money tax-free for medical expenses will be sliced under the law. FSAs often allow people to put aside up to $5,000 pre-tax; as of 2013, they were to face an annual limit of $2,500. Opinion: Are voters ready to move on? Small business owners . The rules and benefits small business owners face as a result of the health care law remain in place. As CNN has chronicled, the law brought a mix of both. The director of the National Federation of Independent Business is one of the plaintiffs who pushed the court to strike down the law. Meanwhile, a group called Small Business Majority fought to protect the law, saying its loss could be a nightmare. As of 2014, under the law, small firms with more than 50 full-time employees would have to provide coverage or face expensive fines. All Americans, in lesser known ways . The massive health care law requires doctors to report goodies they get from medical supply companies; demands more breastfeeding rooms; requires all chain restaurants to list calories under every menu item, and includes numerous other provisions, which now remain in place. Doctors and other health care providers . Health care providers have already begun making changes based on the 2010 law, and in preparation for what will go into effect in 2014. Those plans continue. In the short term, doctors avoid "chaos" that may have resulted from the law suddenly being dropped or changed, according to Bob Doherty, senior vice president of governmental affairs at the American College of Physicians, who wrote a blog post on the website kevinmd.com this spring. Medical groups have disagreed over the law. How the Supreme Court Justices voted . Opinion: A health care victory that's only a start . Ruling plays into campaign narrative for both sides .
### SUMMARY:
| Groups express concerns about the Medicaid ruling .
The requirement to have health insurance by 2014 remains in place .
Insurance companies must cover people with pre-existing conditions .
Small business owners and medical groups disagree over the impacts of the law . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Twenty-nine patients at the Veterans Administration hospital in Pittsburgh have been diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease since January 2011, raising questions about the institution's safety practices. Five of the cases "are known to have acquired the disease from the hospital," the VA said. Another eight were infected elsewhere, and the source of the infection in 16 cases cannot been determined. The spate of illnesses has led relatives of two veterans who died after contracting the disease, a type of pneumonia, to blame the hospital. CNN has learned that hospital officials knew they had a problem with the water system as far back as last December, but chose not to reveal that until a month ago. That's when the hospital began turning off the water in parts of the hospital, staff and patients told CNN. "They should have the best and utmost care than anybody else, even better than a normal civilian," said Dave Nicklas, whose father, Bill, died last month at age 87. According to his death certificate, he died of heart failure and Legionnaires' disease. Nicklas entered the hospital last month for treatment of dehydration; the World War II Navy veteran initially appeared to be improving, but his condition reversed, his son said. The man's doctors told the family shortly before he died that he had contracted Legionnaires'. "I mean, they fought for their country, you know," Dave Nicklas said. Legionnaires' disease kills 10 in Quebec . "They go to battle, they love their country and where do they go? They go to a hospital and they basically die in there." Another Navy veteran -- John Ciarolla, 83, -- died July 18, 2011, after being diagnosed with Legionnaires' at the hospital, his daughter Maureen Ciarolla said. Though the Korean War veteran had been living in the hospital for several months after he became unable to live on his own, the hospital said he could not have contracted the bacteria in the hospital. When she questioned how that conclusion had been reached, she said she was told, "If he had gotten it here there would have been other cases." "I felt guilty, very guilty, thinking he got it when I took him out the Sunday before Father's Day 2011," Maureen Ciarolla said. The VA's problem extends beyond Pittsburgh. This week, it turned off the water in a building at its campus in Butler, Pennsylvania, 30 miles from the facility in Pittsburgh, said Amanda Kurtz, a spokeswoman for the facility. The action was taken after Legionella bacteria were identified in a preliminary sample on Tuesday, she said in a statement. No cases of Legionnaires' have been identified in the Butler facility "as a result of this preliminary finding," she added. The Veterans Administration would not say if any of the patients known to have been sick with Legionnaires' disease at the hospital in Pittsburgh had died, but it told the Allegheny County Health Department that one of them did, a health department spokesman said. Legionnaires' disease, which is spread through water, is preventable and treatable. "Being a veteran myself, I'm shocked and appalled that the VA would put their veterans in that type of situation," said Dave Nicklas. According to data collected by the hospital and obtained by CNN, hospital water over the past year did not contain enough disinfectant to prevent Legionnella bacteria from reaching dangerous levels. Records from the company that manufactured the water systems show that, in December 2011, a site visit noted, "They have legionella" and "Systems are not being properly maintained." Five months later, the same company -- LiquiTech -- concluded that the problems were continuing: "Obvious evidence that the systems had not been properly regularly maintained," the records say. "They were not doing the monitoring; they were not doing the things critical to the efficacy of the system," said LiquiTech Chief Operating Officer Tory Schira. He said his staff alerted hospital officials twice to the deficiency in their maintenance practices. But he said there is no evidence that hospital officials fixed the problem and that the deaths "absolutely" could have been prevented had the system been maintained. Schira's view was shared by Janet Stout, an authority on Legionnaires' disease who worked as a microbiologist at the hospital for 23 years. "This outbreak was absolutely preventable," she said. Stout and her colleague, Dr. Victor Yu, pioneered the research on the ionization filtration system now used in hospitals nationwide. But six years ago, the scientists' laboratory was closed by the hospital, which described it as "not productive" and "a drain on clinical resources." The researchers, who left the hospital after their lab was shut, dispute that characterization. They said that, during the decade before their departure, hospital water had not been linked to a single case of Legionnaires'. Had the laboratory remained at the hospital, the deaths of Bill Nicklas and others could have been prevented with the turn of a knob, Stout said. "This is not, as they say, rocket science," she said. "This is straightforward." A source told CNN that, about six months ago, the hospital did bring in a consultant who made recommendations about how to fix the water, but the VA apparently did not tell that consultant that the hospital had had any Legionnaires' cases. Had the consultant been told, the source said, the consultant's recommendations to the hospital would have been different. The source said it was not clear whether the hospital had followed any of the consultant's recommendations. Chicago hotel shuts fountain, spa after fatal Legionnaires' outbreak . Last month, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent a team to the Pittsburgh VA to investigate and make recommendations. Their findings are to be issued to the VA in the coming weeks. VA spokesman David Cowgill would not agree to an interview. Instead, he released media advisories, one of which concluded: "VA is committed to providing safe facilities and quality care for veterans." It added that an investigation was under way and tests had shown that remediation efforts had proven successful. Outside his suburban Pittsburgh home, Bill Nicklas' flag still flies over his front lawn. He would have turned 88 last weekend, but instead of celebrating his birthday, his family held a memorial service. He leaves three sons, five grandchildren and a wife of 59 years. The family has retained a lawyer and begun the process of filing a claim against the VA. In the meantime, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, and other members of Congress are calling for a full accounting of the outbreak. The disease has long existed, but got its name in 1976, when an outbreak occurred among people attending an American Legion convention. Some 8,000 to 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires' each year in the United States, according to the CDC. Though it proves fatal in 5% to 30% of cases, most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics, the disease agency says. People contract the disease when they breathe in droplets of water contaminated with the bacteria, it says. Hospitals are vulnerable because of their complex water systems, and because many of their patients already have illnesses that could put them at increased risk of infection. Older people, smokers, people with impaired immune systems or chronic lung disease also tend to be at higher risk,the CDC said.
### SUMMARY:
| 29 cases of Legionnaires' disease have been diagnosed at Pittsburgh VA since January 2011 .
At least 5 of the cases were acquired from the hospital .
Relatives of two veterans who died after contracting the disease blame the VA .
Records indicate the hospital's water systems were not properly maintained . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Toby Harnden and Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 18:49 EST, 14 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:47 EST, 15 May 2012 . Barack Obama sought to make his newfound enthusiasm for gay marriage a campaign issue as he appeared on The View to defend his much-talked-about announcement. In an interview set to air tomorrow, the President told the hosts of the ABC daytime chat show that the controversial debate would be 'a big contrast in the campaign' against Republican Mitt Romney. Mr Obama announced, 'I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,' during another ABC interview last Wednesday. The historic declaration is intended to fire up liberal activists who consider gay marriage to be a hugely symbolic social issue. Interview: Barack Obama discussed gay marriage while appearing on daytime talk show The View . Campaigning: The President gets up close and personal with Joy Behar during his appearance on The View, which airs on Tuesday . It is believed that one in six of the President's donation 'bundlers' for his re-election campaign is gay, and many of his supporters have been enthusiastic about Mr Obama's record on gay rights. But he faces a backlash from socially conservative black pastors, some of whom are warning that it could cost him the White House in November. Mr Romney opposes same-sex marriage but has been relatively silent on the issue over the last week, as senior Republicans have insisted the election should focus on economic rather than social issues. Mr Obama told The View: 'This is going to be a big contrast in the campaign, because you’ve got Governor Romney saying we should actually have a constitutional amendment installing the notion that you can’t have same-sex marriages.' He added: 'This is something that historically had been determined at the state level and part of my believing ultimately that civil unions weren’t sufficient, and I’ve been a longtime supporter of civil unions for same-sex couples, was partly because of the issue of Social Security benefits and other laws.' Star quality: Mr Obama at a fundraiser in New York on Monday night with singer Ricky Martin . Speech: Mr Martin introduced the President at the event in the Rubin Museum of Art . Support: Actress Eva Longoria, a prominent backer of the President, was also at the fundraiser . Ron Paul, Mitt Romney's last remaining challenger for the Republican presidential nomination, announced on Monday that he would no longer campaign. The maverick libertarian will not contest the upcoming primaries, but has urged his supporters to stay involved in politics. A number of state GOP conventions have been dominated by Mr Paul's fans, who have squeezed out followers of Mr Romney in several places. In a message to his supporters, the Texas congressman wrote of his pride in delaying Mr Romney's nomination. 'Moving forward, however, we will no longer spend resources campaigning in primaries in states that have not yet voted,' Mr Paul added. 'Doing so with any hope of success would take many tens of millions of dollars we simply do not have. 'I encourage all supporters of liberty to make sure you get to the polls and make your voices heard, particularly in the local, state and congressional elections, where so many defenders of freedom are fighting and need your support.' Mr Romney is on track to capture the nomination this month. He has 973 of the 1,144 delegates required to formally become the GOP's nominee, while Rick Santorum has 264 and Newt Gingrich has 130. Mr Paul trails with 104 delegates. Mr Paul, who is leaving Congress after the next election, is unlikely to endorse Mr Romney as the party's nominee. The pair strongly clashed during the debates over foreign policy, and in interviews Mr Paul has refused to say he would champion Mr Romney's campaign. The President said he thought the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as being between a man and a woman, was unconstitutional, but did not reveal whether he would fight to repeal it. 'Congress is clearly on notice that I think it's a bad idea,' he said. Two hours after his announcement last Wednesday, Mr Obama held a telephone conference call with eight black ministers to explain the rationale behind the move. Several told the president that he stand on gay marriage might make it difficult for them to support him and could endanger his re-election. ‘They were wrestling with their ability to get over his theological position,’ said the Reverend Delman Coates, the pastor of Mount Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, Maryland, who took part in the call. Speaking at his Rising Sun Baptist . Church in Baltimore on Sunday, the Reverend Emmett Burns told the . congregation that he would abstain from voting in November. He . told CNN: ‘People are saying that they don't support this, they don't . like this, they're disappointed with the President and they're planning . to stay home.’ The . decision to back gay marriage was, he said, a message to his ‘base’ of . voters: ‘I am going against your beliefs and your thoughts.’ Pastor Harry Jackson, from Hope . Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland told WJZ television: ‘God said . in every home, there needs to be a representation of his glory through . manhood and femininity.’ Father . Erik Arnold of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ellicott City, Maryland, . who is white, said of Mr Obama’s announcement: ‘I think it might be a . call to action for people to really express what they believe.’ Others . said that their views as pastors should not affect the rights of the . population at large. ‘To me, this is an issue of the separation of . church and state,’ Pastor Coates told WJZ. ‘We should not allow our subjective theological understandings prevent other citizens of this country from having equal rights. Mr Obama was elected in 2008 partly . on the back of overwhelming black support and very high turnout among . minority groups. But polls show that 49 per cent of blacks oppose gay . marriage, compared to 43 per cent of whites. Although . this proportion is slowly reducing, in line with all Americans, and . blacks are unlikely to vote for Mr Romney in large numbers, Democrats . fear that Mr Obama’s new stance could depress turnout. Announcement: Mr Obama revealed his support for gay marriage during an interview with ABC's Robin Roberts . Opponent: Mitt Romney, pictured speaking at Liberty University, wants to ban same-sex marriage but would prefer to focus on economic issues in the election campaign . Religious conservatives see an opportunity. ‘I think the president this past week took six or seven states he carried in 2008 and put them in play with this one ill-conceived position that he’s taken,’ Gary Bauer, a former Republican presidential candidate, told CNN. Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, said on the same programme: ‘I’ve gotten calls from pastors across the nation, white and black pastors, who have said, "You know what? I’m not sitting on the sidelines anymore."’ The Romney campaign, however, is anxious to avoid getting drawn into a prolonged debate about the issue, believing that a relentless focus on the economy will benefit them most. At an address at the evangelical Liberty University in Virginia on Saturday, Mr Romney made uttered only one short sentence regarding the controversy: ‘Marriage is a relationship between one man and one woman.’
### SUMMARY:
| President appears on The View in interview to be aired on Tuesday .
Historic stance could threaten support from African-American churches .
Republicans urge campaigns to focus on the economy not social issues . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 15:33 EST, 29 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:33 EST, 29 June 2012 . Guilty: Al Amin Dhalla, 42, has been jailed after mounting a hate campaign against his former girlfriend . A twisted city worker who terrorised his ex-girlfriend's family - stalking them with a crossbow and setting fire to their home - has been jailed indefinitely. Al Amin Dhalla, 42, described as a 'narcissistic psychopath', mounted a chilling hate campaign after being dumped by 35-year-old doctor Alison Hewitt, from Brighton, East Sussex. At one point the police were so concerned for her family's safety that they had to be airlifted from their holiday home on Lundy Island off the Devon coast. The pair met through an elite online dating agency for professionals and had moved in together a few months later. But their relationship soured after airlifted Dr Hewitt’s mother, Pamela Hewitt, and stepfather, David Gray voiced concern over lies they had uncovered about his past. The couple split after a year, triggering a four-month stalking campaign by Dhalla during which he tried to burn down the family home in Buckinghamshire and hired a private investigator to snoop on her. Lewes Crown Court heard Dhalla had a ‘deliberate and chilling degree of planning’ in sending poison pen letters to Dr Hewitt’s colleagues and neighbours. He also set fire to her parents’ home and was eventually found with a cache of weapons including a crossbow in what prosecutor Richard Barton claimed was an attempt to ‘abduct’ Dr Hewitt. Dhalla, a Canadian national who came . to Britain in 2009, was arrested by armed police in April last year . while impersonating a doctor at The Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards . Heath, West Sussex less than two hours before Dr Hewitt was due to start . work. The previous day he . had gained access to the maternity ward where he quizzed her colleagues . about her rota before returning the next day with a loaded crossbow and a . large knife. The court . heard how due to Mr Gray working in the defence systems industry, he is . required to tell his employers about any changes in his family’s . circumstances. Doomed: Dhalla met Alison Hewitt, through an elite online dating agency but their relationship soured after her family voiced concern over lies they had uncovered about his past . Through his own inquiries and those of his employer, it emerged that Dhalla had lied about his past. He falsely claimed that he was 35, an orphan and had lived in Britain for several years. He also did not mention a conviction in Canada for assaulting his uncle with a weapon. His lies led to him being suspended . from his job in December 2010 and in the same month Dr Hewitt, 37, . decided to end their relationship. The . court heard that Dhalla’s behaviour turned increasingly erratic. He at . first refused to move out of her home, forcing Dr Hewitt’s relatives to . evict him. On April 1 last . year, Mr Gray and Mrs Hewitt went on holiday to Lundy Island, with only a . few friends and family knowing where they were heading. The . next day, after buying a .22 air rifle, a 1.77 air pistol and two mini . crossbows, Dhalla was arrested in a field near Chippenham, Wiltshire, . while doing target-practice. Inside his specially-adapted van were . masking tape, tools and details of locations, said by the prosecution to . include Mrs Hewitt and Mr Gray’s holiday spot, their home addresses and . hospitals where Dr Hewitt worked. He . was charged with offences related to discharging the weapons and freed . on bail, a decision described by detectives as 'regrettable”. Stash: When police swooped on Dhalla's van, they found details of where his ex-girlfriend worked, as well as a hoard of weapons . Days . later, while Mrs Hewitt and Mr Gray were still on Lundy Island, he . torched their thatched cottage 220 miles away in Buckinghamshire. After . dousing newspapers with petrol, he set fires by the front and back . doors, but no-one was hurt, although people were asleep in neighbouring . homes. But in a fit of . frustration at seeing his ex-girlfriend’s family home surrounded by . police, he drove to a nearby police station at Wing instead and tried to . burn it down. Dhalla was . sentenced on nine counts, including two of harassment, arson reckless as . to endangering life, theft and possession of an offensive weapon. He . was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice after sending . letters while in custody to Dr Hewitt threatening suicide. He was jailed indefinitely for public . protection and must serve a minimum of six years before he can be . considered for parole, Lewes Crown Court heard. Chilling: One of the two crossbows discovered by police . Judge Charles Kemp said: ‘Miss Hewitt wanted your relationship to end, but you could not accept that. ‘You . harassed her bombarded her with texts, calls and cards and when her . mother uncovered the extent of your lies to her you set about harassing . her.’ ‘You sent letters to . her employers and then your criminal acts became more sinister and . serious and you took items precious to Alison.’ Judge . Kemp said Dhalla was ‘cool and calculated’ when he attempted to set . fire to the family’s home in Aylesbury, Bucks in April 2011 and that he . had a ‘total disregard’ for the safety of others. The . court heard Dhalla was seen by psychologists from Broadmoor while in . custody who described him as ‘narcissistic’ and stated he presented the . traits of a ‘rejected stalker’. He was described as ‘articulate and intelligent’ but was felt to present a ‘high risk’ of reoffending. Defence . barrister David Lamming claimed that Dhalla now felt ‘ashamed’ and . showed ‘remorse’ about his actions but this was disregarded by the judge . who said he felt for Dr Hewitt and her family who had to sit through . the proceedings and give ‘distressing’ evidence. Tools: A police photograph shows a blowtorch and other items that were discovered in the back of Dhalla's specially adapted van . Speaking after the sentencing Dr Hewitt’s step-father David Gray criticised the Home Office and Border Agency for allowing Dhalla into the country when he had a previous conviction in Canada for aggravated assault. Mr Gray said: ‘Mr Dhalla harassed this family and when he didn’t get his way he made three attempts to take our lives. ‘This case has shown yet again the current deficiencies in our border controls. ‘Mr Dhalla should never have been allowed into this country. ‘In discovering his conviction in Canada we informed the Home Office of the threat he posed to us. ‘They ignored our pleas. Even now the UK has no way to stop Mr Dhalla from re-entering the country. ‘It is time the Government took security of its citizens seriously. We are not absolutely certain he is going to be deported after his sentence. ‘We believe this man holds a grudge and he will continue to hold one throughout his life.’
### SUMMARY:
| Stalked former lover's family with a crossbow and set fire to the family home .
Fury at Home Office for allowing maniac into the country despite previous conviction for aggravated assault . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Will Stewart . PUBLISHED: . 20:07 EST, 4 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:11 EST, 5 August 2012 . Terrified: The women, Nadia, Maria, and Katya, speaking from their cell. Caged behind the perspex panes of a cramped Moscow courtroom cell, the three young Russian women huddle together in dejected and fearful silence as a stern-faced woman prison warden, a 3ft wooden truncheon strapped to her waist, stands guard. Terrified, separated from their children and deprived of food, water and sleep for long stretches, the three members of Russian punks-against-Putin band Pussy Riot face seven years’ imprisonment if convicted of the trumped-up charge of hooliganism levelled against them for staging an impromptu protest against President Vladimir Putin in a Moscow cathedral, an act which outraged the Russian leader. ‘It’s torture,’ whispers Maria Alyokhina as she glances anxiously towards the guard. ‘We don’t sleep and we are not given any food. But God is with me and I won’t be scared by what a man can do to me. ‘I thought the church loved its children... but it turns out it loves only the children who believe in Putin. I thought the church’s role was to call us to believe in God, not to tell us to believe in one certain president.’ The women’s protest, during which they were dressed in colourful costumes and wore knitted balaclavas, has been labelled as sacrilege. During a one-minute performance they danced around the cathedral’s altar, high-kicking, bowing, blessing themselves and chanting: ‘Mother Mary, drive Putin away.’ A video was posted on YouTube two weeks before the presidential vote in March in which Putin won a third term, despite a wave of massive protests against his rule. When Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church – who earlier had urged the congregation to vote for Putin – watched the video clip and contacted the president, the women were immediately arrested. Though terrified by the prospect of a lengthy jail sentence, Maria remains defiantly determined that she has right on her side. She is genuinely sorry if she caused offence, she says. When she was refused bail and told she had to remain in jail to protect her from angry Orthodox believers, she was furious. ‘I do not need such protection,’ she scoffs. ‘Jail does not protect me, it doesn’t make me better,’ she says sadly. ‘It just ruins me. On trial: Three members of feminist punk group . Pussy Riot, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova , left, Yekaterina Samutsevich, right . and Maria Aliokhina, centre, are on trial for putting on an anti-Putin . performance in a Moscow cathedral . The trio waits in a defendant's cage awaiting . the beginning of their trial session at the Khamovnichesky district . court in Moscow earlier today . ‘My life is like a pendulum swinging between the words nonsense and outrage. I spend my time reading letters and meeting my lawyer. And I’m reading my letters of support. Thanks to these, I can now quote the disciple Paul, who said, “God is with me, and I won’t be scared about what a man can do to me.” ‘And if Orthodox people are offended that we climbed on the altar and used it as a stage, then we ask them to forgive us. We just didn’t really know the church rules. ‘Let me assure you that we do understand them now. ‘Frankly, I consider the charges against me absurd because I live in a secular state and I am a citizen of a secular state.’ For more than five months now Maria, 24, and her fellow band members Nadia Tolokonnikova, 22, and Katya Samutsevich, 29, have languished in jail awaiting their trial, which began last week at Moscow’s Khamovniki district court. After lengthy courtroom appearances each day, the women are rarely allowed to sleep for more than four hours at night and are frequently denied food and water for up to 12 hours while cooped up in their perspex cage. Their only glimpses of daylight are during their daily drive to what is widely regarded as a Putin-orchestrated show trial. And, once inside their stuffy, airless cage, they are even denied access to the 3,000 pages of so-called evidence against them. Last week, as Putin paid a fleeting visit to London to watch the Olympic judo – while glad-handing David Cameron – he hinted that the judiciary should take a lenient view of the protest staged in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. In reality, the trial could not be more crucial, coming at a pivotal point in Putin’s increasingly brutal bid to crush the crumbling remains of his country’s civil liberties. The cathedral protest which landed the three Russian punk girls in trouble with the country's authorities . Slumped in a corner of her court-room cage, Nadia, a fifth-year philosophy student who is married with a four-year-old daughter, Gera, says she doesn’t believe she is guilty of anything more than voicing her opinions; nor that the band’s stunt in the cathedral, was hooliganism or designed to incite religious hatred and hostility towards the church. ‘I’ve never performed, and I’m not going to perform, any socially dangerous acts,’ she insists. ‘And I don’t consider what I have done is a crime. It is not worth keeping me here and making my child suffer.’ All she wants, she says, is to see an end to the authoritarian stranglehold Putin has on Russia. ‘What we did was a desperate attempt to change the political system. We had no intention of insulting people. We never thought our punk appearance would cause offence. A Pussy Riot supporter is shouting slogans . outside the court ahead of the trial. Support for the women have been . wide spread including U.S. rockers Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Stephen . Fry . ‘Our mistake was bringing our political protest to a temple. We were just reacting to the patriarch calling upon the congregation to vote for Putin and his policies.’ Maria is equally convinced of her innocence. ‘The aim of our performance was to attract Patriarch Kirill’s attention. ‘We are confused by his actions and his appeals to the congregation. What we want is dialogue. ‘He says that Orthodox believers must vote for Putin. I am Orthodox but my political views are different. So what should I do?’ In the past days, the trio’s plight has attracted the backing of several high-profile musicians. In a letter to a newspaper on Friday, Jarvis Cocker, Pete Townshend, Corinne Bailey Rae and Martha Wainwright, among others, called on Putin to ensure that the trio’s trial is fair. Whether Putin intends to make examples of them or has, indeed, decided to be lenient, it is impossible to know. One thing, however, is assured: it will be, ultimately, the Russian President’s decision. As Nadia’s husband Peter Verjilov says: ‘Putin is Russia’s court. He will decide the verdict in the end.’
### SUMMARY:
| Trio face seven years in jail after staging cathedral performance calling for Putin to be removed from power .
Denied food and water for 12 hours while cooped up in their perspex cage .
Rarely given more than four hours sleep a night .
Only daylight is on their drive to 'Putin show trial' |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:55 EST, 2 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:20 EST, 3 August 2012 . A Merseyside schoolboy died after being swept from rocks into the sea while on a family holiday in Wales despite a valiant attempt by his older brother to save his life. Fifteen-year-old Sam Capper was on holiday when he was washed away when a freak wave crashed against the slippery rocks where he was fishing. The sporty teenager, from Birkenhead, Merseyside, drowned despite the valiant attempts of his older brother Lewis Hunt, 21, who battled dangerous rip currents to try and keep his sibling afloat. Close family: Sam Capper, pictured here with his brother Lewis Hunt, who tried to save him, and mother Leah Hunt . At one point the University student managed to grab his brother's hands but they were ripped apart by the outgoing tide and strong offshore winds. Lewis was in a serious condition yesterday at Morriston Hospital in Swansea with his father Phil, 42, and mother Leah, 41, keeping a vigil at his bedside. Leah said: 'Our only consolation in . this terrible tragedy is that, at the end, Sam wasn’t on his own - Lewis . was with him, holding on to him tightly. 'Sam, . who most people knew as Spud, was a unique, amazing, boy who touched . the lives of so many people with his generosity, kindness and infectious . laugh. Sam had been camping with his father Phil on family holiday when tragedy struck and he was swept away . 'He loved . his brothers and sisters and spent most of his time - when he wasn’t . thinking about football - trying to help people and make people smile. 'He . was a huge fan of Tranmere Rovers, though he also liked Arsenal - which . caused a bit of good-natured rivalry with Lewis who supports Liverpool. 'Sam has left a gap in our lives and will be missed, not just by his family, but by everyone who knew him.' Phil was taking his sons for their yearly camping trip at Llangennith on the Gower coast near Swansea. The family had travelled from their home in Birkenhead, Merseyside, to visit the seaside campsite when the tragedy struck. Sam's brother Lewis, who is now in hospital, tried to save the sporty teen, but lost him to the strong current . At around 8pm the pair, who are understood to have been camping nearby with their parents, were on . slippery rocks in an area known as Bluepool Corner, when suddenly a . 'huge wave' took the 15-year-old with it into the sea. Lewis dived in to find him and . managed to hold his hand as they were tossed around by the water, but a . strong tide and winds separated them and took them around half a mile . out to sea. Geraint Parry, principal of Sam's school the University Academy in Birkenhead, paid tribute. He said: 'Sam was an outgoing and popular young man who enjoyed life to the full. 'His gentle humour and easy banter won him many friends and his teachers described him as a 'model student'. Sam was affectionately known as 'Spud', a model student and a keen sports player . 'He was also an able sportsman, loved . playing football and hockey, and having just completed Year 10 he was . due to begin his final year where he looked set to achieve success. 'Sam's death has shocked our close . community and we will be doing all that we can to support his friends . and family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this sad . time.' Steve Jones was leading the rescue from the shore for the coastguard and told MailOnline what happened. 'They were fishing on the water's edge when the youngest boy . was swept into the sea by a huge wave,' he said . 'His brother then jumped in himself to save him. 'The tide was going out and there was also an offshore wind . that dragged them out to sea and they ended up around half a mile out. 'I know they were together for a while. The brothers were . holding hands hands at one point in the water but couldn't keep together and . were separated. 'Sadly the youngest boy died. His brother swallowed water . and had hyperthermia but he will be okay, although he will be very distressed.' Stunned friends last night began to pay tribute to the popular teenager on Facebook and Twitter. One of Sam’s closest friends, David Moore, said: 'Sam Capper was one of my true mates. Rhossili beach near Llangennith in the Gower Peninsula, Swansea, South Wales, where Sam Capper, from Merseyside, died while fishing . Tragedy: The 15-year-old was swept into the sea here at Bluepool Corner on the Gower at around 8pm last night . 'He was so funny and amazing. 'You will be missed, sleep tight.' Family friend Billy Newman wrote: 'RIP, Sam Capper. 'You will be missed very much. My heart goes out to you and your family. 'RIP little man.' And Wirral teenager Elisha Price added: 'RIP, Sam, I hope your brother pulls through in hospital. 'Keep looking down on him giving him the strength to pull through.' Two other boys were with the brothers when the tragic accident happened. 'The two . others there thought about doing the same thing as his brother but did the right thing and ran . for help,' Mr Jones said. 'Unfortunately because they were in the middle of nowhere it . took 10 minutes for them to find a young couple with a mobile phone who then . rang 999. 'Within 34 minutes we had them both out of the water. 'We are all very sad that this poor boy has died but at . least one life was saved.' Bluepool Corner is a secluded beauty . spot that can only be reached by foot. The actual cause of death has not . yet been confirmed, police said. 'We . responded to reports of two males in the sea at Llangennith, Swansea, . at around 8.20pm on Wednesday August 1,' a South Wales Police spokesman . said. Rescue: The boy was plucked from the water by a RAF helicopter like this one but sadly died later . 'They were taken by helicopter to Morriston hospital where one of the males, aged 15, was pronounced dead. 'The other male, aged 21, remains in hospital.' Swansea Coastguard said it had called out the Rhossili Coastguard rescue team, the Loughor independent rescue boat, Burry Port RNLI inshore lifeboat and the Tenby RNLI all-weather lifeboat and a rescue helicopter. One brother was picked up by Burry Port lifeboat and the other was winched from the water by the helicopter. Will Parfitt, Watch Manager, Swansea Coastguard said: 'The Coastguard recommends that anglers who are fishing on their own close to the water’s edge and from an unstable platform (such as rocks) should wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid. 'If you are undertaking activities at the coast, it is advisable to have a means of communication in case of emergency.'
### SUMMARY:
| 'Huge wave' hit Mersey schoolboy and sweeps him into the sea on the Gower peninsula in South Wales .
His brother dived in after him to save his life and is now in hospital .
Parents are staying with eldest brother s he is in a serious condition .
They were holding hands in the water but got pulled apart .
Both were found half a mile off the coast but only the older sibling survived . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Reuters Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:28 EST, 15 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:04 EST, 16 November 2012 . Oil giant BP is to pay the biggest fine in US history after agreeing a $4.5billion (£2.8billion) settlement with authorities for claims relating to the Deepwater Horizon disaster. BP will pay the fine over six years after reaching a deal with the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that has seen it plead guilty to 14 criminal charges relating to the oil rig accident in 2010, which killed 11 workers and spilled millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Bob Dudley, chief executive of BP, said: 'We apologise for our role in the accident and as today's resolution with the US government further reflects, we have accepted responsibility for our actions.' Scroll down for video . Disaster: The April 2010 explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig cost tens of billions of dollars in economic and environmental damage . Sheen: An oil slick covered 68,000 square miles of the gulf and washed ashore along 1,072 miles of coastline . Under the deal, BP has pleaded guilty . to 11 felony counts of misconduct or neglect and three misdemeanour . counts - including one under the Clean Water Act and one for obstructing . Congress. The record-breaking fine surpasses . even the $1.3billion (£820 million) fine paid by drugs group . Pfizer in 2009 for marketing fraud related to a pain medicine. BP will pay $4billion dollars (£2.5billion) to the DoJ in installments over five years. It will pay an additional $525million (£331million) to the SEC over a period of three years. BP will make the first payment of $175million (£110million) this year to the SEC. The group has already paid out more than $38billion (£24billion) relating to the oil spill. BP is hoping to wrap up its financial liabilities from the Deepwater Horizon disaster, but the overall impact on the Gulf Coast is still not known by researchers. Oil spewed into the Gulf of Mexico from the Macondo well for 87 days before it was finally capped. Some 68,000 square miles of the gulf were at one time covered in oil slick, about the area of Oklahoma. More than 6,000 seabirds, 600 turtles and 500 dolphins were found dead as a result of the spill. Many dolphins are still being found sick from apparent oil contamination and zooplankton have recently found to show traces of oil, as well. The full impact of the oil spill will not be estimated until the government releases its Natural Resource Damage Assessment, which will collect data from dozens of ongoing studies of the gulf. Mr Dudley said: 'All of us at BP . deeply regret the tragic loss of life caused by the Deepwater Horizon . accident as well as the impact of the spill on the Gulf coast region.' He added: 'Since the spill, we have worked hard to rebuild confidence in the company. 'We take seriously not only our . commitment to safety and operational excellence but also our . communications with stakeholders, including the public, the government . and our investors.' Today's settlement removes some of . the uncertainty hanging over the stock since the disaster, but it does . not cover outstanding civil claims against the group. BP said it will 'continue to vigorously defend itself' against civil claims and allegations of gross negligence. 'We are open to settlements, but only on reasonable terms,' said Mr Dudley. The deal could resolve a significant share of the liability that BP faces after an explosion killed 11 workers and fouled the shorelines of four Gulf Coast states in the worst offshore spill in U.S. history. BP still faces economic and environmental damage claims sought by U.S. Gulf Coast states and other private plaintiffs. It is unclear what form of criminal misconduct BP will plead guilty to. In an August filing, the Department of Justice said 'reckless management' of the Macondo well 'constituted gross negligence and willful misconduct,' which it intended to prove at a pending civil trial set to begin in New Orleans in February 2013. The U.S. government has not yet filed any criminal charges in the case. It is unclear whether the deal will resolve any civil charges brought by the Justice Department. It is also unclear how large a financial penalty BP might pay to resolve the charges, or other punishments that BP might face. Negligence is a central issue to BP's potential liability. A gross negligence finding could nearly quadruple the civil damages owed by BP under the Clean Water Act to $21billion in a straight-line calculation. According to the Justice Department, errors made by BP and Swiss-based Transocean Ltd, owner of the Deepwater Horizon platform, in deciphering a key pressure test of the Macondo well are a clear indication of gross negligence. Sickly: Thousands of birds, reptiles and dolphins died in the oil slick and many are still showing signs of contamination . 'That such a simple, yet fundamental and safety-critical test could have been so stunningly, blindingly botched in so many ways, by so many people, demonstrates gross negligence,' the government said in its August filing. The mile-deep Macondo well spewed 4.9million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over a period of 87 days. The torrent fouled shorelines from Texas to Florida and eclipsed in severity the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. After several failed attempts, BP finally capped the well on July 15, 2010, halting the flow of oil after more than 85 days and putting a stop to what became one of the most closely watched shows on TV and the Internet: the live spill-camera image of the gushing well. Nelda Winslette’s grandson Adam Weise of Yorktown, Texas, was killed in the blast. She said somebody needs to be held accountable. 'It just bothers me so bad when I see the commercials on TV and they brag about how the Gulf is back, but they never say anything about the 11 lives that were lost. They want us to forget about it, but they don’t know what they’ve done to the families that lost someone,' she said. The spill exposed lax government oversight and led to a temporary ban on deepwater drilling while officials and the oil industry studied the risks, worked to make it safer and developed better disaster plans. BP’s environmentally-friendly image was tarnished, and BP CEO Tony Hayward stepped down after the company’s repeated gaffes, including his statement at the height of the crisis: 'I’d like my life back.' BP has already announced an uncapped class-action settlement with private plaintiffs that the company estimates will cost $7.8billion to resolve litigation brought by over 100,000 individuals and businesses claiming economic and medical damages from the spill.
### SUMMARY:
| BP pleaded guilty to 14 criminal charges relating to incident that killed 11 workers and spilled millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico .
Record-breaking fine surpasses that paid by drugs group Pfizer in 2009 . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 08:40 EST, 21 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:15 EST, 21 November 2012 . A young cancer patient who raised £35,000 in just three weeks to fund life-saving surgery has died - just two weeks before the operation. Laura Baxter, 27, had been fighting a rare cancer of the appendix for two years. Chemotherapy and an operation to remove the cancer had already failed. British doctors said they could do nothing more to help, but medics in Belgium had agreed to try the procedure again at a cost of £25,000. Just three weeks ago, MailOnline told of Laura's plight to raise the money to have the operation, attracting comments from scores of readers. Laura Baxter, 27, had been fighting a rare cancer of the appendix for two years. UK surgeons had told he it was inoperable . Cancer of the appendix affects just one in two million people. Laura had surgery to remove the deadly cancerous tissue in June, but was told it in August it had started to regrow. When MailOnline reported the story, she had been told she had six to eight months to live. But news came this week that she had tragically passed away. As soon as Laura had been given hope by the Belgian doctors, her family and friends began fundraising. They reached their £25,000 target within ten days, going on to raise £35,000 in just a few weeks. Speaking after reaching her fundraising total, Laura, from St Ives, Cambridgeshire, had said: 'I think it’s amazing that there are so many nice, good-hearted people that genuinely care for another person’s life and in such a selfless way. 'I should be saying loads more but am at a loss for words. I just want to say thank you to everyone.' But Laura was cruelly denied her final chance of life when she was taken in to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, on October 28 with an infection. Laura, with boyfriend Wayne, had been offered a lifeline by Belgian medics, who had agreed to try the procedure again at a cost of £25,000 . Last Wednesday, her condition began to rapidly deteriorate and she died in hospital at 10pm on Friday. Her mother Jacky Baxter and partner Wayne Cooper - who was planning to marry Laura and adopt children with her - were by her side. Mrs Baxter said her daughter had been 'so excited' that the money for the operation had been raised so quickly. 'Laura said she was ready to go home and it was planned that she would come out this Monday, but she started to deteriorate on Wednesday. It happened so quickly, we were in shock. 'Then on Friday she shut her little . eyes and just drifted off. She didn’t have to suffer in any way. The . nurses and doctors were there for her every step of the way.' The money raised . will now be split between the PMP Survivors Charity, to . fund research into the rare cancer, and the C9/D9 wards at Addenbrooke’s . Hospital. Laura’s family hope the funds will be . used to pay for new medical equipment to replace the old machines the . nurses currently use. Well-wishers donated £35,000 after Laura's story was revealed three weeks ago, when she believed she had six months to live. She died last Friday . Laura was diagnosed with . pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) two years ago and underwent an operation to . remove a cyst that contained a cyst containing cancerous tissue. Doctors thought the cancer had been contained, but the disease came back and spread. In June of this year, Laura had her . sixth operation, a 12-hour procedure to her affected organs, including . parts of her small intestine, at a specialist hospital in Basingstoke. Surgeons left three per cent of the . cancer on her liver and planned to treat it with a heated chemotherapy . bath - where drugs are warmed to 40 degrees and left in the abdomen for . hours. But in August, doctors at . Addenbrooke’s Hospital discovered the cancer had returned and Laura was . given six-to eight months to live. Both UK-based PMP specialist . hospitals, The Christie, in Manchester, and The Basingstoke and North . Hampshire Hospital, said the cancer was too advanced for their surgeons . and a specialist was required. Brave Laura refused to give in and found doctors around the world that would be able to help her. She contacted Dr Wim Ceelen, of Ghent . University Hospital, in Belgium, a veteran of 450 of the life-saving . operations, who was willing to carry out the surgery for £25,000. Eurostar generously offered free travel to Ghent for Laura and Wayne. Laura was just waiting to recover . from an infection, which she was being treated for in Addenbrooke’s . Hospital since October 28, before she could book a surgery date with Dr . Ceelen. Her family said the NHS would not pay for the operation because Addenbrooke’s Hospital believed the cancer was terminal. Dr Wim Ceelen at Gent University Hospital, Belgium, believed he could help Laura . But they said if Laura had survived the operation they would reimburse her part of the money. However, sadly her condition began to deteriorate last Wednesday and she died at Addenbrooke’s Hospital on Friday. Her mother added: 'Throughout the last two years, she kept on saying she wouldn’t die, she was so stubborn about it. She had everybody behind her and she drew strength from that. It kept her battling for longer. 'She did her . research and found doctors in America who wanted to charge £45,000 plus . money for care and everything. 'Then she found others in Norway, . Sweden, Germany and Switzerland but then found the doctor in Belgium . willing to do it - then it was just a case of getting the money. With all these other countries having specialists, we need them in Britain.' She added that her daughter was a good-natured girl who 'would do anything for anyone'. 'She just wanted to help. She was very mischievous and would play pranks on her friends. 'She wanted a Furby for her 28th birthday on December 14 because they were back in fashion. She was still a little girl who liked that kind of thing.' Laura's partner Wayne, 29, said: 'Addenbrooke’s told us that although she was quite poorly she was well enough to go home. 'We thought she was going to go to Belgium and it was going to go ahead. She was just amazed by the generosity of everybody around. In a week and a half they had the £25,000. We think there is £35,000 in the account now and money is still coming in.' He added: 'I only knew her for two years but because of everything that's happened, I feel I’ve known her all my life. 'She was amazing and gorgeous as a person and that’s why I fell for her. We were planning for the future. 'We thought it all was over now we had the money, and were planning on getting married and adopt children.'
### SUMMARY:
| Laura Baxter, 27, had been fighting cancer of the appendix for two years .
Told by UK doctors it was inoperable but offered lifeline by Belgian surgeons .
She had to raise £25,000 for the operation, which the NHS would reimburse if she survived .
MailOnline reported her story just three weeks ago - when she believed she had six months to live .
Died last Friday just two weeks before she was due to travel to Belgium . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Andrew Levy . PUBLISHED: . 07:41 EST, 14 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:51 EST, 14 December 2012 . Death: Sarah Carter-Edwards was killed by an asthma attack she suffered in the pub . A ‘lively and vibrant’ student died from an asthma attack triggered by the warm air in a pub. Sarah Carter-Edwards, 21, had walked through near-freezing temperatures to meet friends for a night out when she entered the premises. Moments later she collapsed and was left fighting for breath, despite using an inhaler. Her friends called 999 and paramedics took her to hospital but she had gone into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. Her devastated father, businessman Malcolm Carter, 55, yesterday spoke of the huge ‘void’ in his life. He said: ‘It’s a tragic loss because she’d had two little scares in the past but nothing that alerted us that this could happen. It was the cold air she breathed in and, when she got to the warmth of the pub, it seems to have triggered the asthma attack. ‘No words can do justice to her. We were exceptionally close. She was my best friend and we would do everything together. ‘She was wise beyond her years and always said and did the right thing. She was a charming, kind and compassionate young lady with a lovely nature. ‘There is a huge void in our lives and Sarah will be greatly missed by everyone.’ The heating firm owner said his daughter carried an inhaler ‘religiously’ after suffering two severe asthma attacks that required the use of a nebuliser in hospital. Pub: Sarah succumbed to the asthma attack at the Hippodrome pub in Market Drayton, Shropshire . Tragic: Sarah died soon after stepping in to the Hippodrome pub, pictured, on December 1 . A friend of the family said: ‘She was such a lively and vibrant girl. It’s hard to take in this has happened.’ Miss Carter-Edwards, a fashion student . who was taking a year out before completing her final year at . Manchester Metropolitan University, went out on December 1. She was . meeting friends at The Hippodrome in Market Drayton, Shropshire, near . her father’s home in Tyrley. Warning: Sarah's father Malcolm Carter, right, says he hopes other asthmatics will learn from her story . Tribute: Mr Carter, left, called his daughter his 'best friend' who was 'wise beyond her years' Her mother Karen Edwards and sister Katie . live in Newport, Wales. Temperatures were around 1C [33F] at . the time and the wind would have made it feel even colder. Miss . Carter-Edwards collapsed at 10.30pm and was taken to nearby Princess . Royal Hospital. Friend Dawn Paterson wrote on . Facebook: ‘Sad to see you are no longer with us, RIP, you were an . amazing, friendly, cheerful young woman and you will be missed by . friends and family.’ Sophie Hardy said: ‘It doesn’t feel real, it never will. You had a huge effect on all of us, so many happy memories.’ Family: The 21-year-old Manchester Met student with her heartbroken mother Karen . Fun: Sarah pictured relaxing at a music festival; she was on a gap year at the time of her death . West Mercia Police said a post-mortem . examination revealed that Miss Carter-Edwards died of natural causes. The coroner was informed of her death but an inquest was not needed as . there were no suspicious circumstances. Asthma UK said an average of three . people died every day from severe attacks, which can be caused by sudden . changes in temperature. Asthma specialist Elaine Gillard said: . ‘On the majority of occasions the blue inhaler – which relaxes the . muscles surrounding the airways – works very well. Unfortunately, in . some cases it doesn’t work so well and can have tragic consequences.’ More than 5million Britons suffer from asthma, including 1.4million children, and the disease kills 1,400 people each year. Asthma is an inflammatory disease . of the airways, causing them to constrict and resulting in attacks of . breathlessness and wheezing. Breathing cold, dry air, or humid air, and . exertion are all possible triggers. Winter weather means drier air and . when an asthma sufferer rapidly breathes in dry air, it dries the . airway. This releases histamine that can increase inflammation of the . air passages in the lungs, leading to bronchospasm – acute narrowing of . the airway – which makes breathing difficult. These symptoms are aggravated by extremes of temperature. In an asthma attack the lungs . tighten, and gradually there is not enough air movement to produce . wheezing. Experts call this the ‘silent chest’ and it is a danger sign . of a severe asthma attack. Popular: Friends of Sarah paid tribute to her on social networks such as Facebook after her tragic death . A sudden change in temperature puts stress on the body and is a common trigger for an attack, according to the NHS. ‘It’s been long known that in people with asthma who aren’t controlled, just swallowing cold or hot liquids can set off an asthma attack,’ says Dr Richard Gower, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. ‘The temperature sets off a bronchial spasm. We know that a change in temperature, down or up, can set it off.’ Changes in temperature are also associated with more serious attacks in youngsters. A 2009 study from the University of Michigan suggested that jumps in temperature and humidity were associated with a rise in asthmatic children going to A&E. Breathing hot or cold air can also have an irritating effect on the airway. This can cause the muscles of the air passages in the lungs to go into spasm and the linings of the airway swell making sufferers gasp for breath. Attacks can usually be controlled by using a blue reliever inhaler and breathing slowly and deeply. However, an ambulance should be called if the attack shows no signs of easing after a few minutes. Asthma UK recommends sufferers to take their usual dose of reliever inhaler before going out on cold, dry days. If it's cold and windy, wearing a scarf over your face will help to warm up the air before you breathe it in. Elaine Gillard, an asthma nurse specialist from Asthma UK, told MailOnline: ‘People with asthma have airways that are very sensitive and twitchy. They can quickly go into spasm if there is a trigger, such as a change in temperature or inhaling smoke. ‘A recent survey of our users revealed 75 per cent of sufferers found cold air can trigger an attack. ‘The trick with asthma is to make sure it is controlled all the time. A preventer (brown) inhaler works to stop the airways being so sensitive in the first place. If they are triggered a blue (reliever) inhaler helps. ‘If people find they need their blue inhaler three or more times a week they should go back to their doctor to look at their brown inhaler dosage. ‘Anyone who needs advice can speak to an asthma nurse on our helpline - 0800 121 6244.'
### SUMMARY:
| Fashion student Sarah Carter-Edwards died of asthma during night out .
Collapsed after stepping into pub to meet friends in Market Drayton .
Shocked father says 21-year-old was 'wise beyond her years' |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Andrew Levy . PUBLISHED: . 13:30 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:41 EST, 10 January 2013 . Care home staff waited for 40 minutes before calling an ambulance after a 100-year-old dementia patient fractured her skull in a fall. Great-grandmother May Ward, who was described as being ‘full of life’, was being lifted in a hoist from a chair to her bed when she fell 5ft and hit her head, an inquest heard yesterday. Instead of immediately calling for help, Shasha Wei, from China, and Rumyana Ivanova, from Bulgaria, lifted her on to her bed and changed her bloody clothes. May Ward, who died of multiple injuries after falling out of a sling her two carers were using to hoist her out of bed at Meppershall Care Home in August 2010 . A 999 call for an ambulance was not . placed until 40 minutes later. When paramedics arrived they discovered . the former pub landlady heavily bruised and vomiting blood. She died the . next day in hospital. Inquiries later revealed that Miss . Wei and Miss Ivanova, who started working in the UK in 2009, were . unfamiliar with the bucket sling and possibly moved her too quickly. The inquest heard Mrs Ward did not . have the correct straps attached to her legs in the sling. This allowed . her to pitch forward on to the floor when one of her carers let go of . her. A jury yesterday returned a verdict . of accidental death at an inquest the two women were not asked to attend . because they had returned to their respective countries and were beyond . the coroner’s jurisdiction. The Health and Safety Executive said it was investigating the case. After the hearing Mrs Ward’s son . John, 62, a retired Royal Mail manager, from Rugby, Warwickshire, said . the family were ‘frustrated’ that the pair had not been available to . explain the delay in calling for help. May Ward died of multiple injuries after falling out of a sling her carers - from China and Bulgaria - were using to hoist her out of bed at Meppershall Care Home in Bedfordshire (pictured) ‘They were key witnesses,’ he said. ‘Now we may never know what really happened. ‘I am concerned about the 40 minutes – . the time between the accident happening and the paramedics arriving . could have been a lifesaver.’ His wife, Lesley, 56, said: ‘It’s devastating. She was always pleased to see us, liked to chat and was full of life.’ May Ward and her husband initially ran a country club and a pub in west London before taking over the Prince William Henry pub (pictured) in Blackfriars, central London, according to her son . Coroner Edward Thomas said it was not . clear why Mrs Ward was moved by her carers after her fall because they . were not present. ‘They should not have moved her,’ he added. He would be writing to the Care Quality Commission to ask them to ‘look more closely at care in homes’. Mrs Ward had been living at . Meppershall Care Home in Shefford, Bedfordshire, for six years when she . was fatally injured on August 27, 2010. The home received a 'poor' rating in a Care Quality Commission (London offices pictured) inspection report around the same time as manager Judith Eglen started working there in December 2009 . May Ward's son, John Ward, said she was born in West Tottenham, north London, and met her husband William Ward while she was a cook in the RAF. Her husband died in 1989, after the two had successful careers as publicans. Ms Ward has four grandchildren and six great grand-children - three girls and three boys, her son said. She and her husband initially ran a country club and a pub in west London before taking over the Prince William Henry pub in Blackfriars, central London, according to Mr Ward. They retired in 1980 and moved to Kenton, Middlesex, and Ms Ward was taken into care in 2004. The care home manager at the time, Judith Eglen, was sacked in the wake of Ms Ward's death, the inquest heard. She began work at the home in December 2009, around the same time it received a zero-star, or ‘poor’, rating in a Care Quality Commission inspection report, the jury heard. That was uprated by the watchdog to a one-star rating in May 2010, around three months before Ms Ward's death and around the same time the new slings were purchased. Ms Eglen told the court that she and the two carers involved re-enacted the lead-up to Ms Ward's fall for her family and the deputy manager a few days after her death. She said Ms Ward was dropped from about 5ft but the carers were ‘good’ at their jobs. ‘Our conclusion (after re-enacting the fall) was that they did everything correctly but they moved too quickly,’ Ms Eglen told the court. The widow, whose husband William, a . former RAF chef, died in 1989, had previously been in good physical . health. Months earlier she had received a telegram from the Queen . marking her centenary. Detective Constable Philip Freebrey told the . inquest in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, that both carers said Mrs Ward . became agitated when she was moved. ‘Shasha was controlling the hoist device and Rumyana was supporting Mrs Ward,’ he said. ‘She was let go by one of the carers, . causing her to jerk forward out of the sling to the ground. The sling . was in perfect working order. It would appear from later investigations . that it was not used correctly.’ Health and Safety Executive officer . Ruth Boulton said: ‘There was evidence that the carers had been trained . to use a sling before but not this particular device. ‘The language barrier, though they could speak English, could have made a difference to the care.’ Former care home manager Judith . Eglen, who was sacked four months after Mrs Ward’s death, described how . Miss Wei and Miss Ivanova showed her what had happened before the fall. ‘She was hoisted about the height of . the bed before she slipped and fell,’ she said. ‘My initial report . indicated that the carers had perhaps moved her too quickly.’ Nurse Beatrice Ngarama, who was . called to treat Mrs Ward, said: ‘When I got to her, her face was . obviously swollen and she was already changed and in bed. ‘I wouldn’t have moved her from the . floor because I did not know the extent of her injuries.’ A post mortem . examination showed Mrs Ward died from two fractures of the skull and a . brain haemorrhage. Her right leg was also broken. In November 2009, a Care Quality . Commission inspection found ‘significant shortfalls’ at the care home, . which is owned by GA Projects Ltd, including ‘moving and handling’ of . patients. Bedfordshire Police said it had . considered neglect charges against Miss Wei and Miss Ivanova but dropped . the case due to ‘insufficient evidence’. The Health and Safety Executive can . bring criminal charges against employees, directors and companies. A . spokesman said: ‘We cannot comment while an investigation is live.’
### SUMMARY:
| Grandson of 100-year-old May Ward has called her death a 'disgrace'
Ms Ward died after falling out of sling her two carers weren't trained to use .
She sustained multiple skull fractures, a broken leg and a black eye .
Put back to bed and changed clothes, which could have worsened injuries .
Jury at inquest gave a verdict of accidental death . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Jessica Satherley . UPDATED: . 19:41 EST, 12 November 2011 . At the end of a long shift, a group of workers at Japan’s wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant head back to their lockers and collect their belongings. Dressed in protective suits, these are men working on an on-going project inside the emergency operation centre, located 150 miles northeast of Tokyo, which will take approximately 30 years to dismantle the reactors after a cold shutdown was achieved. Following the devastation of Japan’s tsunami in March, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), the utility operating the plant, managed to stabilise conditions so workers could enter the reactor buildings, but there is still danger involved for those working there. Ending a long shift: Workers in protective suits gather near their lockers inside the emergency operation center at the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station in Okuma, Japan . Pretty in pink: A makeshift office where workers pick up their protective suits, masks and gloves is surrounded by protective sheets . Workers engaged in the recovery effort are stationed at J-Village, a national soccer training centre near Daiichi, in Okuma, that has been converted into an operational base. Tepco says up to 3,300 workers a day arrive from J-Village, located on the edge of the 20 km no-entry zone - designed to protect residents from radiation after the disaster. At J-Village, workers on their way to the plant line up at a white tent to change into protective gear. Every day when they return, the workers discard their protective clothing, which is treated as radioactive waste and stored. A Tepco spokesperson said every piece of discarded clothing has been kept there since March 17, about 480,000 sets heaped in large piles or put in bed-sized containers and stacked in rows. Protective gear: Workers on their way to the plant line up at a white tent to change into protective gear, which is discarded at the end of every day as nuclear waste . Huge project: Up to 3,300 workers a day arrive from J-Village (where they live), located on the edge of the 20 km no-entry zone - created to protect residents from radiation after the disaster . And today the life of the workers is able to be seen by the public, as Japan took a group of journalists inside the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant for the first time. They were told by officials that conditions at Fukushima have been slowly improving to the point where a ‘cold shutdown’ would be possible as planned. Officials shepherded a group of about 30 mainly Japanese journalists through the plant for the first time since the meltdown of the plant's reactors, the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl 25 years ago. Cooling systems at the plant were knocked out by the powerful tsunami and evidence of the devastation was clear to see. The nuclear reactor buildings are still surrounded by crumpled trucks, twisted metal fences, and large, dented water tanks. Men in white: Workers dressed in protective suits wait outside a building at at J-Village, a soccer training complex now serving as an operation base for those battling Japan's nuclear disaster . Organised effort: Men sort and clean protective masks at J-Village, near Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima . Smaller office buildings around the reactors were left as they were abandoned on March 11, when the tsunami hit. Cranes fill the skyline in testimony to recovery efforts. Journalists on the tour mainly stayed on a bus as they were driven around the plant and were not allowed near the reactor buildings. Still, they all had to wear protective suits, double layers of gloves and plastic boot covers and hair nets. All carried respiration masks and radiation detectors. ‘From the data at the plant that I have seen, there is no doubt that the reactors have been stabilised,’ Masao Yoshida, chief of the Daiichi plant, told the group. Media frenzy: Journalists, wearing protective suits, interview Japan's Minister of the Environment, Goshi Hosono, and Chief of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant . Radiation screening: Two workers are directed through a radiation screening center inside a gymnasium after returning to J-Village . Protocol checks: A man is checked for radiation after arriving at a vehicle decontamination center at J-Village . The compound may still be littered with rubble, but Tepco has succeeded in bringing down the temperatures at the three damaged reactors from levels considered dangerous. They are confident they will be able to declare a ‘cold shutdown’ when temperatures are stable below boiling point, as scheduled by the end of this year. While Tepco had managed to stabilise conditions so workers could enter the reactor buildings, Yoshida said there was still danger involved for those working there. The disaster prompted the government to declare a 20 km (12 miles) no-entry zone around the plant, forcing the evacuation of about 80,000 residents. Radioactive waste: Piles of used protective clothing that was worn by workers inside the contaminated 'exclusion zone' sit inside a soccer field waiting to be placed inside containers . Office workers: Tokyo Electric Power Co. employees work inside the emergency operation center at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station . Safety barrier: A makeshift storm surge barrier fortifies Fukushima . Open day: Japanese officials wearing protective suits and masks ride in the back of a bus while a second bus carrying officials and Japanese journalists follow . A cold shutdown is one of the conditions that must be met before the government considers lifting its entry ban. As an emergency measure early in the crisis, Tepco tried to cool the damaged reactors by pumping in huge volumes of water, much of it from the sea, only to leave a vast amount of tainted runoff that threatened to leak out into the ocean. It solved the problem by building a cooling system to clean the radioactive runoff, using some of the water to cool the reactors. A group of white tents houses the cleaning facility. In front were hoisted the flags of the United States, France and Japan, the countries that provided the technology for the decontamination system. ‘Every time I come back, I feel conditions have improved. This is due to your hard work,’ Japan's environment and nuclear crisis minister Goshi Hosono told workers at the plant. Clean up effort: Satellite images provided by GeoEye show the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on March 19, 2011, left, and September 16, 2011 (right) Inside a reactor: The interior of the No. 4 reactor building at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s tsunami-crippled Fukushima . Crushed: A glimpse inside the devastated nuclear power plant No. 4 after the destruction . Clean up effort: Workers will also be cleaning up the devastation inside the reactors after the March tsunami . Crippled: The steel walls of the nuclear power plant are crushed from the destruction . A view of the crippled Fukushima, showing the cranes working in the reconstruction attempt .
### SUMMARY:
| There are up to 3,300 workers a day arriving at the nuclear plant .
Every day after work they discard their protective clothing, which is treated as radioactive waste .
Japanese officials guided journalists through the plant today for the first time since the disaster .
Conditions at Fukushima have been slowly improving and a 'cold-shutdown' is scheduled for the end of the year . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 12:54 EST, 28 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:54 EST, 29 March 2013 . Catherine Hickman, 31, died after she was told to stay in her flat during the fire in south London in 2009 . Three women and three children who died in a fire caused by a faulty television set could have been saved if basic safety checks had been carried out on their flats, an inquest ruled today. Southwark Council missed ‘numerous opportunities’ to check fire safety at Lakanal House in Camberwell, south London, before a blaze killed six people there in July 2009, jurors decided. Catherine Hickman, 31, Dayana Francisquini, 26, and her children, Thais, six, and Filipe, three, were killed in the blaze along with Helen Udoaka, 34, and her daughter Michelle, who was just 20 days old. In six narrative verdicts read out at Lambeth Town Hall today, jurors agreed that the flats had inadequate protection to stop the spread of fire from one home to another. Fire safety issues could have been . spotted in major works during the1980s and again between 2006 and 2007, . it was heard - and the replacement of asbestos window panels with . non-fireproof ones in 2006 had a 'serious impact' on how the blaze . spread. Reading out the narrative verdict, a . juror said: 'There were numerous opportunities to consider whether level . of fire protection was adequate. 'In 2006 to 2007 there was major . refurbishment work which would have provided an opportunity to carry out . checks to ensure the level of fire protection was adequate. Despite a proactive approach, the council did not prioritise fire assessments.' The inquest heard that there were no fire seals on the front doors and there was a lack of fire stoppers on the pipe work. Commenting on how resistant the flats . were to fire, the jurors continued: 'This created a serious failure of . compartmentalisation. Had a fire risk assessment been carried out it is possible these failures could have been identified.' Inquest: Southwark Council missed 'numerous opportunities' to check fire safety at Lakanal House in Camberwell, south London, before a blaze killed six people there in 2009, jurors said today . Tragic: Dayana Francisquini with son Filipe, aged three, and daughter Thais, aged six (taken on her fourth birthday at home). All died in the tower block fire . Infant: Baby Michelle Udoaka, the three-week old daughter of Helen Udoaka, died in the Camberwell tower block inferno along with her mother . The fire brigade’s actions on the . day were also criticised, with jurors ruling that if firefighters had . known the layout of the building they could have saved the lives of the . three women and three children. 'Fire crews had little knowledge of the layout,' they said. 'If firefighters had been aware of the . precise location of the flats it would have been possible to seriously . reduce the fatal injuries. 'Confusion about the layout meant that the flats directly above the fire were not reached in time.' It was also acknowledged that it would have possible for all to escape . the building using balcony on the east side, but it was agreed that none . of the victims knew of this route. The inquest heard how the terrified victims had frantically called 999 . as thick smoke and flames quickly spread through the 14-storey block . engulfing their home. Despite their desperate pleas for help they were reassured that fire . crews were on their way and told to stay inside their flats. But firefighters were unable to save them. Emotional: Solicitor Louise Christian (left) listens as Mbet Udoaka (centre), and Rafael Cervi (right), who both lost loved ones in the fire, issue a statement outside Lambeth Town Hall following the inquest verdict . 'Confusion': London Fire Brigade Deputy Assistant Commissioner Tim Cutbill, right, issued a statement outside the town hall, where constituency MP and Labour Party Deputy Leader, Harriet Harman, left, was in attendance . Missed opportunities: Jurors said safety checks could have been carried out during the major refurbishment of the flats in 2006 and 2007 . Miss Hickman, a talented fashion designer who had worked with singer . Bjork, was on the phone to the fire brigade for almost an hour and told . to stay put until the call ended suddenly with her screams as she was . struck by burning debris. The five other victims had taken refuge in the 11th floor flat next to . Miss Hickman’s where they had been told to stay put and use towels in a . doomed bid to protect themselves from the smoke that steadily engulfed . the flat. Trapped inside the block with her 20 day old baby, Helen Udoaka, 34, phoned her husband to say ‘I can’t bear it anymore.' Relatives of the victims told the inquest how they were on the phone to . their loved ones during their final moments and desperately pleaded with . fire crews to rescue them before it was too late. In an emotional testimony, Rafael Cervi told how he called his wife . Dayana Francisquini, ten times and tried to alert firefighters to their . grave situation. Victims: Catherine Hickman lived in flat 79. The other victims perished in flat 81 where they had all taken refuge together . Blaze: The 14-storey building consisted of 98 maisonette flats. The fire reached the 11th floor where the victims lived . Findings: . The inquest heard how the terrified victims had frantically called 999 . as thick smoke and flames quickly spread through the 14-storey block . engulfing their home . Experts criticised the decision to tell the victims to stay inside their . flats and said those in jeopardy should have been told to flee the . building. Peter Holland, chief fire and rescue adviser to the Communities and . Local Government Department told the inquest the default policy should . have been to 'get out and stay out.' The inquest painted a picture of inadequate communication, missed . opportunities and apparent lack of forward planning which hindered . efforts to rescue the victims. Firefighters did not know and had not been told how people might be . rescued and did not have any plans of the complex building, jurors were . told. The inquest also heard that no valid fire risk assessment was in place . when the blaze erupted and that materials used to refurbish the 1950’s . tower block caught fire 'too quickly.' Community: Members of the public laying flowers outside the flats. The local community called for answers following the devastating fire . And the first fire chief on the scene at the fatal blaze admitted he did not know the escape routes out of the building. The ‘super inquest’ at Lambeth Town Hall lasted three months and heard evidence from 126 witnesses. No legal action was taken over the deaths after an extensive . investigation by Metropolitan Police and Southwark Council, which owns . the building. Prosecutors decided in May last year not to press manslaughter charges as there was no realistic prospect of conviction.
### SUMMARY:
| Blaze killed six people at Lakanal House in Camberwell, London, in 2009 .
Jurors said flats had inadequate protection to stop the spread of fire .
Inquest hears safety issues could have been spotted during work on flats .
Three of the victims were children - the youngest just 20 days old . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 12:25 EST, 4 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:28 EST, 5 April 2013 . The sisters of child killer Mairead Philpott claim she is a 'victim' of her controlling husband Mick - but they cannot forgive her for the deaths of their nieces and nephews. Jennifer Lobban and Bernadette Duffy told of their desperate attempts to convince her to leave Mick since they married in May 2003, and take the children away. They claim Mairead was so unhappy she had even attempted suicide in the months before the tragic fire. Emotion: Mairead Philpott weeps as she is sentenced to 17 years in prison for the manslaughter of her six children . Distraught: Jimmy Duffy, the father of Mairead Philpott, hugs daughter Bernadette, outside Nottingham Crown Court as his daughter was sentenced today . Distraught: Mairead's sisters Jennifer Lobban, left, and Bernadette Duffy, right, told a Panorama . documentary how they tried on several occasions to rescue her from . Philpott's clutches without success . But the family told Panorama ultimately she put the man she described in court as her 'guardian angel' above everything else. During the couple's eight-week trial, Mairead painted herself as a vulnerable character from a troubled background. Born in Ireland, she came from a traveller family and made allegations of abuse as a child, having been forced from school by bullies and raped in her teenage years. Vulnerable: Mairead Philpott was 19 and at 'rock bottom' when she met Mick . She was, she admitted, at ‘rock bottom’ when she met Philpott aged just 19, and jumped at the chance to move in with him. Mairead gave birth to their first child Jade in August 2001, followed by John in October 2002. They would go on to have three more children together. But while they were by then engaged, there was nothing conventional about their living arrangements because Philpott had introduced a second woman, Lisa Willis, into the household. Within weeks, their relationship had become sexual, the two women agreeing to take it in turns to share Philpott’s bed. Despite this Mairead agreed to marry Mick in May 2003. Miss Willis even acted as bridesmaid at their wedding. In court she admitted she was 'hurt' by his relationship with Miss Willis but agreed to it because she didn't want to lose her family. Sources said the women were expected to have sex with Philpott virtually every day, and were ‘on their backs’ even when pregnant. So why did Mairead put up with this? Her family say she was terrified of him, and that he isolated her and the children from those who cared about them. Jennifer and Bernadette told how the fragile peace which held the household together imploded after Lisa Willis finally had enough and left. Jennifer Lobban told Panorama: 'We would try and get round there when he was doing the school run because we knew that he wouldn’t be in the house. 'We told her that we could go to the school, we could go now; go take the kids from school. We would get her out, but she just wouldn’t leave.' Did the benefits system contribute to the Philpott fire killings? Mick Philpott once allowed the eldest child, Duwayne, 13, to have a sleepover at Bernadette’s house. Bernadette said the little boy was in a terrible state, adding: 'Mick said he hadn’t eaten for a week and I took him and my little boy out for a pizza. 'I had never seen a child eat so fast in my life.’ Mairead's father Jimmy Duffy told Panorama he has had difficulty accepting his daughter was responsible for the children's deaths. He said: . 'It’s wrecking me inside, wrecking me... I bottle a lot up away from my . kids... Some nights I sit for hours in the dark.' Neglect: Mairead Philpott's sister Bernadette told how one of the children Duwayne, 13, had once gone a week without eating . The family have also dismissed Mairead’s claims in . court that her father abused her as a child. Police have confirmed the . allegations were investigated at the time and found no evidence of any . crime by Jimmy Duffy. They also said there are no plans to follow up . Mairead’s courtroom claim. Bernadette and Jennifer say it is . not the first time their sister has made a false sex allegation. In . court, Mairead told the jury she'd been raped on holiday as a teenager. Her sister Jennifer says she was with her at the time of the alleged . incident: 'I think it’s just one of the many lies she tells. She got . caught sleeping with a married man for money and she said she was raped. Not only has she played a part in her children’s deaths. It just seems . that she will do anything to get out of it.' Although Mairead’s sisters say they both . believe she is a victim of Mick Philpott, they cannot understand why she put him before the lives of all her children. Jennifer said: 'Yeah. She is a victim of Mick. But at the end of the day, when it . comes to your kids, she should have put them first. She should have put . the kids first.' Disbelief: Jimmy Duffy says he still finds it hard to comprehend that his daughter was responsible for the deaths of six children . Sentencing Mairead to 17 years in jail today, Mrs Justice Thirwall made it clear she did not regard Mairead Philpott as a 'victim'. She said: 'I have already made clear that this was Michael Philpott's plan. I accept that he treated you as a skivvy or a slave, and you were prepared to put up with that. 'As became clear during the trial you were prepared to go to any lengths, however humiliating, to keep him happy. 'But as the evidence came out it was plain that this was not quite the position. 'This was put beyond doubt when you gave evidence. You pointed out that you had stood up to him in the past. That is why when he asked you for a divorce on no fewer than three occasions you refused him. 'It is inescapable therefore that when something was important enough to you, you were capable of exercising a choice which was not his choice. 'Instead you joined in with his plan. Child killers: Mairead Philpott weeps in front of the judge as she is jailed for 17 years as her husband (left) and friend Paul Mosley (right), who was also given 17 years, look on . 'The risks were obvious and overwhelming and anyone who has heard the harrowing wailing from you on the 999 call can hear your realisation that this had gone horribly wrong and your children were in mortal danger. 'You put Michael Philpott above your children and as a result they have died. After the fire you threw your lot in with Michael Philpott. You supported him in his quest to get residence of the other children. You complied with his sexual demands to keep Paul Mosley onside. 'You lied to the police and you stuck to the story, just as he asked you to, to the police and to the jury. 'You now have convictions for six counts of the manslaughter of your children.'
### SUMMARY:
| Sisters Jennifer and Bernadette say they frequently tried to rescue Mairead .
Claim she had even attempt suicide in months before tragic fire .
But admit she ultimately put her husband before her children . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 00:27 EST, 25 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:12 EST, 25 September 2013 . Brad Reinke of Muncie, Ind opened a letter last month from an insurance underwriting specialist and learned he had seven months to find a new home for his family's pit bulls or lose his home insurance. 'Due to a potential liability hazard, the aggressive dog should be removed from the premises,' the letter from Shelter Insurance Companies read. 'No aggressive dog or aggressive breed of dog should replace this dog.' Such ultimatums are not uncommon for home owners who have what insurance companies deem 'dangerous dog' breeds. Brad Reinke sits with his dogs Lexi and Tito at his home in Muncie, Ind just seven months before he may have to give them away . Dog bites accounted for more than one-third of all homeowners insurance liability claims paid out in 2012, costing more than $489 million, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). There were 16,459 dog bite claims last year. The average cost of settling those claims was $29,752. Reinke believes his insurance agency jumped to conclusions about his pit bull, however, based on what an underwriter saw through a window and what she heard: barking. 'We've been here for five of the seven years that we've had this company insure our house,'Reinke, a highway technician at the Indiana Department of Transportation, told The Star Press. 'I don't see how they can say they're aggressive when they've never met the dogs. This is pretty much discriminating against the breed, pretty much stereotyping the breed through the window.' Insurance agency officials don't disagree there is a bias, but say that's based on past experience. When Reinke's mother, Jana, a co-signer on her son's mortgage, visited Shelter Insurance agent Joshua Aber in Muncie, she accused him of being discriminatory toward pit bulls. 'Yes, I am,' she quoted him as saying. 'That's exactly what he said.' Owner Brad Reinke has seven months to choose between his dog Lexi or his insurance policy . Aber told The Star Press that excluding aggressive breeds of dogs from homeowners' coverage is common in the insurance industry, and has been for decades. 'If anyone in town knows you have a pit bull, no one is going to insure it unless you have a separate liability policy that you can buy for those breeds,' Aber said. 'I don't sell it.' However, before he could help the Reinkes find a broker who would sell them a stand-alone liability insurance policy for the dogs, 'she threw the letter at me and called us dog racists,' Aber told The Star Press. 'I couldn't help her because she didn't want to be helped. We're here to help people. That letter was meant for them to get coverage for those dogs somewhere else so they don't have a gap in their policy.' Pit bulls are not a common dog for homeowners, according to Aber. 'I have a thousand homeowner policies, he said. 'If 1 percent have pit bulls, that's probably pretty accurate. People who live in tenant property, non-owner occupants, have pit bulls. A lot of times, they end up at the pound and get adopted by people who are more responsible. It is what it is. Some people are fans of the dog and seek it out.' Owner Brad Reinke has seven months to choose between his dog Tito or his insurance policy . Aber said he has no reason to doubt the Reinkes are responsible dog owners. 'There are people who love this breed and think it can be saved and rehabilitated,'he said. 'I'm not here to say it can't, but I offer a product that has rules with it.' Some insurance companies don't want to insure pit bulls or other dogs they consider high risk, said Insurance Information Institute Vice President Loretta Worters. 'It really depends on the company how they handle what are considered aggressive dogs,'she told The Star Press. 'Some companies who have had large losses from certain breeds will not insure them. Some companies will have what's called a 'one bite rule.' If your dog bites someone, the company will pay for the occurrence, but then either will cancel the insurance or may exclude the dog from the policy, so if the dog bites someone again, the homeowner will be liable.' Other insurers look at each dog individually and do not judge based on breed, Worters added. 'They are aware that even normally docile dogs may bite when they are frightened or when defending their puppies, owners or food,' she said. 'The most dangerous dogs are those that fall victim to human shortcomings such as poor training, irresponsible ownership and breeding activities that foster viciousness.' Brad Reinke sits with his dog Lexi at his home in Muncie, Ind just seven months before his insurance policy may be cancelled . Neither of Reinke's dogs has ever bitten anyone. 'They're not even remotely close to being aggressive,' Reinke said of Lexi, a white female rescue dog whom he sent to obedience school as a condition of adopting her, and Tito, a black male with a white streak on his face and a white chest. When The Star Press visited Reinke's home, both dogs barked, sniffed and wanted attention for a minute or two before calming down and posing for photographs. Lexi seemed lazy, and sat on Reinke's lap. When he let the dogs out in the front yard unrestrained, they didn't leave the property. Tito played fetch with a tennis ball. Some insurance companies would take that into consideration when deciding coverage, but they don't have to, which was the case with the Reinke's insurance provider. Brad Reinke sits with his dogs Lexi and Tito at his home in Muncie, Ind seven months before he has to choose between his dogs or his insurance policy . State Farm Insurance, which insures one out of every four homes in Indiana, asks each potential customer whether or not their dog has bitten anyone, said spokeswoman Missy Dundov. 'Based on that answer and possible follow-up answers, we then determine if they qualify for homeowners insurance,' she said. 'We do not require a stand-alone liability policy. Either they qualify for our homeowners policy or do not.' State Farm alone had 3,670 dog bite claims nationally last year and paid more than $108 million as a result. Among the top 10 states for dog bite claims in 2012 for State Farm was Indiana, coming in at seventh, one spot ahead of Florida. Man and woman's best friend bites more than 4.7 million a year, according to the American Veterinary Association, the U.S., Postal Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each year, 800,000 Americans seek medical attention for those bites. Shelter Insurance has given the Reinkes until April to remove the dogs, which the couple have no intention of doing. Brad Reinke said he planned to start shopping around for a new policy after the first of the year.
### SUMMARY:
| Such ultimatums are not uncommon for home owners who have what insurance companies deem 'dangerous dog' breeds.
Dog bites accounted for more than .
one-third of all homeowners insurance liability claims paid out in 2012 .
Homeowner Brad Reinke has no intention of giving up his dogs and is shopping around for a new insurance plan for next year . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Sir Clive Woodward . PUBLISHED: . 17:32 EST, 14 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 04:29 EST, 15 March 2014 . England have a simple decision to make on Saturday: run out in Rome with the grand ambition of winning the championship, or tediously settle for winning the game and seeing what happens. The Six Nations is about three things: winning the Grand Slam, winning the championship and - most importantly - World Cup preparation. England are in the toughest World Cup pool in history with Australia and Wales next year, and although England will back themselves at Twickenham, there is a real possibility that these three teams will beat one another and winning the pool - or even coming second - could boil down to points difference. Go for it: England have a tough decision to make on Saturday, settle for winning or try and hammer Italy . Creator: Fly-half Owen Farrell trains in Rome ahead of the Six Nations finale . Young stars: Luther Burrell, Manu Tuilagi and Kyle Eastmond talk tactics at the Stadio Olimpico . That means this is the perfect dress rehearsal for the scenario in which England need to dramatically boost their points difference. It could be the difference between facing South Africa in the quarter-finals or Samoa - or not making the knockout stages at all. As well as Wales and Australia at the World Cup, England are likely to face Fiji and a team such as Georgia. England should manage a cricket score against Georgia, but Fiji at full strength are every bit as good as Italy - and that is the fixture which England should have in the back of their minds today. This season, both Manchester City and Arsenal came second in their Champions League groups on goal difference and consequently found themselves facing - and going out to - Bayern Munich and Barcelona. There is no silver lining in losing on points difference and the England team should view coming second as failure. We’re surely setting our sights too low if we are celebrating beating Scotland, Ireland and Wales. You cannot replicate the intensity of the Wales week in the build-up to facing Italy because there is no chance of defeat so you have to create that edge by demanding your players belt Italy. Big game? England won't be able to replicate the intensity of the victory over Wales last week . TWO LINES OF ATTACK . England now have the confidence and the personnel to attack with two running lines at once, which forces defenders to hesitate before committing to a tackle. Owen Farrell can read a defence and either pass a flat ball to a direct runner such as Luther Burrell (option 1) or throw the ball deep behind to Billy Twelvetrees (option 2), who can himself read the open field and choose to attack himself, pass inside or release Mike Brown out wide. The flexibility and versatility of attacking like this makes England’s dynamic back three even more dangerous. Brown has made the most metres (410), most clean breaks (7) and beaten most defenders (20). England must get him the ball in space. NEW BALL GAME . Attention to detail is key to being clinical and I’m pleased that England ensured the adidas match ball was sent over from Italy for training. Its panelling is different to the Gilbert ball that the players are used to handling, so it can feel different to the fingers and fly differently off the boot. With the need to rack up a huge score, it is very important Farrell has been using it for kicking practice this week. All smiles: The England team pose with the Triple Crown trophy after the game . The new challenge, and the way to get the players pumped up, is to put the competition’s minnows to the sword. This is not demanding the undoable - England score on average 39 points and 4.6 tries per game against Italy - but it is time to smash them again. Last year England failed to score a try against Italy at Twickenham, while on our last three visits to Rome, England failed to win by more than five points. That is unacceptable. The mindset must be to score as many points as you possibly can because imagine the nervousness in the Irish dressing room if they know they suddenly have to beat France by more than 15 points. My ambition would be to score eight tries. I would make it clear to the team that unless England have scored four tries by half-time, I’m taking you off and I am changing the back line. Danny Care, Billy Twelvetrees and Luther Burrell would all come off and I would start the second half with Lee Dickson and George Ford as my half-backs, and Farrell shifting to inside centre alongside Manu Tuilagi. What a fantastic back division to bring on and a totally different midfield axis. Impact: I would bring on Lee Dickson (left) and George Ford at half-time, depending on the score . Star sub: And Tuilagi could change the game if he replaces Luther Burrell . I would have called a team meeting on Monday morning to set the agenda for the week. You warn the players that as soon as you feel the performance is slipping, you are bringing your substitutes on. In fact, I would even consider making the target three tries by the half-hour mark and warn my players that they will not even see out the first half unless they deliver. Would I share this with the media? Why not. This is a week to play with people’s minds and really put them under pressure and see how they respond. You generate intensity by raising expectation, not talking down England’s chances. Do not accept this is another game. You need possession to score points so a key requirement is to keep the ball in play as much as possible. The ambition must be never to kick the ball away. Ireland had possession against Italy for 26min 45sec so I want to see England smash that record by 20 per cent (England’s best so far is 22min 56sec in their opening match in Paris) Rallying call: I would have called a team meeting, to let them know if standards slip, subs will come on . Big boot: Farrell must try to keep the ball in play, and not allow stoppages . Second of all, you need to ensure the referee allows the game to be played to your tempo. You make sure captain Chris Robshaw is in his ear all game, making sure he stops the clock immediately if someone is injured so no seconds are wasted. If you win a penalty, kick to the corner quickly and Courtney Lawes should pre-call the line-out while the pack are running to take it. Drop goals are worth taking if the ball is slow and the defence is set, but make the decision quickly and start again. Saturday is the day to really show off England’s new all-court game. England have developed a pack of forwards who love to handle the ball so they would relish this challenge. Quality delivery at the breakdown is key, so players must commit in number to sort the mess out and give the backs slick, quick ball. Game changers: It's time for England's forwards to show off their new quick game, especially Courtney Lawes . Crunch clash: Can Chris Robshaw lead this team to glory? The Six Nations is here for the taking . The key thing to stress is that you do not need to force the tries or score off every phase. If England are clinical in execution then the points will come. I would paste up on the wall of the changing room a poster of numbers - the lowest error count in a Six Nations match, the highest number of turnovers, the highest number of tries, and demand the team beat those figures. No team have ever managed three or fewer handling errors or turnovers in a match. If you commit no errors you keep the intensity of the game up and the ball in play for longer. This Six Nations is still there for the taking. I just hope England realise that.
### SUMMARY:
| Second is failure for England, they should go all-out against Italy .
There is no silver lining in losing to Ireland on points difference .
My ambition would be to score eight tries, possibly using the bench .
The Six Nations is here for the taking . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:28 EST, 9 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:49 EST, 10 March 2014 . Forensic experts are battling to identify the remains of around 1,000 bodies believed to be Cyprus' lost citizens, who disappeared during the Turkish invasion more than 40 years ago. The . Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP), a joint initiative, has . exhumed around 1,000 bodies since 2006 and identified half of them. It . would take 10 years to finish the majority of cases, says Paul-Henri . Arni, the UN representative to the committee, which operates based on an . agreed amnesty for perpetrators. 'We don't have that much time, because witnesses are dying as well as direct relatives.' A forensic anthropologist assembles parts of exhumed remains at the anthropological laboratory of the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) at the old Nicosia airport in Cyprus . The CMP, a bi-communal body, has exhumed around 1,000 bodies since 2006 but has only identified half of them . The storage room for exhumed remains at the anthropological laboratory of the Committee for Missing Persons. Some 2,000 of the country's one million strong population are still missing . At . the sites of suspected mass graves, forensic teams with members from . both communities painstakingly work to unearth even the tiniest remains. Relatives of the many of Cypriots who . disappeared more than 40 years ago during a decade of unrest are still . unable to bury their loved ones because their bodies have never been . found. The lost citizens vanished during fighting that broke out in 1974. The unrest culminated in a Turkish . invasion ten years later after a coup engineered by Greece's military . dictatorship aimed at reunifying the island. Some 2,000 of the country's one million strong population are still missing, and they . remain an obstacle to efforts to bring the island back together, a third of which is . still controlled by Turkey. Team leader, Theodora Eleftheriou (right) and a forensic anthropologist inspect exhumed remains . Many of the bodies are found intertwined with other corpses. Some have been exhumed and reburied by those hoping to hide them . The lost citizens vanished during fighting that broke out in 1974. The unrest culminated in a Turkish invasion ten years later after a coup engineered by Greece's military dictatorship aimed at reunifying the island . Marios . Kouloumas last saw his father 40 years ago as he was led away by . Turkish soldiers - one of hundreds of Greek and Turkish Cypriots who . disappeared during a decade of unrest. But even though he knows he is dead, he has never been able to mourn him. Mr Kouloumas was ten years old when he saw his father detained alongside five other villagers. He said: 'Every day you read in the newspaper about missing persons, every day you have to call somebody to ask about what happened.' He and his family have kept the memory of his father alive with photographs and, in keeping with . local tradition, naming three children in the family Nicolas, after . the grandfather they will never know. Mr Kouloumasm said he is certain his father is dead - as a piece of the man's skull was found in . the bottom of a well in 2010 - but the rest of the body has never been . recovered, so he has not been laid to rest in accordance with Orthodox . Christianity. Greek Cypriot Marios Kouloumas looks at pictures of his parents at his mother's home in Nicosia. Marios' father is one of hundreds of Greek and Turkish Cypriots who disappeared during a decade of unrest culminating in the Turkish invasion of 1974 . 'The . relationship with dead people is very important for us,' Kouloumas says. Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. The . most recent round of talks, which aimed at forging a federation between . the Turkish Cypriot north and the internationally recognized Greek . Cypriot south, ground to a halt in the middle of 2012. The two sides relaunched peace talks aimed at reunifying Cyprus last month after a two-year hiatus. But several previous rounds have failed, in part because of still-raw emotions on both sides of the UN-patrolled Green Line. 'Every Saturday we go to the cemetary to light candles, bring flowers. If you have no one to talk to there, it's very hard.' The two sides relaunched peace talks aimed at reunifying Cyprus last month after a two-year hiatus. But several previous rounds have failed, in part because of still-raw emotions on both sides of the UN-patrolled Green Line.' At . the sites of suspected mass graves, forensic teams with members from . both communities painstakingly work to unearth even the tiniest remains. 'Sometimes . we find personal belongings next to the remains - and then it hits us . that these people had a life, a family, maybe a wife and children that . have never seen them again,' says Hazar Kaba, a Turkish Cypriot who . works with the CMP. He says . the grim work has helped him 'to know my country better, to know my . past, face my past, and respect everyone in this country'. The slow process means relatives of hundreds of Cypriots who disappeared more than 40 years ago during a decade of unrest are still unable to bury their loved ones because their bodies have never been found . Dozens of skeletons are being processed in CMP's laboratory, where it takes months to reconstruct them and establish their identity using DNA testing . The third member of the Committee for Missing Persons (CMP), Paul Henri Arni (centre) from Switzerland listens to the explanations of a forensic anthropologist. The Committee, a joint initiative, has exhumed around 1,000 bodies since 2006 and identified half of them . Christiana Zenonos, a Greek Cypriot whose grandfather is among the missing, agrees. 'We are building friendship across communities,' she says. Many of the bodies are found intertwined with other corpses. Some have been exhumed and reburied by those hoping to hide them. Dozens . of skeletons are being processed in CMP's laboratory, where it takes . months to reconstruct them and establish their identity using DNA . testing, sometimes supported by a wallet, clothing or jewellery found . with the remains. 'When a . missing person is identified, the pain begins to go away little by . little,' says Theophilos Theophilou, who represents Greek Cypriots on . the CMP. 'Seeing their . bones, it's a very difficult moment, but it's also a relief,' says . Meryem Kasif, a Turkish Cypriot whose four brothers disappeared in 1974 . and were identified in January. Their . graves are being prepared in the family's village and they will soon be . laid to rest in a ceremony for dozens of other Turkish Cypriots who . disappeared from the same village on the same day. 'We're going to bury them near to us so that we can visit them when we want and talk to them, and pray,' she says.
### SUMMARY:
| Cyprus' lost citizens vanished during fighting that broke out in 1974 .
Some 2,000 of the country's one million strong population are still missing .
Remain obstacle to efforts to reunify island - .
still part controlled by Turkey . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Helen Pow . A heroic teacher talked a shooter, aged just 12, into dropping his weapon this morning, just moments after the child walked into a packed gymnasium and opened fire at his classmates, leaving a 12-year-old boy fighting for life and a 13-year-old girl in serious condition. After the first shots rang out at Berrendo Middle School, the unidentified educator was quick to react, throwing himself towards the armed youngster and convincing him to lay his shotgun on the ground, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and Roswell ISD superintendent Tom Burris revealed in a Tuesday afternoon press conference. 'The student was quickly stopped by one staff member who walked right up to him and asked him to put down the firearm which he did,' Governor Martinez told reporters. Burris added: 'In the 10 seconds that transpired from the time this thing started until the teacher had control of the weapon there was no cowardice, there was protection for our kids.' The two victims were first taken to Eastern New Mexico Medical Center and then airlifted to the University of Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas, where the young man reportedly told nurses he was the target of the shocking . spray of bullets. He was undergoing surgery this afternoon. Scroll down for video . Tears: Students are reunited with family following a shooting at Berrendo Middle School, Tuesday, January 14, 2014 . Security: Students surrounded by officials are escorted from Berrendo Middle School after the shooting, which injured two teens . A teacher also suffered minor injuries but refused medical aid so he could stay on to assist at the scene. Roswell police announced soon after the shooting that the suspect had been arrested at the campus and was in custody. At the press conference, New Mexico state police chief Pete N. Kassetas said the drama unfolded at the school around 7:30 a.m. '(The suspect) walked into the gymnasium. We believe the weapon was concealed in a bag and it wasn't known about until right before he started shooting,' he said. Witnesses said the 12-year-old victim was shot in the face, though officials refused to confirm this. Kassetas said the school's principal recognized a NM state police lieutenant who was dropping off his own child as she locked the door and asked for his help. However, when he arrived inside the gym, the weapon was already on the ground. He went on to applaud the bravery of school officials. 'It is one thing for a police officer whose job this is to intervene but for a teacher or staff member to intervene, I commend the principal and the teachers and people at this school for saving many more lives,' he said. Too much: A parent falls to their knees as they hear more about the early morning shooting . Police: Police were on hand at the chaotic parking lot as frightened parents waited for their children . Kassetas said detectives were conducting interviews with over 100 students and faculty as part of the investigation but they were confident the 12-year-old was acting alone. He didn't know a motive at this stage and said officers had been in touch with the parents of the suspected shooter and both victims. Superintendent Burris insisted security at his schools was not to blame and said the incident came as a total shock to all. 'We come to school daily thinking we are going to educate our kids and lead them but we never think things like today will ever happen,' he said. 'And they do.' Roswell Mayor Jere Wood told reporters he was devastated by the news and called for an end to such senseless acts of violence. 'We were saddened this morning when we heard of the shooting we were saddened for the victims and their injuries and the hurt it has brought to the community of Roswell,' he said, offering up any resources the ISD required for things like counseling. Earlier, Gabriel Tortillo, a 7th grade student at Berrendo, told the Albuquerque Journal he saw a male student carrying a gun. He said that student shot a boy in the eye area. Sixth grade student Anyssa Vegara said she was talking to a security guard when she heard the shot. 'I turned around and all I saw was someone on the floor with their arm bleeding,' the student said. Relief: Kathy Sigala cries as she hugs 11-year-old Zippy and 12-year-old Jade. 'I just want to take them home and love the,' she said . Shooter: No information about the shooter or the type of weapon used has been released . She said the security guard ran to help the injured student, and school officials ordered all the students to their classrooms. It was earlier reported that there were . at least four victims, but the injured kids appeared to have been counted twice - . once at each hospital. Roswell PD posted word of the shooting on its Facebook page not long after 8 a.m. local time. The . school was placed on lockdown and children were bused from the school . to a nearby mall where their terrified parents came to collect them. Eventually, Anyssa was able to text her mother, Monica Vegara. 'From the time hearing about it, until the time she texted, it was a nightmare,' the panicked mother told the Journal. An image posted by KOB4 . from the mall shows chaos as worried moms and dads crowd the parking . lot, waiting to be united with their kids. One parent is seen falling to . his knees as the situation . clearly becomes too much while others embraced their children, overcome with relief. Another picture posted by KRQE . shows frantic parents and authorities gathered around Berrendo Middle . School soon after police announced a shooter had opened fire at the . campus. Around 9 a.m., State Police Public Information Officer Emmanuel Gutierrez said the threat had been 'alleviated.' School: Parents and authorities gathered around Berrendo Middle School, pictured, after a shooter opened fire early this morning . Scary: Students are escorted from Berrendo Middle School after the early morning gunfire. the shooter is in custody . '... this incident is being . investigated. There are many resources and law enforcement officers on . scene securing the area,' he added. No . information about the shooter or the type of weapon used has been . officially released. One news outlet reported that he was male and aged . around 13. Roswell City Councilor Savino Sanchez said he found out about the shooting after receiving a phone call. He said once news of the shooting spread . throughout town, residents began to worry. 'I know a lot of people are . concerned,' he said. Troy J. Sanders tweeted Tuesday: 'Please . pray for my cousin. She was one of the two students shot today at . Berrendo Middle School.' Roswell has been rocked by gang violence in recent years and has asked Homeland Security Investigations to step in and help. The city has a population of about 50,000. It a center for ranching and farming and is home to the New Mexico Military Institute, the only state-supported military college in the West. The city is perhaps best known as the site of an alleged UFO crash in 1947. A prayer vigil is being held at 6 p.m. local time Tuesday evening. Governor Martinez added: 'Please don't forget this community is a strong community. There is no doubt they will pull together.'
### SUMMARY:
| Roswell police said the suspected shooter was arrested Tuesday at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell .
Two students, including a 12-year-old boy thought to be the shooter's target, have been critically or seriously injured .
The school was placed on lockdown and terrified parents were told to collect their children from a nearby mall .
The shooter opened fire at 8:11 a.m. and Roswell PD posted word of the incident on its Facebook page soon after . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Nine-year-old Keat Rhodes looks just like any other little girl - but she was actually born male. The schoolgirl was only seven years old when she was diagnosed with gender identity disorder and began her transition from boy to girl. Since then she has undergone an incredible transformation with the support of her adoptive parents Emily and Clint LeVan, from Ohio. Scroll down for video . Keat Rhodes, 9, was born male and was only seven years old when she was diagnosed with gender identity disorder and began her transition from boy to girl . And over the next few years, Keat, who has a younger brother, Blaine, seven, will undergo treatment to complete her transition from male to female. Today Keat is the picture of happiness but it hasn't been easy and the family has endured a huge backlash from parents in their community. Made the subject of a Facebook hate campaign, they were accused of child abuse. Some even suggested Emily was turning Keat in to a Barbie doll. But they have fought the bullies and are striving to give their daughter a normal life. Since she was diagnosed Keat (left), born Keating (right) has undergone an incredible transformation with the support of her adoptive parents and is happier than ever . Keat, pictured with her younger brother Blaine, 7, and her adoptive parents Emily, 36, and Clint, 41, LeVan, has been made the subject of a Facebook hate campaign but the family are determined that she'll live a normal life . Full-time mother Emily, 36, said: 'When Keat came into our lives, he was a four-year-old boy called Keaton. 'But we noticed very early on that he was different to his brother. 'While Blaine preferred playing with trucks and cars, Keat liked dolls. At school he liked playing dress up with the princess dresses.' She added: 'Clint and I weren't bothered by the toys either of the boys played with, as long as they were happy.' At a young age, Keat began drawing himself as a female and also confided in his parents, as well as school teachers, that he was a girl.' Her parents explained that while her brother Blaine preferred playing with trucks and cars, Keat, pictured, right, with her adoptive father, liked dolls and playing dress up with the princess dresses . At a young age, Keat, pictured with seven-year-old brother Blaine, began drawing himself as a female and also confided in his parents, as well as school teachers, that he was a girl . Emily said: 'At first we thought she was messing around. We thought it was a phase and we sort of laughed it off. 'But when she began talking about it with people outside the house we realised it was serious. 'At the time I was a little scared for him because I didn't really know a lot about transgender people and I didn't know what would happen to him or us if he became a girl. 'We live in a very small town in one of the poorest counties in Ohio - no-one in our community had probably ever heard of transgender people either. 'And a lot of people aren't that accepting of people who are different.' Clint and Emily took Keat to see their family doctor and were then referred to a therapist as well as a psychiatrist, who both diagnosed gender identity disorder . Grocery store manager Clint, 41, and Emily took Keat to see their family doctor and were then referred to a therapist as well as a psychiatrist, who both diagnosed gender identity disorder. Emily said: 'It seemed strange that a child so young would be so sure about something like this but all the experts said Keat was "unwavering, consistent and persistent". 'And after doing a lot of research we decided it was right to let him live socially as a girl.' Keat's transition began during a break for the summer holiday at school. During the two-month period, Clint and Emily changed their son's name by deed poll and they took her shopping for more feminine clothes to wear. Emily said: 'Keat was so happy in her skin but I dreaded that first day back at school where she would be going back to class with pigtails and a pink backpack. 'She was the first in the school district to have transitioned so I knew there would be some confusion. 'But the teachers were supportive - they explained everything to the pupils and, incredibly, they were very accepting. 'The backlash actually came from some family and friends - Clint's dad couldn't accept Keat and my mum struggled before she eventually came to terms with it. 'We lost friends and we also started getting a lot of abuse on Facebook from parents in the community. 'People were saying it was child abuse. One dad even said he was going to "beat the boy back in to Keat". 'Some mums said I had a doll complex and I was trying to create a real life Barbie. I just sat in front of my computer and cried because I couldn't believe that these people were saying these hateful things.' Keat's parents explain how they lost friends and started getting a lot of abuse on Facebook from parents in the community . Keat before her transition (right) seen posing here with brother Blaine (left) in 2009 . Despite all the negative comments, Clint and Emily say they had support from their local church and an online community of parents with transgender children. They were also inundated with messages from others telling them to fight on. Today they are focusing on Keat's future. In November this year she will have her first appointment with an endocrinologist to discuss testosterone blockers, which she will begin when she starts puberty. At 15, she will have counselling to determine if she is ready to start hormone therapy, which will allow her to develop breast tissue but will make her infertile. Keat and brother Blaine prepare for a school concert in March this year. Despite many negative comments, Clint and Emily say they had support from their local church and an online community of parents with transgender children . In November Keat will have her first appointment with an endocrinologist to discuss testosterone blockers, which she will begin when she starts puberty . By the age of 18, she will be eligible for full gender reassignment surgery. Emily said: 'Thinking of what lies ahead, I do have my fears. I am worried she will be bullied and face prejudice. I also know there is a high suicide risk among transgender people. 'But I hope that with our love she will grow up to have a normal life. 'It just comes down to love and if you love your child then you should do anything in the world for them. It's a simple and pure as that.' Age 15 she will have counselling to determine if she is ready to start hormone therapy, which will allow her to develop breast tissue but will make her infertile . Gender identity disorder (GID) or transsexualism is defined by strong, persistent feelings of identification with the opposite gender and discomfort with one's own assigned sex. People with GID desire to live as members of the opposite sex and often dress and use mannerisms associated with the other gender. For instance, a person identified as a boy may feel and act like a girl. This is distinct from homosexuality in that homosexuals nearly always identify with their apparent sex or gender. Source: www.psychologytoday.com .
### SUMMARY:
| Keat Rhodes was diagnosed with gender identity disorder aged 7 .
Nine-yr-old has full support of her adoptive parents Emily and Clint LeVan .
Has been made subject of a Facebook hate campaign .
In November, will have first appointment to discuss testosterone blockers .
Age 15 will have counselling to determine if ready to start hormone therapy .
Age 18 will be eligible for full gender reassignment surgery . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Naomi Greenaway . For most mothers, four children and two grandchildren would be enough to keep busy, but for Wendy Archer from Middlesbrough, her real-life brood just wasn't enough. Wendy, 40, was sterilised after her fourth child but subsequently regretted the decision. So she decided to fork out more than £2,000 on four fake babies and their paraphernalia. Despite having two children still living at home, Wendy now spends hours every day dressing, bathing and shopping for her four fake children - and has even splashed out on a real new crib, car seat and Moses baskets for the fake tots. Scroll down for video . Wendy with babies Shyan, Johnson, Alesha and Thomas, which have cost her £2,000 . Who's a pretty boy?: Wendy holding Johnson . Wendy, 40, who is single, said, 'I just love babies - to me they aren’t dolls, the are my babies. 'They are beautiful and I truly love them. I couldn’t be without them now and they even smell like real babies. 'I love all of my children and my grandchildren, but my children have lives of their own now, and my grandchildren go home at the end of the day.' Wendy gave birth to her daughter Kirsty, when she was just 16, and since then has gone on to have three other children, Nathan, 22, Keenan, 15 and Kia, 13. Brotherly love: Thomas and Johnson snuggling up . Shyan (left) and Elisha (right) both seem a little camera shy for their portrait . But after giving birth to Kia, Wendy, who has never had a job, decided to be sterilised. After she procedure, however, she regretted it, and longed to have another baby. So she bought four reborn dolls - Johnson, Elisha, Shyan and Thomas - and now loves being a full-time 'mum' to them. She said, 'There is just something about babies which I love. I love being around them, dressing them and looking after them. 'I just want to nurture and when I had my sterilisation, I felt a great sense of loss that I would never have a baby of my own to nurture again. 'It made me feel really low, and very sad for a long time.' A trip: Wendy strapping Johnson in his real car seat . But Wendy came across Michelle Cairne’s shop Shelley’s Reborn Dolls in Middlesbrough 18 months ago - and after visiting the shop a few times, she finally plucked up the courage to buy her first doll. Wendy said, 'I bought Elisha for £100 and she was simply beautiful. I was in love, and as soon as I cuddled her the feeling of sadness went away completely. 'It was like I had filled a hole in my life.' The dolls are handcrafted by Michelle to resemble real-life babies. Wendy now has now spent £1,000 on four of her reborn dolls, which she treats in the same way she would her own children - and claims to have spent at least the same again on clothes and accessories for them. Thomas looking cute as a button and incredibly real with piercing blue eyes and a little bit of a snuffle in his nose . Shyan surrounded by her enviable wardrobe . She said: 'I have beds, and Moses baskets for each of them, and they take it in turns to sleep in the crib in my room. 'Every evening I change them into their pyjamas and tuck them into bed and every day I change them, give them fresh nappies and put them in their day clothes. 'I know some people might think I’m mad but so many of my friends have been amazed by how happy the dolls can make people. 'When you cuddle them, they feel like a baby, because their heads lull and they even smell like a real baby, because of the fabric softener their clothes are washed in. It is truly amazing.' Happy families: Wendy with babies (left to right) Shyan, Johnson, Thomas and Alesha . Wendy spends as much time as she can with Shelley in her shop, watching how the babies are made and helping Shelley dress the babies. And she even has a car seat for the babies, so when she goes to visit family members her reborn dolls can come too. Wendy said: 'I haven’t taken them out into town yet, but as soon as I get a pram and I can wrap them up I will do. 'I know people are a bit wary of the dolls or think it is a bit mad, but the comfort I get from them makes my life.' Mum Wendy manages to get all four babies to stay still for a photo (left) and demonstrates how she dresses Alesha (right) 'It’s not about companionship, but I love having the dolls which are all mine to look after,' she added. Baby-mad Wendy has used her savings to partly fund the dolls and is still paying off the rest in weekly installments. But she is now looking for a job, to earn enough money to treat herself to more babies. She added, 'They are absolutely beautiful and real works of art. My daughter Kia loves them as well and she will often help me dress the babies ready for bed. 'I have used some clothes for them from when my children were young, but I do like to go shopping for new things for them as well.' She added, 'I would recommend the dolls to any woman, young or old, who loves babies and longs to look after them. 'These dolls aren’t like child’s dollies - there are handcrafted masterpieces, with lifelike eyes, eyelashes and hands and feet. They are perfect. 'They are just like real babies - except without the crying and the sleepless nights - which suits me perfectly.' Wendy tucking Thomas in for the night (left) and dressing Johnson (right) Baby-mad Wendy has forked out more than £2000 on the fake babies, a brand new crib, car seat, Moses baskets and paraphernalia for the fake tots . Wendy changes the babies' nappies every morning and puts them in their day clothes . 06:50am: Wake up, get ready7am-8.30am: Get real kids Kia and Nathan ready for school8:40am: Wake the reborn babies up and take time to change each one from their . pyjamas into their day clothes - each with a different outfit each day10am: Put the babies in their different seats and cots for the day, with a . nappy on, wrapped in a blanket and with a bottle next to them11am-3.30pm: Help Shelly in her shop, dressing and arranging the new reborn dolls3.30pm: Greet Kia and Keenan from school and prepare dinner8pm: Relax in the evening, with the babies on the sofa, having a cuddle9pm: . Get the babies ready for bed, undressing and putting them in their . pyjamas and then putting them in their beds, with one sleeping in the . crib in Wendy’s room .
### SUMMARY:
| Wendy Archer, 40, decided to be sterilised after having four children .
She felt low and regretted her decision .
This prompted her to buy her first fake baby .
She found the dolls at Shelley’s Reborn Dolls in Middlesbrough .
She then bought three more dolls and treats them like the real thing .
She bathes, changes and even feeds them . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Harry Mount . Tracking down the name of Captain Francis Mount on the Loos Memorial takes some time. It isn’t surprising. There are more than 20,000 names on the Portland stone memorial, kept in immaculate condition by gardeners from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Today, the Commission’s stonemasons are replacing a worn panel with a newly-inscribed, pristine one. And there are thousands more gravestones in other cemeteries in this mining area, just outside Lens in north-eastern France. Scroll down for video . Bond: Prime Minster David Cameron and Harry Mount, second cousins, look at a memorial to their great-uncle, Francis Mount . More than 59,000 Allied soldiers - and 20,000 Germans - were killed in the Battle of Loos in the autumn of 1915. Poor Francis Mount was one of the last of them, killed on the final day of the Battle of Loos - a military tragedy, with all those lives lost in exchange for a mere two miles of blood-soaked earth gained. Francis Mount was my great-great uncle. I share him with my second cousin, David Cameron. The battle he fought in at Loos marks the first time the Allies used poison gas. It was a disaster. Once released, it was blown back by the winds over friendly lines and killed many Allied soldiers. Hero in the family: Francis Mount was one of the 59,000 Allied dead at the Battle of Loos in 1915 . The supposed ‘Big Push’ failed at Loos and it led to Sir John French, Commander of the British Expeditionary Force, being replaced by Field Marshal Douglas Haig. Even with the sun blazing down on the memorial, your mind is drawn back to the freezing gloom and bloody slaughter of World War I. ‘Seeing the memorial to a relation helps to bring it all home and make the connections,’ says the Prime Minister, who is on his third trip to the Western Front in a year. In December, he visited the memorial to another great-great uncle, John Geddes, who died at Ypres in April 1915. Five members of Cameron’s family were killed in the war. ‘It helps to put you in their shoes at their age at their time,’ he explains. ‘I find it very moving. It has such pathos. ‘The commemorations have brought it even closer. But there’s something about the First World War. 'There’s some extra factor which makes it incredibly powerful. There was the scale of the slaughter of course. It’s the inexplicable nature - that the slaughter just went on and on. You can’t get away from it.’ Early yesterday, Cameron attended the World War I Centenary service at Glasgow Cathedral with the Prince of Wales. He was given a poppy which he laid, alongside a cross, in the earth beneath his great-great uncle’s name at the Loos Memorial later in the day. I placed another cross next to it. Francis Mount’s body was never recovered - so there is no tombstone to him. 'Just war': Mr Cameron insisted that the soldiers who died in the First World War were fighting for good reason . ‘Men like Francis Mount went to fight because they believed they were going to fight a just war,’ says Cameron, ‘They were right to think that.’ Although Cameron was born more than half a century after the death of Francis Mount, he has strong links to him. Francis Mount, the son of the Conservative MP for Newbury, was brought up at Wasing Place, Berkshire, where Cameron’s mother, Mary Mount, was later brought up. As a boy, Cameron went to services in Wasing Church, where his parents married and his grandfather, Sir William Mount, a D-Day veteran, is buried. ‘My grandfather never talked about the First World War or the Second,’ says the Prime Minister, ‘But I remember at his funeral [in 1993], when people came in uniform from miles away. This year, going to the Normandy beaches made me think a lot about my grandfather. Walking the graves: Mr Cameron has more relatives who fought in the Wars, including a great-great uncle who fell at Ypres and his D-Day veteran grandfather . ‘He taught me how to fish and all sorts of things about the countryside. But he never talked about the war. My mother said he never would. He was wounded on Normandy and he never talked about it again. It was classic British reserve. ‘That’s one of the reasons I’ve wanted to rediscover these connections with Francis Mount - because my grandfather never talked about it.’ Francis Mount was one of the older soldiers at the Front. He was 43 with a wife and two young sons. He was commissioned in the 5th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, an infantry regiment, and arrived with his battalion at the end of May 1915 at Boulogne. Once at Loos, Mount survived the first days of the battle. He survived the tragic moment when the Allies gassed themselves. He survived the day the British advanced in open country into the raking fire of German machine-guns: a single German machine-gun fired 12,500 rounds that day. But he did not survive that fatal last day of the Battle of Loos - October 13, 1915. In that final, desperate, Allied attempt to topple the Germans, Francis Mount was killed. ‘Despite the horror of his death, and millions more, I do not believe the First World War was just pointless slaughter,’ says David Cameron. ‘There was a purpose. ‘There were ways the war could have been shortened, or should have been pursued differently. 'But the fundamental reason why Britain went to war in 1914 was that there was a just cause. We had promised to guarantee Belgian neutrality. ‘It’s right to celebrate the bravery.’ Cameron still sees echoes of the war running through modern politics. ‘There is a right for a small country not to be bullied when it’s overrun by its neighbours,’ says Cameron, ‘In the case of the war, it was Belgium; but, in our own times, you can make that argument about Kuwait, Ukraine. It still has a relevance - the territorial inviolability of states.’ ‘The seminal event of our lifetime was the fall of the Berlin Wall or the collapse of the Soviet Union. But you need to go back to World War I to see how the break-up of these empires started to affect the world in which we now live.’ Poignant: Yesterday Mr Cameron joined members of the Royal family including Princes Charles and William and the Duchess of Cambridge, seen above, at a memorial service in Belgium . Cameron sees nothing jingoistic in commemorating the heroism of Mount and millions more like him. ‘We’re a very patriotic, proud nation. We want these things to be properly commemorated. We have to mark the key moments in the war, too - the Somme, Passchendaele, Gallipoli, Jutland.’ Just before he spoke these words, Cameron passed the memorial to another captain killed at Loos on the same day as Captain Mount - Charles Hamilton Sorley, a 20-year-old war poet, shot in the head by a sniper. After his death, his final poem was unearthed in his kit bag: . ‘When you see millions of the mouthless dead / Across your dreams in pale battalions go / Say not soft things as other men have said / That you’ll remember. For you need not so.’ With all due respect to the noble poet captain, we need to remember. And we do.
### SUMMARY:
| Francis Mount was 43 when he was killed at the Battle of Loos in France .
Mr Cameron and Harry Mount share the soldier as a great-uncle .
Yesterday visited a memorial on the battlefield and spoke of remembrance .
Mr Cameron said Francis Mount and those like him died for a just cause . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
These pictures show a scientist being savagely beaten up in the street by two drunken thugs after he dared to make friendly conversation with them at the end of a night out. CCTV images captured the moment Dr Dominic Henry, 32, paid a terrible price for engaging in small talk with strangers Alan Croydon and Arron Buckley as he waited to get a cab home in Manchester city centre. For no reason, Dr Henry was punched to the ground and then kicked and stamped on up to 15 times 'with deadly intent' as he lay defenceless on the ground. Scroll down for video . Attack: These pictures show the savage and unprovoked assault endured by a scientist in Manchester city centre in December . Blows raining down: Dr Dominic Henry was punched to the ground and then kicked and stamped on up to 15 times . The senior metallurgist, who works as a senior technical project leader for a chemical firm, was left with a badly bruised and swollen face and 'dips' in his scalp. He managed to get home and when his wife, an NHS manager, saw his beaten face she began crying. He was admitted to hospital for a brain scan and later feared he would lose his job after having to hold key meetings with global leading aerospace companies whilst nursing a black eye. The victim now believes the streets of home city will always 'pose a danger beyond many expectations'. In a statement Dr Henry - who works with Manchester Metropolitan University - said: 'Not being a small guy I naively felt I would be okay. 'I was talking to them for a few minutes before they started punching. The fear began to build in me as one punched me from the side. Thug: Alan Croydon was locked away for 12 months after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual body harm. Dr Dominic Henry said the sustained attack was 'terrifying' 'It felt surreal. Scary. I lay there while they kicked and stamped on my head. I couldn't believe it. The attack was brutal, violent, beyond the scope of my imagination. 'I could not comprehend how another human being could be so vicious and with such deadly intent without any just cause. As the kicks and stamps reigned down, thud thud thud, I wondered how long it would last. 'I could feel the pain on my hands, arms and head. I was scared. They really wanted to hurt and damage me. It was terrifying. 'Never did I think this would be part of our lives, having to go through tests including a CT scan felt intimidating. I was an innocent, hardworking man that didn't deserve what I got.' He added . that he had felt 'embarrassed' about his injuries and that the events of . the night had nearly taken away his successful career because his . black eye had 'not looked good professionally'. He . added: 'I just want to feel confident again but worry that the streets . of Manchester will always pose a danger beyond many expectations.' Dr . Henry spoke out as Croydon, 25, from Manchester, was locked away for 12 . months after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual body harm. A . warrant was issued with for Buckley, also 25, who has gone on the . run. The case comes as Inspector Ian Hanson, 47, of Greater Manchester . Police said he himself would not go out in Manchester after midnight . because it is 'too dangerous'. Manchester . Crown Court was told the unprovoked attack occurred last December after . Dr Henry had been out socialising with friends at the Malmaison Hotel . and a bar the city's trendy Northern Quarter district. The victim had work commitments the following morning and left early to hail a cab home but stopped when he came across Croydon, Buckley and a third man loitering on a street corner. They began talking to him and spoke briefly to them only for his heart to begin 'racing' when the thugs suddenly turned on him. Prosecuting, John Wilcox said: 'At first the conversation seemed to be pleasant enough. It clearly turned worse and then he was subject to the initial punch by Croydon. 'His co-accused then got involved. He was kicked to the ground at which stage he says things became blurry. He could feel the punches to his head and body.' Out of the blue: The men were seen chatting amiably before Alan Croydon launched his vicious assault . The senior metallurgist, who works as a senior technical project leader for a chemical firm, was left with a badly bruised and swollen face and 'dips' in his scalp . The judge said that Croydon was 'very, very lucky' that his attack didn't seriously injure the scientist - or worse . He added that Croydon initially struck five times to his head and body whilst Buckley hit him ten times. Mr Wilcox added: 'But to compound matters, both returned to the victim and attacked him.' The court heard that Croydon kicked the scientist a further three times before leaving the scene. Dr Henry had to use a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his lip before phoning his wife before making his way home and reporting it to the police the following day. He added that although he returned to work the next day, his wife's work suffered and had also had an impact on her team. The court heard Croydon had been drunk on brandy following an all-day drinking session. He was previously given a suspended sentence for a racially aggravated public order offence in 2011 and was subject to a community order in 2012 for possession of cannabis. This still from the CCTV footage shows the scientist being attacked as he attempts to stagger to his feet . Defence counsel Mr Steve Tettey said that his client had 'a reliance on alcohol' and added: 'There can be no dispute on the culpability. For Mr Henry the psychological scars will remain long after his black eye heals. 'There is no good explanation for the defendant's conduct, the truth is he was so intoxicated, he had consumed over eight brandies having drunk substantially during the day. He cannot recall the incident he was so intoxicated.' But the judge Mr Recorder Charles Garside QC told Croydon: 'You took part in what appears to have been a completely unprovoked attack on a stranger in Manchester city centre. 'It goes without saying this was in the hours of darkness, you struck the first blow and you and your confederate used shod feet and fists. 'This was a sustained and repeated assault. You take a leading role in the attack and you used shod feet as a weapon. 'The really aggravating factor is having kicked him to the ground, left him lying in the pavement and starting to move away, you and another went back and went kicking and stamping on him again. 'The thing that marks this assault out is the fact that you returned to a man who was dazed and unable to defend himself. 'You were very, very lucky that no greater harm was done.' After the case Det Con Paul Wilde from Greater Manchester Police said: 'These two men viciously attacked an innocent man as he walked home after a Christmas party. 'The CCTV clearly shows the ferocity of this attack and the man was very lucky to have walked away with minor injuries. 'Croydon and Buckley subjected the man to an unprovoked and violent attack and such disgraceful acts will not be tolerated.'
### SUMMARY:
| Dr Dominic Henry was punched to the ground, kicked and stamped on .
He said attack was 'violent beyond the scope of my imagination'
Alan Croydon, 25, jailed for a year after admitting assault .
One officer says he would no longer go into central Manchester late at night .
Inspector Ian Hanson said police cannot guarantee revellers' safety . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
West Brom travel to Bournemouth next... CLICK HERE for the rest of the Last 16 draw . Not quite gone in 60 seconds, but that is what this dramatic late turnaround felt like to those in attendance. Two goals for West Bromwich Albion in quick succession snatched this match away from Hull as the final whistle approached and showed the Capital One Cup is perhaps a competition worth fighting for. The plaudits go to Saido Berahino, who scored the winner two minutes from time and is fast becoming a crucial figure for boss Alan Irvine. The England Under 21 forward came off the bench to finish Silvestre Varela’s clever pass from a tight angle. Just one minute and 41 seconds earlier Gareth McAuley had rescued what looked a lost cause by connecting sweetly with a half-volley after Hull failed to clear a corner. Saido Berahino scores a late winner to send West Brom into the last 16 of the Capital One Cup with a 3-2 victory over Hull City . Brown Ideye (centre) beats Hull's David Meyler to the ball to open the scoring for the Baggies in the third round clash . Ideye was forced off after injuring himself while opening the scoring for the Baggies to be replaced by former Celtic striker Georgios Samaras . Tom Ince (L) is congratulated by Liam Rosenior after equalising in the first half with his first goal for the club . Robbie Brady (R) provided the assist for Ince's equaliser before giving Hull the lead after slotting home from Hatem Ben Arfa's through ball . Gareth McAuley celebrates after handing West Brom an 87th minute lifeline ahead of Berahino's winner just one minute later . West Brom (4-1-3-2): Myhill 6; Gamboa 6.5, McAuley 6.5, Olsson 6, Davidson 6.5; Yacob 6; O’Neil 7, Blanco 7.5, Mulumbu 7 (Varela, 75min, 6); Ideye 6.5 (Samaras 21, 6.5), Anichebe 5.5 (Berahino 60, 6.5). Subs not used: Foster, Wisdom, Dawson, Nabi. Booked: Gamboa. Scorers: Ideye 15', McAuley 87', Berahino 88' Hull (4-2-3-1): Harper 6; Rosenior 6, Chester 6, McShane 6, Figueroa 6; Bruce 6 (Livermore 65, 5.5), Meyler 6.5 (Maguire, 85); Ince 7, Ben Arfa 7, Brady 7 (Aluko, 88); Sagbo 6.5. Subs not used: Huddlestone, Hernandez, Jakupovic, Jelavic. Booked: Bruce. Scorers: Ince 41', Brady 50' Man of the match: Sebastian Blanco. Referee: Phil Dowd 7. Steve Bruce criticised his players for failing to hold on to a lead for the fourth time this season, after dropped points against Newcastle, West Ham and Stoke. ‘It’s a huge concern for me because it’s not like us,’ Bruce said. ‘There is a frustration and disappointment etched on every one of us. ‘We were so comfortable then we don’t defend a corner and all of a sudden they are level. The third one is a lack of concentration.’ For Irvine, things are looking up. This victory came four days after his first in charge of West Brom in the shock at Tottenham. ‘I thought we deserved it,’ he said. ‘We kept going and created chances. I’ve felt things were getting better in recent weeks with more players back to the level of fitness we need.’ The only aspect to concern Irvine was an ankle injury to Brown Ideye, sustained as the club-record £10million striker netted his first goal for the club. ‘Bittersweet,’ is how Irvine described the moment Ideye scored, following up Sebastian Blanco’s saved header from two yards, but he got a kick from David Meyler in the 15th minute. It had looked like Hatem Ben Arfa would steal the show with his assist for what seemed like Robbie Brady’s winner five minutes after the interval. Darting into space outside the box, Ben Arfa played a through ball with his left boot that split West Brom’s defenders so Brady could slot past Boaz Myhill. West Brom and Hull both made 11 changes from their last line-ups as Irvine and Bruce made their priorities clear. Ben Arfa, on his first Hull start, was handed a free role behind Yannick Sagbo, and there were recalls for Tom Ince, James Chester and Alex Bruce. Irvine handed a full debut to Blanco, the Argentine winger on loan from Metalist Kharkiv, and gave academy graduate Liam O’Neil, 21, his first start for the club. Victor Anichebe partnered fellow Nigerian Ideye up front. Ideye has not experienced the kind of introduction to English football for which Albion supporters might have hoped, but Irvine believes his goal here will boost confidence. Hull levelled out of the blue four minutes before half-time. Sagbo picked out Brady on the left and his low cross travelled far into the West Brom box before Ince arrived to ram a finish past Myhill. It was the midfielder’s first goal for Hull since his summer move but his night turned sour in a dramatic finish. PS. Along with Crystal Palace, Hull, and Tottenham, West Brom made 11 changes to their last starting XI that beat Tottenham 1-0 in the Premier League. Hull City manager Steve Bruce (L) speaks with his West Brom counterpart Alan Irvine ahead of the game . Ideye put the home side in front after 15 minutes when he pounced on a parried shot from Sebastian Blanco's header . Ideye wheels off in celebration after giving West Brom the lead at the Hawthorns but his celebrations proved to be short lived . The Baggies striker appears to pull up midway through his goal celebration after taking a knock while scoring . West Brom's Sebastian Blanco (R) battles with the ball from Maynor Figueroa of Hull City during an evenly balanced first half . Hull City's on loan playmaker Ben Arfa made his long awaited debut for the Tigers and provided a superb pass for Brady's goal . West Brom midfielder Youssuf Mulumbu (L) gets up close and personal with Hull City's Paul McShane . Brady (L) celebrates with Ince (C) and Meyler after putting the Tigers into the lead after 50 minutes . McAuley helps West Brom snatch victory from the jaws of defeat after equalising with a driven volley after Hull failed to clear from a corner . West Brom players crowd match winner Berahino after his 88th minute strike sealed an unlikely comeback .
### SUMMARY:
| West Brom defeated 3-2 in their third round Capital One Cup clash at the Hawthorns .
Brown Ideye opened the scoring for the Baggies but was forced off with an injury for his troubles .
Tom Ince equalised for the Tigers with his first goal for the club following his summer move .
Hatem Ben Arfa, making his debut for the club, provided a superb pass for Robbie Brady to put Hull in the lead .
Gareth McAuley and Saido Berahino turned the game around in the final minutes to send Baggies through . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Struggle: Shawn Russ has opened up about life after he divorced his parents when he was 12 . It was an unprecedented court battle that saw 12-year-old Gregory Kingsley successfully divorce his parents and start a new life with a large, loving family under the name Shawn Russ. But 20 years after the case ended years of neglect at the hands of his biological parents, Russ has revealed that his struggles were far from over. In his first interview in more than 17 years, he has described how he slipped into an adolescence of drug abuse, arrests and depression as he attempted to come to terms with his fame and settle into normal family life. And, as he neared his thirties, demons still remained as he battled with the regret of never reconciling with his mother, Rachel, before her death in 2006. 'Winning the trial and being given a . family that loves me wasn't the answer to everything,' he told People magazine. 'I've been on this . quest just to be ordinary.' Russ, . who is now 32 and living in Webster, Massachusetts where he works in a . glass door factory, hit headlines as 'Gregory K' when he sought a . termination of parental rights in 1992. After . his biological parents divorced, he had been raised by his alcoholic . father and spent a life on the road, travelling through Colorado and . Florida and being handed from home to home. He . hardly had any relationship with his mother, who had given birth to him . at 18, and would sneak collect calls to her whenever he could. New life: Russ is pictured as a boy on September 25, 1992 after a judge granted him a divorce from his mother, who had abandoned him, and his father, an abusive alcoholic . When Russ was eight, his father . assaulted his girlfriend and he went to live with her and his two . younger brothers, Zachary and Jeremiah. The . arrangement lasted just months as, unable to cope, Rachel put him in . foster care - a move which deeply affected the young boy into his . adulthood. 'It took 28 years to come to terms with feeling abandoned by my mother,' he said. He . was sent to a boy's ranch, where he met attorney and child . welfare advocate, George Russ. Russ, who was also raised by an alcoholic father, already had eight children, but . 'something about Shawn rang a bell', he said. Pain: His mother, Rachel Kingsley, right, is comforted by her sister after the judge makes his ruling . Regret: Russ said he regrets never again speaking with Kingsley, pictured with her attorney at the hearing . In 1992, Shawn Russ, then known as Gregory Kingsley, became the first child to legally sever ties with parents. The televised case grabbed the nation's attention and set a precedent for fellow children after Russ said he hoped it would 'encourage other young people to take action to gain their happiness'. He even helped in the case of Kimberly Mays, a 17-year-old girl who was switched at birth in a Florida hospital in 1978. In 1993, the judge granted she could cut off all contact with her biological parents, who were trying to get full custody, as she wanted to stay with the man who had raised her as his daughter. In another high-profile case, Home Alone actor Macaulay Culkin 'divorced' his parents in 1997, when he was 16. Two years prior, his parents separated and fought over their children's earnings. Through his case Culkin gained control of his own wealth. In 1994, at age 14, actress Juliette Lewis also severed ties with her parents - but it was to side-step child labour laws and allow her to maintain a busy work schedule, rather than out of a bad relationship with her parents. The Russes invited the boy to their home and, on the second visit, he asked them to adopt him. He moved in with the family but struggled with their routine. The Russes remember him suffering from crippling self esteem when he was unable to do things the other children could, such as ride a bike. But as he began to settle in, taking saxophone and tennis lessons and camping with the Boy Scouts, his biological mother said she wanted him back and a legal battle was launched. It meant that, at age 11, Russ was flung into the spotlight, appearing on shows including Oprah as he explained that he wanted to sever ties with the woman who had abandoned him. 'It was crazy,' he recounted. 'I was this unwanted kid. I really didn't know much, and here I was on TV.' After a two-day hearing in Orlando, after Russ had turned 12, a . circuit court judge granted the boy's wish. His father had never . contested the case, but Rachel filed an unsuccessful notice of appeal. He returned . to the Russes home in Leesburg, Florida, with five new brothers, three . new sisters and his new adoptive parents, George and Lizabeth Russ. But . it wasn't easy to adjust. 'The fame came from a bad past,' he said. 'It wasn't an accomplishment of mine.' Feeling misunderstood, he fell in with a bad crowd in his teenage years and began dabbling in drugs to numb his depression, which led to two marijuana-related arrests, People reported. Battle: George and Lizabeth Russ speak out after winning custody of the youngster. George, an attorney, had met Shawn after his mother put him up for adoption and he was sent to a boys' ranch . Precedent: Russ carries legal papers into a courthouse to help Kimberly Mays divorce her parents in 1993 . He . dropped out of community college and moved out of the state to distance . himself from a place that reminded him of his old identity. But . throughout his struggles, his new family was there. 'They never turned their back on me,' he said. 'It developed my understanding of what a family is.' After moving from Florida, he . said he was careful whom he shared details of his past life with. But he . soon realised he was no different, as 'everybody has some type of pain . they've been through'. And after his biological mother's death . in 2006, he realised that part of his healing was overcoming the . regret he felt at never speaking to her following the court case. 'She . loved me,' Russ, who also has no contact with his biological brothers, . said. 'My mother was human and she made mistakes.' New family: Russ is pictured back left with his parents, George and Lizabeth, and some of his eight siblings. He said the way they always stood by him 'developed my understand of what a family is' As he has battled to put the pain of his childhood behind him, he and his siblings now agree he is the happiest he has ever been. He no longer suffers from depression and hopes to find a partner, marry and have children, fulfilling his ultimate dream to become a father, he told People. And he can now recognise the legal feat he made as an 12-year-old boy, and that he should be proud of what he achieved. 'My life hasn't been a fairy tale,' he said. But I'm happy. That's what matters.'
### SUMMARY:
| Shawn Russ hit headlines as a boy in 1992 as he divorced his mother, who had neglected him, and his abusive alcoholic father .
Was brought up in Florida with adoptive parents and eight siblings but struggled with depression, drug use and arrests .
Has now overcome his demons and forgives his mother, who died in 2006, and says he is the happiest he has been in his life . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
President Obama has arrived in Japan at the start of his latest Asia trip and was greeted by a familiar face: American Ambassador Caroline Kennedy. Mrs Kennedy stood alongside her husband Edwin Schlossberg, who still lives in New York in spite of his wife's diplomatic posting in Tokyo but he flew over for the presidential visit. Rather than going straight for a formal welcome reception at a government building, the group headed to an iconic landmark of another sort. Obama and his dining partner, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, didn't to have trouble scoring seats at Sukiyabashi Jiro. Scroll down for videos . Heading out: President Obama arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday night as part of an Asia tour . Making his way: President Obama will first stop in Japan before going to South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines . Familiar faces: American Ambassador Caroline Kennedy was at the airport to greet the President when he arrived . Diplomatic mission: Kennedy was appointed as the American Ambassador earlier this year, which was her first official role in public office in spite of her family's long history in politics . Spousal support: Kennedy's husband Edwin Schlossberg (left) did not move to Japan with his wife, opting to stay in New York and run his business, but he makes frequent trips to the Japanese capitol and the President's visit prompted one . The 10-seat restaurant is run by 89-year-old Jiro Ono, who was featured in the 2011 documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Obama and Abe greeted each other outside the underground restaurant before heading in for the private dinner that typically costs about $300. 'That's some good sushi right there,' President Obama said on his way out. They were accompanied by Kennedy, Schlossberg and White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice. The restaurant earned one of the rare three Michelin star ratings in the world and owner Jiro Ono is widely considered to be the best sushi chef worldwide. The stop in Japan is meant to help strengthen ties between Obama and Abe. An unidentified senior Japanese government official said that they 'have good discussions all the time, whenever they see each other.' 'But the more frequently they see each other, the better.' Making upscale casual: Neither President Obama nor Japanese Prime Minister Shrizo Abe wore ties as they headed into dinner at Sukiyabashi Jiro, the famed restaurant with three Michelin stars . Hefty meal: Mrs Kennedy joined the men for dinner at the 10-seat restaurant where an 89-year-old sushi chef comes up with custom menus and highly-detailed dishes . No time to shop: The President waved to fans and journalists as he headed into the restaurant, located in Tokyo's wealthier shopping district . Into it: President Obama seemed thrilled to be at one of the 10 seats in the famed restaurant . 'That's some good sushi right there,' Obama said after the dinner . President Obama confirmed Wednesday that America's mutual security treaty with Japan applies to the islands at the center of a territorial dispute between China and Japan. 'The policy of the United States is clear,' he said in a written response to questions published in Japan's Yomiuri newspaper before his arrival in Tokyo at the start of a four-country Asia tour. Legend: Jiro Ono, 89, is widely regarded as the world's best sushi chef . 'The Senkaku islands are administered by Japan' and therefore fall under the U.S.-Japan treaty, he wrote. 'And we oppose any unilateral attempts to undermine Japan's administration of these islands.' His statement seems aimed at reassuring Japan that the U.S. would come to its defense if China were to seize the islands, known as Diayou in China. Russia's annexation of Crimea has sparked concern about America's political will to protect Asian allies, notably in Japan and the Philippines. A Chinese government spokesman . responded that China has 'indisputable sovereignty' over the islands, . and said 'the so-called Japan-U.S. alliance' should not harm China's . territorial rights. 'We . firmly oppose applying the Japan-U.S. security treaty in the issue of . the Diaoyu islands,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a . regular briefing. 'The U.S. should respect facts, take a responsible attitude, remain committed to . not taking sides on territory and sovereignty issues, speak and act . cautiously, and earnestly play a constructive role in regional peace and . stability.' Obama told the . Yomiuri the United States is deepening its ties with China, but 'our . engagement with China does not and will not come at the expense of Japan . or any other ally.' He said . the U.S. will continue to take steps to reduce the impact of its . military presence in Okinawa, but added, 'it's important to remember . that the U.S. Marine Corps presence on Okinawa is absolutely critical to . our mutual security. It plays a key role in the defense of Japan.' Pre-emptive protests: Demonstrators gathered outside of the American embassy in Manila ahead of President Obama's one-night visit next week to protest the increased U.S. military presence in the country . Riot police: Police armed with truncheons, shields and a fire hose clashed Wednesday with more than 100 left-wing activists . The President can expect to get a slightly colder reception as his Asia trip continues, as protests have already broken out in Manila ahead of his Monday arrival. Police armed with truncheons, shields . and a fire hose clashed Wednesday with more than 100 left-wing activists . who rallied at the U.S. Embassy in Manila to oppose a visit by . President Barack Obama and an expected security pact that would increase . the American military presence in the Philippines. Riot . policemen blocked the flag-waving activists near the heavily fortified . embassy compound but the protesters slipped past them, sparking a brief . scuffle in view of motorists stuck in traffic. Some of the protesters carried paper U.S. flags with the message: 'Obama, not welcome.' The . police sprayed the protesters with water from a fire truck to push them . away. A police officer was punched in the face in the melee but no . arrests were made. The proposed accord would allow more U.S. troops, aircraft and ships to be temporarily stationed in selected Philippine military camps as a counterweight to China and as a standby disaster-response force . Wavering support: The United States and the Philippines, which are treaty allies, have been scrambling to overcome differences to finalize a new security accord in time for Obama's visit . The United States and the Philippines, which are treaty allies, have been scrambling to overcome differences to finalize a new security accord in time for Obama's visit. The accord would allow more U.S. troops, aircraft and ships to be temporarily stationed in selected Philippine military camps as a counterweight to China and as a standby disaster-response force. About 500 American soldiers have been based in the southern Philippines since 2002 to provide anti-terrorism training and intelligence to Filipino troops battling al Qaeda-linked militants. Obama's overnight stay in Manila comes after his visits to Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia.
### SUMMARY:
| President Obama has arrived in Japan as the first stop on his Asia trip .
Was greeted by the famed American ambassador and her husband before heading to a three-star restaurant for dinner with the Prime Minister .
Sukiyabashi Jiro was featured in the documentary 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi'
Obama will head from Japan to South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
There was no better place than the Gabba for Steven Finn to show he really can overcome the problems that threatened to nip his England career in the bud. It was here in Brisbane last year that Finn was sent home from an Ashes tour where he failed to make a single international appearance and was branded ‘unselectable’ by England after his action had virtually fallen apart. The road back has been long and tough for a man who was once among the most promising and potent fast bowlers in the world — but this was the day when he took giant strides towards re-igniting his career. England's Steven Finn acknowledges the Gabba crowd after taking five wickets for 33 runs against India . Finn celebrates with Ian Bell and Stuart Broad after taking the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane . Bell marks his half-century as England successfully chased down the 154 needed to beat India . England's Bell sent Stuart Binny sprawling as England began their run chase of 154 to win . England's James Taylor plays a shot during his team's run chase in the latest tri-Series match . Bell touches the flag of St George as he walks out at the start of England's innings . Ian Bell guides a shot beyond wicketkeeper MS Dhoni as England chased down India's total . Finn was outstanding as England brushed India aside with a nine-wicket victory on Tuesday. They took a significant step towards the tri-series final and, crucially, showed ahead of the World Cup that they can compete against one of the one-day powerhouses. This does not suddenly make England World Cup contenders but a thumping win over the defending champions, so emphatic it gained them a bonus point, was a welcome step forward for a team still with much to prove. At the centre of it was Finn, who took his first five-wicket haul in one-day internationals, including the key scalps of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. And to think he was so ineffective against Australia in Sydney and might well have missed out had illness not stopped Chris Jordan from playing. Only two days ago Finn looked a disconsolate figure as he bowled in an empty net at practice, occasionally stopping for some pep talks with guest motivator Andrew Flintoff, while the other bowlers went through their paces. Jordan’s misfortune was Finn’s gain but it would be wrong to suggest he is back to his very best. His old habit of smashing his right knee into the stumps in his delivery stride briefly resurfaced. Only two years ago in New Zealand he was being talked of as the first England bowler to break the 100mph mark, but here his bowling was almost 20mph below that. Jimmy Anderson celebrates after bowling India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar for five runs . India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni edges a Finn delivery to Jos Buttler (left) after making 34 runs . The crowd watches with baited breath as Moeen Ali takes the catch from Mohammed Shami for one run . Stephen Finn's figures of 5-33 are the second-best by an England bowler in an ODI in Australia. The best - Chris Woakes' 6-45 in 2011 - also came at the Gabba. Yet he was accurate and hit the right lengths to prove almost unplayable for an Indian line-up who looked as though Australian conditions were completely alien to them — rather than a side who played a Test at the Gabba only last month. Finn said: ‘There have been a few bad memories knocking around at places we have been to since we came back here but hopefully this will help to re-align me. I’m enjoying being in Australia this time. ‘A lot’s happened in the last 12 months. It’s pretty much a year to the day since I went home from Australia. But that corner’s been turned and all that stuff’s in the past. I want to look forward and I think I’m getting there. I might have another couple of miles per hour in the tank but that should come with confidence. I hope to get into my stride as the tour goes on.’ Anderson reaches but can't take a catch off MS Dhoni as India gained a reprieve . Finn celebrates with his team-mates after taking the wicket of Axar Patel (right) Patel was bowled first ball by Finn as England finished off the Indian order for 153 runs . Broad was unable to claim a wicket despite plenty of hard toil during his seven overs . He paid tribute to Flintoff, who clearly relished being involved again and could be seen with his two boys milling around the outfield seeking autographs after the game. ‘I have never really spoken to Freddie about cricket before and it was great to have him at the nets,’ said Finn. ‘To tap into his knowledge and get the perspective of someone outside the bubble was refreshing.’ Jimmy Anderson, back for his first international appearance since last summer, set the tone and emphasised how important he will be to England’s World Cup hopes with a probing spell of new-ball swing bowling. India's Shikhar Dhawan walks after being caught by Buttler off the bowling of Anderson for one . Finn successfully appeals for the wicket of Ambati Rayudu, who had made 23 runs . Finn (second left) celebrates the wicket of Rahane, caught by Taylor (second right) Suresh Raina is stumped by Buttler off the bowling of Ali for just one run . Then Finn took over, taking three of the four Indian wickets to fall in 24 balls and adding two more in successive deliveries as England looked a potent force, possibly for the first time in the 50-over game since they lost the Champions Trophy final to India almost two years ago. Finn finished with five for 33 and would have had a sixth wicket had Kumar Dharmasena detected a gloved catch from Stuart Binny while Anderson, easing his way back from a knee injury, was superb in taking four for 18. England were superior in every department, Eoin Morgan’s excellent day in the field ending with an outstanding outfield catch that was then surpassed by an even better one from Moeen Ali. Once India had tumbled out for 153, England romped home with a stonking 135 balls and nine wickets in hand. (L-R) Stuart Broad, James Taylor, Ian Bell, Joe Root and Steven Finn celebrate the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane . India opener Ajinkya Rahane bats during tri-Series one day international in Brisbane . Virat Kohli signs autographs for delighted fans at the Gabba in Brisbane during the one-day international . Ian Bell may have been out first ball in Sydney but here he was more like the man who scored 187 against a Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra last week. He benefited from a pop-gun attack to reach 88 in an unbeaten partnership of 131 with James Taylor. India, it must be said, were awful, with Dhoni having one of his baffling days as captain, relying far too heavily on the innocuous medium-pace of Binny rather than throwing his fastest bowler Umesh Yadav at England. India need to win their last two games to have any chance of reaching the final, while England travel to Hobart in good heart to play on Friday against an Australian side missing Mitchell Johnson, David Warner and George Bailey. It is early days, but England can take considerable encouragement from this.
### SUMMARY:
| England beat India by nine wickets in latest World Cup warm-up .
Steven Finn was outstanding, taking career best 5-33 in comfortable win .
India were bowled out for 153, with James Anderson taking four wickets .
Ian Bell then hit 88* and James Taylor 56* as England cruised home .
Victory and bonus point takes them closer to tri-series triumph .
England now face Australia in Hobart on Friday . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Pleasure in France is vice in England. The other week I made a documentary for French TV about Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, for a series entitled Les Couples Mythiques du Cinéma. We are also covering Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Had it been England, these programmes would have concerned adultery and immorality. This being a Continental audience, the subject was a great love affair, a grand passion. Dirty Bertie: Edward VII went to France to indulge his 'pleasure-hungry nature' Here, moral prejudices are aired, tongues wag and, as Stephen Clarke points out in this fine historical romp, in 19th-century dictionaries, ‘French’ was a synonym for ‘devil’ and ‘cad’. Sarah Bernhardt, for example, was a famous actress in France — in London she was branded ‘a woman of notorious, shameless character’. Queen Victoria set the tone. She loathed the ‘luxuriousness, extravagance and frivolity’ of the French, so it is no wonder that Edward, Prince of Wales, was tempted by life on the other side of the Channel. The regulations of his mother’s court, where the sole amusement was shooting at Balmoral and listening to bagpipes, bordered on lunacy. If you fancied a cigar, you had to surreptitiously lie in the fireplace and blow the smoke up the chimney. And any idea of sex before (or outside of) marriage was an abomination. As Victoria put it, ‘the sacred mysteries of creation’ could only be countenanced if they remained ‘shrouded in holy awe’. Edward fled to Paris for ‘boisterous fun’ at the earliest opportunity. Dressed in Highland costume — including a sporran, described in the French press as a ‘hairy bag’ — he attended trade exhibitions by day, examining telegraph machines, saxophones, electric clocks and modern gadgets that ‘sliced, crushed, harvested, heated, cooled or transported any industrial or agricultural products you could think of’. By night he enjoyed assignations with ladies of ‘natural poise and delicate beauty’ in the tree-lined alleys of the Bois de Boulogne or in hotel suites — legs-in-the-air parties in ‘sumptuous private rooms with plush red sofas and walls swathed in velvet’. Where London life was puritanical and hypocritical, in Paris ‘there were flowers and plants everywhere, in vases along the walls and hanging from the ceilings like coloured chandeliers’. Edward was to decorate his own homes, Marlborough House and Sandringham, in French style, with Gobelins tapestries and ‘plenty of gilding on the woodwork’. Paris appealed ‘to Bertie’s pleasure-hungry nature’, but Victoria was predictably outraged . Paris appealed ‘to Bertie’s pleasure-hungry nature’, but Victoria was predictably outraged. In France, after all, men lolled on sofas with their hands in their pockets. Her solution was to get the Prince married off — to Alexandra, daughter of the King of Denmark, who is described ungallantly. ‘Her nose was too long and her forehead too low.’ The poor woman also had ‘the smallest head ever seen’ and to cap it all was stone deaf. In addition to these defects, she was obliged to turn a blind eye to her new husband’s myriad infidelities. Fortunately, Alexandra ‘seemed to have what it took to survive the humiliation’ — and her stoicism was even needed during the wedding, which was gloomier than a funeral. Exiled: Lillie Langtry - one of Edward's mistresses - was sent to a 'love nest' in Bournemouth . Victoria decreed that marriage was ‘a solemn holy act not to be classed with amusements’. In the official portraits, Edward wears a cloak, ‘the bulbously tasselled cord’ of which ‘hangs down over his crotch like an historic fertility symbol’. Though no oil painting — he was ‘very bald and chubby-faced’— Edward carried on womanising until obesity and bronchitis took their toll. We are told that the better to enjoy his ‘constant one-night stands and quickies,’ he invented an ingenious love-seat, a sort of saddle or bob-sleigh, with gynaecological stirrups attached. Less saucily — and ever fashion-conscious — he also introduced turn-ups on trousers to polite society, designed the first tuxedo and undid his lowest waistcoat button to accommodate a tummy that had swollen after many a 12-course dinner. To this day, a way of spotting a gentleman is to see if he has left his lowest waistcoat button undone, in homage to Edward VII. Turn-ups remain commonplace. My bet is that the love-seat has been inherited by his great-great-great-great-grandson Prince Harry. In France, Edward liked watching girls swirling on a carousel, with their ‘flying skirts and exposed calves’. Not only that, but because prostitution was legal in the Republique, the tarts were ‘under medical surveillance,’ and regularly checked for venereal diseases. Edward explored the bordellos of Montmartre and, having seen ‘the shadier world of street singers’, was inspired to chair a Royal Commission on the housing of the working class. LILLIE LANGTRY: MANNERS, MASKS AND MORALS by Laura Beatty (Vintage, ebook £5.99) A racy biography of Lillie Langtry, who rose form provincial origins to become Edward VII's mistress. Includes her letters to Arthur Jones, her childhood friend and secret lover. ‘Parisian poverty made him acutely conscious of the similar conditions that existed back home.’ Environmental health aside, however, back home carefree sex was compromised by rubber condoms ‘as thick as kitchen gloves’. Edward seemed to do without precautions and didn’t quite get away with each and every dalliance in England. When he gave his lover Harriet, Lady Mordaunt a pair of white carriage ponies as a token of his esteem, Sir Henry Mordaunt had the groom bring them to him and shot them dead on the front lawn. Living for the good times: Bertie died in 1910, his health ravaged by high living . Another mistress, Susan Vane-Tempest, was packed off to Ramsgate. Lillie Langtry was exiled to ‘a love nest in Bournemouth’ — which wasn’t exactly Biarritz. As he got older, Edward ventured forth to France for its health resorts rather than the brothels and salons. Biarritz was a favourite spot, as was the Cote d’Azur. ‘His less discreet mistresses complained that he stank of stale tobacco.’ He died in 1910, his health ravaged by high living. Alexandra sportingly allowed ‘big-busted’ Alice Keppel, one of his many beloveds (and Camilla Parker Bowles’s great-grandmother), to be present at the deathbed. Stephen Clarke maintains that Kaiser Wilhelm, Edward’s nephew, was so incensed at having to enter Westminster Hall by a side-door for the lying-in-state that four years later the World War broke out.
### SUMMARY:
| Edward VII, son of Queen Victoria, went to France for some 'boisterous fun'
In 19th-century dictionaries, ‘French’ was a synonym for ‘devil’ and ‘cad’
Edward made sure to satisfy his appetite for pleasure in Paris .
When he returned to England and married he was constantly unfaithful . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
In the hometown of The Greatest, it seemed only appropriate to talk about 12 rounds. Twelve rounds of golf that have changed the sport’s landscape entirely and will go down in the annals as creating a new standard for the European game. Spread over three tournaments, what began in bright sunlight on the ancient links at Hoylake at The Open in July ended on Sunday in darkness on the modern stadium course at Valhalla in Louisville. Rory McIlroy went into those trio of events with doubts about his ability to play the most venerable form of the game; with freaky Fridays swirling his conscience. VIDEO Scroll down to watch The Open Championship highlights . Man of the moment: Rory McIlroy parades the Wanamaker Trophy and Claret Jug on his Instagram account . Job done: Rory McIlroy celebrates his dramatic victory in the darkness in Valhalla on Sunday evening . VIDEO The Open Championship highlights . He ends them the complete player, having shown a mastery of every shot and emotion. The only players he will ever be compared to again are Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. While he will surely never reach the majors total of the former, or assume quite the level of dominance of the latter, he might actually have more strings to his bow than either. For even the two guardians of the record books had weaknesses. Nicklaus was never a great chipper or bunker player while Woods never won a major coming from behind on the final day. But where is Rory’s weakness, after these 12 rounds? At Hoylake he showed his ability to learn an alien form, for links play was never his forte; at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, a prowess to dominate an event from start to finish. And then at Valhalla came the gossamer touch and all the guts and heart a golfer can display. Pure theatre: The US PGA Championship ended in virtual darkness following the earlier rain delay . McIlroy went into the stretch as a two-time major champion and ends it having doubled his haul and claimed his first WGC title. He has now pulled alongside the likes of Raymond Floyd and Ernie Els on the all-time majors list with seemingly all his best years to come. He played those 12 rounds in a cumulative total of 48 under, never once going over par and only once — in the final round of The Open, where he shot 71 — did he fail to break 70. It is worth printing in mind-boggling sequence, for we may never see the like again, given the stature of the tournaments they were delivered in: 66, 66, 68, 71, 69, 64, 66, 66, 66, 67, 67, 68. The weekend we have just witnessed is right up there with any major you care to mention. It boiled down to four ball strikers performing close to the peak of their powers. We had a five-time major champion in Phil Mickelson; Henrik Stenson rewinding the clock a year and Rickie Fowler hoping to show that while the future might be Rory green, it will have a fairly prominent hue of orange. Eyes on the prize: McIlroy will now only ever be compared to Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods after his latest win . When the back nine began, McIlroy trailed Fowler and Stenson by three strokes and Mickelson by two. He was out of sorts and looking fatigued after his wondrous stretch of form. Hope was fading as fast as the light. They say the hardest thing is leading a tournament from start to finish but being able to shift momentum over the back nine on Sunday might come close. After a good drive on the par five 10th, McIlroy still had 284 yards to reach the green. If truth be told, on these saturated fairways, if he had flushed it he wouldn’t have reached. But he caught it a fraction thin, causing it to roll on impact, and when the ball stopped it was just seven feet from the flag. Talk about a shot that changed everything. After the resultant eagle he could have birdied the next two holes, then did seize an opportunity at the 13th. At the 15th he holed from 20ft to put enormous pressure on the other three. Come here, you: Rory celebrates with his father Gerry McIlroy after winning the US PGA Championship . Superior technique and belief told on the final holes. The 16th is a monstrous par four and it showed, as the two Americans flailed wildly. Mickelson ran up his first bogey in 22 holes. Fowler, who had bogeyed the 14th, was fortunate not to pay a similar price. McIlroy? He drilled his tee shot so far it finished 17 yards further than anyone else managed on that hole. Mickelson went for the green with a wood; McIlroy had a nine iron. He had another at the 17th from a fairway bunker and played it so beautifully it set up another birdie. Two strokes ahead with just the par five 18th to negotiate. They drove off and then allowed McIlroy and his playing partner Bernd Wiesberger to play their teeshots. Here, McIlroy got his second piece of luck. Without the deluge that had caused a suspension and provoked the desperate race against time to finish, his ball would have plunged into a creek; instead it stayed on the bank. Elation: McIlroy ranks as the third most successful European golfer in majors. Only Seve Ballesteros (five) and Sir Nick Faldo (six) have won more . The two Yankee gentlemen allowed McIlroy to play his second shot as well, which finished in a greenside bunker. Mickelson now had to hole an eagle pitch and came mighty close. Fowler, unable to see clearly, cruelly lipped out from short range for a birdie. He is just the third man alongside Woods and Nicklaus (those two again) to finish in the top five in all four majors in the same season — but the only one not to win one. McIlroy came out of the sand and had two putts from 25ft to win. Normally, it would have been routine, although not when you can barely see a hand in front of you. But he pulled it off and let out a roar of elation. At the prize presentation, Ted Bishop, the PGA of America president, dropped the lid of the massive Wanamaker Trophy — but trust Rory to stoop with all the reflexes of a slip fielder and catch it. So ended the 12 rounds of greatness. Next year the majors are at his two favourite courses — Augusta and St Andrews — while the PGA is at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, where he was third in 2010. Do you think there might be a bit of interest as he heads to the Masters in April, halfway to the Rory Slam and seeking to become only the sixth player to win all four majors? Do feel free to join the ride if you’re not a golfer. All that is needed is an appreciation for someone doing something extraordinarily well. We’re in Roger Federer territory here, or Lionel Messi. And the most glorious thing of all? He has only just begun. Good save: McIlroy dives in to catch the lid of the Wanamaker Trophy after Ted Bishop let it slip .
### SUMMARY:
| McIlroy will now only be compared to Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods .
He has pulled alongside the likes of Raymond Floyd and Ernie Els on the all-time majors list following his triumph at the US PGA Championship .
McIlroy ranks as the third most successful European golfer in majors. Only Seve Ballesteros (five) and Sir Nick Faldo (six) have won more . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Animal victims of the wildfires that has ravaged the coastal city of Valparaiso in central Chile which has killed at least 15 people and left 11,000 homeless, are being treated for their injuries at a local vet clinic. Some of the animals are strays, but many were accompanied by their distraught owners who had returned to their neighbourhoods after the still-raging fires destroyed more than 2,500 homes in the city. Volunteer veterinarians are now trying to treat as many animals as possible, as the population of Valparaiso's slums return to their streets after days of fires, only to discover their houses in ruins. Victim: A cat gets treated for burns by volunteer veterinarians, who managed to rescue animals from the uncontrolled wildfire still affecting the poorer urban areas of the city of Valparaiso, Chile . Pain of the innocent: A man sits next to his injured dog as it is treated by a volunteer vet following the blaze which has killed at least 15 people in Valparaiso . Casualty: A veterinary nurse tends to young dogs that suffered burns in the fire that has seen 11,000 people evacuated, at a temporary animal hospital in the Chilean city . The . fires, so hot they created their own fierce winds, consumed a entire neighborhoods on the Valparisian hills. In other districts, some houses stood unscathed . but remained in danger from glowing embers carried by the shifting . winds. 'We are looking at . the largest air operation ever assembled against a fire like this,' Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said. She said the blazes had grown to 'dimensions never before seen.' Chile's . forestry agency predicted it would take three weeks to completely stamp . out the fires, which began Saturday in a forested ravine and quickly . spread into ramshackle housing on one of Valparaiso's 42 hills. Hot . dry winds blowing out to sea whipped embers onto other neighborhoods on . six densely populated hills where people live in poorly constructed . homes without municipal water or sewer connections, fire hydrants or . streets wide enough for emergency vehicles. Volunteers, like these women, are caring for the injured pets and street animals which have been found in areas ravaged by the forest fire over the weekend . Human loss: A resident, whose house was damaged by the fire, talks on a phone in a shelter for victims of the blaze in Valparaiso . Witnessing destruction: Two residents of the hillside neighbourhoods of Valparaiso whose home was destroyed by the devastating blaze feed a pig amid the destruction in their street . Returning home: Volunteers help in clearance work at a hill in Valparaiso, following the fire, which began on 12 April on a forestry road, near Valparaiso's La Polvora road, but quickly expanded to several populated neighboring hills . On Monday, there was no end in sight. Helicopters were flying without pause, dumping water on hotspots. Aid . was flowing in from all over Chile to Valparaiso, where evacuees . crowded into eight shelters. Hundreds of young volunteers climbed hills . carrying bottles of water and shovels to help victims search the ruins . of their homes. 'We're . going to rebuild right here. Where else would we go?' said Carolina . Ovando, 22, who lost the humble home she kept with three small children. Schools were closed, some of them damaged by fires and others jammed with evacuees. Navy . officer Julio Leiva said Monday that the death toll rose to 15. Most of . the bodies were too badly burned to identify without DNA tests, the . national forensics service said. More than 500 people were treated at . hospitals, mostly for smoke inhalation. Bachelet . coordinated the emergency response with her Cabinet, cancelling a trip . to Argentina and Uruguay. She asked Chile's neighbors for backup in case . of other fires, freeing Chilean planes and helicopters to join the . fleet in Valparaiso. Argentine . Foreign Minister Hector Timerman promised to collaborate with rescue . teams and water-dumping planes. From the Vatican, Pope Francis sent a . message sharing his prayers. Infernos: The forest fire engulfs houses in flames on the hills of Valparaiso, Chile on Monday morning . What has been left behind: View of Valparaiso on Monday morning after sunrise as an army of firefighters continued to battle the flames in the city . Flattened lands: An aerial view of the aftermath of a fire at Mariposas hill, Valparaiso, show the destruction left behind . Destroyed houses are seen after a fire burned several neighbourhoods in the hills in Valparaiso city, northwest of Santiago . Residents survey damage after a fire raged in the hills in Valparaiso city, northwest of Santiago. At least 15 people were killed and 2,000 houses destroyed over the weekend by a fire that devastated parts of the Chilean port city of Valparaiso . Aerial view of the aftermath of a fire at Mariposas hill, Valparaiso, Chile. Fires they thought were contained 24 hours after they started on Saturday kicked up again with Sunday afternoon's winds . Emergency responders struggled today with outbreaks from a deadly blaze that tore through parts of an historic Chilean port city . Destroyed: A man reacts as he sees that his house was devastated by a huge fire in Valparaiso, Chile . Bachelet . put the entire city under military rule, and 5,000 firefighters, . police, forest rangers, soldiers, sailors and civil defense workers . joined the response. Cars were banned from streets leading up eight of . the Valparaiso's hills so emergency vehicles could get through. Valparaiso is an oceanside city of 250,000 people surrounded by hills that form a natural amphitheater. The . compact downtown includes Chile's congress and its second-largest port, . and the city owes its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site to the . colorful homes built on slopes so steep that many people commute using . stairs and cable cars. But . what's beautiful on postcards can be dangerous for those who live . there: Many people have built on land not fit for housing and the poor . neighborhoods have no municipal water or sewer connections, fire . hydrants or streets wide enough for emergency vehicles. 'We . are too vulnerable as a city. We have been the builders and architects . of our own danger,'Valparaiso Mayor Jorge Castro said Sunday in an . interview with Chile's 24H channel. Picturesque: Valparaiso is a picturesque oceanside city of 250,000 people surrounded by hills that form a natural amphitheater . Dense housing: With no municipal water or fire hydrants to use, routes to the blazes blocked by narrow streets jammed with abandoned vehicles and countless embers being stoked, fire crews could do little but watch some neighborhoods burn .
### SUMMARY:
| Volunteer veterinarians care for pets and street animals injured in the terrible forest fires in central Chile .
More than 2,500 homes are destroyed, 11,000 people evacuated and at least 15 people have been found dead .
The fires erupted on Saturday in a hilltop residential area of Valparaiso, 70 miles northwest of capital Santiago .
20 helicopters and planes have been mobilized to drop water on hotspots, but officials say work is far from over .
Schools were closed today in the city, since some were damaged and others were overflowing with evacuees . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Just when you thought Kim Kardashian's infamous butt-baring magazine cover had been parodied to death here comes the New York Metropolitan Museum with an slightly different take on things. On Thursday the Met tweeted its own pic of an ample-bottomed sculpture that bears a striking resemblance to the one that's got so much attention over the past 48 hours. 'Here at the Met, we have artworks that can #BreakTheInternet too!' read the tweet, which even adopted the hashtag that has been blowing up on social media since Paper magazine revealed the cover of its winter issue. Scroll down for video . The photo attached to the tweet shows an ancient fertility symbol that predates Kim by about 6,500 years, although the Steatopygous female figure is slightly shorter at 8.4 inches tall. The photo attached to the tweet shows an ancient fertility symbol that predates Kim by about 6,500 years, although the Steatopygous female figure is slightly shorter at 8.4 inches tall. The Met's cheeky attempt at generating some publicity has been retweeted more than 2,000 times since it was posted on Thursday morning. 'Bless whoever wrote this Tweet. It deserves an actual visit to the Met to see this,' tweeted @MaazaMengiste. While @AngryHusky joked, 'That's obviously the only way they had in ancient times (b4 cellphones) to capture the beauty of Walmart shoppers'. Mythical beast: One internet user turned Kim Kardashian into a beautiful centaur in a hilarious meme - after seeing her naked shoot for Paper magazine . The original: Kim Kardashian certainly lit up the internet after her lewd shoot came out . Now that's an eyebrow raiser! The stunner also posted a super racy naked snap of her body from the front . Within hours of posting the image of her oiled-up, Photoshop-enhanced behind on Tuesday, the internet had gone to town with people inspired to create their own versions of the pic including everything from centaurs to docking stations. Kim may have wanted to 'break the internet' but it seems she united the online world in finding the most comical way of parodying the lewd cover - she also posed for a full frontal snap inside. Twitter user @KelKulus was reminded of a mythical creature when he saw the Paper magazine image, tweeting his own version with the caption: 'Kim Kardashian looks so much like a centaur in Paper Magazine, I figured I'd take it one step further.' Kim's rear becomes the rump of a horse, turning the reality star into a centaur, who certainly wouldn't have been booted out of the Forbidden Forest. The wife of Kanye West was then given the capital treatment by @AngryBritain, who joked that the Barclays Cycle Hire Docking Stations have been given a bootylicious makeover. Having a laugh: Entourage star Adrien Grenier spoofed the picture by superimposing his head onto her body . Dock of the week! Barclays Cycle Hire have a new style of docking stations endorsed by the Mayor of London . Two birds, one stone: Another user mocked Kim and Russell Brand at the same time . Strong look: Who needs couture when you can step out in this nude ensemble? Eyes on the prize: Kim Kardashian's bottom becomes its on person with a pair of googly peepers . She fits in in Springfield! Kim's cover got a Simpsons makeover . '@MayorOfLondon unveils new style Boris Bike rack coming to the streets of the capital soon,' the parody tweeter posted with an image of Boris Johnson parking his bike between Kim's cheeks. @GeneralBoles killed two celebrity birds with one stone by photoshopping Russell Brand's face onto Kim's derriere with a speech bubble exclaiming 'PARKLIFE!' Food items has also been another way to describe Kim's glistening rear; from peaches and potatoes to glazed donuts the internet went to the market on comparisons. Yum yum: The reality star was morphed into a tasty hot dog by one internet user . Glistening: A lot of users compared the reality star to a glazed donut . Market share: The internet also found her derriere to look like a number of food items, from potatoes to peaches . Photoshop: She also bared a resemblance to a Barbie doll, famous the play toy famous for it's unrealistic body shape . Brits do it better: Kim is compared to Pippa Middleton . 'Krispy Kim' proved to be an apt nickname for the reality star, and her rear was even replaced with two pieces of Aero chocolate. Pippa Middleton wearing that bridesmaid dress at her sister's Royal Wedding was also used as a comparision, though really the Brits behind didn't really 'do it better' than Kim. Another tweeter highlighted the mother-of-one's gravitational pull by surrounding her derriere with asteroids. Now that's a brand: The star's pert posterior symbolises the double O in Google in one sexy meme . Kim and the giant peach: the soft fruit was another thing that looked like her behind . Ooh! Someone thought her bottom wasn't quite rotund enough and added a few extra inches . Sweet treat: Krispy Kim makes an appearance, while another user compares her bum to an Aero . Banging! Another food item that looks like Kim are two uncooked sausages, apparently . The user also gave Kim a surrealist makeover by Photoshopping her bottom onto her face for quadruple the cheeky impact. One user even compared the image of Kim to that of a Barbie doll, as @SarahKhalegh pointed out: 'Kim Kardashian literally looks like a plastic &unrealistic Barbie doll. Look at her waist in comparison to her body.' It does seem the magazine have done their best to Photoshop the reality star's waist to oblivion and make a behind look bigger than James's Giant Peach. Bin thinking: The star stands in a rubbish bag in another spoofy moment . Astronomic proportions: The reality star's rear has serious gravitational pull in one meme, but in another she is given a surrealist makeover . Boredom wins: One tweeter Photoshopped the Rosetta probe landing on her bum . Mount REARmore: Kim certainly spices up the rock carvings of past presidents Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln . Flood gates are closed: There's a new Thames barrier in town and it's made of Kim Kardashian . You want some do ya? Phil Mitchell is the latest victim of Kimgate . Just under a fortnight ago, Kim stepped out looking far curvier as she joined her husband Kanye at the 2014 LACMA Art + Film Gala honouring Quentin Tarantino and Barbara Kruger. Of course the rapper, who only follows Kim on Twitter, tweeted his approval of the cover with the simple hashtag '#ALLDAY'. However Kim didn't get exactly what she wanted... the internet seems to be working perfectly fine. Curvier: At the start of the month, Kim's waist looked more natural than on the Paper magazine cover . Support: Of course Kanye had nothing but good things to hashtag about his wife .
### SUMMARY:
| Kim's infamous butt-baring magazine cover had been parodied to death here comes the New York Metropolitan Museum .
On Thursday the Met tweeted its own pic of an ample-bottomed sculpture .
The ancient fertility symbol predates Kim by about 6,500 years, although the Steatopygous female figure is slightly shorter at 8.4 inches tall . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
A mysterious crater that suddenly appeared underwater in southern Utah has baffled scientists. Theories ranged from it being Martian art to a volcanic eruption– but now geologists believe there could be a simpler explanation. They claim it was caused a geologic condition called 'collapsible soils' where refilling of a lake caused soil to collapse, creating a small eruption. Gary Dalton and his two brothers recently discovered a round hole or crater in the bottom of their irrigation pond on their farmland in Circleville, in Piute County, Utah. The outer ring is a depression filled with algae. An inner circle looks as though something erupted from beneath, forming what looks like a small volcanic crater . This type of soil that can rapidly settle or collapse the ground is known as collapsible soil. 'Hydrocompactive soil' is the most common type of collapsible soil. The term hydro – implies the introduction or presence of water, which is the case with the mystery crater. The pond has been drained and refilled more than a dozen times in the last two years. The theory is that the repeated loading of weight on the soil eventually led some of the soil under the pond to collapse, creating a small eruption. 'As it collapsed and compacted,' said geologist Bill Lund, 'it forced some air and some water up and created this thing. It looks like a one-off thing. It just happened one time. That's it.' The crater was discovered last month by Gary Dalton of Circleville after he saw an unusual hole in a lake. 'The sun was just right,' Mr Dalton said. 'So, I saw this blasted thing that no one had ever seen.' He noticed it after most of the water was drained from the pond for irrigation. Just beneath the surface he saw concentric circles in the pond bottom with a diameter of about 25ft (7.6 metres). The outer ring is a circular depression filled with algae. An inner circle looks as though something erupted from beneath, forming what looks startlingly like a small volcanic crater. 'My heck, I guess that's Martian art,' Mr Dalton said. 'I don't know.' Experts from the Utah Geological Survey took a look and were initially baffled. 'Well, yeah, we've got several theories,' said veteran geologist Bill Lund as he examined the pond. 'Most of them have gone up in smoke.' Most of the theories were disposed of almost immediately. Some had speculated that the feature was caused by a natural spring, pushing up from under the pond after being supercharged by recent rains. But Mr Lund said that theory was quickly disproved by aerial photos that were taken before the pond was excavated two-and-a-half years ago. 'This was an alfalfa field and there was no spring here,' Mr Lund said. 'It's not a spring.' The central depression is about 17.8cm (7in). The Dalton family were able to push the handle of a pitchfork another 33cm (13in) or so straight down in the soft centre . Some had speculated that the feature was caused by a natural spring, pushing up from under the pond after being supercharged by recent rains. Another theory was that a buried pipeline had been punctured during construction of the pond. But experts said there is no pipeline. Scientists then proposed that there was a burp of methane gas from decaying organic material under the pond. Earthquakes sometimes will cause similar features in sand or mud, due to liquefaction of soils. But there have no earthquakes in the Circleville area powerful enough. The leading theory is a geologic condition called collapsible soils. It suggests that the repeated loading of weight on the soil eventually led some of the soil under the pond to collapse, creating a small eruption. Another theory was that a buried pipeline had been punctured during construction of the pond. But experts said there is no pipeline. Another possibility is that there was a burp of methane gas from decaying organic material under the pond. Mr Lund strongly doubts that theory because the local geology isn't the type that sometimes causes such events. 'If we were in coal country,' he said, 'I'd be thinking about that a little harder but - you know - we're not.' Earthquakes sometimes will cause similar features in sand or mud, due to liquefaction of soils. But scientists have ruled that out because there have been no earthquakes in the Circleville area powerful enough to trigger liquefaction. When Mr Dalton's son Michael was asked what his own pet theory is, he said the obvious: 'I have no idea.' Another son joked that it was either a volcanic eruption or a Martian landing. During the geologists' visit, Mr Dalton and his sons maneuvered a platform-lift over the crater to get a closer look. Although the Daltons saw a fiery meteor in the sky a few weeks ago, Mr Lund has essentially ruled that out as the cause; the sighting took place long before the crater appeared. And no one in nearby Circleville reported hearing any loud booms. 'We don't think it's an impact crater,' Mr Lund said. 'We don't think anything hit there.' Hovering over the crater in the lift, the curious farmers and geologists lowered a tape measure into the crater. The central depression is about 17.8cm (7in). They were able to push the handle of a pitchfork another 33cm (13in) or so straight down in the soft centre. The leading theory is a geologic condition called collapsible soils. It suggests that the repeated loading of weight on the soil eventually led some of the soil under the pond to collapse, creating a small eruption . The crater was discovered last month by Gary Dalton on his farm in the town of Circleville, Utah. The town has a total area of 9.1 square miles (23.5 km²), all of it land . 'Obviously something came up and created this ring,' Mr Lund said. 'But then it collapsed back on itself and closed off the vent. Whatever the vent was is closed.' From those observations, a leading theory emerged: a geologic condition called collapsible soils. The pond has been drained and refilled more than a dozen times in the last two years. The theory is that the repeated loading of weight on the soil eventually led some of the soil under the pond to collapse, creating a small eruption. 'As it collapsed and compacted,' Mr Lund said, 'it forced some air and some water up and created this thing. It looks like a one-off thing. It just happened one time. That's it.' That remains the most likely explanation, even though Mr Lund said he has never seen such a phenomenon take place under water. 'I mean, there are still some unanswered questions here,' he said. 'That's for sure.' Earlier this year, a series of mysterious craters appearing in Sibera were found to have been created by methane gas, released by the thawing of frozen ground. Earlier this year, a series of mysterious craters appearing in Sibera were found to have been created by methane gas, released by the thawing of frozen ground .
### SUMMARY:
| Crater was discovered last month by Gary Dalton of Circleville after he saw an unusual hole beneath the water .
Theories ranged from Martian art to a volcanic eruption– but geologists believe there could be a simpler answer .
Scientists looking at the crater in Circleville, Utah, claim it was caused by a condition called 'collapsible soils'
The pond has been drained and refilled more than a dozen times in the last two years, causing the soil to give way .
'As it collapsed and compacted,' said geologist Bill Lund. 'It forced some air and some water up and created this thing. It looks like a one-off thing' |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
From his ship, he had witnessed the heroism and the horrors of D-Day at first hand. So come hell or high water, Bernard Jordan was determined to take part in the 70th anniversary celebrations. And his escapades ended up making almost as many headlines as the commemorations. Safely back in Blighty: Staff at Pines Care Home in Hove, East Sussex give Bernard Jordan, 89, a special welcome on his return . Last night the 89-year-old care home resident revealed the thinking behind his mission to Normandy – an adventure dubbed The Great Escape that has enchanted the nation. Giving his first full interview to a newspaper, he told the Daily Mail: ‘When I set my mind to do something, I do it. This is what Normandy veterans are like. 'Sometimes younger folk underestimate the capabilities and spirit of my generation.’ Mr Jordan had lied about his age to get into the Royal Navy at 17 – a year early. Less than three years later, on June 6 1944, he was an electrical engineer on the Endeavour, supplying tanks to the British troops invading northern France. Memories: Pictured with his wife Irene on their wedding day in 1946 (left) and during his service (right), Mr Jordan revealed in his first full interview that he lied about his age to get into the Royal Navy at 17 . ‘My job was to make sure the doors of the ship opened properly to let the tanks out. Any electrical job that went wrong, it was my job to put right,’ he said. ‘We released the tanks from the ship, and out of 20, two or three got badly damaged straight away, but the remaining 17 ploughed up the beach.’ He and his comrades worked on, as thousands of servicemen died on the beaches. ‘I was scared – of course I was scared – but you deal with it with pride,’ Mr Jordan said. ‘I used to keep up morale as best I could. I’m no comedian but we tried to keep each other laughing.’ Return: He arrived in Portsmouth to a hero's welcome on Saturday after attending the D-Day commemorations in Normandy on Friday . Grin: He waved to photographers as he was driven away from the ferry port . It was no surprise, then, that he felt he had to be in France for last week’s ceremonies. ‘I’d . tried to get on an official trip and my care home staff were helping . me. Everyone had done their best,’ said Mr Jordan, who turns 90 this . week. He had resigned . himself to following the commemorations from home until his bulldog . spirit got the better of him as he watched the daily TV reports of the . build-up last week. ‘I . decided whatever it took I’d get to Normandy. I suppose I was rather . secretive, but I was anxious nobody would try to deter me,’ he said. Last Thursday, he dressed and put on his medals, making sure to hide them under his blue mac before he said goodbye to his disabled wife, Irene, 88, who lives with him at the Pines Care Home in Hove, East Sussex. ‘I didn’t want to make a fuss,’ he said. ‘I squeezed her hand and gave her a kiss. I told her, “You’ll miss me for a bit, but I’ll be back shortly.' Then I went downstairs and told the care home staff I was going out. I gave them a wave and just walked out. ‘I went down to the bus stop, showed my pensioner’s pass and took the first bus to town.’ Hero: The 89-year-old care home resident got a friendly reception when he arrived in Normandy from Adele Leatham and Julie Maguire . Joyful: The former Royal Navy Lieutenant is pictured with cousins Anne-Sophie and Aude Corbin in Ouistreham . Mr . Jordan, who was mayor of Hove in the 1990s, knew no one would miss him . for hours. He had planned to attend D-Day commemorations in Portsmouth, . so took a train along the coast. ‘At this stage I hadn’t planned to go further afield,’ he said. ‘I . was looking forward to meeting some old pals and talking over our . memories.’ What happened next, he insisted, was spontaneous. Talking to . other veterans who were heading for Normandy, he decided to join them. ‘I’d made the journey in far more . hazardous circumstances during the war. I couldn’t see that any harm . would come from hopping on to a ferry,’ he said. He . bought a £30 Brittany Ferries ticket to Caen, boarded and settled into . his berth for the night – a welcome change from the conditions he had . experienced aboard the Endeavour. ‘I was out like a light,’ he said. ‘I used to sleep in a hammock during the war, so this was very comfortable.’ Before . the boat reached port, retired teacher Christine Orrell saw him sitting . alone, carrying the two carrier bags of essential rations he’d brought . for the trip, and invited him to join her party. Mrs . Orrell, from Sevenoaks, Kent, was with her family accompanying three . other veterans to France. They were planning to visit Sword Beach at . Ouistreham, in memory of her late father. Happy: As he arrived back at his care home following his escapade to France, he sat back in a leather chair and shared his experiences . By now, staff at the Pines were growing increasingly worried about Mr Jordan. His wife admitted he had told her he was going to Portsmouth and police were alerted. Coincidentally, it had occurred to Mrs Orrell that there may be people back in England anxious about the veteran. She contacted the Pines to say he was safe – in France. On Friday, although he had no ticket, Mr Jordan managed to get into the stadium where world leaders including the Queen, David Cameron and President Obama, were gathering. ‘I enjoyed every minute. It was a jolly good day,’ he said, although he admitted he was by now keen to get back home to his wife. Brittany Ferries agreed to take him on the 11pm crossing and gave him star treatment. By the time Mr Jordan arrived back in Portsmouth on Saturday morning, he was front page news. Popular: As he made his way to northern France he posed for a photo with female crew members . ‘I was quite surprised. I don’t want people to think I’m trying to play a hero,’ he said. ‘I went across because I felt like it and felt it was the right thing to do. That’s our age group – it’s not a big deal for us, we just get on with things.’ Mr Jordan’s wartime exploits, in which he also served on a ship involved in a successful mission to seize a German Enigma code machine from a U-boat, saw him earn five medals and promotion. By the time he left the Navy in 1948, he was a lieutenant. ‘I’ve always felt this great country’s worth fighting for and I’d fight for it again and again,’ he said. ‘If there was ever another war, God forbid, I hope those who fought in it would do the same as I did to remember it.’ Cunning: Mr Jordan was reported missing from his care home last week. Hours later, staff realised he had crept out to attend the D-Day commemorations .
### SUMMARY:
| Bernard Jordan, 89, revealed his thinking behind the mission to Normandy .
The war hero said on his return: 'When I set my mind to something, I do it'
Mr Jordan lied about his age to get into the Royal Navy at 17, a year early .
His job was to make sure the ship doors were open so tanks could get out .
As his comrades were fired at, he described how he tried to keep up morale . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Rolf Harris’s daughter sent him an email asking what she would inherit and comparing his £11million fortune to ‘winning the lottery’, his trial heard. The e-mail was shown to jurors at Southwark Crown Court after Bindi Nicholls took the stand to defend her father, insisting he did not indecently assault an underage girl. But she said the message, which was released by the judge today after being shown to jurors last week, was being taken out of context - and denied 'helping' her 84-year-old father for any other reason than to tell the truth. Email: Bindi Nicolls, pictured arriving at Southwark Crown Court last week with her father Rolf Harris, sent him an email asking how much of his '£11million' fortune she would inherit, saying it was like 'winning the lottery' Evidence: The email sent from Bindi Nicolls. The last line has been distorted in the scanning process but reads: 'Its like being told that you might be winning the lottery at some point and you get excited and dream about' Emotional: The email said: 'You don't want people being left confused, angry, upset and fraught with sadness' Bindi Nicholls sent the message in . July 2012 imploring the veteran entertainer to reveal his financial . plans and not leave everything to his brother Bruce, now 90. She wrote of the emotional stress of worrying about whether to spend £2,000 on a holiday because she did not know if she would inherit his estate or not. 'On an emotional note, please imagine . how it is for me,' the artist wrote. 'I still feel guilty about spending . any money...and yet figures in millions are being talked about willy . nilly. 'I stress about . spending £2,000 on a holiday, or taking a holiday with three of us or . framing pictures or getting casts made or buying art materials. Tearful: Bindi Nicholls defended her father, telling the court it was her first chance to tell the truth . 'It feels rediculous [sic] in regards to the amount I 'might' be inheriting? ‘It is like being . told that you will be winning the lottery at some point so you get . excited and dream about the things that you could do which is quite . normal, everyone would dream about that.’ In the email Mrs Nicholls and her husband Craig described Harris's fortune as being in the region of £11million. The email referred to her relationship with Harris' 90-year-old brother Bruce, saying: 'This is important stuff! 'When . you are gone we are all left with the aftermath of people fighting over . stuff, I'm left with Bruce and Elaine (and you know how they feel about . me!) and I'm alone with it all. 'Do you want to write letters to . people you care about... do you want to give people things before you . go? How do you want to be remembered? 'Please, you don't want people being left confused, angry, upset and fraught with sadness and grief.' The e-mail was presented to the jury . by prosecutor Sasha Wass QC, who pressed Mrs Nicholls on her reasons for . defending her father in court. A . tearful Mrs Nicholls had previously told the trial she became suicidal . when she discovered her father had an affair with a teenage friend. But . crucially, she said, the friend was over the age of 18 when the affair . took place and the claim that Harris performed oral sex on the friend . aged 15 was 'laughable'. Emotional: Ms Nicholls broke down in tears as she gave evidence last week at Southwark Crown Court . Father and daughter: Rolf Harris and Bindi together in 1995. She told the trial: 'I have been having counselling because it's really difficult being the daughter of a famous man and dealing with that on your own is difficult' Count 1: Indecent assault between 5/4/80 and 4/4/81 on girl aged 15 . Count 2: Indecent assault between 5/4/80 and 4/4/81 on same girl, 15 . Count 3: Indecent assault between 5/4/80 and 4/4/81 on same girl, 15 . Count 4: Indecent assault between 5/4/80 and 4/4/81 on same girl, 15 . Count 5: Indecent assault between 5/4/80 and 4/4/81 on same girl, 15 . Count 6: Indecent assault between 5/4/80 and 4/4/81 on same girl, 15 . Count 7: Indecent assault between 1/1/84 and 1/1/85 on same girl, then aged 19 . Count 8: Indecent assault on 31/5/86 on second girl, aged 14 . Count 9: Indecent assault on same girl, 14 . Count 10: Indecent assault on 31/5/86 on same girl, 14 . Count 11: Indecent assault between 1/1/68 and 1/1/70 on third girl, aged 7-8 . Count 12: Indecent assault on fourth girl, 14, between 1/1/75 and 1/1/76 . The former television presenter denies all the counts . Mrs Nicholls told Miss Wass the letter was being presented out of context. She . said: ‘My dad is very vague about money and I would like to feel a bit . more understanding about what he wants and what mum wants and what I can . do for them in their old age.’ Pressed . by the prosecutor on why she had appeared to give evidence, she said: . ‘This isn’t about me helping my father, this is about telling the . truth.’ She added: ‘I have . been having counselling because it’s really difficult being the daughter . of a famous man and dealing with that on your own is really difficult. ‘It’s not just about this. I have dealt with all sorts of things in therapy.’ She . added: ‘I’m actually telling the truth, that’s what I am doing here. I . don’ t get very often to be able to say what I feel about anything. ‘This is my time to be able to say what I have had happen to me.’ Mrs Nicholls also denied that she was she was ‘financially dependent’ on her father and said she earned money herself - but admitted he gives her a ‘monthly income’. The email was shown to jurors last Monday, and was released to the media today after approval by the judge in the trial. Later the jury heard from character witnesses including former TV star Rosemarie Ford, who said Harris never acted inappropriately. Former Crimewatch presenter Sue Cook added that Harris should not be accused of lying after he forgot a game show appearance in the 1970s in Cambridge - because she could not recall being in the programme either. Harris, of Bray, Berkshire, is accused of 12 counts of indecent assault on four women between 1968 and 1986, all of which he denies. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
### SUMMARY:
| Bindi Nicholls emailed her father in 2012 asking what he would do with estate .
Message implored him not to leave all decisions to his brother Bruce, now 90 .
'Its like being told you might be winning the lottery at some point', she wrote .
Prosecutor questioned why Nicholls had been called to defend her father .
But she insisted email was taken out of context and she was telling the truth .
Veteran entertainer, 84, denies 12 historic counts of indecent assault . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Five people have been killed and thousands have fled their homes as terrifying floods hit cities in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. Officials across central Europe issued disaster warnings and scrambled to reinforce flood defences today as rivers swelled by days of heavy rain threatened to burst their banks. Nine people are also missing in the extreme conditions as offices, schools and homes are all left deserted or completely under water. The historic city of Prague in the Czech Republic is on high alert and the zoo has been evacuated. The Danube in the southeast German city of Passau is expected to rise to its highest level in 70 years today and a spokesman for the city's crisis centre said the situation has become 'extremely dramatic'. Scroll down for video . Disaster warnings have been issued across Europe after days of heavy rain. The River Danube, pictured, in Passau, Germany, threatened to burst its banks . Passau is known as the city of three rivers and has been particularly affected by the high waters . Much of Prague Zoo was under water on Monday forcing keepers to move animals to higher ground . The zoo's tigers needed to be tranquilised before being transferred from the flood-hit area . Zoo keepers were working against the clock to move the animals to high ground and safety . In Prague, almost 2,700 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas as the country sees its worst flooding in a decade. The historic centre is under threat from the rising water and metal walls are being erected in an attempt to keep them at bay. Animals at the city's zoo have been moved to higher ground. Keepers had to tranquilise tigers in order to safely move them. The zoo is situated on the bank of the river Vltava and in 2002 134 animals were killed during the worst floods the city has ever seen. More than 1,000 animals were evacuated when the water rose by 10 metres. Czech police said this weekend at least five people had died in this spate of flooding. Firefighters evacuated homes in western regions and in villages outside the capital today and yesterday, rescuing 200 people. Czech officials said the waters of the . Vltava river could reach critical levels in Prague and that special . metal walls were being erected to prevent flooding. The Charles Bridge - normally packed with tourists at this time of year - was closed to the public as were some other popular spots near the river at the foot of Prague Castle. A mannequin floats down the steam created by the flooded waters in the centre of Grimma . Buildings in Grimma, such as this town information centre, have been flooded by the rising waters . Firefighters and volunteers evacuate residents from the flooded city of Grimma, in Germany . Some areas of the city are only accessible by boat after heavy rains pounded southern and eastern parts of Germany . Rescuers give women piggy-back lifts through the flood waters as Europe faces some of the worst floods it has witnessed in more than a decade . An elderly woman is evacuated from her flooded home after rescuers transferred her to a waiting van by boat . The village of Innstadt in Lower Bavaria has . been flooded, left, causing severe damage to crops and a sign in Passau, . right, forbids pedestrians to enter a road flooded by the rising river . Inn . Interim Mayor Tomas Hudecek said they . were shutting down eight stations of the capital's subway network and . urging people not to travel to city. The . mayor said all nursery, elementary and high schools in the Czech . capital will be closed today because of anticipated travel problems. The dead body of a man was found in the nearby town of Trebenice, Czech public television reported. Flooding was also reported in Austria and water levels rose in Germany and Poland after heavy rain in central Europe over the past week swelled rivers. Underground stations have been closed in Prague has the Vltava river reaches critical levels . Czech soldiers erect metal barriers to protect Prague's historic centre from flooding after days of heavy rain . The flooded Vltava river rushes under the medieval Charles bridge in Prague . A couple wade through the river in Prague as they try to save three kittens hidden in a plastic bag . The subway network in central Prague was halted today due to the weather. It is the first time it has been . closed since massive floods submerged the city in 2002 and caused . billions of dollars of damage in the Czech Republic. Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas . declared a state of emergency for most of the nation on Sunday and . pledged 300 million crowns ($15.11million) for relief efforts. Troops started putting anti-flood . barriers in place in Prague and volunteers helped pile up sandbags in . areas popular with tourists in the ancient centre. The landmark Charles . Bridge was closed and workers evacuated parts of Prague zoo. Levels on the Vltava river that cuts through Prague's centre continued to rise today. Earlier, a woman was killed in the same town after a summer cottage collapsed in the raging water. Residents wade through the flooded streets of the historic city centre in Passau, Germany . A boy paddles on his inflatable mattress through the flooded streets of Passau . A hotel entrance sign is flooded in the centre of Passau as the water from three rivers burst their banks . Debris floats on the flood waters in the town centre as resident watch from their window . Thousands of people have had to be evacuated from their homes across the country, mainly in the north and the south. In Prague, authorities have ordered the evacuation of the parts of the city's zoo located by the river. Also patients from a Prague hospital have been moved to a higher ground. In Germany, where at least four people have died or are missing, Chancellor Angela Merkel promised federal support for affected areas and said the army would be deployed if necessary. The water level had risen by at least five meters in Munich. Separately, at least three other people were reportedly missing. At least one person died and two were missing in Austria near Salzburg. Only lampposts and the tops of table umbrellas can be seen above the flood waters in Passau . The River Inn has risen to window height. Angela Merkel said she will deploy the Army if necessary . Austrian rescuers use boats to reach stranded residents in the town of Ach . Residents in Walschleben, Germany, try to protect their homes with sandbags . Several cities including Chemnitz in the east of Germany, and Passau and Rosenheim in the south, issued disaster warnings. Passau, which is located at the confluence of three rivers, could see waters rise above record levels of 2002, said Mayor Juergen Dupper. German news agency dpa reported that large stretches of the Rhine, Main and Neckar rivers have been closed to ship traffic. Evacuations are also taking place in neighbouring Austria and Switzerland. Rivers also were spilling over their banks in some rural areas of south-western Poland, and people have been evacuated. Meteorologists are predicting the rainfall will ease in the coming days. The River Danube has risen so high that it almost touches a bridge over the water . Roads in Passau are threatening to become impassable as the Danube nears record height . Crowds wade through the water and take pictures as the town centre is hit by floods .
### SUMMARY:
| Disaster warnings issued across central Europe after heavy flooding following days of steady rain .
State of emergency declared in six regions of the Czech Republic where almost 3,000 people have been evacuated .
Water levels are among the worst seen in Europe since the deadly floods of 2002 .
Animals at Prague Zoo moved to higher ground after attraction is partially submerged by overflowing river .
Several people have been killed since Thursday and more missing . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Generous Good Samaritans known collectively as 'layaway angels' have been reminding everyone what the holiday season is all about. Many US retailers have dusted off the once-popular layaway option in recent years, offering customers to reserve merchandise and pay for in installments. But shoppers on a tight budget often find themselves scrambling to come up with the money to cover their debt in time for the holidays so they can bring home presents for their loved ones. That is where the 'layaway angels' come in. Scroll down for video . Christmas miracle: Unsuspecting shoppers who lined up at a Charleston, West Virginia, Kmart to pay for their layaway Christmas presents Friday were stunned when Jed Smith (left) approached them and offered to cover their layaway tab . Heartwarming: Smith told customer Leann Heater he was Santa Claus for the day . Tears of joy: Heater, who had reserved $600 worth of gifts for her daughter, burst into tears when Smith took money out of his own pocket and paid her bill . In Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, a donor known only as 'Santa B' shelled out $50,000 to cover all layaway balances at the local Wal-mart (pictured) In Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, a mysterious donor who calls himself 'Santa B' shelled out $50,000 to cover all the layaway balances at the local Wal-mart this week. 'He said he wanted to help take care of folks – to bring everyone a special Christmas,' store manager Steve Myers told Pennlive.com. The do-gooder, who chose to remain anonymous, sent a check to the store and instructed Wal-mart staff to donate any money left from his gift to charity. Shoppers at the suburban big-box store who have inadvertently become the generous donor's beneficiaries were touched by his gesture - but also disappointed they were unable to thank him in person. 'We were scraping together the last few minutes here to pay for it, we were actually going to have to return a couple things,’ Brittny Coeyman told Fox43. 'Santa B's' grand gesture is part of a cultural phenomenon that has been observed in across the country. In for a surprise: Anastasia Waller was wheeling a shopping cart carrying a $300 Jeep Wrangler toy for her 3-year-old son when Jed Smith intercepted her at the cash register . Stunned: Waller had a look of disbelief on her face when Smith shook her hand, wished her a merry Christmas and let he know that he will be paying for her purchases . Altruist: Smith, pictured embracing a beneficiary, said he takes pleasuring in helping others . In Auburn, Massachusetts, Cathy O'Grady, a jewelry company owner and the founder of the charitable organization Sofia's Angels, walked into a local Toys R Us last week and paid just shy of $20,000 for strangers' layaway purchases. O'Grady says her mother, Sofia, who passed away from breast cancer 17 years ago, and who inspired her enterprise, taught her to be generous. ‘She was always a giver, and I wasn't sure how I was going to carry on her legacy and her memory,’ O'Grady told ABC News. ‘It took me long enough to figure out what I wanted to do.’ Unsuspecting shoppers who lined up at a Charleston, West Virginia, Kmart to pay for their layaway Christmas presents Friday were stunned when a stranger approached them and offered to cover their tab. Kind-hearted: Cathy O'Grady, the founder of Sofia's Angels charity, walked into a Massachusetts Toys R Us last week and paid just shy of $20,000 for strangers' layaway purchases . The kind-hearted Good Samaritan turned out to be Jed Smith, the owner of Smith Company Motor Car, who spent more than $1,000 in his capacity as a ‘layaway angel,’ reported CBS12. 'I'm Santa Claus today,' he told customer Leann Heater. 'I'm going to cover this for you.' Heater, who had reserved $600 worth of gifts for her daughter, burst into tears when Smith took money out of his own pocket and paid her bill. Kmart district manager Dan Radcliffe described the experience as 'overwhelming,' saying that it was a first for him in his 32 years with the company. Anastasia Waller was wheeling a shopping cart carrying a $300 Jeep Wrangler toy for her 3-year-old son when Jed Smith intercepted her at the cash register. Waller had a look of disbelief on her face when Smith shook her hand, wished her a merry Christmas and let he know that he will be paying for her purchases. ‘I have the biggest butterflies in my stomach,’ an overjoyed Walker said. ‘I'm very excited. I'm happy. I'm blessed. This is crazy.’ A Toys R Us in Johnson City, Tennessee, also has been visited by a layaway angel who plunked down more than $5,000 to take care of 52 layaway accounts, including that of Monte Riffey, who was taken aback upon learning that a stranger had paid her $900 balance. ‘Of course, I was very shocked that someone would do that for someone they didn't even know,’ she said. ‘I was very shocked and appreciative.’ Mystery man: 'Santa B' instructed the store to give the rest of the money to charity . Customer: Brittny Coeyman told a television station 'We were scraping together the last few minutes here to pay for it, we were actually going to have to return a couple things' before her balance was covered . 'Tis the season: Crystal Willis, one of the customers who benefited from 'Santa B,' is seen at the Mechanicsburg Wal-Mart . Another big-time donor paid a visit to the Lake City Wal-mart Supercenter in Florida Monday, closing some 300 layaway accounts to the tune of $63,000. ‘It was an outstanding thing,’ store manager Gary Taylor told ABC News. ‘It's good to know there are still some good Samaritans in the world.’ The Chiefland, Florida, Wal-mart has received a generous check for $51,000 towards the store's layaway accounts, and a location in Kansas City, Missouri, got a $10,000 donation to help out struggling holiday shoppers. The concept behind 'layaway angels' has been growing in popularity since 2011, when Lee Karchawar founded the Pay Away the Layaway charity to help shoppers settle their store accounts, reported CBS News. The non-profit organization, which works with Wal-mart, Kmart and Toys R Us, collects donations from individuals, which are then pooled together and used to pay down layaway balances of families who are trying to buy holiday presents for kids. The charity raised $25,000 last year but expects to double that amount this year, in part thanks to individual 'layaway angels' like Jed Smith, Cathy O'Grady and 'Santa B.'
### SUMMARY:
| In Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, donor known as 'Santa B' shelled out $50,000 to cover all layaway balances at the local Wal-mart .
Cathy O'Grady, founder of Sofia's Angels charity, walked into Massachusetts Toys R Us and paid nearly $20,000 for strangers' layaway purchases .
West Virginia small businessman Jed Smith spent more than $1,000 in his capacity as a 'layaway angel' at a Charleston Kmart . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Norman Bridwell, a soft-spoken illustrator whose impromptu story about a girl and her puppy marked the unlikely birth of the supersized franchise Clifford the Big Red Dog, has died at 86. Bridwell, who lived for decades in a house with a bright red door on Martha's Vineyard off Cape Cod in Massachusetts, died on Friday at Martha's Vineyard Hospital, where he had been for about three weeks after a fall at home in Edgartown, his wife, Norma, said. He suffered from several ailments, including a recurrence of prostate cancer, she said. He passed peacefully with family members at his bedside, she said. Dead at 86: Illustrator Norman Bridwell, creator of 'Clifford the Big Red Dog,'pictured here with a pair of stuffed Cliffords at his home in Massachusetts in 1997, died of prostate cancer . Starting in 1963 with 'Clifford, the Big Red Dog,' Bridwell wrote and illustrated more than 40 Clifford books, from 'Clifford and the Grouchy Neighbors' to 'Clifford Goes to Hollywood.' More than 120 million copies have sold worldwide, along with cartoons, a feature film, a musical, stuffed animals, key chains, posters and stickers. Images of Clifford have appeared everywhere from museums to the White House. 'A lot of people were Clifford fans and that makes them Norman fans, too,'said his wife of 56 years. Clifford became standard nighttime reading for countless families and a money machine for publisher Scholastic Inc. Spinoffs include cartoons with John Ritter as the voice of Clifford and future 'Hunger Games' novelist Suzanne Collins among the script writers. Scholastic, which became a top children's publisher thanks in part to Clifford, installed bright red cushions on the chairs in the corporate headquarters' auditorium in New York. Scholastic had been in business for decades before Clifford, but the series' success inspired the publisher to look for other stories with brand appeal, including 'Goosebumps,' 'The Magic School Bus' and 'I Spy.' Bridwell had completed two more Clifford books to be released next year, Scholastic said in a statement. Missed: Norman Ray Bridwell, who brought delight to millions of readers young and old as the author of Clifford the Big Red Dog series of books, died on Friday, December 12, at Martha's Vineyard Hospital . In his pre-Clifford life, Bridwell was a filmstrip and slide illustrator, trying to break into children's publishing to support his family. His work had been rejected all over New York when an editor at Harper & Row (now HarperCollins) suggested he try writing a story to go with a picture he had submitted of a child and her horse-sized dog. Bridwell's idea: Thanks to the girl's affection, a puppy -the runt of the litter - grows into a klutzy but good-hearted behemoth, as big as the lighthouses on the author's imaginary 'Birdwell Island.' A nearby paint container inspired Bridwell to color Clifford fire engine red. Bridwell had sketched a bloodhound because he wanted one while growing up and he named the girl Emily Elizabeth, after his daughter. He planned to call the dog 'Tiny,' but his wife, Norma, suggested 'Clifford,' the name of an imaginary friend she had as a child. Bridwell spent a weekend working up a story. Several publishers turned the book down before editor Beatrice de Regniers of Scholastic's 'Lucky Book Club" saw Clifford's potential. 'I said to my wife, "Now don't count on there being any more. This one is just a fluke. I don't know if there will ever be another one,"' Bridwell told The Associated Press in 2012. Beloved: Illustrator Norman Bridwell, an Indiana native, Bridwell chose what became a successful career in illustrating children's books despite heart-breaking rejections from various publishing houses . Bridwell achieved mainstream success without mainstream distribution. Scholastic offered the first Clifford story through book clubs and school fairs (Clifford wasn't available in stores until the 1980s) and it sold well enough that Scholastic published a second, non-Clifford book by Bridwell, 'The Witch Next Door.' Over the years, Bridwell added such 'Clifford' sidekicks as the purple poodle Cleo, the three-legged training dog KC and Emily Elizabeth's cranky schoolmate, Jetta. Bridwell's name was a ringer for Norman Rockwell's and Birdwell's books were also a comforting portrait of stability and innocence. But he did work in social commentary, such as including children of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. 'I visited a school in Washington state and some kid said, `Why do you have these black people in the book?"' Bridwell told The Associated Press in a 2011 interview. 'I said that we wanted to have a little mix of races and nationalities and not just a purely lily white town.' Sudden success: An editor at Harper & Row advised Bridwell him that he might find success by writing a story about one of his pictures and because of his young daughter, wrote about a dog . Bridwell said he came up with ideas for Clifford by watching other dogs. Clifford would often get himself in trouble, scattering garbage on the lawn or crushing a fence, then redeem himself as only a big dog could, whether saving a drowning child or gently gripping a stranded car between his teeth and carrying it to the nearest garage. Bridwell believed Clifford's imperfections were part of his appeal, making kids more forgiving of their own mistakes. While he denied that Clifford was based on himself, Norma Bridwell disagreed. 'He's never been able to recognize that,' she told the AP. 'Clifford tries to do the right thing, Norman tries to do right the thing, and he makes a mess of it. But he's the most lovable grown-up man. He's just a nice guy.' 'I'm not really all that nice,' the author responded, 'but I try to be.' Bridwell was born in Kokomo, Indiana, in 1928. He was not a star in art or writing classes, but his mechanical skills were so much worse that a high school shop teacher suggested he stick to drawing. After graduation, he attended the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, then moved to New York and studied at Cooper Union. Bridwell spent much of the 1950s as a commercial artist. In addition to his wife and daughter, Bridwell is survived by a son, Timothy, and three grandchildren. The family planned a private service with a public celebration of his life and work to come later, likely over the summer, his wife said. Legend: Clifford's creator, Norman Bridwell, pictured here at Clifford The Big Red Dog 50th Anniversary Celebration at Scholastic Inc. Headquarters on September 24, 2012 is dead at 86 .
### SUMMARY:
| Norman Bridwell suffered from several ailments, including a recurrence of prostate cancer, said his wife Norma of 56 years .
Bridwell died on Friday at Martha's Vineyard Hospital, where he had been for about three weeks after a fall at home in Edgartown .
Starting in 1963 with 'Clifford, the Big Red Dog,' Bridwell wrote and illustrated more than 40 Clifford books .
'A lot of people were Clifford fans and that makes them Norman fans, too,'said Norma . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
A billboard in west Los Angeles for the hit movie American Sniper has been defaced with the word 'murder' sprayed in red paint, as the bitter dispute over whether the film is about a hero or killer intensified. The LAPD have said that the prominent graffiti, which was discovered on Sunday, has since been covered up and no crime report has been filed. A Los Angeles Police Department spokesman also said that unfortunately finding those responsible will ultimately prove fruitless. Scroll Down for Video . Controversial: This is the billboard in West Los Angeles that was vandalized with the word Murder! 'Taggers like to throw up their own stuff,' LAPD Sgt. A. Bone told PEOPLE. 'If it's just the word 'murder' there's practically no way to track it down.' The polarizing film has sparked furious reactions online and drawn the ire of The Interview comedian Seth Rogen and documentary film maker Michael Moore. Moore took to social media on Sunday to liken snipers to cowards and claimed that his uncle was killed by one in World War Two - before he clarified his controversial tweet on Monday after a furious backlash. On Tuesday, Rogen also qualified comments also made on Sunday that the Clint Eastwood directed film reminded him of the fake Nazi propaganda vignette featured during the third act of Inglorious Basterds. Fake: American Sniper star Bradley Cooper has been nominated for Best Actor at this years Oscars . American Sniper: The biopic of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, starring Bradley Cooper, has become a box office hit since its wide release last week. Kyle was credited with the most confirmed kills in American military history but tragically died a few years after leaving the military . Backtracking from Sunday's tweet that the Bradley Coooper movie made him think of the parody vignette at the climax of Inglorious Basterds, Rogen said 'there is a big difference between comparing and reminding.' That's not what I meant: Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore stirred up controversy on Twitter this weekend by calling snipers 'cowards'. He has since backtracked to say the comments were not meant in relation to the late Chris Kyle, or the recently-released movie based on his memoir, American Sniper . To illustrate this point, Rogen used the old false analogy of apples and oranges to explain and said that in fact, he 'actually liked' the Iraq war feature. 'Apples remind me of oranges. Can't compare them though.' That cleared up, Rogen, 32, then threw in a small dig at the media ahead of their reporting of his sudden about-turn. Accusing the press of blowing his opinions 'out of proportion', The Interview star, wrote that he is happy to keep the fires burning on the controversy. Quentin Tarantino's Inglorius Basterds culminates with an assassination attempt on Adolph Hitler at the premiere of a fictional propaganda film called 'Stolz der Nation' which translates to Nation's Pride. One of the characters of the film is a haughty German soldier who plays himself in Nation's Pride, a movie about how he killed 200 Allied soldiers from a clock tower in one battle. American Sniper on the other hand stars Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, the real-life man who became the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history, saving hundreds of American lives with at least 160 kills. The film based off Kyle's memoir, ends with his tragic death in Texas, allegedly at the hands of a fellow soldier with PTSD he was trying to help. Rogen isn't the first to criticize the film this weekend, during which American Sniper topped the box office and raked in a record $105.3million. Clarification: The following day he clarified that his comments did not mention American Sniper or Chris Kyle . History: Moore wrote that while many aspects of the film were well done, he was not happy with director Clint Eastwood's depiction of the Iraq War . True story: The movie is based on Kyle's autobiography, written before he was shot dead in February 2013 . Oscar-tipped: Clint Eastwood's movie is hotly-tipped to pick up a few Oscars, including Best Actor for Cooper . Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore caused an online debate when he tweeted about how he was raised to believe snipers were 'cowards' since his uncle died by a Japanese sniper shot in World War II. Taking to Twitter in rage, the Fahrenheit 9/11 director seethed: 'My uncle killed by sniper in WW2. We were taught snipers were cowards. Will shoot u in the back. Snipers aren't heroes. And invaders r worse.' Opinion: Seth Rogen compared American Sniper to a fake Nazi propaganda film in a tweet on Sunday . Moore later backtracked those comments on Facebook, writing that he thought the film was well made but could have done a better job at contextualizing the Iraq War. The Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker wrote a lengthy Facebook post today clarifying his statements, saying they were not intended as a criticism of the movie American Sniper, based on Kyle's bestselling memoir. After an onslaught of criticism, Moore tweeted again today to claim he was not talking about either Kyle or the film, pointing out the fact that he didn't mention either directly in his tweets. 'Hmm. I never tweeted 1word bout AmericaSniper/ChrisKyle. I said my uncle killed by sniper in WWII; only cowards would do that 2 him, others,' he said. He went on to write about his mixed-feelings towards the film in a protracted Facebook post, saying that while some aspects of the movie were praise-worthy, director Clint Eastwood didn't cover the history surrounding the Iraq War to Moore's liking. 'Awesome performance from Bradley Cooper. One of the best of the year. Great editing. Costumes, hair, makeup superb! 'Oh... and too bad Clint gets Vietnam and Iraq confused in his storytelling. And that he has his characters calling Iraqis "savages" throughout the film. This is what I really meant: Seth Rogen went online to clarify the difference between 'kinda reminded me' and a direct comparison. He used apples and oranges as an example . 'But there is also anti-war sentiment expressed in the movie. And there's a touching ending as the main character is remembered after being gunned down by a fellow American vet with PTSD who was given a gun at a gun range back home in Texas - and then used it to kill the man who called himself the 'America Sniper'. American Sniper has been nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Actor for Cooper and Best Picture. Seth Rogen's film The Neighbors was eligible for this year's Academy Awards, but was not nominated in any category. Rogen's other film The Interview, nearly banned for fear that screenings of the North Korean-set comedy would be targeted by terrorists, was not eligible for the Oscars since it was released online a day before it premiered in theaters.
### SUMMARY:
| Billboard defaced in West Los Angeles on Sunday night according to LAPD .
LAPD say that they are unlikely to catch the culprits who painted over ad .
Follows Michael Moore and comedian Seth Rogen's strident criticisms .
Both men have now backtracked from attacking the Clint Eastwood film .
Moore accused snipers of being cowards after film grossed $103m .
However, he later said the comments were not directed at the movie .
Rogen compared American Sniper to a 'Nazi propaganda film' the same day . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
On a red carpet full of beautiful women, Jennifer Aniston ensured all eyes were on her at the SAG Awards as she flaunted her cleavage in a plunging vintage Galliano gown. The daring dress drew full attention to the actress's décolletage which was adorned with a long, gold necklace. It's not the first time the 45-year-old has dared to bare recently with such a revealing outfit choice. Scroll down for video . Dare to bare: Jennifer Aniston looked stunning in a plunging vintage Galliano gown at the SAG Awards . Jennifer was happy to draw attention to her décolletage with her long, gold necklace . Vintage Galliano plunging dress . Click to head to the Galliano website . Visit site . We do know that Jennifer Aniston is a fan of her little black dresses, but she steered well away from safe at the Screen Actors Guild Awards when she turned up in a plunging maxi dress in a gold-green shade. The dress that really bared all looked stunning on the Cake star and despite her not picking up an accolade once again this awards season, Jen was a winner in our eyes. She teamed the V-neck number with the Amrit long-link necklace that she actually wore to the Critics' Choice Awards just last week. The dress really skimmed her trim physique and her golden tumbling locks fitted in nicely so it got the thumbs up from us. Being a vintage Galliano piece, you can't buy it of course, but we've found some alternative plunging pieces below, ready for you to bare all at your next big event. Haute Hippe halter sequinned zebra gown at Neiman Marcus . Visit site . Solace London plunging maxi dress at Asos (now reduced to $119.39) Visit site . Forever Unique plunge neck maxi dress at Asos (now reduced to $208.45) Visit site . L'agence pleated print maxi dress at Nordstrom . Visit site . Earlier this month she chose a similarly exposing top as she wore a trouser suit with nothing underneath the jacket to the Annual Critics Choice Movie Awards. The plunging necklines show how the former Friends star has grown in confidence and style since she first found fame in the Nineties. When the hit TV show first aired, she perfected a girl next door look often looking casual in trousers and V-neck T-shirts. At the Critics' Choice Movie Awards earlier this month, she wore a similar plunging style top . The actress has admitted her confidence is sky high since becoming engaged to Justin Theroux and it's reflected in her daring wardrobe choices . Back then, people were more obsessed with her hair than her wardrobe as fans rushed to copy her 'Rachel' haircut. If she did glam up for a red carpet event, more often than not, she chose floor-length gowns that hid her legs. Her favoured style in the late nineties and early noughties - when she was married to Brad Pitt - were dresses that either covered her chest in a halter neck fashion or were strapless showing just a hint of cleavage. Not so confident in the Nineties: Attending a Good Will Hunting screening in 1997, left, and Meet Joe Black premiere in 1998, right, Jennifer covers up and looks dowdy in black . As the Friends cast visit London in 1998, Jennifer again opts for a simple black outfit . In her Friends heyday, it was her hair that everyone wanted rather than her girl-next-door wardrobe . Full-length and not so fabulous: A frumpy long dress at the Object Of My Affection premiere in 1998, left, and a drab choice for the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2000, right . Following her split from Brad - who famously moved on with Angelina Jolie - she seemed keen not to draw attention to herself in plain, black dresses on special occasions. But by 2008, she seemed keen to show him what he was missing, starting to get more daring with her outfits by stepping out in mini dresses that showed off her slim figure and perfect pins. Now in her forties, she upped the ante again, choosing thigh-high split dresses - and currently the plunging necklines - to show how age hasn't dented her body confidence. In fact, she says she's getting happier with her appearance with age. Bohemian look: Covered up as she's joined by then husband Brad Pitt at the Emmys in 1999 . A red Prada dress at the 2000 Emmy Awards revealed only a hint of cleavage and kept her legs under wraps . A baggy halter neck top and black trousers worn when she won a Golden Globe for Friends in 2003 . Another elegant but not revealing dress worn to accompany Brad to the 2004 Troy premiere . Long strapless dresses were fast becoming her signature look, like this one worn to the 2004 Emmy Awards . Winning GQ Magazine's 'Woman of the Year' in 2005 - the year she divorced Brad - she looks glum in an LBD . At the Vanity Fair Oscar party in 2006 her black dress swamps her figure and looks morbid . The actress admitted at the end of last year that she's '100 per cent' more confident than she's ever been and she's learnt to love her figure. 'It's true, youth is wasted on the young. There's no doubt about it,' Jennifer told Access Hollywood's Liz Hernandez. 'I look at all of my girlfriends and friends, and I think we're all becoming more and more in our bodies.' By 2008, she starts to look happy and and more confident again - showing off her legs like she did on the red carpet at the Marley and Me premiere with Owen Wilson . For the 2009 Oscars, she stuck to her tried and trusted long strapless gown style . More mini dresses at the Horrible bosses premiere in 2011, left and a perfume launch in 2010 . Pretty dresses that show off her legs but still keeping her décolletage covered at The We Are The Millers premiere in 2013, left, and Horrible Bosses premiere in 2011 . Shortly after turning 40, Jennifer shows she's becoming happier with her body with age wearing this sleeveless gown split to the thigh to the 2010 Golden Globes . The star's soaring self-esteem is largely thanks to her relationship with fiancé, Justin Theroux, who she is expected to marry this year. 'It's absolutely one of the happiest times in my life,' she said of her current situation. So it seems for the Horrible Bosses star the cliche is true - life really does begin at 40. The actress ditched black dresses to look bold in red at the 2013 Oscars joined by Justin . Figure happy: Now 45, the actress is confident to show off her chest at the Horrible Bosses 2 premiere in 2014, left, and flash her toned legs at the Golden Globes earlier this month .
### SUMMARY:
| Cake actress wore revealing Galliano gown to SAG Awards .
She wore similarly plunging top earlier this month .
Increasingly opted for more daring outfits since entering her forties .
Contrasts to girl-next-door style she had when Friends began .
Admitted she has become more confident with age . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
When Andrew Cadigan's mate Chris Simpson died of myelodysplasia in 2011, the carpenter from New South Wales spent 18 months walking around the coast of Australia to raise money for cancer research. But in a cruel twist of fate, the 31-year-old suffered severe head injuries in a motorbike accident just one month after completing his 15,000km walk and raising $65,000 for the Cancer Council and Leukaemia Foundation, dying three months later. That's how his devastated father, Neil Cadigan, found himself hosting annual walks for cancer charities two years later and turning the detailed diary his son wrote during his 350 day adventure into a novel titled With Every Step. Scroll down for video . Andrew Cadigan died just 12 weeks after he walked 15,000km around Australia over 350 days to raise $65,000 for the Cancer Council and Leukaemia Foundation . 'While I was sitting by his [hospital] bedside, I started to read his diary and decided that because there was so much depth to his diaries, that I would turn it into a book,' Mr Cadigan told Daily Mail Australia. 'He had died while preparing to write the book and I made a vow that I was going to complete the task for him.' Mr Cadigan said he was left in awe after flicking through the personal notes from his son's trip. Starting in Sydney, Andrew had walked down to Melbourne and across to Hobart before continuing on around the country - right through the Kimberley's during the lead up to the wet season in which he endured over 48 degree heat while drinking up to 14 litres of water a day. Andrew (pictured with his mother and father) has had his diary entries from the emotionally and phyically challenging trip, turned into a novel, written by his father . Chris Simpson (left) died from leukaemia in 2011. Now his best mate's diaries, written during his epic trek around Australia to raise money for cancer research, are being published . Determined to accomplish what he'd started, he even sold his own home to finance the trip. He is the third person to ever walk around the entire country solo with no accompanying tour. But his father had no idea of the pain his son had endured. 'He fought temperatures nearly freezing when he slept in a tent in Tasmania, he dealt with plagues of locusts and mice and wild bulls in the Kimberly's,' Mr Cadigan said. 'He had times when he woke up in the morning and had blistered feet and was in pain before he started and he would still walk 60km somehow. 'In some parts of West Australia, he was so detached and isolated between towns - he would be walking for days and days and there would be virtually no civilisation - it was then in his diaries that he wrote that he felt depressed and saw a doctor who said it was the physical relentlessness of the trip.' Accompanied by only a three-wheeler pram which carried his tent, sleeping bag and a solar panel, Andrew is only the third person to ever walk around the entire country solo with no accompanying tour . Starting in Sydney (left) he walked to Melbourne and across to Hobart before continuing on around the country - right through the Kimberley's during the lead up to the wet season in which he endured over 48 degree heat while drinking up to 14 litres of water a day . 'He fought temperatures nearly freezing when he slept in a tent in Tasmania, he dealt with plagues of locusts and mice and wild bulls in the Kimberly's,' Neil Cadigan said. 'He had times when he woke up in the morning and had blistered feet and was in pain before he started and he would still walk 60km somehow' Accompanied by only a three-wheeler pram which carried his tent, sleeping bag and a solar panel, Andrew walked an average of 43km a day while occasionally setting himself extreme challenges such as walking 100km with no stops along the lonely Nullarbor Plain - a feat that lasted from 1am until 4:30pm the next day. But it was the last video blog that Andrew posted on his website ozonfoot.com.au that Mr Cadigan finds the most tragic. 'Done and dusted! It's all over… day 536, but tomorrow will be day 1: getting on with the rest of my life,' Andrew filmed himself saying as he walked across the finishing line at the Sydney Harbour Bridge. In a cruel twist of fate, the 31-year-old suffered severe head injuries in a motorbike accident just one month after the trip, dying three months later . 'While I was sitting by his [hospital] bedside, I started to read his diary and decided that because there was so much depth to his diaries, that I would turn it into a book,' Neil Cadigan told Daily Mail Australia . It was a month after the recording that his mother and father rushed to his hospital bedside in Thailand, where he had travelled to relax after his huge year, and 12 weeks after it that he passed away. 'It has been a very tough mourning process, listening to his voice and going through his diary for the book, reading a lot of the things he wrote that we didn't get a chance to discuss amongst ourselves and knowing that I never would be able to,' Mr Cadigan said. 'He struggled far more than I had realised, even though I spoke to him regularly, so I became in awe of that and in times when I was struggling to get through it and keep writing it I thought "no, I'm going to keep going because he did". 'He just refused to give in until he got to the finish line and that became my drive.' Andrew's family said they have been overwhelmed with the messages of support they have received from people all over the country who met him and became inspired by his selfless goal . All the money the proud parents continue to raise through the annual charity walks they have organised in memory of their son, will be donated to the Leukaemia Foundation which has funded a $60,000 three year research project into treatments for Leukaemia - a PHD that is named after Andrew and Chris . Andrew's family said they have been overwhelmed with the messages of support they have received from people all over the country who met him and became inspired by his goal. Mr Cadigan and his wife Christine now host annual charity walks in their son's memory, with Mrs Cadigan even travelling to England next year to walk the 309km Coast to Coast Walk. All of the money the proud parents raise through their walks will be donated to the Leukaemia Foundation which has funded a $60,000 three year research project into treatments for Myelodysplasia (MDS) - a PHD that is named after Andrew and Chris. 'If that was to happen and they came close to finding a cure, that would be the proudest day of my life, knowing that the boys didn't die in vain,' Mr Cadigan said. With Every Step by Neil Cadigan, published by Nero. $1 from every copy sold goes to the Leukaemia Foundation.
### SUMMARY:
| Andrew Cadigan walked 15,000km around Australia over 350 days in 2012 .
He raised $65K for charity after close friend Chris Simpson died of cancer .
Tragically, Andrew died in Thailand 12 weeks after accomplishing his goal .
His father Neil has turned his detailed diary entries from the emotionally and physically challenging trip into a novel to honour his memory .
The Leukaemia Foundation has also funded a $60,000 three year research project, named after Andrew and Chris, into treatments for Myelodysplasia (MDS) a rare pre-Leukaemia condition . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Editor's note: Jeffrey A. Miron is senior lecturer in economics at Harvard University . Economist Jeffrey Miron says the stimulus guideline should be -- first, do no harm. CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) -- When libertarians question the merit of President Obama's stimulus package, a frequent rejoinder is, "Well, we have to do something." This is hardly a persuasive response. If the cure is worse than the disease, it is better to live with the disease. In any case, libertarians do not argue for doing nothing; rather, they advocate eliminating or adjusting policies that are bad for the economy independent of the recession. Here is a stimulus package that libertarians can endorse: . Repeal the Corporate Income Tax: Repeal would spur investment, improve the transparency of corporate accounting, slash compliance costs, and avoid the distortions caused by the special-interest provisions in the tax code. Repeal can work fast, by raising companies' share prices, increasing cash flow, and allowing corporations to lessen their need for bank lending. Thus repeal provides short-run stimulus and enhances long-run efficiency. Recent estimates suggest that tax cuts are at least as effective as spending increases in raising GDP. The adverse impact on the deficit is likely to be less than the $300-$350 billion in revenue the corporate tax takes in per year, since repeal spurs growth and therefore the revenue from other taxes. Increase Carbon Taxes While Lowering Marginal Tax Rates: Reasonable people disagree about how much the U.S. should reduce its use of fossil fuels, but crowded highways, air pollution, and global warming all suggest that some reduction is desirable. The effective way to accomplish this is higher gasoline or other carbon taxes, not the messy, complicated green spending in the Obama plan that will morph into pork in many cases. If higher carbon taxes are combined with lower marginal tax rates, the private sector faces better incentives on both counts. This approach avoids the higher deficits implied by Obama's green initiatives. Moderate the Growth of Entitlements: The elephant in the room amidst the stimulus debate is the impending imbalance in Social Security and Medicare as the baby boom generation moves into retirement. Without reductions in benefits, taxes will have to increase substantially, generating a major drag on the U.S. economy. A reasonable response is to raise the age of eligibility for Social Security and Medicare, consistent with the increases in life expectancy and health that have occurred in past decades. This restructuring would reassure markets about the U.S.'s long-run fiscal balance. This means foreigners will continue to be willing to hold U.S. debt, so U.S. borrowing costs will remain moderate. Eliminate Wasteful Spending: Most discussion of the stimulus focuses on areas where, according to proponents, government spending should be higher. Much current expenditure, however, is wasteful. Examples include agricultural subsidies, bloated transportation projects like the Big Dig in Boston, misguided infrastructure projects like the New Orleans levees (why encourage people to live below sea level?), ineffective weapons systems, pork barrel spending, and subsidies for Amtrak and the Post Office (buses are more efficient than railways, and Fedex is more efficient than the Post Office). Everyone knows the U.S.'s long-run deficit picture is dismal. We should address this by cutting inefficient spending now. Withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan: President Obama plans to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq over the next eighteen months, while expanding U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. It is hard to see, however, that any good arises from dragging out our Iraq exit or from staying in Afghanistan. The government should move toward faster withdrawal, and from both countries. The U.S. can redeploy these troops where useful, or release the resources to civilian uses. Limit Union Power: Later this year, Congress is likely to vote on the card check bill, a new law that facilitates unionization. The law eliminates the presumption of a secret ballot, which means union organizers can pressure employees into accepting representation. Laws that protect unions are problematic. Unions raise wages above market levels, increasing unemployment. Thus the Obama administration can signal American business that it cares about efficiency, not just redistribution of wealth, by opposing the card check bill. Better yet, it can repeal the Davis-Bacon Act, which inflates labor costs in federal contracts. Renew the U.S. Commitment to Free Trade: One crucial danger in the current environment is that the U.S. and other countries will embrace protectionist policies. The U.S. enacted prohibitive tariffs during the Great Depression, and many trading partners retaliated. World trade plummeted, contributing to the economic misery. The Obama fiscal stimulus risks reviving this insanity, since both the House and Senate bills require that certain stimulus-funded projects use U.S. equipment and goods. The administration should oppose these provisions. More generally, President Obama and his economic advisors should state -- no, scream -- that America is unambiguously committed to free trade. Expand Legal Immigration: Radical changes in immigration policy seem unlikely in the near future, but one specific change is compelling: an increased quota for H-1B visas, which go to workers with technical skills seeking employment in U.S. industry. The annual quota for such visas was 195,000 as recently as 2000, but it now stands at only 65,000. A major increase in this quota would be a boon to American scientific and engineering productivity. More broadly, expanding immigration is the most effective method the U.S. has for aiding poor citizens of foreign countries and for influencing repressive governments. Stop Bailing out Businesses that Took on Too Much Risk: Popular opinion blames deregulation and private sector greed for the financial meltdown, but the reality is more subtle. Existing regulation was ineffective at preventing excessive risk-taking, and the private sector did its best to profit from the incentives that were in place. The extreme increase in risk-taking, however, would not have occurred absent policies that encouraged such risk (e.g., Fannie Mae or the Fed's reassurances about housing bubbles) or past bailouts that cushioned the losses from private risk-taking. One crucial response to any crisis is learning to avoid the next one. The lesson this time is that rewarding risk generates more risk. The U.S. should therefore stop bailing out banks, automakers, homeowners, or anyone else. The libertarian view, then, is that many desirable policy changes involve less government, not more. Even changes that are inconsistent with the Keynesian stimulus framework, such as reductions in military spending, make sense when the spending is wasteful. It is tempting to believe that every problem has a solution, but the reality is not so nice. It is possible, even likely, that the best we can do is fix things we know how to fix, and then get out of the way. This may not ameliorate the current situation, but it avoids making things worse. In economics as in medicine -- first, do no harm. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jeffrey Miron.
### SUMMARY:
| Jeffrey Miron: Key rule of stimulus plan should be: first, do no harm .
He says plan should repeal the corporate income tax, raise retirement age .
Miron says "buy American" rules should be avoided and free trade backed .
Miron: Government shouldn't make it easier for unions to organize . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(OPRAH.com) -- "I'm thinking of throwing a little party," I tell my pal Karen as I hold the phone with one hand and fold a mountain of laundry with the other. Two friends make Lisa Kogan promise not to flambé anything this time. "No big thing, really, just a few old friends getting together for the holidays," I persist over the dead silence on the other end of the receiver. "Maybe you and Daniel, me and Johannes, and four or five other people who --" "Daniel and I can't make it," she answers before I can finish. "But I haven't given you the date." "Look, Lisa, you know I've had health issues," she counters nervously. I explain to Karen that the American Medical Association has yet to classify "exceedingly dry cuticles" as the kind of condition that requires actual bed rest. "Still..." she mutters as her voice trails off. That night in bed, I turn to Johannes (love of my life, father of my child, official party co-host). "Darling, I was thinking it's time we throw a little party," I venture. "That sounds great, sweetheart." "Really, pumpkin?" "Of course, angel. I do have one small request, though." "Anything, honey." He lifts his head and hands me his pillow. "Put this over my face and then hold it there until, oh, I don't know ... let's say, I stop moving." There are lots of areas in which I excel. As I've already mentioned, I can fold laundry with one hand. I'm also quite capable of catching the cold of just about anybody living within my zip code. Oprah.com: How to face your inner perfectionist . I have the kind of magnetism that wordlessly beckons a guy wearing half a cantaloupe on his head to come sit next to me during long subway rides. And, though I'm hard-pressed to explain exactly how I do it, I possess an almost mystical ability to purchase appliances, furniture, and clothing approximately six minutes before the extremely pricey item goes on sale. The thing I can't do is host a genuinely wonderful party. I attempt to invite several other friends, but one has elected to schedule elective surgery for that date (you know you're in trouble when a friend would rather have her hammertoes corrected than have dinner at your place); one claims our last brunch was like "a hostage situation with lox"; one -- and you know who you are -- pretends to be her own housekeeper, repeating, "I sorry, no English" over and over; and two different people choose not to attend but still make me swear that I won't flambé anything again ... like it's my fault they couldn't get their eyebrows to grow back after the crêpes Suzette incident of 2005. I crawl into bed that night a broken woman. "Why do I suck at parties?" I ask Johannes. He narrows his eyes. "Is this one of those trick questions like when you ask me if you need to lose weight and I say, 'Well, I suppose we could all stand to drop a pound or two,' and you spend the next 36 hours likening me to Satan?" I make a mental note to explore why I suck at relationships on some future night. "No," I insist, "I really want to know what I'm doing wrong. Give it to me straight, Doc, I can take it." He smiles and puts his book aside. "That's just it; the only thing you're doing wrong is constantly striving to do everything exactly right. You want the prettiest cocktail, the freshest flowers, candles lit, music playing, dinner timed, conversation sparkling, and you drive yourself and everybody else nuts trying to achieve it." Oprah.com: A lesson for the reluctant hostess . I would like to be the kind of person who receives this information with an open mind and a grateful heart. But my first instinct is to take my boyfriend of 15 years up on his previous offer and smother him to death with his own orthopedically correct goose-down pillow. The problem is, I know he's right. I am part geisha girl, part drill sergeant, with just a soupçon of control freak thrown in for good measure. I want everyone to relax and have a good time, but that has to start with me, and I'm about as laid-back as a caged hummingbird guzzling a can of Red Bull while awaiting biopsy results. You can keep your meditation, your reflexology, your gin, your tonics -- I'm just not the mellow type. I approach a petite Jewish woman from the Midwest to figure out when this started. "Mom, have I always been a perfectionist?" She attempts diplomacy. "Well, let me put it this way -- you used to like to dress up in my clothes when you were maybe 3 or 4 years old." "What does that prove? Lots of little girls play dress-up." "True," she says, "but you tried to bulldoze Grandma into tailoring the clothes to actually fit you." "Well, excuse me for realizing that a skirt should hit just above my knee." We are quiet for a minute. "So how do you throw a really fun party?" She reminds me that they used to hire Magical Marv for my birthdays. I remind her that Magical Marv chain-smoked and seemed to hate children. "Yes, that's what your dad and I always liked best about him," she deadpans. "Anyway, the only thing I know about giving a party is that we can never get the extra leaf into the dining table and I usually forget to serve one of the side dishes." This leads me to a new theory: "Maybe bad parties are hereditary, like green eyes and diabetes," I say to Johannes. "Okay, that's it," he announces, grabbing the phone. Before I can lunge at him, he has dialed our neighbors Paul and Cheryl and invited them to come for dinner "in about 15 minutes." "Are you insane?" I shriek as I stuff everything littering the floor and coffee table under the sofa. "This is grounds for divorce," I bellow, only to be reminded that we never got married. "That's because I don't know how to throw a wedding," I hiss as I pull off my stained Sunday night yoga pants and rummage through the laundry bag for my slightly less stained Saturday afternoon yoga pants, marveling all the while at the fact that I don't do yoga. Needless to say, Cheryl and Paul are four minutes early. "Hey, guys, can I offer you..." I do a quick scan of the refrigerator, "a dollop of mayonnaise?" I have hit rock bottom. Somewhere Martha Stewart hangs her head in shame. Johannes gives me a hug. There is no place to go but up. Our neighbors split a diet Snapple, we order in Thai food and proceed to talk and laugh and pass chicken satay for three straight hours. What can I say? It is, to date, our most successful dinner party. By Lisa Kogan from "O, The Oprah Magazine," December 2008 . Subscribe to O, The Oprah Magazine for up to 75% off the newsstand price. That's like getting 18 issues FREE. Subscribe now! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
### SUMMARY:
| Columnist Lisa Kogan attempts to throw a holiday party .
Friends, boyfriend tell Kogan she is a terrible hostess and refuse to come .
Kogan realizes she is too much of a perfectionist to relax and have fun .
Kogan's boyfriend invites couple over for spur of the moment dinner . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Boston, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Republican Scott Brown won a major upset victory in Tuesday's special election for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by liberal Democrat Ted Kennedy. Brown defeated Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, the Democratic candidate. Brown's victory made real the once unthinkable prospect of a Republican filling the seat held by Kennedy, known as the liberal lion, for almost 47 years until his death from brain cancer in August. Voters across Massachusetts braved winter cold and snow for an election with high stakes -- the domestic agenda of President Obama, including his priority of health care reform. Brown's victory strips Democrats of the 60-seat Senate supermajority needed to overcome GOP filibusters against future Senate action on a broad range of White House priorities. Senate Democrats needed all 60 votes in their caucus to pass the health care bill, and the loss of one seat imperils generating that support again for a compromise measure worked out with the House. In a subdued concession speech, Coakley said she expected a tough assessment of her loss and lots of "Wednesday-morning quarterbacking" after losing a seat held by Democrats for more than 50 years. "I am heartbroken at the result," Coakley said, later adding: "Although I am very disappointed, I always respect the voters' choice." Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin said last week that certifying Tuesday's election results could take more than two weeks -- potentially enough time to allow congressional Democrats to pass a final health care bill before Brown is seated. But multiple Democratic sources said this is unlikely. Even if House and Senate Democrats could reach a deal to meld their bills and pass them in the next couple of weeks, there would be a huge outcry from not only Republicans, but also an increasingly distrustful public if they appeared to be rushing it through. Galvin had predicted as many as 2.2 million of the state's 4.5 million registered voters would vote -- at least double the turnout from December's primary. In one sign of high interest, more than 100,000 absentee ballots were requested ahead of the election, according to Galvin's spokesman, Brian McNiff. Coakley was initially expected to easily win the race to replace Kennedy, who made health care reform the centerpiece of his Senate career. Until recently, Brown was underfunded and unknown statewide. In addition, no Republican has won a U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts since 1972, and Democrats control the governorship, both houses of the state legislature, and the state's entire congressional delegation. However, Brown surged in the weeks preceding Tuesday's vote and led in all the final polls. Democratic sources told CNN that Coakley called Brown on Tuesday night to concede. In a sign of the high stakes involved, the Coakley campaign held an afternoon news conference Tuesday to complain that voters in three places received ballots already marked for Brown. iReport: Send us your thoughts on the special election . McNiff confirmed that the secretary of state's offices received two reports of voters saying they got pre-marked ballots. The suspect ballots were invalidated and the voters received new ballots, McNiff said. Kevin Conroy, the Coakley campaign manager, said the "disturbing incidents" raised questions about the integrity of the election. In response, the Brown campaign issued a statement criticizing Coakley's team. "Reports that the Coakley campaign is making reckless accusations regarding the integrity of today's election is a reminder that they are a desperate campaign," Daniel B. Winslow, the counsel for the Brown campaign, said in the statement. Obama has been both "surprised and frustrated" by the race, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday. Obama and former President Bill Clinton hit the campaign trail over the past three days in an attempt to save Coakley's campaign, which observers say was hampered by complacency and missteps. Obama crushed Sen. John McCain in Massachusetts in 2008, beating the GOP presidential nominee by 26 points. "If you were fired up in the last election, I need you more fired up in this election," Obama urged a crowd at a Coakley campaign rally on Sunday. Vicki Kennedy, the late senator's widow, called on state Democrats to turn out to save her husband's legacy. "We need your help. We need your support. We need you to get out there and vote on Tuesday," Kennedy said. "We need you to bring your neighbors. We need you to bring your friends." Brown, who has trumpeted his 30 years of service in the National Guard, hewed to traditional GOP themes at the end of the campaign. He promised at a rally Sunday that, if elected, he would back tax cuts and be tougher on terrorists than Coakley. He also repeated a pledge to oppose Obama's health care reform effort. "Massachusetts wants real reform and not this trillion-dollar Obama health care that is being forced on the American people," he said. "As the 41st [Republican] senator I will make sure that we do it better." Forty-four percent of Massachusetts voters cited the economy and jobs as their top concern in a recent 7 News/Suffolk University poll. Thirty-eight percent mentioned health care as their top concern. Voters more concerned with the economy were split almost evenly between the two candidates; voters more worried about health care narrowly supported Coakley. Brown's surprising strength came in part because some independents and conservatives who have supported Democrats in the past were having second thoughts. Democrats far outnumber Republicans in Massachusetts, but there are more independents than Democrats and Republicans combined. Several Democratic sources say multiple Obama advisers have told the party they believed Coakley was going to lose, despite Obama's campaign appearance for Coakley on Sunday. Facing the possibility of Coakley's defeat, Democrats were trying to figure out if they could pass health care reform without that crucial 60th Senate vote. The seat is currently held by former Kennedy aide and longtime friend Paul Kirk, who was appointed to the seat on an interim basis. Two Democratic sources in close contact with the White House told CNN on Monday they've urged the administration, in the event of a Brown victory, to push House Democrats to pass the Senate's health care bill as currently written. Doing so would prevent the plan from having to be taken up by the Senate again. "I think the Senate bill clearly is better than nothing," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, said Tuesday. A third option would be for Democrats to revisit the idea of trying to push health care through the Senate with only 51 votes -- a simple majority. But to do that Democrats would have to use a process known as reconciliation, which presents technical and procedural issues that would delay the process for a long time. A number of Democrats are eager to put the health care debate behind them and move on to economic issues such as job creation as soon as possible this election year. Senate Democrats could also try again to get moderate GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine to vote for a compromise health reform plan. Multiple Democratic sources, however, have said they believe that is unlikely now. CNN's Jim Acosta, Dana Bash, Kevin Bohn, Ed Henry, Ed Hornick, John King, Suzanne Malveaux, Shawna Shepherd, Jessica Yellin, Alan Silverleib and Tom Cohen contributed to this report.
### SUMMARY:
| Democrat Martha Coakley concedes to Republican Scott Brown .
President Obama "frustrated" by Massachusetts Senate race, aide says .
Good turnout expected as Massachusetts votes to fill Sen. Ted Kennedy's seat .
Democrats would lose filibuster-proof majority in Senate with Brown win . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- An embattled Nevada councilwoman e-mailed a friend about items intended for her mother and called police shortly before they found her and her husband dead in an apparent murder-suicide, police in Mesquite said Wednesday. "Detectives were advised that Bill Fairchild was the victim of a homicide-suicide. The crime scene and autopsy were consistent that Bill was deceased approximately an hour before Donna," said Chief Douglas L. Law in a statement after the autopsy. Each of the Fairchilds suffered a single gunshot wound. The bodies were found Tuesday morning, hours before Donna Fairchild was to attend a City Council meeting and face possible sanctions over a travel expense voucher and public comments. A neighbor told CNN on Wednesday she had lunch with Donna Fairchild on Monday and was the recipient of a box left by the councilwoman, apparently on the morning of the shootings. According to police, Donna Fairchild contacted City Attorney Cheryl Truman Hunt around 8:30 p.m. Monday to discuss an opportunity to meet with the mayor and council in order to tender her resignation before the meeting. The city attorney at 10 p.m. confirmed with Fairchild a Tuesday afternoon meeting with the mayor and council. At a news conference, police in this city along Interstate 15 near the Arizona border provided a timeline of the events that led to the shooting deaths. Sometime late Monday or early Tuesday, Donna Fairchild dropped off a box at the friend's house, Law said. "At 4:20 a.m., an email was sent by Donna to a friend to say she left a note with a box on her friend's porch to be sent to Donna's mother," the statement said. "At 4:33 a.m., Police Dispatch received a 911 call from Donna Fairchild which gave her address, said her door was unlocked and that she would be 'post-suicide.' " "At 4:35 a.m., officers and detectives arrived on scene and located Donna and Bill Fairchild in the back bedroom and found each with a single gunshot wound. Both were deceased." Toxicology tests conducted by the Clark County Coroner's Office were expected to take four to six weeks, according to the city. The city released the audio of the 911 call, in which Donna Fairchild gave the address, said the couple was in the bedroom, the front door was unlocked and "I am post-suicide." The police dispatcher said, "And what's going on there?" There was no audible response. Melanie Giarratana said she had known the Fairchilds for about 10 years and enjoyed a lunch Monday with Donna Fairchild. "It was wonderful," said Giarratana, who has been active in local issues and economic development in this resort town that features golf resorts and casinos. Donna Fairchild had told her she had made a mistake by filing a $94.60 mileage expense form for a trip city officials said she did not make, Giarratana said. But the councilwoman said she never signed for the check. Giarratana said she had no inkling of what was to occur the next morning. Donna Fairchild forwarded her an e-mail joke around 8 p.m. Monday. The councilwoman sent her another e-mail around 4:20 a.m. Tuesday about the box, but Giarratana did not see the e-mail until 7 a.m., when she found the package outside her home. According to Giarratana, Donna Fairchild wrote her, "I have left a box full of items for my Mom by your front door. Please make sure she gets it! I know this will never make sense. I am sorry. Thank you for being my BFF." Bound in rubber bands, the box contained jewelry, cash and a note expressing apologies, Giarratana said. Mesquite city spokesman Bryan Dangerfield said Tuesday that a note and a 9mm handgun were found at the scene. "The content of the note will not be disclosed until the investigation is complete," Dangerfield said. City Manager Timothy Hacker said he believed that Donna Fairchild was concerned about the agenda items, according to CNN Las Vegas affiliate KLAS. Fairchild, who was a candidate for mayor, told the Desert Valley Times last week that she would not comment on the allegations against her but instead would talk about them Tuesday evening. Mayor Susan Holecheck and the city had planned to ask the City Council to consider sanctioning Fairchild through possible reprimand, removal from boards or expulsion for filing the $94.60 mileage reimbursement request with the city for a January 4 Nevada Development Authority board meeting she allegedly did not attend, according to an item on the council agenda. Fairchild allegedly violated the city's code of conduct and its personnel policy, and she allegedly presented a fraudulent claim to a public officer, Hunt wrote in a January 18 memo. Holecheck, who is seeking re-election, and Hunt also wanted the City Council to consider removing Fairchild as the city's representative to the Nevada Development Authority board of directors. According to a filing on the agenda, comments Fairchild made about the authority in a newspaper article "were negative towards this agency, and deemed incompatible with the mission of the agency and good working relations with other NDA board members." A January 7 article of the Desert Valley Times includes interviews and comments from Mesquite mayoral candidates. In the article, Fairchild said, "We just got a bill from the Nevada Development Authority: It costs $7,500 to belong. There was one thing that came out of the NDA, and that was Do It Best. That was huge for the community, but I don't think we're getting the bang for our buck." In the article, Fairchild said that Mesquite should be doing most of its own marketing. NDA Executive Director Somer Hollingsworth wrote Holecheck that Fairchild -- who was the city's representative to the board since July 2009 -- should have brought her concerns to him, rather than airing them publicly, especially since she was a member of the NDA executive committee, according to an e-mail attached with the filing. According to the agenda item, Fairchild could have discussed her issues with the NDA if she had attended the January 4 board meeting. Donna Fairchild served on the City Council from 2001 to 2007 and was re-elected in 2009. She moved to Mesquite with Bill Fairchild in 1999 after they both retired from the Denver Police Department, the city said. In Mesquite, Bill Fairchild worked at a recreation center and was a member of the Virgin Valley Honor Guard and the Veterans of Foreign War. The Fairchilds were married for 21 years, the city said. "They had an excellent marriage," Giarratana said. The friend of the couple said she does not believe the issues with the city were enough to push Donna Fairchild over the edge. "I cannot figure out what happened between 8 p.m. and 4:20 a.m.," Giarratana said. She said Donna Fairchild wanted to continue her mayoral campaign and deal with the issues, but Giarratana was unaware that the councilwoman had apparently planned to resign Tuesday. "The town is in total shock," Giarratana said. "The town is weeping." CNN's Phil Gast contributed to this report.
### SUMMARY:
| Friend recounts "wonderful" lunch with councilwoman day before .
Police say autopsy shows husband died about an hour before his wife .
Councilwoman Donna Fairchild of Mesquite, Nevada, faced possible sanctions .
City Council was to look at mileage reimbursement request, another matter . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(Mashable) -- At Wednesday's announcement of Google's +1, the company was coy about comparing its experimental product to the longstanding Facebook Like button. But in the two companies' ongoing battle for ad dollars, +1 is a clear shot across Facebook's bow. Let's follow the money for a moment. Both companies get most of their revenue from advertising. They pitch their ad services based on their ability to serve highly targeted ads that get good results for brands and businesses. They are able to target ads based on the data they gather about users. But here's the main difference: Facebook gathers data based on user-submitted profile information. Google has to rely on roundabout ways to get data for ad targeting. And some of those methods, including cookies that track browsing behavior, are coming under fire from citizens and governments. As you can see from the chart below, Google has a lot to worry about when it comes to competing with Facebook for ad dollars. Google commands 12.6% of the annual $10.1 billion U.S. online ad spend; Facebook trumps that figure by nine full percentage points. New user acquisition . Google's +1 buttons will soon appear in Google Search, one of the most widely used services on the Internet. And clicking them will require the user to have a Google profile. As Google's Manager of Global Communications Jim Prosser told us in an email, "We think it's important for users to know who they are seeing +12 s from, which is why we have the upgrade or creation of a Google profile as part of the flow of a user's first +1." Facebook profiles are more or less de rigeur for anyone with an Internet connection. Meanwhile, Google Profiles -- and most of Google's other social products, such as Hotpot and Buzz --have mostly remained in the rarefied domain of the digerati. Making a Google Profile a requirement for those addictive little +1 buttons is a smart move on Google's part. It may not match Facebook's 500 million-strong membership when the feature rolls out to all users, but it has a good shot at vastly increasing levels of profile adoption. Facebook's critical mass of users has been one of the things that's allowed it to succeed in capturing more ad spend that Google. Even though it is a closed, unsearchable system, Facebook has the sheer number of users and amount of behavioral and demographic data to sweep up ad dollars no matter what. Data gathering for ad targeting . If Google's +1 does lead to a larger number of Google Profiles, Google will have even more personal and demographic data than it currently does about web users. Right now, Facebook has the ability to offer extremely highly targeted ads because of the kinds of data it gathers about its users. It knows whether you're single or not, it knows your gender and sexual orientation, where you work, where you live and a great deal more. Advertisers are very excited about being able to narrow their campaigns' scope by such finely tuned variables. If Google could get more profiles, it could increase the accuracy of its targeting beyond keywords and browsing data, potentially matching Facebook's level of personal relevance. With the push toward Do Not Track features, including a new privacy bill introduced in the U.S. Congress, who knows how long cookie-based browsing-data gathering will last? In short, Google needs other ways to gather data to target ads, and it needs huge amounts of this data very quickly. What better way to do this than by introducing a compelling search product with a social prerequisite? Whether better-targeted ads from Google will positively impact clickthrough rates and inspire further advertiser confidence remains to be seen. Currently, clickthrough rates for Google AdSense and AdWords campaigns vary widely, with around 30% of advertisers in a SearchEngineRoundtable survey reporting rates of 1% or less. Facebook ads might be underperforming the industry standard of 1%, as well. Socially driven recommendation engines . Facebook Likes are already recognized by brands and businesses as a measurable marketing tool, and Facebook itself has been embraced as a legitimate marketing platform. Likes can act as a social recommendation engine between friends, and these recommendations count a lot when it comes to making purchase decisions. In fact, in a recent survey from Nielsen, 90% of respondents said they had some degree of trust in a recommendation from a friend or family member. Those recommendations count more than consumer reviews or branded websites. In other words, a Facebook Like could count for more than a banner ad when it comes to moving product -- and the Like is free media. Once Google has its +1 wheels in motion, the feature stands to become a social recommendation engine, as well, but a more targeted one. On Facebook, you see Likes for brands, photos, and posts that have nothing to do with you. But on Google, you see personal recommendations for products and places you're actively seeking out. It's a powerful concept, and advertisers will surely want to optimize for that situation. Prosser notes, "While we can't speak to what other products are doing, we think there's a great deal of value in surfacing personal recommendations and endorsements where they're most valuable, in search ... We've really focused on relevance. When you +1 something, you know your friends will find it in search, but you won't be pushing a notification to everyone." As DeepFocus CEO Ian Schafer told us Wednesday, "When someone is searching for a piece of information about a product, a review, or insightful commentary, it is typically a very insular activity," says Schafer. "But being able to place a 'seal of approval' next to a search result may have the effect of making a typically insular activity more collaborative -- hopefully improving the 'algorithm' through the quality of your connections." Search algorithms . The other interesting piece of the puzzle is the SEO question. Google came at search in the 1990s with an algorithmic approach that put it head and shoulders above contemporary UGC engines. Now, it's turning back the clock and allowing user feedback to drive search results once again. Does this mean algorithmic web search has failed? Will user-driven search data be just as gaming-prone as algorithms are? Google communications manager Jake Hubert wrote to us in an email, "We rely on a fundamentally algorithmic approach to search quality because this is the most scalable way to answer more than a billion search queries each day, many of which we've never seen before, in more than a hundred languages. Google's algorithm is constantly evolving and improving. For example, in 2010 alone we experimented with more than 6,000 changes and launched 490. "Google will study the clicks on +1 buttons as another ranking signal. As with any new ranking signal, we'll be starting carefully and learning how the signal is related to quality." As users begin to see these +1s from friends and others as recommendations in search results, the results will likely become more personalized and hopefully more relevant. And when it comes to search, Facebook Likes -- an unindexed piece of data in a closed network -- don't count for a hill of beans. Who will win the war? Which company will end up with the most users, the most data, the best targeting and the most profit? The answer to that question largely depends on whether +1 can successfully change the game, whether this innocuous little button is actually Google's first killer social product. But regardless, online ad spend is hardly a zero sum game, and both of these companies are setting themselves up for a long-term, multilateral tug of war to capture as much of that market as possible. © 2010 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.
### SUMMARY:
| Google's +1 buttons will be in Google Search; clicking them will require a Google profile .
Google commands 12.6% of the annual $10.1 billion in U.S. online ad spending .
If Google get more people to create profiles, it could increase the accuracy of its targeting . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- Every Friday, Bree Boyce dreaded her high school gym class. Students had to run a mile under 11 minutes, and those who couldn't finish in time would have to walk around the track for the rest of the period. Weighing 234 pounds, Boyce never made it in time. "There were a few times I tried to run because I was so embarrassed and afraid of what other kids might say. After many failed attempts, I gave up hope," said Boyce. Every day, Boyce wore a baggy T-shirt and a pair of faded, size 18 jeans to school. She ducked and dodged anytime someone tried to take her picture. She deflected attention from her weight by cracking jokes. Five years later and 112 pounds lighter, Boyce is no longer the camera-shy girl hiding inside saggy, shapeless tees. She struts onstage in body-hugging evening gowns and swimsuits. She embraces the spotlight as the reigning Miss South Carolina. And she has been a guest co-host on "The View," chatting openly about her weight. Bree Boyce: Applying weight-loss lessons to all of life . "I had struggled for so many years with my weight," Boyce said. "So many girls look to beauty queens because they want to be like them and look like them. But my thing is that we're all unique and we're all different and not one person is going to look like the next. And somebody might be a healthy size 6, and an unhealthy size 0." When she makes public appearances, a tiara rests on her head and a sash drapes over her shoulder. She'll compete for the Miss America crown in January in Las Vegas. Her journey from obese teenager to beauty queen isn't just about shedding excess weight, or going from one extreme to another. "It's more about setting a good example for the younger generation," Boyce said. "If you have a dream, go for it. Don't let others' perceptions hold you back." Growing up, Boyce was chubbier than her three older siblings. Although she ate about the same foods as they did, her metabolism seemed different. As the youngest of two girls and two boys, Boyce found support and acceptance in her family and community. "She was the funny kid," said Tiffany Olson, Boyce's older sister. "She had the best personality." Her personality carried over to school, where she won over friends with her enthusiasm (she was president of the pep club), and impersonations of celebrities from Cher to Britney Spears. "I tried to be very outgoing and tried to compensate my weight with my personality," Boyce said. When people at school talked about her or teased her, she'd try to be their friend. "Sometimes I made fun of myself with them," Boyce said. "It was all trying to cover up and not try to expose myself too much that I was hurting inside about my weight." Diet tricks the pros tell their friends . Throughout her childhood, Boyce watched on the sidelines as her older sister competed in beauty pageants. She secretly hoped one day, she would compete. As a teen, Boyce tried several weight-loss gimmicks, low-carb and starvation diets. But she'd always slip back into her old habits because the hunger returned with such intensity. Boyce's health battle is not rare in her home state. In South Carolina, about 31% of the population is considered obese. "I figured that this was the body I was going to live in, and there was nothing I could do about it," Boyce said. "I was just so unhappy about the way I looked, but I still continued to eat unhealthy." "I would come home from school, sit on the couch for hours, and snack all day long. I would drive to a fast food place, pick up any meal I wanted to, eat it and then go back an hour later, eat it again." At age 17, she went to the doctor's office because of knee problems. The doctor didn't mince his words. "You know, this weight has to come off," he told her. "And if it doesn't, then your body is not going to take care of you in the long run. And you're only 17 years old." Boyce realized that he was right. "I'm 17 years old. I have the whole world in front of me. And it's up to me and only me to change it. And that's exactly what I did," she said. Surgery is no quick fix for obese teens . She tossed out junk food and set a goal to lose five pounds in one month. And she put one foot in front of the other. She walked around the block because "that's all I could do. I was so overweight." Then the next week, she walked a little farther. After her first month, she lost seven pounds. When you're losing weight, where does the fat go? After losing more pounds, she joined the gym, started dancing in Zumba classes. Then she started jogging. During her senior year of high school, an adviser at the pep club suggested Boyce try for the title of Miss West Florence, the school's equivalent of a beauty pageant. At first, Boyce laughed it off. "I was not thin," she said. "I was still chubby, losing weight gradually." But Boyce gave it a shot. "I was myself and I won," beating 38 other girls, she said. "That gave me another confidence boost knowing that I could do what I set my mind to." After graduating in 2007, she went to study theater at Francis Marion University. She competed for the local Miss Florence title and began a winning streak in local beauty pageants until she finally won the state crown in July. Through the years, Boyce had to unlearn a lifetime of bad habits. "It's all about learning a process, learning a lifestyle, and so many people think it's an overnight quick fix. And it absolutely is not. It takes time. It took me three years," she said. Boyce, who couldn't finish a mile in under 11 minutes in high school, can now run that distance in seven minutes. She plans to train for her first marathon once she has time after the Miss America contest. "You don't have to be rail thin to think you're beautiful and want to be Miss America," she said. "You need to be happy and content with yourself, get your physical activity. That's what counts the most -- not starvation diets and being rail thin." Boyce meticulously schedules workouts and meals to prepare for Miss America. On a recent day, she cooked breakfast at home in Florence, scrambling eggs and slicing a grapefruit. "I block out where am I going to eat, how am I going to eat that day," she said. In the pageant world, where a woman's frame and figure are constantly analyzed, Boyce has heard the critiques: too muscular, too big, not petite enough, not a size 00. Bree Boyce's Facebook page . "I love my body," Boyce said. "I went from 234 pounds to being comfortable and happy and being content with the way I look. Someone says I'm not a 00 -- that doesn't mean I don't continue to compete for Miss America. We need to give an idealistic role model." She said she'd rather be on stage looking the way she does now than looking "sick, frail and thin. That's not the message that I'm promoting at all."
### SUMMARY:
| Bree Boyce struggled as a teenager to lose weight and exercise .
She wanted to compete in beauty pageants, but felt her weight prevented her .
Boyce lost 112 pounds and heads to Miss America pageant next year . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- Former Super Bowl champion Brett Favre was back on the football field wearing his No. 4 jersey and throwing touchdowns in front of a cheering crowd. But while his fans from Green Bay, New York and Minnesota will be able to see him in action at 8 p.m. ET August 26 on NBC, he's not making yet another comeback to the NFL. Favre was on the field in Grant Park in downtown Chicago recently with other NFL greats such as Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, Marcus Allen and Barry Sanders, playing in the annual EA Sports "Madden" Pigskin Pro Am flag football game. Favre said he was happy to be back on the gridiron in organized play. "It's kind of exciting," Favre said. "Obviously, it's different. Some of these guys I've played against and had some battles (with) over the years, but it's always nice to regroup and swap some old stories. It's always fun to play football." Before the high-scoring affair, which included video game-style gold balls for 12-point scores and special bonuses for touchdowns thrown in certain spots in the end zone, the 11-time Pro Bowler wasn't promising a return to his glory days. "I wouldn't expect too much, but we've got a lot of pride. No one's an athlete like Deion (Sanders); he's in a class by himself. The rest of us are just trying to show we still have a little bit of skills," he said. Favre was gunslinging against veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb, who's not ready for retirement yet. The annual event, which also featured celebrities such as Josh Henderson ("Dallas"), Terry Crews ("The Expendables 2"), Jesse Williams ("The Cabin in the Woods") and singer Nick Jonas, helps drum up awareness for what gamers believe is the true start of the new NFL season -- the launch of EA Sports "Madden NFL 13" on August 28. "I hope EA doesn't judge us off of today," Favre said jokingly. "The kids I work with back at the high school back home, they were giving me a hard time. They said I'm real slow on Madden. I'm hoping to change that today." Favre played video games back in the day such as Pong and Pac-man, but he says he's seen gaming come a long way since then. And he believes video games such as "Madden" can help aspiring quarterbacks. "I think it's beneficial," Favre said. "I also think that kids should get out and play, actually get out and do some physical stuff. I think Madden does teach them a lot about the sport. The fan base that video games have reached is amazing. The advancements that they've made are just unbelievable. I think in a lot of ways it's good, as long as the kids will get out and participate in some of the things that they're playing (onscreen)." Favre was on the cover of "Madden NFL 09" back in 2008, which marked the 20th anniversary of the bestselling game franchise. Favre was originally seen in his Green Bay Packers uniform, but Electronic Arts changed subsequent cover art to reflect his New York Jets uniform after he came out of retirement to play again. "I wasn't jinxed (being on the cover); I wouldn't say that," said Favre, referring to the "Madden Curse" that has seen more than its fair share of cover athletes suffer injuries or other mishaps the season after they appear. "I consider it a huge honor." Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson graces the cover of the new "Madden NFL 13." Electronic Arts says it has completely overhauled the game, making the most changes to the franchise in its history. One of the additions is a new online mode that allows players to take former greats all the way to the Hall of Fame. When asked what it's like to remain in the Madden franchise after retirement, Favre replied, "It's nice to know I'm alive and kicking, let's just put it that way." Another new feature that armchair quarterbacks will be happy with is that the new Madden game allows players to lead the receivers -- just like Favre did during his career. When it comes to technology and video games, Favre has no idea what's next for "Madden NFL 14" or beyond, he said. "I don't even want to guess," Favre said. "Just when you think you've seen it all, something else comes out. I think that as great as it is now, the advancements that have been made; I just think it's going to grow tremendously." While Favre is from the original generation of arcade gamers, today's NFL players have grown up with controllers in their hands. "They play video games all the time," said Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, who was also on the field with Favre. "They play Madden more than they want to practice for the real football game. It just shows that it's a great game and that you can get consumed by it. You've got to be smart, make decisions, and do all of that stuff, but it's an unbelievable game." One current player, and the coach of one of the two Pigskin Pro Am teams, said that he doesn't play as much any more. "I used to be really big into Madden, but it's gotten kind of complicated now," the Chicago Bears' Lance Briggs said. "When you're getting skunked by some of your friends, teammates and peers, it's not as fun as it used to be. So I watch and buy the game so that I can find out what my rating is. I'm either cursing out Madden for my rating being too low, or I'm semi-happy because they raised it up a little bit." With real playbooks featured in Madden and constant input by John Madden himself, the 'x's and o's' of football are being taught to the next generation of gridiron greats. "What I love about Madden is that it teaches kids like my sons Michael and Elijah how to read man in zone defenses at an early age," Hall of Famer Irvin said. "I'm taking them on the field now and explaining things, and they're like, 'Yeah, I understand, Dad.' I say, 'That's right, from the video game.' It really is amazing how much the game teaches." Technology is advancing to the point where the new Madden game on Xbox 360 will allow players to design custom calls on their tablet and import them into the game. Kinect owners will also be able to call audibles using their voice. "In a few years, if the players in the video game aren't speaking and disagreeing with their coaches' calls and things like that, I would be really surprised," Super Bowl Champion Marcus Allen said. "It has advanced that far. You can be a general manager, a coach or a player. You can do just about anything in the game." And the Madden game still has enough pull to bring former NFL greats back to the field to play the sport they continue to love, even if these days they're only making those amazing highlight reel plays virtually.
### SUMMARY:
| Brett Favre will play in a "Madden NFL 13" Pigskin Pro Am flag football game August 26 .
Favre says as long as kids are athletic in real life, Madden games can teach them a lot .
"Madden NFL 13" is updated with an online mode and other features .
EA Sports releases "Madden NFL 13" on August 28 . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- CNN's new documentary, "Our Nixon," tugs open the curtain for a moment on one of the most complex, haunted presidents in modern times. I worked on his White House staff for more than three years and can attest that that while this isn't the complete Richard Nixon, viewers get a revealing, first-hand look at parts of the man rarely seen. It is hard for younger generations to grasp just how dominant a figure Nixon was for over four decades in American life. With the exception of Franklin Roosevelt -- the Babe Ruth of 20th century politics -- only Nixon has been nominated by his party for high office in five national elections. From the days he rocketed to power as a young, ambitious congressman until he went to his grave, Nixon made the cover of Time magazine 56 times. No one else in his time was as widely respected or reviled; no one else won a massive re-election only to leave the White House in disgrace. Nixon almost had it all -- and then he lost it. Why? Why do colossally powerful men make a colossal hash of things, even down to today? I was a relative innocent when I left the Navy in the early 1970s and by serendipity, was offered a job in the Nixon White House by Raymond Price, then the head of the speechwriting team and soon a wonderful mentor. Ray asked me to be his administrative assistant and within weeks, I was a note taker in Cabinet meetings, where I had a bird's-eye view of Nixon at his best. The CNN documentary captures some of those heady moments through the home movie cameras of Bob Haldeman (chief of staff), John Ehrlichman (top domestic adviser) and Dwight Chapin (RN's aide-de-camp and television impresario). The films show how much Nixon doted on the pomp and circumstance of the office -- the balloon drops at conventions, waving to mammoth crowds (7 million turned out when we went to Cairo), walking the Great Wall in China, sipping champagne with Zhou Enlai. Nixon lapped it all up. Photos: Nixon through the years . What is missing from the films are the serious, thoughtful conversations of Nixon away from cameras. In truth, he was the best strategist I have seen in the presidency -- someone able to go up on a mountain top, look 30 years into the future and try to bend the arc of history to favor the nation's security interests. He was a student of the past and like one of his heroes, Winston Churchill, thought that a leader who can see farther back can see farther ahead. Americans knew he could be mean and duplicitous, but I sensed they voted for him because they also thought he was smart enough and tough enough to keep the Soviets at bay. They were right. If your home is threatened, you want a German shepherd, not a cocker spaniel. In my early days as a junior lieutenant, I mostly saw the bright side of Nixon -- the one who read books recommended to him by his early counselor, Pat Moynihan, and debated the virtues of World War I generals with Henry Kissinger. Only when I had more experience and he invited me in closer did he begin to reveal the rest of him -- the dark side. That darker side is woven through the CNN documentary, mostly through the secret tapings that he made of himself and those with whom he was talking. Only a select few knew of the taping system; learning of it was a shock to all the rest of us on staff. I had not heard most of the tapes here but found them consistent with the Nixon I eventually came to know: a brooding, deeply insecure man who laments how little support he has from his own Cabinet and how much bias he sees in the press. It has been said that even paranoids have real enemies. Indeed, Nixon had plenty of real enemies, but his insecurities prompted him to create even more in the way he lashed back. He came to believe that politics is a jungle and that to survive, one must observe the law of the jungle: Either eat or be eaten. Zelizer: Four lessons from Nixon's presidency . The late Leonard Garment -- along with Ray Price, one of the white hats in that White House -- thought Watergate could be traced back to the Vietnam War. Nixon came to power not only with insecurities but with a bitterly divisive war on his hands, one that threatened to tear the country apart. As was his wont, Nixon thought he had to control events, not be controlled by them. So, he started bugging the phones of reporters and his own appointees and eventually he set up a "plumbers" unit to stop national security leaks. In view of Garment, who served as a close legal adviser to Nixon, that effort to control anti-war fever turned into a political operation during the 1972 re-election. From there, it was only a tiny step to the Watergate break-in at Democratic headquarters. That is a persuasive theory, but I concluded there was something more basic also at work in Nixon's downfall -- and we see pieces of it in the CNN documentary. Fundamentally, I believe that as Carl Jung argued, each of us has a bright and dark side, and that the task of becoming a mature, integrated adult is to conquer one's dark side or at least bring it under control. Nixon simply did not have that dark side under control -- he had demons inside him and when they rose up in fury, as they did so often, they could not only destroy others but destroy him, too. There have been moments since his downfall that I have actually felt sorry for him. As a wise counselor of his, Bryce Harlow, once observed, we will never know what happened to Nixon when he was young, but it must have been something terrible. A word about the three men behind the cameras in the documentary: I knew each of them in varying degrees and am sure they never envisioned themselves as Nixon "henchmen." As their films suggest, they thought they had a ringside seat on one of the greatest shows ever -- and loved it. But they were swept into the web of intrigue in that White House and went along with the deceits, the dirty tricks and yes, the criminality. Ehrlichman eventually felt bitter and betrayed by Nixon; Haldeman, as the film represents, felt the critics were terribly wrong and that one day, Nixon would be better understood. Emotionally, I was drawn more to Chapin: he was young and relatively innocent, too, and he was one of the most creative advisers I have seen in the White House -- an impresario in the league of Mike Deaver and Jerry Rafshoon. His "sin," I believe, is that he was so devoted that he would do anything to protect Nixon. He paid with a broken career -- the price reckless leaders often exact from the young. Forty years later, Dwight -- to his credit -- is still trying to protect what he can of Nixon, telling me and others where he thinks the CNN documentary film is wrong (too one-sided, he thinks, and misleading in various ways). To this day, historians as well as those of us who lived through the Nixon period, disagree in our judgments. I will always believe that Nixon had elements of greatness in him, but he was ultimately the architect of his own downfall -- he could not control that dark, inner fury and, for the good of the country, he had to go. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Gergen.
### SUMMARY:
| David Gergen worked in the Nixon administration as a young staffer .
He recalls being impressed by Nixon's thinking but got glimpses of his dark side .
Nixon had enemies but also dealt with inner demons he couldn't control, Gergen says .
Gergen: New film gives viewers a side of Nixon rarely seen . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- "I met him (Lance Armstrong) once at a party," Charlie Sheen told Piers Morgan, "and I'm assuming he was in a bad mood, because he wasn't the friendliest guy in the world." The Hollywood veteran spoke candidly to the CNN host about Lance Armstrong, Lindsay Lohan, battles with "Two and a Half Men" executive producer Chuck Lorre, fatherhood, becoming a grandfather, toning down his bad boy ways, and more. "He was rude to you?" asked Morgan. "Yes. I'm sure people have said that about me from time to time; not too often, though, because I'm pretty approachable." Sheen recalled that the encounter occurred about five or six years ago. "I said, 'Mr. Armstrong, I'm sorry to bother you.' I think he was talking to Sheryl Crow. And I said 'I'm Charlie Sheen. I just want to shake your hand.' And he said 'That's nice.'" Morgan asked Sheen what he thought about Armstrong's doping admission, and Sheen opened up about his own struggles with drug use and public image. "The reason I've been forgiven for a lot of my stuff," said Sheen, "is because there's always been a feeling of honesty and the guy that at least was trying to do the right thing." Decades ago, Sheen admitted that he took steroids back in 1988 when he was working on the film "Major League." "They worked. And I stopped," said Sheen, who noted the steroids' adverse affects. "It made me crazy. It made me insane and angry and picking fights in bars, you know. So I get it. But it also gave me, in the final couple of weeks of the shooting, the energy I needed to keep going." Sheen did say that steroids did not allow him to hit a baseball any better. "It may give you extra legs deep in the season, but you still have to have that God-given ability to hit the ball," he said. A self-professed "baseball player at heart," Sheen admitted to Morgan that his dream career would be to play for the Cincinnati Reds. "I don't know that I had the skills to play professionally," admitted Sheen. "I probably would have been riding a bus in Duluth until I was like 35." Sheen has not spoken to Chuck Lorre since he was very publicly fired by the "Two and a Half Men" executive producer. "I think we were in the same hotel lobby one night and missed each other by about 10 minutes," said the actor. "What would you have said if you had bumped into him?" asked Morgan. "I'd have walked right up to him and said 'Hey man, good luck with everything. Sorry about that and see you on campus.'" Sheen replied. 'Anger Management' gets 90-episode renewal . However, Sheen noted that "the fantasy is walking up and dropping him, but that's not who I am. It's not who I am. You know, I'm not a violent guy." "Do you harbor resentment toward him?" asked Morgan. "I just wish that he would acknowledge, at some point, that he had a hand in it. He did put out a statement. The timing was perfect for him, actually, because nothing is organic. It's always a little bit manufactured." Sheen also admitted that there are "parts" of Lorre that he misses. "When I look back at the pilot of 'Two and a Half,' it was an absolute gem. And I almost agreed to do that show based on his enthusiasm and his track record without seeing a script. And what I said to him, 'What are you going to call it?' And when he said, "Two and a Half Men," I knew it was a hit." Sheen's opinion on the show, post his own departure, has changed. "They downloaded their anchor," he said. "They cut off their anchor and they went adrift. And I think you don't realize how important your anchor is until you don't have it, you know." Morgan asked Sheen to elaborate on how he feels about his "Two and a Half Men" replacement, Ashton Kutcher. "He's a terrific young man and he's doing a great job with what they've given him ... he should be really grateful... " Sheen did laud his former co-star Jon Cryer's comedic skills, however, calling the Emmy winning actor "a genius." Sheen also set the record straight on the $100,000 he gave to Lindsay Lohan. The pair were set to work together on "Scary Movie 5" and, according to Sheen, producers gave Lohan $100,000 less than what he thought she was going to be paid, so the actor simply made up the difference. "And was she grateful?" asked Morgan. "Eventually, yes, absolutely. She was. Yes... It wasn't like right off the bat, though." Morgan noted that Lohan similarly underwent a pattern of drug and alcohol abuse not unlike Sheen's. "Can you actually, even you, give somebody like that advice?" asked Morgan. "Or is it, in the end, the look in the mirror and work it out for yourself?" "If she'd asked me questions about some of my own stuff," said Sheen, "I would have gladly given her advice but she didn't. And I found that interesting. Maybe she didn't want to bother me or didn't want to pry." Sheen expanded on the demons associated with fame, drugs and excess. "It's a similar garment that we're all wearing, yes," he said. "I think fame has a lot to do with it and I think excess has a lot to do with it... not so much excess but access -- access to anything with a phone call at any point, day or night, it doesn't matter... It can become a nightmare ... At first ... it's radical and it's everything that you thought it was going to be ... and then it's not. And that turns on a dime. And suddenly there's an emptiness." Sheen, 47, who has largely toned down his hard-partying ways, will become a grandfather this year. His 28-year-old daughter from a previous relationship is due to give birth in September. "I knew it was going to happen eventually," said Sheen, "... but I didn't know it would be this soon and it's none of my business when she chose to do that, you know. So I've just got to be along for the ride and celebrating and just cheering her along and giving her whatever she needs." Sheen had four other children: Two girls with ex-wife Denise Richards and twin boys with ex-wife Brooke Mueller. "I put everybody in my neighborhood, which is my ultimate master plan," said Sheen. "I put Denise and the girls in one house, Brooke and the boys in the other, and we're all behind the same gate." Sheen said his ex-wives get along great and babysit one another's children. "It is pretty civilized," he said. "We just keep everybody paid and they'll be happy." Morgan asked Sheen what bit of advice he would pass along to his two sons. "Lead with the truth," said Sheen. "That's what I've always done. That's what my dad told me." Watch Piers Morgan Live weeknights 9 p.m. ET. For the latest from Piers Morgan click here.
### SUMMARY:
| Charlie Sheen: "When I look back at the pilot of 'Two and a Half,' it was an absolute gem"
On 'Men' today: "I think you don't realize how important your anchor is until you don't have it"
Fame and excess "everything that you thought it was going to be" followed by "emptiness" |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
New York (CNN) -- About a half-dozen bikers accused of beating an SUV driver last weekend used their helmets to attack him and kicked his head and body as he lay on the ground, New York police said. Police said one of the bikers -- Robert Sims -- also stomped on the driver's head and body, according to a detective's criminal complaint. Sims was one of two bikers who turned himself in to authorities on Friday. He has been charged with attempted assault, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon. According to police, Sims can be seen in a video going after the SUV. The driver of the SUV suffered two black eyes and cuts on his face and side, requiring stitches, the criminal complaint said. One of the bikers, Edwin Mieses, was critically injured in the melee. His wife said he is paralyzed. The other biker who turned himself in, Reginald Chance, is also suspected in the beating of driver Alexian Lien. Police identified the 37-year-old Chance as the man seen in the video pounding his shiny helmet against the SUV. Chance appeared for arraignment Sunday and was charged with first-degree assault and gang assault, both felonies; unlawful imprisonment; criminal possession of a weapon and criminal mischief, according to court papers. His bail was set at $75,000 cash or $100,000 if secured by property, and his next court appearance was set for October 11. Chance's lawyer, Gregory Watts, said his client didn't take part in the beating. He said Chance and Mieses are also victims in the case, and he urged prosecutors to call a grand jury to investigate Lien. "We concede the criminal mischief," Watts said. "It's obvious that he overreacted. But the law does permit someone who is a victim of an accident to at least attempt to get the identification of the motorist. My client obviously overreacted in that manner, but he is not this thug assaulting someone who's harmless, contrary to the public opinion that's being put out there." Source: Off-duty police officer among bikers who saw SUV driver beaten . The clash . Lien was in his Range Rover on his way back from an outing to celebrate his wedding anniversary with his wife and their 2-year-old daughter. Dozens of bikers swarmed past him on Manhattan's West Side Highway. A cycle quickly slowed down in front of Lien, who bumped its rear tire, slightly injuring rider Christopher Cruz. Lien pulled to a stop, and angry bikers surrounded his vehicle, hitting it and spiking its tires, police said. Lien stepped on the gas, plowing into three more bikers, including Mieses, who was critically injured. One of the bikers, wearing a helmet camera caught the dust-up on video, which later in an edited version appeared on the Internet. It showed the Range Rover stopping at a later point with the biker gang still in pursuit. A man, who police say was Sims, got off his motorcycle and opened Lien's door, police spokesman Sgt. Carlos Nieves said Friday. Lien drove off with his door slightly open, but further down the road, traffic backed up, cutting off his path, and allowing the motorcyclists to corner him. A biker, who police identify as Chance, smashed the driver's side window with his helmet. That's where the video ended. Afterward, some of the bikers dragged Lien from the vehicle and beat him, police said. His wife and daughter were unharmed. Cop among the bikers . An off-duty New York police officer was riding with the bikers Sunday and saw much of the confrontation that ended with five injured. But he didn't step in, an official said. He also didn't tell his superiors about what happened until Wednesday, the source said. The officer, who works undercover, is a member of the motorcycle club. He may not have been legally obligated to immediately intervene, according to the same source. It's not clear why he waited so long to report what he saw. He has hired a lawyer and is being investigated by the New York Police Department's internal affairs unit. Opinion: In attack, can bikers get a fair shake? Interrogations, arrest . Police seized the helmet-cam video and questioned the motorcyclist who shot it. They arrested Cruz, 28, the biker who abruptly slowed in front of the Range Rover. He is charged with misdemeanors including reckless driving. Cruz was later released after posting $1,500 cash bail and a $15,000 insurance bond. His license was suspended, and he was ordered to surrender his passport. Cruz's lawyer insisted he is not guilty. "His motorcycle was struck, and he stood right there," his attorney H. Benjamin Perez said. "He never assaulted this man. He never tried to assault him in any way. And he does not know any of the other motorcyclists who were involved in this beating." A second biker, who was in custody, was released Wednesday, when authorities determined that he may have been trying to help. The NYPD released photos Sunday of two other men they want to find and question as part of the investigation and asked for the public's help in identifying them. Mieses' family, meanwhile, says he is the real victim. "All of his ribs are fractured. His lungs are so badly bruised that he's still on a ventilator," Yolanda Santiago, his mother, told CNN affiliate WCBS. Mieses' wife, Dayana, told CNN affiliate WBZ that he got off his bike to help the SUV driver. She blamed Lien. "He got scared; he peeled off, and he paralyzed my husband on the way," she said. 'We could not have done anything differently' Lien was treated at a hospital for slashes to his face. "My husband was forced under the circumstances to take the actions that he did in order to protect the lives of our entire family," his wife said. "We know in our hearts that we could not have done anything differently, and we believe that anyone faced with this sort of grave danger would have taken the same course of action in order to protect their family." It was Lien's wife who made the last of three 911 calls the family placed during the incident. Bikers have called for Lien to be charged. "That wasn't fear, that was aggression -- he ran over three bikes," a man who identified himself as Jose told reporters Thursday night. "Are we saying, if you feel nervous you can kill somebody? You can paralyze somebody? I think we need to charge him immediately." Angry netizens have turned on the bikers, casting them in a bad light. One biker called for cool heads to prevail. "We are not here to blame anyone, we are not here to point any fingers," Albert Elkerson said. "The true question is how could we have avoided what happened last Sunday, and what can we do to prevent that." CNN's Susan Candiotti reported from New York; CNN's Tom Watkins and Greg Botelho reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's AnneClaire Stapleton, Lateef Mungin, Pamela Brown, Kevin Conlon and Marina Carver contributed to this report.
### SUMMARY:
| Lawyer says Reginald Chance was a victim and didn't take part in the beating .
One biker stomped on the SUV driver's head and body, police said .
Source: An off-duty police officer was among motorcyclists who saw the incident .
Police: The SUV driver plowed into three bikers while fleeing, critically injuring one . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
London (CNN) -- A soldier lies in a pool of blood in the middle of a nondescript inner-city London street. His two apparent killers brandish bloodied kitchen knives and meat cleavers. One of them rants at a passer-by who films the whole extraordinary encounter on a mobile phone. These shocking images are unlike anything seen before on the streets of Britain, where the murder rate is one of the lowest in the world and where police officers do not routinely carry guns. London attack: Terrorists targeting soldiers at home again? There is little sense of panic among the dozens of witnesses, some of whom argue rationally with the suspected killer. If the British can still be characterized as being hard to panic with stiff upper lips, this street scene was a bizarre illustration. Others mill round taking photos -- as if a celebrity has arrived. At one point a woman with a shopping trolley even walks past the man without changing course as he makes his radical statement. In the distance is the sound of police sirens: later the men will be shot -- although both survive -- by armed officers. This is suburban London on a quiet day in May 2013. The attack, which is being treated as a suspected terrorist incident by the UK government, begins in a fairly anonymous road in Woolwich, a deprived largely blue-collar neighborhood in comparison to its historic neighbors Greenwich and Blackheath. The area was hit hard, as was much of London, by the summer riots of 2011, when several shops and properties were burned to the ground. But beyond that violence is rare: thousands of visitors attended Olympic shooting events last year at the army barracks where the soldier was heading, without incident. At 2.20pm on Wednesday, a small blue Vauxall Tigra hatchback with blacked-out windows mounts the sidewalk of Artillery Place and mows down a soldier. Read more: London attack mirrors plot to behead Muslim soldier . The soldier, later named as Lee Rigby, 25, a father of a 2-year-old boy, is wearing a T-shirt bearing the logo of "Help for Heroes," a military charity that in little more than five years has raised well over £100 million ($150 million) for members of the Armed Forces wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. The two attackers get out of the car, then fall on Rigby, stabbing and slashing him to death with their knives and cleavers before they drag his body into the middle of the road. The murder brings the mid-afternoon traffic on Artillery Place, just yards from the busy arterial John Wilson Street, to a standstill. From the relative safety of a stationary bus, passengers start to film: later the footage will be broadcast by the world's media. One clip starts by showing the car smashed into a lamp-post: then the camera pans round to show that this is no ordinary traffic accident. The footage reveals that the victim lying in the road being tenderly stroked by a passer-by. We do not know at this stage at what point Rigby died. Watch: Terrorism analyst on soldier killing . About 50 yards behind the commotion a silent crowd of people has gathered to watch proceedings. One woman, apparently oblivious to the unfolding carnage, casually walks past the scene carrying her shopping bag. In one clip that will later be streamed on a newspaper website, one bus passenger feels sufficiently emboldened to leave the vehicle while filming -- even though it is far from clear that the attackers will not strike out at other people. Then, amazingly, one of the two suspected assailants walks up to the camera in an agitated state. He is dressed in black and wearing a black beanie hat, his hands drenched in blood. In his left hand he grips a knife and machete. Opinion: The real enemy in London hacking death . The suspect begins to address the camera, as if explaining himself to a wider audience that goes beyond those gathered on the street. "The only reason we killed this man today is because Muslims are dying daily by British soldiers," he begins. "And this British soldier is one. It is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. I apologize that women had to witness this today but in our lands our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe. Remove your governments. They don't care about you. You think David Cameron is going to get caught in the street when we start busting our guns, you think politicians are going to die?" At this point in his rant, an elderly woman pulling a shopping trolley bustles past the man without even slowing and continues on her way. Both ignore each other. The man continues. "No, it's going to be the average guy like you, and your children. So, get rid of them. Tell them to bring our troops back so we can all live in peace." He then walks back up the road, towards the victim and a second man with whom he has a conversation. They make no attempt to flee the scene. Instead they walk up and down the street, having heated conversations with passers-by, some of whom plead with the pair to refrain from further violence. One such bystander, Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, will later tell the Guardian newspaper she spoke to one of the attackers. "He was very excited and he told me not to get close to the body. I didn't really feel anything. I was not scared because he was not drunk, he was not on drugs. He was normal. I could speak to him and he wanted to speak and that's what we did." Loyau-Kennett, a passenger on the bus, will tell reporters that she asked the suspect what he was going to do next. "He said it was a war and if the police were coming, he was going to kill them. I asked him if that was a reasonable thing to do but it was clear that he really wanted to do that. He talked about war but he did not talk about dying and then he left to speak to someone else." But the violence is not yet over. Fourteen minutes after the attack, police say, armed officers arrive. According to eyewitnesses, the two attackers, one of whom was brandishing a handgun, charged at the officers who opened fire, wounding both of the men. The men are left at the scene while crowds surge around them, according to media reports. A police helicopter then arrives to take the men under armed guard to separate London hospitals. A large section of Woolwich is sealed off for the evening by forensics officers who comb the area around Artillery Place for evidence. Wednesday's attack is not the first time that soldiers in Woolwich have been visited with violence. In 1974 a bomb was thrown through the window of the King's Arms pub at the far end of Artillery Place, killing a gunner as well as a sales clerk. The Provisional IRA claimed responsibility for that attack -- but unlike the two attackers on Wednesday, they were far less brazen. They fled after the bombing and went on to kill more than 30 others in a 14-month campaign across London before surrendering to police in December 1975 following a six-day siege. Wednesday's killing is the first jihadist attack that has killed a victim since the July 7, 2005 bombings in London that killed 52 people and the four bombers. Just like the 1970s IRA bombing campaign and the 7/7 attacks, it is likely to resonate in London and the wider British society for a long period.
### SUMMARY:
| As soldier lay dying in London street, apparent attackers posed for photos .
Little sense of panic, one woman shoved past suspect as he ranted to a passer-by .
One bystander said she pleaded with the suspect to refrain from further violence .
Two suspects were shot by police, and were taken to hospital under armed guard . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- Johnny Cash was, at heart, a storyteller. In that dramatic, Old Testament voice, he sang songs -- about prisons, about trains, about loneliness and hurt and truth -- and made them his own, sounding as if he'd lived them himself. "Folsom Prison Blues," "One Piece at a Time," "The Beast in Me" -- whether Cash wrote them or not, he made you believe. "That was his chief strength," says Robert Hilburn, the author of a new Cash biography, "Johnny Cash: The Life." "He was always best when he tried to tell his own story, or something he cared about." The thing about being a storyteller, of course, is that stories are often embellished. Cash was no different. Despite being the subject of scores of articles -- and having written two autobiographies himself -- the tales of his life often varied, depending on the time, the setting and the tale-teller. This is not to diminish Cash's faith and character, but it proved a challenge in writing a biography, says Hilburn, a longtime music reporter who interviewed Cash several times and witnessed the famed 1968 Folsom Prison concert. "The surprising thing to me was how much you had to check what John said. He would often exaggerate or dramatize what happened," he says. "It would be a germ of truth, but he would make it into something more interesting to convey that truth." Moreover, Cash's complete story was mostly hidden. When Hilburn asked Cash manager Lou Robin how much of the Cash story had been told, Robin replied, "About 20%." "Johnny Cash: A Life" attempts to clear the air. Herewith, a few of the fascinating stories from Johnny Cash's colorful life: . 1. His name was actually J.R. Cash. His mother wanted to name him John, after her father. His father wanted to name him Ray, after himself. So the two settled on "J.R." Cash didn't adopt the name "John" until he was in his teens. 2. He, ah, borrowed a lot of what became "Folsom Prison Blues." Cash was fascinated by prison songs, and more to the point, by loneliness. (He never served hard time himself, though he did a few nights in local jails.) For his signature hit, he was inspired by a prison documentary he saw in the Air Force and a Gordon Jenkins song called "Crescent City Blues." The Jenkins song has a similar structure, a similar melody and many of the same lines, but what Cash added was his distinctive directness -- "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die" is all Cash -- and that uptempo chicka-chicka rhythm. He never denied using Jenkins' song. "He will tell you in a minute that he stole the song," his longtime bassist, Marshall Grant, told Hilburn. "But he made it a more interesting song." (Cash did, though, end up paying Jenkins $75,000.) 3. The chicka-chicka sound was an accident. Cash's songs are noted for their distinctive rhythmic clicking sound, one that echoes the trains he liked to write about so much. You can thank the amateurishness of early Cash practices with Grant and Luther Perkins, the Tennessee Two. "They were literally going from one note to the next like someone typing in a halting hunt-and-peck style," writes Hilburn. "They just couldn't get beyond that simple, primitive sound. ... It was just about the only way they could play." 4. He and Elvis Presley had the same manager. No, not Tom Parker. Try Bob Neal, originally a DJ at a Memphis radio station. Neal was a friend of Sun Records' Sam Phillips -- the two later founded a management firm -- and handled Elvis for about 18 months until Parker came into the picture in 1955. Neal let Parker take over Presley's management and took on Cash and other Sun Records musicians. But lightning struck him twice: Cash struck up a friendship with Stu Carnall, a California booking agent, who became Neal's management partner -- and then Cash's sole manager. "All of a sudden Stu Carnall comes in and (Neal's) thinking, 'This can't happen twice,' and he takes him away," says Hilburn. Cash later left Carnall for Saul Holiff, who guided his career until the 1970s. 5. He didn't start wearing black for "the poor and beaten down." That may have become true, as he sings in "Man in Black" -- Cash always had sympathy for the downtrodden -- but the original reason was simply because he liked it. "I'm comfortable in it," he told Larry King in 2002. And why not? Fashionistas will tell you: Black is stylish and hides a host of sins. 6. He was a champion hotel room destroyer. Wrecking hotel rooms is now associated with the excesses of rock stars -- Keith Moon was a particularly bad boy -- but Cash was so adept at it that he knew exactly what the furnishings cost. Hilburn quotes George Jones -- admittedly a pretty good tale-spinner himself -- who once got in an argument with Cash and went on a spree. With each item Jones broke, Cash named the price. Jones was then sent a bill by management. "All of Cash's predicted costs were accurate right down to the penny," Hilburn writes. 7. The Nickajack Cave suicide attempt? Probably didn't happen. This story has become part of Cash lore. Hooked on drugs, miserable over his divorce, Cash crawled into Tennessee's Nickajack Cave in 1967 and waited to die. Instead, he found God and decided to quit drugs. But, Hilburn discovered, "Nickajack Cave was underwater in the fall of 1967." And Cash didn't get clean immediately; he was still taking pills at the 1968 Folsom Prison concert months later. The tale had a point, though. "The story dramatized the feelings of helplessness and recovery," writes Hilburn. 8. There are more Cash-Bob Dylan duets out there. The two sang together on Dylan's "Girl from the North Country," which appeared on Dylan's "Nashville Skyline." But producer Bob Johnston recorded several songs at the February 1969 session, including Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" and "Understand Your Man," as well as some Jimmie Rodgers tunes. Though it has popped up on bootlegs, the music has never been officially released. "I don't understand why Columbia doesn't release that album," Hilburn says. "It might have confused fans at that time, but today, as a historical document, it's just amazing." 9. He shouldn't be filed under "country." No offense to the denizens of Music Row, but Johnny Cash was bigger than country music. "He never wanted to go to Nashville. He wanted to separate himself," says Hilburn. "He wasn't aiming for that hit on the jukebox. He was as interested in gospel music and folk music and blues as he was probably in country music, and when rock 'n' roll comes along he incorporates part of that." Cash, he continues, "had a very wide vision. I never realized until I started writing the book and researching how strong an artist he was. He wanted to record the music he wanted to record, and that was pretty amazing."
### SUMMARY:
| Johnny Cash is the subject of a new biography .
Cash had truth in his voice, but he was master storyteller .
Challenge for biographer to separate facts from fiction .
Cash known for "Folsom Prison Blues," "Man in Black" |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Beslan, RUSSIA (CNN) -- First there was the blast, and then as sight as surreal as it was ghastly. Dozens of children, naked bar their underwear, running barefoot into the village, peppered with blood, screaming. After three days agonizing, the siege to end the standoff at Middle School Number One, in Beslan, southern Russia, began with a huge explosion in the gym where dozens of militants had herded 1,200 children and parents. The explosives inside had been rigged up between two basketball hoops and the hostages lined the walls of the gym. One witness said the blast caused it to "rain meat" inside the gym. Those who could, ran. They fled between houses, stripped of their clothes because of the scorching heat they had endured in the glass-windowed gym, where many were forced to drink urine to hydrate, towards a village that had been holding its breath for over 50 hours. The hostage crisis in Beslan, and the bungled, reckless operation that the Russian military allowed to happen, was a defining moment in Putin's war in southern Russia. Moscow's use of blunt instruments to fix its increasingly Islamist rebellion in the restless North Caucasus, had blatantly not worked, despite two wars to end Chechen separatism, and had instead created a new radicalized, implacable monster, capable of blowing children to pieces, perhaps under the justification they were, in Beslan's region of North Ossetia, Christians. Unrecognizable horror . There was remarkable bravery shown by Russian special forces during the rescue operation, just none from their political masters. The siege began, but no cordon was put in place, so the media and villagers could simply walk into the school's yard, and even the school itself, unimpeded. I watched the Vimpel detachment of Russian spetznaz race past me, headlong into the school, unsupported and outgunned. They must have known they were running to their deaths, but sprinted all the same. I watched one of them brace himself against a door frame, before turning a corner to fire. Body after body was brought out, most shipped away by locals in cars rushed in for the purpose -- there was no triage system, just brave emergency services workers, who also died rescuing children. One militant was dragged from the building, his trousers pulled from his waist. Once the locals checked he was circumcised (and therefore, by their logic, Muslim, and hence a gunman), they beat him to a pulp and left his body in the back of a truck. I ran into the gym while the siege was still ongoing, and its floor was a black mush of unrecognizable horror. The fighting went on, into the night, as one militant held out. Putin, who had, when he came to power, pledged to shoot Chechen militants in the toilet, and who had the steel will to order a partially lethal knockout gas and swift military operation to end the siege of a Moscow theater two years earlier, was absent from Beslan. He slipped in the night of the violence, visiting the wounded. Nobody wanted to be associated with Beslan's mess. They still don't. Troubled North Caucasus region plagued by violence . Monument to the dead . It is nearly a decade ago, but still the scenes retain a revolting clarity in my mind. Amid the shrill noise of militant threats ahead of the Sochi Olympic Winter Games, the gym in Beslan is now steeped in silence, a monument to the dead, untouched almost. The body parts that still lay there the day after the bloodshed are gone. The victims' clothes that someone had hung from changing room pegs when I returned three months later -- they too are gone. There are some structural supports to keep the building up, but otherwise it is as if Beslan the village has shielded the school from the passage of time, perhaps because Beslan itself is still caught in the painful task of seeking answers. It is not only the amorphous puzzle to find a "why" -- the only surviving gunman's father told me passively that Lenin said, during the Russian civil war, there is "white and there is red, and there always will be", but offered little other motivation. It is also their still unresolved bid to find out how negotiations failed and how such a bungled, bloody operation could ever have come to be. Borik Rubayev was orphaned by the blast. Three weeks later, he pointed at the school and matter-of-factly told me his mother and father had died in the school. Three months later, he was at the center of a custody battle between his relatives, some suggesting the large compensation payout he was getting from the state, was fueling the competition. Today, he is 16 and towers in the gym, where he was once physically sheltered by his mother as the bomb went off. He says his memory is patchy, and that the dreams that used to haunt him have ebbed. "I don't really remember much", he said. "Mother and aunt covered me up. Everybody started to run, but the terrorists tried to stop us. We thought it was the end." He remembers how someone sitting next to him made a run for it, and he followed, and hid somewhere. Then, in the carnage they had begun, an uncharacteristic sign of humanity came from one of the gunmen, he recalls. "One of the terrorists, I think it was, gave me food and water, then the emergency services came and took me to hospital in a car." Today, he enjoys basketball, and hopes to avoid conscription in the army. He lives with his aunt, after public pressure resolved the custody dispute. The school he studies in, with another 124 former hostages, is lined with memorials of the spetznaz and medics who gave their lives saving others. Teachers say they these pupils have few problems -- bar instances of "dovleniye", a Russian word directly translated as "pressure," but used inaccurately to suggest depression or anxiety. In fact, the building marries a cheerfulness sustained relentlessly by the teachers, with the constant remembering of the dead, as if aimed at making the survivors sit happily with their past. Little peace . The mothers of Beslan, however, know little peace. Anger at the government bloomed after the siege. They felt abandoned in the immediate aftermath, before Moscow poured millions into the town, and its now garish graveyard, as if to compensate for their absence when it was most needed. Those feelings of anger turned into suspicion: Endless investigations have not satisfied some who believe perhaps the government knew of the gunmen's plan and didn't act, or even ordered the first shots fired to prevent them having to negotiate with the militants. Margarita Tuaeva, whose children survived, retains those suspicions even a decade on. "They started it because they could not get out of this situation in any other way. They didn't want to negotiate. Without Putin's order, that couldn't have happened." For others, the lack of answers simply amplifies inexhaustible grief. Tamara Shotaeva lost her two daughters and lights two candles for them in the driving snow. She cries as she talks of how she has no idea what her daughter would have looked like if she lived til today. She says: Time doesn't heal at all."
### SUMMARY:
| In 2004, Chechen rebels took 1,200 people hostage at a school in Beslan, Russia .
Hundreds of people were killed during the subsequent three-day siege and military operation .
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh covered the hostage crisis for The Guardian newspaper .
Ten years on, he returns and finds victims of the siege still have unanswered questions . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN) -- The NBA and the Los Angeles Clippers' organization may have upstaged Donald Sterling's latest soundtrack Friday afternoon with the announcement that Richard Parsons, former Citigroup and Time Warner chairman, is the new CEO of the team. The public relations contrast was stark: As the National Basketball Association and the Clippers were moving forward, Donald Sterling's statements were coming from surreptitiously (or not so surreptitiously) recorded phone conversations. But now, he has spoken out directly in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. Sterling says in that interview that he was "baited" into making his controversial statements. And he makes the argument that he shouldn't be thrown out of the NBA. "I'm a good member who made a mistake and I'm apologizing and I'm asking for forgiveness," he said. "Am I entitled to one mistake, am I after 35 years? I mean, I love my league, I love my partners. Am I entitled to one mistake? It's a terrible mistake, and I'll never do it again." Sterling is not the only party suffering from this controversy. The NBA stands at the beginning of what will certainly be a protracted legal and procedural battle, one that will cost untold millions. It also will embroil the NBA in an unwanted controversy for years to come. Having a chief executive of Parsons' stature in control of the team may help the league gain an advantage as a battle over the team's ownership starts to play out, but the NBA's road ahead still will not be easy. But the NBA asked for this. The fact that players and the public largely supported the league will be of little solace to the NBA when it is paying legal fees for years to come. The legal fees may be the cost of doing business, but if banning and fining Sterling would have been adequate, this was an avoidable cost. The NBA's response to the Sterling controversy is a cautionary tale against meting out hasty, summary punishment. Here's why: The NBA likely had the authority to unilaterally fine Sterling as it did. It also appears to have had the authority to ban him from his team for life. If Commissioner Adam Silver had stopped there, Sterling might have been effectively vanquished, because the decisions of the commissioner are shielded from review by a court. For the privilege of joining the National Basketball Association, owners contractually give up certain legal rights and remedies. Fining and banning Sterling was probably well within the jurisdiction of the NBA. But in seeking to "max out" Sterling's sentence by forcing him to sell the team, the NBA is forging new legal territory, and doing so at a price. Sure, there are catch-all provisions of the NBA's rules that ostensibly allow for ouster of an owner who brings harm to the league, but the ouster rules on the whole appear designed for dealing with teams and owners suffering economic or management problems, like failing to make payroll -- not for owners who were private bigots. There will be an answer to the ultimate question of whether the NBA can legally oust Sterling. We just don't know what it is yet. The league and Sterling can purchase an answer to that question, at the cost of years of litigation and untold fortunes in legal fees. Moreover, if the NBA's objective was to distance itself from Sterling, they have done the opposite. After years of prolonged public litigation, they will cling to each other as two spent swimmers, choking their own business interests in the process. Early on, Silver made clear that the punitive measures were directed at Sterling, not at other members of his family. With this blessing, estranged wife Shelly Sterling has injected herself as a blame-free alternative owner. But does she have an ownership interest in the team? Determining true ownership of this team will be a Gordian Knot of litigation: First, there is the issue of whether the NBA can oust an owner where actual "ownership" is disputed. If the team is held in trust, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, and not by a single owner in Sterling, that changes the contours of ownership. A trust is a legal entity in which property (like a team) is held for the benefit of other persons. It's a protective device, designed for situations just like this: where a beneficiary of a trust is attacked, the property cannot be reached because the beneficiary does not actually "own" the property -- even though he may receive payments or otherwise profit from the property. The complexity doesn't end there, though. Even without a trust, in California, spouses acquire interests in family businesses when distributing property in a divorce. But that is only a general rule, and who knows what default rules Donald Sterling has attempted to deal with by contract? One thing is for sure, whether it's the NBA, Shelly, or Donald Sterling, each party will mount a different legal argument concerning ownership based upon their own best interests. Determining the "owner" of the Clippers will be a hodgepodge of legal issues worthy of the bar exam: divorce law, corporate dissolution, trusts and estates law. For now, Shelly Sterling is a cause for concern for the NBA, the other owners, and her own husband. She has leverage, possibly even 50% ownership of the team. The NBA owners must be longing for the "good old days" when their biggest problems were contract disputes and torn ACLs. We can only guess at the individual owners' respective positions at the moment Silver handed down verdict and sentence against Sterling. Now, the commissioner has placed the onus on the owners: They have the burden of deciding whether to oust one of their own. It is a Hobson's Choice, which is no choice at all: Even if the owners are privately sympathetic to Sterling, an owner who dares to defend the embattled Clippers owner commits social seppuku. On the other hand, NBA owners are independent thinkers and independently wealthy; if anyone can weather criticism, it's these captains of industry. Mark Cuban has already publicly observed that "people are allowed to be morons." Whether the owners ultimately cast their ballots for or against Sterling, all of these owners would rather be somewhere else. Public perception aside, the owners have other concerns: If this case goes to litigation, expect broad-reaching discovery demands and subpoenas for sensitive documents and information. This case is a minefield for them, with no real upside. At the moment, there appear to be a few winners in the Sterling controversy. Kia, CarMax, State Farm Insurance and Virgin America are just some of the companies that pulled advertising from the Clippers after the first tapes were revealed. Ironically, they garnered more buzz by not spending money advertising than they would have by actually spending money on advertising. It's the ultimate win-win, and it's not over yet. As long as someone else spends the time and money to excise Donald Sterling from the Clippers, the sponsors will have a second photo op. They will return triumphantly to advertising with the team, and take partial credit for the brave stance against one offensive octogenarian -- a stance that didn't actually require them to do, or spend, anything. Heading into the weekend, the advantage is with Shelly Sterling -- who may have a valid claim to ownership -- the NBA, and Parsons, the highly credentialed, newly anointed CEO. Donald Sterling's next moves will be interesting, though his first moves should be away from the telephone -- at least for now.
### SUMMARY:
| NBA named Richard Parsons as new CEO of the LA Clippers .
Danny Cevallos says NBA is moving ahead while Sterling speaks out in Anderson Cooper interview .
He says the NBA is at beginning of a long and perhaps difficult road to oust Sterling as owner .
Cevallos: League clearly had authority to fine and ban Sterling . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
President Barack Obama tried to shame the nation and Congress into action against gun violence Thursday, saying it is time to pass new laws after the tears and grief of tragedies like the Newtown massacre in December that killed 20 first-graders. "We need everybody to remember how we felt 100 days ago and make sure that what we said at that time wasn't just a bunch of platitudes, that we meant it," Obama said at a White House event on a national day of action by supporters of tougher gun laws. His voice both somber and angry, Obama told the audience, which included family members of Newtown victims, that "we've cried enough" and it is time now for Americans to pressure their elected leaders to pass a package of laws proposed by Senate Democrats. The proposals, all recommended by the president in the aftermath of the killings at an elementary school in Connecticut, include expanded background checks, tougher laws against gun trafficking and straw purchases, and improving safety at schools. Fierce opposition led by the influential National Rifle Association and conservative politicians has made passage of the measures uncertain. In addition, polls conducted over the past few weeks suggest that more than three months after the Newtown killings, public backing for major new gun laws has dropped. Obama noted the political challenge as well as the poll numbers. "There are some powerful voices on the other side who are interested in running out the clock, or changing the subject," the president said, adding that "their assumption is that people will just forget about it." If that happens, Obama said, then "shame on us if we've forgotten." In trying to rally further public outcry, he declared that "nothing is more powerful than millions of voices calling for change." Along with the White House event, the national day of action included rallies and other gatherings in cities across the country by supporters of new gun legislation. "There are 80 million moms in this country," said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, after the White House event. "This is a non-partisan issue. It doesn't matter if you're a Republican or if you're a Democrat. We need to come together under one umbrella and say 'enough.'" In addition, a group called Mayors Against Illegal Guns launched a $12 million ad campaign targeting members of Congress in 10 states to act on the legislation backed by Obama and approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on mostly partisan lines. Another proposal passed by the committee -- a ban on semiautomatic firearms that are modeled after military assault rifles -- already appears doomed. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid dropped the ban -- proposed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California -- from the package going to the Senate floor because it lacked enough support to overcome a GOP filibuster. Reid said it can still be offered as an amendment to force a vote, as sought by Obama and Feinstein. Newtown families featured in first political ad . Even if gun legislation passes the Democratic-led Senate, it has less chance of winning approval in the Republican-controlled House. Obama rejected arguments by opponents of the legislation that the measures would strip Americans of their constitutional right to bear arms. "What we're proposing is not radical. It's not taking away anyone's guns rights," the president said in warning legislators against getting "squishy because time has passed and maybe it's not on the news every day." Instead, he said, it's time to demonstrate that the American character includes being "willing to follow through on what we say is important." Obama and others pushing for tougher gun laws say the December attack by a lone gunman that killed 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, showed the need for national action against gun violence. They note the killer, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, used a semiautomatic rifle with 30-round capacity magazines, both of which would be banned under Feinstein's proposal. Opponents of tougher gun laws, led by the NRA, argue most gun violence involves pistols in urban areas, rather than the semiautomatic firearms targeted by Feinstein. Better enforcement of existing laws and posting armed security guards in schools would be more effective remedies, according to the NRA. Watts, however told reporters her group of American moms rejects the NRA prescription for the country. "We are not going to put our kids in schools with shields and send them to school in bulletproof backpacks and let the good guys shoot it out with the bad guys over our kids' heads," Watts said. Police released new documents Thursday related to the Newtown shootings that say police found more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition in the home where Lanza killed his mother with one of her own guns, shooting her in the forehead as she lay in bed. Lanza then went to the elementary school, shooting his way inside and opening fire on classrooms with a semiautomatic rifle before killing himself to end the rampage, which lasted less than five minutes, the documents showed. Documents reveal new details about Sandy Hook shootings, but no motive . "This is exactly why we need to ban high-capacity magazines and why we need to tighten our assault weapons ban," Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy said Thursday. "I don't know what more we can need to know before we take decisive action to prevent gun violence." After the Newtown shootings, some states -- including New York -- passed tougher gun laws. While the fervor for stronger legislation was high in the immediate aftermath of the shootings, a CBS News survey released this week indicates a 10-point decrease in support of stricter gun laws, from 57% immediately after the Newtown shootings to 47% now. That poll was in line with a CNN/ORC International survey released last week that indicated a 9-point drop in the percentage of Americans who favor major restrictions on guns or an outright ban on gun ownership, from 52% following the shootings to 43%. Other polls have shown changes in the same downward direction. "Opinion on gun control was fairly steady over the past few years, but seemed to spike after the Connecticut shootings," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said. "The big question is whether support for major new gun laws has simply dropped back down to that previous level or whether the slide will continue even further." Opinion: Did we learn nothing from Newtown? He noted that the biggest drop came among two specific demographics -- older Americans and people who live in rural areas. "In the immediate aftermath of the shootings in Connecticut, the number of rural Americans who supported major gun restrictions rose to 49% but now that support has dropped 22 points," Holland said. "Support for stricter gun laws dropped 16 points among Americans over 50 years old in that same time." However, Obama noted that polls also show strong support across the spectrum, including among gun owners, for expanding background checks to prevent firearms from ending up in the hands of the mentally ill and criminals. The CBS poll showed that 90% of respondents agreed, and the president noted that support, asking Thursday "how often do 90% of Americans agree on anything?" He urged people to find out where their congressional representatives stand on the gun legislation, adding that if a legislator isn't "part of the 90%, ask why not." Polls suggest Congress might have waited too long on gun control .
### SUMMARY:
| Shannon Watts, head of an American mothers' group, says the issue is non-partisan .
President Obama urges people to pressure elected leaders to pass new gun laws .
The Senate will take up a package of proposals, but passage is uncertain .
Polls show support for new gun laws is on the wane . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Downtown Kiev was aglow in fire early Wednesday, as demonstrators undeterred by a bloody day on the streets staked their claim to the heart of the Ukrainian capital and, they hope, the heart of the country itself. Such flames have been a constant for three months, acting as fiery barricades all around Kiev's Maidan, or Independence Square, for protesters. Yet the flames grew more ominous on Tuesday as at least 21 people died in fresh clashes between government forces and activists. What began with protests over President Viktor Yanukovych's backpedaling from a trade pact with the European Union -- a move that the opposition maligned, accusing Yanukovych of trying to cozy up to Russia rather than the West -- has spawned into something much larger. In addition to new elections, the opposition is calling for constitutional reforms to transfer more power from the presidency to the parliament. Yanukovych and his allies have responded with some concessions, even offering places in government to opposition leaders. But on-again, off-again talks have gone nowhere, with the opposition refusing to budge politically and from its positions in the center of Kiev. None of that changed after a face-to-face meeting overnight between Yanukovych and opposition leader Vitali Klitschko. Speaking to reporters afterward, Klitschko said there effectively was "no discussion." According to his Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms party, the president demanded protesters "stop the standoff" and put down their weapons -- an accusation that Klitschko claimed is unfounded. "I think the authorities should immediately pull back the police and stop the blood, because people are dying," Klitschko said. "I told Yanukovich this. How can we negotiate when there is blood being spilled? Unfortunately, he does not understand it." What's behind Ukraine's political crisis? Deadliest day of political unrest . Tuesday's violence followed what seemed like a rare breakthrough. Protesters pulled back Sunday from Kiev's City Hall and unlocked streets in the city center after the government said it'd drop charges against those arrested in the political unrest. Then everything fell apart Tuesday. The speaker of parliament's refusal to allow amendments that would limit the president's powers and restore the constitution to what it was in 2004 angered many in the opposition. The government's prosecutor general, meanwhile, accused the opposition of breaking "the truce" and, therefore, setting the stage for the crackdown. "For the sake of pursuing their own political interests, they neglected all previously reached agreements and put lives and the peace of millions of Kiev residents under threat," said Viktor Pshonka, Ukraine's prosecutor general. Whoever was to blame, there was no dispute Tuesday was the deadliest day -- by far -- in the political unrest. Riot police used water cannons, stun grenades and other means to force their way through protesters, with video showing some of them toting shields and swinging sticks as they barreled through. Some demonstrators fought back, swinging what looked like baseball bats or using other means. Protesters also set fire to the headquarters of the ruling Party of Regions. Authorities accused them of firing guns at security forces. A CNN employee at the scene saw demonstrators carrying pellet guns, though not with live ammunition. One video showed an armored personnel carrier charging toward demonstrators barricades, only to be inundated by a flurry of what appeared to be Molotov cocktails. The vehicle then burst into flames. All the moving parts, different tactics and raw emotions contributed to a violent, chaotic melee in the center of Ukraine's capital. Officials warned people to stay indoors and shuttered metro stations to help control the situation. The situation hardly calmed as night descended. Black smoke and bright flames from burning tires continued to rage around Independence Square, just a few blocks from parliament. Small explosions regularly erupted all night -- the product of protesters' fireworks and, perhaps, the stun grenades that police have been using to clear the crowds. Demonstrators also worked through the night to build up their barricades, by forming human chains to pass bricks, rocks and wood up their front lines in anticipation of another police offensive. Ukrainian security forces did indeed move forward, despite a barrage of rocks, before halting their advance -- for now, at least. Kiev was the center of the action, just like it has been all winter, with nine police officers, 11 protesters and an employee from the ruling party's headquarters among those killed, according to officials. But it wasn't just the capital. Police confirmed the unrest has spread to western Ukraine, with protesters attacking police and local government offices in a number of regions. Blame game, calls for restraint . Pshonka, Ukraine's prosecutor general, blamed protesters for the violence that he said that -- in addition to those killed -- injured at least 100 others. The organizers of a rally Tuesday that descended into violence will be held accountable "for every single person injured, every car burned and every window broken," he said. "Today, we were able to see that only the government is interested in peaceful resolution of the situation," Pshonka said. "Opposition leaders should take the responsibility for everything happening in the street of Kiev today." Opposition leaders painted their supporters as the victims, not the aggressors. Klitschko, a former world class boxer turned politician, accused police of "cruelly shooting at people in central Kiev." And Arseniy Yatsenyuk -- an opposition leader from a party other than Klitschko's -- made a public appeal to Yanukovych: "Do not let Ukraine become a country covered with blood. Pull back the police and announce a cease-fire. Then we will negotiate." U.S. Vice President Joe Biden himself pressed Yanukovych in a phone call, with the White House saying "the government bears special responsibility to de-escalate the situation." Secretary of State John Kerry later backed up the Vice President's words. He called for the Ukrainian government to halt violence immediately, and reopen dialogue with the opposition. Kerry: United States, EU stand with Ukraine's people . On the flip side, Russia's state-run RIA Novosti's story on the latest Kiev unrest noted Moscow's persistent support for Yanukovych and its accusation -- made earlier this week from foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich -- that Washington is trying to tell "the authorities of a sovereign state what they should do next and how they should do it." Such international back-and-forth is especially significant in the Ukraine, given not only its geographic and political position betwixt Europe and Russia and the origins of the latest unrest. It began in November with Yanukovych's decision to scuttle an European Union trade pact that the opposition hoped would bring the Ukraine closer to the West, and improve its economy in the process. The next month, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would buy $15 billion in Ukrainian debt and slash the price Kiev pays for its gas. As the months rolled on, the conflict expanded beyond the long-simmering discord over whether Ukraine should align more with the West or with Russia. The opposition has pressed to change how the Eastern European nation's government operates, namely through constitutional and other reforms that would -- among other things -- shift powers away from its president and toward parliament. Stop the ultimatums, Russia tells Ukraine protesters .
### SUMMARY:
| Video shows an armored personnel carrier hit by Molotov cocktails, bursting into flames .
An opposition leader says there was "no discussion" in his meeting with the president .
A crisis that has been brewing for three months erupts in worst violence to date .
The 21 killed in Kiev include 9 police officers, 11 protesters and 1 political party official . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
The man's anger at authorities giving a briefing on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 could not be contained. He screamed at the screen as a promised video conference with Malaysian authorities became the latest part of the aftermath of the plane's disappearance to encounter technical difficulties. "You're all bloody liars, and you're lying to us again," the Chinese man said, according to a translation. Families of the passengers on the missing plane in attendance at the Beijing briefing Wednesday exploded in anger and stormed out. "We will request their team of experts to come to Beijing to conduct face-to-face communications and fulfill their commitment," said Jing Hui, a spokesman for some of the families. "What Is the truth? What problem do they want to cover up?" The families have 26 questions they want answered now. The queries were posted on the social media site Weibo by a committee representing some of the passengers' relatives. Some of the "questions" are requests that evidence be shared with them, including the flight's logbook and recording of air traffic control on March 8, the night the plane disappeared with 239 people aboard. Most of the people on the plane were Chinese, and their families have become very distrustful of Malaysian government authorities and officials with the airline. That was apparent in the request for MH370's log book. John Goglia, a former member of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, told CNN the log is usually on the plane and even if it wasn't, investigators wouldn't reveal specific information from it. He also said a request for phone numbers of investigators would be denied. But the other 24 questions and requests? "These are not state secrets so the families should have access to all of that kind of information," he said. Many of the 26 questions focus on technical issues involving emergency locator transmitters, or ELTs, and "black boxes." With an apparent in-depth understanding of how these work, the families ask about the specific technology on the missing plane. ELTs are designed to activate after a crash and send a signal to a frequency monitored by air traffic controllers. "Black boxes," or voice and data recorders, could shed light on what went on in the plane's cockpit and other crucial flight information. The families' final seven questions involve "protocol," including this: What did Malaysia Airlines do when the flight went missing? The families also ask whether search and rescue teams have final results from searched areas, and whether the Malaysian government could specify the rights of family members "to know the facts of cases or the details of an incident." Malaysia Airlines has said it shares all the information it has with appropriate authorities. In a video message this month, Hugh Dunleavy, the airline's commercial director, said the company shares the same "fundamental requirement" as the families: to find out what happened. Malaysian authorities have come under criticism repeatedly for their handling of the investigation. But the government has insisted it's doing what it can to get to the bottom of what happened and support the families. "We understand that it has been a difficult time for all the families. And we appreciate that many families want to see physical evidence before they will accept that MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean," acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said at the end of March. "... The question that the families principally want answered, is the question we simply do not have the answer to -- namely, where their loved ones are, and where is MH370." A week earlier, Hishammuddin made a pledge to the families: "We will do everything in our power to keep you informed." Bluefin-21 completes 'full search' After two previous setbacks that officials called minor, an underwater vessel searching for traces of MH370 resurfaced Thursday morning after completing what search officials called a "full mission." The Bluefin-21 has now searched a total of 90 square kilometers (34.7 square miles) in its first three trips to the ocean floor. On its second trip the Bluefin was forced to resurface after 11 hours because it needed to have a technical issue addressed. Part of the equipment designed to help the Bluefin-21 move deeper and avoid seepage was low on oil. Officials replenished the supply and redeployed the vessel. The Bluefin-21 has its electronics sealed in bottles so they are protected from saltwater. As the probe moves deeper and the pressure increases, the operating system pushes oil into these bottles. The oil counters the pressure and prevents saltwater from seeping in. If oil fills the container, there's no space for saltwater. "In no way should this suggest that (the AUV) is not 'hardy' enough to be working at this depth. On the contrary, it is absolutely the best piece of equipment for the job we are doing," a source close to the operation said, adding that technical issues are common at great depths. Data from its second and third mission have been downloaded, the Australian Joint Agency Coordination Centre said. There were no "significant detections" during the second search. 24-hour mission . Bluefin-21 takes two hours to get near the ocean floor and another two hours to return to the surface. It aims to map the ocean floor for 16 hours to retrieve data, which then take four hours to analyze. The vessel searches maximum depths of 4,500 meters (14,764 feet), and before the technical interruption, it was scheduled to complete its second dive about 10 a.m. ET, a source said. The U.S. Navy has determined the seafloor in the search area reaches a maximum depth of 4,600 meters (15,092 feet). The Bluefin operators said they can reprogram it to operate at 5,000 meters (16,404 feet), meaning it can search the originally designated area, which is thought to have yielded the most promising clues. It is where a second audio signal that searchers thought was manmade and the right frequency to belong to the flight data recorder's emergency beacon. The quality of the "ping" led authorities to focus the underwater search in the area. An oil sample taken from a slick on the surface in that section of the ocean is at a lab being analyzed to see if it is an aviation or maritime fluid. 'Garbage patch' "We have known a long time that especially the recent search area, the new search area they are looking at now, there's a lot of debris there because it is close to what we call the garbage patch, and that's where all of the garbage accumulates," said Erik Van Sebille, a physical oceanographer at University of New South Wales. "There are five in each basin and one in the Indian Ocean. Everything that has been thrown in the ocean in the last 50 years and still floating is somewhere in this garbage patch." Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished on March 8 with 239 people aboard after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, bound for Beijing. With no debris found after weeks of searches and no possible pings from the plane's "black boxes" detected in a week, officials said it's time to focus the search underwater. While air and sea surface searches continued Thursday in a zone centered about 2,170 kilometers (1,348 miles) northwest of Perth, those searches are probably nearing an end. Still, Thursday's surface search area grew significantly to 40,349 square kilometres (15,578.8 square miles).
### SUMMARY:
| Ocean is a depth the Bluefin probe should be able to handle, U.S. Navy indicates .
"You're all bloody liars, and you're lying to us again," says angry man at families' briefing .
Families want log, official phone numbers, other data .
Officials say Bluefin-21 completed its third mission with no hiccups . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
The gunman who held hostages for more than 16 hours in a Sydney cafe was no stranger to police -- and was on bail for violent criminal offenses at the time of the siege. Man Haron Monis, an Iranian-born refugee who was granted political asylum in Australia in 2001, had "a long history of violent crime, infatuation with extremism and mental instability," Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters. "It's pretty obvious that the perpetrator was a deeply disturbed individual," he said at a press conference Tuesday, adding that the 50-year-old was "well known" to federal and state police, as well as the Australian Security Intelligence Organization. "But I don't believe he was on a terror watch list at this time." New South Wales Premier Mike Baird said authorities were investigating why Monis -- who was killed in the siege -- was at large, given his criminal background. "We're all outraged that this guy was on the street," he told reporters. "We need to understand why he was. We also need to understand why he wasn't picked up." What we know, what we don't know . Accessory to murder, sex charges . The self-styled Muslim cleric, also known as Sheikh Haron, was facing dozens of charges at the time of the siege, including two counts of being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife, according to the Attorney General of New South Wales. Noleen Hayson Pal was found dead with multiple stab wounds in a stairwell, and her body had been set on fire, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. "They should have put him away and thrown away the key," the dead woman's godfather, Ayyut Khalik, told NBC News. He said Monis used to beat Pal, forcing her to wear a hijab all the time and forbidding her from talking to "outsiders." Court documents show Monis was also facing 45 sex-related charges, including sexual intercourse without consent and aggravated indecent assault. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the initial charges, laid in May 2014, related to an alleged sexual assault on a woman in western Sydney in 2002, before other sex-related charges were added regarding six additional victims. Monis was using the name Mohammad Hassan Manteghi -- his birth name, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA -- and claimed to be a "healer," according to the report. Monis also pleaded guilty last year to writing offensive "poison pen" letters to the families of Australian soldiers who died in Afghanistan, and was sentenced to 300 hours of community service. The letters were "sadistic, wantonly cruel and deeply wounding," one High Court judge said at the time, according to CNN affiliate Seven News. But the criminal accusations against him began even before he came to Australia. Monis fled his homeland in 1995 while being sought for allegedly committing fraud, Iran's semi-official Fars News reported. A spokesperson at Iran's embassy in Canberra told CNN that Tehran had officially requested Monis's extradition but nothing had come of it. Monis had been granted political asylum in 2001 and had had no further contact with his birth country, the spokesperson said. Who were the victims? An extremist theology . Manny Conditsis, a lawyer who acted for Monis in relation to the accessory to murder and letter-writing charges, told CNN his former client had been a cleric in Shiite Iran, but had become critical of the Islamic Republic's government in the late 1990s, and fled to Australia "because he was going to be killed." He had left behind a wife and two children, who he believed Monis had not seen since. Throughout the 2000s, said Conditsis, Monis "became sympathetic to what he perceived ... was the victimization of Muslims and Islamists around the world, and partly at least took up that cause." His broader cause, he said, was lobbying governments around the world, particularly Australia, not to wage wars on Muslim soil. "He was so blinded by that objective that it would seem he had lost sight of objectivity and rationality and acted in extreme ways," he said, describing his former client as "intensely conflicted and contradicted and inconsistent." While older footage of Monis preaching shows him dressed in typical Shiite cleric's attire, in his social media posts, he appears to embrace a radical Sunni extremist theology. He used the Internet to spread extremist beliefs, garnering nearly 13,000 likes on his Facebook page. During the siege, Abbott said, the hostage-taker "sought to cloak his actions with the symbolism of the (ISIS) death cult," Abbott said. On his website, which has now been taken down, there was a pledge of allegiance to the so-called Islamic State terror group. The site describes Monis as a Muslim cleric and activist based in Sydney who has "continuously been under attack & false accusation by the Australian government & media since he started his political letter campaign from 2007." There's a graphic photo of slain children at the top of the site. Under the image, it reads, "This is an evidence for the terrorism of America and its allies including Australia. The result of their airstrikes." A description on the site portrayed Monis as a victim of a political vendetta and compares him to Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder who has claimed the sex crime allegations he faces are politically motivated. A YouTube video posted in November shows Monis standing on a street corner, chains draped over him, carrying a sign that says, "I have been tortured in prison for my political letters." Police have refused to comment on that accusation. His last tweet linked to his website, with a haunting message posted the day of his attack on the Sydney cafe: "If we stay silent towards the criminals we cannot have a peaceful society. The more you fight with crime, the more peaceful you are." Conditsis told Australian public broadcaster ABC that Monis was an isolated figure who was probably acting alone. Crisis in a cafe . Monday's hostage situation began around 10 a.m. Hundreds of police officers, including snipers, took position around the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney's central business district. Australian media captured haunting images of hostages pressing their hands against the cafe's windows. They were reportedly taking turns holding a black flag with Arabic writing on it that said, "There is no God but God and Mohammed is the prophet of God." The man holding the hostages demanded to speak to Abbott. Police were monitoring social media because hostages appeared to be posting information about the man's demands. Hours into the crisis, at least five hostages managed to escape, running terrified toward police in riot gear. That made the hostage-taker furious, reported Chris Reason, a correspondent for CNN affiliate Seven Network. Reason said he could see the gunman become "extremely agitated" when he realized what had happened, and he "started screaming orders" at the remaining hostages. Gunfire erupted early Tuesday as police stormed the cafe where the gunman had been holding hostages. Two hostages were killed during the standoff. Police later announced that the siege was over and that the lone gunman had been killed.
### SUMMARY:
| Man Haron Monis had history of "infatuation with extremism and mental instability," Abbott says .
Hostage-taker was granted political asylum in Australia in 2001; was on bail for violent offending .
His former lawyer says he campaigned against "the victimization of Muslims and Islamists"
On Monis' apparent website, there is a pledge of allegiance to ISIS . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
(CNN)Their arrests took place in New York and Florida. Abror Habibov, Akhror Saidakhmetov and Abdurasul Juraboev are accused by the federal government of attempting to join ISIS and of fostering plans to kill the President and shoot law enforcement officers. The three men face charges that include attempting and conspiring to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization, a criminal complaint filed in federal court said. They all legally came to the United States, although one overstayed his welcome. The names: Who has been recruited to ISIS from the West . Here's what we know about them as the case unfolds. Habibov is a 30-year-old Uzbekistani citizen, who police say "helped organize and finance" the operation. He was arrested in Jacksonville, Florida. Court documents say Habibov operates mall kiosks that sell kitchenware and repair mobile phones. He has locations in Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Habibov was in the United States legally, but overstayed his visa, according to police. Habibov attended New York City College of Technology in the spring of 2013 as a part-time student, but he is not currently enrolled, according to a statement from the college. Saidakhmetov is a 19-year-old citizen of Kazakhstan and is a legal permanent resident of the United States who lives in Brooklyn, with fellow suspect Abdurasul Juraboev. Court documents say Saidakhmetov worked at Habibov's mall kiosks in Philadelphia; Savannah, Georgia; and Chesapeake, Virginia, in the fall and winter of 2014. Saidakhmetov was arrested Wednesday at John F. Kennedy International Airport while attempting to catch a flight to Turkey, authorities said. The Brooklyn travel agent who booked his ticket said Saidakhmetov came into the agency where he works last week, wanting to book a round-trip ticket to Istanbul. Saidakhmetov said he couldn't afford a direct flight, which would have cost $900, so the travel agent booked him a trip connecting in Kiev, Ukraine, for $571. At the time, the travel agent said, he saw "nothing out of the ordinary." Saidakhmetov purchased the tickets using a New York state ID, the travel agent said. The landlord of the Brooklyn apartment building where Saidakhmetov and Juraboev lived said the 19-year-old recently told him he was about to take a long vacation. Court documents say Saidakhmetov once posted some comments on video of ISIS executing Iraqi forces. "Allahu akbar (God is great). I was very happy after reading this, my eyes joyful so much victory." The criminal complaint says he told a confidential informant that he wanted to travel to Syria to wage jihad, "but that his mother had feared that he would do so and took his passport so that he could not travel." Last week, Saidakhmetov called his mother and asked for his passport, according to the criminal complaint. "When asked where he wanted to go, Saidakhmetov responded that, if a person has a chance to join Islamic State and does not go there, on judgment day he will be asked why, and that it is a sin to live in the land of infidels," the complaint says. "After Saidakhmetov continued to ask for his passport, his mother hung up the phone." Saidakhmetov told the informant he would try to get his passport back by telling his mom he was traveling to Uzbekistan to visit relatives. When the informant suggested it might be better to take a direct flight to Turkey, Saidakhmetov responded, "America is catching, they are very strict now. ... it is better to fool them by flying here and flying there." There were other recorded conversations . In one from November, Saidakhmetov told Juraboev that he wanted to join the U.S. military so he could share information with ISIS. At the very least, he said, "he could always open fire on American soldiers and kill as many of them as possible," according to the complaint. In another recorded conversation in January, Saidakhmetov told the informant that if he couldn't get travel documents to go to Syria, "I will just go and buy a machine gun, AK-47, go out and shoot all police." Later, according to the complaint, he said, "It is legal in America to carry a gun. We will go and purchase one handgun ... then go and shoot one police officer. Boom. ... Then, we will take his gun, bullets and bulletproof vest ... then, we will do the same with a couple of others. Then we will go to the FBI headquarters, kill the FBI people." Juraboev is a 24-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan. Like Saidakhmetov, he is a legal permanent resident of the United States. Court documents say he's also known as Abdulloh ibn Hasan. Before his arrest at his Brooklyn home, Juraboev was scheduled to hop a flight to Turkey, the criminal complaint said. He worked at the Gyro King restaurant in Brooklyn and had asked for the weekend off so he could travel. He would arrive at work around noon daily, wearing headphones and greeting co-workers as he made his delivery of lettuce, tomatoes and onions, according to a co-worker named Saad, who described the suspect as quiet and "just a normal guy." Zak Kahn, owner of Gyro King, said Juraboev was quiet and not given to discussing politics. "I never heard him -- not even a single sentence -- (talk) about politics, about jihad, about army, about military or force... What happened to him? He seemed to be a very peaceful person." Kahn said Juraboev told him about a month ago that he was returning to the homeland. "He became even more alone," he told CNN on Thursday, adding that Juraboev seemed more detached and wore his headphones most of the time. On February 21, Juraboev sent his employer a text message: "Brother I want to leave my country next weekend. Because I have some problem. Is it possible or not? Sorry!" In August, court documents say, Juraboev was active on an Uzbek-language website that promoted ISIS. "Greetings! We too wanted to pledge our allegiance and commit ourselves while not present there," Juraboev is said to have posted. "I am in USA now but we don't have any arms. But is it possible to commit ourselves as dedicated martyrs anyway while here? What I'm saying is, to shoot Obama and then get shot ourselves, will it do? That will strike fear in the hearts of infidels." The post earned Juraboev a visit from federal agents several days later. Juraboev admitted that he'd posted the message and that he believed in the ISIS agenda. He also said "that he would harm Obama if he had the opportunity to do so, but currently does not have the means or an imminent plan to do so," the complaint says. In intercepted online communication to a pro-ISIS website, Juraboev said his parents were in Uzbekistan. "Sometimes they worship and practice Islam, sometimes they do idolatry," he said, according to the complaint. "My sisters are uncovered, lack knowledge of a religion. I wish they knew at least how to cover themselves up." The administrator encouraged him to join the fight. Juraboev said he's worried about being caught, the court documents say. CNN's Will Ripley, David Shortell, Julia Talanova, Jason Caroll and Yon Pomrenze contributed to this report.
### SUMMARY:
| All three men came to the United States legally .
They're accused of attempting and conspiring to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Emma Reynolds . UPDATED: . 11:33 EST, 13 January 2012 . David Cameron 'did not like' the controversial Top Gear India special that he appeared in, Downing Street sources revealed today. The Prime Minister has been quick to distance himself from the BBC show after the 'tasteless' Christmas edition sparked fury from viewers and the Indian High Commission. In the hope of avoiding a diplomatic row, Mr Cameron's aides emphasised that the Prime Minister had the 'utmost respect' for the people of India. Cameo: David Cameron at the start of the Top Gear special, jokingly telling the presenters to 'stay away from India' Diplomatic issue: The PM's aides said he had the 'utmost respect' for the people of India and refused to endorse the show's content . Bad steer: Jeremy Clarkson and his fellow Top Gear presenters James May (left) and Richard Hammond read out a letter from Mr Cameron as the show opens outside No 10 . Mr Cameron features at the start . of the Top Gear special, waving to its presenters and smilingly telling them to 'stay away from . India'. But staff . at the Indian High Commission complained that the programme was 'replete with . cheap jibes, tasteless humour and lacked cultural sensitivity' and demanded an apology from the BBC. Yesterday the Prime Minister's aides tried to avoid a row with a vital trading nation by insisting that the PM had not . enjoyed the show, according to the Daily Telegraph. One source said: 'He did not like . the programme at all. The Indian people should know that the Prime . Minister has the utmost respect for them.' While standing in Downing Street at the start of the India special, the team even read out a . letter from the PM in which he jokingly advises them to consider 'a . fence-mending trip to Mexico'. The Prime Minister's official . spokesman said yesterday that Mr Cameron had just happened to be leaving the office when the show was being filmed there. 'As you know, the BBC are able to film in Downing Street . as are other broadcast companies. They were in the street and he was . leaving for an event. 'The . Government is not responsible for editorial decisions made by the BBC . or any media organisation. This is a matter for the BBC - I don't speak . for the BBC.' Toilet humour: The BBC admitted that 23 people complained after the Christmas special, in which the presenters attach a lavatory to their car before driving around India . 'Crass': Clarkson strips to his underwear in front of his Indian hosts . Asked why . Mr Cameron had written a letter to the programme, the spokesman said: 'When people write to the Prime . Minister, or indeed any other Government minister, it is customary to . reply. He got a letter. He replied.' The consulate has written to . the BBC demanding they apologise for the episode, in which Jeremy Clarkson strips to his boxer shorts in . front of his hosts and hangs offensive banners on trains. A spokesman for the High Commission said . it had received hundreds of complaints after the special was repeated . twice over Christmas. They fired off emails and letters to the . show's producer, Chris Hale - copying in BBC director general Mark . Thompson - expressing 'deep disappointment' at the content of Top Gear: . India Special. Diplomats had consented to the . programme being shot in the country after receiving a letter from Mr . Hale describing it as a 'light-hearted road trip'. But the consulate complained in a letter that the content of the show was 'in breach of this agreement' and said the BBC would need to 'assuage the hurt sentiments of a huge number of people'. The incident is the latest in a string of gaffes by the misbehaving Top Gear team. Last year, they were accused of racism after a show in which Clarkson said Mexicans had no sense of humour and co-star Richard Hammond described them as 'lazy, feckless and flatulent.' Embarrassing: An insulting banner attached to a train in India by the BBC team . Offensive: When the carriages split the banner's double meaning became clear . The BBC said it had received 23 . complaints after the programme, which remains available online. It . confirmed it had been sent a letter by the Indian High Commission and . said it would respond in due course. 'We conveyed our disappointment,' said . a minister from the High Commission. 'The show was crass and . misunderstanding of Indian culture. 'Lots of people have complained to us, both Indian and British. They are deeply offended and expect us to do something. 'We don't think this is the Government's view, but we want the BBC to stop repeating this programme and take action.' The BBC's outline of the Top Gear special . said the show would involve 'spontaneous interaction between the . presenters and their environment'. It . claimed that the key aspects would be 'beautiful scenery, busy city . scenes, local charm and colour', emphasising India's 'local car . culture'. Instead, Clarkson and his co-presenters drove around in a Jaguar with a toilet fixed to the boot. Rude: The Top Gear team attached this 'Eat English muffins' banner to the side of an Indian train . Shocking: Again the carriages divided to display an obscene slogan . Showing . off the car's unusual modification as he drove around the slums, . Clarkson boasted: 'This is perfect for India because everyone who comes . here gets the trots.' They . also hung up banners that read 'British IT is good for your company' and . 'Eat English muffins', which turned into offensive messages when the . carriages pulled them apart. Clarkson, 51, is one of . the BBC's highest paid stars, having earned £2.14million from his . involvement in the Top Gear last year. But the wayward star may have damaged Britain's relations with some other countries. Just this week he claimed that Kent was full of immigrants from the Sangatte refugee camp in France. He also used his . newspaper column to compare the Morecambe Bay tragedy in which 23 . Chinese migrant workers died with synchronised swimming. Back in November, the motormouth presenter horrified public sector workers by saying strikers should be shot. 21 July 2011 . From Chris Hale, Top Gear producer, to Indian High Commission, London . 'Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May will travel across India in three cars filming a light hearted road trip focusing on the journey and the inevitable idiosyncrasies of the cars they will drive, as well as the country and scenery we see along the way. 'There will be spontaneous interaction between the presenters and their environment, and potentially people they meet along the way. This will be in an incidental manner, not interviews. 'Key ingredients of what we film will be beautiful scenery, busy city scenes, local charm and colour within these locations, areas to illustrate the local car culture that exists in India.'6 January 2012 . From Indian High Commission to Mr Hale . cc Mark Thompson, BBC director general . 'The programme was replete with cheap jibes, tasteless humour and lacked cultural sensitivity. This is not clearly what we expect of the BBC. I write this to convey our deep disappointment over the documentary for its content and the tone of the presentation. 'You are clearly in breach of the agreement that you had entered into, completely negating our constructive and proactive facilitation. We strongly protest and expect the BBC to make amends, especially to assuage the hurt sentiments of a large number of people.'
### SUMMARY:
| Prime Minister insists he has 'utmost respect' for Indian people .
Indian High Commission said it had 'hundreds' of complaints from viewers .
Diplomats demand apology from BBC . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 17:19 EST, 20 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:14 EST, 21 June 2012 . If they don't fancy a car trip to pick up their children from school, the Fossett family simply hop on one of their six camels. Rebecca and Joseph are the only people in Britain to own a herd of the animals which are normally desert dwellers. Their camels - named Ruby, Sahara, Sophia, Kokoso, Kazak and Veneta - live in fields surrounding their village home. School's out: Rebecca Fossett picks up Daisy, 13, and Leo, 10, from the local school on two of their six camels . Rare pets: The Fossett family are the only people in Britain to own a herd of the animals which are normally desert dwellers . Community custom: Locals in Idlicote, Warks, have become accustomed to hearing and spotting the family out and about on the beasts . Locals in Idlicote, Warwickshire, have become accustomed to spotting the couple along with their two children Daisy, 13, and Leo, 10 out on the beasts. Mrs Fossett, 42, said: 'They are very much a part of the family. The kids joke that the camels get treated better than they do. 'We love them as if they were extra members of the family. 'Our local pub even has a sign that reads 'dogs and camels welcome'. Thirsty work: The Fossett's have a drink with their camels at The Horseshoe Inn in the nearby town of Shipton on Stour, Warwickshire . Affinity: Mr Fossett, who was raised in a circus family, has always had a long-standing connection with the towering mammals, which can grow to seven feet tall and weigh 2,000lbs . 'They can be very high maintenance and take an awful lot of care, but the similarities between them and domestic animals are plentiful. 'They prove to be great company and are very affectionate.' The family has owned their herd of three dromedary and three Bactrian camels for five years. Mr Fossett, who was raised in a circus family, has always had a long-standing connection with the towering mammals, which can grow to seven feet tall and weigh 2,000lbs. And despite normally being found . roaming the Gobi desert or Arabian plains, these six camels - which cost . £10,000 each - can today be seen on the tree lined lanes of . Warwickshire. Mr Fossett, 52, said: 'I had camels as a child while growing up in the circus and have loved them ever since. 'They are such great animals, all with their own intricate personalities. Village visitors: Despite normally being found roaming the Gobi desert or Arabian plains, these six camels - which cost £10,000 each - can today be seen on the street of Warwickshire . Hobby: Mr Fossett, 52, said: 'They are such great animals, all with their own intricate personalities' Business brains: The family, who have turned their bizarre pets into a thriving business, regularly take friends, family and paying customers on treks across the countryside . 'We have already got bundles of animals from dogs and cats to ferrets. 'But the camels are priceless - I wouldn't swap them for all the tea in China. 'We are the only people in Britain who have a whole herd of camels and I can't see that changing any time soon.' The family, who have turned their . bizarre pets into a thriving business, regularly take friends, family . and paying customers on treks across the countryside. And parents at the school gate are used to seeing Rebecca pick up her kids astride the towering mammals several times a year. Mrs Fossett . has even occasionally shunned the family car for their more . environmentally friendly transport - that runs on oats and grass - to . pick up the groceries. Mrs Fossett added: 'We go out in public with them once or twice a week - sometimes for a trek. People love seeing them. 'Obviously people are surprised - it is not every day you see camels strolling down the road. They do look out of place. Reaction: Mrs Fossett added: 'We go out in public with them once or twice a week - sometimes for a trek. People love seeing them' Camel chauffeurs: Mrs Fossett runs an errand in the town while her husband holds on to the reins . 'We get comments all the time about . how mild-mannered they are and how they smell so clean. They have a bit . of a bad reputation but it is very undeserved. 'The . camels are very good around people. People think they are grumpy and . spit all the time but that couldn't be further from the truth. 'They . are in fact incredibly nosy and rush to the garden gates to have a look . whenever anyone goes past, so they enjoy being out and about and . interacting with people.' Mr Fossett continued: 'They love the beach, they think it is great. 'As soon as they get the sand between their toes you can see they instantly feel at home. 'The . sea slightly puzzles them. We haven't been for a while because of the . weather but if the summer is nice maybe we will get the chance to take . them down there for a day.' It costs the couple thousands of pounds each year in upkeep - including hay for the stables purposefully built in their garden. Part of the family: The couple with Ruby, Sahara, Sophia, Kokoso, Kazak and Veneta . Expensive: They get through 400 bales of hay a year, thousands of gallons of water and feed them on a diet of sugar beat, barley and oats . Pricey pets: Incredibly, such is the value of the UK's only camel herd, the pair have public liability insurance totalling a staggering £5 million . Here to stay: Mr Fossett said: 'They aren't the cheapest pets that's for sure, but we wouldn't change it for a thing' They get through 400 bales of hay a year, thousands of gallons of water and feed them on a diet of sugar beat, barley and oats. And as a treat, the camels will be served freshly picked strawberries. Mr Fossett said: 'They aren't the cheapest pets that's for sure, but we wouldn't change it for a thing. 'It is hard to pinpoint exactly how much we spend as there are lots of hidden costs like grooming and the upkeep of the stables but it costs thousands each year. 'They are high maintenance and you need to know how to care for them properly. I wouldn't recommend them as a pet unless you have many acres of land and a great knowledge of their needs.' After hand rearing two of the latest additions to the herd - Kazak and Sahara - the pair decided to cash in on their unique pets, setting up a company, Joseph's Amazing Camels. They now hire out their six thoroughbred mammals for parties, events and racing. And incredibly, such is the value of the UK's only camel herd, the pair have public liability insurance totalling a staggering £5 million.
### SUMMARY:
| Fossett family are Britain's only owners of a herd of the animals .
Locals in Idlicote, Warwickshire, have become accustomed to spotting the family out and about on the beasts .
Get through 400 bales of hay a year, thousands of gallons of water and fed on a diet of sugar beat, barley and oats . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Emily Sheridan . PUBLISHED: . 02:39 EST, 24 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:31 EST, 24 September 2012 . A 'nervous, happy and desperate to get on with it' Nick Grimshaw made his debut as the new host of the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show today. The Oldham-native, 28, took to the microphone at 6.30am for his first day, kicking off the show with Kanye West and Jay-Z's duet N***** In Paris. Before his first track, Nick introduced himself: 'So this is happening, it's actually happening. Good morning Britain, I'm Nick Grimshaw. Scroll down for video . New boy: Nick Grimshaw looks contemplative on his first day hosting the Radio 1 Breakfast Show . 'It's time to follow in the footsteps . of people I like, like Chris Moyles and Sara Cox. I'm nervous, happy . and desperate to get on with it. 'It's . time to start the difficult job of talking between records. I've been . dreaming about this since I was a little boy. Let's do it.' Nick's appointment in the role comes after previous breakfast show host Chris Moyles left following eight and half years. Nick himself had previously hosted a late night show before his new role was announced in July. Support: Fellow Radio 1 DJs (L-R) Scott Mills, Fearne Cotton, Dev, Zane Lowe and Huw Stephens came to visit . Although Nick played the radio edit . of the foul-mouthed Jay-Z and Kanye track, he joked if he had played the . unedited version it would have been 'the world's shortest stint on the Radio 1 breakfast show - three and a half minutes'. Among . the celebrity guests on the show were his good friend Harry Styles, who . talked about One Direction's new video and album on the phone, and a . pre-recorded interview with Justin Bieber. Nick ended up teasing a mumbling Harry by playing a brief bit of the wrong track instead of One Direction's new song Live While We're Young, joking: 'Sorry, my finger slipped.' After fellow Radio 1 DJ Fearne Cotton later noted Harry didn't sound too happy by Nick's 'slip-up', the new breakfast show host replied: 'After he said Radio 1 instead of Capital Radio by mistake at the Brit Awards, he needs us - where else is he going to go? "Oh I’m just popping into Heart" – I don’t think so!' Time to get up! Nick was greeted by people in chicken costumes for his first morning on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show . Ahead of his arrival at the Radio 1 studios in central London, Nick was greeted outside the building by two people in chicken costumes, who gave him a year's supply of Kenco coffee to help him get up in the morning. Speaking to Radio 1’s Newsbeat after the show, he said: “It feels weird, I feel a relief now, the first day is done and it was the first show. Obviously a lot of people were waiting to hear it and there was a lot of anticipation of what the show would sound like, so yes it’s good to get the first one done. 'Today I guess was a lot like an introduction and repeating myself, saying my name a lot. Tomorrow I can do a more regular show and tell a few more stories.' On his own: Nick is the main star of the show, in contrast to Chris Moyles's 'zoo' format . 'In between the celeb guests, Nick was funny, cool, collected, and played actual - gasp - music.' Now magazine . 'Grimmy’s first show was fast-paced, full of celebrity banter and, most importantly, fun.' Daily Mirror . 'A promising start – and a clear break from what went before. It was out with dad rock, cynicism and bloatedly self-indulgent banter; in with dance beats, youthful energy and enthusiasm for new music... The show has swapped one who prefers music to the sound of his own voice; one much more in touch with its target audience of teens and twentysomethings.' Daily Telegraph . 'The message in the opening show – which was a likeable mix of music, self-deprecating chat, interaction on social media, interviews, silly features and funny, often quite bitchy quips – was that the power here has shifted and lies squarely in the music... A very promising, refreshing start that politely suggested the over-30s might like to retune.' The Guardian . The T4 presenter's new role on the breakfast show is a bid to lower Radio 1's demographic after a report by the BBC Trust found the station needed to work harder to attract younger listeners. In research published last November, it was claimed the average Radio 1 listener was 32 and went up to 33 for 38-year-old Moyles' breakfast show. In a bid to attract younger listeners, the music policy seems a lot younger, with a heavier dance influence than had been broadcast on Moyles' show. Nick will aim to play between eight to 10 songs an hour - double the amount played on Moyles' show. Instead of Moyles' 'zoo' format of his production team, the Grimes show will mostly feature his voice with more phone-ins from the audience. Nick previously admitted he had problems . getting up in the morning and told his listeners he had bought a . wake-up light that gradually uses light and bird song to wake him up . gently in the morning. Showing . there was no hard feelings, Chris actually sent a good luck gift to . Nick, who read out the card live on air: 'Good luck with the new show, . enjoy it see you soon, from Chris, former owner of the breakfast show.' Nick told his listeners: 'Ahh! I texted him on holiday and said "Thank you for being nice to me in the paper." 'Chris replied, "You'll be great, but not as great as me." 'And . now he's sent me some cakes, thank you Christopher, very nice. No . pressure. And weird to not listen to him in the morning! I used to be . able to tell how late I was based on which feature.' Friendly face: Nick's close friend Pixie Geldof and her dog paid a visit to the Radio 1 studios . One of his biggest cheerleaders was close friend Pixie Geldof, who woke up early to listen to her pal, before heading in to visit him at the studio at the end of his shift. She . wrote on Twitter: 'Up early for @grimmers !!!!! So proud!!! Epic music . at the beginning of the radio one breakfast show with NICK GRIMSHAW! '@grimmers obsessed with when they say "radio 1 breakfast show with nick grimshaw" so emo.' Among those to give him praise were veteran DJ Simon Mayo, who presented the R1 morning show from 1987-1993. Simon tweeted: 'Nick Grimshaw sounding a lot less terrified and a lot more organised than I did. In 1987.' End of an era: Chris Moyles and his team (L-R) Pippa Taylor Hackett, Dominic Byrne, Tina Daheley, Aled Jones, Freya Last and Comedy Dave on their last show on September 14 . VIDEO: Move over Chris! Nick Grimshaw takes over .
### SUMMARY:
| New show has less talk, more music than forerunner Chris Moyles .
Show just features Nick in the studio, as apposed to Moyles 'zoo' full of sidekicks .
Critics heap praise on the 'cool' and 'fun' host for bringing Radio 1 back to the youth . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 08:40 EST, 7 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:28 EST, 7 March 2013 . Workers at a French tyre-making factory clashed with riot police today as last-ditch protests aimed at saving their jobs turned violent. Staff from the Goodyear factory in northern France gathered outside the company's offices near Paris as they continued to rally against attempts to restructure or close the Amiens plant which employs 1,200 people. But as union representatives met with company management inside, protestors fought with police on the streets outside, setting fire to piles of tyres. The trouble flared as it was announced that unemployment figures in France had reached their highest for more than 13 years in the last quarter of 2012. It also comes after American tycoon Maurice Taylor - chairman of U.S. tyre giant Titan International - refused to rescue the Goodyear tyre factory because its workers are 'lazy, overpaid and talk too much'. Scroll down for video . Clashes: Riot police are pictured near Paris today as a last ditch protest by workers to save a Goodyear plant that employs 1,200 staff descended into violence . Anger: Tyres can be seen burning in the foreground as Goodyear staff clash with police in Paris today . Riot: Police form a line to drive protestors back as a fire rages close by. The workers were told in January that their factory in Amiens is to close imminently . Maurice "Morry" Taylor delivered the crushing summary of how some outsiders view France's work ethic in a letter . In the letter released on Feburary 19, Mr Taylor said his company would not be buying a Goodyear tyre plant in Amiens that . is threatened with closure and the loss of 1,170 jobs, telling French industry ministry Arnaud Montebourg: 'I have visited the factory several times. 'The French workforce gets paid high wages but works only three hours. 'They get one hour for breaks and lunch, talk for three hours and work for three. I told the French union workers this to their faces. They told me that's the French way!' The letter sent by Mr Taylor sparked a . row with the government, with Mr Montebourg branding the description . ‘ridiculous’, saying that he would instruct government agencies – . including the tax office – to examine Mr Taylor’s business with . ‘redoubled zeal’. Goodyear said on January 31 that it . would be closing its main French plant and cutting its workforce in . France by 39 percent amid labor disputes and plunging car demand in . Europe. The issue is now creating unrest in Paris as one demonstrator tore away a policeman's shield while another hit the officer on the head. Only a spray of tear gas pushed the mob back. The tyre firm announced that it was to close the plant at the end of January. Today's . meetings between unions and management are said to be to discover the . findings of an independent report into the social and economic impact . that the closure of the plant will have. The . French Government is proposing to reform the labor regulation that has . held up the factory's closure after five years of attempts by the . company to restructure the plant. Line of defence: Police sprayed tear gas at demonstrators in a bid to drive them back . Burning rubber: Officers look on as a demonstrator wearing a Goodyear protest slogan T shirt throws another tyre onto a raging fire . Running battles: Protestors attempt to storm a barricade as police fend them off outside the Goodyear offices in west Paris . The workers were infuriated last month when tyre executive Taylor, CEO of Titan International, said the plant was 'not worth saving'. The fortunes of the Goodyear plant are . in stark contrast to that of a Dunlop plant just across the road which . is going from strength to strength. The . two plants, whose shared parent is Goodyear Dunlop, chose different . destinies four years ago when Dunlop's unions accepted tougher labour . conditions and Goodyear's rejected them. Now Goodyear faces closure, while Dunlop has received more than 50 million euros in investment. Union . leaders at the two plants on the outskirts of Amiens, where riots . erupted last August, were friends before a management request to merge . the plants and switch to four daily work shifts from three previously . tore them apart in 2009. Scuffle: One worker is seen kicking out at a riot policeman who tries to use his shield to protect himself . Violence: One protestor was seen taking a policeman's shield while another threw a punch at him . Defending the country's work ethic a fortnight ago, Mr Montebourg said that America was in fact the top foreign investor in France, with 4,200 US companies employing nearly half a million people within the country. Haviland & Co. has been present in France since 1842, IBM since 1914, Coca-Cola since 1933 and General Electric since 1974, while last year companies including Massey Ferguson, Mars chocolate and 3M chose to invest further in France. Mr Montebourg added: ‘But most importantly, in contrast to your ridiculous and derogatory comments, all these companies know and appreciate the quality and productivity of the French workforce and the commitment, know-how, talent and skills of French workers.’ Apparently warning Mr Taylor against further attacks, Mr Montebourg wrote: ‘In the meantime, rest assured that you can count on me to have the competent government agencies survey your imported tyres with a redoubled zeal.’ But the government is now facing a growing problem to find a rescuer for the troubled plant. Heated: A plume of black smoke billows high into the air as riot police stand close to the flames generated by the burning tyres . The trouble erupted as it was announced today that French unemployment figures had reached their highest for more than 13 years. The sixth consecutive quarterly increase means that 10.6 per cent of French residents were unemployed in the last quarter of 2012, according to the national statistics institute Insee. It also means that unemployment in the country is at its highest since the second quarter of 1999 and is the latest bad news for a government that has admitted it will fall far short of growth and public deficit targets this year. The French economy also contracted by 0.6 per cent in the last three months of the year. Other data published on Thursday showed a widening trade deficit. The figures prompted renewed calls from the French Government for action at a European level to help improve the Euro Zone's second largest economy. The European commission has predicted that unemployment in the country will reach 10.7 per cent this year, nearly double the unemployment rate in Germany and only slightly behind Italy's 11.6 per cent. But France's unemployment rate is still far better than in Greece and Spain. President Francois Hollande took power last May promising to halt a relentless rise in unemployment which has left one in four youths out of work and vowing to restore France’s industrial competitiveness. The president’s approval ratings have slumped to around 30 percent since then as his government battles against a tide of factory closures. After backtracking last month on growth and deficit targets, he conceded the unemployment goal would now be harder to reach.
### SUMMARY:
| Workers from the Amiens Goodyear plant gathered at the company offices .
They were told at the end of January that the plant would close imminently .
As union bosses met with managers the protest in Paris turned violent .
New figures show French unemployment levels at their highest since 1999 . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 03:31 EST, 27 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:39 EST, 27 March 2013 . Simon Shonn outside Bolton Crown Court. He stole £40,000 from his mother which was supposed to pay for her residential care at a home in Manchester . An elderly mother was left on the brink of eviction from her care home after her son plundered her fees so he could go on a £50,000 spending spree. Simon Shonn, 49, had been put in sole charge of 75-year widow Irene Shonn's finances after she was forced to go into a private residential home due to her Alzheimer's. But instead of using his mother's savings to pay her weekly £665 living costs, the father-of-one used the money to buy a range of household luxuries for himself. Despite money being tight, he . splashed out on expensive electrical goods including TVs, computers and . music, home improvements, new shoes and meals out at restaurant. Shonn, of Radcliffe, Bury, was also said to have spent a 'significant amount' of money buying CDs at ailing music store HMV. The outstanding bill for Mrs Shonn's . care home fees rose to £29,000 and at one stage she faced eviction under . debt recovery legal action before the local authority stepped in and . settled the amount at cost to the taxpayer. Mrs Shonn, whose company director . husband Alan died 10 years earlier aged 70, is still thought to be living . at the Heathlands Residential Care Home in Prestwich, Manchester, . looking forward to her son's visits - blissfully unaware of his . betrayal. Bank records initially indicated he had pocketed £58,000 of her money. At Bolton Crown Court, Shonn admitted fraud but was spared jail after a . judge ruled he should continue visiting her. The hearing was told Shonn became . power of attorney to his mother's financial affairs in 2010 when her . health severely deteriorated to a point where she was forced to moved . out of her flat in Prestwich. Shonn - one of three brothers - had . been in receipt of Carer's Allowance for being the sole carer of his . mother but it was withdrawn when she was transferred to the care home - . and her placement was funded with her savings. Mr . Adam Lodge prosecuting said: 'The defendant having power of attorney . was responsible for her affairs and he was responsible for paying for . the care home. 'The cost was . £665 per week plus incidental costs. For the first six months no . invoice was signed on behalf of her due to non-payment. 'A . great deal of money was spent for the benefit of himself his family and . some was used for day to day living like food with a great deal spent . on luxurious items like electrical goods, TVs, computers, music, CDs and . a significant amount was spent at HMV. 'There were home improvements carried out, shoes bought and meals out. It was dishonest. 'The . care home were going to evict her from the private care home and they . were perusing debt recovery proceedings. fortunately it never got to . that stage and the local authority stepped in. 'There . was a certain amount of correspondence between the defendant and the . care home and he agreed to pay the arrears and even allowed them to take . out a charge on her property.' Shonn, pictured with an unknown woman leaving court, became power of attorney to his mother's financial affairs in 2010 . when her health severely deteriorated to a point where she was forced . to moved out of her flat . Shonn, of Radcliffe, Bury, was arrested in June 2012 and accepted that he as not acting in the best financial interests of his mother . Heathlands Village residential home in Prestwich, where Mrs Shonn racked up the bills . The court heard that some payment was made towards the arrears but by May 2012 the figure stood at £29k. Mr Lodge added: 'By this stage the local authority had been informed of the care he's concerns and it was passed onto the police and the Office of Public Guardian.' In June 2012 Shonn was arrested and accepted that he as not acting in the best financial interests of his mother. In mitigation the court heard Shonn had single handedly been given the responsibility of the care of his mother and was the only family member who visited her. Defence lawyer Martin Callery said Shonn had 'succumbed to temptation' and added: 'There came a time when she had to be taken into a home. 'Some of the care he was responsible for was relieved from him but he maintained a constant relationship with his mother who he visited three times a week and while she was living at her own home on a daily basis and more than once during the course of the day. 'Your actions meant that it was not the care home which lost money but the state.' Judge Peter Davies . 'There was a time when she offered him money to put railings around his house and there were times when he took advantage of the situation he found himself in, taking between £44,000 and £54,000 over a period of two and a half years.' The court heard that Shonn had little or no assets and was unemployed and on receipt of benefits. There was said to be a time when his father was alive that there had been a certain 'fluidity' of monies and Shonn when living in Israel had given his father a significant amount of money, around £10,000. Mr Callery added: 'There was a relaxed attitude to money but he clearly took advantage of that relaxed attitude and he assumed ownership of it. 'His attitude would have been 'well my mother would have not minded' and if she was lucid and able to say properly 'you can have this', she probably would have done but that is not the point he was vested with looking after the money. He is from a devout Jewish family and he is thoroughly ashamed.' Shonn was ordered to complete 300 hours unpaid work within 12 months and abide by a curfew for a period of six months between 8pm and 7am. He was also given a 21 month jail sentence suspended for two years. Judge Peter Davies told him: 'You were in a high degree of trust, you were your mothers power of attorney. 'Yet you stolen for your own benefit and that of your family. Money was spent of luxurious items, items of electrical significance, home improvement, clothing and meals. 'That money was used to supplement your lifestyle when money was tight. This was a grave offence, however you are the only family member who cares for your mother and that is to your credit. 'You continue to look after your mother as she endures this dreadful condition. Your actions meant that it was not the care home which lost money but the state. 'I have to think what is the public benefit, you are unlikely to commit further offences, you are not a danger. 'Your mother may not know what was going on and looks forward to your visits and I would not wish to deprive her of that.'
### SUMMARY:
| Simon Shonn was put in charge of 75-year-old Irene Shonn's finances .
The widow was suffering from Alzheimer's and forced to live in a home .
Instead of using cash to pay her weekly £665 living costs, he spent it .
The outstanding bill for Mrs Shonn's care home fees rose to £29,000 .
Local authority eventually settled the bill at cost to the taxpayer .
Defence lawyer said father-of-one Shonn had 'succumbed to temptation' |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 05:55 EST, 23 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:38 EST, 23 October 2013 . When Hugh Hefner and his bevy of bunny girls arrived at Heathrow in 1966, he was ready with his trusty camera. He was there too when Christine Keeler - just released from prison after the Profumo scandal - lay seductively in a meadow; and again when a young Prince Charles indulged in a spot of waterskiing while sitting on a chair. Now, the archive of Ray Bellisario, who was dubbed London's first paparazzo, has gone up for auction. It is a remarkable body of work, spanning the 1950s to 70s, and captures subjects ranging from the Royals to the Belfast riots, as well as celebrities including Brigitte Bardot... and Sammy the waterskiing dog. Celebrity photographer Ray Bellisario took this image of Christine Keeler soon after her release from prison in 1964 following the Profumo scandal which brought down the Macmillan government . Hugh Hefner and his bunny girls at Heathrow airport in June 1966. Bellisario's catalogue has now gone up for sale at auction . Brigitte Bardot is seen here arriving at Heathrow to shoot a film in the UK in 1968. Right, a riot in Belfast in 1970 during 'The Troubles', which saw conflict between republican and loyalist paramilitaries . Prince Charles waterskis at Sunninghill Park, Windsor in 1970. Although many of Bellisario's images feature the Royals, he was loathed by them for his candid shots . While many of the 20,000 transparencies on sale are of the House of Windsor, the photographer was so loathed by them that Prince Philip suggested sending him to the Tower. 'That bloody Bellisario!’, as Princess Margaret used to . call him, was a constant presence at royal events, taking candid shots of the Queen and her family. Some of the 'Royal collection' were featured in Bellisario's 1972 book To Tread On Royal Toes and also in international media, yet there are many which are previously unseen. The sale of the catalogue, including its copyright, has been organised by Omega Auctions of Cheshire. Auctioneer Paul Fairweather said: 'This is a remarkable collection and we expect there will be significant interest not only in the UK but worldwide. It is such a unique collection with nothing ever having come up for sale previously to compare it to. ‘We expect the collection to achieve somewhere in the region of between £500,000 and £1million.’ Ray Bellisario was born in 1936 to Italian immigrant parents, the youngest of a family of 11. Sammy the waterskiing dog in Torquay in 1967. Bellisario's collection spans the 1950s to 70s . The Queen helps Princess Margaret to get ready for a waterskiing session in 1964 . Princess Anne takes a tumble from Purple Star at the Army Horse Trials in Tidworth, Wiltshire in 1970 . Dr Anne Biezanek, the first Catholic woman to open a birth control clinic, in 1965, photographed by 'London's first paparazzo' His parents eked out a living selling ice cream from a hand-cart along the cobbled streets of the Yorkshire mining town of Pontefract. From these humble beginnings emerged the man who later became internationally known as the 'Hammer of The House of Windsor'. It was the year the young Queen was . crowned - 1954 - that the 18-year-old novice photographer took a picture of her sheltering . under an umbrella that was published by several newspapers. Bellisario . realised he was onto something and decided to concentrate his efforts . on the Royal Family, but seek something different from the rest of the . press pack. ‘It was a business decision, nothing more, nothing less,’ he told the Daily Mail from his home in Spain. ‘I used a mixture of commonsense and contacts. Of course I got tip-offs, but I also thought about things very laterally.’ Now aged 77, Bellisario has donated his entire archives to the charity he has founded called Reach For Rights and all of his proceeds for the sale of the collection will go to the charity. Prince Charles is seen here learning to drive in his Rover, at Windsor in April 1967 . The set includes spectators waiting to watch Donald Campbell attempt a waterspeed record. Right, Ray Bellisario (seen above right in 1971) was born in 1936 to Italian immigrant parents, the youngest of a family of 11 . Princess Margaret indulges in some water sport in July 1964 . The Queen dances the Twist on a picnic in the grounds of Balmoral in 1962 . Princes Charles and Philip watch events at the Badminton Horse Trials in 1965 . Some of his photographs, such as the one of Prince Charles sitting on a chair while waterskiing on the lake at Sunninghill Park, Windsor, show a fun side to the royals, rarely seen in public. Bellisario was standing on a footpath by the lake when he was approached by Princess Margaret’s then husband, Lord Snowdon, who told him: ‘If you hang on we’ll do something that will really make your pictures. Keep an eye out for the chair!’ Soon, Prince Charles came whizzing past, sitting on an old chair which had been balanced on an upturned table, with grinning Snowdon at the wheel of the speedboat. The Queen and the Queen Mother at the Epsom Derby in May 1961 . Prince Philip playing bicycle polo on Smiths Lawn in Windsor Park in April 1967 . Prince Charles goes fishing on the River Stock at Laxford Bridge in Sunderland in August 1963 . Eventually, however, Bellisario tired of his fights with the royals and went abroad, earning plaudits for his work covering conflicts in Northern Ireland, the Western Sahara and the Nigerian Civil War. His work inspired him to set up Reach For Rights. The auction will fund its work providing a free legal service for those without the means to seek help, including the disabled and victims of domestic violence. He says: ‘I am sad to be relinquishing my collection, much of which has not been seen in public before, but it is in aid of cause about which I am passionate and will, I hope, live long after I am gone. ‘For the past 40 years it has been secretly moved from place to place and whoever buys it will be securing a piece of history.' Prince Charles waterskis at Sunninghill Park in 1970. Bellisario said: 'I used a mixture of commonsense and contacts. Of course I got tip-offs, but I also thought about things very laterally' Now aged 77, Bellisario has donated his entire archives to the charity he has founded called Reach For Rights and all of his proceeds for the sale of the collection will go to the charity . Then and now: Photographer Ray Bellisario is . pictured in January 1963 (left) and three months ago (right). Bellisario . used to infuriate Prince Philip .
### SUMMARY:
| Ray Bellisario's body of work spanned the 1950s to 70s .
Now aged 77, he has decided to sell his huge collection of around 20,000 transparencies . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Martin Daubney . PUBLISHED: . 17:04 EST, 16 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:04 EST, 16 November 2013 . Like most men who have turned 40 – and many who are much younger – I endlessly and pointlessly worry about my health. A hangover can easily become terminal hepatitis C after a few misguided clicks on Net Doctor. Recently my partner Diana – fed up with my constant worrying – told me she was getting one of those all-singing, all-dancing private health MOTs via her work’s healthcare plan, and ordered me to do the same. I was intrigued, as any middle-aged hypochondriac would be. Had my misspent youth left irreparable damage? Clean Bill: Martin Daubney has his fitness tested at the gym as part of a health MOT courtesy of his GP . But with no health insurance of my own, the day of tests would cost me a hefty £650. Surely, there are other options? After . a little research I discovered I could get almost everything offered by . the private MOT companies for free or next to nothing with an NHS . Health Check at the GP and a fitness test at my gym. Dr Jonty Heaversedge, a GP in South London, says: ‘We offer a series of basic tests to assess the risks of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.’ The service, he explains, is available to adults aged between 40 and 74. There are not as many tests as in the more complex private screening; an ECG for example. Dr Heaversedge adds: ‘The NHS is more discerning. If there is a need for further testing – whether through family history or lifestyle – then it can be done.’ And so I submitted myself. The good news: I’d save a lot of money. The bad news: I might find out I’m really dying. CHOLESTEROL TEST . I have a pin-prick blood test where a tiny sample taken from a finger is put on a cartridge, then inserted into a machine. In a few seconds a number pops up on the digital display. ‘High cholesterol can contribute to blocked arteries,’ says Dr Heaversedge. These are associated with heart attack and stroke. The NHS recommends total cholesterol should be scored lower than five. Result: Action required . My cholesterol test gives me a slightly raised level of 5.53. I’m confused as Diana is vegetarian and I’m hardly overweight at 6ft 3in with a size 34 waist. But we eat far too much cheese and lashings of butter. It’s no disaster – I’ve no family history of heart problems. I’m advised to cut down on dairy and sugar and come back in a month. MOT: The NHS Health check, available to adults between 40 and 74, tests everything from cholesterol to kidney health . KIDNEY HEALTH . Next, a urine test: I’m given a little screw-top jar, pop to the loo, return, and the nurse dips in a stick which changes colour as the chemicals react with protein in the sample. ‘High protein in the urine can be associated with kidney disease,’ says Dr Heaversedge. This problem is increasingly prevalent, due to high blood sugar and blood pressure. Early treatment is essential. Result: No action required . I hand over a sample which looks suspiciously cloudy – only to find the testing strip turns yellow, I’m ‘completely normal’. Blue would have been bad news. BLOOD PRESSURE . The test for blood pressure is familiar – an inflatable cuff is strapped round my upper arm and inflated until it’s tight, then air is slowly let out. High blood pressure increases the risk of serious vascular health problems such as heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. It often has no symptoms. Result: No action required . There are two numbers: systolic, the highest level your blood pressure reaches when your heart beats; and diastolic, the lowest level your blood pressure reaches as your heart relaxes between beats. It should be between 90/60 and 140/90 and at 107/60, I am ‘excellent’. This feels like a walk in the park. Result: Martin's GP check-up came back mostly positive, putting an end to months of concern about his health . BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) Your BMI is an indicator of how healthy your weight is. A higher reading will indicate obesity, which raises risks of everything from diabetes to cancers. It is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared. Result: Action may be required . At 91kg and with a BMI of 25.2, I’m just overweight. This comes as a shock as I rarely eat breakfast, busily attending to the needs of my three-year-old, Sonny. ‘Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day,’ says my GP. ‘Without it, your body goes into lockdown and actually stores energy as fat.’ WAIST MEASUREMENT . ‘This indicates diabetes risk more than BMI alone,’ says Dr Heaversedge. ‘Measure around your belly button, not where your trousers sit, and don’t suck in.’ Men should measure less than 37in and women 31.5in. Result: No action required . At 34in, I’m bang in the middle of the safe area. Since the test, I’ve lost 2kg, putting my BMI back in the healthy bracket, through cutting down on dairy products, eating breakfast, light cycling, gym trips and generally thinking about what I eat. Overall improvement: Martin urges other men over 40 to get a health MOT from their doctor, insisting it has improved his sex life and made him happier . OVERALL CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK SCORE . ‘We don’t take just one risk factor for cardiovascular disease,’ says Dr Heaversedge. ‘We combine different elements, such as age, sex, blood pressure, smoking and cholesterol. Result: Good – but action required . I have less than a ten per cent chance of developing heart disease over the next ten years. But I smoke – a couple a day. ‘Your result is good but would be even better if you gave up smoking,’ says Dr Heaversedge. CONCLUSION . Like many men, I’ve been sitting around worrying about my health but not doing anything about it for too long. I’m sleeping better, feel happier and my sex life has improved. There are other things I could have had, such as diabetes screening and a liver function test, but I am assured that due to my history and lack of health problems, it was unnecessary. Older men can have prostate cancer screening, and after 60 we all get a bowel cancer screening test. For free! And we all love a bargain, so why not do it? ‘For the most part our bodies are incredibly resilient,’ says Dr Heaversedge. ‘By checking our health, we generally don’t discover we’re going to die imminently, but we can make changes for the better to improve our health and the chance of living a better life for longer.’ For my part, I would urge other men to get checked out. If I can do it, anybody can.
### SUMMARY:
| Martin Daubney underwent free NHS MOT after worrying about his health .
Tests for everything from cholesterol to kidney function are available for adults aged 40 to 74 .
Intensive health check-up would have cost £650 at a private clinic . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Sophie Jane Evans . PUBLISHED: . 11:13 EST, 22 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:49 EST, 22 November 2013 . She plants a kiss on her father's cheek while he beams widely at the camera. This is the moment six-year-old Phoebe Ferris welcomed her father home from eight months at sea on a Royal Navy warship. Physician assistant Matthew Ferris was among dozens of seamen to sail into Portsmouth today following HMS Dragon's maiden voyage. Scroll down for video . Heart-wrenching: This is the moment Phoebe Ferris, 6, welcomed her father Matthew home from eight months at sea following HMS Dragon's maiden voyage . Welcome: Dozens of seamen sailed into the harbour in Portsmouth today following the Type 45 destroyer's journey across the Indian and eastern Mediterranean oceans . Big turnout: They were greeted with homemade banners, tears of joy and a 17-gun salute - as well as an impressive flypast by a Typhoon fighter jet . They were greeted with homemade banners, tears of joy and a 17-gun salute - as well as an impressive flypast by a Typhoon fighter jet. The crew had arrived home one month later than planned after the Type 45 destroyer was diverted to Cyprus to protect the UK military base amid increased tensions over Syria. The eight-month tour - HMS Dragon's first deployment - had seen the crew sail across the Indian and eastern Mediterranean oceans, provide air defence and surveillence, and perform maritime security and anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf. Delay: HMS Dragon had arrived home one month later than planned after the Type 45 destroyer was diverted to Cyprus to protect the UK military base amid increased tensions over Syria . Greeting: The warship's crew members wave to relatives and friends as they sail into the Hampshire harbour . Journey: They had travelled more than 50,000 nautical miles and visited most of the Gulf states including Oman, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain . Reunited: Phoebe Ferris, who is wrapped up against the cold in a matching red and black scarf and hat, grins and clings onto her navy father . Joyful: PA Ferris and his navy companions performed maritime security and anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf during the eight-month voyage . Family: Able Seaman Scott Young, 25, smiles as he is welcomed home by his five-month-old son Rhys . Among the seaman welcomed home was Chief Petty Officer Lee Hampton - who was greeted by his nine-month-old son Dante and overjoyed wife Abby Hampton. CPO Hampton, from Portsmouth, had previously been flown home for Dante's birth, but had only been able to spend two weeks with him before returning to the warship. 'It is absolutely amazing, he said. 'I nearly nearly missed all the pregnancy. They managed to let me go back for two weeks for the birth of my son, and now to see him back on the jetty, he's almost double the size already. Cuddles: Leading Air Engineering Technician Scott Davis hugs his daughters Alexia, 3, and two-year-old Chloe . Kiss of love: Surgeon Lieutenant Tim Anderson, from Plymouth, Devon, plants a kiss on the cheek of his nephew Thomas, who was born the day the ship set sail in March . Teary: A woman weeps as she catches a glimpse of a loved one onboard the Type 45 destroyer . 'It will be fantastic to have him home . after I left him as a two-week-old baby, I feel more sorry for him for . missing out than I do myself. I am navy, so I understand more than . some.' Lieutenant Commander Andrew Bray, from Fareham, Hampshire, was also greeted on the jetty by his wife Lauren Bray and children Thomas, six, and Phoebe, three. Mrs Bray said: 'I am really pleased for him to be here. We didn't know when they were going to come home. It was awful. 'But it's so lovely to have him home for Christmas, it will be a lovely Christmas.' Celebration: Able Seaman Daniel Smith is greeted by his little brother Billy, eight, who is carrying a balloon, after the vessel docked in Portsmouth today . Long-awaited: Two sailors embrace their loved ones as they step off HMS Dragon, which has been their home for the past eight months . Lt Cdr Bray added: 'Like my fellow ship mates, we are absolutely delighted to be home. It has been a long eight months.' Surgeon Lieutenant Tim Anderson, from Plymouth, Devon, was welcomed by his nephew Thomas, who was born the day the ship set sail in March. 'It's been a tough deployment for . everyone involved and it's great to see everyone and it's fantastic to . meet my nephew,' he said. 'There was some uncertainty and a bit of doubt, but the ship's company has remained strong throughout.' Able . Seaman Scott Young, 25, from Basingstoke, was overjoyed to see his . five-month-old son Rhys, having previously returned to the UK to witness . the birth. Stunning: HMS Dragon is the fourth ship of the Type 45 or Daring-class air-defence destroyers, and was specifically built for the Royal Navy . Hello! Crew members wave from HMS Dragon. The ship arrived in Portsmouth one month later than planned after it was diverted to Cyprus to protect the UK military base . 'It's good to finally come back and see how much he has grown,' he said. 'He's so much more aware.' The youngest crew member, 20-year-old Engineering Technician Grant Mitchell, added: 'It is a great feeling to be coming home after all we have done as a ship's company in the last eight months. 'Working with so many other countries' navies and visiting so many places has been a great experience.' During the deployment, HMS Dragon . travelled more than 50,000 nautical miles and visited most of the Gulf . states including Oman, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain. Operation: Seaman smile, wave and laugh as they spot their relatives and friends in the bustling crowd . 'It's a great feeling to come home': A crew members stretches out her arms in welcome as the ship approaches the Hampshire harbour . Speaking today from the crew's Hampshire base, Captain Iain Lower, the ship's . commanding officer, said: 'As HMS Dragon returns after her first ever . deployment, I am immensely proud of what my ship's company have achieved . in the last eight months. 'Dragon's success is testament to the . agility and hard work of all her people who, building on the fine work . of her predecessors, have set the standard for integration with our . allies particularly with the United States Navy. 'When taken alongside . the challenging environmental conditions and engineering and logistical . complexities, I am very proud of the team.'
### SUMMARY:
| Phoebe Ferris, 6, welcomed her navy father Thomas into Portsmouth following HMS Dragon's maiden voyage .
He was among dozens of seamen to sail into harbour on the warship, which has spent the past eight months at sea .
They provided air defence, surveillance and maritime security, and performed anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf .
Crew arrived home one month later than planned after ship was diverted to Cyprus to protect UK military base . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Snejana Farberov . and David Mccormack . In limbo: Scott Wilson, 23, was killed in a Florida car crash four years ago, but his ashes have yet to be put to rest because his divorced parents are at odds over what to do with them . Scott Wilson, 23, was killed in a Florida car crash four years ago, but his ashes have yet to be put to rest because his divorced parents cannot agree on what to do with them. On Tuesday, Lilli and William Wilson faced off in the 4th District Court of Appeal in Palm Beach to present their arguments. Wilson, an engineering graduate, was killed February 12, 2010, when John Goodman, the millionaire founder of The Palm Beach International Polo Club, rammed his Bentley into the victim's Hyundai and sent it flying into a canal. A week later, a Catholic Mass was held at St Rita Catholic Church in Wellington, after which Wilson's body was cremated. In . court today, William Wilson's attorney argued that his son's ashes . should be treated as property owned by whoever has possession of them, . and can therefore be divided, according to Palm Beach Post. But . the lawyer representing Lili Wilson insisted that human remains cannot . be considered property. Therefore, the ashes cannot be split up between . the two feuding former spouses. William . Wilson wishes to lay his share of son's remains in a family cemetery . plot in Georgia. His devout mother, however, wants the ashes to remain . intact in Palm Beach County. Wilson's devout mother, Lili Wilson (left), wants the ashes to remain intact in Palm Beach County . At odds: Lili Wilson (right) and William Wilson (left) have been . fighting over their son's ashes since 2010, with the father wanting to . split the cremated remains and bury his share in a family plot in . Georgia . The two sides in the case, as well as the three-person judicial panel, are being forced to navigate a largely uncharted territory since there is no clear legal precedent they could rely on to reach a decision. Judge Melanie May expressed concerns in court that treating a person's cremated remains as property could be offensive to people's spiritual views. The attorney for Lili Wilson argued that Scott's ashes cannot be treated as property, and that the process of cremation had not stripped the young man of his personhood . Attorney Kristina Pett, who represents Lili Wilson, agreed. ‘A person is not a thing. A person cannot be owned,’ she argued. ‘Just because the parents decided to cremate Scott does not make him property. Scott’s a person.’ William Wilson's counsel, Joy Bartmon, countered by saying that in this day and age, people dispose of loved ones’ ashes in various ways, from scattering them at sea to wearing them in lockets. ‘The law is clear: we can’t do anything we want with a body, but we can do anything we want with ashes,’ she stated. The dispute over Scott Wilson's ashes is only one issue in which his parents have been at odds. The Wilsons, who split in 2007, have fought bitterly over the husband's baseball card collection and ownership of their home videos. It could take the appeals court weeks, or even months, to reach a decision on Scott Wilson’s creamted remains. Florida tycoon John Goodman was convicted of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in May 2012 and sentenced to 16 years in prison and a fine of $10,000, but he was granted a retrial last year after a juror at his first trial was adjudged to have lied to get on the panel. Polo tycoon: John Goodman now faces a retrial after his defense team successfully argued that a juror had lied during the selection process . Goodman, right, attempted to adopt his 42-year-old girlfriend . Heather Hutchins in a move designed to preserve part of his fortune for her while negotiating a civil suit settlement . Goodman, the multimillionaire . founder of one of world's largest polo clubs, claimed in court that . his $200,000 Bentley malfunctioned and lurched forward, slamming into . Wilson's vehicle. He has also denied being drunk at the . time of the crash, although other testimony has contradicted him and . his blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit three hours . after the crash, according to prosecutors. Goodman fled the scene of the accident, authorities said. During his first trial, Judge Jeffrey Colbath condemned Goodman's actions, saying: 'He left to try and save himself.' Goodman reached a settlement with the Wilson family and will pay out $46million in compensation to them. Goodman also made headlines when he . adopted his girlfriend, Heather Hutchins, 42, in an attempt to preserve . part of his fortune for her while negotiating a civil suit settlement. Last March, a Miami appeals court reversed the ruling that allowed the . adoption. During the original trial the . judge said: 'These are horrible, horrible cases from a criminal justice . standpoint. Scott Wilson's death was senseless. He was on the eve of . fullness of life.' Goodman’s second trial was originally scheduled to begin in March, but it has been delayed indefinitely. Impact: The crumpled car driven by Wilson, left, and the Bentley driven by Goodman, right. Goodman said he drank from a bottle of liquor he found after the crash - the reason he was over the limit . Deadly: Wilson family members look at the Bentley Goodman was driving when he ran a stop sign in 2010 . Prosecutors successfully claimed that . Goodman was drunk when he rammed his black Bentley convertible into . Mr Wilson's car four years ago, causing it to roll into a canal, where the 23-year-old man drowned after being unable to free himself from his seat belt. The millionaire disputed the claims and argued in court that the crash was the result of a malfunction with his brakes. Goodman left the scene and waited an . hour to call 911 while Scott drowned. He gave a dead cell phone battery . as the reason why he walked away from the crash scene. After the crash, Goodman's blood alcohol level was measured at .177 per cent, more than twice the legal driving limit. At trial Goodman said he was sure of . one thing: he had two shots of tequila and two shots of vodka before the . crash, yet he was not drunk and that he drunk after the crash to . alleviate his pain. Lap of luxury: The International Polo Club, which Goodman founded, attracts A-list celebrities . After leaving a bar, he said his car . suddenly lurched forward into an intersection 'and I began to apply my . brakes, and the car did not seem to be stopping as easily as I was used . to,' he said. Unable to control the vehicle, it . slammed into the side of Scott's - even though Goodman said he was not . aware he had hit another driver so left the scene. If he had known someone had plunged into the canal, 'I would have done whatever I could have done to help', he claimed. Goodman then went to a nearby bar where he found a bottle of liquor, the Miami Herald reported.
### SUMMARY:
| Polo mogul John Goodman killed Scott Wilson, 23, in February 2010 .
William and Lili Wilson are locked in legal battle over son's ashes .
Mother wants to keep cremated remains intact in Palm Beach County, while her ex-husband wants to divide them and take his share to Georgia .
Goodman was sentenced to 16 years, but his defense was able to prove that a juror had lied to get on jury panel . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Anna Hodgekiss . A woman given a vagina grown in a laboratory has spoken of her hope to have a family one day. She is one of four women born without a vagina who have been given the new treatment, revealed last week. Scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's Institute for Regenerative Medicine engineered the organs using the women's own cells. The unnamed woman, from Mexico, is one of four women born without a vagina who have been given the new treatment, revealed last week.The organ is engineered using a woman's own cells . The new organs have been given to women born with MRKH - Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare genetic condition in which the vagina and uterus are underdeveloped or absent . One of the women, interviewed by New Scientist, credits the procedure with giving her a normal life. She said: 'At the beginning it wasn't easy, thinking that a part of your body was going to be made in a laboratory. It was difficult to understand. 'But as the years pass and with the good results, you find a way of life which is different but not too far from normality. 'You start from a point where you are scared of everything, of trying anything – you feel you aren't normal. The new organs have been given to women born with MRKH - Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare genetic condition in which the vagina and uterus are underdeveloped or absent . Eight years on, the woman says the organ works 'as if it weren't made in the lab' and her body has accepted it incredibly well . The lab-grown vagina developed from a woman's own cells . 'But with time, the support of friends and my partner, and the unconditional support of my mother who gave her all to understand me, I feel I am a very lucky person, fully satisfied.' The unnamed woman, who lives in Mexico, was 18 when she was diagnosed with MRKH. She said she had experienced 'moments of desperation' - especially when she was told she wouldn't have children - and the process had been difficult and painful. But it was worth it - eight years on she says the organ works 'as if it weren't made in the lab' and her body has accepted it incredibly well. The . organ structures were engineered using muscle and epithelial cells (the . cells that line the body’s cavities) from a small biopsy of each . patient’s external genitals. The cells were extracted from the tissues, expanded and then placed on a . biodegradable material that was hand-sewn into a vagina-like shape. These scaffolds (pictued below) were tailor-made to fit each patient. About five to six weeks after . the biopsy, surgeons created a canal in the patient’s pelvis and . attached the scaffold to reproductive structures. At . the same time the scaffolding material is being absorbed by the body, . the cells lay down materials to form a permanent support structure – . gradually replacing the engineered scaffold with a new organ. She now hopes to have children, despite her options being limited - and dreams of the day she is interviewed surrounded by a large family, . The researchers also hope the treatment could be used to help women with vaginal cancer or injuries. Writing in The Lancet, programme leader Dr Anthony Atala, said: 'This pilot study is the first to demonstrate . that vaginal organs can be constructed in the lab and used successfully . in humans. 'This may represent a new option for patients who require vaginal reconstructive surgeries. In addition, this study is one more example of how regenerative medicine strategies can be applied to a variety of tissues and organs.' The girls were between 13 and 18 years old at the time of the surgeries, which were performed between June 2005 and October 2008. Data from annual follow-up visits show that even up to eight years after the surgeries, the organs had normal function. The vaginas were engineered using muscle and epithelial . cells (the cells that line the body's cavities) from a small biopsy of . each patient's external genitals. The cells were then extracted from the tissues, expanded and then . placed on a biodegradable material that was hand-sewn into a vagina-like . shape. These scaffolds were tailor-made to fit each patient. Yuanyuan Zhang demonstrates the process where four young women born with abnormal or missing vaginas were implanted with lab-grown versions made from their own cells . About . five to six weeks after the biopsy, surgeons created a canal in the . patient's pelvis and sutured the scaffold to reproductive structures. MRKH (Mayer Rokitansky Küster Hauser) is a congenital abnormality which affects one in 5,000 women in the UK. It is characterised by the absence of the vagina, womb and cervix. Women . suffering from the condition will have normally functioning ovaries and . so will experience the normal signs of puberty but will not have . periods or be able to conceive. The external genatalia are completely normal which is why MRKH isn’t usually discovered until women are in their teenage years. It’s usually discovered when the woman tries to has sex or fails to get her period. Many . women are able to create a vaginal canal using dilation treatment, . which uses cylinder shaped dilators of different sizes to stretch the . muscles. However, if this is unsuccessful then surgery will be used to stretch the vaginal canal. Following treatment women are able to have intercourse and can have their eggs removed and fertilised to be used in surrogacy. Previous research in Dr Atala's lab has shown that . once cell-seeded scaffolds are implanted in the body, nerves and blood . vessels form and the cells expand and form tissue. At the same time the . scaffolding material is being absorbed by the body, the cells lay down . materials to form a permanent support structure – gradually replacing . the engineered scaffold with a new organ. Follow-up testing on the . lab-engineered vaginas showed the margin between native tissue and the . engineered segments was indistinguishable. In addition, the patients' responses to a Female Sexual Function . Index questionnaire showed they had normal sexual function after the . treatment, including desire and pain-free intercourse. "Tissue biopsies, MRI scans and internal exams using magnification all showed that the engineered vaginas were similar in makeup and function to native tissue, said Atlantida-Raya Rivera, lead author and director of the HIMFG Tissue Engineering Laboratory in Mexico City, where the surgeries were performed. Current treatments for MRHK syndrome include dilation of existing tissue or reconstructive surgery to create new vaginal tissue. A variety of materials can be used to surgically construct a new vagina – from skin grafts to tissue that lines the abdominal cavity. However, these substitutes often lack a normal muscle layer and some patients can develop a narrowing or contracting of the vagina. The researchers say that with conventional treatments, the overall complication rate is as high as 75 percent in paediatric patients, with the need for vaginal dilation due to narrowing being the most common complication.
### SUMMARY:
| Unnamed Mexican woman has condition called MRKH .
This is rare condition .
in which the vagina is underdeveloped or absent .
Organ is engineered using muscle and cells from the genital region .
Woman says the transplant has finally made her feel normal .
Back to Mail Online home .
Back to the page you came from . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Rio Ferdinand is an interviewer, . programme-maker and football expert for BT Sport . By . Rio Ferdinand . As a former England captain and big England fan there is nothing I would love more than to see Roy Hodgson’s team reach a quarter-final showdown with World Cup hosts Brazil. What a tantalising prospect, facing Brazil on their own turf, in the spiritual home of the beautiful game, in a last-eight match that could feasibly happen on July 4 in Fortaleza. But if I was a betting man I would not risk money on England getting out of Group D, let alone making it within sight of the semi-finals. Samba showdown: England could face Brazil in the World Cup quarter-finals... should they get through their group . Uruguay: Luis Suarez . Italy: Andrea Pirlo . Costa Rica: Bryan Ruiz . Don't blame it on Rio! Ferdinand is not sure England will progress because they will be physically wrecked . I’m not damning their chances completely. But let’s have a bit of realism and accept that there are three teams in the section who have a shot at progressing, and three into two doesn’t go. I expect Italy to win the group. They have vast experience in their ranks. They’ve got players who have won a World Cup, with Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo and Daniele De Rossi among them. They’ve got big-stage temperament and high-class individuals, from Pirlo to Mario Balotelli. They’re well organised, always, and England could definitely have had an easier start than a rumble in the jungle in Manaus with the Azzurri. A point at least from the opening game is a minimum requirement for England, in my view, or an early exit will beckon. And a point is no gimme. So England will almost certainly need to get the better of Uruguay. That can happen, of course it can. It wouldn’t surprise me if both sides find the net in that second group game, especially if England have had a positive start. But is it feasible England could get beaten by one or both of Italy and Uruguay? Absolutely. Challenge: Wayne Rooney is still finding his fitness after three warm up games, including against Honduras . Azzurri: With players like Andrea Pirlo (2L) and Daniele Rossi (C) Italy will be favourites to win the group . Double whammy! England could also get beaten by Uruguay, especially if Edinson Cavani is in form . I hope that does not happen but there are gruelling fixtures ahead, mentally and physically, and we can be our own worst enemy as a country in terms of how we prepare for these tournaments. The Premier League is brilliant; excitement every week, fantastically popular. But it lets us down as a national team because there is no winter break. We turn up for World Cups already disadvantaged because so many players are injured, bandaged up, drained. And that’s before a ball is kicked. I’m talking now as somebody who has seen this and lived it. We all play with knocks at times. We all play fatigued on occasions. No big deal. No problem. It’s part and parcel of our profession. But from inside experience of having been an England player at two World Cups, in 2002 and 2006, playing five matches at each, we were ending the group stages physically knackered, gone — before the knockout stage even started. Burn out: England players such as Jack Wilshere often arrive at tournaments exhausted from a gruelling Premier League season . Walking wounded: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain faces a fitness race after picking up an injury against Ecuador . Fitness is a huge factor in performance and undervalued far too often. Heavy legs and weary bodies are a real issue when the turnover of games is so quick. No doubt some people will say, hang on, what about all the foreign players who play in the Premier League and manage to shine? Yes, some do. Carlos Tevez famously went back and forward to Argentina and did the business. Oscar, to name one Brazilian example, plays a heap of games for club and country. But exceptional people being capable of exceptional feats does not get away from the fact that, as a group, England’s players have a uniquely long, hard, unbroken domestic season. In the same boat: Chelsea's Oscar (L) will also have experienced a tough season for club and country . Rested: Didier Deschamps France (L) and Joachim Low's Germany have the advantage of a winter break . Germany have fewer games because the Bundesliga is only 18 teams, and they have a winter break. Spain and Italy: lower tempo leagues, and winter breaks. France? Winter break and arguably less intensity than England, where the pace and grinding physical demands do stack up. This is not an excuse. But, as someone who knows, I’m telling you that it is one contributory factor and, at elite level, margins matter. We’re going out there with Band-Aids before we get started. On a more upbeat note, the youth and vibrancy of Hodgson’s squad excite me. I was a kid myself, age 19, when Glenn Hoddle took me to the 1998 World Cup, even though I didn’t play. Give youth a chance: Rio Ferdinand (C) travelled to the 1998 World Cup under Glen Hoddle but didn't play . Young gun: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain . Fleet foot: Raheem Sterling . Saints alive: Adam Lallana . You get that call and your dreams are made — an opportunity to go to an event most people will never experience. There’s a buzz around the country, the flags come out, expectations build and you realise the size of what is expected. And if you’ve got the right mentality you thrive on that, desperate to deliver for everyone back home. I know the lads in Rio will be full of nervous anticipation and high hopes. If England are to deliver, though, the tournament has to start well, and that, for me, will entail stopping Pirlo’s magic. How? I recall one Champions League game against Milan for Manchester United at San Siro in early 2010 when Sir Alex Ferguson put Ji-sung Park on Pirlo. He man-marked him out of the game. Pirlo would typically make up to 90 of his incisive passes per match. That night he was limited to 32. We joked later that Park did such a superb job that when Pirlo woke up the next morning, Ji-sung was at the foot of his bed! Italian job: Andrea Pirlo ran rings around England at Euro 2012, including a cheeky penalty . Balotelli is also a huge talent but Pirlo is consistently brilliant and if England stop him — unlike at Euro 2012, when he cut us to pieces from start to finish — then that’s a start. In my ideal XI (see panel), I’d hand Danny Welbeck that task. Getting something from Italy could be the platform to progress, perhaps a second-round match against Colombia or the Ivory Coast. Then maybe that quarter-final. That for me would be a dream scenario. Over to Roy now. He’s had the courage to select a raw, young squad. Now I hope he gives them a chance to play — and takes off the shackles. Fortune favours the brave.
### SUMMARY:
| Rio Ferdinand would like to see England face Brazil at the World Cup .
Former England captain is unsure Three Lions will get out of Group D .
Roy Hodgson's players will have to get past Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica .
Ferdinand blames a gruelling Premier League season without breaks as the reason for England's woes at major tournaments .
Ferdinand has earmarked Italy's Andrea Pirlo as England's biggest threat .
Rio Ferdinand is an interviewer, .
programme-maker and football expert for BT Sport . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
By . Jack Gaughan . Follow @@Jack_Gaughan . Arsene Wenger's side left it late to beat Crystal Palace on the opening day of the Premier League season, with Aaron Ramsey stealing all three points for the Gunners with a winner in added time. The Welsh midfielder was by no means the stand-out performer at the Emirates though, as Jack Wilshere performed well for the hosts and former Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh played brilliantly for Palace. Sportsmail's Jack Gaughan gives his verdict on the performances of both sets of players... VIDEO Scroll down for Arsene Wenger: They made it very difficult but we kept going . Late winner: Welsh wizard Aaron Ramsey scored in added time to hand Arsenal a 2-1 win at the Emirates . ARSENAL . WOJCIECH SZCZESNY - 6 . No chance with the goal after being severely let down by those in front of him. Wasn’t fully tested but mopped up when called upon. MATHIEU DEBUCHY- 6 . The Frenchman was slow to get forward down the right for the Gunners. Yet to show his best form n an Arsenal shirt following his summer move from Newcastle. Ponderous: Arsenal right-back Mathieu Debuchy was not at his best against Palace on Saturday afternoon . CALUM CHAMBERS - 6.5 . Picked up a silly booking for hauling Fraizer Campbell down, but a solid debut for the youngster who doesn’t look at all overawed after a summer move from Southampton. LAURENT KOSCIELNY- 7 . All or nothing display, as we’ve come to expect from the Frenchman. Frighteningly close to giving away a penalty at one end, then scored just before half-time. Handled the added burden of coaxing Chambers through his debut well. Firing the Gunners level: Laurent Koscielny, right, is congratulated by Santi Cazorla after making it 1-1 . KIERAN GIBBS - 6 . Failed to really get down the line as much as he’d like. Decent battle with Jason Puncheon with no clear winner before coming off with a niggle. MIKEL ARTETA - 5.5 . Skipper was over-run in midfield and his performance brought into focus the need for another body in there. JACK WILSHERE- 6.5 . While he did give the ball away frequently early on, a vibrant display full of energy and packed with a desire to get alongside Sanogo. Late rally: Ramsey, far right, completed an impressive comeback for Arsene Wenger's side with his late goal . AARON RAMSEY - 6.5 . Looked a frustrated figure for much of the afternoon and was strangely subdued. Plenty more to come, of course, but the Welshman overhit too many final balls. But you can never keep him out of a game and up he popped in stoppage time to win it. SANTI CAZORLA - 5.5 . Home attacks often ended with Cazorla, who lacked the cutting edge to break down a stubborn visiting side. ALEXIS SANCHEZ - 6 . A case of trying too hard, Sanchez looked bright but very little came off and the Chilean needs to play centrally. Excellent clipped delivery for Koscielny’s equaliser. Not quite clicking: Chile forward Alexis Sanchez had an up-and-down day at the office for the home side . YAYA SANOGO - 5 . Almost looks like a player who’s unsure what’s expected of him or the role in which he’s playing. Languid style doesn’t help and offered nothing off the ball. SUBS . NACHO MONREAL - threatening down the left, looked fitter than last season. ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN - struggled to impose himself on proceedings. OLIVIER GIROUD - Offers Arsenal a different dimension and his presence alone was a deciding factor in Arsenal winning this. Little impact: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was introduced in the closing stages but failed to leave his mark . CRYSTAL PALACE . JULIAN SPERONI - 6.5 . Very little to do, but made one superb save from Jack Wilshere before the end of the first half. Caught well. MARTIN KELLY - 6.5 . Didn’t have a man to mark directly but kept his concentration and marauded forward with purpose. BREDE HANGELAND - 6 . Classy glanced header put Palace ahead, but he was then guilty of losing Koscielny for the equaliser. First impressions: Ex-Fulham defender Brede Hangeland is mobbed by his Palace team-mates after scoring . SCOTT DANN - 7 . Palace’s best signing last year and started this well. Constantly organising the back four, strong in the air and had Sanogo in his pocket before being forced off. JOEL WARD - 6.5 . Unsung hero in last year’s survival and went about his business professionally without much fuss. Kept Sanchez quiet for long spells. JASON PUNCHEON - 6 . One of the most exciting players to watch in the Premier League. Direct runner with an eye for goal and plenty of tricks in his locker. Forever a nuisance, but let himself down badly by catching Monreal studs up and was deservedly sent off. Composed in the middle: Palace midfielder Joe Ledley shields the ball from Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez . Neat and tidy: Palace captain Mile Jedinak nicks the ball from Aaron Ramsey during the second half . MILE JEDINAK - 7 . Carried on where he left off last season. Composed on the ball, kept things ticking over in the middle of the park but, more importantly, was disciplined in Palace’s shape. JOE LEDLEY - 7 . Has always been a good reader of the game and is now growing into the central midfield role. Comfortable alongside Jedinak. YANNICK BOLASIE - 6 . Not at his best but the threat of Bolasie’s pace in behind is almost as dangerous as the winger’s ability. Always a threat: Yannick Bolasie's pace meant he looked dangerous throughout for the visiting side . Star of the show: Much-maligned during his stay at the Emirates, Chamakh shone for Palace on his return . MAROUANE CHAMAKH - 7.5 . Superb. Asked to do a very specific job by Keith Millen - dropping in to make five in midfield without the ball - and he followed the caretaker’s instructions to the letter. Even picked up a grubby booking for a late challenge on Wilshere and didn't deserve to be on the losing side. FRAIZER CAMPBELL - 6.5 . Because of Chamakh’s very specific role, the striker found himself a isolated on occasion. Did well to hold the ball up in tricky circumstances. SUBS . DAMIEN DELANEY - Brought on for the injured Dann to shore up the back four but could only watch as Arsenal nicked it late on. DWIGHT GAYLE - Gave Campbell some light relief late on. STUART O'KEEFE - Time-related substitution in stoppage-time.
### SUMMARY:
| Palace striker Chamakh was the best player on the pitch at the Emirates .
Laurent Koscielny impressed for Arsene Wenger's side .
The visitor's central-midfield pairing of Mile Jedinak and Joe Ledley performed well for new coach Keith Millen . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Two men have appeared in a Brisbane court charged with terrorism-related offences following a series of police raids. This comes amid reports Australia's terror threat level could be raised to high because it is believed Islamic radicals who have had their passports blocked by ASIO have 'settled plans' to carry out attacks on home soil. ASIO and the AFP have discovered terror suspects who have 'settled intentions' to carry out attacks, The Australian reports. Scroll down for video . One of two men who where charged today as part of a year-long counter terrorism investigation . Police carried out a raids at an Islamic bookstore, a gym and seven other premises in Logan and Brisbane . Extremists who hope to fight with the Islamic State but have already had their passport cancelled by ASIO are thought to be of high concern. 'It's like (they're saying), "we've got to do something, we can't go to Syria",' a source told the paper. 'It's gone beyond bravado, they are seriously talking about it.' On Tuesday, outgoing ASIO chief David Irvine said the spy organisation was actively considering raising Australia's terror threat level, from medium to high, for the first time in 11 years. Now it is believed the change will be put in place this week. On Thursday, Brisbane man Omar Succarieh, 31, appeared in court accused of funding the terrorist organisation Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria. He is believed to be the brother of Ahmed Succarieh, an Australian reported to have committed a suicide bombing in Syria. Kruezi, 21, is also charged with recruiting people for incursions into Syria and weapons-related offences. Neither applied for bail and their cases were adjourned to October 17. Crossbows, a firearm and electronic data were seized when about 180 Queensland Police and AFP Police officers executed the nine search warrants . Police say there is no suggestion the men were planning a terrorist attack in Australia, nor was there any threat to the G20 Leaders Summit in Brisbane in November. On Thursday, Kruezi and Succarieh's lawyer Dan Rogers said he was in the process of taking instructions from his clients and requested both matters be adjourned to the commonwealth callover court. Both men were remanded in custody. A crossbow and a firearm were among items seized by officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Queensland Police during nine raids in Brisbane and Logan on Wednesday. The iQraa Islamic Centre in the Logan suburb of Underwood, which has come under fire for promoting extremist views, was among the premises searched following a year-long AFP investigation. On Wednesday, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison told ABC radio there was a 'specific' threat to Australia. 'I think these things get specific to Australia and I'm not at liberty to go beyond a statement such as that,' he said. 'The fact that there are Australians involved ... and there is ambitions that go well beyond just the establishment of the [Islamic] State and, as I said, there are many other terrorist organisations that fit under this umbrella of what is occurring in the Middle East.' One of four bullet holes is seen in the rear window of the iQraa Islamic Centre in Underwood, in Brisbane's south, on Wednesday . Police markings identify bullet holes at the iQraa Islamic Centre in Underwood . Former counter-terrorism NSW Police Detective Sergeant Peter Moroney, who was one of a group of investigators who monitored Australian terrorist Khaled Sharrouf when he lived in Sydney's west, told Daily Mail Australia in August that revoking suspects' passports is not the answer to preventing terrorism. 'It might stop them from going overseas and fighting but they can still plot attacks from Australia,' he said. Police carried out a raid at an Islamic bookstore, a gym and seven other premises in Logan and Brisbane on Wednesday. Crossbows, a firearm and electronic data were seized when about 180 Queensland Police and AFP Police officers executed the nine search warrants. AFP national manager counter terrorism Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan said police found no intelligence to suggest the two men were planning a terrorism attack in Australia. He said there were no other suspects in Australia in relation to the year-long investigation, codenamed Operation Bolton, but he said there were links to Syria and the investigation was ongoing. Australian Federal Police found the bullet holes at the rear of the Islamic centre . Two men have been taken into custody following the raid at iQraa Islamic Centre on Logan Rd in Underwood . Police have also raided a Logan gym as well as seven homes in the area . Last year al-Qaeda released video of a man standing on a truck packed with explosives, claiming he was Australia's first suicide bomber . Australian Federal Police conducted a raid at iQraa Islamic Centre on Logan Rd in Underwood on Wednesday morning and bullet holes were found in one of the windows. The centre raised money for two 'sermons' by Perth-based Islamic preacher Mohammed Junaid Thorne, who has posted support for terrorist group ISIS on social media and has been monitored by the federal government, The Courier Mail reported. The 25-year-old, who was deported from Saudi Arabia last year for protesting his older brother Shayden's imprisonment on terrorism-related offences, has previously been accused of being a radical preacher for allegedly praising militants responsible for beheadings and mass killings in Iraq in June. The centre reportedly raised money for 'sermons' by Perth-based preacher Mohammed Junaid Thorne, who has posted support for terrorist group ISIS on social media and has been monitored by the federal government . A centre Facebook post on September 6 rejected reports it was promoting extremism. 'Islam and this centre does NOT tolerate extremism but not what the disbelievers portray extremism is,' the post read. 'We do not discriminate either, so we have allowed many speakers to come and give lectures and share their views here.' Last month, the centre was a signatory to a statement from the wider Muslim community denouncing proposals to strengthen Australia's counter-terrorism measures. The Abbott government's proposed laws will make it easier for authorities to identify, charge and prosecute people who have been engaged in training, fighting or supporting terrorist activities overseas. A Facebook post made by the iQraa Islamic Centre (pictured) on September 6 rejected reports it was promoting extremism . The group statement, signed by iQraa and others, described the proposals as 'unjust and unjustified'. 'The primary basis of these laws is a trumped up 'threat' from 'radicalised' Muslims returning from Iraq or Syria,' the statement read. 'There is no solid evidence to substantiate this threat.' The iQraa Islamic Centre is believed to have hosted a lecture this year on what followers should do if they were contacted by ASIO. Police outside the iQraa Islamic Centre in Underwood in Brisbane's south . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
### SUMMARY:
| ASIO and the AFP have discovered terror suspects who have 'settled intentions' to carry out attacks .
Two Queensland men were charged with preparing to send fighters to join the conflict in Syria on Wednesday .
Australian Federal Police carried out a raid at iQraa Islamic Centre in Logan .
Seven homes and a gym in the area near Underwood have also been raided .
Bookshop is reportedly run by the brother of Australia's first suicide bomber in Syria and is linked to Perth preacher Mohammed Junaid Thorne . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
A 32-year-old Sydney man whose two year marriage ended when his wife ran off with a close friend has put her wedding dress for sale on gumtree.com.au, advertising it as 'harlot-sized' and ideal for an 'adulterous, deceitful, double-crossing' tramp. The ad, which has received more than 4015 hits on gumtree, was posted as a dress for a 'Bride Seeking Eventual Infidelity'. 'Due to be married soon? Not planning on staying faithful? Want to sleep with one of your soon-to-be husband's closest friends? Then THIS is the wedding dress for you!' says the ad which was written by Dan Campbell, a friend of the spurned husband. Scroll down for video . A spurned husband has posted a hilarious ad on gum tree to sell the wedding dress of his ex-wife which the ad says would suit ' a deceitful, double-dealing harlot' The ad, written by the 32-year-old Sydney local government worker's friend with his full approval begins, 'Due to be married soon? Not planning on staying faithful? Want to sleep with one of your soon-to-be husband's closest friends? Then THIS is the wedding dress for you!' 'Bride seeking eventual infidelity': the gumtree ad was placed by 25-year-old Dan Campbell of Bradbury in south-western Sydney on behalf of his friend, whose two year marriage broke up 12 months ago when his wife ran off with a close friend . The wedding dress was stored in the garage of the home Mr Campbell shares with his wife of one month, 24-year-old Alycia Campbell, who works for an air conditioning and refrigeration company . Mr Campbell, a 25-year-old refrigeration mechanic from the south-western Sydney suburb of Bradbury, said the man, who works in local government in Sydney, gave him full approval for the ad . Mr Campbell, a 25-year-old refrigeration mechanic from the south-western Sydney suburb of Bradbury, said the man, who works in local government in Sydney, gave him full approval for the ad which describes the 'stunning, tulle swathed, ivory bridal gown' as having 'a proven track record of producing a traitorous "soulmate".' Mr Campbell said the man sent him a thumbs up text after reading the words he had penned, describing the dress as a 'one of a kind garment designed by Benedict Arnold, believed to be derived from the very cloth Judas Iscariot himself wore to the Garden of Gethsemane to betray the only son of God - Jesus Christ'. Mr Campbell said the dress, a size 10-12, was worn only once, at the ill-fated wedding of his friend three years ago. Mr Campbell said he wanted to protect the jilted groom's identity for fear of reprisals on the part of his mate's ex wife. 'He was absolutely wrecked when it broke up. Then it got nasty, ' Mr Campbell said. 'He went through a lot of crap. They had a divorce settlement and he's happy now.' 'He was laughing actually when I told him about all the attention the ad's been getting.' Mr Campbell predicted the dress would sell very soon. 'It's running hot, ' he said. The money would go to his friend. 'All of it.' Mr Campbell said the dress, a size 10-12, was worn only once, at the ill-fated wedding of his friend three years ago . Mr Campbell predicted the dress would sell very soon as it's received more than 4015 hits on gumtree . 'Harlot-sized' dress: After Dan Campbell's friend separated from his wife when she ran off with his close mate, Mr Campbell helped store the man's belongings in his Sydney garage. Mr Campbell found it during a clear out and suggested his friend could at least make some money selling it online, getting the spurned husband's approval for the ad which says the dress is a 'one of a kind garment designed by Benedict Arnold, believed to be derived from the very cloth Judas Iscariot himself wore to the Garden of Gethsemane to betray the only son of God - Jesus Christ' 'Bride seeking eventual infidelity': the gum tree ad placed by Dan Campbell on behalf of his friend has received more than 4000 hits on gumtree and a couple of genuine offers from women interested in the size 10-12 gown. Mr Campbell says his friend is still single a year after the break up, but is 'living life and loving it' Make an offer: The white and gold dress for sale on gumtree is, the advertisement says, 'guaranteed to provide you with approximately two years of reasonable wedded mediocrity before the complete and utter disintegration of your relationship due to your extramarital promiscuity'. The dress will also 'make you the envy of your trampish posse on your fraudulent wedding day' and 'is in better condition than the marriage' Offers for the gown are firming up around $300 . Following the breakdown of the marriage 12 months ago, following the wife's infidelity with a friend of the groom, the rejected man stored a number of his possessions in Mr Campbell's garage. The wedding dress was stored in the garage of the home Mr Campbell shares with his wife of one month, 24-year-old Alycia Campbell, who also works for an air conditioning and refrigeration company. Mr Campbell found the dress among other items after he decided to have a clear out. 'I wanted to make some space for a new motor bike I bought and there were all these cardboard boxes,' he said. 'I went through them and found the dress and I said to my mate, "why don't you sell it. At least you could get some money out of [the failed marriage]". 'He agreed, good idea. So I wrote some words and sent them off to him for approval. He texted back saying, "haha, yeah, that's hilarious".' The words Mr Campbell wrote for his friend said 'this dress is guaranteed to provide you with approximately two years of reasonable wedded mediocrity before the complete and utter disintegration of your relationship due to your extramarital promiscuity. 'This harlot-sized ensemble will make you the envy of your trampish posse on your fraudulent wedding day. 'As an added bonus, this dress gives you the "entitlement" to legally obtain over half of your husband-to-be's worldly possessions. 'Cosmetically, the garment is in better condition than the marriage - not looking for much. Make an offer.' Mr Campbell has received several genuine inquiries about the dress from women asking the garment's size. He had not come to a price yet, but offers were firming around $300. An added bonus was that he was receiving increased traffic on another ad he had placed on gumtree, for his old motor bike. As for the ex groom and bride, Mr Campbell said the woman was still with the friend she had run off with, and the rejected groom was 'still single, but he's fine now. He's living life and loving it.'
### SUMMARY:
| A 32-year-old Sydney man is selling his ex-wife's wedding dress on online classifieds site gumtree .
The ad says the dress would suit an 'adulterous, double-crossing' tramp .
The dress is 'harlot-sized' and made from 'cloth Judas Iscariot wore'
The spurned husband gave full approval for the 'hilarious' ad .
The Sydney man is still single but 'living life and loving it'
Offers for the dress are firming up at around $300 for ivory tulle gown . |
### SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:
Channel 4 was under increased pressure last night to explain why it broadcast a quiz featuring obscene jokes about the Queen just minutes after the 9pm watershed. The Daily Mail told yesterday how viewers were outraged by the antics of drunken comedians on the Big Fat Quiz of 2012, presented by controversial comic Jimmy Carr on Sunday. TV watchdog Ofcom has already received complaints about the pre-recorded show and the countless vile sexual jokes told by stand-up star Jack Whitehall and actor James Corden. Scroll down for video . No comment: Channel 4 bosses refused to break their silence over the furore surrounding Big Fat Quiz Of The Year 2012. Featured guests included Richard Ayoade, Russell Howard, Jonathan Ross, Jimmy Carr, Jack Whitehall, James Cordon and Gabby Logan . Anger: Comedian Jack Whitehall and actor James Corden were behind many of the offensive remarks on Channel 4's Big Fat Quiz of the year 2012 . They included puerile remarks about the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, Barack Obama, Usain Bolt and Susan Boyle. Lord Burns, the chairman of Channel 4, last night refused to comment on the broadcast. Britain's most successful comedian, Billy Connolly, has stuck the knife into Channel 4, as they face huge criticism over their Big Fat Quiz of 2012. Speaking before the show was broadcast, The Big Yin, 70, accused modern 'gurning' comics of killing stand-up because 'Channel 4-type' comedians prefer to grab TV chat show spots instead of working on new material. Connolly, who was voted most influential stand-up ever in a poll last year, fumed: 'When I see all these London guys who all hang out together at the Groucho and all that, I'm really glad I'm not one of them. 'They call jokes "gags". I don't talk like that. 'I don't want to be like them, Channel 4-type comedy people. 'They have this drive and I'm glad I don't have it. 'Like, you must be seen at Edinburgh until you're 99. 'Look at him, isn't he great!' No, he's not great. 'I listen to them on the radio at the Edinburgh festival, but I wouldn't darken its door. 'I think stand-up comedy is in danger. 'Stand-ups spend their time gurning on panel shows in the hope of one day being given a chat show.' After the Mail attempted to speak to . him at his home and over the telephone a member of the Channel 4 press . office told us he would not be commenting and asked us to stop . contacting him. David Abraham, the chief executive of Channel 4, was also unable to comment because he was on holiday in Vietnam, we were told. Now Tory MP Conor Burns, a member of . the Commons culture, media and sport select committee, is demanding to . know why the quiz was broadcast as early as 9pm. He said: ‘I actually watched some of . the broadcast because we are staying with family for the holidays and I . found it quite distasteful. 'I walked into the other room. Sadly this . sort of gauche, vulgar “anything goes humour” that appeals to the lowest . common denominator in society is becoming more common. ‘I just wonder, given everything that . has been going on in the media over the last six months, what has . happened to editorial judgment and reason. ‘It was base, unfunny comedy and in some ways I thought its greater crime really was that it just wasn’t funny. ‘In my role on the committee I will be . writing to Channel 4 and asking for its editorial explanation for . broadcasting such unpleasant output so soon after the watershed.’ Former Gavin and Stacey star Corden, . 34, and Marlborough-educated Whitehall, 24, were seen to get drunk on . red wine during the quiz which was shown between 9pm and 10.30pm. Their infantile behaviour was egged on . by Jonathan Ross, 52, who left the BBC after making an . abusive phone call to actor Andrew Sachs during a radio show. Channel 4 has been accused of failing . to learn the lessons from the Sachsgate scandal which was also . pre-recorded and cleared before broadcast on the Russell Brand radio . show. Criticism: MP Conor Burns, member of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee, said he watched part of the programme and found it 'distasteful' Last night the Channel 4 quiz, which . attracted an audience of 2.5million, was coming under increased . criticism from viewers via the internet and social networking sites such . as Twitter. Cathie Green wrote: ‘No lessons learned from the Brand/Ross event which was on the same gutteral level ... ‘These idiot men are so grossly . arrogant, have no sense of respect for others, let alone the people whom . they have so sickeningly vilified.’ Patricia Martin wrote: ‘I usually like . that quiz but this year we turned over because I was sickened by them . being so rude about the Queen and the really bad language.’ Halfway through the broadcast Corden . could be seen pulling a bottle of red wine from under his desk and . pouring himself and Whitehall a drink while eating pizza. Carr later joked that the pair had drunk a bottle of wine each. After making a disgusting joke about . Susan Boyle, Corden appears to realise he has gone too far saying: ‘This . is where I do myself in and forget we’re recording this and it’s going . to be broadcast on TV. ‘I just think we are having a great time eating pizza.’ Peter Riley tweeted: ‘Big Fat Quiz Of . The Year, basically a reminder of what a sorry state Britain has become, . and what a disgraceful year 2012 has been.' Targets: The comics made crude jokes about gold medal sprinter Usain Bolt, left, and singer Susan Boyle, right . Bad taste: Comedian Jack Whitehall made rude . comments targeted at the Queen, left, and the recent illness of her . husband Prince Philip, right . One comedian who won't join in with the pack of 'competitive' comedians vying to deliver the best line is Rory Bremner. The impressionist slammed the BBC panelist show Mock the Week, which satirises news and current affairs, for being 'highly competitive and quite aggressive'. Mr Bremner, who has starred in the award-winning Bremner, Bird and Fortune sketch show, appeared as a panelist on the programme for two series following its 2005 launch. He compared some comedians, who regularly deliver controversial remarks, to 'prize fighters', the Daily Telegraph reported. The comedian refused to participate in the show, hosted by Dara O'Briain, and said that he had learned other comedians found the atmosphere too abrasive. In 2009 Jo Brand joined the chorus of discontent about the show, saying she left because of a lack of female panelists and the hostile nature of the show. She said at the time that she and other male comedians found that they had to 'bite someone's foot off before they let us say something' on the show. The BBC were unavailable to comment.
### SUMMARY:
| Programme featured countless vile sexual jokes broadcast just after 9pm .
Ofcom has received complaints about Big Fat Quiz of 2012 .
MP Conor Burns described the broadcast as 'distasteful'
Channel 4 chairman Lord Burns refused to comment as criticism mounts .
Billy Connolly says 'Channel 4-type' comedians are killing stand-up . |
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