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Nixiesearch 5

[ "Ronald Reagan" ]

[ "nothing gained", "I Do! I Do!", "I Do, I Do" ]

[ "it is spoken by only a few dozen crimean karaites in lithuania poland and crimea and galicia in ukraine the three main dialects are those of crimea trakai vilnius and lutsk halych all of which are critically endangered the lithuanian dialect of karaim is spoken mainly in the town of trakai also known as troki by a small community living there since the 14th century there is a chance the language will survive in trakai as a result of official support and because of its appeal to tourists coming to the trakai island castle where crimean karaites are presented as the castle s ancient defenders the origin of the karaims living in crimea is subject to much dispute and inconsistency difficulty in reconstructing their history stems from the scarcity of documents pertaining to this population most of the known history is gathered from correspondence between the populations of karaims and other populations in the 17th to 19th centuries akhiezer 2003 furthermore a large number of documents pertaining to the crimean population of karaims were burned during the 1736 russian invasion of the tatar khanate s capital bakhchisarai akhiezer 2003 some scholars say that karaims in crimea are descendants of qaraite", "he was born in lutsk volhynia then lived in lithuania and finally settled in ufut qale crimea gabriel firkovich of troki was his son in law abraham firkovic was born into a crimean karaite farming family in the lutsk district of volhynia then part of the russian empire now ukraine at age 25 he went bankrupt he then began to study hebrew torah and other holy books in 1818 he was appointed junior hazzan of the lutsk crimean karaites community because of a dispute with the older hazzan he had to leave and emigrate to evpatoria in crimea where he was appointed in 1823 to the hacham and the head of the local crimean karaites community in 1825 he sent a letter to the czar that proposed to settle the jewish population from the border of russia and bring the jews working the land but the proposal was rejected in 1828 he moved to berdichev where he met hasidism and jewish scriptures that were unacceptable to the karaites such as the talmud the encounter with rabbinical jews brought firkovic into conflict with them he published a book massah and meribah yevpatoria 1838 which raised serious allegations against the jewish way", "karaim is a russian ukrainian and lithuanian name for the community turkic speaking karaites in the crimean tatar language qaraylar have lived in crimea for centuries their origin is a matter of great controversy most modern scientists regard them as descendants of karaite jews who settled in crimea and adopted a form of the kypchak tongue see karaim language others view them as descendants of khazar or cuman kipchak converts to karaite judaism today many crimean karaites deny ethnic semitic origins and identify as descendants of the khazars some specialists in khazar history question the khazar theory of karaim origins noting the following in 19th century crimea karaites began to distinguish themselves from other jewish groups sending envoys to the czars to plead for exemptions from harsh anti jewish legislation these entreaties were successful in large part due to the czars wariness of the talmud and in 1863 karaites were granted the same rights as their christian and tatar neighbors exempted from the pale of settlement later they were considered non jews by nazis this left the community untouched by holocaust unlike other turkic speaking jews like the krymchak jews that were almost wiped out modern karaim resist being identified", "it is a national monument of crimean karaites culture just east of bakhchisaray its name is crimean tatar and turkish for jewish fortress ufut f t jew qale kale fortress while crimean karaites refer to it simply as fortress considering the place as historical center for the crimean karaite community in the middle ages the fortress was known as q rq yer place of forty and as karaites to which sect the greater part of its inhabitants belong sela ha yehudim the rock of the jews researchers are not unanimous as to the time of the town s appearance the town was probably a fortified settlement in the 5th or 6th century on the periphery of the byzantine empire others are of the opinion that the fortified settlement appeared in the 10th 11th centuries during the early period of the town s history it was mainly populated by alans the most powerful of a late sarmatian tribes of iranian descent they began penetrating the crimea from the 2nd century ad settling down in the mountainous crimea the alans adopted christianity in written sources the cave town is mentioned in the 13th century under the name of kyrk or forty fortifications", "petersburg university where he was graduated in philology and oriental languages during his studies he became a strong adopter of russian orientalist v grigorjev s theory about the khazarian origin of the crimean karaites immediately after his graduation at 1901 he was invited to serve as the personal tutor of the iranian crown prince mohammad ali shah and became a minister in the persian government in 1907 actually he was a russian spy in 1911 he returned to crimea and became chief hakham of the crimean karaites communities in crimea from 1920 to 1927 he lived in istanbul here he was active in the pan turkic movement in 1927 while living in turkey he was elected the head of the karaims in poland and in 1928 moved to wilno he denied any connection between crimean karaites and rabbinic jews shapshal is the founder of the crimean karaite religion and historical doctrine of dejudaization under this doctrine he changed the traditional title of hacham to gahan akhan which in his opinion goes back to the khazarian word khagan in the mid 1930s he began to create a theory of the altai turkic origin of the karaims and the pagan roots of", "the karaites of yevpatoria commemorated this event every year by an annual special prayer in his honor babovich and his descendants were prominent leaders in the affairs of the crimean karaites his agitation gained recognition from the russian government of the karaites as a separate religious community in 1837 he was a close associate of avraham firkovich who accompanied him on his visit to the holy land in 1830 it was babovich who asked firkovich to assemble material detailing the history origin and customs of the crimean karaites in response to a request from the russian government in 1840 the karaites were granted the status of an independent church and giving them rights far in advance of the jews the russian government made babovich the hakham of the crimean karaites", "he was the royal treasurer of ahin giray the last crimean khan and therefore is called in karaite literature ha neeman the trusted an appellation bestowed also upon his father samuel who died in 1770 and who probably held the same office under former khans when ahin giray fled for his life from his rebellious subjects and sought succor from his protectress catherine ii in st petersburg benjamin aga followed him hoping to collect the large sums of money that he had advanced to the fugitive following the last partition of poland in 1795 after crimea had been under russian rule for over a decade vilnius lutsk and trakai came under russian rule benjamin aga solomon ben nahamu bobowitz and the astronomer isaac of kalea the son in law of jacob aga who was the elder brother of benjamin went to st petersburg as a delegation from the crimean karaites to petition the empress to release their sect from the double rate of taxation which all the jews then had to pay through the intervention of count nikolay zubov the delegation obtained from the empress the exemption from the jewish taxes some land grants and other privileges which had not" ]

[ "it s an inheritant of the khazar languages the closest to kumyk languages are karachay balkar crimean tatar and karaim the fundament of the kumyk language formed in 7th 10th centuries on the roots of khazar and bulgar substratum and mixed afterwards with oghuz and kipchak stratum nikolay baskakov based on a famous scripture codex cimanicus included modern kumyk karachai balkar crimean tatar karaim and the language of mamluk kipchak in the same with cuman kipchak lingual family samoylovich also considered cuman kipchak close to kumyk and karachai balkar it had been a lingua franca in part of the northern caucasus from dagestan to kabarda until the 1930s in 1848 timofey makarov a professor of caucasian tatar kumyk published the first ever grammatical book of the language praising its distinct precision irchi kazak y r qazaq born 1839 is usually considered to be the greatest poet of the kumyk literature the first regular newspapers and magazines appeared in 1917 18 under the editorship of kumyk poet writer translator theatre figure temirbolat biybolatov temirbolat biybolat currently the newspaper yoldash companion the successor of the soviet era lenin yolu lenin s path prints around 5 000 copies 3 times a week more", "despite coming from a simple family background he became one of the most prominent members of crimea s karaim community in his era ilya kazas was a highly educated man who knew 11 languages including 4 ancients after graduating from the model aben yashar lutsk s school and writing a poem on the majestic language of the bible he worked for 6 months as a clerk in one of the most fashionable stores in odessa from 1853 to 1855 kazas studied at moscow university but in october 1855 before completing his studies he entered the faculty of oriental languages of st petersburg university on september 16 1859 kazas graduated from the course by defending his ph d and became the first of the crimean karaites to be educated to that level with a scientific higher education degree from st petersburg kazas moved to odessa where in 1859 he opened a private school working there only for a short time in 1863 he moved to simferopol taking up a position as a history teacher at simferopol gymnasium 1 where he worked for 18 years in 1872 kazas was the author of the project to create simferopol tatar teachers school from 1881", "the krymchak community was composed of jewish immigrants who arrived from all over europe and asia and who continuously added to the krymchak population the krymchak language as well as culture and daily life was similar to crimean tatar the peninsula s majority population with the addition of a significant hebrew influence like most jewish languages it contains many hebrew loanwords before the soviet era it was written using hebrew characters in the soviet union in the 1930s it was written with the uniform turkic alphabet a variant of the latin script like crimean tatar and karaim now it is written in the cyrillic script over the last century the language has disappeared and been replaced by russian with approximately 70 of the population perishing in the holocaust when in may 1944 almost all crimean tatars were deported to soviet uzbekistan many speakers of krymchak were among them and some remained in uzbekistan nowadays the language is almost extinct according to the ukrainian census of 2001 less than 785 krymchak people remain in crimea one estimate supposes that of the approximately 1500 2000 krymchaks living worldwide mostly in israel crimea russia and the united states only 5 7 are native", "their language is also known as karamojong or karimojong and is part of the nilo saharan language group the karamojong live in the southern part of the region in the north east of uganda occupying an area equivalent to one tenth of the country according to anthropologists the karamojong are part of a group that migrated from present day ethiopia around 1600 a d and split into two branches with one branch moving to present day kenya to form the kalenjin group and maasai cluster the other branch called ateker migrated westwards ateker further split into several groups including turkana in present day kenya iteso dodoth jie karamojong and kumam in present day uganda also jiye and toposa in southern sudan all of them together now known as the teso cluster or karamojong cluster it is said that the karamojong were originally known as the jie the name karamojong derived from phrase ekar ngimojong meaning the old men can walk no farther according to tradition the peoples now known as the karamojong cluster or teso cluster are said to have migrated from abyssinia between the 1600 and 1700 ad as a single group when they reached the area around the", "it is divided into two dialects karachay baksan chegem which pronounces two phonemes as and and malkar which pronounces the corresponding phonemes as and the modern karachay balkar written language is based on the karachay baksan chegem dialect the language is closely related to kumyk historically the arabic alphabet had been used by first writers until 1924 handwritten manuscripts of the balkar poet kazim mechiev and other examples of literature have preserved to this day first printed books in karachay balkar language were published in the beginning of 20th century after the october revolution as part of a state campaign of latinisation karachay and balkar educators developed a new alphabet based on latin letters in 1930s the official soviet policy was revised and the process of cyrillization the languages of ussr peoples was started in 1937 38 the new alphabet based on cyrillic letters was officially adopted modern karachay balkar cyrillic alphabet karachay balkar latin alphabet parentheses indicate allophones article 1 of the universal declaration of human rights in karachay balkar loanwords from ossetian kabardian russian arabic and persian are fairly numerous", "the original word kara i oka comes from the indigenous tupi language meaning house of carij which was a native tribe of rio de janeiro who lived in the vicinity of the carioca river between the neighborhoods of gl ria and flamengo like other brazilians cariocas speak portuguese the carioca accent and sociolect also simply called carioca see below are one of the most widely recognized in brazil in part because rede globo the second largest television network in the world is headquartered in rio de janeiro thus a lot of brazilian tv programs from news and documentary to entertainment such as the telenovelas feature carioca acting and speaking talent the archaic demonym for the rio de janeiro state is fluminense taken from the latin word fl men meaning river despite the fact that carioca is a more ancient demonym of rio de janeiro s inhabitants known since 1502 it was replaced by fluminense in 1783 when the latter was sanctioned as the official demonym of the royal captainship of rio de janeiro later the province of rio de janeiro a few years after the city of s o sebasti o do rio de janeiro had become the capital city", "in 2001 derazhne had 2102 residents postal code 35053 koatuu code 5623481601 derazhne was mentioned for the first time in the historical sources in 1272 in 1626 prince janusz ostrogski has built here a church of the holy trinity a new stone catholic church was built in 1804 and an orthodox church in 1824 a karaite jewish karaim community existed in derazhne since the late 1500s the community was severely damaged during the chmielnicki uprising in 1649 and two poems about the destruction were written in hebrew and in turkic karaim language by the leader of the congregation hazzan joseph ben yesh uah ha mashbir apparently a small karaite community survived until the haidamakas uprising in 1768 during the second polish republic 1918 1939 derazhne was the seat of the rural municipality in the district of rivne dera ne and from 1 january 1925 of kostopol volyn province the jewish population constituted 624 persons in 1921 after the nazi german troops entered derazhne on june 28 1941 the ghetto was organized on october 5 1941 and it was liquidated on august 24 1942 1 868 jews were killed altogether in the nearby village of osowa wyszka by an einsatzgruppen about", "czekanowski is known for having played an important role in saving the polish lithuanian branch of the karaite people from holocaust extermination in 1942 he managed to convince german race scientists that the karaites were of turkic origin although professing judaism and using hebrew as a liturgical language this helped the karaim people escape the tragic destiny of other european jews and the romas his scientific contributions include introducing his system of racial classification and founding the field of computational linguistics czekanowski attended school in warsaw but was transferred to latvia where he finished his education in 1901 he then entered a university in zurich in 1902 there he studied anthropology mathematics anatomy and ethnography as a pupil of swiss anthropologist rudolph martin author of the popular anthropology textbook lehrbuch der anthropologie in 1907 czekanowski defended his doctoral dissertation for his dissertation research he traveled to the royal museum in berlin and to middle africa from 1906 to 1907 while in africa he led a team into the congo to collect ethnographic materials while working on studying the societies of africa he developed various statistical methods and contributed to the field of taxonomy the research he made in africa has", "it is sometimes claimed that around the 10th century bce a distinct hebrew variant the original hebrew script emerged which was widely used in the ancient kingdoms of israel and judah until they fell in the 8th and 6th centuries bce respectively it is not straightforward however to distinguish israelite judahite scripts from others which were in use in the immediate area most notably by the moabites and ammonites following the babylonian exile jews gradually stopped using the hebrew script and instead adopted the square aramaic script another offshoot of the same family of scripts this script used for writing hebrew later evolved into the jewish or square script that is still used today closely related scripts were in use all over the middle east for several hundred years but following the rise of christianity and later the rise of islam they gave way to the latin and arabic scripts respectively the hebrew alphabet was later adapted in order to write down the languages of the jewish diaspora karaim jud o arabic ladino yiddish etc and was retained all the while in relatively unadapted form throughout the diaspora for hebrew which remained the language of jewish law scriptures and scholarship", "it is spoken by around 7 400 people mostly in venezuela guyana suriname french guiana and brazil the language is currently classified as highly endangered the language is known by several names to both its speakers and outsiders traditionally it has been known as carib or carib proper in english after its speakers called the caribs in english it is known caribe in spanish galina in french and kara eb in dutch however the speakers call themselves kalina or kar na variously spelled and call their language kar na auran other variants include kali na kari nja cari a kari a kalihna kalinya other native names include maraworno and marworno kari nja is classified as part of the cariban languages but also as a guianan language due to contact with kari nja invaders some languages have kari nja words incorporated into them despite being arawakan languages linguistically a carib based lengua generale was once used in the old missions of the oyapock and surrounding regions apparently surviving at least along the ua tributary into the 20th century in suriname there is an area called konomerume which is located near the wajambo river with about 349 people living there a majority", "it has significant polish minority population in lithuania with about 30 of the population claiming polish ethnicity the trakai district became significant early in its history due to the old trakai castle built by the grand duke gediminas in the 13th century many other castles were built in the area soon after this one including the trakai peninsula castle and the trakai island castle for many years it has been distinguished from much of the rest of lithuania in having other ethnic groups such as karaims tatars russians and poles living in the vicinity trakai was an area holding great significance in the grand duchy of lithuania the trakai region began to decline politically and economically in the 16th century during the wars with russia trakai was continually attacked and razed it has been rebuilt and many celebrations are held there annually once again the city is often portrayed on lithuanian stamps because of its beauty and illustrious history it has become an important district in lithuania once again the biggest city in the district is lentvaris not trakai its capital other settlements include paluknys trak vok dusmenys and r di k s it borders the vilnius city municipality in", "it is spoken primarily in yimas village karawari rural llg east sepik province it is a member of the lower sepik language family all 250 300 speakers of yimas live in two villages along the lower reaches of the arafundi river which stems from a tributary of the sepik river known as the karawari river yimas is a polysynthetic language with somewhat free word order and is an ergative absolutive language morphologically but not syntactically although it has several other case like relations encoded on its verbs it has ten main noun classes genders and a unique number system four of the noun classes are semantically determined male humans female humans higher animals plants and plantmaterial whereas the rest are assigned on phonological bases it is an endangered language being widely replaced by tok pisin and to a lesser extent english it is unclear if any children are native yimas speakers however a yimas pidgin was once used as a contact language with speakers of alamblak and arafundi although it is still used in face to face conversation it is considered a threatened language on the ethnologue endangerment scale with a rating of 6b yimas has a limited speech sound", "specifically it is located in the central province in the kairuku district populating five main villages the language has 2 900 native speakers as of 2011 the language is used among all ages struggling for restoration abadi speakers carry a positive attitude towards their language and strive for improvement abadi is an austronesian language and is classified as kbt the term abadi stems from the speakers themselves from which they refer to their language they may use the term gabadi from the speakers of the surrounding languages in the area of the abadi it seems to be evolving towards a individualistic rather than a community minded society once a society of hunters and gatherers splitting everything among one another is transforming into a community of strong family units each member of the community belongs to a clan and each clan in each village has a chief subsequently the land is owned by the chief which is then passed down to his sons if a chief had no sons the land would be passed down to his daughters the abadi live in large houses standing at six to ten feet above the ground the majority of houses are built with a", "1420 in adrianople 1490 in adrianople was a karaite jewish hakham of the fifteenth century after being instructed in the karaite literature and theology of his father moses bashyazi and grandfather menahem bashyazi both learned hakhams of the karaite community of adrianople bashyazi went to constantinople where under the direction of mordecai comtino he studied rabbinical literature as well as mathematics astronomy and philosophy in all of which he soon became most proficient in 1460 bashyazi succeeded his father as hakham of the karaite community at adrianople from the many letters addressed by him as representative of the karaite community of constantinople from 1480 to 1484 to karaim communities in lutsk and trakai neubauer concludes that bashyazi resided for the most of the time in constantinople in these letters he appears as a warm hearted defender of the karaite faith he urges his coreligionists to send young men to constantinople to study their religious authorities lest their faith die out and to lead a pious life otherwise he would pronounce an anathema on those derelict in their duties he devoted himself to the improvement of the intellectual condition of the karaite etc which in consequence of internal dissensions on religious", "they have historically lived in close proximity to the crimean karaites also turkic but who follow karaite judaism at first krymchak was a russian descriptive used to differentiate them from their ashkenazi jewish coreligionists as well as other jewish communities in the former russian empire such as the georgian jews but in the second half of the 19th century this name was adopted by the krymchaks themselves before this their self designation was srel balalary literally children of israel the crimean tatars referred to them as zulufl ufutlar jews with pe ot to distinguish them from the karaites who were called zulufs z ufutlar jews without pe ot the krymchaks speak a modified form of the crimean tatar language called the krymchak language it is the jewish patois or ethnolect of crimean tatar which is a kypchak turkic language krimchak is not a distinct language but only one constituent of crimean tatar before the russian revolution in 1917 the krimchaks were at least bilingual they spoke the krimchak ethnolect and at the same time mostly used hebrew for their religious life and for written communication the krimchaks adhered to their turkic patois up to world war ii but later began", "their karachay balkar language is of the ponto caspian subgroup of the northwestern kipchak group of turkic languages the modern balkars identify as a turkic people who share their language with the karachays from karachay cherkessia and kumyks from dagestan the ethnogenesis of the balkars resulted in part from an invasion of alania during the 11th century by kipchak turks and their cuman allies alania had its capital in maghas which some authors locate at arkhyz in the mountains currently inhabited by the karachay balkar while others place it in either what is now modern ingushetia or north ossetia during the 14th century alania was destroyed by timur many of the alans cumans and kipchaks migrated westward into europe timur s incursion into the north caucasus introduced the remainder to islam in the 19th century russia annexed the area during the russian conquest of the caucasus on october 20 1828 the took place in which the russian troops were under the command of general georgy emanuel the day after the battle as russian troops were approaching the aul of the karachay balkar elders met with the russian leaders and an agreement was reached for the inclusion of the karachay balkar", "they speak the nyangatom language the nyangatom are members of the ateker or karamojong cluster that also contains the turkana toposa karamojong and jie who speak closely related languages they number approximately 30 000 with populations in both south sudan and ethiopia many nyangatom are nomadic residing in mobile livestock villages that may migrate several times a year a substantial number of nyangatom also reside in semi permanent villages it is common for individuals to move between mobile cattle camps and semi permanent villages the nyangatom have intermittent conflict with many of their neighbors especially the turkana dassanetch and suri the kenyan government provides some military support to the turkana in these conflicts despite the risk of intergroup conflict many nyangatom have bond friends with members of other groups and there are trade relationships between the nyangatom and many of their neighbors along with other groups in the lower omo valley the nyangatom face challenges to their future subsistence and cultural traditions due to large scale agricultural projects occurring in their territory", "according to a commonly accepted definition by vald s heritage languages are generally minority languages in society and are typically learned at home during childhood when a heritage language learner grows up in an environment with a dominant language that is different from their heritage language the learner appears to be more competent in the dominant language and often feels more comfortable speaking in that language heritage language may also be referred to as community language home language and ancestral language there are different kinds of heritage language learners such as learners with varying levels of proficiency in the heritage language and also those who learn a foreign language in school with which they have some connection polinsky kagan label heritage language learners on a continuum that ranges from fluent speakers to individuals who speak very little of their heritage language vald s points out that a connection with a heritage language does not have to be made only through direct previous exposure to the language or a certain amount of proficiency in the language in her conception of heritage language learners monolingual english speaking students of armenian ancestry in the united states could consider themselves to have a heritage", "by extension language extinction is when the language is no longer known including by second language speakers other similar terms include linguicide the death of a language from natural or political causes and rarely glottophagy the absorption or replacement of a minor language by a major language language death is a process in which the level of a speech community s linguistic competence in their language variety decreases eventually resulting in no native or fluent speakers of the variety language death can affect any language form including dialects language death should not be confused with language attrition also called language loss which describes the loss of proficiency in a first language of an individual in the modern period c 1500 ce present following the rise of colonialism language death has typically resulted from the process of cultural assimilation leading to language shift and the gradual abandonment of a native language in favour of a foreign lingua franca largely those of european countries as of the 2000s a total of roughly 7 000 natively spoken languages existed worldwide most of these are minor languages in danger of extinction one estimate published in 2004 expected that some 90 of the currently spoken", "it lies west of vilnius the capital of lithuania because of its proximity to vilnius trakai is a popular tourist destination trakai is the administrative centre of trakai district municipality the town covers of area and according to 2007 estimates is inhabited by 5 357 people a notable feature of trakai is that the town was built and preserved by people of different nationalities historically communities of karaims tatars lithuanians russians jews and poles lived here the name of the town was first recorded in chronicles from 1337 in german as tracken later also spelt traken and is derived from the lithuanian word trakai singular trakas meaning glade since the time of the polish lithuanian commonwealth the city has been known as troki in polish its other alternate names include trak j belarusian trok yiddish troky and traki the majority of trakai s inhabitants 66 5 are lithuanian although the town also has a substantial polish minority 19 as well as russians 8 87 there are 200 lakes in the region of which the deepest 46 7 m is galv with its 21 islands galv covers an area of 3 88 km vilkok nis lake 3 37 km the lake", "it may be a language isolate and thus would represent an isolated survival of an earlier language group of central africa it is unwritten except in transcription by linguists according to former summer institute of linguistics chad member david faris it is in danger of extinction with most people under 25 shifting to the locally more widespread bagirmi this language first came to the attention of academic linguists in 1977 through pascal boyeldieu s fieldwork in 1975 and 1978 his fieldwork was based for the most part on a single speaker m djouam kadi of damtar the language s speakers are mainly river fishermen and farmers who also sell salt extracted from the ashes of doum palms and vossia cuspidata like their neighbours the niellim they were formerly cattle herders but lost their herds around the turn of the 19th century they are mainly muslims but until the latter half of the 20th century they followed the traditional yondo religion of the niellim the area is fairly undeveloped while there are qur anic schools in gori and damtar the nearest government school is 7 km away and there is no medical dispensary in the region the village of damtar formerly", "there is no formal criterion for deeming a language ancient but a traditional convention is to demarcate as ancient those languages that existed prior to the 5th century linguist roger woodward has said that p erhaps then what makes an ancient language different is our awareness that it has outlived those for whom it was an intimate element of the psyche by this definition the term includes languages attested from ancient times in the list of languages by first written accounts and described in historical linguistics and particularly the languages of classical antiquity such as tamil language ancient greek hebrew language old persian avestan middle persian sanskrit language chinese language latin arabic language the term may also encompass other classical languages and various extinct languages the description of fictional races and realms having their own ancient languages adds depth and richness to storytelling even if the vocabulary and grammar of the languages themselves is never provided examples of this include a fictional language in the inheritance cycle young adult novels the language of the race called ancients in the mythology of stargate and various languages in writings by j r r tolkien", "giovanni da pian del carpine a 13th century papal legate to the court of the mongol khan guyuk gave a list of the nations the mongols had conquered in his account one of them listed among tribes of the caucasus pontic steppe and the caspian region was the brutakhi who are jews some translations read comani brutakhi comani brutachi qui sunt iudii which seems to indicate an alignment with the cumans kipchaks however this reading has been challenged by many historians who have asserted that there should be a comma between the comani and brutakhi however earlier in the same list giovanni refers to comania leading some to regard the postulated comma as redundant and therefore highly suspect the identity of the brutakhi is unclear giovanni later refers to the brutakhi as shaving their heads a common turkic custom they may have been a remnant of the khazar people alternatively they may have been cuman kipchak converts to judaism possibly connected to the krymchaks or the karaims another possibility is that the brutakhi are connected to the mountain jews of daghestan who are believed to have ruled independent states at points in their history some scholars have speculated that brutakhi", "the language is unwritten and moribund in the 1970s residents of the chief alutor village of vyvenka under the age of 25 did not know the language in recent years the vyvenka village school has started teaching the language until 1958 the language was considered the village settled dialect of the koryak language but it is not intelligible with traditionally nomadic varieties of koryak the autonym means villager alutor is a polysynthetic language the morphology is agglutinative with extensive prefixes and suffixes the argument structure is ergative the word order is variable and it is difficult to say which typology is basic the verb absolutive orders avo and vao are perhaps most common alyutor has six vowels five of which may be long or short the schwa cannot be long there are 18 consonants in alyutor stress is generally on the second syllable of the word however it cannot fall on an open syllable containing the vowel schwa or on the last syllable so in two syllable words stress is transferred to the first syllable as long as that syllable is not open or contains the schwa in cases where it is an open syllable containing the schwa a third", "by searching for words and sentences you can see the corresponding signs in the beginning there where only six sign languages represented spreadthesign is managed by the non governmental organization european sign language centre in rebro sweden the organization is financed by funds through different projects and a lot of the work is supported by volunteers today there are more than 380 000 videos in the database of spreadthesign and the work to expand the number of videos and sign languages is an ongoing process the sign languages represented in spreadthesign are american sign language asl austrian sign language gs belarusian sign language brazilian sign language libras british sign language bsl chilean sign language lsch cuban sign language cypriot sign language bulgarian sign language chinese sign language csl croatian sign language hzj czech sign language estonian sign language esl finnish sign language french sign language lsf german sign language dgs greek sign language icelandic sign language indian sign language italian sign language lis japanese sign language jsl latvian sign language lithuanian sign language lgk mexican sign language lsm polish sign language pjm portuguese sign language romanian sign language russian sign language spanish sign language lse swedish sign language ssl turkish", "it is spoken by widely scattered communities of reindeer herders from kamchatka and the sea of okhotsk in the east to the river lena in the west and from the arctic coast in the north to the river aldan in the south even is an endangered language with only some 5 700 speakers russian census 2010 these speakers are specifically from the magadan region the chukot region and the koryak region dialects are arman indigirka kamchatka kolyma omolon okhotsk ola tompon upper kolyma sakkyryr lamunkhin in these regions where the evens primarily reside the even language is generally implemented in pre school and elementary school alongside the national language russian where even functioned primarily as an oral language communicated between reindeer herding brigades textbooks began circulating throughout these educational institutions from around 1925 to 1995 the syntax of the even language follows the nominative case and sov subject object verb word order with the attribute preceding the dependent member in some remote arctic villages such as russkoye ustye whose population descended from russian even intermarriage the language spoken into the 20th century was a dialect of russian with a strong even influence q are allophones of k according to the", "there are about a thousand speakers in along the indonesian border spoken in green river rural llg sandaun province dialects are karkar yuri is not related to any other language in papua new guinea and was therefore long thought to be a language isolate this is the position of wurm 1983 foley 1986 and ross 2005 however timothy usher noticed that it is transparently related to the pauwasi languages across the border in indonesia indeed it may even form a dialect continuum with the eastern pauwasi language emem this was foreshadowed in non linguistic literature a 1940 map shows the enam emem speaking area as including the karkar territory in png and the anthropologist hanns peter knew that the karkar dialect continuum continued across the border into emem territory cognates between karkar yuri and the pauwasi family tebi and zorop languages listed by foley 2018 pronouns listed by ross 2005 object forms take an sometimes replacing the o onan amoan man yinan n moan yumoan mao is a demonstrative that one those it contrasts with nko nkoan the other one s pronouns listed by foley 2018 are the karkar inventory is as follows stress assignment is complex but not phonemic", "it is a member of the koman languages the language is also referred to as madiin koma south koma central koma gokwom and hayahaya many individuals from komo are multilingual because they are in close proximity to mao kwama and oromo speakers komo is closely related to kwama a language spoken by a group who live in the same region of ethiopia and who also identify themselves as ethnically komo some komo and kwama speakers recognize the distinction between the two languages and culture whereas some people see it as one ethnolinguistic community the 2007 ethiopian census makes no mention of kwama and for this reason its estimate of 8 000 komo speakers may be inaccurate an older estimate from 1971 places the number of komo speakers in ethiopia at 1 500 the komo language is greatly understudied more information is being revealed as researchers are discovering more data about other languages within the koman family many individuals from komo are multilingual because they are in close proximity to mao kwama and oromo speakers komo and mao were ethnically and linguistically ambiguous terms until they became the official terms used in the asosa zone in benishangul gummuz although komo and", "dialects are north karaja south karaja xambio and java there are distinct male and female forms of speech one of the principal differences is that men drop the sound which is pronounced by women karaja is a verb final language with simple noun and more complex verbal morphology that includes noun incorporation verbs inflect for direction as well as person mood object and voice karaj has eleven oral vowels and three nasal vowels is nasalized word initially and when preceded by or a voiced stop grass armadillo this in turn nasalizes a preceding or group my mother this language has vowel harmony that matches vowels tenseness to the vowel of the following suffix v atr c v there are only twelve consonants eight of which are coronal some examples of the differences between men s and women s speech especially the presence or lack of k including in borrowings from portuguese follow note that men maintain k in at least one grammatical ending the derives historically from and so becomes ia in men s speech the verb in karaj grammar always agrees with the subject of the sentence as it does in french for example these agreements are determined by", "in the more narrow sense this term is used specifically to describe the word order of v1 languages a v1 language being a language where the word order is obligatorily or predominantly verb initial v1 clauses only occur in v1 languages and other languages with a dominant v1 order displaying other properties that correlate with verb initiality and that are crucial to many analyses of v1 v1 languages are estimated to make up 12 19 of the world s languages v1 languages constitute a diverse group from different language families they include berber biu mandara surmic and nilo saharan languages in africa celtic languages in europe mayan and oto manguean languages in north and central america salish wakashan and tsimshiani languages in north america arawakan languages in south america austronesian languages in southeast asia some languages are strictly vso for example q anjob al mayan others are strictly vos for example malagasy austronesian many alternate between vso and vos an example being ojibwe algonquian the following examples illustrate the rigid vos and vso languages and the vos vso alternating languages q anjob al vso malagasy vos ojibwe vos vso vso order vos order verb initial languages pattern with svo languages", "it is spoken what is now british columbia ranging from southeastern vancouver island from the west shore of saanich inlet northward beyond gabriola island and nanaimo to nanoose bay and including the lower mainland from the fraser river delta upriver to harrison lake and the lower boundary of the fraser canyon in the classification of salishan languages halkomelem is a member of the central salish branch there are four other branches of the family tsamosan interior salish bella coola and tillamook speakers of the central and tsamosan languages are often identified in ethnographic literature as coast salish the word halkomelem is an anglicization for the language hul qumi num which has three distinct dialect groups the language differences namely in phonology and lexicon are greatest between the island and upriver dialects with the downriver dialect especially the tsawwassen first nation providing a central link between the other two the diversity of the halkomelem dialects is noted to be the result of complex social and economic forces and linguistic change as many island people crossed the georgia strait to camp along the fraser river in both the downriver and upriver areas for the summer runs of salmon arranged marriages between children", "it is classified as a member of the shina language cluster within the dardic subgroup it is spoken in the village of sau on the east bank of the kunar river around south of the town of arandu which is on the border with pakistan s chitral region sawi speakers consider themselves part of the gawar ethnic group which is found in half a dozen of the surrounding villages and whose language is gawarbati in communicating with them the people of sau reportedly resort to using pashto during the long period of unrest the population of the village was displaced into refugee camps in chitral and dir but reportedly many people have now returned to afghanistan the closest relative of the sawi language is the southern variety of palula spoken in ashret further up the kunar valley in chitral many sawi speakers are aware of the similarity between the two languages and some consider the people of ashret as their brothers henrik liljegren s study of the shared linguistic features and the local oral traditions suggest that the ancestors of these language communities are likely to have migrated from the present day diamer district on the indus river there was" ]

[ "The NHL's official puck supplier has laid off half its staff, a result of the hockey lockout that entered its 123rd day on Sunday." ]

[ "Telecommunications gear maker Alcatel-Lucent could cut more than 20 percent of its world-wide staff, L'Expansion weekly said on Tuesday on its Website, citing industry sources.", "Commerce One and Manugistics cut staff, as software makers grapple with industry upheaval.", "Open Source Development Labs cuts a third of its staff, loses its CEO and cuts technical projects in favor of legal work.", "Miramax Films on Thursday began cutting 55 jobs, or 13 percent of its staff, in a second round of layoffs that accompanied further word that co-chief Harvey Weinstein was looking to stay with the maker of Oscar winners like \"Chicago\" and \"Shakespeare in Love.\"", "Stricken hedge fund group Amaranth Advisors LLC said it is laying off about half its staff to cut operating expenses as it liquidates its portfolio in the wake of the worst hedge fund loss ever.", "Chip maker chips away at work force, cuts 7500 jobs.", "When the National Hockey League announced it was locking out its players when the collective-bargaining agreement expired Sept. 15, it had an immediate impact on the league's staff, which was trimmed by roughly 50 percent.", "Will Wolfgang Puck's new creation cut in on Starbucks?", "The Buffalo Sabres will lay off about 25 employees by the end of November if there is no resolution to the month-old NHL labor dispute.", "EarthLink Inc said on Tuesday it will cut about 900 jobs, or nearly half its staff, as part of a restructuring to reduce costs at the Internet service provider.", "The struggling chipmaker will eliminate around 10 percent of its workforce -- most cuts coming in management, marketing and IT -- as part of its biggest restructuring since the mid-1980s.", "Around 150 NHL staff have been laid off hours after the league's lockout of players on Wednesday as the impact of the labor dispute was immediately felt in job losses.", "Electric motor maker A.O. Smith cuts full-year earnings estimates in half.", "France was selling almost half its stake in Air France KLM on Thursday as part of a wider deal which could see its remaining stake cut to below 20% and give staff shares in return for pay cuts.", "The locked-out National Hockey League players union offered to cut salaries by 24 percent and place a tax of up to 60 percent on high-end payrolls in the first talks with management in three months.", "Hershey Co. on Thursday said it would cut about 11 percent of its workforce and reduce the number of production lines it operates by more than a third as it spends as much as $575 million to overhaul its manufacturing.", "Paper maker UPM-Kymmene started talks Monday to lay off up to 1,200 employees — more than 3 percent its work force — and close some mills in Finland because of oversupply in the sawn timber trade.", "By Bloomberg, AP and Staff Reports Video: Intel to Cut 10,500 Positions Video: Intel Shakeup Has Oregon Community Concerned Chip-maker Intel Corp.", "Struggling German department store owner KarstadtQuelle says it must cut staff wages by up to 10% in an effort to avoid job cuts.", "Explosive makers The authorities will use environmental standards and quality controls to cut the number of manufacturers of explosive material for civil use by half by the end of this year.", "Cingular Wireless LLC plans to cut at least 10 percent of its newly combined staff, or around 7,000 of its 68,000-strong workforce, chief Stan Sigman said.", "The blockbuster proposal by the NHL Players Association to slash salaries 24 percent across the board was sending shock waves through much of the hockey world Friday.", "Apparel maker Liz Claiborne Inc. is planning job cuts that could total as much as 10 percent of its workforce, the New York Post reported on its Web site on Tuesday.", "Nokia , the world's top cellphone maker, said on Tuesday it plans to close its plant in Bochum, Germany, by mid-2008 and may cut up to 2,300 staff as it moves production to lower-cost regions.", "TORONTO -- Nortel Networks said yesterday it will slash its workforce by 3,500, or 10 percent, as it struggles to recover from an accounting scandal that toppled three top executives and led to a criminal ...", "Confectionery and drinks giant Cadbury Schweppes announces plans to cut 15% of its staff by 2011.", "A Detroit-based health are firm has cut its staff of five storage administrators to one part-time person due to its use of storage management software.", "The St. Louis Blues, who have an NHL-worst 18 points, fired coach Mike Kitchen Monday and replaced him with Andy Murray.", "Intel Corp., the world's biggest microchip maker, is set to announce sweeping job cuts later on Tuesday, the Financial Times said, amid speculation that up to 10 percent of its staff could go.", "NHL players offered Thursday to cut their salaries by 24 percent in an effort to end a 12-week-old lockout that threatens to wipe out the 2004-05 season and beyond.", "Dell, the No. 2 PC maker, reported sales and profits Thursday that handily beat Wall Street forecasts, and announced it would cut its staff by 10 percent over the next 12 months.", "Turn out the lights, the party's over for unit that created mainstream sports games for the Xbox. Seventy-six workers lose jobs." ]

[ "Some CEOs had a very bad year in 2010. The first name that comes to mind is Tony Hayward, head of BP at the time of the Gulf oil spill disaster in April. Host Steve Inskeep spoke to professor Sydney Finkelstein of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, about his other picks for Worst CEO of 2010." ]

[ "Most of the CEOs at the worst-performing companies in the S&P 500 have been replaced in the last five years, but the ones who have stuck around may not deserve their jobs either. NPR's Bob Edwards talks with Jennifer Reingold, whose article \"CEOs Who Should Lose Their Jobs,\" appears in the October issue of <EM>Fast Company</EM> magazine. They discuss why poorly performing CEOs are still hanging on and being handsomely rewarded, with no apparent accountability.", "David Greene talks to Sydney Finkelstein, who teaches management at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, about his list of the worst CEOs of 2012. Of interest is not just who made the list this year, but who didn't.", "Former Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn, tops Sydney Finkelstein 's annual list of the worst CEOs. Finkelstein is a management professor at Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business. This morning on Morning Edition he explained why Dunn took the top spot: Well, Brian Dunn has been at the helm of the company for several years and Best Buy has been in a free fall. The stock is way down, their cash is down, their same-store sales are down. And the problem is that people walk into Best Buy, look at the products, look at the TVs and take a few notes and then go home and go on Amazon and buy it at a cheaper price. And the solution that Brian Dunn has tried to come up with has really not worked. He's focused on trying to sell more expensive products, he hasn't tried to fix customer service and he certainly hasn't tried to fix the online part of the business. And unfortunately, to top it all off, he got himself into a bit of trouble in an alleged affair with a 29-year-old subordinate, and that probably was the final straw that broke the camel's back. For more sucky CEO's: Listen to the entire interview or read the list.", "The AP analyzed the pay packages of Wall Street's Chief Executive Officers and found that as of 2010, it's as if the recession never happened: CEOs at the nation's largest companies were paid better last year than they were in 2007, when the economy was booming, the stock market set a record high and unemployment was roughly half what it is today. The typical pay package for the head of a company in the Standard & Poor's 500 was $9 million in 2010, according to an analysis by The Associated Press using data provided by Equilar, an executive compensation research firm. That was 24 percent higher than a year earlier, reversing two years of declines. Back in early April, USA Today provided similar analysis using different data from GovernanceMetrics International. They found CEO pay increased by 27 percent in 2010, which compares to an increase of just 2.1 percent for ordinary workers in the private sector. That 27 percent jump, reports USA Today, was \"one of the largest increases in recent history.\" The AP reports that the highest-paid CEO in 2010 was Philippe Dauman of Viacom who received a pay package of $84.5 million, \"two and a half times what he made the year before.\" His compensation package included stock and options valued at $54.2 million.", "NPR Double Take revisits 2010 with a month-by-month year in review. This February Akio Toyoda, CEO of the Toyota auto company, appeared before Congress where he apologized for the company's manufacturing defects. Toyota's faulty accelerator pedal had led to multiple deaths and a recall of millions of vehicles: Randy Bish and David Fitzsimmons Don't Brake for Large Corporations.", "CEOs of major American companies took a hit last year. A new Wall Street Journal analysis of chief executive pay at 300 public companies showed its worst decline since the 2008 financial crisis. The slowdown is related to weak performance and accounting rules that put a crimp in pensions. Here & Now&#8216;s Jeremy Hobson talks with Jill Schlesinger, business analyst at CBS News. Guest\n\nJill Schlesinger, business analyst with CBS News and host of “Jill on Money.” She tweets @jillonmoney.", "BP will not give bonuses to two executives who ran the oil giant's Gulf of Mexico operations last year: former CEO Tony Hayward, and the former head of exploration and production Andy Inglis. That news was announced in BP's first annual report since the disastrous Deepwater Horizon explosion last April, which killed 11 rig workers and set off the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. It also coincides with new calls in America to find alternate sources of oil. Read More Reporting for Newscast, here's Debbie Elliott: In a video introduction to the document, CEO Bob Dudley says the tragedy shocked and saddened the company. \"2010 stands as an inflexion point for BP and our industry,\" Dudley said. \"We understand that a return to business as usual is not an option.\" Dudley will not be getting a bonus for 2010, either. As for Hayward, he's now working at TNK-BP, a joint venture between BP and Russia's third-largest oil company. The AP reports that his annual salary there is almost $150,000. The AP contacted some folks around the Gulf to ask their reaction to BP's decision to withhold some bonuses: Mississippi shrimper James A. Miller, who estimates he lost up to $70,000 in revenue due to the oil spill, said the BP executives should be held accountable for the \"poor decisions they've made.\" \"Taking money from them is the least they could do,\" Miller said. Anthony Kennon, mayor of Orange Beach, Ala., whose community was hard hit by the oil spill, said he was not surprised by the BP decision on bonuses. \"Commonsense would dictate that bonuses are predicated on performance and the oil spill in the Gulf is indicative of poor performance to me,\" Kennon said. You can follow NPR's coverage of the Deepwater spill and its aftermath here.", "Straight from today's headlines, Merrill Lynch CEO Stan O'Neal -- the first African American to lead a Wall Street bank -- is reportedly being asked to step down after announcing a third-quarter loss of $2.24 billion -- the worst in the firm's 93-year history. And according to published reports, Richard Parsons -- another trailblazing black CEO -- is set to announce his departure from Time Warner. The company is facing operational challenges, especially with its Internet business, AOL. With the departure of Parsons and O'Neal, it leaves only five black CEOs heading up Fortune 500 companies. Symbolism aside, what does this mean on a practical level? UPDATE: Eugene Robinson: Wall St.'s Expanding Universe -- \"Diversity is about leveling the playing field, opening doors and giving people a chance. By all accounts, O'Neal rose to the top the old-fashioned way -- fighting, scraping, biting, scratching.\" UPDATE (11/5/07): Parsons Steps Down as Time Warner CEO", "Some of the most spectacular business failings of 2011 were created or enhanced by the very people who should have provided protection against failure: the CEOs. Linda Wertheimer wraps up the year in CEO blunders with Professor Sydney Finkelstein, of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He's also the author of <em>Why Smart Executives Fail</em>.", "According to 2011's Airline Quality Rating report, flying is getting better in the country. The researchers found that the industry experienced a slightly better percentage of on-time arrivals; passengers had to deal with less mishandled luggage and overbooked flights caused slightly fewer problems in 2010 than in 2009. In 2010, Air Tran earned the highest Airline Quality Rating Score, followed by Hawaiian Airlines and Jet Blue. U.S. News & World Report, however, dug through the data to find the worst-performing airlines. So what airlines ranked as top three worst performers among the national carriers?", "By the end of the day Monday, three CEOs had announced they were leaving Trump's American Manufacturing Council: Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier, Under Armour's Kevin Plank and Intel's Brian Krzanich.", "Stories: 1) Bianculli Picks The Best (And Worst) TV Of 2010 2) From The Coens, A Grittier Sort Of Truth Out West", "Home construction in the U.S. suffered another terrible year in 2010. Builders began work on 587,600 homes in 2010, only slightly better than the 554,000 homes they started in 2009. The AP reports that the last two years are the worst on records dating back to 1959. The latest numbers from the Commerce Department show that housing starts were 529,000 in December, 4.3 percent less than the previous month.", "All month long at NPR Music we've been looking back at 2010, making lists of the biggest stories, the best songs, the albums we loved most, the trends, the best and worst ideas, and the weirdest things to happen in the worlds of pop, jazz, classical, latin alternative, folk, and rock music. In case you missed any of it, here's everything in one place. Have a happy new year! We can't wait to start talking about 2011. Lists Our 50 Favorite Albums Of 2010 Carrie Brownstein's Top 10 (Plus One) For 2010 Bob Boilen's Top 10 (Really 9) Albums Of 2010 Robin Hilton's Top 10 Albums Of 2010 Stephen Thompson's Top 10 Albums Of 2010 Ken Tucker's Top 10 Albums Of 2010 Best Folk Albums Of 2010 Egon's 5 Favorite Reissues Of 2010 5 Songs The Current Couldn't Stop Playing The 5 Best Side Projects Of 2010 5 New African Bands That Ruled In 2010 KCRW's Best L.A. Bands Of 2010 The 5 Best Genre-Defying Albums Of 2010 Download The Best World Cafe Sessions Of 2010 5 Artists You Should Have Known In 2010 The 5 Deadliest Drops Of 2010 Intern Uprising: The Songs Of 2010 Our Bosses Missed News In Memoriam: Musicians We Lost In 2010 2010's Best Writing About Metal Dubstep's Identity Crisis In 2010, Labels Got Leaky Ambition All Over The Pop Spectrum Jazz Pared All The Way Down Indie Classical Blossoms On Small Labels The 100 Biggest Songs Of 2010: Drinking, Dancing And Da Club The Best And Worst Ideas Of 2010: Reverse Sticker Shock Musicians Who Made Social Networking Work We Are The World 25 The End Of Appointment Listening Ping All Songs Considered The Year In Concert Photos 2010 The Best Album Covers Of 2010 Mommy, Where Do Bands Come From? The 2010 Edition The Best Cassettes Of 2010 5 Best Cover Songs Of 2010 Year-End List-Making Is A Battlefield Drum Roll Please! All Songs Considered Listener Picks Deceptive Cadence Top 10 Classical Albums Of 2010 The Best New York Alt-Classical Concerts Of 2010 The Top 5 Chopin And Schumann Albums of 2010 The Best J.S. Bach Releases Of 2010 5 Best American Contemporary Classical Albums Of 2010 Best Musical Moments Of 2010: Tim Munro's Barefoot Fiddler Jennifer Higdon's Unsung Heroes Marin Alsop's 'Mass' Appeal Joyce DiDonato's Matchless Mahler Alt.Latino Top 10 Latin Alternative Albums Of 2010 A Blog Supreme Top 10 Jazz Albums Of 2010 The Year-End List Of Lists 2010 5 Jazz Reissues That Put 2010 To Shame 5 Artists Who Transcended Jazz Standards In 2010 Listen 'All Songs' Listeners Pick The Best Albums Of 2010 Adios 2010: Alt.Latino Salutes The Albums Of The Year Viking's Choice: 2010's Best Metal And Outer Sound Discussion: The Year In Music, 2010", "Stories: 1) Flicks, Picked: Best And Worst Films Of 2010 2) Music And Animation Combine In Disney's 'Fantasia' 3) Ken Tucker's Top 10 Albums Of 2010", "A recent study finds companies whose CEOs committed a personal indiscretion — such as infidelity, substance abuse and dishonesty — experienced a decline in shareholder value.", "Four of the top 10 highest-earning executives ran companies whose shareholders lost money over the decade, the <em>Wall Street Journal</em> reports. That includes the No. 2 on the list, entertainment mogul Barry Diller, and Angelo Mozilo, the former CEO of mortgage lender Countrywide", "CareerCast compiled a list of the 200 best and worst jobs of 2010 based on environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands and stress. The best job of actuary pays well and sounds like interesting enough work; but the worst job on the list — roustabout — at least has a nice ring to it, although the pay is poor. Karen DeToro is an actuary, and Adam Henry works offshore as a roustabout. They chat about the merits of their own jobs.", "The one-time leader in entertainment technology has fallen behind rivals like Apple and Samsung, losing money for four straight years. But Sony's new CEO is trying to turn it around. According to Japanese news reports and the <em>Wall Street Journal</em>, that involves eliminating 10,000 jobs worldwide — about 6 percent of its overall workforce.", "Government action to rein in runaway pay at the upper reaches of the financial institutions bailed out by taxpayer dollars not only is appropriate but also is overdue. For years, CEOs have been aided and abetted by compliant boards of directors in a game of \"heads I win, tails you lose\" that has enabled them to claim an ever-growing share of the national pie. In this game, CEOs' compensation rises whether the times and their performance are good or bad. The grand masters of this destructive game are in the financial sector, where CEOs are paid more than in any other sector and where their increasingly risky choices brought about the massive financial collapse that has caused savings to vanish and sparked a global recession. Now, with millions of Americans facing the worst economic conditions in over a half-century, it is certainly reasonable to expect that these financial elites have their pay reeled in and set so they won't have incentives to crash the economy again. The problem goes beyond finance. By any reasonable standard, the U.S. overpays its CEOs. In 1965, the average CEO was paid 24 times as much as the average worker; by 2007, that ratio had ballooned to 275 to one. In other words, it takes the average worker a full year to earn about what the average CEO is paid in one workday. This gap is far wider in the U.S. than in any other advanced economy. Too much of corporate America has fallen under the spell of the cult of the CEO, and something has to be done to restore sanity. Every year, CEOs' pay consumes a larger share of corporate profits. That means the earnings that could be reinvested in R&D, new products and more jobs are instead enriching the lives of the already rich. The business of business is now less about business and more about providing for the CEO and other top-paid corporate staff. Critics of the government's action say it is government over-reaching. But how is it over-reaching for the government to impose consequences for corporate behavior that nearly toppled the nation's economy, or to demand accountability for the taxpayers' dollars those companies still hold? What would we think of a government that didn't attach such strings to this massive bailout? Others say it's more talk than substance and won't have an effect on the overall excesses of CEO pay. But that view underestimates the power of words to reset the moral meter, a change that's long overdue. If you want proof, just consider Marie Antoinette. Shaming CEOs over their excesses hasn't worked. Public anger is not sufficient. It's a welcome sign to see our government taking action to stem the rising tide of CEO excess in the heart of the worst of that excess. The last thing we need now is business as usual. Lawrence Mishel is president of the Economic Policy Institute and principal author of The State of Working America, an authoritative volume on American's living standards.", "Consumer spending in the U.S. was flat in 2010 — if you didn't include auto sales. New and used vehicle sales jumped 20 percent last year as consumers replaced their aging vehicles, according to a survey of businesses done by Sageworks, a financial research firm. \"But I don't think one sector is going to drive us out of the recession or continue the expansion that we've seen recently in the last couple of quarters,\" says Brian Hamilton, an economist and the CEO of Sageworks. Belief That The Worst Has Past Economists say the uptick in car sales wasn't necessarily a sign of recovery. But it was a sign that Americans are coming to believe the worst has passed. \"The moment you think you've got a problem with your job opportunities and you're losing jobs, autos just collapse,\" says Barry Bosworth, an economist at the Brookings Institution. He says car sales are directly tied to how consumers feel about their employment outlook. During a recession, even if someone's job is secure, he or she might not want to buy a new car for fear of offending those around them. But cars also have a life cycle. \"These cars wear out, and after a couple of years you expect a big rebound just to return to normal,\" Bosworth says. \"But in other areas of consumer spending, it didn't go down as much. It's not going to snap back as much.\" Retail sales overall didn't snap back as much. Beer, wine and liquor went up 2.6 percent, grocery sales rose 1.5 percent and clothing climbed 0.7 percent. More Car Ads On TV Signs that the car sector is coming back are also visible on TV, which is flooded with car ads. \"Commercials are all about marketing and sales and about a product. So, we're really at the mercy of what's going on in business,\" says Annie Schwartz, a talent agent in Hollywood who focuses on getting her clients jobs in TV commercials. When the economy is down, so is her business. But Schwartz says at the end of 2010, she saw a change for the better. \"There seemed to be a lot of dollars to actually do car commercials this year,\" she says. \"And it didn't seem to be just one car, like Toyota or, you know, the SUVs.\" Opportunities For Families Of Actors After a long dry spell, Schwartz says she has been able to consistently place her actor clients in a variety of car commercials. What's different with this recent uptick is that demand for family vehicles translates into opportunities for families of actors. Casting calls for kids have requested that parents also attend the audition, she says. While TV advertising hasn't been as healthy in other sectors, Schwartz says one good car commercial could feed an actor's family for a year. RENEE MONTAGNE, Host: Economists say that wasn't necessarily a sign of recovery, but NPR's Sonari Glinton reports it was a sign Americans are coming to believe the worst has past. SONARI GLINTON: It doesn't take much to realize that the car sector of the economy is coming back. All you have to do is sit back and watch TV. (SOUNDBITE OF TV COMMERCIAL) (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) D: Unidentified Man: Who's your friend now? The all-new Super Duty. (SOUNDBITE OF TV COMMERCIAL) GLINTON: Annie Schwartz is a talent agent in Hollywood. She focuses on getting her clients jobs in TV commercials. When the economy's down, so is her business. ANNIE SCHWARTZ: Commercials are all about marketing and sales and about product. So we're really at the mercy of what going on in business. GLINTON: Schwartz says at the end of 2010, she saw a change for the better. SCHWARTZ: There seemed to be a lot of dollars to actually do car commercials this year. And it didn't seem to be just one car, like Toyota or, you know, the SUVs. GLINTON: After a very long dry spell, Schwartz says recently, she's been able to place her actor clients in a whole variety of car commercials. What's different with this recent uptick is that demand for family vehicles translates into opportunities for families of actors. SCHWARTZ: There's been a lot of families, actually real families where they've actually said please submit kids between the ages of six and nine, and if their parents are interested, tell them to come along to the audition. GLINTON: Barry Bosworth is an economist at the Brookings Institution. He says car sales are directly tied to how consumers feel about their employment outlook. BARRY BOSWORTH: So, the moment you think you got a problem with your job opportunities and you're losing jobs, autos just collapse. GLINTON: During a recession, if your job is secure and the jobs of those around you aren't, you might not want to be seen as the insensitive jerk buying a new car. But... BOSWORTH: These cars wear out, and after a couple of years, you expect a big rebound just to return to normal. But in other areas of consumer spending, it didn't go down as much. It's not going to snap back as much. GLINTON: Brian Hamilton is an economist and Sageworks' CEO. BRIAN HAMILTON: I don't think one sector is going to drive us out of the recession or continue the expans", "Updated at 4:15 p.m. ET Former CEO of Massey Energy Don Blankenship goes on trial Thursday in West Virginia over charges that he conspired to violate federal mine safety laws at company mines. As West Virginia Public Broadcasting's Ashton Marra reports, the charges stem from a 2010 explosion at the Massey-owned Upper Big Branch mine that killed 29 men — the worst U.S. mining disaster in 40 years. Blankenship is \"one of the highest-level managers ever to face charges relating to mine safety violations,\" Marra says. He is also accused of lying to investors about the company's safety record at the Upper Big Branch and other mines prior to the blast. Marra adds that: \"Federal and state investigations blamed the blast on poor ventilation, high levels of explosive coal dust and Massey's history of safety violations. Prosecutors say Blankenship was a micromanager who threatened mine operators with their jobs if production levels dropped.\" Since the 2010 explosion, four former Massey employees who reported to Blankenship have been sentenced on charges related to safety violations at the mine or for conspiring to cover up violations: Thomas Harrah for falsifying a foreman's license and lying to federal authorities; former security chief Hughie Stover for lying to investigators and attempting to destroy evidence; superintendent Gary May for disabling a gas monitor and falsifying records, and former executive David Hughart for conspiring to warn miners of surprise safety inspections. Prosecutors are expected to say that Blankenship closely managed almost every decision affecting safety at Massey mines. The defense is expected to point the blame at mine regulators. The Associated Press reports: \"Slapping a coal executive with the kind of charges Blankenship faces is rare. \" 'I'm not sure anyone can tell you that there's been a specific case where anyone had gone to the scope or the scale of what Blankenship's accused of,' said Paul Rakes, a West Virginia University Institute of Technology history professor who researches coal.\" Blankenship faces a maximum of 31 years in prison if convicted.", "The CEOs of Merck, Intel and Under Armour resigned their positions on the White House American Manufacturing Council this week. The three condemned the hate groups that attracted violence to a recent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia — something President Donald Trump has been criticized for not doing in a timely way. What will the absence of these CEOs mean for the president&#8217;s business council? And what does the council do anyway? GUESTS Justin Sink, White House reporter, Bloomberg News; @justinsink For more, visit http://the1a.org. &copy; 2017 WAMU 88.5 &#8211; American University Radio.", "Airline manufacturing giant Boeing announced Monday its CEO has resigned. Dennis A. Muilenburg came under fire for his handling of the 737 Max crisis.", "John Dimsdale of <EM>Marketplace</EM> talks about two major CEO shake-ups -- one at the Sony Corporation, where a non-Japanese executive is poised to take the top slot, and one at Boeing, where the top boss was fired over a relationship with a female Boeing executive.", "NPR's Alex Chadwick speaks with <EM>Marketplace</EM> correspondent Tess Vigeland about why CEOs of companies who have the worst financial problems appear to get paid the most.", "The oil giant BP has reached an $18.7 billion settlement with Gulf states and the federal government over the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico — the worst in U.S. history.", "The former CEO of Tyco International, Dennis Kozlowski, and ex-finance chief Mark Swartz are convicted of improperly taking more than $600 million in corporate bonuses and loans from the industrial services company.", "There was a 2.1 percent drop in sales of new homes in May from April, to an annual rate of 319,000, the Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development just reported. Sales were up 13.5 percent from May 2010, but that month last year was among the worst in recent times. As The Associated Press writes, \"housing remains the weakest part of the U.S. economy, analysts say. Sales of new homes have fallen 18 percent in the two years since the recession ended. Last year was the worst for new-home sales on records dating back half a century.\"", "Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer got a rude reception while giving a speech in Budapest, Hungary. A young man stood up, began yelling at Ballmer, then began pelting the executive with eggs. Apparently the man was angry about what he believed to be Microsoft's role in limiting independent software development in Hungary.", "The head of France's biggest carmaker Peugeot-Citroen has been ousted at the behest of the company's board. Peugeot is suffering from plummeting car sales, big losses and a low stock price. The board of the European carmaker apparently lost faith that CEO Christian Streiff would be able to keep the company afloat. And the former CEO of a major American homebuilder is to be arraigned in Los Angeles Monday on charges of financial fraud. Bruce Karatz was head of KB Home. He's part of a federal investigation into stock manipulation. Authorities accuse him of cooking the books into order to inflate his salary. STEVE INSKEEP, host: NPR's business news starts with more pain for the auto industry. And that's the whole industry, not just the General Motors CEO. The president rejected the survival plans of both GM and Chrysler, saying they don't go far enough. And today, he demanded more changes at both big American automakers. He also raised the possibility of bankruptcy. President BARACK OBAMA: Year after year, decade after decade, we've seen problems papered over and tough choices kicked down the road, even as foreign competitors outpaced us. Well, we've reached the end of that road and we, as a nation, cannot afford to shirk responsibility any longer. Now's the time to confront our problems, head on, and do what's necessary to solve them. INSKEEP: Yesterday, the White House forced GM's CEO Rick Wagoner to resign, saying new leadership is needed to confront the crisis.", "Ex-Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship heads to prison to begin serving a one-year sentence. He was convicted of conspiring to violate federal mine safety laws after a 2010 coal mine collapse." ]

[ "Concurrently, AM Best has downgraded the ICR to ``c'' from ``cc'' and most debt ratings of Scottish Re. AM Best also has affirmed the remaining debt ratings of Scottish Re and Scottish Holdings Statutory Trust II and III. All ratings have been removed from under review with negative implications and assigned a negative outlook." ]

[ "AM Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to A- from A and issuer credit rating to ``a-'' from ``a'' of First Colonial Insurance Company.", "AM Best has downgraded Florida-based FFVA Mutual Insurance's financial strength rating to A- from A and issuer credit rating to ``a-'' from ``a''.", "AM Best Co. has downgraded Peace Hills General Insurance's financial strength rating to B from B+.", "AM Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to B from B+ and issuer credit rating to ``bb+'' from ``bbb-'' of Polish Roman Catholic Union of America.", "AM Best Co. has assigned an issuer credit rating of 'a-' and affirmed the financial strength rating of A- of Transmonde Services Insurance Company Limited.", "AM Best Co. has revised the rating outlook to positive from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of B++ for Hermitage Insurance Group and its member, Hermitage Insurance Company.", "AM Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A++ and issuer credit ratings of 'aa+' of the Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies and its six property/casualty group members.", "AM Best Co. has withdrawn the financial strength rating of B++ and issuer credit rating of 'bbb+' of Revios Reinsurance Canada Ltd. and assigned a category NR-5.", "AM Best Co. has withdrawn the financial strength rating of A and issuer credit rating of 'a' and assigned a category NR-5 to Fireman's Fund Insurance Company of Missouri.", "AM Best Co. has affirmed the negative outlook on the financial strength ratings and issuer credit ratings of Assurant, Inc. and its operating insurance subsidiaries.", "AM Best Co. has assigned a financial strength rating of A- and issuer credit rating of ``a-'' to IRB-Brasil Resseguros SA. The outlook assigned to both ratings is stable.", "AM Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A and the issuer credit rating of ``a+'' of Combined Insurance Company of America and Combined Life Insurance Company of New York, subsidiaries of ACE Limited.", "AM Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- and issuer credit rating of ``a-'' of General Insurance Corporation of India.", "Additionally, AM Best has affirmed the ICR of 'bbb-'and debt ratings of 'bbb-' for senior debt and 'bb' for capital securities of the publicly traded holding company, The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. .", "AM Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A++ and the issuer credit rating of 'aa+' of Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd..", "AM Best Co. has commented that the financial strength rating of A- and issuer credit rating of ``a-'' of American Freedom Insurance Company are unchanged following the sale of the company to Western National Mutual Insurance Company, the lead company of the Western National Insurance Group .", "AM Best Co. has placed the financial strength rating of A- and issuer credit rating of ``a-'' of MEEMIC Insurance Company under review with positive implications.", "AM Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- and issuer credit rating of ``a-'' of Titan Insurance Company Inc., A RRG.", "AM Best Co. has affirmed and assigned financial strength ratings and issuer credit ratings to the health maintenance organization subsidiaries of AMERIGROUP Corporation (NYSE: AGP).", "AM Best Co. has placed the financial strength rating of B and issuer credit rating of ``bb'' of PMA Capital Insurance Company under review with negative implications following the announcement that its parent, PMA Capital Corporation, has entered into a letter of", "AM Best Co. has revised the outlook to stable from negative and affirmed the financial strength rating of A++ and issuer credit ratings of ``aa+'' of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company and its life/health subsidiaries.", "AM Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A+ and issuer credit ratings of ``aa-'' of Zurich American Insurance Company and its property/casualty pooling affiliates.", "AM Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating, issuer credit ratings and debt ratings of CIGNA Corporation and its subsidiaries.", "AM Best Co. said it has affirmed the financial strength rating of A and issuer credit rating of ``a+'' of Iron Horse Insurance Company.", "AM Best Co. has withdrawn the financial strength rating of B++ and issuer credit ratings of ``bbb+'' of several subsidiaries of Stewart Information Services Corporation, due to legal entity merger with its lead title insurance underwriter, Stewart Title Guaranty Company, and assigned an NR-5 to the FSR and an ``nr'' to the ICRs.", "AM Best Co. has removed from under review with negative implications and affirmed the financial strength rating of B and issuer credit rating of ``bb'' of Surety Company of the Pacific as the company was acquired by American Contractors Indemnity Company, a subsidiary of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.", "AM Best Co. has commented that the financial strength rating of A and issuer credit ratings of ``a'' of the operating companies of Zenith National Insurance Corp. (NYSE:ZNT) and the ICR of ``bbb'' of Zenith remain unchanged following the announcement of a transaction under which Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited will acquire the 92% of Zenith shares that it does not currently own.", "AM Best Co. has assigned a debt rating of ``bb+'' to the forthcoming $115 million 6.75% non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock of AmTrust Financial Services Inc. .", "AM Best Co. has redesigned the presentation of its insurance methodology, Best's Credit Rating Methodology --", "AM Best gave Friday B++ financial strength ratings and ``bbb'' issuer credit ratings to Anguilla-based National General Insurance Corp NV and Nagico Insurance Co Ltd.", "Fitch Ratings downgraded Capmark Financial Group's issuer default ratings to C from B-minus on Tuesday, a rating which the agency said ``indicates that default of some kind appears imminent or inevitable.", "Fitch Ratings has downgraded Alliance & Leicester, saying the action reflects the lender's weak access to funding compared with higher rated banks." ]

[ "Dundee-based DC Thomson and Company Ltd, which first published The Beano nearly 80 years ago, took action against Stephen Fisher from Ellingham.\nThe domain name \"thebeano.co.uk\" had been registered in Mr Fisher's name.\nBut internet watchdog Nominet said it was an \"abusive registration\" and ruled he hand it over to the publishers.\nDC Thomson, which describes itself as \"one of the leading media organisations in the UK\", has many household name titles including well-known comic The Dandy and a Scottish newspaper empire.\nThe Beano features Dennis and his dog Gnasher, the Bash Street Kids and Billy Whizz, and back in the 1950s, had a peak circulation of more than 1.9 million.\nDC Thomson convinced Nominet Mr Fisher should hand over the domain name.\nNominet expert Peter Davies said the company had rights in the Beano name and it had, \"to his reasonable satisfaction\", shown the domain name was an \"abusive registration\".\nMr Davies directed the domain name must be transferred to DC Thomson." ]

[ "A full collection of the books, from its first edition to the most recent published this year for the comic's 80th anniversary, went under the hammer at Curr and Dewar in Dundee.\nThe very first book fetched £2,800, with the second and third selling for £1,500 and £900 respectively.\nAn original piece of artwork by Beano artist Dudley D Watkins sold for £950.\nThe third edition of the Broons annual fetched £1,400 at the auction.\nAuctioneer Steven Dewar said there had been \"significant interest\" in the comic collection from buyers.\nThe set of books was discovered by a man in his loft years after they had been handed down to him by his father.\nThe vendor, who opted to remain anonymous, was in the saleroom to see the books go under the hammer.\nMr Dewar said: \"He is delighted, and so are we. There was a lot of interest and the sale has gone really well.\"\nThe full-size framed Lord Snooty cartoon, an original hand drawn by Dudley D. Watkins, shows German bombers suspending a bee hive from swastika adorned planes.\nThe artwork, which was published in the Beano in April 1940 was described by auctioneers as \"an outstanding work\".\nMr Dewar said the Oor Wullie books had been found in an attic by their owner after he had spotted an identical one on the BBC's Antique Roadshow.\nMr Dewar said: \"He saw it and thought 'I've seen that' and went into the loft and there it was.\n\"They were his father's, but he has no family and so the time was right to sell them.\"\nMr Dewar said another seller approached him with the Dudley D. Watkins artwork after he put a note about the Oor Wullie books on the auctioneer's website.\nMr Dewar said: \"The vendor says he almost certainly bought it from my father at auction in the 70s - and wouldn't have paid more than £20 for it.\n\"It was drawn for Beano number 92 and appeared on 27 April 1940.\n\"Whether there was a little bit of a government push to boost the people's morale we don't know.\n\"It is a great story - it really is.\"", "The character's faithful dog Gnasher will also appear in the series called Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed.\nThe 52-part series of 11-minute episodes will see the 10-year-old Dennis given a 21st Century makeover.\nThe first pictures of the new series to be released show Dennis in his trademark outfit and spiky hair, but without his catapult.\nEmma Scott, chief executive of Beano Studios, said the new series \"will see us bring Dennis to life and bang up to date in CGI for the next generation of Beano fans\".\nPrevious BBC TV series starring Dennis and Gnasher, the last of which aired in 2013, showed the pair only in cartoon animation form.\nCheryl Taylor, controller of CBBC, said: \"Dennis and Gnasher have been unleashing their own particular brand of mischief on CBBC for many years.\n\"Their ardent fans will be delighted by this wonderful new series from two of the UK's most notorious rascals.\"\nFollow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email [email protected].", "Oxford-based Rebellion said it is the biggest deal of its kind in 30 years and could bring \"long-vanished\" classic comics back into print.\nCharacters from Tammy, Battle, Whizzer and Chips will now join the iconic Judge Dredd in the Rebellion line-up.\nThe comics are in the Fleetway archive, which was sold by media group Egmont.\nThe archive includes banned title Action, humour comics Oink! and Whoopee, comics aimed at girls like Misty and Sally, as well as World War One serial Charley's War.\nRebellion's owners and founders, Jason and Chris Kingsley, previously bought 2000 AD and its sister publication The Judge Dredd Megazine from Egmont in 2000.\nRebellion's head of book and comics publishing Ben Smith said: \"I am delighted we have the opportunity to return these to print and develop new stories based on iconic characters.\"\nPublisher IPC launched 2000 AD in 1977 in the hope of using a science fiction comic to take advantage of Star Wars-inspired space mania.\nSince then it has won numerous awards and helped launched the careers of famous writers and artists including Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, and Mark Millar.", "It's a far cry from some of his previous work, which include Romeo in Sir Kenneth Branagh's stage production of Romeo and Juliet.\nFox, 27, comes from an acting dynasty that includes his sister Emilia and father Edward.\n\"To borrow Dennis's catchphrase, 'This is going to be BLAM!\"' he said.\nThe actor, who will make his Dennis debut later this year, added: \"As a life-long fan of Dennis, I am honoured to voice him for a new generation.\n\"I am so excited to be carrying on the red and black striped legacy of a character adored for his mischievousness, energy, live-in-the-moment attitude and full-on imagination.\"\nThe 52-part series, Dennis and Gnasher Unleashed, will see the 10-year-old schoolboy and his dog do their best to unhinge the adults around them, along with Dennis's life-long adversary Walter.\nThe show will feature CGI 3D techniques, producers said.\nDennis will still have his trademark red and black T-shirt and and spiky hair but will not have the catapult that featured in the Beano comic strip.\nPrevious BBC TV series starring Dennis and Gnasher, the last of which aired in 2013, showed the pair only in cartoon animation form.\nFox's other acting credits include 2014 film Pride, about gay activists who helped the miners during their 1980s strike.\nHe currently appearing with Tom Hollander in a West End revival of Sir Tom Stoppard's play Travesties.\nFollow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].", "DC Thomson said printing would end with a special edition released on the comic's 75th anniversary on 4 December.\nBy Douglas FraserBusiness and economy editor, Scotland\nHello! OK! More! (Or less)\nHowever, the Dundee-based company insisted it would not be the end of The Dandy or its characters.\nIt said it had \"exciting\" online plans after sales slumped to 8,000 a week from a high of two million in the 50s.\nThe Dandy, which launched in 1937, has featured characters such as Bananaman, Korky the Cat, Cuddles and Dimples, and Beryl the Peril, along with Desperate Dan.\nAs well as issuing a special edition for the final print run, the comic will also include a reprint of the first edition of The Dandy.\nDC Thomson's Ellis Watson said the company wanted to ensure the comic would be popular with future generations.\nMr Watson explained: \"We're counting down 110 days until the big 75th anniversary bash and we're working on some tremendously exciting things.\n\"Dan has certainly not eaten his last cow pie. All of The Dandy's characters are just 110 days away from a new lease of life.\"\nA book celebrating the 75th anniversary of The Dandy was launched at the Edinburgh International Book Festival this week and the comic will also feature in exhibitions at the National Library of Scotland and the Cartoon Museum.\nA bronze statue of Desperate Dan stands in Dundee city centre, alongside Minnie the Minx, from The Dandy's sister title The Beano.", "Minnie the Minx, who was first introduced on 19 December 1953, was described as \"wild as wild can be\" in one of her first captions.\nShe was created by Leo Baxendale to be a female version of Dennis the Menace.\nPublisher DC Thomson said she was a female warrior, equal to any of the boys around her.\nIn 1953, Minnie was given only six panels in black and white.\nHowever, she soon became a regular character in The Beano when her brand of bad behaviour proved as popular with boys as girls.\nThis year's Christmas edition features the Beanotown gang who throw Minnie a surprise birthday party.\nBeano editor Mike Stirling said: \"We can't quite believe its Minnie's 60th anniversary - she looks so young.\n\"The Christmas issue cover is the most coveted of the year in Beanotown.\n\"It usually stars Dennis and some of the gang. Dennis and Gnasher were not happy that it's all about Minnie this year.\"\nAlongside The Beano's regular strips, the Christmas issue also features Will.i.am the Conqueror, How The Cowell Stole Christmas, Dec-k The Halls and The Numskulls taking over Santa's brain with disastrous consequences.", "Walter, Dennis the Menace and his dog Gnasher, from The Beano, can now be added to PC versions of the game.\nPlayers can make a sausage for Gnasher and use all of Dennis' best pranks, including catapults and stink bombs.\nIt's part of the Beano's wider plans to expand into digital and its mod has come out of a partnership between the cartoon and Frima Studios, a Canadian multiplatform game developer.\nMark Cotton, who is leading the Beano's digital changes, told Newsbeat: \"If you talk to any 7 to 11-year-old kid Minecraft is pretty much their biggest passion and love.\"\nMark says the game is an \"extension\" of the comic and an attempt to make The Beano \"a more overall experience\" for kids.\n\"Roughly 32,000 comics are sold each week of the Beano - so still a very healthy number,\" he says.\nBut it's far fewer than the two million sold at the magazines' peak.\n\"We are very aware kids today have a passion for digital,\" says Mark.\n\"We need to turn The Beano into a 360 brand where Dennis and Gnasher is everywhere that kids are, instead of expecting them to come to us.\n\"So we're working on a whole series of initiatives over the next three to six months.\"\nSome of those initiatives include puzzle apps, an interactive comic, and an \"action 3D game for kids\".\nThe Beano's publisher DC Thompson has already extended the brand onto a TV show, a photo-sharing app and a YouTube channel.\nThe comic's been around since 1938 and has plenty of adult fans. So might the Beano characters make an appearance in any adult games - Dennis the Menace in Grand Theft Auto perhaps?\n\"No. That's not something we'd focus on at the moment,\" says Mark.\n\"We're focussing on the 7 to 11-year-old digital product - for the moment digital for us is about really engaging with kids and understanding their passions.\"\nAnd to do that they've been consulting a group of 10 seven to 11-year-old Beano and Minecraft fans throughout the development process.\n\"We basically asked kids, 'If you put Beano into Minecraft, what would you imagine?'\n\"This was the first stage of what they imagined. Obviously their imaginations go a lot further than we can possibly do for the time being.\n\"But they wanted pranks, they wanted Walter, they wanted Gnasher, they wanted to dress up as Dennis, and that's what we've given them.\n\"We'll continue to talk to them. Our desire is to extend this and to build Beanotown and let kids be creative.\n\"Minecraft is so popular as it gives kids the power. If we try to constrain the kids and tell them what to do they'd reject it.\"\nWill any others get a look in?\n\"We definitely want to extend it,\" says Mark.\n\"The obvious character and the ones the kids have been asking for is Minnie the Minx so that's what we'd probably look at next.\"\nFollow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube", "Computer tycoon Mel Morris was an early investor in King Digital Entertainment, the firm behind the smash-hit game.\nHe used some of the millions he made to buy Championship club Derby County.\nThe businessman, who was born and raised in Derby, is being honoured for services to business and charitable services.\nLaunched five years ago, Candy Crush Saga has become one of the most successful video games of all time.\nIn addition, Mr Morris has also launched a number of technology companies, including dating website Udate and internet security firm Prevx.\nHe acquired a 22% stake in the Rams in May 2014 and bought out the club's previous owners the following year.\nHis contribution to charitable causes includes buying a £1.2m robotic surgeon for the Royal Derby Hospital.\nHe also supported the Colin Bloomfield Melanoma Appeal, set up in memory of the BBC Radio Derby broadcaster who died from skin cancer in 2015.", "He will succeed John Fry, who is to stand down on 31 October.\nMr Highfield is a vice president of Microsoft, responsible for its UK consumer and online business, including the UK's largest content portal, MSN.\nPreviously, he was director of new media and technology at the BBC.\nMr Highfield was responsible for the launch of the BBC iPlayer and was also editor-in-chief of BBC Online, after which he became chief executive of the video-on-demand BBC/ITV/C4 joint venture Project Kangaroo.\nMr Highfield started his career with Coopers and Lybrand Management Consultancy.\nHe later became managing director of Flextech (now Virgin Media) Interactive.\nJohnston Press chairman Ian Russell said Mr Highfield's \"combined online and media sector pedigree\" would be a major strength in enabling the group to re-grow its business.\nIn May, the Edinburgh-based company reported a 10.6% drop in advertising for the first few months of the year.\nIt said public sector cuts had led to a 30% fall in job advertising revenues but added the rate of decline was beginning to slow.\nJohnston Press recorded pre-tax profits of £16.5m in 2010, up from a loss of £114m in 2009.\nAs well as The Scotsman and the Yorkshire Post, Johnston Press owns local papers across the UK and Ireland including the Falkirk Herald - the weekly paper from which the company grew.", "With his sense of anarchy and humour, Baxendale and his creations became a big part of the appeal of comics like The Beano from the 1950s.\nHe was regarded by aficionados as one of Britain's greatest and most influential cartoonists.\nHis creations also included The Three Bears, Little Plum and the comic Wham!.\nBaxendale's son Martin, also a cartoonist, said his father died at the age of 86 after a long fight with cancer.\nHailing from Preston, Lancashire, Leo Baxendale helped the Beano appeal to children in an otherwise austere post-war Britain - first with Little Plum then Minnie the Minx, a female answer to Dennis the Menace.\nCuthbert, Smiffy, Fatty, Plug and the rest of the Bash Street Kids came next. Like Minnie, they revelled in running riot across the comic panels and outwitting grown-up authority figures like their teacher, named Teacher.\nMartin Baxendale said: \"The humour in Leo's work for children's comics and his later newspaper cartoons and books was always anarchic, anti the established order and pro fairness and justice in a generally unfair and unjust world, championing the underdog against the forces of oppression; a reflection of his strongly held left-wing, progressive political views.\n\"In his comics' pages he saw the child characters he created as the underdogs long controlled and oppressed by the adult world around them and he gave them a voice and actions with which to fight back in hilariously anarchic fashion, allowed them to step into the limelight and control their own destinies.\n\"Children of the time responded to that, writing fan letters of glee and appreciation that truly delighted him. The fan letters also came from grown-up children, reading his pages with as much enjoyment as their offspring.\"\nCartoonist Lew Stringer told the Downthetubes comic blog that Baxendale was \"quite simply the most influential artist in UK humour comics\".\nHe said: \"The impact of his work on British humour comics is incredible, as other artists were encouraged by editors to mimic Leo's style.\n\"The Beano simply wouldn't look like The Beano without Leo's influence, and it's debatable whether The Beano would even still be around if it had never featured The Bash Street Kids or Minnie the Minx.\"\nComic archivist, author and publisher Paul Gravett wrote on Facebook: \"He did so much more than revolutionise British comics. He inspired in his readers, young and old, an anarchic, free-thinking spirit to challenge authority and be yourself.\"\nBaxendale left The Beano to create the comic Wham! in 1963. It featured characters like Eagle Eye Junior Spy, his arch enemy Grimly Feendish and The Barmy Army.\nIn the 1970s, Baxendale moved on to Willy the Kid and Baby Basil, the latter of which also featured in The Guardian in the 1990s.\nIn the 1980s, he fought a seven-year battle for the copyright to his Beano creations with publisher DC Thomson. They settled out of court before a three-week trial began.\nFollow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].", "Mr Bean retires at the end of the month after almost 14 years at the bank.\nMr Lewis, who founded the Money Saving Expert website, is appointed OBE for services to consumer rights and charity through the MSE charity fund.\nThere is a CBE for pensions expert Ros Altmann, who helped campaign for the end of compulsory annuities.\nMr Bean's knighthood is for services to monetary policy and central banking. Also in the list, economist Kate Barker, a former member of the BoE's Monetary Policy Committee, is made a dame.\nNominees from industry and the economy make up 11% of the list this year.\nGerry Grimstone, chairman of asset manager Standard Life, receives a knighthood for public service to defence and business.\nThere is an OBE for services to road safety for Chris Hanson-Abbott, chairman of Brigade Electronics, which helped introduce reversing alarms for trucks to the UK.\nLouise Makin, chief executive of British Technology Group becomes a dame for services to the life sciences industry, and there is a knighthood for Philip Dilley, former chairman of consultants and engineers Arup.\nJim O'Neil, the former chief executive of the unit set up to sell the government's shares in bailed-out banks - UK Financial Investments - is made an OBE for services to the banking industry.", "Media playback is unsupported on your device\n21 August 2015 Last updated at 18:38 BST\nThe paper's Dublin-based owners, Independent News and Media Limited (INM), said the move is down to the closure of its printing operation within the Royal Avenue premises.\nBBC News NI's business correspondent Julian O'Neill reports.", "A fourth edition of irreverent, adult-themed magazine was one of a number of comics to go under the hammer at Anderson and Garland in Northumberland.\nThese included editions of Viz, Dandy and Hotspur which went for a total of £13,458 - double the pre-sale estimate.\nViz was the brainchild of Chris Donald, who set it up in 1979 in his bedroom whilst living with his parents.\nOriginally photocopied and distributed among the then-teenager's friends, by 1989 sales had reached one million.\nThe fourth edition, dated October 1980, had been listed with a guide price of £20-40.\nFred Wyrley Birch, from Anderson and Garland, said: \"We have sold first edition copies of Viz in the past for less than this fourth edition made.\"", "For the country that gave the world Tintin and the Smurfs, comic art - or \"bande dessinee\", to give it its French name - is a serious business.\nBut like the music industry and other kinds of publishing, the comics world is undergoing rapid technological change that has turned its old certainties upside down.\nAnd at small start-up firm L'Employe Du Moi, the challenge is to take the \"ninth art\" into the 21st Century.\nA handful of artists work at the firm's premises in the north of the Belgian capital, literally just across the tracks from the red-light district.\nMax de Radigues and Sacha Goerg are part of the editorial board of L'Employe Du Moi, which they started with friends in 2000 after leaving art school. Since then, it has published more than 70 hardback comic books, most of them in the graphic novel category.\nThey are proud that their comics come in different sizes and styles, something that sets them apart from the mainstream.\n\"With Tintin books, they're all 62 pages and they're all in colour,\" says Mr de Radigues. \"We try to make the perfect fit for each book - what size should it be, what kind of paper.\"\nNone of the artists is paid a salary, but they receive part of the proceeds from the sales of their comic books.\n\"We try to make enough money back to make new books,\" says Mr Goerg. \"We're a small company and right now, I think we want to stay that way. It's really difficult to get up the ladder and to produce more money, we would have to be much bigger.\"\nWhile new generations of artists are fighting to make their mark, Belgium's comic art heritage is part of the country's cultural mainstream.\nBut strangely enough, the best-known Belgian comic-book character, Tintin, is now in the hands of a Swiss-based Englishman, Nick Rodwell.\nMr Rodwell became the head of Moulinsart, the company that manages the Tintin empire, when he married the widow of the boy reporter's creator, Herge.\nHis tight control over the Tintin legacy has proved controversial with some fans. But it has spawned a popular tourist attraction in the shape of the Herge Museum, an hour out of Brussels in the town of Louvain-La-Neuve.\nMuseum administrator Robert Vangeneberg says the museum is visited by 80,000 people a year. Visitor numbers surged by 20% after Steven Spielberg's Tintin film came out in 2011, but the effect was short-lived.\n\"In budgetary terms, it ought to be 150,000 a year, but fortunately, we have other sources of revenue,\" he says.\nThese include sales from the gift shop, on-site restaurant Le Petit Vingtieme and various business events. The museum can be hired by companies for private visits, conferences, dinners and cocktail parties, while comic art symposiums are organised in conjunction with the neighbouring university.\nFor Mr Vangeneberg, the museum bears witness not only to Herge's talents as a creator of comic books, but also as \"a powerful observer of his era\".\nHe sees Herge's work as reflecting the man's insights into human behaviour, as well as the environmental and socio-economic context of the age in which it was produced.\nBut the Herge Museum is not the only place to appreciate the depth of Belgium's comic-strip culture. The genre has its own dedicated centre in the heart of Brussels, the Comics Art Museum, which celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this month.\nThe museum's communications director, Willem De Graeve, says the comics business has seen great changes in the past quarter-century since the museum opened, originally as the Belgian Comic Strip Centre.\n\"It's a huge difference,\" he says. \"In 1989, there were 500 new comic books. Last year, there were 5,000.\"\nAt the same time, the museum's own audience has changed. \"When we opened, almost 80% of people coming here were Belgians. Now it's the other way round. Belgians are a minority, only 17%.\"\nPart of the reason for that is the advent of low-cost airlines and high-speed rail services, including the Eurostar, that have made Brussels more easily accessible for tourists.\nAt the same time, rather than being the preserve of a cult audience, the comics museum has become part of that mass-market tourist trail, an essential part of Belgium's international image.\n\"Twenty-five years ago, people coming here were comics fans or people who knew comics,\" says Mr De Graeve. \"Now the majority don't know anything about comics. We're some kind of exotic museum to them.\n\"It's like when you go to Scotland, you go to a whisky distillery. Does that mean that you're a whisky fan?\"\nAs part of the anniversary celebrations, the museum has added two new permanent exhibitions: one devoted to the Smurfs and one to a newer star of Belgian comics, Pieter De Poortere, who began publishing the adventures of his character Boerke in 2001.\nAccording to Mr De Poortere, the internet has had the same disruptive effect on his art form as on the record industry: the hardback comic books known in the trade as \"albums\" sell only about a fifth as many copies as they did in the 1980s.\n\"Back then, if you had a big publisher, you were set for life,\" he says. \"Now everybody expects everything for free.\n\"But I think that's mainly a problem for the editors. As an artist, I think it's a much more interesting time.\n\"I have an agent that searches for clients and they come from everywhere. I get to do exhibitions in Toulouse or Moscow or Spain.\n\"There are computer games, children's books. If you're a bit open-minded, it's a lot of fun. I'm glad I'm doing this now and not 25 years ago.\"", "The artworks are from Dundee's Oor Wullie Bucket Trail, which celebrates one of Scotland's best-known comic strip characters.\nInverness's mini trail will be in place until 14 August.\nFour of the sculptures are at Inverness Botanic Gardens, two at the city's library and two at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery.\nA sculpture has also been placed at Inverness Leisure Centre, one at the Highland Archive Centre and one at Inverness Railway Station.\nOor Wullie strips and books are published by DC Thomson. The character is famous for his musings and narrations delivered while sitting on an upturned bucket.", "Fleur Darkin, artistic director of Scottish Dance Theatre, and Mike Stirling, head of Beano Studios Scotland, have also been appointed.\nMr Wallace, a columnist for GQ, is currently working with two US networks developing pilot scripts.\nThe 40-year-old said he was \"very proud to be from Dundee.\"\nHe said: \"I've lived in different cities and different countries, but once you're a Dundonian, you're always a Dundonian.\n\"It's a proud city, and a determined one, but Dundee doesn't take itself too seriously.\n\"It's the home of jam, jute and journalism, yes - but it's also the home of artists, designers and inventors.\n\"And it's a funny city. I'm very proud to have been asked to be an ambassador.\n\"Some people would be happy being asked to be ambassador to Barbados or Fiji - I'll take Dundee.\"\nDundee's existing ambassadors include Emmy award-winning actor Brian Cox and Deacon Blue frontman Ricky Ross.\nMike Stirling, who was previously editor-in-chief of the Beano, said: \"This is a city where comics are taught as a subject at university.\n\"If that's not a signal of outstanding creativity, I don't know what is.\"\nFleur Darkin, who directs Scotland's national contemporary dance company from its base at Dundee Rep, said: \"Our productions are Dundee made and then we export what we do to the rest of the world.\n\"Being based in Dundee is a blessing for us, because it's very easy to live and work here and there are good conditions for experimentation.\"", "The deal values Premier Farnell shares at 165p each. The shares soared 50% to 164p after the takeover was announced.\nDaetwyler distributes more than 500,000 electronics products under brands such as Nedis.\nPremier Farnell has been trying to put its business on a firmer footing in recent months.\nIt has cut dividend payouts to shareholders, and sold its industrial products business, Akron Brass, for $224.2m.\nEben Upton, the pioneer of the Raspberry Pi, was made a CBE in the Queen's latest Birthday Honours list.\nThe Pi has proved hugely popular with electronics hobbyists and many children use the devices to get a taste of computer coding.\nIn April 2016, the Pi became the most popular British computer ever made.\nMore than eight million have been sold since it was launched in early 2012.", "The confirmation follows a media report suggesting Trinity Mirror could buy the Daily Express newspaper.\nTrinity said it was at an early stage of evaluating assets, and there was no certainty a deal would be reached.\nNorthern & Shell is owned by businessman Richard Desmond.\n\"The board of Trinity Mirror notes the recent media speculation and confirms that it is at an early stage of evaluating certain of Northern & Shell's assets,\" the firm said in a statement.\nThe Times newspaper reported on Tuesday that Trinity Mirror was in talks with Mr Desmond about buying the Daily Express.\nHow far the talks have progressed is unclear as yet, but the Times reported that Mr Desmond could stand to gain up to £100m should the sale go ahead.\nIt is also unclear whether Trinity Mirror would also make a bid for the Daily Star newspaper.\nTrinity Mirror shares rose more than 2% following the announcement.\nNorthern & Shell newspaper titles include the Daily Express, the Sunday Express, the Daily Star and the Daily Star Sunday. Magazine titles it owns include OK!", "Five Give Up the Booze, Five Go Gluten Free, Five Go On A Strategy Away Day and Five Go Parenting will catch up with the sleuthing children as adults.\nThe series, written by Bruno Vincent, follows on from the success of the recent Ladybird book spoofs for adults.\nThe original 21 books featured Julian, George, Dick, Anne and their dog Timmy.\nTheir escapades, set during the '40s and '50s, saw the children having virtually adult-free outdoor holidays where they solved mysteries while drinking lashings of ginger beer. Famous titles include Five on a Treasure Island and Five Go to Smuggler's Top.\nA film parody, Five Go Mad in Dorset, was also made by the Comic Strip team for Channel 4 and featured Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French and Adrian Edmondson. They went on to make another film called Five Go Mad on Mescalin.\nThe books have also been made into films, TV series and cartoons, as well as audiobooks, comics and video games.\nPublisher Quercus said the five's grown-up adventures will \"remind older readers of the unbreakable bond\" between the children and \"introduce newer readers to the spiffing time you can have with a few friends and a dog\".\nIt added the series brings characters - who are \"posher than us and holidayed more than us\" into our \"baffling adult world\".\nTheir adult adventures will involve trying to give up alcohol, finding themselves on a puzzling \"strategy away day\", hunting for a good gluten-free cream tea and, \"most perilous of all\", preparing for parenthood.\nAnne McNeil of Enid Blyton Entertainment added they were \"thrilled\" with the new books, adding: \"We are certain Enid Blyton would have delighted in the gentle parody of her characters - characters which have helped to create a multi-million-selling global brand.\"\nThe books will be released in hardback on 3 November.\nThe Famous Five series is among some of Blyton's most famous books, which also include Noddy and The Faraway Tree.\nIn all, she produced more than 700 books, writing one a week at the peak of her powers. The British writer, who was born in 1897 and died in 1968, has sold more than 600 million books in total, which have been translated into 90 languages.\nIn 2008, a survey by the Costa Book Awards saw Blyton voted the \"most-loved author\", beating Roald Dahl, JK Rowling and Jane Austen.\nMichael Joseph's Ladybird Books for Grown-Ups series, which includes the Mid-Life Crisis and The Hipster, has sold 1.74 million copies grossing £10m to date, according to The Bookseller.", "The collectibles company has agreed a new licence with HIT Entertainment, which owns the rights.\nThe relaunch continues a relationship that began 30 years ago when it first developed a Thomas and Friends range.\nThe models can be ordered now but deliveries will not be made until December.\nHornby said there was still \"clear demand\" for the Thomas range, which remained the most popular pre-school character in the UK.\nSales have risen by 18% for the year to date, according to market research data from NPD.\nA computer animated version of the children's series is shown on Channel 5 and Nickelodeon in the UK, and by broadcasters in many other countries.\nA series of events and a feature film later this year are planned to mark Thomas's 70th anniversary. The character was created by Reverend Wilbert Awdry, an Anglican minister.\nRichard Ames, chief executive of Hornby, said: \"Thomas the Tank Engine has a broad appeal with younger model enthusiasts and importantly, attracts them into the hobby, from which many go on to enjoy both collecting and creating their own model railways.\n\"We are planning to extend the range of products to support this important market segment.\"\nThe company also said that Steve Cooke will join on 10 June as its new finance director, from LSL Property Services.\nHe will replace Nick Stone, who is leaving in the summer.\nEarlier this month Hornby said it expected to make an annual profit for the first time in three years.\nThe company, which also owns the Airfix and Scalextric model brands, said sales were up by 13% for the year to 31 March.\nIt expected underlying full-year profits to come in at £1.5m.\nShares rose 2.6% to 94.65p in morning trading in London. The stock is up 16% this year, valuing the company at £36m.", "Perceptions that comics and graphic novels are just about city-wrecking scraps between superheroes and super villains are being challenged by a growing number of women in Scotland interested in the genre.\nAmong these women are a university masters degree graduate and artists and writers from across Scotland.\nIn their own words they tell of why they are passionate about comics and how they are so much more than stories about caped crusaders.\nTanya Roberts: Comic and graphic novel artist\nEdinburgh-born artist Roberts has illustrated comics based on Star Wars spin-off Clone Wars, as well as Toy Story and Strawberry Shortcake.\nAmong her current projects is creating a graphic novel called Abeyance, with her husband.\nShe believes that now is a good time for female artists, writers and readers, but also for comics generally, irrespective of gender.\n\"There are a few good reasons for it,\" she says.\n\"Comics, the characters that are within them and the worlds that they create are now people's playgrounds.\n\"People can write about them, dress up like them even create alternative universes or fan art for them.\n\"All of this of course is then posted to various online social media type things and perpetuate people's interest in that particular fandom. That, in turn, sells more comics.\n\"I think the differences in attracting a male/female readership is subtlety small. Because I go to conventions and sell my material to people I get feedback and notice who is buying my artwork.\n\"Females seem to appreciate character relationships and that emotional connection between them a bit more. I know I do, as a female reader, get inspired when there's great characters in the story with interesting relationships to others.\"\nRoberts believes there to be a healthy female audience for comics.\nShe says: \"Girls don't only seem to cosplay as their favourite characters they also buy comics too.\n\"I always get excited talking to people who are inspired by comics and even more so to learn that they have taken their passion even further, that it in turn has inspired them to create something, like fan art, fiction or even their own original stuff.\n\"To which I say to them: see you next year at the stall next to mine selling your own comic.\"\nLouise Quirion: Comic book exhibition curator\nFrench-born Louise Quirion is a graduate of University of Dundee's MLitt course in Comics and Graphic Novels.\nShe is also the curator of Girls in Print, an exhibition running until 21 October in the university's Tower Building Foyer.\nThe exhibition includes more than 30 original artworks from a number of Dundee publisher DC Thomson's titles such as The Topper, Bunty and Twinkle.\n\"When I began looking into this area, I was amazed at the range of stories covered by girls' comics,\" says Quirion.\n\"As well as school and ballet stories, there are also sports stories, historical dramas, science-fiction and tales of the supernatural.\n\"This exhibition is a great opportunity to discover or re-discover the high school stories of the Four Marys or the space adventures of the Supercats, while appreciating rarely seen original art.\"\nTo show how comics have evolved today, the exhibition also features work by current female comics artists such as Kate Charlesworth, Tanya Roberts and Gillian Hatcher.\nDuring her research for the display, Quirion became interested by how publishers in the UK target readers with gender-specific titles, which is a different approach to other parts of Europe.\nShe says: \"I find it fascinating because France and UK are geographically very close, and yet their comic cultures are based on very different ideas.\n\"I feel like this separation girls/boys is mostly a marketing strategy. They are still using it in Japan and it works great there.\"\nBut she adds: \"Everyone reads comics in France, whatever their gender or age is, so the best strategy is more to appeal to everyone.\n\"I know American comics are pretty popular right now, but I encourage anyone that likes comics to also read other things.\"\nTeam Girl Comic: Scottish-based collective of comic book creators\nTGC was set up to as a support network for women cartoonists across Scotland, and features in Louise Quirion's Girls in Print exhibition in Dundee.\nGill Hatcher, editor and founder of the group, says: \"The number of women and girls in Scotland both attending comic events and making comics has exploded in recent years.\n\"When TGC began in 2009 we were a very small tight-knit group, but the number of people getting in touch and asking to join keeps on growing.\n\"There are a lot more opportunities for young people to learn the craft of writing and drawing comics, and lots more channels for them to get their work out to a wider audience.\n\"And gradually, as more women have got involved in the Scottish comics scene, the more it has opened up to new creators who might have previously felt intimidated or unwelcome.\"\nHatcher says the subjects women want to tackle through comic stories and art are wide-ranging.\nShe says: \"Our contributors write about all sorts of subject matters, often highly personal and touching on politics, identity and feminism.\n\"There's often a lot of humour in the stories we tell too.\"\nHatcher adds: \"Our latest anthology, That Girl Comic, featured our artists' different takes on the theme 'growing up' and we ended up with a great mixture of childhood memories, teenage angst and present-day reflections, as well as some more surreal and whimsical interpretations.\"\nVicky Stonebridge: Artist and comic book fan\nStonebridge, a painter, craftworker and co-organiser of the Highlands' popular but now defunct HiEx comic convention, is based in Lochcarron in Wester Ross.\nGrowing up in the Highlands, she recalls pouring over a comic her dad bought her when she was three or four.\n\"It wasn't the Dandy and Beano I later came to love, but a 'boys' comic with sci-fi, action and crazy perilous monster stories in it. I loved it,\" she says.\n\"I was an early reader, but didn't really get what was going on, there was a giant rat man who was mugging people and being generally menacing.\"\nStonebridge's interest in comics was reignited later at art college when a friend showed her a copy of the British sci-fi and fantasy adventure comic, 2000AD.\nShe says: \"It blew me away. I was the only other person I knew who read it, it was for a long time the only comic I knew.\n\"I even wrote part of my dissertation about it. I loved the escapism, the action, satire, punk attitude, fantasy and adventure. I was never a girly girl so stories of ballerinas and public school girls were never going to cut it with me.\"\nShe adds: \"My love of sci-fi went along similar lines, with a teacher taking a book off me when I was seven as it was 'too old for me'.\n\"I still remember vividly the aliens, mutants and space paradoxes that excited me, and the feeling of resentment at being told it wasn't for me.\n\"This is why I enjoy working with young people and encouraging their interests in comics, geek culture , genre fiction and art, because I think it is important to support them in their journey of discovery in order to foster creativity and imagination instead of closing doors.\"\nStonebridge says a big challenge with comics is challenging the way female characters can be portrayed in the illustrations.\n\"There are lots more examples of strong female characters in comic books and film adaptations coming to the fore,\" she says.\n\"2000AD always had some strong women, but often these were sidekicks to the main male character.\n\"The character Psi Judge Anderson is an interesting character, some writers and artists have given her real depth, and yet there still persists other artists who still portray her as a pouting doll with ridiculous breasts.\n\"A more consistent 2000AD female character was Aimee Nixon. She switched sides and her allegiances were muddy, but she was always fierce and kick-ass.\"\nStonebridge adds: \"As I've become middle aged myself I crave to see older women characters, as all these idealised slim attractive comic women just don't resonate.\n\"I love to see diversity in comics, characters who reflect the real world. There are always gnarly old men characters, but where are the women - apart from being super villains of course, because everyone knows that older women are always evil.\"", "Comic founder and writer Pat Mills and artist Kevin O'Neill have co-written Serial Killer, the first in a planned series of books.\nMills started his career with Dundee-based publisher DC Thomson in the 70s.\nHe said Scots he met during his time there and later while working in London inspired the novel's character, Joy.\nWhile at DC Thomson, Mills worked on the publisher's girls' titles Romeo and Jackie.\nAfter he left the Dundee publisher, he created the girls' mystery comic Misty and co-created the war stories comic Battle and science-fiction/fantasy comic 2000AD, which is 40 years old this year.\nWith O'Neill, who illustrated 2000AD's Nemesis the Warlock stories and Alan Moore's famous graphic novel The Extraordinary League of Gentlemen, Mills has written Serial Killer, the first in a series of novels entitled Read Em and Weep.\nMills said: \"The novels are set in the eccentric 'Life on Mars' world that was the 1970s and features classic 1970s comics, including fictional versions of Battle, Action and 2000AD.\n\"It's a story of revenge for a lost childhood, of flawed and eccentric characters, strange passions and arrested development.\"\nJoy, a journalist, is one of the book's main characters.\nMills said: \"She's inspired by a number of female journalists I worked with at DC Thomson as well as Scottish women I know in London.\n\"One chapter in the novel comes to mind. It was inspired by a time when I worked on Romeo.\n\"The female journalists on Romeo and Jackie were quite outraged by the awful female hygiene products that were being aimed at teenage girls. This would have been in the early 70s.\n\"I'm pretty certain they won and the adverts were withdrawn which is admirable. The products quoted in the chapter of the novel, though fictional, are close to reality.\n\"What was difficult on teenage magazines was how to handle real teenage girl problems and I recall the editor of the Romeo problem page telling me that she wasn't allowed to deal with serious issues and she found that very frustrating. Once again, Joy mirrors this subject.\"\nMills also recalls how working at DC Thomson gave him a \"love of popular culture which has stayed with me my entire life\".\nDescribing Scotland as having a \"supportive atmosphere\" for comics, he said he found DC Thomson's comic strips \"so much funnier\" than other mainstream British comic publishers.\nAmong those who made the comics funny was the late Manchester-born artist Ken Reid, the inspiration for another character in Serial Killer.\nMills said: \"DC Thomson's fun comics were so much funnier than others and Kevin and I tackle that subject with gusto in another chapter.\n\"We mention Ken Reid - referred to as Ken Royce - who was a protégé of DC Thomson and was behind comic characters Jonah and Rodger the Dodger.\n\"Both Kevin and I are huge admirers of his wonderfully subversive material which I do think has a Scottish satirical, almost dour, element.\"", "The owners of Schoolcardshop announced on Wednesday that they had ceased trading, putting thousands of orders under threat.\nBut Devon-based Harrier LLC, which owns the Truprint brand, has promised to deliver all the cards before Christmas.\nHarrier said the move was \"a goodwill gesture\".\nEdinburgh-based Schoolcardshop converted schoolchildren's artwork into Christmas cards, with schools retaining a proportion of the money spent by families on the products.\nOn news of the company's demise, many parents took to social media expressing concern that their children's artwork had been lost.\nOthers were also worried that they would not receive their money back for orders placed.\nBut Schoolcardshop told BBC Scotland on Thursday that Harrier would pick up all the outstanding orders, with \"the majority of deliveries\" expected by the end of next week.\nIn a statement, Schoolcardshop owner Dynamic Colour said Harrier had stepped in after it explored \"all options to preserve Schoolcardshop long enough for parents to receive their products\".\nDynamic Colour added: \"We appreciate the high level of anxiety this has understandably caused parents, children and schools who we worked with on this project.\n\"We would have liked nothing more than to have been able to complete this project successfully, but sadly we have been unable to do so.\n\"We have lost a company we love, our livelihoods and over a decade of hard work. But we are extremely happy and relieved to be able to give this positive news at the end of it all.\"\nHarrier commercial director Darryll Allen said: \"This is a goodwill gesture and there will be no charge. We are absolutely sure we can get all these cards out before Christmas.\"", "New rules mean that all dog owners in England and Wales will soon have to microchip their pets and the Dogs Trust has been working with the famous comic to encourage people to get theirs done for free.\nThe microchips are used to identify animals if they get lost or stolen and include the animal's name, address and owner's contact details.\nThe chips are put under the animal's skin painlessly and are less likely to get lost than a collar.\nNew laws will come into force in Wales in 2015 and England in 2016 making it compulsory. The Scottish Government has yet to announce its plans.\nMicrochipping can help to reduce the number of stray and abandoned dogs.\nOver 10,000 dogs were reunited with their owners this year.\nThe comic, which has run for 76 years, often sees Gnasher causing trouble in Beanotown.\nThis week's strip sees the the famous dog visit the Dogs Trust Beanotown rehoming centre where he gets his chip.", "Johnston, which owns The Scotsman and more than 200 other titles, said the deal would create the UK's fourth largest print publisher with more than 600,000 paid copies a day.\nThe i newspaper is part of the group that publishes The Independent.\nIt is controlled by Russian tycoon Alexander Lebedev and his son Evgeny.\nThe i became Britain's first new daily national newspaper in nearly 25 years when it launched in 2010 with a cover price of 20p.\nThe talks come at a time when the printed media is struggling in the face of falling advertising revenues as customers move to digital platforms.\nThe sale of the i newspaper could raise questions about the future of The Independent, according to analyst Douglas McCabe from media research firm Enders.\nHe said: \"One's instinct is that the Independent could close after 30 years of existence.\n\"It is very difficult to disentangle the i and The Independent because there is a lot of crossover between them both journalistically and commercially. If you hive off one of them, it poses risks for the future of the other.\"\nIn announcing the talks, Edinburgh-based Johnston said: \"The board of Johnston Press plc notes the recent media speculation and confirms that it is in late stage discussions with Independent Print Limited (IPL) for the potential acquisition of the business and certain assets of the i.​\n\"There can be no certainty that the discussions between the company and IPL will lead to any definitive agreement concerning the possible acquisition or as to the final terms of any such agreement.\n\"Completion of the acquisition would be subject to the approval of shareholders of the company.\n\"The consideration for the proposed acquisition is likely to be £24m, to be provided from the group's existing cash resources.\"\n\"In the year ended 30 September 2015, the i had unaudited operating profit of £5.2m.\"\nIPL's parent company, ESI Media, confirmed that talks with Johnston were taking place but added that no decision had yet been made.\nGroup chief executive Steve Auckland said in a statement: \"ESI Media remains committed to our brands, building on our fast growing global footprint, whilst cementing our place as the most important destination for audiences in the capital.\"\nJohnston Press recently revealed plans to cut editorial jobs across its operations in the UK as part of a bid to reduce costs following a decline in revenue.\nShares in the publisher rose earlier this month after it said it expected a major reduction in its pension scheme deficit.", "The Sunday Independent, which provides in-depth coverage of sport in the south west, will be back on sale from the weekend.\nA businessman in Cornwall has stepped in to take over the title.\nSeventeen jobs have been saved at the paper's headquarters in Liskeard.\nMore on paper rescue and other Cornwall and Devon stories\nIt has been bought by Peter Masters, who also co-owns Truro City Football Club.\nHe said: \"Like so many of our family of readers, I've read the Indy every Sunday all my life.\n\"There was no way I could stand aside and let such a loved and respected part of the West Country sporting scene pass into history.\"\nThe paper's new managing director, writer and photojournalist Colin Bradbury said: \"Our first and most important task will be to get the Indy that people love, complete with our existing team of writers and contributors, back in the shops this Sunday, April 23.\"\nThe price of the paper has been increased by 20p to £1.20.\nEditor John Collings, who has worked for the paper since 1988, said: \"We have been simply overwhelmed by the messages of love and affection for the paper and we thank everybody for their support.\n\"This great news gives us a solid platform to continue and make the Indy even better.\"", "The businessman first found fame as one of the founders of 60s counterculture magazine Oz, which was caught up in a high-profile obscenity trial in 1971.\nHe went on to found Dennis Publishing, which published titles like The Week, Your Spectrum and men's magazine Maxim.\nHis office said Dennis died on Sunday, \"surrounded by his loved ones\".\n\"After a long and painful battle with cancer, Felix died peacefully at his home in Dorsington [in Warwickshire], aged 67,\" continued the statement.\n\"Felix was a publishing legend, famed for his maverick and entrepreneurial style and, more lately, a successful and much-loved poet. He will be greatly missed.\"\n\"Thank you for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Felix, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.\"\nBorn in Kingston-upon-Thames, in Surrey, Dennis played in a number of R&B bands as a teenager before briefly attending Harrow College of Art.\nHis tenure lasted little more than a term, though, before he moved out of home and began creating window displays for department stores to make a living.\nHe was first hired by Oz in 1967, creating a poster to mark Che Guevara's death for the magazine's eighth issue. Famously, he spelled the Marxist revolutionary's name wrong - a mistake which occurred, he said, after checking it in The Guardian.\nBy 1969, he was a full-time writer and co-editor on the establishment-baiting magazine - and caused shockwaves when he invaded the stage on David Frost's television show, uttered a four-letter swear word and squirted the host with a water pistol.\nDennis was briefly jailed in 1971 after an obscenity trial relating to a \"schoolkids' edition\" of Oz.\nAbout 20 secondary school pupils had been handed the reins of the magazine, and they portrayed cartoon character Rupert the Bear as semi-naked with genitals on display.\nThe magazine was raided by the Obscene Publications Squad and its owners were charged with \"conspiracy to corrupt public morals\".\nThe case became a cause celebre for the hippy counter-culture and on release from jail, Dennis was whisked away from the press by none other than Beatle John Lennon.\nFollowing his acquittal from the court of appeal in 1973, Dennis went on to found his own publishing company, launching with Kung-Fu Monthly.\nConceived as a quick cash-in to capitalise on the popularity of film star Bruce Lee, it ran for years.\nMany of his other titles appealed to specialist interests - including Auto Express, Mac User and Computer Shopper. He also published one-off magazines to coincide with Hollywood's growing blockbuster industry - signing deals for Star Wars and Jaws, among others.\nToday, Dennis Publishing is responsible for more than 50 magazines, websites and mobile sites, including The Week, Men's Fitness, PC Pro, Octane and Viz.\nIts biggest publication is currently The Week, a digest of global current affairs, which has a circulation of almost 200,000 per week.\nIn 2007, he made £144.5 million by selling off all 31 international editions of Maxim, when it was the best-selling men's magazine in the world.\nHe also made millions from co-founding US computer mail order company MicroWarehouse, which floated on the stock market in 1992.\nIn total, Dennis was worth about £500m. He claimed to have spent as much as £100 million of that on \"sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll\" - a lifestyle that culminated in a crack-cocaine addiction in the 1990s.\n\"It was complete madness,\" he told the BBC in 2006. \"I'm very embarrassed about it. I had a wonderful time, I'm not going to lie, but I shouldn't have done it. It was fun at the beginning, but then it becomes not so pleasant.\n\"You're behaving badly and there's no one to tell you to stop, it gets out of hand. And then you get addicted. So I walked away.\"\nIn 1999, he was treated for a serious thyroid condition, and took advantage of a stay in hospital to write his first poem, on a post-it note.\n\"I needed something utterly absorbing and gripping, when I wasn't doing business,\" he said, \"and I certainly found it.\n\"When you're writing, you're in a totally different zone... I can start a difficult poem and look up at the clock and see to my astonishment that three hours have passed.\n\"Instead of taking crack cocaine, going out with whores and boozing, I'll sit down alone in a room and have just as much fun, if not more.\"\nHe penned more than 1,500 poems, including one about his charity, The Heart of England Forest, which aims to create a large forest of British broadleaf trees in Warwickshire. \"Whosoever plants a tree / Winks at immortality,\" he wrote.\nIt was not his only charitable endeavour. Earlier this year, Dennis brokered a deal which gave all 12,500 schoolchildren in St Vincent and the Grenadines a laptop.\nThe publisher's relationship with the Caribbean nation began in the 1990s when he bought Mandalay, David Bowie's hilltop villa on the exclusive island of Mustique.\nHe would often appear at the island's blues festival, revisiting the R&B riffs of his youth.\nHis other interests, according to his personal website, included \"commissioning bronze sculpture, drinking French wine and avoiding business meetings\".", "The last print edition will be on 31 December, reflecting the trend for newspapers and magazines to move online as traditional advertising declines.\nNewsweek merged with the internet news group the Daily Beast two years ago.\nThe Daily Beast's founder, Tina Brown, said its site now had more than 15 million unique visitors a month, a 70% increase on last year.\nShe said in a statement: \"Exiting print is an extremely difficult moment for all of us who love the romance of print and the unique weekly camaraderie of those hectic hours before the close on Friday night.\nBy Ben ThompsonBusiness reporter, New York\nIn 1933, Newsweek hit the news stands - a weekly magazine covering global events.\nBut much like the world it's reported on over the last 80 years, much has changed in the publishing world too. Not least how consumers get their news.\nThe number of Newsweek subscribers has slumped from more than 3 million at its peak to 1.5 million today. Couple that with falling advertising revenues for traditional print media and it's led Newsweek to ditch its print edition altogether.\nNewsweek Global, the digital only version, will be available via a subscription. It's a way of tapping into the 70 million consumers who now use tablet computers in the US, a figure that's soared from just 13 million two years ago.\nBut while it's a large market, there are also more competitors, and analysts say standing out in a digital world will be tough.\n\"But as we head for the 80th anniversary of Newsweek next year, we must sustain the journalism that gives the magazine its purpose - and embrace the all-digital future.\n\"This decision is not about the quality of the brand or the journalism - that is as powerful as ever. It is about the challenging economics of print publishing and distribution.\"\nNewsweek rose to become the second largest US news weekly magazine, behind Time. But declining circulation and advertising saw it fall into losses.\nIt was sold by the Washington Post Company to Sidney Harman in August 2010, and was merged with the Daily Beast three months later.\nTina Brown, who became Lady Evans when her husband Harold Evans, the legendary journalist, was knighted, is a former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker.\nShe teamed up with Barry Diller to launch The Daily Beast in 2008. The website's name comes from the fictional newspaper in Evelyn Waugh's 1938 novel Scoop.", "The rankings are based on the number of page views. Here are the top 10:\nMystery surrounds a man wearing a horse's head who has been captured on Google's Street View in Aberdeen.\n'Horse-boy' on Google Street View\nThe country's main supermarkets and online shops have stopped taking orders in Scotland in the run up to Christmas, because of the weather.\nTesco and Sainsbury's halt online orders in Scotland\nRepairs to a supercar damaged when a test drive went wrong near Aberdeen are set to cost an insurance firm £300,000.\nCar in £300,000 insurance claim\nThe Royal Navy's newest and largest attack submarine HMS Astute has run aground off Skye, the Ministry of Defence confirms.\nRoyal Navy nuclear submarine grounded\nSolicitors for X Factor entrant Gamu Nhengu and her family are to seek a judicial review of the Home Office order expelling them from the UK.\nLegal bid to overturn X Factor singer Gamu's removal\nComedian Tim Vine has won a prize for the funniest joke of this year's Edinburgh Fringe.\nHoliday pun is Fringe's funniest\nActor Gerard Kelly has died at the age of 51 after suffering a brain aneurysm.\nActor Gerard Kelly dies aged 51\nA company selling \"Anyone but England\" T-shirts for this year's World Cup has rejected suggestions it is racist after police in Aberdeen visited its store.\n'Anyone but England' shirt fears\nA 20-mile stretch of the M8 motorway has reopened after being closed for 48 hours due to snow and ice.\nMotorway reopens after big freeze\nA man who assaulted a female police officer with his penis has been fined at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.\nMan assaulted officer with penis", "Heartbreak Publishing, set up seven years ago by the Fife-born artist, sold prints, posters and postcards of his work and of other artists.\nMr Vettriano, the company's majority shareholder, said it was a business decision to place the company in voluntary liquidation.\nHis prints will still be available from his own website.\nMr Vettriano said: \"This is purely a business decision and involves a return of the company's assets to the shareholders.\n\"Signed, limited edition prints, open edition posters, cards, and books will still be available from early this year through my official website; www.jackvettriano.com.\"", "Coventry-based Covpress Limited had experienced \"significant and urgent funding issues,\" administrators Grant Thornton said.\nNo redundancies have been announced and it would look to \"pursue a sale or rescue of the company,\" it added.\nCovpress Limited makes body panels for car makers including Jaguar Land Rover and Renault.\nThe company said on its website that in 30 months since a £30m British-Chinese consortium takeover in July 2013 \"a further £25m has been invested in the Canley plant in both machinery and jobs\".\nThe Unite union said the administration was \"a worrying development for the 800 employees\" and more generally for the West Midlands economy.\nBut regional officer Adrian Ross added \"there is optimism that a buyer will be found\".\nRead more news for Coventry and Warwickshire\nThis is an unusual administration.\nIt is very different from many collapses we have seen in the past where companies have lacked orders and struggled to win new work.\nCovpress has been expanding rapidly over the last three years and is understood to have full order books.\nWhatever has gone wrong, I would expect administrators would be seeing a lot of interest from potential buyers and that should help save the bulk of the jobs at Covpress.\nGrant Thornton said talks with customers and suppliers would be \"critical to any outcome\".\nEddie Williams, a joint-administrator, said: \"We expect significant interest in this growing business and with that support, we will look to pursue a sale or rescue of the company.\"\nIn July last year Covpress spent another £30m buying nearby Honda supplier UYT, which was renamed Covpress Assembly, a move that safeguarded 400 jobs, according to the company's website.\nCovpress Assembly Limited is not subject to the administration.", "Tindle Newspapers Ltd, which is buying the titles, said it was \"delighted\".\nThe deal includes three weeklies - the Isle of Man Examiner, Isle of Man Courier, and Manx Independent - as well as the iomtoday.co.im news website.\nSir Ray Tindle, who established Tindle Newspapers Ltd, said: \"We are unable to meet the whole of the staff until completion of the agreement.\"\nHe added: \"Everyone at Tindle Newspapers will make them all very welcome just as soon as we are able to do so.\n\"I am convinced that local weekly papers will be with us for a very long time. Everyone wants to read about their own community, and they want to read about it in depth.\"\nTindle publications include the Enfield Gazette and Advertiser, the Cornish Times, Farnham Herald and the Monmouthshire Beacon.\nOn its website, Isle of Man newspapers said staff were informed of the deal on Friday.\nThe deal is expected to be finalised at the end of July." ]

[ "STAR Plus" ]

[ "Serialism", "the Mitsubishi eK", "serial dilution", "John Ek", "serial interval", "serial number", "a channel", "Queen of the Serials", "channeling", "serial killer", "serial interface", "Serial Mom", "serial killers", "Shan Sa", "Serial AT Attachment", "serial communication", "SA Health", "serial music", "Rousseau SA", "EDV SAS", "Serial Killaz", "SA node", "a serial code", "that which burns", "serial processing", "Atari, SA", "serial cable", "that which purifies", "a serial killer", "Sa Talaiassa", "SA Water", "Brait SA" ]

[ "Percentage of Earnings. Unemployment benefits usually cover about 40 percent of the former worker's earnings, up to the state maximum. Depending on the state, the average ranges from 30 to 50 percent, again dependent on the benefit maximum. Beneficiaries must pay federal taxes on unemployment compensation." ]

[ "How much do the contestants get paid on The Bachelor Australia? As one anonymous star revealed it to News Corp, you don't star on The Bachelor for money. \"You don't get paid a wage as such, you get given a weekly expense allowance which is under $100 a day.", "How much do I get paid to serve on jury duty? You are compensated $10 per day plus mileage.", "If you prefer, you can simply write \"job ended,\" \"laid off,\" or \"terminated\" on your application. This is recommended since your goal with your application and resume is to get an interview. You have a much better chance of dealing with the issue in person than you do of dealing with it on paper.", "['\"So, how much will I get paid?\" ... ', '\"How much vacation time will I get?\" ... ', '\"How quickly can I get promoted?\" ... ', '\"Why did the company fire so many people last month?\" ... ', '\"So, who do you consider your competition?\"']", "layed / laid. Although “layed” is an extremely popular variant spelling of the past tense of transitive “lay,” “laid” is the traditional spelling in all contexts. If your boss decides to lay you off, you are laid off. The hen laid an egg.", "['What Do Pastors Do During the Week? ... ', 'How Much Time Does It Take to Prepare a Sermon? ... ', 'How Much Do Pastors Get Paid? ... ', 'What Do Pastors Usually Talk About When They Get Together? ... ', 'Do All Pastors Get Along With Each Other?']", "How often will I get paid and how fast will I get paid? While we will try our best to pay you much faster, generally you will receive your first payment within 45 days after the end of the reporting period -typically end of month- after you start monetizing.", "If you were sent to prison, you'll be released. This will happen if either you, the CSA or CMS tell the court the arrears have been paid off. If you pay back part of the amount, the period of driving disqualification or your prison sentence will be shortened according to how much you've paid off.", "No, get your application in. You'll never get paid as much as you do now so long as you are secondary and an EBACC subject. School experience is not mandatory, but desirable.", "You will be paid for completed and processed delivery requests via direct deposit into your bank account approximately 48 hours after delivery is made. Always make sure your banking information is current. How much do I get paid?", "['How much is the rent?', 'When is the rent paid (weekly, monthly, quarterly)? ... ', 'By what methods can the rent be paid? ... ', 'Do you need to pay a deposit? ... ', 'How much are the rates?', 'Are the service and maintenance charges included in the rent? ... ', 'Are they capped or open-ended?']", "You do get paid for training and you will get paid the same day that everyone else does!", "How much annual leave am I entitled to by law, and when can I take it? All workers have, from the first day of employment, the right to 5.6 weeks' paid holiday per year. You can work out how many days off you should get by multiplying the number of days you work each week by 5.6.", "How much do contestants make? Right off the bat, contestants are paid $125,000 just for signing up to compete on DWTS. The longer celebrities stay on the show, the more they get paid. So along with trying to win the season, contestants have an incentive to stick around for a bigger paycheck each week.", "Well, if you become a professional athlete or an actor, you can! Average professional athletes get paid around $32,296 dollars, and even ordinary actors can get paid around $52,995. ... Actors are paid way too much, because they get paid more than even people who save lives everyday, such soldiers, or the navy do.", "['Are you regulated? ... ', 'How many lenders do you work with? ... ', 'How much do you charge? ... ', 'When is this fee due? ... ', 'Do you work with…? ... ', 'What kind of mortgage can I get?']", "['Are you a fiduciary? ... ', 'How do you get paid? ... ', 'What are my all-in costs? ... ', 'What are your qualifications? ... ', 'How will our relationship work? ... ', \"What's your investment philosophy? ... \", 'What asset allocation will you use? ... ', 'What investment benchmarks do you use?']", "The amount you pay back depends entirely on how much money you earn once uni is over. Repayments do not begin until you start earning more than £21,000 a year. For every pound you earn over £21,000, nine pence of that is automatically paid off your loan. So, the more you earn, the more you pay.", "['How much experience do you have as a commercial semi truck driver? ... ', 'How do you plan and organize your route? ... ', 'Have you ever dealt with a shipment setback? ... ', 'How do you stay motivated on the road? ... ', 'How would you deal with getting into an accident?']", "For doing this, SFI is paying the Members that joins SFI for FREE, a monthly commission, depending on how much each member is selling from their shop, and how big each members Network is. ... As this is a Residual Income system, you will get paid every month for a sale or work you have done only once.", "How Does a Notary Get Paid? It surprises a lot of people to know that, despite all the training required for someone to be a notary, notaries do not get paid by the government for doing their job. ... To allow you to perform all the necessary services in-house, the bank may pay for you to complete notary training.", "How much do the Queens' guards make? - Quora. Thank you for the A2A. They are paid whatever they would normally be paid, as professional soldiers in the British Army, which is what they are. ... They are paid whatever they would normally be paid, as professional soldiers in the British Army, which is what they are.", "Surveys on the Go is a legit get-paid-to app that lets you share your opinion on a variety of subjects and pays you for your efforts. The app is reliable, but you don't get that many surveys, which limits how much you can earn as a member.", "contestants get paid? It's unclear how much participants get paid for appearing on the show, but according to a Season 2 casting call, they do get more than a free tattoo out of the deal. Under \"Compensation & Union Contract Details\" the listing reads, \"Paid plus all travel to and accommodation in NYC covered.\"", "Bilstein shocks were a much smoother and controlled ride. So keep in mind how much you paid for this advice. OEM are usually overpriced so if you get a good aftermarket set, they will be cheaper or cost the same but will be of good quality.", "How much do Gogglebox stars get paid to appear on the show? According to the Sun, the Gogglebox contestants aren't paid a salary but are instead given £1,500 a month for watching 12 hours of television each week.", "Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the minimum amount you must pay workers when they are off sick. How much is statutory sick pay? ... Part-time workers are paid pro-rata. This handy sick pay calculator can help you work out how much SSP your employee is entitled to.", "How much does the Bachelor/Bachelorette get paid per season? If you're lucky enough to get chosen as the title bachelor or bachelorette, you can expect to rake in about $100,000.", "How much do the Strictly Come Dancing judges get paid? According to the Daily Mail, Shirley Ballas and Bruno Tonioli are the highest paid judges, each earning £250,000 for the series. Craig Revel Horwood is paid £180,000 for the show.", "16 Feb Workers Compensation: Can I Be Fired While Out On Disability? The short answer is yes, you can be fired or laid off while on workers' compensation, but the reason cannot be because of that. There must be some other reason why you were fired or laid off, having nothing to do with your workers' compensation claim.", "['Do you have space for my child? (if not, is there a waiting list and how long is it?)', 'How much does it cost? ... ', 'Are there subsidized spots available at this centre?', 'Do you offer full-time and part-time enrollment?', 'How flexible are pickup/ drop-off times?']", "['What will you be doing in a few years time? ... ', 'Is everyone fully on board with the idea of a dog? ... ', 'How much time can you devote to a new dog? ... ', 'How much room do you have? ... ', 'What makes your ideal buddy? ... ', 'Other pets and children: will everyone get on? ... ', 'Just how houseproud are you? ... ', 'Cost: can you afford it?']" ]

[ "Found it:\nKjell Askildsen - Thomas F's Last Notes to the Public\n\nI read it in Hebrew and it looks like there is no English translation, probably that's why people here are not familiar with it. Shame, it's a great book.\n\n\n\nIt matches the story based on the following:\n\n\n It is about a man who is informed by a stark and somewhat sinister police man that he is suspected of having committed a heinous crime. Living with this suspicion becomes unbearable and he ends up completely dominated by it.\n\n\nMatches the story about a man being accused of a crime.\n\n\n The second story though, the titular Thomas F.... It is a first-person account of a very aged misanthrope, a sort of short diary of events and memories.\n\n\nMatches the old man part.\nBoth quotes are from here. The Daughter is also mentioned in another review.\n\n\n a surprise meeting with a daughter\n\n\nAnd of course Kjell Askildsen is a 20th century Scandinavian(Norwegian) author.\n\n\n\nHow did I find it? I looked at different 20th century Scandinavian authors but couldn't find it. Got no responses here so I checked story-identification tag info looking for ways to improve my question. \n\nThe paragraph about translation gave me the idea to search in Hebrew(Israel is a small market and I didn't think there are translations to Hebrew that don't exist in English) searching for \"סופרים נורבגים\" Norwegian writers in Hebrew I found a different book by Askildsen A Great Deserted Landscape. \n\nThe name of the author looked familiar and searching his name in Hebrew \"של אסקילדסן\" immediately shows the book I was looking for which I recognized when I saw it." ]

[ "Yes, it is a good translation. Michael A. Knibb says, in 'Life and death in the Old Testament', published in The World of Ancient Israel: Sociological, Anthropological and Political Perspectives, page 398, the account of the creation of man in the ‘Yahwistic’ narrative of the creation and fall (Gen.2.4b-3.24) epitomises the Old Testament view of the constitution of man: \"Yahweh God formed man out of dust from the ground and breathed in to his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.\" He says it is widely recognised that there is no suggestion here of a dichotomy between body and soul; the ‘breath of life’ is not conceived of as having an existence somehow separate from the body, and it is man as an entity who becomes a ‘living being’. \n\nIn the nineteenth century, Julius Wellhausen carried out stylistic analyses of the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy), and was able to assign authors called J (the 'Yahwist') and E (the 'Elohist') to the nature and fertility stage of religion, D ('Deuteronomist') to the spiritual and ethical stage, and P ('Priestly Source') to the priestly and legal stage. Some modern scholars suggest modifications to Wellhausen's hypothesis, but there is general agreement that multiple authorship remains the best hypothesis. \n\nThe Yahwist source, perhaps as early as the tenth century BCE, portrayed God as more anthropomorphic, less abstract, walks and talks with men, etc. On the other hand, the Elohist portrayed God in similar terms but no one could look at his face and live. It is the Yahwist portrayal of God that concerns us here, because this passage is considered part of the Yahwist's contribution to Genesis. \n\nOthmar Keel and Christoph Uehlinger say in Gods, Goddesses, and Images of God: In Ancient Israel, page 305, that Isaiah, for example in chapter 6, could still see Yahweh in human form at the end of the eighth century BCE.", "As you say Snorri Sturluson writes this cited text in the prologue to his Prose Edda, one of our chief sources of Norse mythology. The old Scandinavian worshipers did not have a written language comparable to that of Latin of the Roman church. As such we have next to nothing about the Norse myths written by Scandinavians who were actively telling these myths and believing in these Norse gods, such as Odin and Thor. Instead we must rely on sources written after the conversion of the Scandinavian homelands and colonies to Christianity.\n\nSnorri wrote his Prose Edda some 200 years after Iceland converted to Christianity, at this point the worship of the old gods had faded. But some of the myths were still known either from scaldic poetry or eddic poems of which he cites throughout his edda, many of them are preserved in the poetic edda. Snorri wrote his prose edda to serve as a handbook to these myths, before they were forgotten. But as a Christian in a Christian society this is not always seen as a good thing, and could get him in trouble. So instead Snorri wrote in his prologue that the gods of old were in reality great men and kings that went north and settled in Scandinavia, here their rule were so beneficial to the Scandinavians that over time they became gods in the mind of the Scandinavian descendants. This approach to gods is called Euhemerism, when you say gods are in reality misremembered heroes and legendary men/women. \n\nThereby Snorri has made it clear to his audience that this his Prose Edda is not to be taken as a pagan text that could land him in trouble, and thus he is free to present the actual myths and gods in his main text.\n\nSo to answer your question: Disregard the prologue and look at the main text. Odin is Thors father.", "Poetry is rarely intended to be read literally.\nThis psalm is written in three 4-line verses. As with anything in threes, there are hints of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.\n\nIn the first, it is the Father's house. \nIn the second, Jesus was the man of sorrows (Baca) and the living water.\nIn the third, the oil and gifts are associated with the Spirit.\n\nHidden in the bland introduction is a picture of Christ. \nMusician נצח is also the word for perpetual and blood. Since 'Life is in the blood' could this be a veiled reference to eternal life?\nGittith means winetrough a common symbol of tribulation.\nKorah means bald, and is the same reference to Elisha who was taunted for not having authority, the leper who shaves his head, and the departure of the Father from the Son on the cross. \n\nThe tone of the verse is that of comfort and friendliness. The soul that is crying out does not desire the physical courts of the Lord, but for his heart to be the dwelling place of the Lord. He desired to be the living tabernacle of God, as we in the church now are.\nThe sparrow (depart early) and the swallow (set free) represent those who die early and those who are set free from sin who find a dwelling place, a rest in the altars. \n\nHow can the birds find rest if there is a fire burning in the altars? Fire is the symbol of the Spirit in whom we find rest. \n\nIt's prophetic poetry fulfilled in Christ.", "From the title of the picture, I feel it is safe to assume the author had this in mind:\n\nMatthew 4:1-4\n\n\n 1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be\n tempted of the devil.\n \n 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was\n afterward an hungred.\n \n 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of\n God, command that these stones be made bread.\n \n 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by\n bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of\n God.\n\n\nThe stone is so oddly standing in order to stick out. Otherwise it wouldn't be Jesus staring at a stone, it would be Jesus staring.", "The point of view in ‘A Worn Path’ can be described as “third-person, limited, objective”. That is, it is told from the point of view of a “third person”, a narrator who not themselves a character in the story; it is “limited” (as opposed to “omniscient”), describing only things seen and experienced by the protagonist; and it is “objective” (as opposed to “subjective”) describing appearances and events, but not the protagonist’s thoughts.\nThe effect of “limited” narration is to give a strong impression of what it is like to see things from the perspective of the protagonist. For example, when she comes across a scarecrow, it is described like this:\n\nThen there was something tall, black, and skinny there, moving before her.\nA first she took it for a man. It could have been a man dancing in the field. But she stood still and listened, and it did not make a sound. It was silent as a ghost.\n“Ghost,” she said sharply, “who be you the ghost of? For I have heard of nary death close by.”\n\nThis conveys the threat to the protagonist inherent in the landscape—the figure of a man is dangerous to her—and her sense of the numinous, the possibility that she might meet the ghost of someone who recently died.\nHowever, because the narration is objective, the reader gets no insight into what the protagonist is thinking or intending, except for what she says out loud or reveals through her actions and expressions. This allows Welty to preserve suspense as to why the protagonist is making this difficult and dangerous journey.", "The Hebrew word used here for \"gray head\" appears to be שֵׂיבָה, \"gray head\" or simply \"old age\". As far as I know, this may be translated as plain as \"old age\". In various other biblical places this is simply \"old age\" (Genesis 15:15; Ruth 4:15; 1 Kings 2:6 etc)\n\nAs one of the concluding reminders of chapter 16, the verse 31 is a statement saying that the length of days, the old age, is viewed as a blessing of the Lord upon the life of one who lives by God’s will - which is an important teaching in the Proverbs. In other words, old age (long life) is seen as a reward of right doing, of a life lived with wisdom:\n\nProverbs 3:2 \n\n\n ... for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to\n you. (ESV) - please see context\n\n\nProverbs 3:16 \n\n\n Long life is in her [wisdom's] right hand; in her left hand are riches\n and honor. (ESV)\n\n\nSee also:\nSirach 1:12 \n\n\n The fear of the Lord maketh a merry heart, and giveth joy, and\n gladness, and a long life. (KJV+Apocrypha)\n\n\nThe author of the book of Proverbs assumes that a bad man may not live to be old, he will perish early. See:\n\nProverbs 2:22 \n\n\n ... but the wicked will be cut off from the land ... (ESV)\n\n\n\nhere, the KJV goes: \n\n\n\n \"shall be cut off from the earth\"\n\n\nProverbs 12:7 \n\n\n The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the\n righteous will stand.\n\n\nSee also:\nSirach 16:4 \n\n\n For by one that hath understanding shall the city be replenished: but\n the kindred of the wicked shall speedily become desolate\n (KJV+Apocrypha)\n\n\nIn this perspective, the verse is a sign of the respect for the aged, according to Leviticus 19:32\n\n\n Leviticus 19:32 You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the\n face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.\n\n\nJust as in \n\n\n Proverbs 20:29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the\n beauty of old men is the gray head.\n\n\nNow considering the relation between right doing and length of days (old age) as a blessing, please do keep in mind that this is an important teaching in Proverbs, not in the whole of the Bible.\n\nSee more in: Smith, J. E. Smith, \"The wisdom literature and Psalms (Pr 16:31-33)\", College Press Pub. Co., Joplin, Mo., 1966", "Your perspective intrigued me, so I'll share with you what I know of the Chinese language. Among Chinese, when a speaker of a (regional) dialect speaks with a thick accent and others can't understand him/her, they often resort to writing the words out. So being able to speak the language doesn't necessarily make one intelligible to other native speakers who, despite being speakers of \"Chinese\", speak a vastly different dialect. The written language comes in handy in these situations (less so nowadays).\n\nI have known professors of Chinese--scholars of classic texts, in fact--whose speaking ability lagged way behind their reading/writing abilities, but seemed to manage their trips to China just fine. Truth be told, though, I suspect their English came in handy.\n\nSo, could you live in china \"without knowing a single spoken word but being fluent in the written system\"? Certainly. From the point of view of your research interest, how is that different from, say, a Chinese (from China) who can read/write English, but can't speak it and who lives in the US? In other words, since you are interested in \"the purpose of language learning\", do \"logographic systems\" have anything to do with whether or not one can live in a place where one only knows either the written or the spoken form of the language (but not both)?\n\nBy the way, it's true a lot of puns (or jokes) in Chinese play off of homophones (which share no similarities in the written form). Nonetheless, how would you know it's a joke unless you are intimately familiar with the sounds of the words (characters) involved? If you know the sounds of the words, then the question becomes \"Can you know the pronunciation of characters but still can't speak the language?\"", "Abstract\n\nPaul can't be read to support a non-physical resurrection, in this passage or any other, unless you take his words out of context.\n\n\n\nN. T. Wright is certainly the person to ask on the topic and he neatly summarizes the argument in an article addressing four reviews of his The Resurrection of the Son of God:\n\n\n [Michael] Goulder, by contrast, proposes that the Jerusalem leadership held the view that Jesus’ resurrection was a matter of ‘spiritual’ transformation, rather than the ‘bodily resurrection’ which he ascribes to Paul. This is remarkable in itself; Goulder, never one to shirk controversial proposals, has stood on its head a more usual position, which is that Paul held a ‘spiritual’ view of the resurrection (based on the common misreading of the soma pneumatikon in 1 Corinthians 15) while some other, less Hellenized and more Jewish, early Christians stuck to a view of bodily resurrection.\n\n\nWhat Wright calls \"the common misreading\", comes from 1st Corinthians 15:42-49 (ESV): \n\n\n So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.\n\n\nThe word spiritual throughout the passage is pneumatikos &lt;4152>, which can mean:\n\n\n 1) relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as part of the man\n which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ\n 1a) that which possesses the nature of the rational soul\n 2) belonging to a spirit, or a being higher than man but inferior to God\n 3) belonging to the Divine Spirit\n 3a) of God the Holy Spirit\n 3b) one who is filled with and governed by the Spirit of God\n 4) pertaining to the wind or breath; windy, exposed to the wind, blowing\n\n\nWhile the idea of \"spiritual renewal\" seems possible to modern readers, in the context of resurrection, which meant a bodily coming back to life, it doesn't work. Paul uses the word \"spiritual\" because he is struggling to describe the sort of body that will be raised. In verses 35-49, he compares the process to the process of burying a seed. What is planted in the ground does not look like what eventually grows up, but both are of the same kind. In the Resurrection, we don't get an identical copy of our bodies, but something better. \"Spiritual\", in this case, is of the second definition: \"belonging to a spirit, or a being higher than man but inferior to God\". (It also might include the third meaning: \"belonging to the Divine Spirit\".)\n\nWright's book goes into great detail about what might and what might not be meant by resurrection in the New Testament. Here's a summary from another of his articles:\n\n\n The first point to make here is vital. I have argued that the early Christians looked forward to a resurrection which was not a mere resuscitation, nor yet the abandonment of the body and the liberation of the soul, but a transformation, a new type of body living within a new type of world. This belief is embroidered with biblical motifs, articulated in rich theology. Yet in the gospel narratives we find a story, told from different angles of course, without such embroidering and theology&mdash;told indeed in restrained, largely unadorned prose. Yet the story is precisely of a single body neither abandoned, nor merely resuscitated, but transformed; and this, though itself totally unexpected, could give rise to exactly that developed view of which I have spoken. The Easter narratives, in other words, appear to offer an answer to why the early Christian hope and life took the form and shape they did.", "The \"Rose\" is conspicuous by its absence.\nSome commentators have said about the main character, that as a \n\n\n \"victim of sexual repression and stultifying gender roles, Emily is driven to insanity and murder by family and social dynamics\n\n\n-John Dennis Anderson (Student Companion to William Faulkner).\n\nThis complex story is divided into five sections. \n\nEmily is a daughter of the \"Old South\", living alone in a decaying mansion. She is often the topic of town gossip, when seen in public and when not. She goes out for rides with \"Homer\", a man who many consider below her station, and it is speculated that she will marry and move away. She is seen buying arsenic in the pharmacy, and shortly after that, Homer disappears forever. Emily becomes a recluse once again, as she did after her father´s death, and when she dies a horrible secret is revealed...\n\nThe only time actual roses are mentioned in \"A Rose for Emily\" is in the third to last paragraph, when the door to the \"bridal\" chamber is knocked down:\n\n\n ...upon the valence curtains of faded rose color, upon the rose-shaded lights...\n\n\nA red rose has often been associated with passion by poets and authors.\n\nA \"faded rose\" would seem to indicate that this is a metaphor for her unconsumated and unrequited love.", "Ents and Huorns. There are plenty of talking trees in mythology but nothing like the Ents. \n\nTom Bombadil is original to Tolkien. Although I would argue that he is a nature spirit, similar to some of the Jotun, of Scandinavian lore. He appears to be a benevolent trickster, who is a manifestation nature itself. His wife Goldenberry is said to be a river spirit. \n\nHobbits are also original to Tolkien unless you class them as fairies or any kind of \"little people\" like leprechauns, or the hill people of ancient Britain. But Hobbits seem to be completely unmagical, simply a race of small humanoids who live in holes in the ground and live long lives.\n\nOrcs and Uruk-hai are original to Tolkien and appear to be based on goblins and demons. Wikipedia says \"Orc is from Old English orcneas, which appears in the epic poem Beowulf, and refers to one of the races who are called the offspring of Cain during the initial description of Grendel\". \n\nFell beasts the Nazgûl Steeds seem pretty unique. They seem to be sort of horse-like with bat wings. Sort of like evil pegasi. \n\nElves, dwarves, trolls, goblins, wizards (magical practitioners), and giants are all pretty common in Scandinavian and Germanic mythology. \n\nThe name Balrog was original to Tolkien but they seem to be a kind of demon. \n\nBarrow-wights, wraiths, and various kinds of fighting dead (including fighting skeletons), and vengeful ghosts exist in Norse mythology. \n\nMost of the rest just seem to be large talking animals, which are pretty common in mythology and folklore everywhere.", "Well, this resolved from an unexpected vector. Jay Bonansinga's The Killer's Game is the book. I recognize the cover on sight and the plot matches.\n\n\n A new novel from the much-praised author of \"Black Mariah\". Joe Flood is a hit man who has made it a point of pride to kill only those who deserve to be killed. When his doctor tells him he has only a few months to live, Joe puts an open contract out on himself. \n\n\nI encountered the book in an announcement that Dave Bautista is scheduled to star in an upcoming movie adaptation.", "point\n\n\nmeans \"not\" in this case, point is a rare and old synonym of \"pas\", with slight differences\n\n\n au moins\n\n\nindeed means at least.\n\nThis sentence could be translated :\n\n\n This fat man who was not stupid was full of qualities, some of whom were fit to (those of) a king", "You should stop conflating people like Friedman with Ayn Rand. Friedman was far less consistent than Rand in his advocacy of freedom. So I'm going to address the sort of thing I think Rand would say. Also, Rand wasn't a libertarian in part because libertarianism is such a big tent that it includes people like Friedman who advocated anti-capitalist policies: Friedman advocated a negative income tax.\n\nYour example talks about a poor village 500 km from a pharmacy, where a child will die if he doesn't get the medicine in 24 hours. There is an old man who owns some of the medicine but doesn't want to give it over. You ask whether the authorities should make the old man give it over.\n\nI think there are several remarks one could make about this example.\n\nLet's start by clear about what you're advocating. When the authorities do anything, those who disobey the authorities' orders may be killed. If the old man doesn't want to hand over the medicine and refuses to open his door the authorities may bash it down. If he tries to defend his property they may kill him. So anyone who says the authorities should take the medicine are staking a position that implies it is okay to kill the old man to save the child.\n\nNow, suppose it really is the case that the old man doesn't want to hand over the medicine although he doesn't have much use for it. Well then his neighbours might think he is a bastard and they don't really want anything to do with him. So they might decline to trade with him. If they refuse to sell him food or clothing, then he might hand over the medicine. This doesn't require the authorities to do anything. Also, if the family concerned are good people, the neighbours might be willing to help them raise money to buy the drug.\n\nAnd if nobody will lift a finger to persuade the old man or subsidise the family voluntarily, you should be interested in why this is the case. You should be very cautious about using force in that situation. Some families have bad traditions and do bad stuff like theft, assault, murder etc. Also, if they don't have enough wealth for a medicine, perhaps they are layabouts who don't take responsibility for their lives. Forcing people to subsidise such behaviour is a bad idea. See, for example, the description of Starnesville in \"Atlas Shrugged\".\n\nAlso, you don't say anything about the institutions in the village or the country in which is situated. For example, perhaps the village government or the central government is willing to pillage the belongings of anyone who is deemed wealthy. In that case, the old man might be endangering his life by supplying the medicine since this would indicate wealth. Such policies might also make it inadvisable for anyone to show off the wealth required to save the child, or to make that wealth in the first place.", "Some doctrinal views have trouble with several sections of the Bible - God not knowing where Adam was, having to go and find out what was happening at Babel, and in Sodom and Gomorrah. etc. Now - I am certainly not saying God does not have foreknowledge - he most assuredly does!\nHowever, some doctrinal views of ‘foreknowledge’ would have issues with this verse, ... (and particularly the next one!)\nGEN 6:6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.\nGod created ‘man’. But more. God loved man - dearly! This is the foundational understanding you need in order to interpret this verse, not ‘foreknowledge’. Man, the object of Gods ‘Love’, had corrupted himself to the point that this corruption [unrighteousness] was about to destroy him!\nGod always ‘knew’ [foreknowledge] that ‘unrighteousness’ [what the doctrines call ‘sin’] would/could destroy man. That’s why he told Adam not to eat from that tree. Man needs God. Man needs God in order to do anything. And here, because ‘man’ had chosen not to need God, man was on the verge of destroying himself.\nYou create man for your pleasure, and that which you created was now going through, living in ‘hell’ [on earth], and about to eternally destroy himself- and the earth that was created for him [man] - that’s not what you created him for! But, nevertheless you were the one who created him. We can not imagine the grief that would arise from this!\nYou need to apply foreknowledge with precision. God knew separation from Him would lead to death. God always had a plan of redemption. The evil that was rampant also has a pre-ordained end. But this all needs to be be done righteously - so the idea that God can just at any time ‘snap’ his fingers and ‘instantly’ ‘fix’ problems, such as in the time of the flood, is an erroneous view of sovereignty. And Gods foreknowledge knows this. God is sovereign - absolutely. His word is totally sovereign. But the doctrinal understandings of these need to be founded Biblically, not philosophically.", "Not formally.\nFrom the Wikipedia article on the letters of last resort:\n\nThe letters are written as soon as a new prime minister takes office, after they have been told by the Chief of the Defence Staff &quot;precisely what damage a Trident missile could cause&quot;. These are then delivered to the submarines, with the previous prime minister's letters being destroyed without being opened.\n\n(emphasis mine)\nThe Wikipedia article cites this one:\n\nDavid Cameron's letters, which were written when he took office, will be burned without being opened.\nUnless he decides to tell us, we will never know what his decision was.\n\nIt however goes on to say that there has been someone who revealed their decision:\n\nOnly one Prime Minister has revealed that secret.\nJames Callaghan told the historian Peter Hennessy: &quot;If we had got to that point, where it was, I felt, necessary to do it, then I would have done it.\n&quot;I've had terrible doubts, of course, about this.\n&quot;I say to you, if I had lived after having pressed that button, I could never ever have forgiven myself.&quot;\n\nWe don't, however, know what was actually written in the letter - only what the decision was.", "Chovos hA'levovos in Shaar ha'Bitachon in the introduction reads as follows (translated by Feldheim):\n\n\n But one who trusts in God is assured of his sustenance by any one of\n the means available in the world as it says in scripture (Devarim 8:3): \"In order to\n teach you that not on bread alone can man live; rather man can live on\n anything that proceeds out of the mouth of God\". For at no time and in\n no place are the means of obtaining his livelihood withheld from him\n etc.\n\n\nThus we can certainly say that one may daven that the stocks go down for his benefit as no one is losing out over here being that Hashem has no shortage of tactics to assure the other one with his sustenance.", "I am a parent of four. My oldest has moved to college where she continues to thrive. My second is the most strong willed person you will ever meet, and yet has turned into a delightful 18 year old that is loved by his teachers and being recruited by every one of the top 25 universities in the US. My other two are 14 and 12 year old girls who are also respectful, also doing well with peers and also doing great at school.\nI do believe in punishment. The bottom line is that the world, when they go out into it, will give negative consequences for undesirable behavior (as defined by the culture). My job as a parent is to train them, from early on, to know that negative behaviors bring negative consequences. Yes, the negative consequences and discipline that you bring will not be there when they grow up, but by then the patterns of behavior will be set. Perhaps an example...\nWhen my son was in seventh grade, I got a progress report from school that he had missed five assignments in one class. Five big fat zeros. I disciplined him, gently but firmly. He has very rarely missed any assignments since then. He no longer thinks about why, he just has it ingrained in him that if a teacher gives him homework, he has to do it. This has become part of a pattern of diligence in his life that has and will continue to serve him well, long after he forgets what drove him to do all his assignments the rest of that seventh grade.\nPerhaps the right word is not punishment, but discipline. Punishment seems to carry the meaning that the intention is just the negative consequence - pain, loss of privileges, etc. And if that is the end of it, then it is pointless and counterproductive. The real key is to connect the punishment as a negative consequence of an undesirable action, and to show what the desirable outcome should be.\nAlso, children should be far more motivated to want to obey rather than just being motivated to fear disobedience. My kids know that I love them and think the world of them. Not a day goes by that I do not tell them that I love them and look for ways to communicate that love to them. Also not a day goes by that I do not try to communicate to them how freaking awesome I think they are. I have a very strong sense that they are so addicted to my constant affection and approval, that my slightest look of disapproval at something they have done just grates on them, and is all that is necessary 99% of the time.\nI do not mean to promote manipulation of children. I do not tell them I love them or that they are the best thing since sliced bread because I want them to behave. I tell them so because it is the truth. But I see that it also has an effect on discipline, and I realize that discipline without encouragement and affection and love will only lead to rebellion.\nThat is the real thing that will cause them to forget your discipline the minute they are out from under it. If they only fear your punishment - if they obey only because they are afraid to disobey - the minute they are out from under your authority, or the minute they think they are old enough and strong enough to get away with it, they will rebel. Think about it - who wants to live in fear and who would not rebel against it if they can? This, in my view, is the real cause of teen-age rebellion. But if they constantly taste your approval and affection and encouragement, they will want to please you and make you even more proud of them. And that will last through their teen-age years and into adulthood.\nI have seen little tiny glimmers of teen age rebellion in one of my kids. She is 14 years old and the passive-aggressive type. But all I have to do is point it out: \"Jill [changed name], was that a disrespectful tone in how you answered me just now?\" And I can see this sense of regret come over her as she says \"no, daddy, I'm sorry!\" And I see the immediate and total change of tone. My 18 year old son, the most strong willed person I know, about three months back told me that I was his best friend, and yet when I ask him to do something, he almost always replies \"yes sir.\"\nThis forum is too small to describe the totality of it, but discipline will include correction and instruction and punishment, and affection and love and encouragement. It is a total package, skimp on any part and the results will be less than best.", "To answer the first part of your question, yes the sages discussed the authorship of Isaiah, and he did not write his own book.\n\nSee here Bava Bathra 15a \n\n\n Hezekiah and his colleagues wrote (Mnemonic YMSHK) Isaiah,  Proverbs, the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes.\n\n\nRashi explains that the prophets would write their prophecies at the end of their lives and since Isaiah was murdered by Menasheh as seen in the talmud here, folio b, Isaiah did not have a chance to write his own book.\n\nAs an additional point. Do we assume that that changes were made until the book was written and 'sealed'. No, not necessarily. Is it possible? Sure. Just a few lines earlier in Bava Bathra, at the bottom of 14b we are told \n\n\n David wrote the Book of Psalms, including in it the work of the elders, namely, Adam, Melchizedek, Abraham, Moses, Heman, Yeduthun, Asaph, and the three sons of Korah\n\n\nSo even though David put the final touches on psalms, there were many authors. But we do see that whoever we accredit with writing it, got to put in what they chose to. (whether that itself was guided by prophecy seems irrelevant) So it would be possible that Hezekiah and his colleagues put content into the book we call Isaiah.\n\nOf interest is the opinion of the Netziv in his commentary to the Song of Songs where he writes that these final authors actually made changes to the earlier prophetic words. He says the Moses version of psalm 90 read 'the days of man are 120 years'. David switched it to say 70. This pliability was only until the books were formally written down. He however does not point to Isaiah as part of his discussion.\n\nEdit: We find in Vayikra Rabba 6:5(6) that a different prophet's short two passage prophecy, which was deemed too short to have it's own book, was in fact interpolated into Isiah's. These are the verses beginning with vs 19 in chapter 8.\n\n\n אמר רבי סימון: בארי לא נתנבא אלא שני פסוקים ולא היה בהם כדי ספר ונטפלו בישעיה, ואלו הן: וכי יאמרו אליכם וחברו.\n\n\nAs mentioned in the comments by @mevaqesh there are some secretive comments made by Ibn Ezra alluding to a later authorship of chapters 40 and on. His comments are found in 40:1, 49:7 &amp; 53:12. You can see a blog discussing that here. Of particular note is the ending comment there:\n\n\n Note that Ibn Ezra wasn't motivated to come to his conclusion for any of the heretical reasons of the Modern Bible critics. Ibn Ezra obviously has no problem with a novi (prophet) seeing into the future, which is why he doesn't mention his ''secret'' in his peirush (explanation) either of the two places where Koresh's name is mentioned, which were the favorite proofs of the kofrim (heretics). Ibn Ezra came to his conclusions not because of any doubts as to the powers of nevuoh (prophecy), but rather as result of his sophisticated literary and grammatical sensibilities, his acute sensitivity to all the dimensions of what we call poshut pshat (simple understanding of the verse).\n\n\nIn other words, these premises are built on the fact that no mortal man could have mentioned an event before it happened. So therefore any post exile account must have been written by someone who lived post exile. However, we who believe in prophecy, as we must according to any Jewish authority, think this argument falls short. Any reason we would believe who the author is will have nothing to do with these arguments.", "The four eschatological viewpoints described are quite different and to a large extent mutually exclusive. Furthermore each viewpoint has adherents with different concepts of what that viewpoint actually describes, so it hard to be too definitive. Some history of the passage would help put them in perspective. \n\nIt is generally accepted that Isaiah chapters 1-39 were written by Isaiah, son of Amoz, who lived during the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah of Judah, although there were numerous later additions and changes to that portion of the book. Chapters 40-55 are attributed to an anonymous author now known as Second Isaiah or Deutero-Isaiah, who lived during the Babylonian Exile. This author had a very different style to that of First Isaiah, who used brief, emphatic diction, compared to Second Isaiah's poetic style and more extensive vocabulary. Chapters 56-66 are attributed to another anonymous author now known as Third Isaiah or Trito-Isaiah, who lived shortly after the Return from Exile. So, chapter 65 can be seen as referring to the hopes and aspirations of the Jews who had recently returned from Babylon. We can see the hardships of captivity compared to the joys of freedom:\n\n\n \n There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred\n years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed\n (Isaiah 65:20)\n And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and\n another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat ... (Isaiah\n 65:21-2)\n \n\n\nTo Third Isaiah, freedom was such a wonderful experience that he compared it to paradise, as in verse 65:25:\n\n\n The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. \n\n\nPremillennialism is the belief that Jesus will literally and physically return to earth before Christ's reign for 1,000 years during a golden age of peace. However, there are two very distinct schools of premillennialism, historic premillennialism and dispensational premillennialism, which is largely based on the nineteenth-century ideas of Darby and Schofield. Premillennialism is largely based on interpretations of the Books of Daniel and Revelation, along with the the Olivet discourse from the synoptic gospels, but Isaiah 65:17-25 fits in well with this view. Wayne Jackson, in an article entitled 'Examining Premillennialism' draws on Isaiah to support the concept of premillennialism, but does not mention verses 65:17-25.\n\nPostmillennialism expects that eventually the vast majority of those living will be saved. Increasing gospel success will gradually produce a time in history prior to Christ's return in which faith, righteousness, peace, and prosperity will prevail in the affairs of men and of nations. Postmillennialism also teaches that the forces of Satan will gradually be defeated by the expansion of the Kingdom of God throughout history up until the second coming of Christ. Many postmillennialists also adopt some form of preterism, which holds that many of the end times prophecies in the Bible have already been fulfilled. Although I see Isaiah 65:17-25 as less of a good fit here, because the the age that began in the first century and will continue until his final coming has not so far been like a paradise on earth, some postmillennialists see it as being at least a figurative reference to postmillennialism. \n\nFull preterism says that the destruction of Jerusalem fulfilled all eschatological or 'end times' events, including the resurrection of the dead and Jesus' Second Coming, or Parousia, and the Final Judgement. Partial preterism holds that most eschatological prophecies, such as the destruction of Jerusalem, the Antichrists, the Great Tribulation, and the advent of the Day of the Lord as a \"judgement-coming\" of Christ, were fulfilled either in 70 CE or during the persecution of Christians under the Emperor Nero, but that the second coming and the resurrection of the dead have not yet occurred. Preterism does not focus on an earthly paradise like that portrayed in Isaiah 65, although like all Christian eschatology it looks forward to eternal paradise after the final judgement. Nevertheless, some preterists do see echoes of preterism in Isaiah 65:17-25.\n\nThe question asks what other views there are. One view that has to be discussed is that the passage can only be read literally, reading verses 65:17-25 as the author originally intended them to be read. On this view, it is simply a statement of hope for the new Jerusalem and the new land the Jews were to begin building after the Return from the Babylonian Exile, with God's help.", "Although I disagree with your presupposition that the ages are merely symbolic, I think this is a great question nonetheless. The reason I say this is that regardless of whether the ages are historically significant, we should assume they are literarily significant. The Bible is literature, and each author (or redactor) of each book has crafted his work of literature with a particular purpose in mind. What the author does include should be considered significant, since it was selected for inclusion while so many other details were left out. (This is often referred to as the \"principle of selectivity\".) The author could have just skipped the ages altogether if they were merely historical data points; there are plenty of other details the author leaves out, after all.\n\n\n\nShort Answer: With that said, I believe the textual evidence points toward the ages being very significant in advancing the author's theological agenda. These ages show how the world changed after the flood, and how human life made the enormous transition from the original, exalted state of creation to the \"modern\", decrepit state of things (at the time of authorship.)\n\nThe Trend\n\nHere is a chart of the ages of the Patriarchs prior to the Israelites' time in Egypt, normalized by birth date:\n\n\n\n\nThe green are the ages of people who were born and died prior to the flood1\nThe yellow are the ages of people who were born before the flood, and died after the flood\nThe red are the ages of people who were born and died after the flood\n\n\nWhat the author shows us is that prior to the flood people lived a really, really, really long time, but then the flood changed things. Since I mapped the ages by birth date and not merely by textual entry the \"taper\" isn't as clear in the previous graph, so here is another graph of the post-flood ages that shows the post-flood taper more clearly:\n\n\n\nYou can see that while it is not a perfectly smooth curve, the trend does show, over all, the degradation of the human lifespan following the flood.\n\nThe Significance\n\nThe flood is a major catastrophic event in Genesis, executed because of man's great wickedness. The author wants the audience to see that things used to be much better than they are \"now,\" but because of man's great wickedness, God executed judgment on the human race, and it had an enormous negative effect on our lives. The trend is intended to show the readers that their lives would have been much better if man hadn't sinned so greatly against God.\n\nAs for the ages being very specific and the curve not being perfectly smooth, I would suggest that the author intended for the reader to take these ages to be real ages. (Whether or not they are is another topic.) If the author had simply chosen symbolic ages along the lines of \"900 . . . 900 . . . 900 . . . 900 . . . 700 . . . 500 . . . 300 . . . \" it would not have been as believable, and would not have had the same effect on the reader as it would to relate these men to their own real, physical heritage. In other words, the \"realness\" of the ages brings the story home for the audience.\n\n\n\n1: I left out Enoch, since the text explicitly claims that he was caught up to heaven before he could live out his days and die.", "Verse (2:256)\n\n\n There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion....\n\n\nVerse (60:8)\n\n\n Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of\n religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous\n toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those\n who act justly.\n\n\nVerse (60:9)\n\n\n Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion\n and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids]\n that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then\n it is those who are the wrongdoers.\n\n\nIt's clear from above verses that we need to be just with those who don't fight us because of religion.\n\nMany scholars agreed that even we can give Zakat to non-muslims (needy people). \n\nJust watch this 1 minute video:\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cmVhm3mCqM\n\nWhen we are donating, people are agree to listen, so we can do the DAWAH with hiqmah.\n\nStory of Ibrahim (ASW) and Old man (Non-believer)\n\nIbrahim (ASW) used to invite guest every day, one morning an old man appeared on a camel. Hazrat Ibrahim was happy. He invited the old man to his home to eat with him The old man accepted the invitation.\n\nIn the house they set to eat. Hazrat Ibrahim recited “Bismillah” before taking the food, but the old man did not say anything. Hazrat Ibrahim asked why he did not remember Allah before taking his meal. Was not Allah our Creator, our Nourisher and our Master? Was it not proper to remember Him before partaking of the food provided by Him?\n\nThe old man said that it was not the custom in his religion. Hazrat Ibrahim asked him what his religion was. He said that he was one of those who worship fire.\n\nHazrat Ibrahim was very much annoyed and turned the old man out.\n\nAs soon as the old man went away, the angel Jibrail came to Hazrat Ibrahim, from Allah. Jibrail told Hazrat Ibrahim that Allah had been feeding this unbeliever person for seventy years. Could not Hazrat Ibrahim tolerate him for even one meal! Hazrat Ibrahim felt very sorry for this. He immediately ran after the old man. Finally he reached him and persuaded him to return to his house to have food together. He finally succeeded in getting the old man to his home.", "The woman who personates the singing old black woman is Vula Malinga, who is the actual lead singer of the song.\n\n\n\nShe was born in 1980, so she was 25 years old when the song was released, so yes she is disguised as an old woman.\n\nI did not find anything about the old man, and he looks real to me.\n\nEDIT: From an interview of Felix Buxton Leicester Mercury in April 2005:\n\n\n Felix is up for a natter about their latest track. Or more specifically, the video. ( . . .)\n “The video for Oh My Gosh is brilliant. The singer, Vula Malinga, she’s a real little actress. We told her it was going to be a love story in an old people’s home. And she thought she was going to be given something glamorous to wear. Then we handed her some old clothes and wrinkly tights.\n “She was great. The man she was singing to took a real shine to her and phoned her about a week ago to ask if she wanted to go out with him.\n “I think she declined.”\n\n\nLink archive.\n\nAs the old man is refered as \"the man\" by Felix Buxton, we can assume he is not famous.\n\n\n\nAlso, note that according to Wikipedia\n\n\n One of the dancers of the video was Deanne Berry, the dancer and fitness guru that previously famous for making her appearance on the music video of Eric Prydz's \"Call on Me\". In the video, she dressed as an old lady.", "This is a parable, so the fact that \"a man of noble birth\" is third person is rather irrelevant. It's pretty obvious he's symbolizing someone, probably Jesus.\nContext. Verse 11 reads:\n\n\n As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.\n\n\nI think it's easy to gather from this that:\n\n\nThe parable was being told to show that the kingdom of God would not appear immediately\nThis parable was about the kingdom of God.\n\nWith this in mind, and knowing that the kingdom of God in Jesus's parables often refers to the day of judgement or the end times, we can make a couple of assumptions:\n\n\nJesus is the nobleman. He often is, and he goes to \"receive for himself a kingdom,\" something especially reformed scholars says Jesus is doing (receiving a kingdom from his Father). \nThe followers of Christ are the ten servants. \nThose servants that pleased the nobleman with the abundance of minas are those saved by Christ who have lived out their lives \"according to their calling.\" They have confirmed their faith through works, as James says. \nThe one who fails to multiply the mina is not one of Christ's followers, but a tag-along; like the seed sown in the rocks. \nPoint 4 is made more obvious in verse 26, which reads:\n\n\n I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.\n\n\nThose who multiplied their minas \"had\" - they had Christ, truly. Alternatively you could say they truly \"had\" their mina, because then to them more was given. Either way, they had something (salvation) and to them more (eternal life) was given. To the man who hid the mina, he had not (no salvation) and so even everything else he had (life) was taken away (cast into hell). \n\nAs to verse 27, notice that the nobleman is still talking within the parable; Jesus is not talking directly. So we're still within the parable, which is happening later (point 2.1). The nobleman (Jesus) will, on the last day, cast into Hell those who did not want him to rule over him, just as he \"took away\" from the man who failed to multiply his mina. (There might be a difference between what happens to these two groups, maybe, maybe not. Regardless, those rebelled against Christ are being punished). \nSo no, Christ isn't \"ordering open carnage against those who didn't follow the Abrahamic faith\", he's sounding a warning that on the last day those who rebelled against him will perish. \n\n\nN.B This answer, like many, is quite speculative. I've tried to stick to what I've heard preached and the typical Evangelical interpretation of the passage. The beauty of the votes is that they (should, anyways) show if I'm well representing that position.", "You can certainly find some parallels to Gen 30.8\nYounger versus Older\nRachel wrestling with Leah would be one example of the younger wrestling with the older sibling, where God chooses the younger and rejects the older. This would be Abel vs Cain, Jacob and Esau, Rachel and Leah. So in terms of Jacob's life, I'd compare Rachel's wrestling with Leah with Gen 25:23-26:\n\nAnd Yahweh said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples\nfrom birth shall be divided. And one people shall be stronger than the\nother. And the elder shall serve the younger.”\nAnd when her days to\ngive birth were completed, then—behold—twins were in her womb. And the\nfirst came out red, all his body was like a hairy coat, so they called\nhis name Esau.\nAnd afterward his brother came out, and his hand\ngrasped the heel of Esau, so his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was\nsixty years old at their birth. (LEB)\n\nFlesh versus Spirit\nJust as there are two siblings and God prefers the younger, there is the notion of the two brides, with the groom preferring one over the other. The bride is a type for Israel, or the Church. The promised land is a type for the geographic inheritance together with blessings (jewish) or heaven/spiritual inheritance (Christian)\nIn both cases, the servant of God (Moses, Abraham's servant, Jacob) goes to the land outside the promise (the world) in order to bring a bride back into the promise. Except in the case of Jacob, he brought back two brides, the one he loved and the one that had to come along. This would be a type for the spirit and the flesh, that are always wrestling with each other. We enter God's promise, but the flesh comes with us, continuing to strive with us even after baptism/leaving egypt.\nIn fact this idea of the new creation/old creation mirrors the new sibling/old sibling so we can also view the struggle between Abel and Cain/Jacon and Esau and Leah/Rachel as a type of the competition between the spirit versus flesh or the new man versus the old man, last adam versus first adam.\nJacob wrestling with the Angel as the Spirit versus the Flesh\nThus Jacob struggling with the Angel is also an example of this, but is a type of self-struggle which is why he &quot;wins&quot; but also loses &quot;hip is touched&quot; and ends up being transformed (new name). Thus the wrestling was to transform him into something new and was thus a struggle against a different aspect of himself.\nWhen the Angel asks him &quot;what are you called&quot;, this is a deeper question about character rather than one of identification.\n\nThis request [for a name] compares with Moses’ question to God: “If they ask me,\n‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” (Exod. 3:13). An even\ncloser parallel is Luke 8:30, “Jesus then asked him, ‘What is your\nname?’ And he said ‘Legion.’ ” In neither Gen. 32 nor Luke 8 are we to\ninfer from the question that the questioner is ignorant about the\nidentity of his opponent. To raise that possibility is to miss the\npoint of either story. There is no parallel in Gen. 32 between Jacob,\nwho does not know who the man is, and the man, who does not know who\nJacob is. In disclosing his name Jacob is doing more than sharing\ninformation. He is making a confession about the appropriateness of\nhis name. Only now would Jacob agree with Esau that Jacob is the\nperfect name for him (27:36). The acknowledgment of the old name, and\nits unfortunate suitability, paves the way for a new name. Hamilton,\nV. P. (1995). The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50 (p. 333). Grand\nRapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.\n\nWhen Jacob finally admits &quot;supplanter&quot;, then in that confession there is a victory of the spirit over the flesh, of the inner man over the old, of the new man over the old man. Jacob's name is changed to &quot;She/he who sees God&quot; and\n\nThus Jacob named the place &quot;peniel&quot; [face] because &quot;I have seen God\nface to face and my life was spared&quot;.\n\nBut in some sense, his life was not spared, as we know from Exodus that:\n\nBut he said, “You are not able to see my face, because a human[Adam]\nwill not see me and live.” Ex 33.20\n\nThus the old man, adam, dies when he sees God, and it was the new man, Israel, that lived.\nThis idea of the hero going through a death also occurs in Joseph being thrown into the pit, Moses in the basket, Jonah in the fish, etc.\nConclusion\nJacob's wrestling with the Angel is the struggle through which Israel defeats Jacob, and thus is yet another example of the younger versus the older, of messiah versus adam, spirit versus flesh, the one God desires verus the one God rejects, etc.\nThus there is a parallel with Rachel wrestling Leah and also winning victory over her.", "Good Q. There is a deep meaning to this that takes some time to realise - a lifetime! It's expressed through Rom 6:11\n\nEven so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in\nChrist Jesus.\n\nWhile we have been included in Christ's ascended life, made 'alive' in a whole new way, we must continue to plumb the depths of how we have died.\nSin had hold over us, as we could not do anything to be free from the penalty of death - ever! Paul wants us to understand that sin's hold is no longer. We are freed from being a prisoner to sin and death... through Jesus. To the point that Gal 2:20 expresses\n\nI have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but\nChrist lives in me.\n\nAny time we fall into old ways of sin, it is because we have lost sight of who we are in Christ. We have offered ourselves again to the law of sin and death - not that it has hold over us, but we have chosen, through carelessness or rebelliousness, to live out of the old man, not the new man in Christ.\nAn analogy would be the how Israel wanted to go back to the 'leeks and garlic of Egypt' rather than forge ahead to the new land. (Num 11)\nWe might picture it this way. We were chained to this world and law of sin and death. Jesus has smashed the chain - totally freeing us, but some of the links remain attached to our ankle. We can run as far as we like from the old, but the baggage (links) of who we were - slaves to sin, are an ever present reminder.\nAs we joyously consider the new life, let us also consider that it is only lived to the extent that we grasp how dead the old one is!\nWe look forward to our change - the remaining links have disappeared and we are finally like He is!", "The Roman Centurion operated under the authority of his superiors in Rome. His Roman masters would issue orders and he would execute them. As a commander of men, the Centurion had authority to issue orders to his men and expect them to do as he commanded. He understood how authority was delegated.\nThe Centurion must have realised that Jesus was also a man with authority. He knew that Jesus only had to command and it would be done. The Centurion felt no need to approach Jesus in person to ask him to heal his servant. Instead, he sent some elders of the Jews to plead with Jesus. Scripture tells us that the Centurion was a man who loved the Jews and he had built the synagogue in Capernaum (Luke 7:4).\nWhen Jesus drew near to the house of the Centurion, he told Jesus there was no need for him to come under his roof. He must have known that a Jew would ceremonially defile himself if he entered the house of a Gentile (Luke 7:6). The Centurion, a Gentile, had faith that Jesus only had to utter the command (to heal his servant) and it would be done.\nNo wonder Jesus was amazed! His own people, even those who lived in his home town of Nazareth, considered Jesus to be “a prophet without honour”. Because of their unbelief, Jesus was able to heal only a few people in Nazareth (Mark 6:6). Yet here he was, in Capernaum, and a Roman Centurion, a Gentile, had faith that Jesus of Nazareth had the authority and the power to heal his servant simply by speaking the word.\nThe Roman Centurion recognised that Jesus was a man who had authority to command and to heal, unlike the people of Israel who did not have such faith.\nEdit in response to &quot;under authority&quot;:\nLet's be clear - the Roman Centurion, a mere mortal, was under the authority of his superiors.\nJesus, on the other hand, was no mere mortal. Jesus had authority to perform miracles, to heal the sick and even resurrect the dead. While on earth Jesus subjected himself to his Father in heaven, in order to do the will of him who sent him, but still exercised his divine authority.\nI see no point in pursuing this question further with anyone who denies that Jesus was fully human and fully God, and who denies his pre-incarnate existence. I know what you are trying to get at, but neither Luke nor Matthew suggest that Jesus was like the Centurion, who was &quot;under&quot; authority.", "The earliest confessions seem to have taken place in a communal setting, before both whoever was in authority and the wider group simultaneously. The first documented examples are probably the people who came to John the Baptist (first half of first century CE), confessing their sins publicly and being baptised for the purpose of \"repentence\", which implies remission of sins was the goal (Matthew 3:6, 11; Mark 1:5; cf. James 5:16). But you may not consider them \"Christian\" - if not, then I'd point to the new Christians of Ephesus. As a result of Paul's preaching, they gathered together publicly, confessed their sins and burned their books of sorcery in a demonstration of their repentance (Acts 19:18-19).\n\nThe earliest post-NT sources that discuss confession of sins to a human (as opposed to God) are also vague; two of the earliest appear to be by the Didache and Clement of Rome (written between the mid-1st century and mid-2nd century CE).\n\n\nThe Didache (14) instructs its readers to confess their sins in the congregation (ecclesia) when they meet on \"the Lord's Day\". It doesn't explicity mention confession for remission of sins, but the purpose of confession is so that the confessor may be \"pure\" when breaking bread (called the \"sacrifice\", i.e. the eucharist), so forgiveness of sins as a result of confessing to the congregation is implied. \nClement of Rome (Corinthians 57) instructs the wicked to repent and submit to \"the presbyters\" and receive \"correction.\" Again, confession is not explictly mentioned as a part of this process, but is implied. \n\n\nMore detail on other patristic sources on the issue, see the Catholic Encyclopedia article on the sacrament of penance. \n\nIf you're asking for a specific individual, that's a bit more difficult, since examples of individuals are rarely given (unless they are members of a heretical movement). The earliest is probably the nameless \"young man\" cited by Clement of Alexandria in \"Who is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?\" (written early third century CE). In his tale, which may be purely legendary, the apostle John, after the Emperor Domitian's death (96 CE), left his exile on the island of Patmos and returned to Ephesus. A young man who had been baptised fell in with a bad crowd and became a highway robber, and tried to rob John before he recognised the apostle and fled. John pursued and cried out,\n\n\n “Why, my son, do you flee from me, your father, unarmed, old? Son,\n pity me. Fear not; you have still hope of life. I will give account to\n Christ for you. If need be, I will willingly endure your death, as the\n Lord did death for us. For you I will surrender my life. Stand,\n believe; Christ has sent me.”\n \n And he, when he heard, first stood, looking down; then threw down his\n arms, then trembled and wept bitterly. And on the old man approaching,\n he embraced him, speaking for himself with lamentations as he could,\n and baptized a second time with tears, concealing only his right hand.\n The other pledging, and assuring him on oath that he would find\n forgiveness for himself from the Saviour, beseeching and falling on\n his knees, and kissing his right hand itself, as now purified by\n repentance, led him back to the church. Then by supplicating with\n copious prayers, and striving along with him in continual fastings,\n and subduing his mind by various utterances of words, did not depart,\n as they say, till he restored him to the Church, presenting in him a\n great example of true repentance and a great token of regeneration, a\n trophy of the resurrection for which we hope... For he who in this world welcomes the angel of penitence will not repent at the time that he leaves the body, nor be ashamed when he sees the Saviour approaching in His glory and with His army. \n\n\nThe event involves weeping, declamations, lamentations, prayer, fasting, repentance and forgiveness, between the penitent and the apostle. This is of course a far cry from the medieval or modern practices of confession, repentance and penance under the auspices of church authorities, but those practices evolved over centuries to the familiar model we see today.", "This connection was made by fathers as early as Irenaeus (d. 202). Here's a table showing the views of several fathers whose writings we have on this subject:\n\n\n Lion Ox Man Eagle \nIrenaeus (d. 202) John Luke Matthew Mark\nVictorinus (d. 303) Mark Luke Matthew John\nJerome (d. 420) Mark Luke Matthew John\nAugustine (d. 430) Matthew Luke Mark John\n \n\nA number of church fathers saw a lot of symbolism in Scripture, particularly in Revelation. Irenaeus first connects the four creatures to aspects of Christ's life and ministry: \n\n\n For, [as the Scripture] says, “The first living creature was like a lion,” symbolizing His effectual working, His leadership, and royal power; the second [living creature] was like a calf, signifying [His] sacrificial and sacerdotal order; but “the third had, as it were, the face as of a man,”—an evident description of His advent as a human being; “the fourth was like a flying eagle,” pointing out the gift of the Spirit hovering with His wings over the Church. And therefore the Gospels are in accord with these things, among which Christ Jesus is seated. (Against Heresies, 3.11.8)\n\n\nHe then connects each animal, and its christological association, to the emphases of the gospel writers:\n\n\nLion – John (\"John relates His original, effectual, and glorious generation from the Father\")\nOx – Luke (\"that according to Luke, taking up [His] priestly character\")\nMan – Matthew (\"Matthew, again, relates His generation as a man\")\nEagle – Mark (\"Mark [...] commences with [a reference to] the prophetical spirit coming down from on high to men\")\n\n\nSubsequent fathers took similar approaches, but often came to different conclusions regarding the specific associations. For example, Victorinus, and Jerome following him, saw the ox and the man similarly, but swapped the other two:\n\n\n The living creature like to a lion designates Mark, in whom is heard the voice of the lion roaring in the desert. And in the figure of a man, Matthew strives to declare to us the genealogy of Mary, from whom Christ took flesh. [...] Luke, in narrating the priesthood of Zacharias as he offers a sacrifice for the people, and the angel that appears to him with respect of the priesthood, and the victim in the same description bore the likeness of a calf. John the evangelist, like to an eagle hastening on uplifted wings to greater heights, argues about the Word of God. (Commentary on the Apocalypse)\n\n\nAugustine's views are found in his Harmony of the Gospels, where he disagrees with these interpretations, particularly that of Irenaeus:\n\n\n It also appears to me, that of the various parties who have interpreted the living creatures in the Apocalypse as significant of the four evangelists, those who have taken the lion to point to Matthew, the man to Mark, the calf to Luke, and the eagle to John, have made a more reasonable application of the figures than those who have assigned the man to Matthew, the eagle to Mark, and the lion to John.", "The question is illogical because there was no such thing as a viking in the days of the undivided Roman Empire or of the Western Roman Empire.\n\nA viking is defined as a Scandinavian pirate or sea raider during the period of about 795 to 1100 AD at the widest. It is always incorrect to capitalize viking and use it as an ethnic word instead of an occupational word. Thus it is impossible for western Romans before 476 AD to ever encounter vikings since no Scandinavians ever went on viking raids to Roman territories until after the western Roman Empire fell.\n\nBut Roman citizens and subjects and Scandinavians did meet sometimes.\n\n\nFor example, Roman artifacts have been unearthed from Scandinavian Roman era sites. Each artifact was either transported to Scandinavia in stages, passing from one trader to another, or else was transported to Scandinavia in one long trip. In the latter case, either Scandinavians acquired Roman artifacts in Roman territory, thus meeting Roman citizens and subjects, or else Roman traders and/or diplomats transported them to Scandinavia, thus meeting Scandinavians.\nAnd there were Saxon sea raiders who raided the \"Saxon Shore\" of Roman Britain and Gaul during the late empire. In those days the Romans used the word \"Saxon\" to refer to not only Saxons, but other northern Germanic peoples who raided Roman lands by sea. Thus it is possible that some of those \"Saxons\" were Angles, Jutes, and other Scandinavians. If there were any Scandinavians among those \"Saxons\" making proto-viking type raids on Roman lands, they might have used the word \"viking\" to describe their occupation.\nOf course modern historians would not approve of using the word \"viking\" to describe such raiders centuries before the age of vikings.\nAnd as written in andejons' answer, the Roman battles with the Cimbrians may have been with migrants from Scandinavia.\nThere were a lot of Germanic mercenaries in the Roman army, and SOME of them MIGHT have been Scandinavians.\nRadagaisus, a Gothic King, led a horde of barbarians in an invasion of Italy in 405-406 before being defeated by Flavius Stilicho. The invaders included Alans, Sueves, and Vandals. I have read that some of the barbarians came from far north, and thus it is POSSIBLE that SOME of them were born in Scandinavia.\nAnd considering that there were contacts between Romans and Indians and Chinese, there could have been some unrecorded contacts of various types between Romans and Scandinavians.\n\n\nSo the answer is vikings no, Scandinavians yes.", "Jewish culture and idiom\nClaude Tresmontant addressed much of the relevant evidence in his book “The Hebrew Christ.” (you can guess from the title which side he comes down on). His is primarily a linguistic argument, and he points out the strong connections between culture, thought, and language.\nHis work demonstrates the significant and ever-present Jewish thought and Semitic idiom behind the Gospels. He touches briefly upon other New Testament texts, but principally focuses on the Gospels. He provides scores of examples where the Gospels make sense in Semitic Jewish culture but do not make sense in Hellenistic thought and expression.\nTresmontant draws substantially from a knowledge of the Septuagint to show that the Gospels betray Hebrew thought and Hebrew structure in much the same way that the Septuagint translators retained the Hebrew form (and often even Hebrew word order!) of the original material when writing in Greek (see The Hebrew Christ pp. 7-14).\nThough Tresmontant could have used the organizing hand of a final editor, his book is a wealth of linguistic and historical detail, which is unafraid to challenge beloved theories when they don’t align with the evidence. He concludes decisively that the earliest Christians, and their written Gospels, were culturally very Hebrew.\nTrends in scholarship\nThere is something of a Hebrew Gospel renaissance taking place among New Testament studies of the last few generations, (E.g. see here, here, and here), with particular focus on the Gospel of Matthew. The certainty that all New Testament documents were originally written in Greek is again being challenged. For years scholarship downplayed the Jewish nature of early Christianity, in no small measure because of late 19th and early 20th century dominance in the field by German scholars with anti-Semitic views—they wanted to make Jesus as un-Jewish as possible. Scholarship is still recovering from this bias.\nWhat kind of Greek?\nGranting that somewhere between most and all of the books of the New Testament were originally written in Greek, they are not written in the Attic Greek of the great philosophers, they are written in Koine Greek, the street-Greek of the Roman world at the time. This would have been a practical necessity in order make them accessible to audiences across the Mediterranean.\nEven then, these Greek writings have significant underlying Hebrew structure. As Jean Psichari observed, “In considering all these different Hebraisms, it is impossible not to realize how much the language of the New Testament constituted one of the principal initial obstacles to the acceptance of the faith among the educated classes in the first and second centuries. These Hebraisms were hardly what was called for to impress the educated classes.” (“Essai sure le Grec de la Septante”, in translation of “The Hebrew Christ” by Kenneth D. Whitehead)\nIf they were writing to try to &quot;fit in&quot; with Greek philosophy, they wouldn't have written this way.\nWhat audience is assumed by the authors?\nI find especially interesting several of the most Jewish books of the New Testament: Matthew, Hebrews, James, and Jude. These documents are written to people who consider themselves both Jews &amp; Christians, tying them to a rather narrow slice of time and space. They rely heavily on Jewish literature and custom, and do not go to the trouble of explaining Jewish concepts to the readers.\nVarious scholars have pointed out that the New Testament—and the Gospel of Matthew in particular—speak to an audience that does not need to have Jewish concepts explained to them. Bernard Orchard (see “The Order of the Synoptics: Why Three Synoptic Gospels?” pp. 233-234) assembled a list of conspicuously Jewish features found in the Gospel of Matthew, a few of which include:\n\nIt makes conscious connection between the Old Testament and the New\nFocus on the Law of Moses and temple ritual\nThe Gospel of Matthew expects it readers to be familiar with the\nviews and customs of the groups named as the scribes, the Pharisees,\nthe Herodians, and the Sadducees. The author never explains who\nthese groups are—the audience is expected to already know.\n\nOne of the principal themes of the Gospel of Matthew is that you can be a good Jew and believe in Jesus. Indeed, it goes further than that—Matthew argues that if you are a good Jew and believe the Old Testament you should believe in Jesus, because the Old Testament prophesied of Him. I have argued elsewhere for the significant implications of the very Jewish nature of the Gospel of Matthew.\nWhat do Hellenistic Christian documents look like?\nPerhaps one of the strongest evidences that the New Testament is a product of a Jewish world-view more-so than Greek, comes by comparing 1st Century Christian writings with those of the latter half of the 2nd Century and later—there we do find significant influence from Greek philosophy (e.g. Justin, Tatian, Clement of Alexandria, to say nothing of the full-blown Gnostic movement). The difference between later Christian works steeped in the Hellenistic world and earlier Christian works steeped in Judaism is striking.\nCompare, for example, the Gospel of Matthew’s critique of the Pharisees in Matthew 23 with Irenaeus’ critique of the Valentinians in Against Heresies Book 1 (see esp. Chapter 8). These authors live in different worlds and are focused on different problems. Matthew is the product of a Hebrew world; Irenaeus a Hellenistic one.\nIn summary, later Christianity certainly shows the influence of Greek thought, but the earliest Christian writings are the product of a Jewish world.", "Found a solution !\n\nAges ago (before we were relying only on Internet), I was told \"If you try searching for some explanation start with man man and dig further from there (yep, I was surrounded by prehistorical nerds)\". So an old reflex just came back, I've done an old fashion man blender from my terminal and found the following option :\n\n--python-text &lt;name&gt;\n Run the given Python script text block\n\n\nSince your text editor creates a block called Text by default, you just need to specify this block name ... and it works as expected !\n\nWhile it shouldn't, the online manual seems, somehow, providing less information than the one available locally !\n\nSo, execution of random python code can be executed automatically with the following command :\n\n\n blender -y yourfile.blend --python-text Text\n\n\nor \n\n\n blender --enable-autoexec yourfile.blend --python-text Text\n\n\nwhere Text is the name / label or your text block (you can get it from the header of your text editor view)\n\n\n\nAs pointed by batFINGER and dr. Sybren, another easy way is to modify the name generated by default when you create a new text block, by adding \".py\" extension to it !", "Before setting out on this search, I first looked at a compendium of James Bond lore entitled Amazing and Extraordinary Facts - James Bond by Michael Paterson, to confirm if such &quot;existential&quot; inner dialogue existed in the books.\n\n. . . He was often exhausted, wounded or traumatized; he lacked humour, and occasionally even confidence. He felt periodic melancholy with his role and sometimes doubted whether the West had any right to feel morally superior to is communist enemy. He even, in one novel, 'shredded his nerves' with worry.\n\nInterest piqued with the mention of &quot;periodic melancholy with his role&quot;, and &quot;sometimes doubted whether the West had any right to feel morally superior&quot;, I went to the complete library of Fleming's Bond stories.\nAfter scanning the library, I can say that he did at times express doubts, and even regret, but mostly he tried to suppress these feelings as they would only interfere in the performance of his duties.\nI will present the pertinent passages in the same order in which the books were published; however, the most telling information probably comes from Goldfinger (1959).\nIn the beginning of From Russia with Love (1957), Bond begins thinking over his youth, and the changes he has gone through.\n\nwhat would that youth think of him, the secret agent, the older James Bond? Would he recognize himself beneath the surface of this man who was tarnished with years of treachery and ruthlessness...\n\nThen, in Goldfinger (1959), it is mentioned several times that he does not actually enjoy killing, that it is his duty.\n\nIt was part of his profession to kill people. He had never liked doing it and when he had to kill he did it as well as he knew how and forgot about it. As a secret agent who held the rare double-O prefix - the licence to kill in the Secret Service - it was his duty to be as cool about death as a surgeon. If it happened, it happened. Regret was unprofessional - worse, it was death-watch beetle in the soul.\n\nLater, he tries to rationalize his role as an assassin.\n\nHe was too tense, too introspective. What the hell was he doing, glooming about this Mexican, this capungo who had been sent to kill him? It had been kill or get killed. Anyway, people were killing other people all the time, all over the world. People were using their motor cars to kill with. They were carrying infectious diseases around, blowing microbes in other people's faces, leaving gasjets turned on in kitchens, pumping out carbon monoxide in closed garages. How many people, for instance, were involved in manufacturing H-bombs, from the miners who mined the uranium to the shareholders who owned the mining shares? Was there any person in the world who wasn't somehow, perhaps only statistically, involved in killing his neighbour?\n\nBut then he suppresses these feelings.\n\nBond's lips turned down. Cut it out. Stop being so damned morbid. All this is just reaction from a dirty assignment. You're stale, tired of having to be tough. You want a change. You've seen too much death.\n\nIn You Only Live Twice (1964), following the murder of his wife Tracy, Bond suffers a type of emotional breakdown. It is of a type that we would easily recognize today--a result of too much repression of emotions, and probably regrets over his life.\n\nHe felt like hell and knew that he also looked it. For months, without telling anyone, he had tramped Harley Street, Wigmore Street and Wimpole Street looking for any kind of doctor who would make him feel better. He had appealed to specialists, GPs, quacks - even to a hypnotist. He had told them, 'I feel like hell. I sleep badly. I eat practically nothing. I drink too much and my work has gone to blazes. I'm shot to pieces. Make me better.' And each man had taken his blood pressure, a specimen of his urine, listened to his heart and chest, asked him questions he had answered truthfully, and had told him there was nothing basically wrong with him.\n\nIn The Man with the Golden Gun (1965), it is mentioned twice that he does not enjoy killing:\n\nIt was all very fine to be told to “eliminate” the man, but James Bond had never liked killing in cold blood\n\nand then again...\n\nJames Bond got into the car behind Scaramanga and wondered whether to shoot the man now, in the back of the head--the old Gestapo-K.G.B. point of puncture. A mixture of reasons prevented him--the itch of curiosity, an inbuilt dislike of cold murder, the feeling that this was not the predestined moment, the likelihood that he would have to murder the chauffeur also.\n\nAnd then in the last story The Living Daylights (1965), Bond refrained from killing his target in an unusually merciful stay of a licensed execution. There is no adequate rationalization given: possibly he had finally found a way of reconciling his past with his future, or more likely, Fleming was looking to give more dimensionality to his most famous creation." ]

[ "Daniel Dunglas Home" ]

[ "The Ladies Who Lunch", "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", "Men Who Hate Women", "defendants who are pre-trial", "The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas" ]

[ "If you can live stream movies, why not live stream medical care? Insurance company UnitedHealthcare will start covering visits to the doctor's office — via video chat. Patients and physicians talk live online — on smartphones, tablets or home computer — to get to a clinical diagnosis. This move to cybermedicine could save insurers a ton of money — or have unintended consequences. Cybermedicine has been long-discussed by the experts. Now, Eric Neiman, father to a little girl in San Francisco, can explain how it works — from personal experience. \"So I'd gotten a text from my wife earlier in the day,\" he says. \"One of our daughter's eyes was a little bit red and she was rubbing it.\" A few hours passed and it got more red and started oozing. \"Well, unfortunately that sounds like it could be pinkeye. So we would look at it together when I got home,\" Neiman says. Which was close to 8 p.m. — too late to see their regular pediatrician. And kind of late to see any doctor. If they went to the local urgent care center, they'd get back home at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. Then, Neiman remembered something, from his Instagram account, a post for an app called Doctor On Demand. It pairs users up with doctors who are licensed in their state for a video screening. Neiman decided to log in. \"The pediatrician came on, introduced himself, and then asked to see our daughter, asked to hold the iPhone up to her eye, checked her throat, everything that he could see via the phone.\" Within minutes, the doctor called in a prescription for pinkeye. The visit cost Neiman $40. Neiman was so impressed, he says, he used the app just a few days later for himself. He thought he was getting a sinus infection, and logged in from his car. \"I was sitting on the side of the street. It's not the first time I pulled over to use my phone,\" he says. \"But to actually go to the doctor — I was just hopeful nobody was watching!\" Save On Cost Or Break The Bank? UnitedHealthcare's move to cover all or part of the cost of these e-visits — for up to 20 million customers by 2016 — is big. A major company is putting its stamp of approval on a process that, until now, has been largely experimental. Three mobile-doc startups – Doctor on Demand, NowClinic and Amwell – are the initial providers. Karen Scott, who directs innovation initiatives at UnitedHealthcare, says the company is studying cost: \"What happens if somebody is more likely to use virtual care? Maybe they would have gone in to urgent care. How many of them will choose the virtual visit instead?\" It could be that people grab a doctor online for skin rashes, colds and coughs — and by getting care early on, they prevent an expensive catastrophe. Or maybe people wait too long when they really just need to see a doctor in person. Or it could be this service brings out the inner hypochondriac in us and leaves the insurer with a bigger bill to co-pay. \"Those are the sorts of health care economics and actuarial questions that our experts will be watching,\" Scott says. Convenience For Doctors This move has big implications for physicians, too. Dr. Tania Elliott, an allergist with Doctor on Demand, says that through the app, patients with a rash show her their symptoms in the moment — not a week later. She takes virtual tours of people's homes to search dust mite sources. Instead of tedious planning, she gives patients a ballpark of when to do a follow up visit. \"They have access to essentially my schedule. And so when they log into the app they can see when I'm online,\" she says. The doctor has even gotten to work remotely — from a hotel room in Hawaii." ]

[ "Will Medicaid expansion save the country money as people stop using expensive emergency rooms for primary care? Not yet, suggest the latest findings from a landmark study published online Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study of Medicaid patients in Oregon who got Medicaid in 2008 found their ER use stayed high two years after they gained the health insurance coverage — even as they also increased their visits to doctors' offices. All eyes have been on Oregon to answer this question about ER use because, eight years ago, the state tried an experiment. It wanted to expand Medicaid, but it didn't have the money to cover every eligible resident. So it held a lottery to give coverage to as many people as possible, in the fairest way possible. The result was something of a gift to researchers like Bill Wright, director of the Providence Center for Outcomes Research and Education. \"You couldn't do this as a researcher,\" Wright says. You couldn't design a study that randomly gave some people insurance, but not others. It wouldn't be ethical to leave some people without coverage just to have a control group. \"As a researcher,\" Wright says, \"you don't want to put someone in that position, just to study it.\" But, since Oregon was already conducting the insurance lottery, that offered an invaluable chance to study the differences between people who have Medicaid insurance and similar people who don't. It was the first randomized study on the impacts of health insurance, and it's one of the largest, surveying about 25,000 people. The study's first findings, published a few years ago, showed that Medicaid was beneficial in many ways. It improved people's financial security. They went to the doctor when they were sick. And having the insurance correlated with a drop in rates of depression. \"These are all things that are really important benefits of Medicaid expansion,\" says Wright. But the study also found Medicaid enrollees increased their emergency room visits by 40 percent over the first 15 months. \"That was a surprise to a lot of folks,\" says Wright. It was widely believed that having insurance would encourage people to get routine medical care in doctors' offices or clinics, instead of waiting until they have more serious symptoms and have to head to the ER, where care is most expensive. After those early findings were published, health care analysts scrambled to explain why the number of ER visits didn't decline. Some thought it was a reflection of pent-up demand from people who hadn't seen a doctor in years because they didn't have insurance. Others thought some of these newly insured patients simply hadn't yet had time in that first 15 months to establish a relationship with a primary care doctor. As more time passed, that theory suggested, and more patients had primary care providers, their reliance on emergency rooms would drop. But Wright, one of the study's authors, says he and his colleagues have now studied two years of data — and that's not what they're finding. \"There was no sign that this [ER] use went down,\" he says. \"So this idea of pent-up demand sort of fading away — at least in the first couple of years, it didn't happen.\" Quite the opposite. \"If your hope is that, in the short term — the first couple of years — you're going to see savings that come out of reduced [ER] use from Medicaid expansion alone, I don't think I'd be super optimistic about that,\" Wright says. \"I think that it is going to cost money in the short term.\" However, there may be savings in other areas, he says, like an increased use of preventive services that could stave off problems that would become more expensive later. And, Leslie Clement, with the Oregon Health Authority, says over the past two years, Oregon has seen avoidable use of emergency rooms drop by 4 percent. That's because the state is now coordinating care better, she says, by doing things like helping people get to their doctors' appointments and take their medication. \"It is not just a 'open up coverage and let people used health care services as they have done historically,' \" she says. \"It's reforming that system.\" The researchers won't be able to tease much more information out of what's come to be known as the Oregon Health Insurance Experiment — the experiment had to stop once the state expanded Medicaid fully under the Affordable Care Act. This story is part of NPR's reporting partnership with Oregon Public Broadcasting and Kaiser Health News.", "For many young people, college graduation marks the entry into what grown-ups call \"the real world.\" But if you're a new graduate with a mental health condition, the transition can be especially challenging. Many young people start managing their own health care for the first time when they graduate. And while finding and paying for a psychologist or psychiatrist can be difficult at any age, for young people who don't have steady jobs or stable paychecks, the task can be especially daunting. Perseverance and planning ahead help. One of my classmates from college, Sarbani Das, says she had to call over 30 mental health providers in New York before she found one with an opening. \"And, of course, you think, if no one else has an opening, why does she?\" Das, 23, who suffers from anxiety, says she eventually found a doctor. He doesn't accept insurance, so she has to pay out of her own pocket. Das says she can because she has a job and savings. \"If necessary, I probably would have asked my parents,\" she says. But she didn't even tell her parents that she was seeking help until very recently. It should be easier, Das says. \"It's a bit ridiculous. If you can't find a good doctor, it's basically your life that's going by.\" On NPR's Facebook page, we asked young adults and recent grads to share their stories. Many who responded shared Das' sentiments. Some didn't have health insurance and some couldn't find providers covered by their insurance plans. Others were able to find therapists who took insurance, but had to stop going because of high deductibles, or because they couldn't afford the $25 to $80 copays. Some felt they couldn't take time off from new jobs and internships to regularly see a therapist or psychiatrist, and several said they had trouble finding someone who had experience working with young patients. To minimize these hassles, \"the trick is planning ahead\" long before graduation, says Luis Ramirez, the associate director of clinical services at New York University. Counselors at the school often work with students to help them find providers in the community. The school also helps graduating students who plan on moving away from New York find therapists in their new location. \"We've helped students find providers in China,\" he says. \"Sometimes it takes seeing one or two or three different therapists before you find one that fits,\" he adds. He advises students to screen providers by chatting on the phone. \"I really encourage students to not throw in the towel.\" But the process takes time and isn't easy, says Darcy Gruttadaro, who directs the Child and Adolescent Action Center at the National Alliance on Mental Illness, an advocacy group. \"With any transition in life, that transition provides a certain set of challenges. When you combine that with mental health issues, that can be really challenging.\" The Affordable Care Act has made it slightly easier for young people to get mental health care. Young people can stay on their parents' insurance until they're 26, or get low-cost coverage through state or federal exchanges. And federal health law requires insurance companies to provide the same amount of coverage for mental health as they do for medical and surgical treatment. Still, some people on their parents' insurance may not be ready to talk to their family about their mental health issues. Others may have insurance plans with limited coverage for both physical and mental health issues. Many therapists are willing to lower their prices, Gruttadaro tells Shots. And patients shouldn't hesitate to ask a therapist if they have a sliding scale for fees. Still, weekly therapy sessions can be unaffordable. That's what Rebecca Greenlee, 26, discovered four years ago when she left school in Illinois and moved to Austin, Texas. As a college student, Greenlee was able to see a mental health provider through an on-campus service. Finding care off campus was much harder. She got a temporary job working for the local government, but the position didn't come with any benefits. Taking time off for weekly visits was difficult, too. Eventually, she went to a public clinic where she had to wait over eight hours for a preliminary appointment. \"It was very challenging to get doctors at the public health clinic to even treat me,\" she says. \"Most of the cases that they were seeing there were so severe.\" Greenlee says she was often overlooked because her condition wasn't as serious. \"While I have an acute case of bipolar disorder ... I'm able to function for the most part.\" Now Greenlee has a job with health benefits. And she says she's able to take time off for appointments, no questions asked. Even so, there are issues. \"The only person I could see was a licensed nurse practitioner,\" she says. The psychiatrists covered by her insurance had months-long waiting lists. \"It's enough to make people just give up,\" Greenlee says. Without support from friends, she says she wouldn't have gotten through the transition. Support fr", "Key parts of the Affordable Care Act go into effect tomorrow, with heath insurance exchanges opening for enrollment. Jay Hancock of Kaiser Health News returns to Here & Now to answer more of your questions. \nObamacare 101: Your Questions Answered\nWhat Insurance Premiums Will Cost Under Obamacare\n\n2 questions answered Barry Washington wants to know what plans under these exchanges will cover? When he gets sick, will they cover everything 100 percent or are they going to be at the mercy of these for-profit health insurance companies? “Probably the first question to ask when you’re starting to consider these plans, and there’s a couple of points to be made here. He mentions the profit of the insurance companies; one of the things the Affordable Care Act does is limits the profit, so if they don’t spend a certain amount of their premiums on health care, they have to refund the money. It should said that all these plans cover preventive care, annual checkups, vaccinations, things like that with no out-of-pocket costs, so go to your doctor, get the preventive stuff, it’s not going to cost you anything. However, you should check the deductibles and copay&#8217;s of each of these plans. As Barry points out, some of the premiums are low, they do come, some of them, with multi-thousand dollar deductibles. On the other hand, there is an out-of-pocket limit under the Affordable Care Act. Individuals cannot, will not pay more than $6,350 out of their pocket. So even with a haughty deductible, there is some ceiling on what you’re going to pay out.” Cathy, whose husband was recently fired, which caused them to lose their private employer insurance, has children who are now covered by state insurance and wants to know what happens if they apply for the exchanges and then her husband gets a job and gets coverage?   “One of the things that happens in the exchange is you get subsidized based on your income, and so, right now, if there is unemployment insurance income going on, that is counted as part of your income. If he gets a job and the income goes up, that affects the subsidies—that all factors into the exchange software. When you’re on there, if it works the way it’s supposed to, and there are some doubts about that, it may take a while. When you go on there, all of that gets plugged in, and you can even factor in what if situations and see how the prices might change, how it affects you in some different scenarios, what you think might happen to your income.&#8221; To hear more of Jay Hancock’s answers, listen to the audio at the top of this page. Guest\n\nJay Hancock, senior correspondent at Kaiser Health News. He tweets @jayhancock1.\n ROBIN YOUNG, HOST: It's HERE AND NOW. Key parts of the Affordable Care Act go into effect tomorrow with health insurance exchanges open for enrollment. Judging by our website, hereandnow.org, Americans have a lot of questions. Last week, we had our occasional Obamacare 101 segment, your chance to get your questions about these marketplaces answered. Today, Jay Hancock of Kaiser Health News is back to answer more. Jay, welcome back. JAY HANCOCK: Hi. Nice to be here. YOUNG: And again, to remind ourselves, starting tomorrow, people, for instance, who aren't on Medicare, who are - or don't get their insurance through an employer can go online or, as you reminded us, can go talk to an insurance broker. They can help you to look through different plans, see which one is best for them. Let's get to some of the questions people are asking. Barry Washington asks - he says, I'd like to know which plans under these exchanges will cover - or what they will cover. What plans under these exchanges will cover? He says, the prices sound great. But specifically, what are they going to cover if I get sick? Will they cover everything 100 percent, or are we going to be at the mercy of these for-profit health insurance companies? HANCOCK: Terrific question, probably the first question to ask when you're starting to consider these plans. And there's a couple of points to be made here. He mentions the profit of the insurance companies. One of the things the Affordable Care Act does is limits the profit. So if they don't spend a certain amount of their premiums on health care, they have to refund the money. It should be said that these - all these plans cover preventive care, annual checkups, vaccinations, things like that, with no out-of-pocket costs. So, you know, go to your doctor, get the preventive stuff. It's not going to cost you anything. However, you should check the deductibles and the co-pays of each of these plans. As Barry points out, some of the premiums are low. They do, however, come, some of them, with multi-thousand-dollar deductibles. On the other hand, there is an out-of-pocket limit under the Affordable Care Act. Individuals cannot - will not pay more than $6,350 out of their pocket. So even with a high deductible, there is some ceiling on what you're going to pay out. YOUNG: OK. You check ", "What are retail-based clinics like? Think of McDonald's. As business school professors have pointed out, the organizing principles behind retail health clinics are taken right from the fast food industry: convenient locations, quick service, long opening hours, limited menu, low prices and consistent quality. Anything that can be done by nurse practitioners using well-accepted guidelines is in. Anything that involves too much judgment, ongoing chronic care or serious consequences is referred out. Most patients really like them. A recent national poll found that between 80 and 90 percent of users were satisfied with the quality of care, convenience and costs of these clinics. They especially liked the no-appointment-necessary policy and short waiting times. No surprise that most doctors really don't like them. Medical societies around the country have expressed concerns about the quality of care and the lack of continuity of care provided by these clinics. But maybe that's just sour grapes. If you go to a retail health clinic, it will probably be like the one I recently visited. It was in the back of a suburban drug store: There was a small waiting area with a sign saying that the nurse practitioner was in one of the two examination rooms with a patient. I signed in and sat down. While I waited, a large flat-screen video display flashed promotional material alternating with the \"menu\": ear infection, $59; flu shot, $39; camp physical, $59; and so on. The clinic took cash, credit cards and many health insurance plans, though not mine. After about five minutes, a smiling nurse practitioner came out and greeted me. So, should you go to one of these clinics? They are designed for people who have a simple, well-defined problem or need a shot or another offered service. Perfect for a child's recurrent ear infection on a Sunday or an assessment of a sore throat in the evening. Quick exam, diagnosis, treatment and, of course, your prescription can be filled before you leave the store. Also, they've been very popular with uninsured people because of their low charges. Or if you're on vacation and develop conjunctivitis or a sinus infection, nothing could be more convenient. But legitimate clinical questions exist. Who assures quality of care? Where's the medical backup and follow-up? What do they do when an emergency walks in? And how do retail health clinics differentiate a simple, minor problem from a serious one? The clinics say that they hire experienced, certified nurse practitioners who know what they're doing and when to get help. They follow recognized guidelines for diagnosis and treatment. They'll refer you out if your problem is too complicated, and they'll tell your doctor about your visit. All the clinics have telephone backup from a doctor, although sometimes that doctor is in another state. As for emergencies, they say they really don't see many. Bottom line? I think these clinics are providing a very useful service, from which conventional doctors' practices could learn a thing or two about speed and convenience of care. Would I go to one? No, if it were for a complicated problem or related to lots of other ongoing problems I had. Yes, if I were out of town or I couldn't get in to see my doctor for what I knew was a simple, quick problem. But in either case, I'd make sure to subsequently let my primary care doctor know what the problem was and how I was treated. Family physician Douglas Kamerow, a former assistant surgeon general, is a researcher at Research Triangle Institute. He lives in Maryland. MELISSA BLOCK, host: Retail-based health clinics are expanding across the country. You can find them at big drugstores or supermarkets. The idea is health care while you shop. Visits to these clinics are increasingly covered by health insurance. Douglas Kamerow is a family physician and former assistant surgeon general. Here's his take on whether retail health clinics are good places to go for your medical needs. DOUGLAS KAMEROW: The organizing principles behind retail health clinics are taken right from the fast food industry - convenient locations, quick service, long opening hours, limited menu, low prices, and consistent quality. Anything that can be done by nurse practitioners using well-accepted guidelines is in. Anything that involves too much judgment, ongoing chronic care or serious consequences is referred out. Most patients really like them. A recent national poll found that between 80 and 90 percent of users were satisfied with the quality of care, convenience, and costs of these clinics. No surprise, most doctors really don't like them. Medical societies around the country have expressed concerns about the quality of care and the lack of continuity of care provided by these clinics. But maybe that's just sour grapes. If you go to a retail health clinic, it will probably be like the one I recently visited. It was in the back of a suburban drugstore. There was a small waiting area and a si", "Taunting and trash-talking are a regular part of the culture for online video gamers. Opponents tease and threaten each other to complement the violent clashes between the game avatars. In a piece for The New York Times, reporter Amy O'Leary describes a series of incidents with female gamers over the past six months that have sparked a debate about sexual harassment in the online gaming community. \"You're starting to see the first kind of glimmers of call for change from gamers, some movement from some game manufacturers and certainly an increasing awareness among gamers themselves that this is a problem that needs to come out from the dark of anonymous play,\" O'Leary tells NPR's Tom Gjelten. One particularly disturbing incident happened earlier this year when Miranda Pakozdi, a regular competitive gamer, entered the Cross Assault video game tournament. During the six-day fighting competition, her team's coach badgered her with questions about her boyfriend and her bra size, and trained the tournament's Web camera on parts of her body. \"Eventually,\" says O'Leary, \"she found this so difficult to deal with that she committed kind of virtual suicide and forfeited the tournament by walking straight into a competing player so she'd be killed off.\" Far more of these incidents happen with texting or voice chat, with players who aren't in the room. Players can use microphone headsets to communicate with anyone else who may be playing. O'Leary explains that before the introduction of voice chat into online gaming systems, many women would use avatars or screen names that wouldn't give away their gender. Voice chat, which can make gaming more fun and interactive, takes away that opportunity for disguise and can make women targets for harassment right away. \"So, some women either don't use voice chat altogether and miss out on those features of gaming, or they find that these communities can be too hostile for them, and they stop playing in those communities altogether.\" Some gaming systems in the $25-billion-a-year industry now incorporate reporting tools so that players can report abuse. \"Many gamers say that they feel like it's kind of like that crosswalk button,\" says O'Leary. \"You hit it when you're trying to cross the street. They feel like they hit this report button, and it's just there to make them feel better and not really to do anything.\" Some in the industry are calling for the development of automatic muting systems, where gamers who are muted by other players at frequent rates would no longer be able to voice chat. While awareness about harassment is growing, there are some female players who are unfazed. \"There are many women who've been gaming for a long time who just kind of let all this roll off their back,\" says O'Leary. \"One of the things that is left out of that conversation is that there are women who really are truly uncomfortable with this. And if they're new to gaming, they may not know how to find communities or the kinds of games that are a little bit friendlier. And they may find themselves turned off from gaming altogether.\" TOM GJELTEN, HOST: Many online video games today give players the option of texting and talking to each other. It makes gaming more social and interactive. But for female gamers, it may bring harassment, sexual threats, taunts and come-ons. A series of incidents this year have sparked a discussion in the online gaming community about sexual harassment - real, not virtual. New York Times reporter Amy O'Leary wrote about the problem this week. With more women playing video games online, there's a growing debate over the gaming culture, who owns that culture and whether it needs to change. Amy O'Leary joins us in a moment. Female gamers, have you been harassed? Call us at 800-989-8255. Our email address is [email protected]. And you can join the conversation at our website. Go to npr.org, and click on TALK OF THE NATION. Amy O'Leary joins us now from our bureau in New York. Welcome to the program, Amy. AMY O'LEARY: Thank you so much for having me, Tom. It's a pleasure to be with you. GJELTEN: So are you a gamer yourself? O'LEARY: Not for a long time. I think the last time I was playing games, I was probably 12 or 13 years old. GJELTEN: Back in the Pac-Man days, I guess. O'LEARY: Oh, even a little, you know, Nintendo. I bought my own Nintendo when I was 12. GJELTEN: But female - women are playing more video games. Women are making up a bigger section of game players these days, huh? O'LEARY: That's absolutely right. And while there's some debate around the numbers, you know, in all segments of gaming, people who are active video game players, you know, report more women at places like conferences and at tournaments and online. GJELTEN: And, you know, one of the things that was interesting to me about this is that along with online video game playing, there's a whole world of communication between the players. Can you explain what that experience is like and what kind of commu", "Monthly premiums for California's 1.3 million Covered California customers will rise a modest 4 percent, on average, officials with the agency said Monday. This increase is slightly less than last year's increase of 4.2 percent for consumers who bought policies on the state's health insurance marketplace. Some consumers could even achieve a reduction in their premium, of an average of 4.5 percent, if they choose to shop around. \"This is another year of good news for California's consumers and further evidence that the Affordable Care Act is working,\" said Peter Lee, Covered California's executive director. Consumers who live in different parts of the state will see varying rates. In Southern California, consumers who stay in their plan will see an increase of just 1.8 percent, or an average of $296 per month. But in Northern California, where health care costs are typically higher, because of greater consolidation among doctors and hospitals, the increase is an average of 7 percent monthly, or $384. Lee stressed that shopping around could help consumers save money. \"Health care is also local,\" he said. \"Where you live frames what your options are. If you live in Los Angeles and you shop around, you could see your premiums go down 11 percent.\" Betsy Imholz, an attorney and advocate with Consumers Union, called the average increase \"terrific,\" and also encouraged people to shop on price. \"Often you can get a lower rate by moving to another carrier,\" she said. Lee said Covered California spent weeks negotiating with insurers. \"We've created a market where the consumer drives what's working in California,\" he said. \"Throughout our negotiations, consumers in California saved more than $200 million.\" Larry Levitt, senior vice president of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, was positive about what he called \"modest\" increases. \"This shows what a stable, competitive individual insurance market can look like,\" he said, via email. In part, Levitt credited the cost-containment to Covered California's \"substantial enrollment so far.\" It's a sign, he said, that the marketplace is likely attracting healthy people to help spread the risk of the sicker people. Levitt also said the state agency's active role has helped keep premium increases down. \"I think a key element of California's success is the standardization of insurance policies,\" he said, \"which simplifies the choices for consumers and focuses competition squarely on premiums.\" Covered California also announced that two new insurers will join the marketplace. UnitedHealthcare, the largest health insurer in the nation, will now offer plans in parts of the state, including the group of counties that start north of Sacramento and stretch to the Oregon and Nevada borders. Where some people had a choice of only one plan, now they will have two or three. \"Covered California did the right thing by targeting the new additions to the places where more choice is needed,\" Imholz said. Under the UnitedHealthcare plan, people who live near the Oregon and Nevada borders will also be able to cross state lines to see a doctor, a practice that was often prohibited in other plans. \"Sometimes people were driving many hours in order to get care,\" said Beth Capell, who is with the advocacy group Health Access. People who live in Susanville, for example, were accustomed to getting care in nearby Reno, Nevada. But through Covered California intially, they had to drive several hours to Sacramento. \"They will now have the choice of another carrier that will be offering them coverage beyond the borders of California.\" Parts of Los Angeles County and Orange County will see a new insurer — Oscar Health Plan of California, which currently sells insurance only in the two states of New York and New Jersey. Lee said that the new additions to the marketplace were chosen because they have good networks and are good for consumers. \"Covered California does not think more plans are always better,\" he said. \"In 2014 and 2015 we turned plans away. We're not adding plans just because they knock on our door.\" In addition to the two new plans, all plans from last year were renewed for 2016: Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Chinese Community Health Plan, Health Net, Kaiser, Molina Healthcare, Sharp Health Plan, Valley Health Plan, LA Care Health Plan and Western Health Advantage. The rates announced Monday are preliminary and will be reviewed by state regulators over the next 60 days. This story was produced by State of Health, KQED's health blog.", "California's insurance exchange is threatening to cut hospitals from its networks for poor performance or high costs, a novel proposal that is drawing heavy fire from medical providers and insurers. The goal is to boost the overall quality of patient care and make coverage more affordable, said Peter Lee, executive director of the Covered California exchange. \"The first few years were about getting people in the door for coverage,\" said Lee, a key figure in the rollout of the federal health law. \"We are now shifting our attention to changing the underlying delivery system to make it more cost effective and higher quality. We don't want to throw anyone out, but we don't want to pay for bad quality care either.\" It appears to be the first proposal of its kind in the country. The exchange's five-member board is slated to vote on it next month. If approved, insurers would need to identify hospital \"outliers\" on cost and quality starting in 2018. Medical groups and doctors would be rated after that. Providers who don't measure up stand to lose insured patients and suffer a black eye that could sully their reputations with employers and other big customers. By 2019, health plans would be expected to expel poor performers from their exchange networks. The idea has already sparked fierce opposition. Doctors and hospitals accuse the exchange of overstepping its authority and failing to spell out the specific measures they would be judged on. Health insurers, normally at odds with providers, have joined them in the fight. The insurers are balking at the prospect of disclosing their negotiated rates with providers. Health plans have long resisted efforts that would let competitors or the public see the deals they make with doctors and hospitals. But scrutinizing the negotiated rates would help the exchange identify high-cost providers and allow policyholders with high deductibles to see the differences in price before undergoing a surgery or imaging test. Lee said it's time for the exchange to move beyond enrollment and flex its market power on behalf of its 1.5 million members. He said insurers haven't been tough enough on hospitals and doctors. Other public exchanges or large employers could try to replicate the idea, putting more pressure on providers and insurers. Lee has shared his proposal with other state marketplaces, government officials and employer groups to promote similar efforts. Still, there are limits to this strategy. Exceptions would be granted if excluding a hospital or doctor from a network meant an area wouldn't have a sufficient number of providers. Insurers could appeal and offer other reasons for keeping a provider in the network. \"California is definitely ahead of the pack when it comes to taking an active purchasing role, and exclusion is a pretty big threat,\" said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown University's Center on Health Insurance Reforms. \"There may be a dominant hospital system that's charging through the nose, but without them you don't have an adequate network. It will be interesting to see how Covered California threads that needle.\" The composition of networks has typically been left up to insurers. Until now, most of the discussion has centered on the proliferation of narrow networks, with a limited range of providers, sold under the Affordable Care Act as a way to hold down rates. A study in 2015 found that 75 percent of Covered California plans had narrow physician networks, with more restricted choices than all but three other states. \"I don't know of anyone even close to trying this,\" said Dan Polsky, the study's author and executive director of the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. \"I applaud Covered California for being bold to improve quality and reduce costs, but I worry about the implementation.\" Polsky said measuring quality can be complicated, and steps must be taken to ensure hospitals and doctors aren't penalized for treating sicker patients or serving lower-income areas. Most quality-boosting efforts use financial bonuses and penalties rather than exclusion. Under the Covered California plan, hospitals would be judged on a wide range of performance and safety measures, from rates of readmission and hospital-acquired infections to adverse drug events. The exchange said it will draw on existing measures already tracked by Medicare and other groups, and it will work with hospitals, consumer advocates and other experts over the next 18 months to finalize the details. The California Hospital Association said the exchange is moving too fast and acting too much like a regulator. \"The devil is in the details, and the rapidity of this concerns us,\" said Dr. David Perrott, chief medical officer at the state hospital trade group. \"We understand value-based purchasing is here in some form and we do not oppose that. But Covered California is charging ahead with this assessment and trying to figure out the answers w", "As members of Congress debate the future of the health law and its implications for consumers, how are they personally affected by the outcome? And how will the law that phases out the popular Medigap Plan F – popular supplemental Medicare insurance — affect beneficiaries? We've got answers to these and other recent questions from readers. What type of insurance do our elected representatives in Washington, D.C., have? Is it true that they're insured on the ACA exchanges now and that any repeal and replacement will affect them too? Under the Affordable Care Act, members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Senate and their office staffs who want employer coverage generally have to buy it on the health insurance exchange. Before the ACA passed in 2010, they were eligible to be covered under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. (People working for congressional committees who are not on a member's office staff may still be covered under FEHBP.) The members of Congress and their staffs choose from among 57 gold plans from four insurers sold on the DC Health Link's small business marketplace this year. Approximately 11,000 are enrolled, according to Adam Hudson, a spokesperson for the exchange. The government pays about three-quarters of the cost of the premium, and workers pay the rest. They aren't eligible for federal tax credits that reduce the size of insurance premiums. For some other members of Congress, declining exchange coverage was a political statement. \"There are several who, because of animus to Obamacare, rejected the offer of coverage, and either buy on their own or get it through a spouse,\" said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown University's Center on Health Insurance Reforms. Proposed bills to replace the ACA don't affect this provision of the law, said Timothy Jost, a professor emeritus of law at Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Va., who has written widely on the regulation of health care and its reform. I am told by our insurance broker that in 2020 Medicare is eliminating Medigap Plan F. Having to switch to a new plan may be difficult for many seniors whose health has deteriorated. Should seniors act early, if needed, to switch Medigap plans while they still have good health? You needn't worry. As long as you continue to pay your Medigap Plan F premium you won't lose that coverage. \"This guy can hang onto his F plan forever,\" said Bonnie Burns, a training and policy specialist at California Health Advocates, a Medicare advocacy and education group.\"All Medigaps are guaranteed renewable as long as the premiums are paid,\" she said. There are 10 standard Medigap plans, sold by a variety of private insurers, that pay for expenses that Medicare doesn't include. These supplemental plans are identified by letter from A through N. They cover – to varying degrees — beneficiaries' out-of-pocket Medicare costs, including deductibles and coinsurance. All the plans with the same letter offer the same basic benefit. When seniors first enroll in Medicare, insurers must sell them a Medigap plan without taking their health into account. But if those who are eligible wait, or want to switch plans later, they can be turned down. Medigap plans F and C cover all the Medicare costs that the program doesn't pay for, including the deductible for Medicare Part B (which covers outpatient care, such as doctor visits). Generally, that Part B deductible in 2017 is $183. Plans F and C are the only two Medigap plans that cover it. As part of the 2015 Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, Congress decided that, starting in 2020, newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries will no longer be allowed to buy plans that pay the deductibles for Medicare Part B. \"Congress decided that people should have more 'skin in the game,'\" said Burns, referring to the idea that patients will make more prudent health care decisions if they're on the hook for at least part of the cost. But the change doesn't affect anyone who is enrolled in those plans before 2020 or who will be eligible for Medicare by then even if they aren't yet using it. And even though Plans C and F will no longer be available to new beneficiaries, Medigap plans D and G will be good substitutes. They provide similarly comprehensive coverage — except for the Part B deductible. Can my spouse continue to cover me under her health insurance after we are divorced? Once you're divorced, it's unlikely you'll be able to remain covered as a dependent on your ex-wife's plan, said J.D. Piro, who leads the health and law group at benefits consultant Aon Hewitt. A few states may allow it, and that could work in your favor if the plan is subject to state law. But many large employers pay their employees' claims directly rather than buy insurance, and they're generally not subject to state insurance rules. However, you may be able to keep your ex-wife's coverage for up to three years under the federal law known as COBRA. That", "What's in a name? When it comes to health plans sold on the individual market, these days it's often less than people think. The lines that distinguish HMOs, PPOs, EPOs and POS plans from one another have blurred, making it hard to know what you're buying by name alone, assuming you're one of the few people who know what an EPO is in the first place. Ideally, the plan name provides a shorthand way to determine the sort of access members have to hospitals and doctors, including cost-sharing for such treatment. But since there are no industry-wide definitions of plan types and state standards vary, individual insurers often have leeway to market similar plans under different names. \"Now, there's a lot of gray out there,\" says Sabrina Corlette, project director at Georgetown University's Center on Health Insurance Reforms. In general: Health maintenance organizations cover only care provided by doctors and hospitals inside the HMO's network. HMOs often require people to get a referral from their primary care physician in order to see a specialist. Preferred provider organizations, or PPOs, cover care provided both inside and outside the plan's network. Patients typically pay a higher percentage of the cost for out-of-network care. Exclusive provider organizations are a lot like HMOs: They generally don't cover care outside the plan's provider network. People in EPOs, however, may not need a referral to see a specialist. Point of Service, or POS, plans vary, but they're often a sort of hybrid HMO/PPO. Patients may need a referral to see a specialist, but they may also have coverage for out-of-network care, though with higher cost sharing. Although insurers identify plans by type in the coverage summaries they're required to provide under the health law, one PPO may offer very different out-of-network coverage than another. \"You have PPOs with really high cost sharing for out-of-network services, which from a consumer perspective seem a lot like HMOs,\" says Corlette. Some plans labeled as PPOs don't offer out-of-network services at all. On the other hand, some HMOs have an out-of-network option that makes them seem similar to PPOs. Higher premiums didn't necessarily correlate with better out-of-network coverage, says Caroline Pearson, vice president at Avalere Health, a research and consulting firm. Since you can't rely on plan type to provide clear guidance on out-of-network coverage, there are three basic questions to investigate when evaluating a plan, says Pearson: Is there out-of-network coverage? Does that out-of-network spending accrue toward your out-of-pocket maximum? Legally it doesn't have to, but some plans include it. Do you need a primary care physician gatekeeper? That's only the beginning. Once you figure out whether a plan covers out-of-network care, it can be difficult to find out whether your doctor is even in that plan. You can check with you doctor's office, but sometimes they don't know. You can also look at provider directories to see who is and isn't in a plan's network, however, that information frequently proved inadequate or inaccurate during the last open enrollment period. But understanding the alphabet soup of plan types is an important first step.", "Faced with rising health care costs, more and more Americans are digging out their passports. Numbers are hard to come by, but according to some estimates, as many as 500,000 Americans go abroad each year to get advanced medical care from lower-priced hospitals and clinics in countries like Mexico, India and Thailand. Even with the costs of travel, accommodation and other expenses, getting these procedures abroad is often cheaper than getting them in the United States. The Journal of Financial Planning estimates that savings may range from 50 to 95 percent of the U.S. cost. The medical tourism industry, as it's called, is only a few years old, and most tourists make arrangements through special agencies or the foreign hospitals themselves. As a result, it's hard to find reliable, independent information on foreign hospitals' standards, doctors' qualifications, or patients' legal protection. With that mind, if you are considering a medical operation abroad, what do you need to know? Q: How do I find out if a foreign hospital is accredited? The Joint Commission, an American non-profit that accredits hospitals in the United States, has a division that does the same thing for foreign hospitals and other health-care facilities. Joint Commission International uses American medical standards to evaluate foreign facilities. The number of international entities accredited by JCI is expected to grow rapidly in the next few years, from 140 to almost 300. Most are in Asia. Medical tourism agencies, which function much like other travel agencies, also offer information about doctors' and hospitals' credentials. However, you may want to do independent research if you rely on these agencies, since they have a financial interest in medical travel but don't actually provide health care. It's also important to realize that these agencies aren't necessarily subject to American laws. There is no master list of foreign hospitals that accept medical tourists, but \"most countries are known for a particular category of treatment,\" author Josef Woodman writes in Patients Beyond Borders. \"If you're seeking cosmetic surgery, Brazil, Costa Rica and South Africa rank among the most popular destinations,\" he writes. \"Dentistry will have you exploring Mexico, Costa Rica, or Hungary. The more expensive, invasive surgeries, such as open-heart surgery or a knee replacement, make a longer trip to India, Thailand, Singapore or Malaysia well worth the cost, time and distance of travel.\" Q: Once I locate a hospital, how do I check out a particular doctor's qualifications? Usually patients work through medical tourism agencies that they find on the Internet, but you can also call a hospital directly. The agency or hospital can then arrange for you to speak with doctors or previous patients on the phone. Dr. Ann Marie Kimball, a physician and professor at the University of Washington, offers some tips on screening a doctor: \"You can ask other people and you can ask your own physician to check out these physicians,\" she says. \"Obviously, talent and skill are not confined to the United States. There are many talented and highly skilled surgeons working overseas who are well-trained, sometimes trained in U.S. medical schools, sometimes trained in Canadian, British, Indian medical schools.\" Kimball agrees it is more difficult to check out an international surgeon. \"But often, surgeons know surgeons, and if they're members of the same professional organization, they may well be aware of one another's reputation,\" she says. Q: Will my insurance cover medical procedures performed abroad? Generally, no. Although some major U.S. insurers — such as Aetna, Cigna and Humana — are increasingly considering it. And a few smaller companies do offer incentives to go abroad. Insurers are attracted to medical tourism by the low cost of these procedures — sometimes one-tenth or one-twentieth the cost of their American counterparts. But they are often more concerned that they'll face lawsuits if something goes wrong at hospital outside the United States. Call your insurer's customer service line to see if you're covered for visits to hospitals abroad. Q: How much will it cost? Prices vary widely. Some facilities' Web sites list the prices of various procedures they offer, but hospitals increasingly require prospective patients to fill out an online form and receive a quote, much like life insurance. Quotes from different hospitals may be hard to compare, since the services offered vary from facility to facility. For instance, one hospital's quote may only cover the procedure itself, while another hospital's quote may include airfare, hotel, rehabilitation and follow-up care. Taxes and tariffs may also be left out. Ask an internationally based hospital for a breakdown of its quote before proceeding. Woodman suggests a $6,000 rule: if your procedure would cost more than $6,000 in the United States, you would likely save money — possibly more than $1,000 — by tra", "For months now, counterterrorism officials have seen signs that al-Qaida has been looking for new and innovative ways to recruit terrorists, including a new manual that has surfaced on the Internet. Researchers at West Point recently stumbled on the 51-page manual while they were visiting a jihadi chat room, called Ekhlass. It's a Web site that allows members to have interactive discussions, post videos and download manuals. Ekhlass is the second most popular jihadi chat room on the Web, and al-Qaida often posts things there. Because of that, it is a place counterterrorism analysts track regularly. So when the West Point analysts discovered a step-by-step primer called \"The Art of Recruiting Mujahedeen,\" it got their attention. On one level, the manual might be an early indication that al-Qaida is trying to identify new sleeper terrorists. On the other hand, the book is so basic it seems to suggest al-Qaida is getting desperate for new members. Brian Fishman, the head of research at West Point's Combating Terrorism Center, says he was struck by the remedial tone of the book. At the end of a chapter, for example, there are questions to judge both the recruiter's progress and the recruit's. \"The recruiter himself doesn't have to use a lot of judgment — they are simply the intermediary for the technique that is being taught in the handbook,\" Fishman says. Here's how the manual, as translated by the CIA, suggests a recruiter build a rapport with a recruit: \"This stage lasts approximately three weeks,\" it says. \"You must do something important at this stage. You must identify his interests and relations with people and how he spends the whole 24 hours, meaning you study him secretly to be reassured about your choice.\" This section touches on such things as being nice to the recruit. It suggests the recruiter pretend to be his friend, perhaps even buy him small gifts. It ends with a questionnaire to assess progress. \"Is the recruit anxious to see you?\" it asks. You get one point for \"no\" and three points for \"yes.\" Does he accept your advice and respect your opinion? It reads a little like one of those relationship quizzes in women's magazines. \"If you have received less than 10 points, you are on the wrong path, repeat the stages from the beginning. From 10 to 18, you are on your way.\" The book is clearly tailored to recruiters who may not know much about the Quran. It suggests recruiters target non-Muslims or recent converts to the Muslim faith. Fishman says the simplicity may suggest that al-Qaida and its affiliated groups have had to lower their recruitment standards. \"When you think about al-Qaida's senior leadership, you have sophisticated thinkers there,\" he says. \"People with engineering degrees and doctorates — those sorts of folks. That's not who is being targeted with this handbook. This is for a different class of terrorist, if you will.\" While the manual might suggest a hint of desperation, experts say it also presents some real concerns. Georgetown University professor and counterterrorism expert Bruce Hoffman says the manual is aimed at attracting people who are less likely to arouse the suspicions of law enforcement. And it may be part of al-Qaida efforts to attract followers who can blend into different communities. \"I think it really reflects what we see in many established terrorist groups historically,\" he says. \"This persistent quest or search for a new and broader constituency from which they can potentially draw recruits from.\" One of the most worrisome aspects of the manual is that it is focused on keeping recruits right where they are — in the countries in which they already live. Hoffman says that will make them harder to find. \"In this way, they are hoping to create the ultimate fifth column, or a sleeper that really is unknown, is undetectable and is beneath the radar and in place in precisely the enemy territory where al-Qaida wishes to strike,\" he says. What is impossible to gauge at this point is just how many people have downloaded \"The Art of Recruiting Mujahedeen,\" and whether any of them have put it into practice. Which is, of course, exactly how al-Qaida wants it. STEVE INSKEEP, Host: American forces in Afghanistan can apply the principles of a counterinsurgency manual that was used in Iraq. Now, it turns out that al-Qaida has its own manual, a guide for how to recruit terrorists. NPR's Dina Temple-Raston reports. DINA TEMPLE: Researchers at West Point recently stumbled on the 51-page manual while they were visiting a jihadi chat room. TEMPLE: Yeah, so it's a Web site where they - you know, you can have interactive discussions and post videos and post things like this book. TEMPLE: That's Brian Fishman. He's the head of research at the military academy's Combating Terrorism Center. He says the site, called Ecles, is the second most popular jihadi chat room on the Web, and al-Qaida often posts things there. Because of that, it's a place counterterrorism analysts track r" ]

[ "Lesson Summary The equation of a linear function has no exponents higher than 1, and the graph of a linear function is a straight line. The equation of a non-linear function has at least one exponent higher than 1, and the graph of a non-linear function is a curved line." ]

[ "SVM Kernel Functions The function of kernel is to take data as input and transform it into the required form. Different SVM algorithms use different types of kernel functions. ... For example linear, nonlinear, polynomial, radial basis function (RBF), and sigmoid.", "Linear regression can produce curved lines and nonlinear regression is not named for its curved lines. ... However, if you simply aren't able to get a good fit with linear regression, then it might be time to try nonlinear regression.", "gvlma-package. Global Validation of Linear Model Assumptions. Description. Perform a single global test to assess the linear model assumptions, as well as perform specific directional tests designed to detect skewness, kurtosis, a nonlinear link function, and heteroscedas- ticity.", "A second order differential equation is an equation involving the unknown function y, its derivatives y' and y'', and the variable x. We will only consider explicit differential equations of the form, Nonlinear Equations. Linear Equations. Homogeneous Linear Equations.", "6. (2 marks) What is the basic difference between linear combinations (contrasts) and multiple comparisons? Linear combinations are planned comparisons; that is, particular means are combined in different ways and contrasted with other combinations of means.", "LOESS (aka LOWESS) ... LOESS combines much of the simplicity of linear least squares regression with the flexibility of nonlinear regression. It does this by fitting simple models to localized subsets of the data to build up a function that describes the deterministic part of the variation in the data, point by point.", "What is the difference between TIR and Linear? The TIR optic allows for a wide spread of light with good distance visibility while linear optic allows for a wider spread of light with extended distance visibility.", "What are the most common myths about communication? Explain the differences between the three models of communication: linear, interactive, and transactional. Interactive- basically the same as linear, except the interactive model of communication includes feedback.", "Nonlinear systems are complicated because of the high dependency of the system variables on each others. I have to tell you that Most of the Engineers are using linear systems in their analysis. Before start solving any Engineering problem we try do linearization to get a linearized model.", "\"Linear and Nonlinear Programming\" is considered a classic textbook in Optimization. ... One major insight of this type is the connection between the purely analytical character of an optimization problem, expressed perhaps by properties of the necessary conditions, and the behavior of algorithms used to solve a problem.", "What is difference between simple linear and multiple linear regressions? Simple linear regression has only one x and one y variable. Multiple linear regression has one y and two or more x variables. For instance, when we predict rent based on square feet alone that is simple linear regression.", "What is the difference between a template function and a function template? Function Template is the correct terminology (a template to instantiate functions from). Template Function is a colloquial synonym. So, there's no difference whatsoever.", "What is the difference between linear thermal expansion and volume expansion? Linear thermal expansion defines the fractional increase in length, whereas the volumetric expansion defines the fractional increase in volume per unit rise in temperature.", "Typically with linear periodization different training phases of different volumes and intensities last approximately 4–6 weeks. ... Nonlinear programs have also been developed where a particular training zone is utilized for one- or two-week periods before a change in training volume and intensity is made.", "The displacement power factor depends on the phase angle difference between the voltage and current of a linear load, whereas the distortion power factor depends on the total harmonic distortion caused by the non linear loads.To understand what is true power factor, let us first discuss about the non linear and linear ...", "What Is the Difference Between a Linear and a Square Foot? ... Linear feet indicates length and square feet is a measure of area, so the difference can be confusing. You usually see the price quoted in square feet for products like flooring and plywood, while trim and dimensioned lumber are usually sold by the linear foot.", "The main difference between Function Declaration and Function Definition in C Programming is that Function declaration indicates what the function is and Function Definition indicates what the function does. ... The declaration is a prototype whhile the definition contains the actual implementation.", "As nouns the difference between use and function is that use is the act of using while function is what something does or is used for.", "What is the difference between a growth series and a linear series? The next number in a linear series is found by adding or subtracting the step value. In a growth series, we multiply by the step value to calculate each new number.", "What is the difference between a linear and a cyclic metabolic pathway? ... In a linear metabolic pathway, the final product is obtained through a series of a metabolic reaction. On another hand, in a cyclic metabolic pathway, there is a cycle in which starting reactant is produced at the end.", "Originally Answered: What is the difference between a square foot and a foot? A foot is that thing with toes on the end of your leg. Its length inspired the unit of linear measure known as a foot, subdivided into 12 inches. A square foot is a measure of area, one linear foot by one linear foot.", "As nouns the difference between ceremony and function is that ceremony is a ritual with religious significance while function is what something does or is used for.", "What is the difference between linear and translational motion? Answer:- Linear motion (or rectilinear motion) means moving in a straight line. Translatory motion or translational motion occurs when all points in a body move the same distance in the same amount of time.", "As nouns the difference between function and capability is that function is what something does or is used for while capability is the power or ability to generate an outcome.", "The difference between linear and relative layout in android is that in linear layout, the \"children\" can be placed either horizontally or vertically, but, in relative layout, the children can be placed with relative distance from each other. This is the difference between linear and relative layouts.", "As nouns the difference between form and function is that form is to do with shape while function is what something does or is used for.", "As nouns the difference between characteristic and function is that characteristic is a distinguishable feature of a person or thing while function is what something does or is used for.", "What is The Difference between Static Load and Dynamic Load? Dynamic, working, or lifting load is the force that will be applied to the linear actuator while it is in motion. Static load, also called the holding load, is the force that will be applied to the linear actuator when it is not in motion.", "['What is a Data Structure? ... ', 'What are linear and non linear data Structures?', 'What are the various operations that can be performed on different Data Structures?', 'What is Stack and where it can be used?', 'What is a Queue, how it is different from stack and how is it implemented?', 'What are Infix, prefix, Postfix notations?']", "As nouns the difference between function and event is that function is what something does or is used for while event is an occurrence; something that happens.", "What is the difference between print and input function in Python? print() function is used to print Objects to the console whereas the input() function is used to take user input.", "['What are the phases involved in Software Testing Life Cycle? ... ', 'What is a test case?', 'What is the difference between functional and non-functional testing? ... ', 'What is usability testing? ... ', 'What are the categories of defects? ... ', 'On what basis the acceptance plan is prepared?']" ]

[ "Vodka and orange juice in equal proportions. If it doesn't cure you, you won't care" ]

[ "It's a traditional family name. The laziness goes back *generations*.", "What do you call a fake noodle? , an impasta.", "So that's what's in the soup.", "Noodles, noodles and more noodles", "Lo mien noodles are egg based noodles, udon noodles are wheat flour noodles, and soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour.\n\nEach noodle will have a different color, texture, and flavor.", "Noodle, she looks like a noodle. White and long.", "Nothing besides what science tells us", "I meant to say \"Enjoy your soup young sir\" to a kid, but I said \"Sir enjoy your young soup\"", "My family knows of my hunger for chicken nuggets", "What's a danger noodle, we only have wide bite", "What is the difference between a cult and a formal religion besides scale?", "What’s the deal because is it just shooting out loads of instant noodles or does it just shoot out one long ass noodle till you say stop", "Mentally, your family. Not your blood family, but who you choose to be your family, which could be your actual family, but still. Your family will always have your back and will help you through tough times.", "February 25th, 1957. The Boy in the Box/America's Unknown Cold at Fox Chase, Philadelphia.", "w-what are you doing, step chicken?", "Plain noodles", "the only person who cares about you (besides obvious answers like your very immediate family) is you. the sooner you realize and EMBRACE that, the quicker you can move on in life and do what you truly want.", "Community: Season 3, Episode 4, Remedial Chaos Theory.", "Spooky danger noodles", "This is what Biden’s America looks like", "ramen noodles with shredded cheese", "Not putting water in ramen noodles", "Pros: your in Vermont\n\nCons: Vermont is in america", "What is better besides life and health and not seeing someone you love suffer or die?", "the lo mein noodles", "The grinch live action version it’s been a tradition throughout my family and we have quoted the line over 99999999999 times", "Just don’t go. Fuck traditions if you can’t stand your relatives.", "Ground beef and noodles dinner", "in my religion it is tradition to sacrifice your first born child at the age of 10 if you still love your wife", "It’s due to the menthol chemical component in mint, it hits your brain with the same receptor as feeling cold, so cold water feels extra cold", "Cereal is soup", "What give you the right to question the motives of an innocent chicken?" ]

[ "it began to wind down after nationalisation in 2009 in july 2011 anglo irish merged with the irish nationwide building society forming a new company named the irish bank resolution corporation michael noonan the minister for finance stated that the name change was important in order to remove the negative international references associated with the appalling failings of both institutions and their previous managements anglo irish mainly dealt in business and commercial banking and had only a limited retail presence in the major irish cities it also had wealth management and treasury divisions anglo irish had operations in austria switzerland the isle of man the united kingdom and the united states the bank s heavy exposure to property lending with most of its loan book being to builders and property developers meant that it was badly affected by the downturn in the irish property market in 2008 in december 2008 the irish government announced plans to inject 1 5 billion of capital for a 75 stake in the bank effectively nationalising it the dublin and london stock exchanges immediately suspended trading in anglo irish s shares with the final closing share price of 0 22 representing a fall of over", "fitzpatrick subsequently resigned his position and was followed within twenty four hours by the bank s non executive director lar bradshaw and chief executive david drumm a new chairman of anglo donal o connor was quickly appointed from the board a move welcomed by the irish minister for finance brian lenihan a number of investigations have been launched into the reasons behind the three resignations the central bank of ireland is carrying out a review of the bank s dealings although its financial regulator patrick neary has also since resigned his position so too did a number of other chairmen directors and executives involved with anglo irish life and permanent and irish nationwide within days of the initial admission an announcement was made that anglo irish bank would be one of three alongside allied irish bank and bank of ireland that would be recapitalised by the irish government the recapitalisation of anglo irish bank was expected to be effected in mid january 2009 following an extraordinary general meeting egm lenihan instead unexpectedly announced the nationalisation of anglo irish bank the night before the egm due to difficulties he encountered with the recapitalisation process recapitalisations of the other two banks mentioned", "the scandal precipitated a collapse of the bank s share price which in turn led to its nationalisation on 21 january 2009 drumm was born in november 1966 in the seaside suburb town of skerries in north county dublin he joined deloitte and touche from school to train as a chartered accountant in 1988 he moved to the venture capital wing of the international fund for ireland from which he obtained a position of assistant manager with anglo irish bank after rising through the bank he was made chief executive from 2005 drumm resigned his position following the resignation of chairman se n fitzpatrick in december 2008 amid mounting revelations over hidden loans the scandal precipitated a collapse of the bank s share price which in turn led to the bank s nationalisation on 21 january 2009 drumm subsequently moved with his family to massachusetts us where in 2010 he filed for bankruptcy under us law the hearing at the boston based court heard from the irish bank resolution corporation which fought drumm s claims for bankruptcy as he owed it 9 million it was alleged during the case that drumm had transferred money and assets to his wife so", "the scandal precipitated a collapse of the bank s share price which in turn led to its nationalisation on 21 january 2009 in an rt radio 1 interview on the marian finucane show in october 2008 fitzpatrick denied critics charges that the bank had been reckless in making too many big loans to property developers as ireland s property bubble grew while saying he was grateful for the state s help he refused to offer taxpayers an apology saying fitzpatrick addressed the government in another speech on the same day and recommended cutting spending on what he called the sacred cows of irish society children the elderly and health care fitzpatrick was declared bankrupt on 12 july 2010 he was born in county wicklow ireland his father was a small farmer and his mother was a civil servant who left the workforce to raise her children fitzpatrick s only sibling his older sister joyce would go on to become the sixth president of national college of ireland fitzpatrick was educated locally at presentation college bray following this he attended university college dublin fitzpatrick was chief executive of anglo irish bank from 1986 until 2005 when he became its chairman he", "the two institutions had been widely criticised for their role in the risky lending practices that led to the irish banking crisis the removal of both failed banks from the irish banking system was a key objective for the new fine gael led government michael noonan the minister for finance made an application to the high court using his powers under the credit institutions stabilization act 2010 requesting that the assets and liabilities of inbs be immediately transferred to anglo irish bank the newly merged entity was named the irish bank resolution corporation the finance minister stated that the new name was important to remove the negative international references associated with the appalling failings of both institutions and their previous managements on 6 february 2013 the board of the ibrc was stood down by the irish government and replaced by accountancy group kpmg michael noonan introduced emergency legislation to liquidate ibrc and replace its promissory notes with bonds with an average maturity of 27 years d il ireann began debating the legislation a few minutes after midnight on 7 february opposition politicians reacted with instant universal dismay and condemnation of the fine gael labour coalition s actions and the driving", "1963 a native of county laois bowe was director of capital markets of anglo irish bank corp plc known as irish bank resolution corporation limited other positions he held include nol group s businesses and operations in the us canada and latin america and president of americas of nol group of neptune orient lines ltd bowe became a number of former members of anglo irish bank who were at the centre of a controversy in june 2013 concerning recorded comments they made some years previously in matters during the run up to ireland s economic crisis his comments included if they saw the enormity of it up front they might decide they have a choice you know what i mean they might say the cost to the taxpayer is too high if it doesn t look too big at the outset if it doesn t look big big enough to be important but not too big that it kind of spoils everything then then i think you can have a chance in 2013 upon the release of the recordings bowe categorically denied misleading the irish government in the lead up to the bailout in a statement issued in mr bowe" ]

[ "one of the country s oldest financial institutions it was originally called the irish industrial building society it changed its name in 1975 when it had just five staff it ceased to exist when its assets liabilities and branch network were transferred to anglo irish bank the headquarters of irish nationwide were in grand parade dublin 6 the society s chairman was danny kitchen and its last chief executive was gerry mcginn who succeeded michael fingleton in 2009 it had around 100 000 members with a branch network throughout ireland it also had branches in belfast and london in the uk and an isle of man division based in douglas irish nationwide iom ltd iniom under a different name permanent bank international ltd remained operating in douglas isle of man it closed down on 15 december 2017 permanent bank international ltd was a wholly owned subsidiary of permanent tsb group holdings plc ptsb and was licensed by the financial supervision commission of the isle of man to take deposits ptsb is registered in ireland regulated by the central bank of ireland and take deposits in the name of permanent tsb pbi placed funds with other parts of its group and", "when 3i was sold to anglo irish bank in 1987 he was offered a role with the new owner he was approached by bank of scotland who owned part of 3i at the time to become ceo aged 31 to rescue their ailing equity bank in 1992 he successfully grew this entity acquiring his previous employer icc along the way into a 37bn full service bank successfully challenging the irish banks for the first time after 17 years as ceo he resigned from the bank of scotland ireland in 2008 at the age of 51 he was replaced by his former coo joe higgins who along with other colleagues established the very successful certus he moved abroad established a private not for profit investment vehicle backed by his swedish s wife s family aimed at rehabilitating drug use his wife is one of the aastrup family he has also been associated with a range of new start up vehicles particularity svenska fonden focussed on financial services zug in switzerland appears to be his family base he was also rumoured in june 2018 to be eyeing up an the irish residential lending market potentially as a repeat of his work with", "in response the irish government instigated a 64 billion bank bailout this then led to a number of unexpected revelations about the business affairs of some banks and business people ultimately added onto the deepening recession in the country the banks bailout was the primary reason for the irish government requiring imf assistance and a total restructuring of the irish government occurred as result of this during the second half of the 1995 2007 celtic tiger period of growth the international bond borrowings of the six main irish banks bank of ireland allied irish banks anglo irish bank irish life permanent irish nationwide building society and educational building society grew from less than 16 billion in 2003 to approximately 100 billion well over half of ireland s gdp by 2007 this growth in bond funding was quite exceptional relative to the aggregate euro area and the focus of the central bank and most external observers was on the apparently strong capital adequacy ratios of the banks or pillar one of the basel framework for example the 2007 international monetary fund article iv consultation staff report on ireland has a heading summarizing the position of the banking sector as banks have", "the founding banks were agra and masterman s bank la compagnie financi re maurice de cattaui and the general credit and finance co and the bank incorporated pastr fr res et compagnie est 1821 reorganized 1827 and giovanni sinadino and co which was the only one of the four to have its seat in egypt in alexandria the senior officials of all four firms sat on the first board of directors in addition to its activities in egypt the anglo egyptian opened branches in the british mediterranean where it frequently acted as banker to the british authorities until 1920 the cattaui family had a controlling interest in anglo egyptian then in 1921 barclays bank initially acquired 15 of the bank before acquiring the cattaui family s interest in 1924 which made barclay s the majority stakeholder in anglo egyptian in 1925 barclays bank merged anglo egyptian with colonial bank and national bank of south africa to form barclays dominion colonial overseas in 1956 following the anglo french attack on port said the egyptian government sequestrated the 19 branches one sub branch and 26 agencies in egypt using them to found bank of alexandria the anglo egyptian bank issued banknotes for", "it is the oldest established financial services provider in malta and one of the largest as of 2014 the bank had 44 branches 6 regional business centres a head office and a wealth management arm located around the maltese islands it has representative offices in australia belgium the united kingdom and italy with the advent of british rule in malta a group of english and maltese merchants established anglo maltese bank which commenced operations on 23 june 1809 banco di malta was established on 1 may 1812 anglo maltese bank and banco di malta began early on to issue their own promissory banknotes payable at sight at first in scudi denominations and subsequently in sterling the third bank to be set up in malta was b tagliaferro e figli which too was founded in 1812 the fourth bank established in malta was josef scicluna et fils set up in 1830 these four banks would eventually merge in stages to form the national bank of malta this was done in order to have strength in numbers at a time when there was a fear that the government was after the private banks anglo maltese bank and banco di malta merged in", "it offered commercial and corporate banking services under the bank of scotland brand and retail banking services under the halifax brand since 10 february 2010 the bank has no longer accepted new business and ceased to operate as a licensed bank on 31 december 2010 the assets of the bank were merged into bank of scotland plc the company was founded in 1965 as equity bank limited in 1999 it was purchased by the bank of scotland later the parent company established its own brand in the irish market through the direct sales of mortgages from edinburgh following this it was decided to rebrand the existing irish operation as bank of scotland ireland in 2000 in 2001 the bank purchased icc bank plc from the irish state this company originally established as the industrial credit company and later known as industrial credit corporation plc was set up in 1933 by se n lemass in the irish free state to encourage investment in industry the company was modelled on the agricultural credit corporation now called accbank in 2004 the company took over the direct mortgage sales business from its parent company and moved it to dublin major new offices were also", "historically the premier banking organisation in ireland the bank occupies a unique position in irish banking history at the core of the modern day group is the old bank of ireland the ancient institution established by royal charter in 1783 bank of ireland is the oldest bank in continuous operation apart from 4 closures due to bank strikes 1950 1966 1970 1976 in ireland the history is as follows the bank of ireland is not and was never the irish central bank however as well as being a commercial bank a deposit taker and a credit institution it performed many central bank functions much like the earlier established bank of scotland and bank of england the bank of ireland operated the exchequer account and during the nineteenth century acted as something of a banker of last resort even the titles of the chairman of the board of directors the governor and the title of the board itself the court of directors suggest a central bank status from the foundation of the irish free state in 1922 until 31 december 1971 the bank of ireland was the banker of the irish government the headquarters of the bank until the 1970s was", "it forms part of one of the big four banks in ireland the bank was created in 1991 when tsb northern ireland merged with the aib group s other interests the bank can trace its existence back to 1816 with the founding of the belfast savings bank the bank is one of the four banks that issues pound sterling banknotes in northern ireland allied irish banks confirmed plans to sell off the bank in april 2010 as part of plans to raise capital these plans were subsequently shelved and instead the bank announced investment plans starting in 2014 allied irish banks uk division with total assets of 15 1 billion approx 10 billion operates in two distinct markets northern ireland and great britain where it operates as allied irish bank gb with different economies and operating environments aib group uk p l c registered in the uk and regulated by the financial conduct authority and the prudential regulation authority operates as the legal entity for the division in the northern ireland market the division operates under the trading name first trust bank from 30 full service branches throughout the region the first trust bank head office is located in belfast", "is one of the so called big four commercial banks in ireland aib offers a full range of personal and corporate banking services aib capital markets is the division of the company that offers international banking and treasury operations the bank also offers a range of general insurance products such as home travel and health insurance it offers life assurance and pensions through its tied agency with irish life assurance plc in december 2010 the irish government took a majority stake in the bank which eventually grew to 99 8 aib s shares are currently traded on the irish stock exchange and the london stock exchange but its shares were delisted from these exchanges between 2011 and 2017 following its effective nationalisation the remainder of its publicly traded shares were listed on the enterprise securities market of the irish stock exchange until 23 june 2017 aib also owns allied irish bank gb in great britain and first trust bank in northern ireland in november 2010 it sold its 22 5 stake in m t bank in the united states at the beginning of 2008 aib entered the latvian estonian and lithuanian markets by acquiring amcredit mortgage finance business from the", "gannon played a significant role in the irish construction industry in the lead up the bursting of the irish property bubble gannon was one of the key figures involved in the anglo irish bank hidden loans controversy which was a contributing element in the development of the post 2008 irish banking crisis gannon is best known for large housing and apartment developments in north county dublin particularly those around malahide marina in the early 1990s and later around belcamp and clongriffin in the early 2000s gannon has sometimes been referred to in the irish media as the man in the hat gannon is a native of county roscommon married to margaret the couple had one son and four daughters their daughter emma died aged 6 whilst their adult son peter died on 8 july 2013 gannon started his builder activities in the 1980s in london while working for his father s construction firm gannon and michael smurfit jointly owned the kildare hotel and golf club known as the k club until smurfit purchased gannon s 49 stake for 40 million in 2012 via nama in 1986 through the firm structural developments ltd build at castle village in celbridge in 1988", "they mostly belong to the anglican church of ireland which was the established church of ireland until 1871 or to a lesser extent one of the english dissenting churches such as the methodist church though some were roman catholics its members tended to follow english practices in matters of culture science law agriculture and politics but often defined themselves as simply british and less frequently anglo irish irish or english many became eminent as administrators in the british empire and as senior army and naval officers the term is not usually applied to presbyterians in the province of ulster whose ancestry is mostly lowland scottish rather than english or irish and who are sometimes identified as ulster scots the anglo irish held a wide range of political views with some being outspoken irish nationalists but most overall being unionists and while most of the anglo irish originated in the english diaspora in ireland some were of native irish families who had converted from the catholic church to anglicanism the term anglo irish is often applied to the members of the church of ireland who made up the professional and landed class in ireland from the 17th century up to the", "he served as a lieutenant in the burma state railway volunteer rifles in the third anglo burmese war back in ireland he was a director of the great northern railway in 1902 24 director of the bank of ireland and assistant managing director at guinness in 1924 30 he was appointed high sheriff of county dublin in 1899 a supporter of the irish unionist alliance until 1921 he was chosen to represent the irish business world as a senator in the senate of southern ireland which failed to function during the irish war of independence guinness arranged for the sinn f in led dublin corporation to be funded by the bank of ireland as rates due from the local government board had been withheld in 1920 w t cosgrave chaired the british run local government board finance committee for dublin while being at the same time the minister for local government of the irish republic in 1951 he recalled that i went to the bank of ireland and there interviewed two of the directors h s guinness and andrew jameson they eventually gave the accommodation so urgently required for the corporation it was for this reason that when president of", "it was a transitional administration for the period between the ratifying of the anglo irish treaty and the establishment of the irish free state its legitimacy was disputed by the anti treaty delegates to d il ireann article 17 of the anglo irish treaty begins on 14 january 1922 a meeting of the members elected to the house of commons of southern ireland was held at the mansion house dublin at the meeting the anglo irish treaty was ratified by the irish side in accordance with the treaty and a provisional government was elected for the purposes of article 17 of the treaty michael collins was appointed its chairman the provisional government took up office two days later on 16 january 1922 when british administration handed over dublin castle to collins in person at this time westminster had not formally appointed the new irish ministers or conferred their government with any powers these gaps were addressed through the irish free state agreement act 1922 of the british parliament passed on 31 march 1922 it gave the force of law to the anglo irish treaty which was scheduled to the act section 1 2 of the act provided that for the", "the bank is a subsidiary of the danske bank group which is headquartered in copenhagen danske bank is organised in three business units personal banking business banking and corporates institutions that span all of the group s geographical markets since november 2012 all of the group s banking activities have been gathered under the danske bank brand name the group s websites were brought fully into alignment with the new organisation at the same time national irish bank was originally the republic of ireland branch network of northern bank one of the oldest banks in ireland having been founded as a private partnership in 1809 converting to a joint stock entity in 1824 national irish bank was created as a separate entity in 1986 at first under the name northern bank ireland limited when its owners uk based midland bank separated northern bank s operations in the republic of ireland from its northern ireland business in 1987 both banks were acquired by national australia bank along with midland bank s scottish subsidiary clydesdale bank in 1988 the republic of ireland operation was renamed national irish bank limited whilst northern bank limited remained the name of the northern ireland operation nonetheless", "he trained as a solicitor with mccann fitzgerald and qualified in 2001 he is an accredited arbitrator he left mccann fitzgerald in 2003 and held legal roles in bailhache labesse bank of ireland and rabobank he became head of legal at danske bank ireland in 2007 following the nationalisation of anglo irish bank in 2010 he was appointed company secretary a role he continued in its successor irish bank resolution corporation until 2012 he was head of legal at seb international assurance until his appointment as a judge barrett has written several legal texts on financial law and a book on the judicial functions of the house of lords based in part on interviews with members of the house barrett was appointed to the high court in january 2014 he was one of the youngest judges ever appointed in ireland in a 2016 case involving the relatives of the easter rising he declared that moore street was a national monument in 2016 in a 399 page judgment though welcomed by campaigners and some politicians the decision was overturned by the court of appeal in 2018 barrett s prior position with ibrc caused him to recuse himself from a debt action", "the bank has received several awards in various categories the imperial bank of persia persian bank e han hi ye ir n was a british bank that operated as the state bank and bank of issue in iran formerly known as persia until 1935 between 1889 and 1929 it was established in 1885 with a concession from the persian government to baron julius de reuter born israel beer josaphat a german jewish banker and businessman who later became a christian and a british subject the bank was the first modern bank in iran and introduced european banking ideas to a country in which they were previously unknown the legal centre of the bank was in london and whilst it was subject to british law its activities were based in tehran it also had operations in other middle eastern countries it was later named british bank of the middle east bbme and is now called hsbc bank middle east limited after the iranian revolution of 1979 hsbc maintains a network of offices in various countries in the middle east operations of the group in the middle east are under this subsidiary algeria is part of hbme since 2009 and has two", "a number of monks who studied there were active in the anglo saxon mission on the continent the monastery also developed a style of script that may have influenced the writers of the book of durrow a number of ecclesiastical settlements were established 7th century ireland that accommodated european monks in particular anglo saxon monks around 668 bishop colman resigned his see at lindisfarne and returned to ireland less than three years later he erected an abbey in county mayo exclusively for the english monks in mayo subsequently known as maigh eo na saxain mayo of the saxons other monasteries for saxon monks include many anglo saxons and franks were educated at irish monasteries such as mellifont abbey including king alfred of england oswald of england dagobert ii of france many of the early anglo saxon manuscripts such as the lindisfarne gospels were written in irish script either directly by irish monks based in britain or by anglo saxon monks who were trained by irish monks rath melsigi was located in what is now the townland of clonmelsh county carlow among those known to have studied there were willibrord and swithbert adalbert of egmond and chad of mercia others studied", "the houses formed the symbolic focal point of the anglo irish political dominance of ireland from the late 16th century and many were destroyed or attacked during the irish revolutionary period the term big house came about due to the simple comparison by the tenants of estates of their dwellings with the comparatively large and luxurious residences of the anglo irish aristocracy they were termed big both in reference to their size and in reference to their influence over the surrounding area elizabeth bowen wrote of the big house the anglo irish became the ruling class in ireland due to the phenomenon of the protestant ascendancy which saw one class controlling almost all political power in ireland for several hundred years members of the anglo irish class were granted huge areas of land by the british crown and quickly became leaders in the economic as well as political life of ireland the big houses that this class built served to demonstrate their power and were meant to inspire awe among equals and deference in the lower classes as such the houses were signifiers demonstrating the elitist social status of the landed class the big house was the nucleus of the", "it is the country s financial services regulator for most categories of financial firms it was the issuer of irish pound banknotes and coinage until the introduction of the euro currency and now provides this service for the european central bank the central bank was founded on 1 february 1943 and since 1 january 1972 has been the banker of the government of ireland in accordance with the central bank act 1971 which can be seen in legislative terms as completing the long transition from a currency board to a fully functional central bank its head office was located on dame street dublin from 1979 until 2017 its offices at iveagh court and college green also closed down at the same time since march 2017 its headquarters are located on north wall quay where the public may exchange non current irish coinage and currency both pre and post decimalization for euros as well as high value euro banknotes and mutilated currency it also operates from premises at nearby spencer dock the currency centre at sandyford is the currency manufacture warehouse and distribution site of the bank the central bank s reputation was damaged in the irish financial crisis while the", "the son of the anglo irish landed gentry he emigrated from ireland to the thirteen colonies in 1752 after pontiac s rebellion he received a land grant from king george iii and established a homestead on the banks of the monongahela river he established extensive economic and merchant interests in bedford pennsylvania and at the head of the ohio river john ormsby was born in 1720 in ireland the son of oliver ormsby and his wife deborah barry the family was part of the anglo irish gentry oliver ormsby was the third son of robert ormsby and mary blakeney the family held an extensive estate cloghan in county mayo near the towns of newton ballina and gore oliver ormsby married deborah barry the child of a junior branch of the house of barrymore whose founder achieved fame in the eighty years war ormsby was educated at trinity college in dublin upon completion of his studies he emigrated to the thirteen colonies there ormsby established a small teaching academy in philadelphia in 1753 the following year he taught in lancaster and york pennsylvania and alexandria virginia in 1754 john ormsby was a soldier in the french and indian war ormsby was", "was a co operative bank in ireland associated with the sinn f in movement which operated from august 1908 to october 1921 the sinn f in bank is sometimes confused with the national land bank established as a friendly society in 1919 with d il backing and premises at 5 harcourt street the bank was established in 1908 to carry out the business of banker and bill discounter and of dealer in stocks shares bonds debentures and other securities to assist in the development of irish industries its founding council comprised george w russell arthur griffith and p t daly in 1910 it purchased headquarters at 6 harcourt street for 575 leasing the upper floors to the sinn f in party from where the sinn f in newspaper was edited a contemporary wrote we do not envy the man who has the job of persuading nationalists that the new sinn fein bank which we take it will be established without complying with the requirements of british law is a secure nest for his savings as the bank of ireland when the first d il proclaimed an irish republic in 1919 it opened a trustees of d il ireann account at", "was a british joint stock bank based in london england the bank was established in 1863 as the east london bank with its offices located in cornhill in the city of london its early business was closely related to the east end trades and so branches were soon opened at southwark shoreditch and whitechapel deposits had reached 495 000 by 1865 and by 1870 the bank was renamed the central bank of london in the mid 1870s further branches opened in mile end blackfriars tottenham court road newgate street and clerkenwell deposits grew to 1 million in 1877 and further branches were opened at shaftesbury avenue and bethnal green during the 1880s in 1889 the bank acquired the failing bethnal green bank still relatively small when compared to other competing london banks the bank was acquired by the birmingham and midland bank established in 1836 which was looking for a london operation to serve its expansion at the point of acquisition the bank s deposits had peaked at 1 6 million with paid up capital at 156 000 and ten open branches the amalgamated bank was renamed the london and midland bank occupying the central bank s headquarters in cornhill", "these settlers later became known as norman irish or hiberno normans they originated mainly among anglo norman families from england and wales were loyal to the kingdom of england and the english state supported their claims to territory in the various realms then comprising ireland during the high middle ages and late middle ages the hiberno normans constituted a feudal aristocracy and merchant oligarchy known as the lordship of ireland in ireland the normans were also closely associated with the gregorian reform of the catholic church in ireland over time the descendants of the 12th century norman settlers spread throughout ireland and around the world as part of the irish diaspora they ceased in most cases to identify as norman or anglo norman the dominance of the norman irish declined during the 17th century after a new english protestant elite settled in ireland during the tudor period some of the norman irish often known as the old english had become gaelicised by merging culturally and intermarrying with the gaels under the denominator of irish catholic conversely some hiberno normans assimilated into the new english protestant elite as the anglo irish some of the most prominent norman families were the fitzmaurices", "while bank of ireland is headquartered in dublin in the republic of ireland it has operations in northern ireland where it retains the legal right dating from before the partition of the ireland to print its own banknotes these are pound sterling notes and equal in value to bank of england notes and should not be confused with banknotes of the former irish pound the bank of ireland does not issue banknotes in the territory of the republic of ireland until the republic joined the euro in 1999 the only note issuing bank there was the central bank of ireland these issues were issued between 1922 and 1970 these issues have been issued since the united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland changed over to decimal currency on 15 february 1971 the obverse side of bank of ireland banknotes features the bank of ireland logo below which is a line of heraldic shields each representing one of the six counties of northern ireland below this is a depiction of a seated hibernia figure surrounded by the latin motto of the bank bona fides reipublicae stabilitas good faith is the cornerstone of the state a new series of bank of", "in 1909 he entered christ church cambridge where he studied mathematics and then switched to classics in successive years he obtained a first in latin and greek in 1911 he entered the civil service and was assigned to the board of customs and excise and a year later transferred to the finance division of the chief secretary s office in dublin castle during the july 1921 truce he was introduced to michael collins and later became a financial advisor to the team negotiating the anglo irish treaty in april 1922 he became the irish free state s first comptroller and auditor general and in april of the following year he was appointed secretary of the department of finance a post he held until his retirement from the civil service in 1927 later that year he was appointed chairman of the currency commission in 1925 his lengthy note on the free state s financial position was helpful in concluding the irish boundary commission negotiations when the currency commission was dissolved in 1943 he became the first governor of the central bank of ireland from 1928 until his retirement in 1953 his signature appeared on all irish banknotes in 1938 joseph brennan", "it was established in 1885 with a concession from the persian government to baron julius de reuter born israel beer josaphat a german jewish banker and businessman who later became a christian and a british subject the bank was the first modern bank in iran and introduced european banking ideas to a country in which they were previously unknown the legal centre of the bank was in london and whilst it was subject to british law its activities were based in tehran it also had operations in other middle eastern countries it was later named british bank of the middle east bbme and is now called hsbc bank middle east limited after the iranian revolution of 1979 all the iranian activities of this bank were transferred to bank tejarat nineteenth century iran has been described as one of the most backward countries in the world as usury was forbidden under islam the traditional money lenders in iran were the jewish sarrafs who continued to dominate the field after the imperial bank s arrival due to greater loan flexibility and cultural ties at the time the only form of money in circulation was gold and silver coins reuter was granted the", "it was established in 1968 by the merger of national provincial bank established 1833 as national provincial bank of england and westminster bank established 1834 as london county and westminster bank since 2000 it has been part of the royal bank of scotland group following ringfencing of the group s core domestic business the bank became a direct subsidiary of natwest holdings natwest markets comprises the non ringfenced investment banking arm natwest is considered one of the big four clearing banks in the uk and it has a large network of over 960 branches and 3 400 cash machines across great britain and offers 24 hour actionline telephone and online banking services today it has more than 7 5 million personal customers and 850 000 small business accounts in ireland it operates through its ulster bank subsidiary in 2017 natwest was awarded best banking app in the british bank awards the bank s origins date back to 1658 with the foundation of smith s bank of nottingham its oldest direct corporate ancestor national provincial bank was formed in 1833 as the national provincial bank of england it acquired union of london and smith s bank in 1918 to become national", "it saw itself as the legitimate army of the irish republic declared in 1919 the anglo irish treaty which ended this conflict was a compromise which abolished the irish republic but created the self governing irish free state within the british empire the ira was deeply split over whether to accept the treaty some accepted whereas some rejected not only the treaty but also the civilian authorities who had accepted it this attitude eventually led to the outbreak of the irish civil war in late june 1922 between pro and anti treaty factions the anglo irish treaty was signed on 6 december 1921 and narrowly ratified by d il ireann the irish parliament on 7 january 1922 see anglo irish treaty d il vote although the treaty was negotiated by michael collins the de facto leader of the ira and had been approved by the irish republican brotherhood the ira s senior ranking officers were deeply divided over the decision of the d il to ratify the treaty of the general headquarters ghq staff nine members were in favour of the treaty while four opposed it on 10 january at least three anti treaty members of the ira ghq one", "some irish historians prefer to use this term instead of anglo norman because many of the anglo norman knights who invaded ireland in 1170 originated in modern day wales however south wales was under english control at this point in history and the anglo normans living in south wales owed their allegiance to the king of england not a native welsh prince contemporary irish accounts of this period simply called the incomers saxain which means saxon i e english the term cambro norman is rarely used even in ireland the normans who invaded ireland are commonly described as anglo normans by modern historians or else simply as english this latter term along with saxain saxons was used by contemporary chroniclers in strong preference to normans richard de clare better known as strongbow has been described by some irish historians as a cambro norman rather than an anglo norman the de clares held lands in pembrokeshire and glamorgan but their base was in chepstow which although is now a border settlement in wales was part of the english county of herefordshire at the time strongbow also held lands in gloucestershire hertfordshire and suffolk however both herefordshire and hertfordshire are in the", "is a financial institution in ireland registered as a designated activity company and was the country s largest building society until 1 july 2011 ebs has more than 400 000 customers and distributes its products through a branch and franchised agency network it handles direct business by telephone and the internet the institution s previous name was educational building society which reflected the role played by school teachers in its establishment but educational was later replaced by ebs forming a redundant acronym ebs building society was founded in 1935 by alex mccabe and other teachers to provide affordable housing finance for teachers and other civil servants ebs was one of the last two irish building societies owned by their members but since july 2011 has been a subsidiary of aib bank with 74 branches throughout ireland ebs offers residential and commercial mortgages personal loans savings accounts investment products and a financial planning service it formerly did not offer current accounts using its own resources and instead through an agreement with allied irish banks an atm card service was operated using aib s banklink system this has now been withdrawn and a debit card is provided in conjunction with mastercard similarly", "this led to the formation of the irish bank officials association the following year at the mansion house in dublin always an all ireland organisation since the 1960s it has also represented employees of irish banks in britain in 1992 the union led a major strike although this led to a short term drop in membership in the long term the union believes it helped it secure better rights for its members and promoted membership growth the union was renamed as iboa the finance union in 2007 its membership reached a peak of 25 000 in 2008 but then fell to 15 000 during the global financial crisis it began admitting workers in non banking companies which provide outsourced services to banks and in recognition of this became the financial services union in 2016 in 2018 dermot ryan succeeded larry broderick as general secretary at its may 2018 conference the union marked the centenary of its foundation sharon mcauley is the elected president of the financial services union her term runs from 2018 2021 following the departure of dermot ryan gareth murphy was appointed acting general secretary in october 2018", "it was created in 2016 as part of a structural reform intended to comply with the requirements of the financial services banking reform act 2013 the act implements the independent commission on banking recommendation that core domestic operations should be ring fenced from wholesale and investment banking activities by 2019 natwest holdings was formed to be the direct parent of five licensed banks ulster bank and coutts co are wholly owned subsidiaries of national westminster bank ulster bank ireland is a wholly owned subsidiary of ulster bank ireland holdings unlimited company natwest holdings includes the lombard north central asset finance business and rbs invoice finance holdings as authorised brands of the royal bank of scotland the ring fenced group also covers the private banking houses of messrs drummond incorporating holt s military banking and child co in london and adam company in edinburgh two other licensed banks within the rbs group natwest markets created at the same time and the royal bank of scotland international incorporating natwest international coutts crown dependencies and isle of man bank sit outside the ring fence rbs international natwest trustee and depositary services and rbs international depositary services s a luxembourg are wholly owned subsidiaries" ]

[ "Yes, once it is out of its opening book, it will just start looking for good moves. That will usually happen later than a human is out of his/her book, but still, it is not impossible that a human will (unintentionally) follow a certain existing game, where the computer will make the first deviation. And in a computer vs. computer match, they're bound to either replay an entire existing game, or one of them will play a novelty at some point in the game.\n\nHowever, if you mean 'an opening novelty with any significance for actual play', the answer is probably no. Unless specifically configured that way, it will follow its book and not play a spontaneous novelty on move 12, like a human would be able to do." ]

[ "I doubt there is any existing theory for four player chess, because it is not widely played or analyzed. I'm not sure if there even exists any serious investigation of the overall strategy or tactics of this variant, as it is mostly a novelty game played casually. It's pointless to analyze openings when even the basic strategies of a game are largely unknown. \n\nI also suspect that the game itself is not really well suited to opening analysis in general, due to the increased size of the board and number of pieces. This also makes writing an engine significantly more difficult.", "Carlsen is being criticized for his preparation with white, particularly e4. He knows that Caruana is going to play the Petrof yet nevertheless Caruana equalizes effortlessly. Carlsen appears to have no new ideas in this opening. Since there is no more important competition he could be saving novelties for it tells us he has no novelties. No novelties = poor preparation. If he doesn't have an answer to this he shouldn't play 1. e4\n\nNote that we have seen novelties from Caruana, not necessarily good ones. As black in one game he played Rd8 in a Queen's Gambit looking to provoke the reply Nd2 from Carlsen. That looked like it would be a strong response from Carlsen but he chickened out and played a much more drawish move suggesting that he believed Caruana had some big improvement planned.", "After Qb3 or Qb5, black has the move Rb4 - kicking the queen away from the defense of the knight. In that line, white is losing a full piece. There is slightly more compensation by instead playing Nxb6 Rxc4 Nxc4 because at least there the black king is also exposed.\nIf you're ever confused on why the engine played the move it did, just turn on the analysis afterwards. Make the move that you expected the engine to play and see why that loses worse than what was actually played - that way you can learn without having to ask an online forum for help :P", "Is there a way to know if the PCT has an expire date or how many times it's been filed and published?\n \n\n\nPCT is international application, it is not granted patent so expiry is calculated in terms of national phase entry. In general national phase entry can be made withing 20,30,31,40 months from priority dated based on jurisdiction.\n\nThere is no comprehensive way to check if national phase patent application is filed from PCT. WIPO does list national phase entry but not all country report back.\n\n\n \n how to know if anyone has ever been prosecuted for infringing them?\n \n\n\nUser has to search court related databases or applicant filed cases. There are many paid legal search engine for same.\n\n\n \n I understand that PCT is a patent application, from what date can it be enforced if approved?\n \n\n\nIn case of India Patent granted on the basis of PCT national phase entry can is enforced from PCT filing date (ID 22).\n\n\n \n Can both these be disputed?\n \n\n\nAny patent application granted earlier can be disputed in patent law provided, a valid question on novelty, inventive-step is present.", "Combinational Game Theory tells us that solved games will always result in a draw if both players play optimally. With non-solved games like chess, one can make a \"draw\" assumption safely in the start position : no side has played a sub-optimal move ... or any move for that matter.\n\nThere are some famous players who have postulated this rigorously but when it comes to computer evaluations, you have to take what the engine says with a grain of salt. They are great at analytical positions but are hit-and-miss in other places including the opening. \n\nMost engines will give White an evaluation of around +0.30 at the start (3/10ths of a pawn) but that is not significant to predict that White will be able to sustain a draw if he tries to only play for one even at Master level play. Nor has Engine vs. Engine competition ever seen a near perfect record of draws all the time. There is too much uncertainty when dealing with complexity like the kind in chess or Go.\n\nIn short, the answer to your question really should be \"no\". There is no such yardstick for draw-depth nor is there any value of attempting to statistically analyze a million games for inferences.\n\nPractically, a draw occurs at the highest levels of play when there is mutually nothing worth playing for (without incurring undue risk).", "I have trouble understanding your example. What is \"list of items\" and what is \"purpose *\"? In a method you usually define a set of steps, and perhaps some additional features that are not steps. Not sure what you mean by partial match either. I will try to answer your question anyway, but I may update my answer if you clarify these parts.\n\nIf \"purpose X\" is nothing else than a consequence of the \"list of items\", then it does not matter that the prior art reference is silent regarding \"purpose X\", it discloses the \"list of items\" and \"purpose X\" is inherently there. Should this be the situation you are presenting, then yes, your claimed invention lacks novelty. \n\nIf you were to draft \"purpose X\" as a step in your claim, and that one is not explicitly or implicitly disclosed in the prior art reference, and it neither occurs as a consequence of the other features which are disclosed in said reference, then the claim is novel.\n\nAs a side note, your question concerns novelty, and you stated this: \"I understand \"novel\" means all features of the claim are described in a single document.\" That statement is not correct. Something is novel if all the claimed features are not described in a single embodiment of a prior art reference. \n\nAbout that, a silly example: I can disclose (in a same patent application) a first aspect of the invention relating to a motorbike comprising a battery for starting an electrical engine, and a second aspect of the invention relating to a car comprising an electrical engine. I did not say anything in the application that the battery could be used in the car as well. Now you claim in your application a car comprising an electrical engine and a battery for starting an electrical engine. Is your car novel over my disclosure? Yes, it is. \n\nYou mentioned \"a single document\", but your invention may also be not novel over two documents. Another example: I have a subsequent patent application where I disclose just one aspect of the invention that relates to a car comprising a spoiler in the back shaped such that it provides increased downforce for better grip. Somewhere in the description I state, the car comprises a diesel engine, or can be a car as in patent application US2010****** (which is the one from my previous example). Now you claim a car comprising an electrical engine and the same spoiler of my application. Is your car novel over my second patent application? No, it is not, my second patent application discloses such car even if it does not read \"electrical engine\" anywhere in the document itself.", "First question - Can a reference with A and C keep a claim for A and B from being patented? \n\nMaybe - To be patentable a claim needs to be novel and non-obvious. Novelty is easy. If it is different from anything ever disclosed in a single embodiment of a system in a single document it is novel. A and B is novel over A and C. Obviousness is more complicated. Prior art that involved A and C does not create any problem with the novelty of A and B. A and B might be obvious if A and C has been done in light of something that says B is a good substitute for C under the circumstances. Note, claim 1 and 2 are very similar. The only difference is something that infringes 1 only also infringes 2 if A is done in a specific way.\n\nSecond and third questions - Can doing A and D infringe claim 1 or 2? \n\nNo - To infringe a method claim all of the steps in a claim must be performed. So, for example, if the claims require the actions A and B and you perform A and D (but not B), you would not literally infringe. Again The analysis is the same for all of the claims you list.\n\nFourth question - As another person answered, a system claim is infringed by a system sitting in a box on a shelf. A method claim requires the system to be powered up and engaged in action. Covering both circumstances is prudent.", "Let me preface this by saying that I have not kept up with new publications in about a year, but there was nothing that I knew of before that.\n\nMy educated guess is that the only real \"modern high quality resource ( for players 2400+ ) that covers this line\" is going to be GM games. Here are my reasons for that:\n\n1) Vladimir Kramnik-the most influential figure in chess opening theory over the last 15 years-played a significant novelty in this line. This means that other players, from the top level down to lower GMs (which is about the lowest you can go and still have the games be considered part of Theory without further examination) have probably taken to copying him and extending the line. Even if you did find a comprehensive book published 8 months ago by some mid-level GM, there could well be some game between two 2600s from 2 months ago which changes the outcome of a variation. A prepared opponent will surely know about that and the book will not.\n\n2) You are at a level where, since you already have a solid foundation in the line, you are probably better off looking at the games that a book would present to you and drawing your own conclusions. People like Vigorito who are about your strength and publish books are basically doing the exact same thing you could be doing-applying computer analysis to positions, recognizing the ideas, and memorizing/writing down the result. People that play for a living and create theory will be more concerned with protecting novelties and using them to win games (thereby giving them to you for free) than adding them to a book to see a tiny bump in circulation.\n\nI am not saying that there are no groundbreaking books by top players. Avrukh's repertoire series for White was incredibly well-researched and included dozens of novelties. Victor Bologan has written 3 influential books on various lines. These books are rare, though, and a large majority of theoretically-relevant openings do not have resources of similar quality. You can construct better opening knowledge by doing your own research.", "I don't think it'll ever happen because:\n\n\nWho's going to pay? Deep Blue was covered by IBM, Deep Fritz was covered by Chessbase, but Stockfish is a free open-source engine.\nIt's not fun for Carlsen to play an odd match with Stockfish, but he will likely be beaten convincingly if the match is fair.\nHuman vs computer in chess is not interesting anymore. The focus has shifted to Go and Poker.\n\n\nIt's not going to happen.", "I've displayed an FM title and never noticed a problem with cheating once. Your question is the first time I've ever thought about the concept of someone wanting to cheat more against a titled player.\n\nIf anything, most players would want the opportunity to get to play a titled player, and wouldn't waste it by cheating with an engine. How do you know that his opponents were cheating in most of his losses?", "The short answer to your question is no, there is not a chess engine that can reliably show if one side has a forced draw. For example, this locked position is quite clearly a draw to the human eye:\n\n\n\nHowever, notice that the evaluation is 0.17, not 0.00. Houdini also give 0.05 - ever so slightly good for white. This is very important. This suggests that the evaluation of 0.00 is reserved by these programs for a specific reason, and indeed it is. Basically, even in an \"equal\" position, the computer will not ever say that the score is 0.00, instead it will give a minute edge to one or the other side. \n\nSo with that background, on to the specifics! First, if the game is just a draw due to the position (i.e. stalemate, insufficient material, etc.) most GUI's will pop up a message that says \"Game Drawn\", or something to that effect. That leaves the more complicated cases that you mentioned in your question. In order to cover most of those, I'll introduce another position. This is taken from Morphy-NN 1-0, New Orleans Blindfold Simul:\n\n\n\nNotice that Morphy currently has mate in 6 starting with 18.b4+!. However, if Morphy somehow missed that this was mate, he still had a forced draw by repetition, which the computer quickly sees. By increasing the number of variations that the computer displays, it is possible to see that after white plays a move like 18.Qxc3+?, white can still force a draw, despite being down a rook and a piece. The evaluation of 0.00 again tips us off that this is a special position in that the computer can calculate a perpetual check. If the moves 18.Qxc3+? Kxd5 are made on the board, then the evaluation will be 0.00, indicating that white's best continuation is to force a draw. Failure to do this will lead to loss of the game with best play. \n\n\n\nSo to summarize, no existing engine can say with exact certainty that a position is a draw. However, the evaluation of 0.00 is special, and if that shows up as either the main score, or the score for a variation, that means that a draw is probably being forced in that specific line. The easiest way to check is playfully called \"spacebar analysis\" - when the user hits the spacebar over and over again to force the computer to play the top recommended move. Eventually you will get to a position that is obvious to a human as well as the machine. \n\n\n\nAnd finally, to address your point about \"contempt\"\n\n\n Another example is that if you need a win (i.e. a draw is just as bad\n as a loss) you might want to play a move with a slight negative\n evaluation to avoid giving your opponent the opportunity to force a\n draw. Even though this increases your chance of losing, it also\n increases your chance of winning.\n\n\nThis is quite simply referred to as contempt among chess programmers. Most engines will allow you to set the level of contempt in the settings. A positive contempt setting (100 is usually a reasonable level for analysis) will tell the engine to try fairly hard (a pawn's worth) to avoid a draw. A negative setting will cause the engine to seek a forced draw (i.e. insufficient material, stalemate, or perpetual).", "Don't let a tight deadline or the novelty of the project interfere with good engineering practice. Set-up a software repository, agree to a coding style, come-up with a test suite, etc. The newness of the task shouldn't be that big of a deal as long as you have quality people under you that are willing to work hard and learn the task ahead of them.\n\nOr to put it another way: you were put in charge because the management believes that your background and experience has given you the tools needed to build quality software. Don't suddenly forget your skills just because this task seems daunting now.", "Take a look at flyback transformers. These can boost a low voltage up to a high enough voltage to shock someone. Many novelties like shocking lighters use flyback transformers to generate the shock. Here is a very cheap one on amazon...\n\nhttps://www.amazon.com/Forum-Novelties-63503-Amazing-Lighter/dp/B000K8ET9K/\n\nMaybe try to get a hold of one of these an open it up to see how it works, and the even salvage parts from it. You can use a transistor to generate the input current to the transformer under the control of a micro-controller. \n\nAnother way to generate high voltages with a micro-controller is to use a diode based voltage multiplier... \n\nhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltage_multiplier\n\nIf you connect the input of one of these multipliers to a GPIO pin of the micro-controller, you can charge up the multiplier by toggling the output pin up and down. If you pick small capacitors, you can limit the amount of energy stored in the system to help keep it safe.\n\nFinally, you can generate high voltages by physically hitting a peizo element with something like a solenoid. This is how barbeque lighters generate their spark. Try to find one of these lighters and open it up and play with the striking mechanism inside to see how it works. \n\nOf course be careful too.", "Yes, Arena can do what you want.\n\n\nDownload Arena 3.5\n\nhttp://www.playwitharena.com/?Download\nAdding Komodo (or any other engine) to Arena:\n\nOn the menu select Engines -> Manage\nOpen the Details tab\nClick the new button\nPoint it at the executable\nSelect Ok\nIf you want it to play itself from a certain position you can set up an \nengine tournament using an epd file to set the position\nyou want the engine to play from, and then in the settings for the tournament\nif you hit the level button you can set a fixed time intveral, or fixed depth\nfor the engine to play. To create an epd file, you can copy the position from\nScid using Edit->Copy to FEN, and then in Arena using Position->Get FEN from\nClipboard, and then EPD->Save Position in EPD Format. This file would then\npassed to the engine tournament dialog.\n\nThere might be a way to get it to play itself from a position without using\nthe engine tournament, but I'm not that familiar with the interface.\nIf you want to have it analyze a game that has already been played, or what\nhas been played so far can use automatic analysis under the Engines menu.\n\n\nArena seems to have a pretty thorough help file, so most of your questions will\nprobably have answers in there.\n\nEdit: It was pointed out in another question that the demo button in Arena will\n have the engine play itself. So you can just set up the position, make\n sure komodo is loaded, Go into Level->Adjust to set the time interval you\n want for moves, and then hit the demo button.", "As Brian noted, theory can move on quickly, but that does not remotely mean that everything that was prepared is lost in a short period of time. I think that the biggest issue was just that prepping for the world championship was much more intense, and rigorous, so Ju is going to be that much more prepared, and thus, a much more dangerous opponent than usual for while, but not just because of opening preparation. \n\nOn the other hand, I disagree that just because they have outstanding memories, that they do not forget much...virtually all memories do fade, and it can take a long time to use some prep. There is also the enormous volume that they have to memorize compared to a club player. They certainly do not forget the basics, but it is easy to transpose a couple of moves when you are already deep into the opening. I have read about this happening many times, and in the first round of Tata Steel 2020 just last month, it happened to Vladislav Kovalev in the first round versus Alireza Firouzja, and Kovalev went down without a fight (he played 16...c4? when he needed 16...Nd7 17.Ra3, and only then 17...c4). It can happen to the very best: Here is a tweet from Caruana talking about Magnus forgetting his prep. They memorize SO much that it is still human to forget things that they have not looked at for a while.\n\nIt can also take years sometimes to be able to use an opening surprise. I remember reading on at least one occasion, it took Kasparov years to use some prep, and I have heard numerous such stories about top players in my 40 years of tournament chess. Here is a link to a story about Kaspy waiting years, and using some prep against Michael Adams. That game can be found here, and 14.Qh4 was the novelty.\n\nI also think that there is another huge factor that Humpy did not touch upon, and that is that when you play a major round robin (relative to your rating), or in this case, a world championship match, it is so intense, and the level of play is so high, that you usually come out much sharper than normal. I played a couple of round robins against all strong masters, and I felt like I was better than ever when I was done each of them.\n\nOf course, professional players at this level continue to work on their openings, maybe daily, but it is doubtful that it is quite as intense as when she was preparing for the match. In essence, she still stays fairly booked up at all times.", "Well it doesn't really feel right to get degrees in engineering and gain years of engineering experience without even knowing what a limit actually is. And even though many engineers will do just fine without having been exposed to the rigorous definition of a limit, some engineers will need to be familiar with rigorous definitions/proofs if they ever pursue a career in academia or if they ever have to read textbooks/papers that haven't been specifically written for engineers.", "It's hard to tell without examining or testing the actual item, but I'm skeptical that they would be the same.\n\nIt's marketed as a &quot;novelty&quot;, which is often used as shorthand for &quot;not intended for regular use&quot;, and which suggests that the straps and sides of the bag probably aren't engineered to actually hold the weight of a properly loaded bag and/or handle the forces of the punch.\nThe weight of dry laundry is likely not enough to create enough resistance for most training. And if the laundry is wet, it's going to create additional strain on the bag's straps.\n\nOverall, I think this is meant to be a hanging laundry bag that resembles a punching bag, not something meant to be used as a punching bag, and it will likely break quickly if used as one.", "Simple answer: More RAM.\n\nInstead of flipping around Language Card and Aux Memory banks, the 65816 allowed (native) programs to address up to 16 MiB in an (almost) flat way. Programs no longer had to keep track with complicated addressing schemes about their data and (if larger than ~48 KiB) their program modules.\n\nAs a side effect, using 16 Bit instructions could speed up the code a bit. While this isn't the same as having a way faster IIgs, it still adds - and simplifies programming again.\n\n\n Were there any practical applications for this, or was it primarily just a novelty/toy for aspiring hardware engineers to play with?\n\n\nThe only real target where developer owning a maxed out IIe with some AE RAM Card. By buying the AE 65816 card they could go ahead and develop IIgs software while postponing the investment in a IIgs, which might have included the need for new drives and so on. It was a cheap intermediate solution for a few.\n\nInserting a 65802 was another common way to enable 65816 code for the Apple II. Even cheaper, but with a 65802 programs were still confined to the original 64Ki address space of the II, thus using the most important difference, large memory in 'flat' addressing was impossible.", "play the game until six pieces\n\n\nStockfish doesn't do that, that's not what tablebase is for. Briefly, tablebase boosts engine search well before six-men position reached on the board.\n\nLet's do an exercise, add the board 5 pieces. Now you have 10 pieces on the board, and it's not something you can find in any tablebase. However, during the engine search whenever Stockfish trades down to 6 pieces, it can instantly use the tablebase information. The tablebase information gives Stockfish whether's the position is a win/loss/drawn without ever going down to anything like 5 pieces. Therefore, the search is faster and more efficient.\n\nEDIT:\n\nThe relevant code is https://github.com/official-stockfish/Stockfish/blob/master/src/search.cpp:\n\n// Step 4a. Tablebase probe\nif (!rootNode &amp;&amp; TB::Cardinality)\n{\n int piecesCount = pos.count&lt;ALL_PIECES&gt;();\n\n if ( piecesCount &lt;= TB::Cardinality\n &amp;&amp; (piecesCount &lt; TB::Cardinality || depth &gt;= TB::ProbeDepth)\n &amp;&amp; pos.rule50_count() == 0\n &amp;&amp; !pos.can_castle(ANY_CASTLING))\n {\n\n\nTB::Cardinality is by default 6. Stockfish checks how many pieces, if it's no more than 6 it consults the tablebase information. Otherwise, regular search.", "In the very first pages of the book you will find code system. It is described in 5 world languages and Serbian. \n\nThis is important to know so you can see at the end of the line what is the final evaluation of the position, if there are any novelties or alternative moves and so on.\n\nThen you can skip the pages all the way to the line you wish to investigate.\n\nMain line is written in bold font and the subvariations are given in normal font. This is the important part, and probably the one that confuses you:\n\nIf you see a number next to the move, something like ♘f319 this means that there are alternative moves. You can find them by searching for that number ( in our case 19 ) in the section that comes after the main lines end. \n\nBelow is the picture of what I am talking about:\n\n\n\nYou seek the number next to the move in the section marked with an arrow, at the bottom of the picture. Instead of playing ♘f3, from our example above, you play the move from that section. \n\nThat's it! If you have further questions leave me a comment ( for now there is nothing else I can do to help because your question is not specific enough ).\n\nHope this helps, good luck!", "To add to Namaste's answer above, two of the thing we're trying to teach in math is literacy and competency with the algorithms used to solve problems and the ability to solve problems for which you don't know the solution. The first is pretty well served by problems with solutions since you need to check your work. The second is the actual activity of doing mathematics, and is heavily informed by the first. And it's hard. But in order to do it, you need to practice doing it.\n\nBasically, there's a whole list of skills that surround tackling an unknown problem: \n\n\nIdentifying the problem as being solvable with a certain kind of mathematics.\nPlanning out a logical series of steps and computations that will allow you to solve the problem.\nFollowing those steps carefully and adjusting them as you run into issues.\nFinally, analyzing the solution from a couple of different angles to know if you got something reasonable (The area under the curve is 4) or unreasonable (The area under the curve is -3).\n\n\nAll of these things take practice and confidence to do well. And they're hard, but just like playing guitar you can learn all the music theory and tabs you want but eventually you have to actually play. The fact that the doing is different skills is something you want to learn at home, not the first time you get on stage. \n\nMathematically, it is the difference between being able to do known analyses and being able to come up with a novel prediction mechanism, model, or formal description, use it to say something and be able to robustly describe your reasoning and back up the validity of your claims. To be clear, there's no reason to knock practical competency! A lot of engineering, computer modeling and practical statistics, uses known mathematics; the problems they deal with are interesting for different reasons and involve different kinds of novelty. \n\nIf you can follow your logic through an unknown exercise, check it three ways, and really understand your result, that is when you know a mathematical concept. Once you are comfortable with these steps, someone can hand you a novel problem and you can begin to reason through it.", "Generally, the only reason running a chess engine at less than maximum power are time constraints or if you want to give yourself a chance to win, though in the latter case I'd still prefer to play human players instead.\n\nRegarding the use of a chess engine to analyze the position in an opening in order to learn a chess opening I am wondering how you are going to practically do this? I mean, the engine will give you only a certain sequence of moves which it considers best play for both sides. It will not teach you the ideas/plans behind an opening which is the most important part and something which you can rely on if your opponent for instance does not play the expected move. It will not teach you about subtleties, like move-order changes or any sidelines.\n\nI am not saying a chess engine is completely useless for studying openings. You could use it for practice games in a specific opening or you could study a certain alternative move in an opening (but that would be at a stage where you already know the opening somewhat).\n\nFor studying a new opening I'd find much more useful than an engine:\n\n\nany explanation of plans/ideas (this can be books, videos, or a coach/friend)\na database\nfollowing games of a Grandmaster who is playing the opening regularly (let them do the difficult analyzing part...)", "According to friends who play correspondence chess they report the following benefits:\n\n\nVariety - you play lots of games all at the same time. Although you might not match Claude Bloodgood, who allegedly had hundreds of games in play at the same time when his postage costs were paid for by the US taxpayer because he was on death row, you will play all your games in a round robin at the same time. So, if you are playing in a 10 player double round robin you play all 18 games at the same time.\nYou have time and motivation to learn, particularly openings. With typically several days per move you can do serious research into the openings you choose to play, learning the ideas and plans for both sides. Unlike over-the-board you do this during the game when it can affect the result not after when you have already lost.\nYou eliminate blunders. All your moves are checked by the engine.\nYou learn how to use engines properly. Again this happens during the game not like OTB after. I often run my finished games through the engine to spot blunders and missed tactics. You will be looking for interesting ideas in games still in progress. You will be checking out the engines 3rd or 4th suggested move because it looks really interesting.\n\n\nAll of these things will help improve your OTB chess by making you think more deeply and intelligently about your moves.\n\nFunnily enough my correspondence playing friends don't think their are any cons! I'm not so sure. From the pleasure perspective they miss out on the adrenaline rush of blitz and even just the excitement of bad moves by either side. If I play a really good move I like to see my opponent sweat. That just doesn't happen in correspondence chess.", "There is a lot of play in that bearing. I would replace it immediately.\n\nReasons, depending on the design of the car -\n\nIt looks like the compressor blades can rub against the body. If the blades break up pieces could be sucked through the inter cooler and into the engine causing damage to the engine.\n\nIf the turbo bearing starts leaking a substantial amount of oil, this could get sucked into the engine and act as fuel. The engine could rev uncontrollably until all the oil has been burnt and the engine is wrecked. This could happen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4rMfrERpG8", "I entered the position in ChessBase and got Komodo 9 to analyze it -- it says 70...Rb3+ was Black's best move by far, only giving White a +0.64 advantage (which means the engine thinks White is \"64% of a pawn\" better). The reason Rb3+ is a good move is that Black needs counterplay -- if he sits and does nothing, White will win easily (due to being up 2 pawns).\n\nSo, at that point the game was close to drawn, but White still had good chances to press and win (which he did).\n\nBlack's mistake was playing 76...Bf4+, giving White a winning advantage. Instead, he should have played 76...Bf3, attacking White's g4-pawn. Playing 76...Bf4+ allowed White to play 77. Ke2, stopping Black from playing Bf3.\n\nIt's important to note though that Kramnik's mistake isn't close to a blunder -- rather's it's a small inaccuracy that lost the game (at GM level this can happen). It's easy to analyze a game with an engine and criticize the play of even the top players in the world.\n\nEDIT - I checked again on the engine, and Black should play 75...Bf3 instead of 75...Be4+ 76. Kd2 Bf3, since that just brings White's King one square closer.", "Firstly, you must understand how an engine plays chess, because if you don't you'll never understand why it's hard. Without going into too much technical details, an engine doesn't think. Even the most powerful chess engine in the world don't know how to play chess, they examine hundreds and thousands of positions. For each position, the engine uses some heuristic to derive a static evaluation for each position. The engine uses a technique known as alpha-beta to derive the overall optimal evaluation.\n\nThe key point to note that chess engine doesn't know how to play chess, it's simply a calculator. It doesn't know how to adjust itself from games, simply because it doesn't understand anything about chess.\n\nIt's very easy to tune down an engine's strength, but making it to play truly like a human is awfully hard. A chess engine never blunders, never forgets anything, never panic because you launch a king-side attack, never biased towards particular opponents etc. The way computer makes a move is simply very different to how you make a move.\n\nI'll give you an example. Have you tried those weak playing levels in a chess app? Yes, you beat them easily, but that might be because they gave you a pawn for absolutely no reason and not under any pressure. Those engines were programmed to simulate blunders, but they couldn't simulate pressure, they just randomly blunder pawns and pieces. This is not a human play.\n\nProgrammers have tried to optimize an engine based on machine learning but with little success.", "Correspondence chess is still alive and well. Just as in the pre-engine days it is the branch of chess which comes closest to chess \"truth\".\n\nBefore the internet and strong chess engines correspondence players had days rather than minutes and seconds to consider their moves. They could use books with openings and analysis by the best players in the world. This extra help allowed the best correspondence players to play chess at a higher level than even the top over the board players who had to play all their moves in 5 or 6 hours.\n\nNowadays strong engines substitute for the earlier forms of help but the result is pretty much the same. The best correspondence players play the best chess, better even than the engines unaided.\n\nNote that top chess players, like Boris Gelfand for instance, are quite scathing about the capabilities of engines in many positions. \n\nThis is also something I've seen at first hand in some of my games. A couple of times recently I've reached an endgame I thought was going to be winning only to find that there was no way to do it. Later, looking at the game with an engine it gave me +1 or +2 but couldn't give me a winning line.\n\nEngines are useful for avoiding blunders and checking lines but when an engine gives a position a good plus score you should always check it with \"the human eye\" before you use it in your preparation.\n\nOf course now with email it is possible to play correspondence chess much cheaper and easier than in the old days. There is also much less chance of moves getting lost in the post.", "This is a dead draw.\n\nThere are no sensible piece sacrifices for either side. \n\nThere is no plan that isn't easily parried (Black could gang up on the a5-pawn with Qd8 and Bc7, but white just doubles the rooks on a1 and a2. White could try to invade with the knight to b6 and d5, but black would just go Bxa4 when the knight turns up on a4.)\n\nBlack isn't better here and black isn't worse. There is just nothing any side can do. \n\nEdit: I think I'll expand on this a bit, because for some reason the concept of a dead draw seems to be hard to grasp. \n\nPositions are usually evaluated based on best play by both sides. That can be tricky because there are positions that should be equal or even favourable for one side, but in practice are more promising for the other side. \n\nBut in the given position the level of play needed to hold a draw against best play, is very, very low. To put it differently: A 1500 player would have no trouble holding this position with white against Magnus Carlsen. The fact that a computer engine gives a small plus for black doesn't mean black has any advantage whatsoever. It just means that engines aren't yet able to understand completely blocked positions and other kinds of fortresses very well.\n\nLet's go back to our fictional 1500 player. The only thing he has to do is keep e4 and a5 well protected and there is nothing Magnus Carlsen will ever be able to do. Now e4 is already over-over-overprotected. Let's say Carlsen comes up with the cunning plan to attack a5 via Qd8 and Bc7 and our 1500 player isn't sharp enough to double the rooks quickly. Now the a5 pawn falls …\n\nr2q2k1/r7/p1b2p1p/b1p1pPpP/1pPpP1P1/1P1P4/R2NB3/1R1Q2K1 w - - 0 1\n\n1.Rba1 Bc7 2.Ra4 Bxa4 3.Rxa4\n\n\nBlack is a pawn and the exchange up. Possibly the computer will give a even better score for black, but the facts haven't changed: This is still A DEAD DRAW.", "Your understanding is more or less correct, an opening book is a large collection of positions and what are the \"book moves\" in that position. I don't know if engines typically choose at random if there are multiple moves in the book for a given position or if they do something more complicated, but that doesn't matter much for your question.\n\n\n How can an opening book \"beat\" another?\n\n\nIt can contain better moves, and more of them, and they could even be better tailored to the specific opponent!\n\nTo figure out which is better, you let the same engine play against itself, with one side using one opening book and the other side the other. If you take care to have each book play white as often as black, you can see in the end which book had a higher score against the other book.\n\nFor instance, an opening book could contain a line somewhere that actually is not as good as the author thought at the time of putting it together, and the other book chooses to go for that position as the other side and it leads to a win for the engine.\n\nOr one book is \"done\" after 15 moves after which the engine is on its own, but the other book still has several moves coming up after it on which the engine spent far more time on while creating the book than it could during the actual game.\n\nOr the author of the opening book for engine A knows that engine B is worse at playing certain positions from the French, and he chooses to put moves into the book that causes A to go for those positions whenever it has the chance.\n\nOr an opening book author spends days analyzing a certain position in an opening, and finally figures out that there is a way to force a good position for white there, and he adds it to the opening book. Engines with books that still allow that position to come up will have a bad time there.\n\nAnd so on, opening books are in the end created by humans (with heavy use of engines) and the same arms race is going on there as between top human players.", "Good question. \n\nFirst and foremost is that in Go deepmind had no superhuman opponents to challenge. Go engines were not anywhere near the highest level of the top human players. In chess, however, the engines are 500 ELO points stronger than the top human players. This is a massive difference. The amount of work that has gone into contemporary chess engines is staggering. We are talking about millions of hours in programming, hundreds of thousands of iterations. It is a massive body of knowledge and work. To overcome and surpass all of that in 4 hours is staggering.\n\nSecondly it is not so much the result itself which is surprising to chess masters but instead its how AlphaZero plays chess. It's quite ironic that a system which had no human knowledge or expertise plays the most like we do. Engines are notorious for playing ugly looking moves, those lacking harmony etc. Its hard to explain to a non-chess player but there is such a thing as an \"Artificial move\" like the contemporary engines come up with often. AlphaZero does not play like this at all. It has a very human-like style where it dominates the opponent's pieces with deep strategic play and stunning position sacrifices. AlphaZero plays the way we aspire to, combining deep positional understanding with the precision of an engines calculation.\n\nEdit\nOh and I forgot to mention something about the result itself. If you are not familiar with computer chess it may not seem staggering but it is. \n\nThese days the margins of victory which separate the top contemporary engines are razor thin. In a 100 game match you could expect to see a result like 85 games drawn, 9 victories, and 6 losses to determine the better engine.\n\nAlphaZero 28 wins and 72 draws with zero losses was otherworldly crushing and was completely unthinkable right up to the moment it happened.", "Computer chess engine ratings are not related to the FIDE rating list.\n\nFor example, the MicroMax engine has around 1950 rating on CCRL:\n\n\n http://www.computerchess.org.uk/ccrl/4040/\n\n\nI distribute an iOS app (ChessMini) for this engine. I wrote on the app description page: \n\n\n The engine has a rating of Elo 2000 on the Computer Chess Rating Lists and is stronger than 70% of the human chess players.\n\n\nThis is true only if the CCRL chess rating is a close approximation to the FIDE rating list.\n\nUnfortunately, I've received several users complained that they were able to beat the app convincingly despite their FIDE ratings are much less than 1900. In fact, I have a FIDE rating around 2000 myself but the MicroMax engine has never beaten me. I think it's \"real\" rating on the FIDE scale is 1300-1400.\n\nForget about the human rating list, just look at the relative ranking.\n\nComputer chess ratings are extraordinary accurate (but no relationship to FIDE) because the sample size is only bounded by your processing power. You start an engine tournament, leave the computer running and goto bed... It's 24 hours chess like TCEC. You play as many engine matches as your computer can afford.\n\nComputer engines get a rating by playing other engines. No human intervention. No grandmaster. Anybody with a laptop can do that:\n\n\nDownload Arena or Cutechess\nDownload your favorite engines\nStart an engine tournament\n\n\nThat's it, it's so simple! You'll get estimated ratings for your engines.", "I would recommend the Chessok Opening Tree.\n\nYou can browse the lines you are interested in and see which moves have already been played (which at the beginning of an opening is almost every halfway sensible move). And most importantly you'll get an engine evaluation for each move, which immediately tells you which of these halfway sensible moves is a blunder. \n\nIf you are further down the rabbit hole and the line has never been played before, of course you have to rely on your own chess understanding to come up with the most likely human moves and can then use an engine to find out how to punish them. Online, this would be possible on Chess24, though as non premium member you might have to wait a while for the engine evaluation to come up." ]

[ "Alyson Court" ]

[ "No pass, no play", "Playing in the Shadows", "The Play of Adam", "The Play of the Weather", "The Band Played On", "offensive plays", "Play by Numbers", "playing cards", "Play That Song", "The Who by Numbers", "All Work, No Play", "The Who's Tommy", "Play a Simple Melody", "hanafuda playing cards", "Playing with the Boys", "The Play of Wit and Science", "playing the bagpipes", "Operation Fair Play", "Playing with Knives", "Who You Are", "Tower Defense Play!", "Online Team Play", "The Man Who", "musical oriented plays", "Doctor Who", "A play from scrimmage", "Who We Are", "the third game is not played", "an unassisted triple play", "Let the Music Play", "Play That Funky Music" ]

[ "Contribution Limits. You can only contribute to your SEP IRA for the previous year if you haven't already maxed out your contributions. For employee contributions, the limit is the same as the traditional and Roth IRA limits -- $5,500 if you're under 50 and $6,500 if you're 50 and older as of 2013.For example, if you've already put in $6,500 in your Roth IRA, you can't add any more to your SEP IRA as an employee.he employer contributions are made with pre-tax dollars while the employee contributions are treated as if the contributions were made to a traditional IRA. Whether you can contribute for a previous year depends on your filing deadlines and how much you've already contributed." ]

[ "IRA deadline. The great thing about a traditional IRA is that, even if you make contributions in the following tax year, the IRS lets you take a deduction for some of these IRA contributions on your prior-year tax return (you must make the contributions by mid-April).RA deadline. The great thing about a traditional IRA is that, even if you make contributions in the following tax year, the IRS lets you take a deduction for some of these IRA contributions on your prior-year tax return (you must make the contributions by mid-April).", "SEP IRA for a business owner with employees. A SEP IRA plan can be established by a business owner with employees. A SEP IRA is funded 100% by the employer, employees do not contribute. When a SEP IRA is established each eligible employee would open their own separate SEP IRA account. Annually the employer would make a contribution to their own SEP IRA account and to each eligible employee's SEP IRA account.", "If you are married filing jointly, the amount that you can contribute to a Roth IRA phases out for incomes between $183,000 and $193,000 in 2015 (up from $181,000 to $191,000 in 2014).Make more than that and you are not likely eligible to contribute to a Roth this year.ou can contribute up to $53,000 to a SEP IRA in 2015, or 25% of annual gross income up to $265,000. If you have a SIMPLE IRA, your maximums will rise from $12,000 in 2014 to $12,500 in 2015. SIMPLE IRA owners age 50 or older can also add a catch-up contribution of $3,000 in 2015, compared to $2,500 in the prior year.", "Forums: IRA Discussion Forum. I've always understood that the deadline to make a prior year contribution to an IRA was April 15 of the following year...but one of my clients-who is a tax professional-seems to think that it can be later in the year if you file an extension.orums: IRA Discussion Forum. I've always understood that the deadline to make a prior year contribution to an IRA was April 15 of the following year...but one of my clients-who is a tax professional-seems to think that it can be later in the year if you file an extension.", "Under a SEP IRA, the employer makes SEP contributions to Traditional IRAs established y and for eligible employees. An IRA based retirement plan established by an employer (business) for its employees. Under a SEP IRA, the employer makes SEP contributions to Traditional IRAs established y and for eligible employees. An IRA based retirement plan established by an employer (business) for its employees.", "Simplified employee pension individual retirement arrangements are retirement plans that employers use to make contributions on behalf of their employees. Unlike SIMPLE IRAs, SEP IRAs can be set up by any employer -- if you're self-employed, you can even set one up for yourself.s of 2013, employees can't contribute more than $5,500 per year -- $6,500 if the employee is 50 or older. But, these contributions reduce the amount that can be contributed to any other IRA accounts he owns. For example, if the employee is 55 and contributes $6,500 to the SEP, he can't contribute to his Roth IRA.", "In this situation, the annual SEP IRA contribution can be between 0% to 25% of the owner's W-2 salary up to the SEP IRA contribution limit. SEP IRA contributions are generally 100% tax deductible as a business expense.Business owner receives compensation as personal income.n this situation, the annual SEP IRA contribution can be between 0% to 25% of the owner's W-2 salary up to the SEP IRA contribution limit. SEP IRA contributions are generally 100% tax deductible as a business expense. Business owner receives compensation as personal income.", "If you have both a Roth and a traditional IRA, your total contributions must not exceed your limit. Though the limits are set by year, you can make contributions to an IRA for the prior year up until the current year’s tax-filing deadline.", "In most cases, you can only make a contribution to an IRA for the prior tax year from January 1 to April 15. The Electronic Funds Transfer entry screens for IRAs only display current year contributions after April 15.", "You can contribute up to 25% of your business income with a limit of $45,000 in 2007 and $50,000 in 2008 (those 50 years or older may contribute $5,000 more). Thus, if you have business income, you can contribute to your ROTH IRA if you are eligible and a SEP IRA.", "Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) IRA Contribution Limits: Year: Max Dollar Allocation: Max Considered Compensation : 2017: $54,000: $270,000: 2018: $55,000: $275,000: The maximum amount that can be contributed to a simplified pension plan (SEP) is 25% of an employee's compensation, which is capped at a maximum as indicated above. 2017 SEP IRA Contribution Deadline is 4/17/2018. 2 2018 SEP IRA Contribution Deadline is 4/15/2019. 2 SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) IRA Contributions and Catch Up Provisions", "SIMPLE IRA. You can participate in a SIMPLE IRA if you work for a business that employs no more than 100 workers that earn more than $5,000 per year. You and your employer can make contributions to the account, but unlike other retirement plans, your employer's contributions are not subject to vesting schedules.he fact that you or your employer contributed to a SIMPLE IRA in a prior tax year has no impact on your ability to fund an IRA with pre-tax contributions during the current year. If you leave your job, you can roll your SIMPLE IRA money into your traditional IRA.", "Coordination With Income. While your rollover doesn't count as a contribution, a rollover from a 401k plan or traditional IRA, SEP IRA, or SIMPLE IRA into a Roth IRA may affect your ability to make a contribution to a retirement plan that year.", "SEP IRA and Simple IRA Contribution Deadline. It should be noted that if you are a business owner and have either a SEP IRA or Simple IRA, your contribution deadlines differ. Typically, you have until the tax filing deadline of the business to get the employer contributions invested into the plan.EP IRA and Simple IRA Contribution Deadline. It should be noted that if you are a business owner and have either a SEP IRA or Simple IRA, your contribution deadlines differ. Typically, you have until the tax filing deadline of the business to get the employer contributions invested into the plan.", "Each year you can make a non-deductible IRA contribution and then convert that non-deductible IRA to a Roth. You can convert your non-deductible IRA to a Roth in the same year you make the contribution.", "The SEP IRA is very egalitarian and requires that contributions for employees be at the same percentage of income as for the business owner. SEP IRA contributions are made by the employer and the contributions are vested immediately.he SEP IRA is very egalitarian and requires that contributions for employees be at the same percentage of income as for the business owner. SEP IRA contributions are made by the employer and the contributions are vested immediately.", "For those who earn enough money that they are not eligible to make a Roth IRA contribution, they can still contribute money to a Roth IRA in a round-a-bout way. Each year you can make a non-deductible IRA contribution and then convert that non-deductible IRA to a Roth.You can convert your non-deductible IRA to a Roth in the same year you make the contribution. When you convert an IRA to a Roth IRA you pay taxes on any amount that is converted that is above your basis.lizabeth Waugh/Photolibrary/Getty Images. If you are not eligible to take an IRA deduction for your contribution to an IRA, and you make too much money to make a ROTH IRA contribution, then you might consider making a non-deductible IRA contribution.", "In general, contributions to the owner's SEP IRA account and the contributions made to each eligible employee's SEP IRA account are 100% tax deductible as a business expense. A SEP IRA allows generous contribution limits but also requires generous contributions from the employer on behalf of all eligible employees.he SEP IRA is very egalitarian and requires that contributions for employees be at the same percentage of income as for the business owner. SEP IRA contributions are made by the employer and the contributions are vested immediately.", "Simplified Employee Pension - SEP (Simplified Employee Pension IRA) What is a 'Simplified Employee Pension - SEP (Simplified Employee Pension IRA)'. A simplified employee pension (SEP) is a retirement plan that an employer or self-employed individuals can establish. The employer is allowed a tax deduction for contributions made to the SEP plan and makes contributions to each eligible employee's SEP IRA on a discretionary basis. IRS Publication 560: Retirement ...", "For the 2016 tax year, the contribution limits remain the same, thanks to a lack of inflation. Here's what you need to know about the 2016 SEP-IRA limits, and how to calculate yours. Generous contribution limits. The contribution limits for SEP-IRA accounts are both straightforward and generous.", "The general rule is that you must have taxable income in order to make an IRA contribution, but not just any type of taxable income will do. Your income must be considered compensation in order to be able to use it to make an IRA contribution.The following is a list of items that are considered compensation and items that are not considered compensation for the purposes of making an IRA or Roth IRA contribution.The rules for SEP and SIMPLE IRA contributions are different.f you have any questions on whether or not you have compensation, you should consult with a specialist in this area. There is a 6% penalty for making an ineligible contribution. That penalty continues to apply each year the ineligible contribution remains in the IRA." ]

[ "Burnley" ]

[ "a team of maintainers", "a SWAT team", "SWAT teams" ]

[ "Absolute idealism is G. W. F. Hegel's account of how existence is comprehensible as an all-inclusive whole. Hegel called his philosophy \"absolute\" idealism in contrast to the \"subjective idealism\" of Berkeley and the \"transcendental idealism\" of Kant and Fichte, which were not based on a critique of the finite and a dialectical philosophy of history as Hegel's idealism was. The exercise of reason and intellect enables the philosopher to know ultimate historical reality, the phenomenological constitution of self-determination, the dialectical development of self-awareness and personality in the realm of History." ]

[ "Kierkegaard criticised Hegel's idealist philosophy in several of his works, particularly his claim to a comprehensive system that could explain the whole of reality. Where Hegel argues that an ultimate understanding of the logical structure of the world is an understanding of the logical structure of God's mind, Kierkegaard asserting that for God reality can be a system but it cannot be so for any human individual because both reality and humans are incomplete and all philosophical systems imply completeness. A logical system is possible but an existential system is not. \"What is rational is actual; and what is actual is rational\". Hegel's absolute idealism blurs the distinction between existence and thought: our mortal nature places limits on our understanding of reality;", "Hegel certainly intends to preserve what he takes to be true of German idealism, in particular Kant's insistence that ethical reason can and does go beyond finite inclinations. For Hegel there must be some identity of thought and being for the \"subject\" (any human observer)) to be able to know any observed \"object\" (any external entity, possibly even another human) at all. Under Hegel's concept of \"subject-object identity,\" subject and object both have Spirit (Hegel's ersatz, redefined, nonsupernatural \"God\") as their conceptual (not metaphysical) inner reality—and in that sense are identical. But until Spirit's \"self-realization\" occurs and Spirit graduates from Spirit to Absolute Spirit status, subject (a human mind) mistakenly thinks every \"object\" it observes is something \"alien,\" meaning something separate or apart from \"subject.\" In Hegel's words, \"The object is revealed to it [to \"subject\"] by [as] something alien, and it does not recognize itself.\" Self-realization occurs when Hegel (part of Spirit's nonsupernatural Mind, which is the collective mind of all humans) arrives on the scene and realizes that every \"object\" is himself, because both subject and object are essentially Spirit. When self-realization occurs and Spirit becomes Absolute Spirit, the \"finite\" (man, human) becomes the \"infinite\" (\"God,\" divine), replacing the imaginary or \"picture-thinking\" supernatural God of theism: man becomes God. Tucker puts it this way: \"Hegelianism . . . is a religion of self-worship whose fundamental theme is given in Hegel's image of the man who aspires to be God himself, who demands 'something more, namely infinity.'\" The picture Hegel presents is \"a picture of a self-glorifying humanity striving compulsively, and at the end successfully, to rise to divinity.\"", "German philosophers have helped shape western philosophy from as early as the Middle Ages (Albertus Magnus). Later, Leibniz (17th century) and most importantly Kant played central roles in the history of philosophy. Kantianism inspired the work of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche as well as German idealism defended by Fichte and Hegel. Engels helped develop communist theory in the second half of the 19th century while Heidegger and Gadamer pursued the tradition of German philosophy in the 20th century. A number of German intellectuals were also influential in sociology, most notably Adorno, Habermas, Horkheimer, Luhmann, Simmel, Tönnies, and Weber. The University of Berlin founded in 1810 by linguist and philosopher Wilhelm von Humboldt served as an influential model for a number of modern western universities.", "Subjective idealists like George Berkeley are anti-realists in terms of a mind-independent world, whereas transcendental idealists like Immanuel Kant are strong skeptics of such a world, affirming epistemological and not metaphysical idealism. Thus Kant defines idealism as \"the assertion that we can never be certain whether all of our putative outer experience is not mere imagining\". He claimed that, according to idealism, \"the reality of external objects does not admit of strict proof. On the contrary, however, the reality of the object of our internal sense (of myself and state) is clear immediately through consciousness.\" However, not all idealists restrict the real or the knowable to our immediate subjective experience. Objective idealists make claims about a transempirical world, but simply deny that this world is essentially divorced from or ontologically prior to the mental. Thus Plato and Gottfried Leibniz affirm an objective and knowable reality transcending our subjective awareness—a rejection of epistemological idealism—but propose that this reality is grounded in ideal entities, a form of metaphysical idealism. Nor do all metaphysical idealists agree on the nature of the ideal; for Plato, the fundamental entities were non-mental abstract forms, while for Leibniz they were proto-mental and concrete monads.", "A major concern of Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit (1807) and of the philosophy of Spirit that he lays out in his Encyclopedia of the Philosophical Sciences (1817–1830) is the interrelation between individual humans, which he conceives in terms of \"mutual recognition.\" However, what Climacus means by the aforementioned statement, is that Hegel, in the Philosophy of Right, believed the best solution was to surrender one's individuality to the customs of the State, identifying right and wrong in view of the prevailing bourgeois morality. Individual human will ought, at the State's highest level of development, to properly coincide with the will of the State. Climacus rejects Hegel's suppression of individuality by pointing out it is impossible to create a valid set of rules or system in any society which can adequately describe existence for any one individual. Submitting one's will to the State denies personal freedom, choice, and responsibility.", "Christian theologians have held idealist views, often based on Neoplatonism, despite the influence of Aristotelian scholasticism from the 12th century onward. Later western theistic idealism such as that of Hermann Lotze offers a theory of the \"world ground\" in which all things find their unity: it has been widely accepted by Protestant theologians. Several modern religious movements, for example the organizations within the New Thought Movement and the Unity Church, may be said to have a particularly idealist orientation. The theology of Christian Science includes a form of idealism: it teaches that all that truly exists is God and God's ideas; that the world as it appears to the senses is a distortion of the underlying spiritual reality, a distortion that may be corrected (both conceptually and in terms of human experience) through a reorientation (spiritualization) of thought.", "The Marxist critique of capitalism — developed with Friedrich Engels — was, alongside liberalism and fascism, one of the defining ideological movements of the Twentieth Century. The industrial revolution produced a parallel revolution in political thought. Urbanization and capitalism greatly reshaped society. During this same period, the socialist movement began to form. In the mid-19th century, Marxism was developed, and socialism in general gained increasing popular support, mostly from the urban working class. Without breaking entirely from the past, Marx established principles that would be used by future revolutionaries of the 20th century namely Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh, and Fidel Castro. Though Hegel's philosophy of history is similar to Immanuel Kant's, and Karl Marx's theory of revolution towards the common good is partly based on Kant's view of history—Marx declared that he was turning Hegel's dialectic, which was \"standing on its head\", \"the right side up again\". Unlike Marx who believed in historical materialism, Hegel believed in the Phenomenology of Spirit. By the late 19th century, socialism and trade unions were established members of the political landscape. In addition, the various branches of anarchism, with thinkers such as Mikhail Bakunin, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon or Peter Kropotkin, and syndicalism also gained some prominence. In the Anglo-American world, anti-imperialism and pluralism began gaining currency at the turn of the 20th century.", "In addition, Hegel does believe we can know the structure of God's mind, or ultimate reality. Hegel agrees with Kierkegaard that both reality and humans are incomplete, inasmuch as we are in time, and reality develops through time. But the relation between time and eternity is outside time and this is the \"logical structure\" that Hegel thinks we can know. Kierkegaard disputes this assertion, because it eliminates the clear distinction between ontology and epistemology. Existence and thought are not identical and one cannot possibly think existence. Thought is always a form of abstraction, and thus not only is pure existence impossible to think, but all forms in existence are unthinkable; thought depends on language, which merely abstracts from experience, thus separating us from lived experience and the living essence of all beings. In addition, because we are finite beings, we cannot possibly know or understand anything that is universal or infinite such as God, so we cannot know God exists, since that which transcends time simultaneously transcends human understanding.", "In his Science of Logic (1812–1814) Hegel argues that finite qualities are not fully \"real\" because they depend on other finite qualities to determine them. Qualitative infinity, on the other hand, would be more self-determining and hence more fully real. Similarly finite natural things are less \"real\"—because they are less self-determining—than spiritual things like morally responsible people, ethical communities and God. So any doctrine, such as materialism, that asserts that finite qualities or natural objects are fully real is mistaken.", "Contemporaneously with the rise of analytic ethics in Anglo-American thought, in Europe several new lines of philosophy directed at critique of existing societies arose between the 1950s and 1980s. Most of these took elements of Marxist economic analysis, but combined them with a more cultural or ideological emphasis. Out of the Frankfurt School, thinkers like Herbert Marcuse, Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, and Jürgen Habermas combined Marxian and Freudian perspectives. Along somewhat different lines, a number of other continental thinkers—still largely influenced by Marxism—put new emphases on structuralism and on a \"return to Hegel\". Within the (post-) structuralist line (though mostly not taking that label) are thinkers such as Gilles Deleuze, Michel Foucault, Claude Lefort, and Jean Baudrillard. The Situationists were more influenced by Hegel; Guy Debord, in particular, moved a Marxist analysis of commodity fetishism to the realm of consumption, and looked at the relation between consumerism and dominant ideology formation.", "An argument for idealism, such as those of Hegel and Berkeley, is ipso facto an argument against materialism. Matter can be argued to be redundant, as in bundle theory, and mind-independent properties can in turn be reduced to subjective percepts. Berkeley presents an example of the latter by pointing out that it is impossible to gather direct evidence of matter, as there is no direct experience of matter; all that is experienced is perception, whether internal or external. As such, the existence of matter can only be assumed from the apparent (perceived) stability of perceptions; it finds absolutely no evidence in direct experience.", "Idealism is a term with several related meanings. It comes via idea from the Greek idein (ἰδεῖν), meaning \"to see\". The term entered the English language by 1743. In ordinary use, as when speaking of Woodrow Wilson's political idealism, it generally suggests the priority of ideals, principles, values, and goals over concrete realities. Idealists are understood to represent the world as it might or should be, unlike pragmatists, who focus on the world as it presently is. In the arts, similarly, idealism affirms imagination and attempts to realize a mental conception of beauty, a standard of perfection, juxtaposed to aesthetic naturalism and realism.", "Any philosophy that assigns crucial importance to the ideal or spiritual realm in its account of human existence may be termed \"idealist\". Metaphysical idealism is an ontological doctrine that holds that reality itself is incorporeal or experiential at its core. Beyond this, idealists disagree on which aspects of the mental are more basic. Platonic idealism affirms that abstractions are more basic to reality than the things we perceive, while subjective idealists and phenomenalists tend to privilege sensory experience over abstract reasoning. Epistemological idealism is the view that reality can only be known through ideas, that only psychological experience can be apprehended by the mind.", "Bradley was the apparent target of G. E. Moore's radical rejection of idealism. Moore claimed that Bradley did not understand the statement that something is real. We know for certain, through common sense and prephilosophical beliefs, that some things are real, whether they are objects of thought or not, according to Moore. The 1903 article The Refutation of Idealism is one of the first demonstrations of Moore's commitment to analysis. He examines each of the three terms in the Berkeleian aphorism esse est percipi, \"to be is to be perceived\", finding that it must mean that the object and the subject are necessarily connected so that \"yellow\" and \"the sensation of yellow\" are identical - \"to be yellow\" is \"to be experienced as yellow\". But it also seems there is a difference between \"yellow\" and \"the sensation of yellow\" and \"that esse is held to be percipi, solely because what is experienced is held to be identical with the experience of it\". Though far from a complete refutation, this was the first strong statement by analytic philosophy against its idealist predecessors, or at any rate against the type of idealism represented by Berkeley. This argument did not show that the GEM (in post–Stove vernacular, see below) is logically invalid.", "Howison's personal idealism was also called \"California Personalism\" by others to distinguish it from the \"Boston Personalism\" which was of Bowne. Howison maintained that both impersonal, monistic idealism and materialism run contrary to the experience of moral freedom. To deny freedom to pursue truth, beauty, and \"benignant love\" is to undermine every profound human venture, including science, morality, and philosophy. Personalistic idealists Borden Parker Bowne and Edgar S. Brightman and realistic personal theist Saint Thomas Aquinas address a core issue, namely that of dependence upon an infinite personal God.", "The earliest extant arguments that the world of experience is grounded in the mental derive from India and Greece. The Hindu idealists in India and the Greek Neoplatonists gave panentheistic arguments for an all-pervading consciousness as the ground or true nature of reality. In contrast, the Yogācāra school, which arose within Mahayana Buddhism in India in the 4th century CE, based its \"mind-only\" idealism to a greater extent on phenomenological analyses of personal experience. This turn toward the subjective anticipated empiricists such as George Berkeley, who revived idealism in 18th-century Europe by employing skeptical arguments against materialism.", "In 2004, philosopher and psychologist Michel ter Hark (Groningen, The Netherlands) published a book, called Popper, Otto Selz and the rise of evolutionary epistemology, in which he claimed that Popper took some of his ideas from his tutor, the German psychologist Otto Selz. Selz never published his ideas, partly because of the rise of Nazism, which forced him to quit his work in 1933, and the prohibition of referring to Selz' work. Popper, the historian of ideas and his scholarship, is criticised in some academic quarters for his rejection of Plato, Hegel and Marx.", "Despite the large number of philosophical schools and subtle nuances between many, all philosophies are said to fall into one of two primary categories, which are defined in contrast to each other: Idealism, and materialism.[a] The basic proposition of these two categories pertains to the nature of reality, and the primary distinction between them is the way they answer two fundamental questions: \"what does reality consist of?\" and \"how does it originate?\" To idealists, spirit or mind or the objects of mind (ideas) are primary, and matter secondary. To materialists, matter is primary, and mind or spirit or ideas are secondary, the product of matter acting upon matter.", "Idealist notions took a strong hold among physicists of the early 20th century confronted with the paradoxes of quantum physics and the theory of relativity. In The Grammar of Science, Preface to the 2nd Edition, 1900, Karl Pearson wrote, \"There are many signs that a sound idealism is surely replacing, as a basis for natural philosophy, the crude materialism of the older physicists.\" This book influenced Einstein's regard for the importance of the observer in scientific measurements[citation needed]. In § 5 of that book, Pearson asserted that \"...science is in reality a classification and analysis of the contents of the mind....\" Also, \"...the field of science is much more consciousness than an external world.\"", "Muhammad Husayn Tabatabaei says that according to the popular explanation among the later exegetes, ta'wil indicates the particular meaning a verse is directed towards. The meaning of revelation (tanzil), as opposed to ta'wil, is clear in its accordance to the obvious meaning of the words as they were revealed. But this explanation has become so widespread that, at present, it has become the primary meaning of ta'wil, which originally meant \"to return\" or \"the returning place\". In Tabatabaei's view, what has been rightly called ta'wil, or hermeneutic interpretation of the Quran, is not concerned simply with the denotation of words. Rather, it is concerned with certain truths and realities that transcend the comprehension of the common run of men; yet it is from these truths and realities that the principles of doctrine and the practical injunctions of the Quran issue forth. Interpretation is not the meaning of the verse—rather it transpires through that meaning, in a special sort of transpiration. There is a spiritual reality—which is the main objective of ordaining a law, or the basic aim in describing a divine attribute—and then there is an actual significance that a Quranic story refers to.", "J. M. E. McTaggart of Cambridge University, argued that minds alone exist and only relate to each other through love. Space, time and material objects are unreal. In The Unreality of Time he argued that time is an illusion because it is impossible to produce a coherent account of a sequence of events. The Nature of Existence (1927) contained his arguments that space, time, and matter cannot possibly be real. In his Studies in Hegelian Cosmology (Cambridge, 1901, p196) he declared that metaphysics are not relevant to social and political action. McTaggart \"thought that Hegel was wrong in supposing that metaphysics could show that the state is more than a means to the good of the individuals who compose it\". For McTaggart \"philosophy can give us very little, if any, guidance in action... Why should a Hegelian citizen be surprised that his belief as to the organic nature of the Absolute does not help him in deciding how to vote? Would a Hegelian engineer be reasonable in expecting that his belief that all matter is spirit should help him in planning a bridge?", "Pluralistic idealism such as that of Gottfried Leibniz takes the view that there are many individual minds that together underlie the existence of the observed world and make possible the existence of the physical universe. Unlike absolute idealism, pluralistic idealism does not assume the existence of a single ultimate mental reality or \"Absolute\". Leibniz' form of idealism, known as Panpsychism, views \"monads\" as the true atoms of the universe and as entities having perception. The monads are \"substantial forms of being\",elemental, individual, subject to their own laws, non-interacting, each reflecting the entire universe. Monads are centers of force, which is substance while space, matter and motion are phenomenal and their form and existence is dependent on the simple and immaterial monads. There is a pre-established harmony established by God, the central monad, between the world in the minds of the monads and the external world of objects. Leibniz's cosmology embraced traditional Christian Theism. The English psychologist and philosopher James Ward inspired by Leibniz had also defended a form of pluralistic idealism. According to Ward the universe is composed of \"psychic monads\" of different levels, interacting for mutual self- betterment.", "Religious knowledge or \"vision\" was indicated as a result of practice both within and outside of the Buddhist fold. According to the Samaññaphala Sutta, this sort of vision arose for the Buddhist adept as a result of the perfection of \"meditation\" coupled with the perfection of \"discipline\" (Pali sīla; Skt. śīla). Some of the Buddha's meditative techniques were shared with other traditions of his day, but the idea that ethics are causally related to the attainment of \"transcendent wisdom\" (Pali paññā; Skt. prajñā) was original.[web 18]", "Art historian Hravard Hakobyan notes that \"Artsakh carpets occupy a special place in the history of Armenian carpet-making.\" Common themes and patterns found on Armenian carpets were the depiction of dragons and eagles. They were diverse in style, rich in color and ornamental motifs, and were even separated in categories depending on what sort of animals were depicted on them, such as artsvagorgs (eagle-carpets), vishapagorgs (dragon-carpets) and otsagorgs (serpent-carpets). The rug mentioned in the Kaptavan inscriptions is composed of three arches, \"covered with vegatative ornaments\", and bears an artistic resemblance to the illuminated manuscripts produced in Artsakh.", "Photo Gallery is an optional application to view, create and group photos from PS3, which is installed separately from the system software at 105 MB. It was introduced in system software version 2.60 and provides a range of tools for sorting through and displaying the system's pictures. The key feature of this application is that it can organize photos into groups according to various criteria. Notable categorizations are colors, ages, or facial expressions of the people in the photos. Slideshows can be viewed with the application, along with music and playlists. The software was updated with the release of system software version 3.40 allowing users to upload and browse photos on Facebook and Picasa.", "With the neoplatonist Plotinus, wrote Nathaniel Alfred Boll; \"there even appears, probably for the first time in Western philosophy, idealism that had long been current in the East even at that time, for it taught... that the soul has made the world by stepping from eternity into time...\". Similarly, in regard to passages from the Enneads, \"The only space or place of the world is the soul\" and \"Time must not be assumed to exist outside the soul\", Ludwig Noiré wrote: \"For the first time in Western philosophy we find idealism proper in Plotinus, However, Plotinus does not address whether we know external objects, unlike Schopenhauer and other modern philosophers.", "Plato's theory of forms or \"ideas\" describes ideal forms (for example the platonic solids in geometry or abstracts like Goodness and Justice), as universals existing independently of any particular instance. Arne Grøn calls this doctrine \"the classic example of a metaphysical idealism as a transcendent idealism\", while Simone Klein calls Plato \"the earliest representative of metaphysical objective idealism\". Nevertheless, Plato holds that matter is real, though transitory and imperfect, and is perceived by our body and its senses and given existence by the eternal ideas that are perceived directly by our rational soul. Plato was therefore a metaphysical and epistemological dualist, an outlook that modern idealism has striven to avoid: Plato's thought cannot therefore be counted as idealist in the modern sense, although quantum physics' assertion that man's consciousness is an immutable and primary requisite for not merely perceiving but shaping matter, and thus his reality, would give more credence to Plato's dualist position.[citation needed]", "The German materialist and atheist anthropologist Ludwig Feuerbach would signal a new turn in materialism through his book, The Essence of Christianity (1841), which provided a humanist account of religion as the outward projection of man's inward nature. Feuerbach's materialism would later heavily influence Karl Marx.", "Von Neumann was a founding figure in computing. Donald Knuth cites von Neumann as the inventor, in 1945, of the merge sort algorithm, in which the first and second halves of an array are each sorted recursively and then merged. Von Neumann wrote the sorting program for the EDVAC in ink, being 23 pages long; traces can still be seen on the first page of the phrase \"TOP SECRET\", which was written in pencil and later erased. He also worked on the philosophy of artificial intelligence with Alan Turing when the latter visited Princeton in the 1930s.", "In philosophy, idealism is the group of philosophies which assert that reality, or reality as we can know it, is fundamentally mental, mentally constructed, or otherwise immaterial. Epistemologically, idealism manifests as a skepticism about the possibility of knowing any mind-independent thing. In a sociological sense, idealism emphasizes how human ideas—especially beliefs and values—shape society. As an ontological doctrine, idealism goes further, asserting that all entities are composed of mind or spirit. Idealism thus rejects physicalist and dualist theories that fail to ascribe priority to the mind.", "According to Archibald Sayce, the primitive pictograms of the early Sumerian (i.e. Uruk) era suggest that \"Stone was scarce, but was already cut into blocks and seals. Brick was the ordinary building material, and with it cities, forts, temples and houses were constructed. The city was provided with towers and stood on an artificial platform; the house also had a tower-like appearance. It was provided with a door which turned on a hinge, and could be opened with a sort of key; the city gate was on a larger scale, and seems to have been double. The foundation stones — or rather bricks — of a house were consecrated by certain objects that were deposited under them.\"", "In 1795, the Prussian linguist and philosopher Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835) called for an anthropology that would synthesize Kant's and Herder's interests. During the Romantic era, scholars in Germany, especially those concerned with nationalist movements—such as the nationalist struggle to create a \"Germany\" out of diverse principalities, and the nationalist struggles by ethnic minorities against the Austro-Hungarian Empire—developed a more inclusive notion of culture as \"worldview\" (Weltanschauung). According to this school of thought, each ethnic group has a distinct worldview that is incommensurable with the worldviews of other groups. Although more inclusive than earlier views, this approach to culture still allowed for distinctions between \"civilized\" and \"primitive\" or \"tribal\" cultures." ]

[ "Listeners wrote in this week about stories on the Mississippi Delta region, disabled World War II veterans visiting the World War II monument and an arboreal sign in Murrysville, Pennsylvania." ]

[ "NPR's Melissa Block and NPR's Michele Norris read from your letters. To send a letter to <EM>All Things Considered</EM>, email [email protected].", "Thursday is the day that ATC reads letters from listeners. Among today's topics: Battleground states and reflections on the electoral process; flying and fiddling; empathetic runners; and equating a dentist's humor with his drill.", "NPR's Robert Siegel and NPR's Melissa Block read from some of this week's letters from listeners. Send e-mail to [email protected].", "Thursday is the day that ATC reads letters from listeners. Among the topics: Sylvia Poggioli's series on how Europeans see Americans; Noah Adam's pieces on low-wage workers; permanent camping in New Hampshire; and poetry about a poem.", "Bill Cheng's new novel, Southern Cross the Dog, is deeply rooted in the Mississippi Delta. It follows the story of one boy after he survives the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and spends the next few decades as a refugee, an abandoned orphan and then an itinerant laborer. The book is full of mythical characters who feel like they rose right out of the Mississippi swamp. So it is surprising that Cheng has never actually set foot in Mississippi. He grew up in New York City, where he still lives. His connection to the world he writes about is the blues music he started listening to as a teenager. Cheng told Kelly McEvers, host of weekends on All Things Considered, that Southern Cross the Dog is \"a love note to those old blues players.\" Interview Highlights On the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 \"It's a huge thing in blues music. You know, Charley Patton has the song 'High Water Everywhere.' John Lee Hooker has the song 'Tupelo.' It was a devastating flood, and it affected a lot of the local musicians and it went into their storytelling, went into their songs. And if you're going to write a book that comes from the blues, you can't start anywhere else, really.\" On the main character's \"jinx\" \"It was important to me to have — just communicate this feeling of what it's like to feel like you have no choice, to feel like the things that happen to you happen because of how the universe wants to use you. There is a way of thinking about and viewing free choice and destiny in blues music that's very much built into the genre.\" On the book's title \"The Southern Railroad line crosses with the Yazoo Delta Railroad line. Now when the Yazoo Delta Railroad line crosses, the train cars say Y.D. for Yazoo Delta. And it's colloquially known as the Yellow Dog. ... It's a fragment of a phrase that's in this sort of old Mississippi grammar. It sounded so right. It sounded like something that sticks in my ear. And that's what I settled on.\"", "Noah Adams and guest host Melissa Block read some the letters received this week at <EM>All Things Considered</EM>. (3:30) Send E-mail to <a href=\"mailto:[email protected]\">[email protected]</a>.", "NPR's Guy Raz concludes his <a href=\"http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2002/danube/index.html\">special five-part series following the Danube River</a>, focusing on the fragile ecosystem of the river's delta in Romania where it empties into the Black Sea. Friday on <EM>All Things Considered</EM>, Raz reports on efforts to protect the delta, where huge reed beds act as natural filters for pollutants.", "British war vet finds his name on a memorial honoring WWII dead.", "A memorial first installed in 2008 to mark the spot where 14-year-old Emmett Till was recovered from the Tallahatchie River in 1955 has been repeatedly vandalized — shot through with bullet holes. The sign was removed last month after an image surfaced of three white University of Mississippi fraternity brothers posing next to it with guns. Civil rights tour guide Jessie Jaynes-Diming says it was painful to see. \"It would be the same thing if I had a Bible up there, or if I had the flag up there and you shot it up,\" she says. Jaynes-Diming is part of the Emmett Till Memorial Commission, which is trying to preserve sites like this. Till, a black teenager visiting from Chicago, was brutally killed in Mississippi after allegedly violating Jim Crow social norms. The killing propelled the civil rights movement, and his name is still invoked when innocent blood is shed in racial violence. But telling his story in the Mississippi Delta remains fraught. \"There was a lot of pushback not only from the white community but from the black community also,\" says Jaynes-Diming. \"Whites and blacks came to our meetings and [said] 'Why are you all bringing this up? Why don't y'all let that die?' \" The sentiment lingers for some. \"The people in Tallahatchie County are to a great degree tired of Emmett Till,\" says former county prosecutor John Whitten. He lives in Sumner, Miss., where the two men who killed Till were tried and acquitted by an all-white jury, only to confess to the killing when they sold their story to Look Magazine months later. Whitten's father was one of the defense lawyers. John Whitten was 7 at the time and still sticks with the version of the story he learned back then. \"Fella who came down here and got in trouble — overstepped his bounds to a degree some folks thought,\" says Whitten. \"And they cured him of his problems.\" Whitten sees no reason to commemorate Till's slaying. \"I think all these folks are stirring crap up,\" he says. \"Every day, somebody's dragging up the race card. Somebody saying we have racial disparity here. If nobody would stir that damn pile of stuff up, it wouldn't stink.\" \"We don't want the sanitized version\" \"The issue of race is still the undercurrent about the discussion of Emmett Till,\" according to Rep. Bennie Thompson, an African American Democrat who has represented the Mississippi Delta region in the U.S. House since 1993. \"Just like Mississippi, there's the white side of the story and there's the black side and they don't necessarily agree,\" Thompson says. \"We have struggled with getting the whole story out; we don't want the sanitized version.\" For a long time, Thompson says, people didn't talk about Till's lynching. \"People only in closed circles whispered about the atrocities of the death,\" he says. Till was kidnapped, beaten, shot in the head and dumped in the bayou, weighted down by a heavy industrial fan taken from a cotton gin — activities that stretched across three counties. The story begins in Money, Miss., at Bryant's Grocery, where Till allegedly flirted with a white woman. Today, the building is in ruins, overtaken by trees and vines. You can barely make out a \"private property\" sign posted out front. \"By letting the trees and so forth grew up around it, and letting the walls fall down, it's a way to let history fade into invisibility,\" says Reilly Morse, president of the Mississippi Center for Justice. The center is supporting efforts by Thompson and the Till Memorial Commission to have Bryant's Grocery and other sites associated with Till's lynching protected as part of the National Park Service. Morse says that for decades, there has been a reluctance to draw attention to the building. \"It's just a symptom of America's struggle to come to grips with its history of racial brutality,\" Morse says. \"And for folks that live here, there's been, over generations I think, a tendency to sweep it all under the rug to the extent possible. And there's shame attached to it.\" Even so, the site draws attention and visitors, like one couple from Brooklyn on a civil rights road trip through the South. \"We came by to see this part of history about Emmett Till,\" says Alexis Ortiz. Miguel Correa finds parallels to events today. \"So it's not just history,\" he says. \"It's something that a lot of people are still living.\" Intrepreting Till's story If the history of Emmett Till was swept under the rug before, one driving force in commemorating it now is tourism and the potential to bring new money to the Mississippi Delta — a largely agricultural landscape in the northwest part of the state that struggles to attract new industry. The Tallahatchie County courthouse where the trial was held has undergone a multi-million-dollar renovation, and now there's an Interpretive Center on the courthouse square. In tiny Glendora, an old cotton gin has been converted to the Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center Museum. \"We're here in the cotton gin where they received the fan, the old fan, that th", "Hundreds of thousands of people in the Gulf Coast are without power after Hurricane Delta made landfall in Louisiana on Friday night. The storm brought high winds and heavy rain to an area that was still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Laura in August. More than half a million power outages were reported throughout the state, representing about 25% of all customers in Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a press conference on Saturday. Delta, forecast to be a Category 3 hurricane as it approached land, ended up weakening to Category 2 by the time it made landfall. But it still brought winds of 100 mph when it hit the town of Creole and then the waterfront city of Lake Charles, which had already suffered major damage from Laura. \"There will be damage in southwest Louisiana that will be very difficult to differentiate between what was caused by Hurricane Laura and what was caused by Hurricane Delta,\" Edwards said. In less than 12 hours, Delta dropped almost a foot and a half of rain across southwestern Louisiana. \"Lake Charles was already in a world of trouble from that earlier hurricane,\" NPR's John Burnett told Weekend Edition Saturday. \"Hundreds of houses had blue tarps on their rooftops, where the earlier storm had blown away pieces of the house. Those were probably ripped off. Debris was piled in heaps on the curbs and the wind could have scattered that all over the city.\" When the eastern edge of the eye passed over Lafayette, La., the whipping winds and rippling sheets of sideways rain paused for just a moment, Burnett said. \"As quickly as the wind stopped, it roared to life again,\" he continued. \"Then the power went out and the city went dark and all you heard was this relentless wind and things breaking and flailing all around.\" After making landfall, Delta quickly weakened. By Saturday morning the National Hurricane Center was characterizing Delta as a tropical depression with winds of about 35 mph. The depression was expected to bring heavy rain to eastern Arkansas and northern Mississippi, generally totaling 2 to 4 inches, but with isolated storms bringing up to 10 inches and causing flash flooding. But the remnants of Delta continue to affect the South, leaving hundreds of thousands without power. According to the Edison Electric Institute, which represents electric companies across the country, about three-quarters of a million people had no electricity service in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi late Saturday morning. Workers from at least 18 states were being mobilized to help companies restore power. The National Guard has activated more than 3,000 guardsmen, who are already staging supplies and jumping in to help where needed, Edwards said. They've got 1.5 million bottles of water, 32,000 tarps and 48,000 bags ready to distribute. Sixteen aircraft are being used for search and rescue sweeps in southwest Louisiana. The National Guard has already rescued 10 people in Rapides Parish, Edwards said. No deaths were reported due to Hurricane Delta, but state officials were still encouraging residents to stay cautious. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a concern when people run generators, as is the risk of people being hurt by falling trees. \"Thank God, as of right now, we are not reporting any fatalities related to Hurricane Delta,\" the governor said. \"But as we know, just because the storm system has passed and exited the state, that doesn't mean the dangers are over.\" \"Delta has left hazards like flooded roads, downed power lines and displaced wildlife in our communities that no one should take lightly,\" Edwards said. \"Everyone needs to remain vigilant, continue to listen to local officials and be safe.\"", "Floodwaters from the swollen Mississippi River were washing over farm fields and towns in the Mississippi Delta on Thursday, forcing scores of people from their homes as the surge of water pushes south. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour urged people to get out if they think there is even a chance their homes will flood. \"More than anything else, save your life and don't put at risk other people who might have to come in and save your lives,\" Barbour said. The river level in Greenville, Miss, is already at an all-time high, and the Mississippi is expected to crest there Monday. Emergency management officials said most of the city would be safe and that the main levee would hold. But large swaths of land have begun to flood. Residents have reported that deer, snakes, wild boar and the occasional alligator were coming over the levee in droves as their habitat fills with water. \"The deer and the wild hogs are running around in the area, right in the city of Greenville. I saw a wild hog early this morning,\" said Doris Petty, who lives 30 yards from the levee. In the tiny Mississippi town of Rena Lara, population 500, officials were trying to assure residents they are doing what they can to shore up the levee to protect them from the river. \"It's getting scary,\" said Rita Harris, 43, who lives in a tiny wooden house in the shadow of the levee in Rena Lara. \"They won't let you go up there to look at the water.\" Scores of homes in the Mississippi Delta have been flooded in the past several days, and the crest isn't expected to push past the region until late next week. Even after the peak passes, water levels will remain high for weeks, and it could take months for flooded homes to dry out. The Delta, with a population of about 465,000, is an expanse of rich soil between the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, extending about 200 miles from Memphis, Tenn., to Vicksburg, Miss. While some farms in the cotton-, rice- and corn-growing Delta are prosperous, there is also grinding poverty. Nine of the 11 counties that touch the Mississippi River in Mississippi have poverty rates at least double the national average of 13.5 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Much of the flooding has occurred outside the Mississippi River levee system that also stretches from Memphis to Vicksburg. The Yazoo, a tributary that has become backed up by the flooding Mississippi, presents a huge threat to neighboring towns. In fact, amid near-record spring floods, it's the Mississippi that essentially becomes a tributary of the Yazoo. Many residents of Yazoo City, southeast of Greenville, have already evacuated because of flooding — and the community is bracing for even more floodwater. \"When you get over the west side of town and get up on the levee and look to the west, a lot of areas look like a small ocean — it's just water for days,\" said county supervisor Van Foster. \"We've had massive evacuations over in the Delta and just enormous crop losses,\" he told NPR. \"You know, the corn is up like 18 to 24 inches in height. And I was in some places yesterday where the corn at 24 inches is already under water.\" Paige Roberts, state director of public affairs for the American Red Cross of Mississippi, said it is difficult to predict how many people will be displaced and how much damage will be done because floods are so unpredictable. \"It's so hard to know what the river's going to do, when it's going to do it and then how is it going to affect the backwaters and what are the situations there,\" Roberts said, adding, \"Every day, it's something new.\" In the historic city of Vicksburg, thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes as the water rushes in. People in the city's hard-hit King's Crossing neighborhood were critical of what they call a lack of assistance. Almost every house is flooded, and one resident said they haven't received any food or water since the flood. \"In 1973, they had all kinds of assistance. ... This is sick right here,\" said the resident, who refused to be identified. While state and local government has made temporary housing available to those in need, many in the Vicksburg area said they don't have access to transportation to go to the shelters or take advantage of the relief supplies that are available. President Obama signed a disaster declaration Wednesday for 14 counties in Mississippi because of the flooding. Housing and home repairs will be covered, and low-interest loans to cover uninsured damage will be available. The devastating flooding in the Mississippi River Valley from Indiana and Illinois down to the Gulf of Mexico could end up costing billions of dollars. One economist estimated that the floods of 2011 have caused at least $4 billion in damage — and with water still rising in the Mississippi Delta and Louisiana, the costs could go far higher. The flooding has wiped out crops and catfish farms, shut down refineries and casinos, and idled barges full of oil, grains and other commodities. Te", "The informational sign posted last week in Georgia on U.S. 27 near the Chickamauga Battlefield promoting the Army of Tennessee Highway leaves the final \"e\" off of Tennessee and reverses the \"h\" and \"g\" in the middle of \"highway.\"", "Nearly everyone I talked with in Hinesville, Ga., knows someone at Fort Stewart. They have stories about the war to share; about their husbands or friends who have spent time in the Iraq desert. Soldiers talk about how all that dry heat takes some getting used to and how, now that they are back, small things -- watching a football game or going out for ice cream -- mean so much. Almost everyone also mentions Warriors' Walk. I had heard about this place for the past two years, but only visited it this month. Trees stretch along both sides of Cottrell Field -- ironically, the same field where soldiers are welcomed home when they return from deployments. Red buds are planted on each side, one for each soldier from the Third Infantry Division who has died since Operation Iraqi Freedom began in 2003. At the base of the trees, American flags often appear, along with flags representing the soldiers' units. A small concrete marker bears the name of each one. Often, families leave behind mementos: photos, a bottle of favorite beer, a toy tank, a crystal angel. Families linger slowly. Some say soldiers rarely visit here. It may be too sad, or just too scary. It is a profoundly solemn place. As a reporter who covered the Oklahoma City bombing, the eerie feeling I get at Warriors' Walk reminds me of being at the fence erected around the bomb site at the Murrah building. Memorials were set up on the fence for many of the 168 people who died in that bombing. Afterward, Americans traveled from all over the country to leave notes, a stuffed toy or whatever they had to show support for the families of the dead and the hundreds who were injured. At Fort Stewart, it is a more private tribute, but the same sense of grief and sadness comes through. Officials have had to expand the size of the walk as the casualties mount. They've had to pour more concrete and curve the path around itself, and each month, they add more trees. Now, nearly 300 have been planted. At night, a small spotlight casts a glow on each tree. I shuddered as I walked along, feeling the ghosts in this place.", "NPR's Michele Norris and NPR's Melissa Block read some of this week's listener letters. Topics of interest include a story on the mortuary at Dover Air Force Base, 'Taps,' the proposed name change of Squaw Peak to Piestewa Peak to honor a fallen U.S. POW, and a report on a \"smelly\" coffee roaster in Brooklyn.", "Rising water levels on the Mississippi River are threatening low-lying towns and farms along the Mississippi Delta. Host Michel Martin speaks with reporter Jeffrey Hess of Mississippi Public Broadcasting about how Delta residents are preparing for the worst floods since 1927.", "Scott Simon talks to Chris Masingill of the Delta Regional Authority, an agency that promotes the economy of the Mississippi Delta's eight states. It would be eliminated under Trump's budget proposal.", "A Letter to Miss R.T. Fletcher was postmarked August 9, 1944. She was at a Red Cross hospital at Camp Roberts, Calif. Sixty-seven years later, the letter was found and delivered. The hospital is gone so the letter went to to the Camp Roberts museum. To protect privacy, the curator declined to open it.", "\"In the Mississippi Delta, no two people make hot tamales exactly the same. Pork is traditional. Some folks use beef, while others prefer turkey. Some boil their meat, while others simply brown it. Some people use masa, while most prefer the rough texture of corn meal...\" So says Tamaletrail.com, a Web site sponsored by the Southern Foodways Alliance. But how did \"red hot tamales\" get to be a staple of the Mississippi Delta? Southern Foodways Alliance director John T. Edge tells Debbie Elliott that it happened a century ago, when migrant Mexican farmworkers came to pick cotton side by side with African Americans in the deep South. DEBBIE ELLIOTT, host: Our friends at the Southern Foodways Alliance hit the hot tamale trail today. No, they didn't set foot in South Texas or even New Mexico. This tamale tour went through the Mississippi Delta. Folks spent the day on a bus trying tamales from Tunica to Vicksburg. Here to give us a taste of the tour is the director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, our very own culinary curator, John T. Edge. Hi, again, John T. Mr. JOHN T. EDGE (Southern Foodways Alliance): Hi, Debbie. ELLIOTT: I don't think most people outside the Deep South realize that you can find some mighty fine hot tamales in Mississippi. Mr. EDGE: You're right, but tamales, at least in the Mississippi Delta, date back to the early years of the 20th century, when bumper cotton harvests caused planters to call in Mexican laborers from Texas and from Mexico itself. Traditionally, the food you would take out in the field, a worker would take out in the field, was probably a hunk of side meat, maybe a cold potato, a cold sweet potato, and some cornbread. Mexican migrant workers, who began working the fields in the early years of the 20th century, showed up with a different kind of lunch food. They showed up with lard pails stuffed with tamales. Now, those tamales act as almost like little insulators. One tamale shoved up against the next tamale, stuffed tight in a lard can, they hold their heat for a long time, and on a cold fall day when the cotton's coming in, the Mexican migrant worker opens his pail, and he's got a warm lunch. The African-American cotton picker opens up his, he's got a cold lunch. The African-American laborer looks over at the Mexican guy's food and says, hey, that looks pretty good, and he recognizes the constituent ingredients, the pork and the corn, and I think a culinary transfer happens there. One culture learns from another, and what we see today is a legacy of that, something that every person within the Mississippi Delta recognizes as their own, but it's really a product of multiple cultures, you know, 100 years ago, exchanging, in essence, recipes in a cotton field. ELLIOTT: But when you go to buy the tamales there in the Delta, you won't necessarily buy them from someone of Hispanic descent. Mr. EDGE: No. The tamales have become a part of African-American culture, and they really span every social strata, too. You know, if you ask someone from the Delta where tamales came from, they'll say, They came from the shack down the road. ELLIOTT: Describe for us the hot tamale shacks for people who haven't seen them. Mr. EDGE: They are, I guess a student of architecture would call them vernacular. And by that they would mean that these are places that are built of their environment. And in many cases these are places built of found materials. So there's a scrap of roofing tin leftover from a house that was torn down. That becomes your roof. The sides of your building may be made from old packing crates, or you might retrofit an old grocery store and suddenly it becomes a hot tamale shack. These ephemeral buildings, they may be here one season, gone the next. Now, having said all that, there are some longstanding tamale joints in the Delta. An example is Joe's White Front in Rosedale, right along the river. It's been there for eons. It used to have a sign out front. No longer does. You have to know it's there. Dozee(ph) Place in Greenville on Nelson Street, the traditional juke joint thoroughfare of the Mississippi Delta. But all of these places have one thing in common. They're honest. They're forthright. There's nothing fancy pants about them. These are places where you get a good dose of grease, cornmeal and pork. ELLIOTT: John T., are these tamales different than the kind you would find, say, in the Southwest? Mr. EDGE: They are. For one thing, in the Southwest, you can see great variety in tamales. Oftentimes, there are sweet tamales that may be studded with coconut, raisins, other ingredients. In the Delta they're very straightforward. Usually they are made with corn meal instead of the finer corn flour or masa. Oftentimes people cook them in the Mississippi Delta in a spice mixture that gives them a red color. Thus, red hot tamales. ELLIOTT: And that means that they're spicy hot? Mr. EDGE: They're spicy hot. It's like a warning flag. ELLIOTT: Hot tamales ar", "The book Letters from Mississippi documented the experiences of volunteers who moved to the South during the summer of 1964 to register black voters and work in what were called freedom schools. Published in 1965, it was out of print a year later, dismissed by many of the volunteers who were embarrassed that it only included the experiences of white kids. A new edition has just been published — with an introduction by NAACP Chairman Julian Bond — that addresses the earlier omissions. MICHELE NORRIS, Host: Most people know about the Mississippi Freedom Summer because of the murder of three civil rights workers. The Mississippi Summer Project sent hundreds of volunteers to register black voters and work in the schools in 1964. A book about the project was published less than a year later. \"Letters from Mississippi\" included personal accounts and reporting. But it was rejected by some civil rights workers because it only told the story of the white volunteers. A new edition of \"Letters from Mississippi\" corrects that. Here's NPR's Margot Adler. MARGOT ADLER: When the original \"Letters from Mississippi\" was published, Jim Kates and Kathie Sarachild, both volunteers during the summer of '64, kind of dismissed it. JIM KATES: At the time, I think those of us who contributed to the book paid no attention to it whatsoever. It was a book primarily focused on the white volunteers. KATHIE SARACHILD: I didn't even send my letters. I was kind of embarrassed by the book. ADLER: \"Letters from Mississippi\" went out of print in 1970, but it never really disappeared. Some of the letters found their way into other books and anthologies. And many civil rights activists, both black and white, have always considered the book important. JULIAN BOND: Even though the focus is on the volunteers themselves, there's plenty of hope and admiration expressed in these letters for the people with whom they worked and admiration for their courage and bravery. ADLER: That's Julian Bond, one of the founders of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee of SNCC, and now chairman of the NAACP. BOND: The whole thrust of the movement, you know, as often characterized as what Martin Luther King did and without taking anything away from him, had it not been for the people in this book, we wouldn't think of Dr. King in the same kind of way. ADLER: The idea for republishing \"Letters from Mississippi\" came from former volunteer Jim Kates, who is now co-director of a small independent publishing company, Zephyr Press, and Elizabeth Martinez, the original editor of the book. They asked Julian Bond to write an introduction giving the history of SNCC and the summer project. Originally, 153 different people contributed letters to the book, not all were printed. In the current edition, 90 of the authors were found, and the new edition describes what happened to each of them. The book puts people in places referred to in the letters in context. And there are 40 pages of poems by black kids who went to the freedom schools. Jim Kates. KATES: Part of this is to shift the balance more toward the local communities and part of it was just for the interest of the poems themselves. ADLER: One poem was written by a young woman only identified as Linda. Once I wanted to fill the Earth with laughter and ease the world of all its grief and pain, to make the world a marvelous place to live in as in the woods after a summer's rain. When I had finished, nothing would it lack, I had not learned as yet, my skin was black. The world will heed neither my help or desires. It doesn't care what comes from within. It silently sits and turns to me deaf ears for it has seen the color of my skin. The heart of the book is still the letters. Kathie Sarachild worked in Batesville, Mississippi. She recounts staying with the Miles family, a family of black farmers. Here is a passage from a letter she wrote to a friend, who sent it into the book. SARACHILD: We're all a little nervous. Mrs. Miles' 25-year-old son, Robert, Jr., is stationed out in the yard with a gun. Yes, the movement is still non- violent, but every farmer, white and black, in the Delta has a gun. Mr. Miles has seven, all loaded. Last night while I was eating a peanut butter sandwich in the kitchen and talking to the other white girl staying here, two shots whizzed right by the kitchen window. I could even see a flash of light from the gun. Since last Saturday night when the Miles' house was bombed with a teargas grenade, several other negroes in town had received bomb threats. ADLER: What most people forget besides the palpable fear that community activists and volunteers face daily, says Julian Bond, is that most of the people who went down were... BOND: Just ordinary, young people who, for a variety of motivations, decided to undertake this dangerous exercise. It ought to remind present day readers of what teenagers were capable of then and surely are capable of now, if not even more so. ADLER: That's exactly what", "Thursday is the day <EM>All Things Considered</EM> reads from your letters This week: a note about our coverage of the end of Greyhound bus service in certain small towns and criticism over our criticism of Andres Segovia's guitar playing. You can send us mail at [email protected].", "Melissa Block and Michele Norris read letters that weigh in on cleaning up the French Quarter after the Super Bowl, Mahalia Jackson, and the need for better wording in the remembrance Tuesday of Congressman John Murtha.", "How do we remember what happened during wartime? One way is through preserving the letters soldiers wrote home. Andrew Carroll has made it his life&#8217;s mission to retain them. His cousin, James Carroll Jordan, was a pilot in World War II. Here&#8217;s what one of Jordan&#8217;s letters home said: “I saw something today that made me realize why we’re over here fighting this war,” Jordan wrote to his wife, Betty Anne. That day he had been tasked with visiting Buchenwald, the Nazi concentration camp, which had been liberated a few days earlier. “When we first walked in we saw all these creatures that were supposed to be men,” Jordan wrote. “They were dressed in black and white suits, heads shaved and starving to death.” His descriptions of this almost unbelievable scene are vivid and brutal, though he told his wife he had spared her the worst of it. Finally, he wrote, “our time was up, so we boarded our truck and rode home, just thinking.” As handwritten letters become rarer, how are we preserving wartime correspondence? And what can we learn from these letters? On this Veteran&#8217;s Day, we talk about those questions and more. If you have a letter you&#8217;d like to preserve, you can find all the ways to do that here. This show was produced by Michelle Harven in partnership with Smithsonian Magazine. GUESTS Andrew Carroll, Founding director, Center for American War Letters at Chapman University; @andycarrollusa Benjamin Patton, Founder, Patton Veterans Project; @pattonvets For more, visit https://the1a.org. &copy; 2019 WAMU 88.5 &#8211; American University Radio.", "Letters this week include comments on recent stories about the Monacan Indian Nation, war protests in Washington, D.C., an airport announcer in Brazil and a leprechaun ban on St. Patrick's Day.", "Melissa Block and Michele Norris read from listeners' letters about birds and planes, the White House Butler Corps and the cold in North Dakota.", "In the 1960s, health care for Black residents in rural Mississippi was meager. Most health systems were segregated. Although some hospitals did serve Black patients, they struggled to stay afloat. At the height of the civil rights movement, young Black doctors decided to launch a movement of their own. \"Mississippi was third-world and was so bad and so separated,\" says Dr. Robert Smith, \"The community health center movement was the conduit for physicians all over this country who believed that all people have a right to health care.\" In 1967, Smith helped start Delta Health Center, the country's first rural community health center. They put the clinic in Mound Bayou, a small town in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, in the northwest part of the state. The center became a national model and is now one of nearly 1,400 such clinics across the country. These federally-funded health clinics (often called FQHCs) are a key resource in the states of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, where about 2 in 5 Americans live in rural areas (throughout the U.S., about 1 in 5 Americans live in rural areas.) The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the challenges facing rural health care, such as lack of broadband access and limited public transportation. For much of the vaccine rollout, those barriers have made it difficult for providers, like community health centers, to get shots in the arms of their patients. \"I just assumed that [the vaccine] would flow like water, but we really had to pry open the door to get access to it,\" says Smith, who still practices family medicine in Mississippi. Mound Bayou was founded by formerly enslaved people who became farmers, and it once had a thriving downtown. The town is now dotted with shuttered or rundown banks, hotels and gas stations that were once some of the first black-owned businesses in the state. Mitch Williams grew up on a Mound Bayou farm in the 1930s and 40s, and spent long days working the soil with his hands. \"If you would cut yourself, they wouldn't put no sutures in, no stitches in it. You wrapped it up and kept going,\" Williams says. Healthcare across the Mississippi Delta was sparse and much of it was segregated. When the Delta Health Center started operations in 1967, it was explicitly for all residents, of all races — and free to those who needed it. Williams, 85, was one of its first patients. \"They were seeing patients in the local churches. They had mobile units. I had never seen that kind of comprehensive care,\" he says. Residents really needed it. In the 1960s, many people in Mound Bayou and surrounding areas didn't have clean drinking water or indoor plumbing. At the time, the 12,000 Black residents who lived in the surrounding county of Bolivar faced unemployment rates as high as 75% and lived on an average annual income of just $900 (around $7,500 in today's dollars), according to a Congressional report. The area's infant mortality rate, back in the 1960s, was close to 60 for every 1000 live births — four times higher than the rate for affluent Americans. Delta Health Center employees helped people insulate their homes. They built outhouses and provided food and sometimes even traveled to patients' homes to offer care, if someone didn't have transportation. They believed these factors affected health outcomes too. Mitch Williams, who later worked for Delta Health, says he's not sure where the community would be today if it didn't exist. \"It's frightening to think of it,\" he says. Half a century later, the Delta Health Center continues to provide accessible and affordable care in and around Mound Bayou, just as it did in the 1960s. That's because Black Southerners still face barriers to health during the COVID-19 pandemic. By April 2020, Black residents accounted for nearly half of all deaths in Alabama and over 70 percent of deaths in Louisiana and Mississippi. Public health data from May 2021 show that during the pandemic, Black residents have consistently been more likely to die from COVID, given their share of the population. \"We have a lot of chronic health conditions here, particularly concentrated in the Mississippi Delta that lead to higher rates of complications and death with COVID,\" says Nadia Bethley, a clinical psychologist at the center. \"It's been tough.\" Delta Health Center has grown over the decades, from being housed in trailers in Mound Bayou, to a chain of 18 clinics across 5 counties. It's managed to vaccinate over 5,500 people. The majority have been Black. \"We don't have the National Guard, you know, lining up out here, running our site. It's the people who work here,\" Bethley says. The Mississippi Department of Health says it has prioritized health centers since the beginning of the rollout. But Delta Health CEO John Fairman says the center was only receiving a couple hundred doses a week in January and February. Delta Health Center officials say the supply became more consistent around early March. \"Many states would be much fur", "You might think children are too young to understand the grown-up struggles that are the basis of the blues. But in the Mississippi Delta — the home of the \"blues\" — grade school kids are putting their unique tradition to good use. Ron Brown reports for Mississippi Public Broadcasting. SCOTT SIMON, Host: Mississippi Public Broadcasting's Ron Brown reports. RON BROWN: The kids at Matty Akin Elementary School in Greenville, Mississippi, are hard at work learning about geography. U: East. U: Between the east and the south is? U: Southeast. U: That's right. Between the... BROWN: These gifted students like 9-year-old Caitlin Morris(ph) are also plumbing the depths of their emotions and learning how to draw a map of the human heart. SIMON: I'm feeling sad. I'm feeling blue. I just don't know what I should do. I can't get a good answer in my brain. Thinking just brings me bad, bad pain. (SOUNDBITE OF BLUES MUSIC) BROWN: That's why a nonprofit organization called the Mississippi Action for Community Education sponsored a young person's blues songwriting contest to bring the blues back to the Delta. It was Sade Turnipseed's idea. SIMON: Everybody outside of the Mississippi Delta is just loving it up. And so why is it that here in the home, in the land of its birth, we're having problems with holding it? BROWN: For Turnipseed it's simple. The Delta kids have to keep the blues alive. They have a historic obligation. SIMON: It's just really amazing to me that the soils are so rich and they are, in fact, just steeped in the blood, tear-soaked, pains and sufferings of the people who toiled but made such a beautiful healing sound. BROWN: Turnipseed says she's excited hearing lyrics like these by Alexandria Tyler(ph). SIMON: When I was in the hallway, they pushed me around. They said I have no friends because I'm a lonely girl. I'm so lonely. I'm a lonely girl. BROWN: As good as they were, none of the Matty Akin songwriters won the contest. A 20-year-old student from Jackson, Mississippi, took that honor. But these elementary school kids did not go away empty handed. SIMON: Michael? BROWN: Turnipseed presented them with something special. SIMON: I gave you yours already, right? (SOUNDBITE OF HARMONICA) BROWN: For NPR News, I'm Ron Brown. (SOUNDBITE OF CHEERING) SIMON: This is NPR News.", "A quiet retired couple in Seattle designed an anti-war sign and posted it around their neighborhood. Now they are getting orders for the sign from around the country. Cathy Duchamp of member station KUOW reports.", "The surge of water moving down the Mississippi River is making its way into the Mississippi Delta. The region has a long history of flooding.", "When Janie Guice looks at the Mississippi Delta she sees a vast, flat flood plain home to cotton fields and catfish farms. She also sees desperate rural health problems and a deep shortage of doctors to offer care. Her job: to find doctors to fill that void. \"Who is the one that is going to go back and live in a community that maybe doesn't even have a Wal-Mart? And yes, there are a lot of communities in Mississippi that don't have a Wal-Mart yet!\" Guice laments. In rural or poor places like Mississippi the number of doctors per person is among the lowest in the country. Five years ago, the state Legislature established the Mississippi Rural Physician Scholarship Program to provide a full ride to medical students who agree to begin their practice in a rural area. There are two conditions: Students must originally come from a small Mississippi town far from health care, and they must agree to go back into practice in a rural area for four years after they graduate. Guice is the recruiter for the program. She is fervent in her commitment to finding the perfect candidates. \"Basically I am looking for one of two personalities,\" she explains. \"Either the maverick who is going to go to med school and go back home and fix what is wrong with the health care system. Or the missionary. The student who says to me, 'I thought about going to seminary but now I want to be a doctor,' to which I say 'Have I got a mission for you — it's called Mississippi!' \" Continue Reading Guice believes students from small towns will put down roots and stay after their mandatory four years are up. The success — or failure — of the program depends largely on her ability pick the right students. Students like 26-year old John Russell McPherson, who'd already been admitted to med school when one day he got an email. \"It said, 'Do you want to work in a primary care setting?' I said yes and kept scrolling. It said, 'Do you want to work in rural Mississippi?' Yes. 'Do you want $30,000 a year?' It had Janie's email on it, so I signed up!\" McPherson is from the Delta town of Inverness — population 1,000 — and he outlines why he plans to return to the area he loves. \"Dirt roads. No traffic. Hunting. Outdoor stuff. That is what I am about and that is what I want to get back to,\" McPherson says. \"Work is going to be work and you are going to make a good living doing this, but it is really about being close to the family and hobbies that you enjoy.\" Drive an hour and a half from the medical school and you'll find yourself in the Delta county of Humphreys. There are four doctors in Humphreys County for its 10,000 residents Colorfully painted stone catfish statues line the streets of the town Belzoni, which is the Humphreys County seat and self-described \"catfish capital of the world.\" In the Belzoni town square is a squat, white concrete building that houses the Gorton Rural Health Clinic. It happens to have a perfect example of what Guice wants to replicate: a father-son team of doctors Mack and Carlton Gorton. The older doctor just turned 70 and has been running the clinic for 40 years. His roots go way back. His father had a drugstore in Belzoni, and when the town needed a doctor, Mack Gorton set up his practice. Eight years ago, Gorton's son Carlton joined him. Carlton explains that he can't imagine being anywhere else. \"It is a challenge to get people to come to the Delta to practice. So I think it is usually somebody who has to be here who has a love for people and love for what you are going to be treating here,\" he says. In rural areas of Mississippi, obesity and diabetes are the norm and life expectancy is far lower than the national average. At least one Delta county has no doctor at all. Guice says the doctors who leave her program for these areas will help provide better treatment. They'll also play another role: generating as much as $2 million a year in economic impact in a town. The first of Guice's rural scholars will be leaving residency to begin practice later this year, with more than 40 aspiring doctors currently in the pipeline. Editor's note: Another source of physicians for Mississippi is in the works. A new school of osteopathic medicine in the state expects to graduate its first Doctors of Osteopathy in 2015. The William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine was started in 2008 and received provisional accreditation in 2009. This report is part of a partnership with NPR, Mississippi Public Broadcasting and Kaiser Health News.", "Just back from my final bit of traveling before the election, this last stop a visit to member station WFSU in Tallahassee, Fla., and a dinner/speech before the wonderful and politically obsessed folks at the Tiger Bay Club.  More details on Monday. But first, ScuttleButton. Don't forget how to play.  As you know, every Friday on this blog, I put forward a vertical display of buttons.  Your job is to simply take one word (or concept) per button, add 'em up, and, hopefully, you will arrive at a famous name or a familiar expression. (And seriously, by familiar, I mean it's something that more than one person on Earth would recognize.) And don't focus on a political answer. It doesn't necessarily have to be political, though it could be. A correct answer chosen at random gets his or her name in this column. Personally, I can't imagine a greater honor. You can't use the comments box at the bottom of the page for your answer. Send submission (plus your name and city/state -- you won't win without that) to [email protected]. Click here for last week's puzzle and its solution. And, by adding your name to the Political Junkie mailing list, you will be the first on your block to receive notice when a new puzzle goes up on the blog. Sign up at [email protected]. Or you can make sure to get an automatic RSS feed whenever a new Junkie post goes up by clicking here. Good luck, and have a great weekend! P.S. I usually reveal the answer -- and announce the winner -- in this space on Tuesdays.  So you should get your answer in by then.", "NPR's Melissa Block and NPR's Michele Norris read from some of this week's listener letters. Among the topics: Walter Cronkite's remembrance of the Gulf of Tonkin.", "In Mississippi, students regularly lack basic supplies, textbooks and access to science labs. Standardized test scores and graduation rates are among the worst in the country. According to the Hechinger Report, the state has only fully funded its school system three times since 1997, and per-pupil spending is falling each year. The biggest impact is actually bringing certified, qualified teachers to the Delta.&ndash;Reva Pree, principal Politicians are divided over what to do: Democrats are calling for more funding, while Republicans aren’t sure that more money would help. Reva Pree is the principal of Lucy Webb Elementary School in the Mississippi Delta town of Greenville. She says the funding shortfall is most apparent in her inability to hire experienced teachers. &#8220;The biggest impact is actually bringing certified, qualified teachers to the Delta, to where we have to actually use personnel such as Teach For America,&#8221; Pree told Here & Now. &#8220;And we have a great turnover on them because they are only here for two years.&#8221; However, Terry Brown, a Republican state senator says if schools are struggling, &#8220;they&#8217;re not doing something right.&#8221; Brown doesn&#8217;t believe more funding will help struggling schools. &#8220;We&#8217;re giving them money, but the grades just keep going down, down, down,&#8221; Brown said. We&#8217;re giving them money, but the grades just keep going down, down, down.&ndash;Terry Brown, state senator\nHe is a proponent of charter schools in the state. The governor of Mississippi recently signed legislation expanding charter schools, as part of a comprehensive education reform package. Opponents of charter schools argue they take away funding from already inadequately funded public schools. &#8220;We are trying to do something with charter schools, and we have consolidated a couple of districts,&#8221; Brown said. &#8220;They can criticize us for a lot of things, but they can&#8217;t criticize for not trying different things.&#8221; Meanwhile, Pree says the bad press about Mississippi schools, including those in Greenville, doesn&#8217;t tell the whole story. &#8220;We have good students,&#8221; Pree said. &#8220;We have students who are going to college. We have a lot of people who have graduated from Greenville High School who are doctors and lawyers, who have come back to our district.&#8221; \nRead more of the Hechinger Report&#8217;s coverage on Mississippi\n\nGuests\n\nReva Pree, principal of Lucy Webb Elementary School in Greenville, Mississippi.\nTerry Brown, Mississippi State Senate President Pro Tempore, representing District 17.\n MEGHNA CHAKRABARTI, HOST: It's HERE AND NOW. At the start of the school year, we've been hearing a lot about struggling school districts in Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta. Things are not any easier in Mississippi. High school graduation rates are amongst the lowest in the country. The state has taken over several schools, and in others, students lack basic supplies. Reva Pree is principal of Lucy Webb Elementary School in Greenville. The school got a D rating from the Mississippi Department of Education in 2012. She joins us now. And Principal Pree, can you outline some of your school's challenges for us? REVA PREE: Our school is located, just about the schools in the Delta, it's like 96 percent free and reduced lunch students. A typical student's usually a single-parent household, but other than that they're just regular children. CHAKRABARTI: I've seen that in Mississippi, the state has only fully funded schools a handful of times since 1997, and so what has that lack of complete funding, what impact has that had on your school? PREE: The biggest impact is actually bringing certified, qualified teachers to the Delta to where we have to actually use personnel such as Teach for America, and we have a great turnover on them because they're only here for two years. And by the time you get them trained, it's time for them to go. CHAKRABARTI: So would you say that if you were able to be fully funded, you'd be able to attract that personnel? PREE: I believe so. CHAKRABARTI: As you know, there's been another issue that's been introduced into Mississippi. When lawmakers passed a bill to allow charter bills into the state, what do you - first of all, what do you think about charter schools? PREE: I have different views on it. It all depends on who and how and - but when I think a charter school is coming to try to take over for profit only, I have a problem with that. CHAKRABARTI: And here's why I'm asking, because in a minute we're going to speak with a Republican lawmaker, and he has said that he thinks competition from charter schools is what public schools in Mississippi might need. PREE: Yeah, my first question to that legislature, have you ever been into a school to actually know what goes on inside of a school. And yeah, that's the part that I found that bothers me is that the legislatures are up there dictating, and" ]

[ "Nanjing's airport, Lukou International Airport, serves both national and international flights. In 2013, Nanjing airport handled 15,011,792 passengers and 255,788.6 tonnes of freight. The airport currently has 85 routes to national and international destinations, which include Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, USA and Germany. The airport is connected by a 29-kilometre (18 mi) highway directly to the city center, and is also linked to various intercity highways, making it accessible to the passengers from the surrounding cities. A railway Ninggao Intercity Line is being built to link the airport with Nanjing South Railway Station. Lukou Airport was opened on 28 June 1997, replacing Nanjing Dajiaochang Airport as the main airport serving Nanjing. Dajiaochang Airport is still used as a military air base." ]

[ "Following the war, some of these military airfields added civil facilities for handling passenger traffic. One of the earliest such fields was Paris – Le Bourget Airport at Le Bourget, near Paris. The first airport to operate scheduled international commercial services was Hounslow Heath Aerodrome in August 1919, but it was closed and supplanted by Croydon Airport in March 1920. In 1922, the first permanent airport and commercial terminal solely for commercial aviation was opened at Flughafen Devau near what was then Königsberg, East Prussia. The airports of this era used a paved \"apron\", which permitted night flying as well as landing heavier aircraft.", "Continental Portugal's 89,015 km2 (34,369 sq mi) territory is serviced by four international airports located near the principal cities of Lisbon, Porto, Faro and Beja. Lisbon's geographical position makes it a stopover for many foreign airlines at several airports within the country. The primary flag-carrier is TAP Portugal, although many other domestic airlines provide services within and without the country. The government decided to build a new airport outside Lisbon, in Alcochete, to replace Lisbon Portela Airport, though this plan has been stalled due to the austerity. Currently, the most important airports are in Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Funchal (Madeira), and Ponta Delgada (Azores), managed by the national airport authority group ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal.", "Orly Airport, located in the southern suburbs of Paris, replaced Le Bourget as the principal airport of Paris from the 1950s to the 1980s. Charles de Gaulle Airport, located on the edge of the northern suburbs of Paris, opened to commercial traffic in 1974 and became the busiest Parisian airport in 1993. Today it is the 4th busiest airport in the world by international traffic, and is the hub for the nation's flag carrier Air France. Beauvais-Tillé Airport, located 69 km (43 mi) north of Paris' city centre, is used by charter airlines and low-cost carriers such as Ryanair.", "Paris is a major international air transport hub with the 4th busiest airport system in the world. The city is served by three commercial international airports: Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly and Beauvais-Tillé. Together these three airports recorded traffic of 96.5 million passengers in 2014. There is also one general aviation airport, Paris-Le Bourget, historically the oldest Parisian airport and closest to the city centre, which is now used only for private business flights and air shows.", "Two airports serve Philadelphia: the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), straddling the southern boundary of the city, and the Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE), a general aviation reliever airport in Northeast Philadelphia. Philadelphia International Airport provides scheduled domestic and international air service, while Northeast Philadelphia Airport serves general and corporate aviation. In 2013, Philadelphia International Airport was the 15th busiest airport in the world measured by traffic movements (i.e. takeoffs and landings). It is also the second largest hub and primary international hub for American Airlines.", "The first aircraft, a South African Beechcraft King Air 200, landed at the new airport on 15 September 2015, prior to conducting a series of flights to calibrate the airport's radio navigation equipment.", "The title of \"world's oldest airport\" is disputed, but College Park Airport in Maryland, US, established in 1909 by Wilbur Wright, is generally agreed to be the world's oldest continually operating airfield, although it serves only general aviation traffic. Bisbee-Douglas International Airport in Arizona was declared \"the first international airport of the Americas\" by US president Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1943. Pearson Field Airport in Vancouver, Washington had a dirigible land in 1905 and planes in 1911 and is still in use. Bremen Airport opened in 1913 and remains in use, although it served as an American military field between 1945 and 1949. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol opened on September 16, 1916 as a military airfield, but only accepted civil aircraft from December 17, 1920, allowing Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia—which started operations in January 1920—to claim to be one of the world's oldest continually operating commercial airports. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota, opened in 1920 and has been in continuous commercial service since. It serves about 35,000,000 passengers each year and continues to expand, recently opening a new 11,000 foot (3,355 meter) runway. Of the airports constructed during this early period in aviation, it is one of the largest and busiest that is still currently operating. Rome Ciampino Airport, opened 1916, is also a contender, as well as the Don Mueang International Airport near Bangkok,Thailand, which opened in 1914. Increased aircraft traffic during World War I led to the construction of landing fields. Aircraft had to approach these from certain directions and this led to the development of aids for directing the approach and landing slope.", "In 2009 Tajikistan had 26 airports, 18 of which had paved runways, of which two had runways longer than 3,000 meters. The country's main airport is Dushanbe International Airport which as of April 2015, had regularly scheduled flights to major cities in Russia, Central Asia, as well as Delhi, Dubai, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Kabul, Tehran, and Ürümqi amongst others. There are also international flights, mainly to Russia, from Khujand Airport in the northern part of the country as well as limited international services from Kulob Airport, and Qurghonteppa International Airport. Khorog Airport is a domestic airport and also the only airport in the sparsely populated eastern half of the country.", "The city's airport was Plymouth City Airport about 4 miles (6 km) north of the city centre. The airport was home to the local airline Air Southwest, which operated flights across the United Kingdom and Ireland. In June 2003, a report by the South West RDA was published looking at the future of aviation in the south-west and the possible closure of airports. It concluded that the best option for the south-west was to close Plymouth City Airport and expand Exeter International Airport and Newquay Cornwall Airport, although it did conclude that this was not the best option for Plymouth. In April 2011, it was announced that the airport would close, which it did on 23 December. However, FlyPlymouth plans to reopen the city airport by 2018, which will provide daily services to various destinations including London.", "Transport in the Republic of the Congo includes land, air and water transportation. The country's rail system was built by forced laborers during the 1930s and largely remains in operation. There are also over 1000 km of paved roads and two major international airports (Maya-Maya Airport and Pointe Noire Airport) which have flights to Paris and many African cities. The country also has a large port on the Atlantic Ocean at Pointe-Noire and others along the Congo River at Brazzaville and Impfondo.", "Israel is served by two international airports, Ben Gurion International Airport, the country's main hub for international air travel near Tel Aviv-Yafo, Ovda Airport in the south, as well as several small domestic airports. Ben Gurion, Israel's largest airport, handled over 12.1 million passengers in 2010. On the Mediterranean coast, Haifa Port is the country's oldest and largest port, while Ashdod Port is one of the few deep water ports in the world built on the open sea. In addition to these, the smaller Port of Eilat is situated on the Red Sea, and is used mainly for trading with Far East countries.", "Office buildings in Shanghai's financial district, including the Jin Mao Tower and the Hong Kong New World Tower, were evacuated. A receptionist at the Tibet Hotel in Chengdu said things were \"calm\" after the hotel evacuated its guests. Meanwhile, workers at a Ford plant in Sichuan were evacuated for about 10 minutes. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport was shut down, and the control tower and regional radar control evacuated. One SilkAir flight was diverted and landed in Kunming as a result. Cathay Pacific delayed both legs of its quadruple daily Hong Kong to London route due to this disruption in air traffic services. Chengdu Shuangliu Airport reopened later on the evening of May 12, offering limited service as the airport began to be used as a staging area for relief operations.", "Oklahoma City is served by two primary airports, Will Rogers World Airport and the much smaller Wiley Post Airport (incidentally, the two honorees died in the same plane crash in Alaska) Will Rogers World Airport is the state's busiest commercial airport, with over 3.6 million passengers annually. Tinker Air Force Base, in southeast Oklahoma City, is the largest military air depot in the nation; a major maintenance and deployment facility for the Navy and the Air Force, and the second largest military institution in the state (after Fort Sill in Lawton).", "Melbourne has four airports. Melbourne Airport, at Tullamarine, is the city's main international and domestic gateway and second busiest in Australia. The airport is home base for passenger airlines Jetstar Airways and Tiger Airways Australia and cargo airlines Australian air Express and Toll Priority; and is a major hub for Qantas and Virgin Australia. Avalon Airport, located between Melbourne and Geelong, is a secondary hub of Jetstar. It is also used as a freight and maintenance facility. Buses and taxis are the only forms of public transport to and from the city's main airports. Air Ambulance facilities are available for domestic and international transportation of patients. Melbourne also has a significant general aviation airport, Moorabbin Airport in the city's south east that also handles a small number of passenger flights. Essendon Airport, which was once the city's main airport also handles passenger flights, general aviation and some cargo flights.", "Logan Airport, located in East Boston and operated by the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), is Boston's principal airport. Nearby general aviation airports are Beverly Municipal Airport to the north, Hanscom Field to the west, and Norwood Memorial Airport to the south. Massport also operates several major facilities within the Port of Boston, including a cruise ship terminal and facilities to handle bulk and container cargo in South Boston, and other facilities in Charlestown and East Boston.", "In the Mexico City airport, the government engaged in an extensive restructuring program that includes the addition of a new second terminal, which began operations in 2007, and the enlargement of four other airports (at the nearby cities of Toluca, Querétaro, Puebla and Cuernavaca) that, along with Mexico City's airport, comprise the Grupo Aeroportuario del Valle de México, distributing traffic to different regions in Mexico. The city of Pachuca will also provide additional expansion to central Mexico's airport network. Mexico City's airport is the main hub for 11 of the 21 national airline companies.", "A local industry manufacturing fibre from New Zealand flax was successfully reestablished in 1907 and generated considerable income during the First World War. Ascension Island was made a dependency of Saint Helena in 1922, and Tristan da Cunha followed in 1938. During the Second World War, the United States built Wideawake airport on Ascension in 1942, but no military use was made of Saint Helena.", "In 1937, Imperial Airways and Pan American World Airways began operating scheduled flying-boat airline services from New York and Baltimore to Darrell's Island, Bermuda. In 1948, regularly scheduled commercial airline service by land-based aeroplanes began to Kindley Field (now L.F. Wade International Airport), helping tourism to reach its peak in the 1960s–1970s. By the end of the 1970s, international business had supplanted tourism as the dominant sector of Bermuda's economy (see Economy of Bermuda).", "Raleigh-Durham International Airport, the region's primary airport and the second-largest in North Carolina, located northwest of downtown Raleigh via Interstate-40 between Raleigh and Durham, serves the city and greater Research Triangle metropolitan region, as well as much of eastern North Carolina. The airport offers service to more than 35 domestic and international destinations and serves approximately 10 million passengers a year. The airport also offers facilities for cargo and general aviation. The airport authority tripled the size of its Terminal 2 (formerly Terminal C) in January 2011.", "The City of Charleston is served by the Charleston International Airport. It is located in the City of North Charleston and is about 12 miles (20 km) northwest of downtown Charleston. It is the busiest passenger airport in South Carolina (IATA: CHS, ICAO: KCHS). The airport shares runways with the adjacent Charleston Air Force Base. Charleston Executive Airport is a smaller airport located in the John's Island section of the city of Charleston and is used by noncommercial aircraft. Both airports are owned and operated by the Charleston County Aviation Authority.", "Miami International Airport serves as the primary international airport of the Greater Miami Area. One of the busiest international airports in the world, Miami International Airport caters to over 35 million passengers a year. The airport is a major hub and the single largest international gateway for American Airlines. Miami International is the busiest airport in Florida, and is the United States' second-largest international port of entry for foreign air passengers behind New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, and is the seventh-largest such gateway in the world. The airport's extensive international route network includes non-stop flights to over seventy international cities in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.", "A direct chartered cargo flight was made by China Airlines from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport sending some 100 tons of relief supplies donated by the Tzu Chi Foundation and the Red Cross Society of Taiwan to the affected areas. Approval from mainland Chinese authorities was sought, and the chartered flight departed Taipei at 17:00 CST, May 15 and arrived in Chengdu by 20:30 CST. A rescue team from the Red Cross in Taiwan was also scheduled to depart Taipei on a Mandarin Airlines direct chartered flight to Chengdu at 15:00 CST on May 16.", "The second-largest commercial airport is William P. Hobby Airport (named Houston International Airport until 1967) which operates primarily short- to medium-haul domestic flights. However, in 2015 Southwest Airlines launched service from a new international terminal at Hobby airport to several destinations in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. These were the first international flights flown from Hobby since 1969. Houston's aviation history is showcased in the 1940 Air Terminal Museum located in the old terminal building on the west side of the airport. Hobby Airport has been recognized with two awards for being one of the top five performing airports in the world and for customer service by Airports Council International.", "Saint Helena is one of the most remote islands in the world, has one commercial airport under construction, and travel to the island is by ship only. A large military airfield is located on Ascension Island, with two Friday flights to RAF Brize Norton, England (as from September 2010). These RAF flights offer a limited number of seats to civilians.", "East Tennessee has several important transportation links with Middle and West Tennessee, as well as the rest of the nation and the world, including several major airports and interstates. Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) and Chattanooga's Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA), as well as the Tri-Cities' Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI), provide air service to numerous destinations. I-24, I-81, I-40, I-75, and I-26 along with numerous state highways and other important roads, traverse the Grand Division and connect Chattanooga, Knoxville, and the Tri-Cities, along with other cities and towns such as Cleveland, Athens, and Sevierville.", "Swiss private-public managed road network is funded by road tolls and vehicle taxes. The Swiss autobahn/autoroute system requires the purchase of a vignette (toll sticker)—which costs 40 Swiss francs—for one calendar year in order to use its roadways, for both passenger cars and trucks. The Swiss autobahn/autoroute network has a total length of 1,638 km (1,018 mi) (as of 2000) and has, by an area of 41,290 km2 (15,940 sq mi), also one of the highest motorway densities in the world. Zürich Airport is Switzerland's largest international flight gateway, which handled 22.8 million passengers in 2012. The other international airports are Geneva Airport (13.9 million passengers in 2012), EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg which is located in France, Bern Airport, Lugano Airport, St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport and Sion Airport. Swiss International Air Lines is the flag carrier of Switzerland. Its main hub is Zürich.", "The primary city airport is George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), the tenth-busiest in the United States for total passengers, and twenty eighth-busiest worldwide. Bush Intercontinental currently ranks fourth in the United States for non-stop domestic and international service with 182 destinations. In 2006, the United States Department of Transportation named IAH the fastest-growing of the top ten airports in the United States. The Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center stands on the George Bush Intercontinental Airport grounds.", "Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is the busiest airport in the state of Montana, surpassing Billings Logan International Airport in the spring of 2013. Montana's other major Airports include Billings Logan International Airport, Missoula International Airport, Great Falls International Airport, Glacier Park International Airport, Helena Regional Airport, Bert Mooney Airport and Yellowstone Airport. Eight smaller communities have airports designated for commercial service under the Essential Air Service program.", "Mexico City is served by Mexico City International Airport (IATA Airport Code: MEX). This airport is Latin America's second busiest and one of the largests in traffic, with daily flights to United States and Canada, mainland Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Europe and Asia. Aeroméxico (Skyteam) is based at this airport, and provide codeshare agreements with non-Mexican airlines that span the entire globe. In 2014, the airport handled well over 34 million passengers, just over 2 million more than the year before. This traffic exceeds the current capacity of the airport, which has historically centralized the majority of air traffic in the country. An alternate option is Lic. Adolfo López Mateos International Airport (IATA Airport Code: TLC) in nearby Toluca, State of Mexico, although due to several airlines' decisions to terminate service to TLC, the airport has seen a passenger drop to just over 700,000 passengers in 2014 from over 2.1 million passengers just four years prior.", "In the 20th century, as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Wuhan had all been occupied by the Japanese during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the capital of the Republic of China had been temporary relocated to Chongqing, then a major city in Sichuan. An enduring legacy of this move is that nearby inland provinces, such as Shaanxi, Gansu, and Guizhou, which previously never had modern Western-style universities, began to be developed in this regard. The difficulty of accessing the region overland from the eastern part of China and the foggy climate hindering the accuracy of Japanese bombing of the Sichuan Basin, made the region the stronghold of Chiang Kai-Shek's Kuomintang government during 1938-45, and led to the Bombing of Chongqing.", "The Delhi Flying Club, established in 1928 with two de Havilland Moth aircraft named Delhi and Roshanara, was based at Safdarjung Airport which started operations in 1929, when it was the Delhi's only airport and the second in India. The airport functioned until 2001, however in January 2002 the government closed the airport for flying activities because of security concerns following the New York attacks in September 2001. Since then, the club only carries out aircraft maintenance courses, and is used for helicopter rides to Indira Gandhi International Airport for VIP including the president and the prime minister.", "This makes for a large number of takeoffs and landings and it is not unusual for flights to be delayed in the holding pattern before landing. Following the airport's master plan, Infraero built a second runway, which was finished in 2006. In 2007, the airport handled 11,119,872 passengers. The main building's third floor, with 12 thousand square meters, has a panoramic deck, a food court, shops, four movie theatres with total capacity of 500 people, and space for exhibitions. Brasília Airport has 136 vendor spaces. The airport is located about 11 km (6.8 mi) from the central area of Brasília, outside the metro system. The area outside the airport's main gate is lined with taxis as well as several bus line services which connect the airport to Brasília's central district. The parking lot accommodates 1,200 cars. The airport is serviced by domestic and regional airlines (TAM, GOL, Azul, WebJET, Trip and Avianca), in addition to a number of international carriers. In 2012, Brasília's International Airport was won by the InfrAmerica consortium, formed by the Brazilian engineering company ENGEVIX and the Argentine Corporacion America holding company, with a 50% stake each. During the 25-year concession, the airport may be expanded to up to 40 million passengers a year." ]

[ "Formed in 1947, the NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER was the first APWA Chapter west of the Mississippi.. We typically meet the fourth Thursday of the month and are always looking for volunteers. Please check our events page for upcoming luncheons." ]

[ "Areas impacted include Members Only, New online account creation, Join/Renew membership, Recover/Change password, Self-Assessment and Bookstore purchases. If you have questions please contact APWA Member Services at 1-800-848-2792 for assistance.", "APWA Hosts Public Works & Infrastructure Caucus Brief on the Hill. 1 On March 29, the House Public Works & Infrastructure Caucus sponsored APWA in hosting a brief on Capitol Hill focused on the role of public works in protecting critical infrastructure.", "Sign In. 1 MembershipToggle Benefits. 2 ChaptersToggle Chapter Events. 3 Education & EventsToggle Accreditation Accreditation Council. Groups & CommitteesToggle Canadian Public Works 1 Association. Government AffairsToggle For Policy Makers. ResourcesToggle APWA 1 Connect. AboutToggle Awards Awards Criteria & Forms.", "APW belongs to The National Pronto Association which is an organization of independent automotive aftermarket Pronto Warehouse Distributors, Pronto Auto Parts stores and Pronto auto service centers all of whom benefit from a host of services provided by the association.", "But “pillow” comes from the Latin “pulvinus,” meaning “cushion,” and came into English in the 14th century from the Old English form “pyle.” By the way, the word “cushion” (at least according to the Oxford English Dictionary) comes from the Latin “coxa,” meaning “hip or thigh.”.", "THE EDUCATION COMMITTEEA committee of public works professionals meets twice annually to select potential workshop topics and manage the Education Program. Program committees are then formed to develop the curriculum for each workshop. Event management and support are provided through a contract with Cameo Management Solutions, Inc., of Bend, Oregon. In addition, the Committee coordinates local offerings of web conferences offered by National APWA and other associations.", "A Service Department that manages the day-to-day maintenance of all township roads, four township parks, the township cemetery, the Union Township Civic Center, and all other township buildings. In 2011, the Service Department was accredited by the American Public Works Association (APWA).", "By purchasing the e-book format, purchaser agrees that they will not copy, nor distribute a copy of the APWA Plans and Specifications in e-book format to any individual or organization. They recognize that this document can only be purchased from the Utah Chapter of the American Public Works Association.", "Apma (or Abma) is the language of central Pentecost island in Vanuatu. Apma is an Oceanic language (a branch of the Austronesian language family). Within Vanuatu it sits between North Vanuatu and Central Vanuatu languages, and combines features of both groups. With an estimated 7,800 native speakers (in the year 2000), Apma is the most widely spoken of Pentecost's native languages, and the fifth largest vernacular in Vanuatu as a whole.", "If concrete temperature is greater than 60º F and the air temperature is 50º F the concrete needs to be protected from drying by using a curing compound or steam heating ACI 306R-88 Chpt 8.2 The contractor is still responsible for following all requirements in ACI 306R and APWA. mix. APWA 03 30 04 2.5 E1 4. Non chloride admixtures may be used but placement, curing and protection requirements must be observed. APWA 03 30 10 3.4 A2 5. Temperature of concrete as placed should be as close to the minimum recommended value as possible (55º F) ACI 306R-88 Chpt 3.1 6.", "ABOUT AWWA. Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the world’s most important resource.", "Even APWA members have trouble arriving at a common definition. Public works is the combination of physical assets, management practices, policies, and personnel necessary for government to provide and sustain structures and services essential to the welfare and acceptable quality of life for its citizens.", "The PWA was created by the NIRA (National Industrial Recovery Act) passed in 1933. Billions of dollars were budgeted to be spent on public works projects. This would create employment for those out of work, improve public infrastructure, and help revive industry.", "It was formed in 1983 as a result of reunion between the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS), the southern stream, and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA), the northern stream..", "(One of the more northerly portions of our Chapter.) We will also be offering a Construction Management Seminar in the Bay Area in April (stay tuned for more details).At a local APWA level, we have added a Emerging Leader postion on the Nor Cal board.", "Purchase Processing:After your payment has been made and your corporate membership to the Utah Chapter of APWA is validated, you will then receive information on how to download one PDF version of the Standards and Specifications for your organization.", "The official journal of the APMA is the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, established in 1907. History", "Concrete should not be exposed to temperatures 20ºF above the minimum placement temperatures. ACI 306R-88 Chpt 7.4 11. The temperature of the concrete and the ambient air and recorded at least twice in 24 hr period. Temperatures should be taken at more than one location, on edges and corners. 12. mix. APWA 03 30 04 2.5 E1 4. Non chloride admixtures may be used but placement, curing and protection requirements must be observed. APWA 03 30 10 3.4 A2 5. Temperature of concrete as placed should be as close to the minimum recommended value as possible (55º F) ACI 306R-88 Chpt 3.1 6.", "Alva was established in 1893 as a land office for the Cherokee Outlet land run, the largest of the land rushes that settled western and central Oklahoma.", "Driscoplex  6500 MDPE Gas Distribution PipeThese medium density polyethylene (MDPE) PE2708 (PE2406) pipeand fittings are s used primarily in pressurerated gas distribution systems. The-product is also suitable for LPG, propane, yard gas and most after-meter applications. The product is a solid yellow medium density pipe that meets ASTM D3350 Cell Classification of PE234373E and APWA/ULCC Color Code Standards.", "The Apalachicola River, rising in the Appalachians, carried water to the Gulf of Mexico and continues today. This water carried the quartz particles from the rock that forms the Appalachian Mountains and deposited them in the Gulf of Mexico, just 125 miles to the east of what is now Destin.", "APN was established as a member-based non-profit organization in April, 2003 by a group of motivated persons concerned with the protection of the environment and the natural resources in Arab countries.", "1 MPPD Issues Eclipse Safety Tips Read on... 2 Rifle Range Lane Closure Slated Read on... 3 Lane Closure Slated for Belle Hall Parkway Read on... 4 Shem Creek Park Receives APWA Award Read on... 5 Apply for Traffic Signal Box Art Read on... 6 ENGAGE Talent Hosts Town Staff Read on... 7 MPW Offers Water Quality Update #6 Read on...", "Thrust faults are formed by compressive stresses, and therefore often form where two tectonic plates collide, for example where an oceanic plate is subducted (such as along the Aleutian Islands) or where two continental plates collide and a mountain range is formed (such as the Himalayas).", "Why does the location where coal usually forms differ from the locations where petroleum and natural gas form?", "Calling before you dig ensures that any publicly owned underground facilities will be marked according to the APWA color code so that you can dig safely. For more details about why you should call, what you need to know before calling, and what happens after you call, choose your state above, then view FAQs and Laws specific to your state regarding calling before you dig.", "AAFHA, Army Air Forces Historical Association. Formed in 1993, the Army Air Forces Historical Association®, based in northern New Jersey, is an historical and educational 501C3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving WWII Army Air Forces History!", "Foci of hematopoietic tissue form in the embryonic mesenchyma and, later, in the liver (where red and white blood cells are formed) and thymus (where lymphocytes are formed). Still later, hematopoiesis shifts to the bone marrow, and lymphocytes begin to develop in the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes.oci of hematopoietic tissue form in the embryonic mesenchyma and, later, in the liver (where red and white blood cells are formed) and thymus (where lymphocytes are formed). Still later, hematopoiesis shifts to the bone marrow, and lymphocytes begin to develop in the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes.", "Written By: American Protective Association (APA), in U.S. history, an anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant group that briefly acquired a membership greater than 2,000,000 during the 1890s. A successor in spirit and outlook to the pre-Civil War Know-Nothing Party, the American Protective Association was founded by Henry F. Bowers at Clinton, Iowa, in 1887. It was a secret society that played upon the fears of rural Americans about the growth and political power of immigrant-populated cities.", "Palisades Americanism Parade Association (PAPA) The Palisades Americanism Parade Association (“PAPA”), established in 1967, is an all-volunteer group of local citizens who donate their time and talents to make the Pacific Palisades Fourth of July celebration one of the finest in the Western United States.", "In summary, gems are not always found where they were formed, nor are they formed where they're found!", "The CAW began as the Canadian Region of the United Auto Workers (UAW). The UAW was founded in August 1935, and the Canadian Region of the UAW was established in 1937 following the 1937 GM Oshawa strike at General Motors 's Oshawa, Ontario plant." ]

[ "100% green energy, with the exception of fuel for cars. Also a total ban on unnecessary plastic packaging, like when you find pre-peeled oranges/bananas wrapped in plastic." ]

[ "What sort of evaluations do you envision?", "Is that your card with 10 do-overs", "Exactly how they are being all over the world currently, in what world do you live in?", "What stocks do best in the past 10 years?", "Draw consistently for 10-15 years", "For every main quest mission you do, spend 10 or 15 hours exploring and doing side missions. Go hunting, explore, change your clothes, explore all the detail of the game. It's incredible", "What in the world is hate sex? You youths and your fancy fuckin! What will you think of next!?", "Biden can win. This could change the world positively for everyone", "As a country of immigrants you could say what's wrong with the world.", "Don't let any person or environment, experience good or bad... no matter what do not change your values. It's in your control how you present yourself to the world.", "Doing what you’re passionate for and spreading positivity to the world to make it a better place", "I can’t remember which famous scientist said it. But he said that we shouldn’t be looking at 2020 as the worst year of the last ten. But potentially the best year of the next 10, with environmental issues, and the civil unrest worldwide that will follow, the potential for conflict with countries over the next 10 years, and the fact that we will be crossing the 2°c global temp average increase in the next 7 years. Just a thought, but a truly scary one. Hope this makes you feel better about 2020", "It is what it is. \n\nYou cannot change what you cannot change. Learning to live with circumstances and doing what you can do to change or improve is the best way to live.", "Learn how to position your side mirrors. If you can see a big section of your own car, they're not positioned correctly. \n\nAlso, mirrors are not enough. Actually turn your head to check before you change lanes. Motorcyclists of the world will thank you.", "Take your time on figuring out what you want to do, and talk to your advisors for help.\nI changed my major 3 times, from business, science, and aeronautics \nI spent 3 years wondering what to do until i found out it was IT \n\nDont feel rushed and take your time would be my advice", "what are you doing next Tuesday?", "No matter what, it's not your fault and as stated by others just look for the positives and do what makes you happy.", "It won’t be over next year.", "What I try to do everyday, take over the world.", "Bro... that was only about 10 years ago..what do you consider old? Anyway, it was a lot more private. It was nice. Leave your phone at home for a week, after you get over the irritation and “boredom”, you’ll know how it was.", "It’s a career change I’ve always wanted to pursuit. For context I’ve been a chef for over 20 years and honestly always wanted to goto college and pursuit a position as a teacher. Going into the cooking world was something I more or less had to do for various reasons", "No body gives a shit what you do, just do what you wanna do and don't waste your teenage years", "If you have a serious question and y it want serious answers you would do that so your information would be accurate to the information you need to find out what the answer of the question is to further your knowledge", "10%-15%", "People getting so obsessed with their own opinions/ideals that they literally want to commit violence on those who think differently to keep them from thinking that way. You notice how the term \"tolerance\" isn't as popular as it was 10/15 years ago?", "You can't have put the serious tag on this with a straight face.\n\nIn case you don't know, don't confuse climate with weather. Climate change isn't the world being permanently sunny all year, it's a gradual process where the climate...changes.", "The world is how you perceive it. If you have negative thoughts, positive things will never come your way", "Why is your country so fucked up? Seems you turned from one of the greatest countries into a almost a third world country.", "What are you doing with your rice cookers where they break within a year?", "You never do. Depression is a serious mental health issue that you don’t just “get over”.", "Wilful ignorance. Everybody is ignorant of something, but being wilfully ignorant is stupid. If evidence contradicts your position, change your position.", "Every 10-year-old telling you for few hours straight what they did with your mother at night are toxic." ]

[ "Microsoft has announced the resignation of its head of acquisitions, Bruce Jaffe, two days after the company bid $1.2 billion for enterprise search expert Fast Search & Transfer." ]

[ "The head of Microsoft's Business Division is leaving the company, to be replaced by former Juniper Networks COO Stephen Elop in September.", "Peter Moore, the head of Microsoft's gaming business, leaves to join game maker Electronic Arts.", "Microsoft issues a media alert saying Microsoft to make Business Division announcement, then kills the release. A source says unit head Raikes is busy on the mergers and acquisitions front, not sending out his resume.", "Microsoft said Wednesday that the head of its Zune music player division will be leaving the company to pursue personal interests. Bryan Lee will be replaced by J Allard, who recently oversaw the company's Xbox business.", "A Microsoft executive who helped develop the company's new Zune music player and other products is leaving the company, Microsoft said Wednesday.", "David Jaffe, the creative director for Sony's Santa Monica Studios, is forming an independent video game development studio, reports say.", "In a surprise move, the leader of Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) Doug Burgum said Tuesday he plans to leave Microsoft Corp. at the end of June 2007.", "Microsoft Corp. said Thursday that Jeff Raikes, the top executive in its business software division, will retire in September.", "The longtime software executive, who came over from Apple in 1981, says he's not sure what he'll do when he leaves Microsoft in September, but it will probably be outside of tech.", "Pieter Knook, head of Microsoft's mobile phone group, is leaving to join the UK's Vodafone.", "Microsoft Corp.'s MSFT.O Chief Financial Officer John Connors said on Tuesday he would leave the world's largest software maker after 16 years to become a partner at a Seattle-area venture capital firm.", "The proposed acquisition would leave Google and Microsoft as the only major conduits connecting advertisers and online publishers – until a better search technology comes along.", "Coronation Street actor Bruce Jones, who plays Les Battersby, is to leave the show, ITV confirms.", "The chief executive of Microsoft Corp's Greater China business, Chen Yongzheng, has resigned, the world's largest software maker said on Wednesday.", "Is Microsoft's acquisition of Yahoo even news at this point?", "Software transforms brainy games like chess and backgammon. Why not the brawny sport of the pigskin? By Sam Jaffe.", "BRUCE Wasserstein, the chief executive of Lazard, will be expected to leave if he fails to get a near-$3bn (£1.64bn) float of the investment bank away by next June.", "Is the acquisition of Yahoo by Microsoft enough to overthrow the reigning champ, Google?", "The executive who leads Microsoft&#39;s government sales effort is leaving to become CEO of a telecommunications company, the software maker said on Tuesday.", "Bruce Wasserstein, the embattled head of Lazard, has carved out a little breathing room in his fight to take the company public.", "Business Objects founder Bernard Liautaud resigned his posts at the firm following the closing of SAP's deal to buy the firm this month.", "See screenshots of the Ultimate version of the new, visually sleek Microsoft operating system before you make the upgrade leap. By Bruce Gain.", "Bruce Sutter didn't leave baseball the way he wanted, booed relentlessly when injuries sapped his talent. That doesn't matter any more.", "Noted analyst Michael Gartenberg has decided that evangelizing Microsoft products just isn't for him, and is quitting less than a month after joining the Redmond company in a high-profile move that brought both criticism and praise.", "The executive who led Microsoft Corp.'s Web search division is leaving the his post with the software maker to start his own business, Microsoft people aware of the situation said Wednesday.", "Microsoft Corp. announced the departure of several executives Thursday, among them a Silicon Valley veteran recruited to help fix its unprofitable Web business and one in charge of marketing Windows Vista, and the promotion of more than a dozen others across the company.", "Microsoft's Business Division President will step down, and the former head of the company that created Flash will take his spot.", "The acquisition will bring Microsoft powerful high-end search technologies to complement its enterprise infrastructure offering, Microsoft said.", "Bruce Wasserstein, head of Lazard, could reach an agreement as early as this week with Michel David-Weill, the chairman, extending the deadline for", "Bruce Wasserstein, head of Lazard, could sell the investment bank rather than float it on the stock market, the Observer newspaper has reported.", "The departure of Peter Moore from Microsoft&#39;s Interactive Entertainment Business (IEB) has raised several questions. The Redmond, Washington-based software giant made the announcement on Tuesday, saying only that Moore, a corporate vice president who oversaw the Xbox, wanted to move back to the Bay Area for &quot;personal reasons.&quot;", "An acquisition and an alliance give Microsoft new tools to target market leader VMware." ]

[ "The energy of a wave is directly proportional to its frequency, but inversely proportional to its wavelength. In other words, the greater the energy, the larger the frequency and the shorter (smaller) the wavelength." ]

[ "Electricity is NOT a part of electromagnetic spectrum. An electromagnetic spectrum contains electromagnetic radiations arranged according to frequencies and wavelength.", "X-rays. X-rays are high-frequency, and thus high-energy, electromagnetic radiation. They have wavelengths ranging from 0.01 to 10 nanometres, and thus frequencies from 3×1019 to 3×1016 Hz. They are found to reside between ultraviolet radiation and gamma rays on the electromagnetic spectrum. The electromagnetic spectrum.", "The only characteristic that distinguishes one from another is its wavelength, or frequency. What are the main categories (or bands) of the electromagnetic spectrum? Distance between adjacent peaks.", "X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation. They belong to the short-wavelength, high-frequency end of the electromagnetic spectrum, between the gamma and the ultraviolet radiation. They have wavelengths in the range of 10-8 m to 10-11 m (10nm – 0.01nm). Their frequency range is 3x1016Hz to 3x1019Hz.", "Microwaves are a type of electromagnetic radiation, as are radio waves, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and gamma-rays. ... Electromagnetic radiation is transmitted in waves or particles at different wavelengths and frequencies. This broad range of wavelengths is known as the electromagnetic spectrum EM spectrum).", "Ultraviolet radiation (UV) is a type of radiant energy, much like the light we see, but with a smaller wavelength and higher energy. It is defined as the light in the spectrum of wavelengths between 40-400 nanometers. ... The electromagnetic spectrum. UV lies between x-ray and visible light.", "What best describes the speed of light waves in solids, liquids, and gases? The speed is fastest in gases. What best describes the relationship between wavelength and frequency in an electromagnetic wave?", "Since, light is an electromagnetic wave, which carried energy by vibrating electrons in atoms. In what region of the electromagnetic spectrum is the resonant frequency of electrons in glass? The resonant frequency of electron is in the light frequency range.", "Radio Waves -- The waves in the electromagnetic spectrum that have the longest wavelengths and lowest frequency are called radio waves.", "Gamma rays have the shortest wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the highest energies.", "Gamma rays are the highest energy, highest frequency, and shortest wavelength waves in the electromagnetic spectrum. Gamma rays can be used to kill living organisms, sterilize medical equipment, and treat cancer.", "IR is a type of electromagnetic radiation, a continuum of frequencies produced when atoms absorb and then release energy. ... Similar to the visible light spectrum, which ranges from violet (the shortest visible-light wavelength) to red (longest wavelength), infrared radiation has its own range of wavelengths.", "Gamma-rays can be used to treat cancer, and gamma-ray bursts are studied by astronomers. Electromagnetic (EM) radiation is transmitted in waves or particles at different wavelengths and frequencies. This broad range of wavelengths is known as the electromagnetic spectrum.", "Gamma Rays-have the smallest wavelengths and the most energy of any other wave in the electromagnetic spectrum.", "A blueshift is any decrease in wavelength (increase in energy), with a corresponding increase in frequency, of an electromagnetic wave; the opposite effect is referred to as redshift. ... In visible light, this shifts the color from the red end of the spectrum to the blue end.", "UHF, abbreviation of ultrahigh frequency, conventionally defined portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, encompassing radiations having a wavelength between 0.1 and 1 m and a frequency between 3,000 and 300 megahertz. UHF signals are used extensively in televison broadcasting.", "Radio waves, television waves, and microwaves are all types of electromagnetic waves. ... The electromagnetic spectrum includes X-rays. As the wavelengths of light decrease, they increase in energy. X-rays have smaller wavelengths and therefore higher energy.", "Generally, visible light is defined as the wavelengths that are visible to most human eyes. EM radiation is transmitted in waves or particles at different wavelengths and frequencies. This broad range of wavelengths is known as the electromagnetic spectrum.", "The Sun emits radiation right across the electromagnetic spectrum, from extremely high-energy X-rays to ultra-long-wavelength radio waves, and everything in-between. The peak of this emission occurs in the visible portion of the spectrum.", "The lowest frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is designated as “radio,” generally considered to have wavelengths within 1 millimeter to 100 kilometers or frequencies within 300 GHz to 3 kHz.", "Which statement describes an electromagnetic wave with a long wavelength? It has a low frequency and needs a medium to travel through. ... Electromagnetic energy travels through space as waves.", "The microwave oven cooks food by using high frequency electromagnetic waves (part of the electromagnetic spectrum - so their speed is 3 x 108 m/s in a vacuum) called microwaves at 2.45 GHz. The wavelength of mircowaves are between 1 millimetre and 30 centimetres.", "Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic (EM) radiation with wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum longer than infrared light. They have have frequencies from 300 GHz to as low as 3 kHz, and corresponding wavelengths from 1 millimeter to 100 kilometers.", "The Electromagnetic Spectrum. The electromagnetic spectrum ranges from the shorter wavelengths (including gamma and x-rays) to the longer wavelengths (including microwaves and broadcast radio waves). There are several regions of the electromagnetic spectrum which are useful for remote sensing.", "The visible light spectrum (or the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that we can see) only makes up a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, with wavelengths between 380 and 760 nanometers. Visible light is made up of colors ranging from red to violet, and each color has its own range of wavelengths.", "THE DIFFERENCES: Microwave radiation involves a specific frequency of bands while infrared has a wider range. ... The wavelength of infrared is shorter than that of microwave radiation, which falls in between radio waves and infrared on the electromagnetic spectrum.", "Microwaves are electromagnetic waves with frequencies between 300MHz (0.3GHz) and 300GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves within the frequencies 30KHz - 300GHz, and include microwaves. ... Information about the frequencies can be found in Wi-Fi exposures and guidelines.", "Definition: Gamma Rays. Gamma Rays. Light with the shortest wavelengths and the highest energies and frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum; also called gamma radiation. Gamma rays are produced by violent events such as supernova explosions. They are also produced by the decay of radioactive materials.", "Continuous spectrum of white light only deals with the frequencies and wavelengths of colors associated with the rainbow. Atomic emission spectrum deals with the colors, frequencies, and wavelengths that are released by a particular atom.", "Gamma rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). ... Each photon contains a certain amount (or bundle) of energy, and all electromagnetic radiation consists of these photons. Gamma-ray photons have the highest energy in the EMR spectrum and their waves have the shortest wavelength.", "In this sense, we are referring to visible light, a small spectrum from the enormous range of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. This visible light region consists of a spectrum of wavelengths that range from approximately 700 nanometers (abbreviated nm) to approximately 400 nm.", "Radiation is an electromagnetic wave that has no charge and no mass. X-rays and gamma-rays can be characterized by frequency, wavelength, and energy." ]

[ "A dog has an object in his mouth." ]

[ "A few people are listening to music at a house party.", "The brown dog is chewing on a ball.", "the black and brown dogs are catch the ball", "A black and brown dog is chasing a ball.", "A brown dog jumps and plays with a tennis ball.", "The brown dog is snuggled up in the dog bed.", "The girl carries camping gear and a stuffed brown dog.", "A dog is curled up into a ball, sleeping.", "Brown dog swims to retrieve tennis ball", "A brown dog is ripping up it's couch at home.", "a guy carries a ball.", "The brown dog is climbing up the wooden fence.", "The dog jumps up to catch the ball.", "The dogs are brown.", "A brown dog chases a squirrel up a tree.", "two brown dogs at the beach play with a blue ball", "A woman is carrying a ball.", "A brown and white dog is standing on a beach with a ball beside it.", "A brown and white dog is laying down with a ball in its mouth.", "The brown dog just chased a cat up a tree.", "A woman is carrying a brown bag.", "There is no brown dog.", "boy carries ball", "There is a brown dog running in the grass with one ear up.", "A kid carries a soccer ball.", "A dark brown dog is chasing a lighter brown dog", "The dog is carrying the tennis ball back to his master.", "the dogs are playing with the brown dog", "A brown dog is in the water.", "A girl is carrying a soccer ball.", "A black dog is carrying a white ball in his mouth.", "A brown dog is swimming." ]

[ "Later this hour we'll be hearing an interview with African-American singer William Warfield as part of our August Encounters with Great Musicians. Here's a traditional spiritual identified with Warfield and performed by the Dale Warland singers, \"Steal Away,\" arranged by Carol Barnett. (American Choral Catalogue ACC 122)" ]

[ "Alamo rising: This hour, we''ll hear a couple of performances by the San Antonio Symphony, which after facing financial difficulties that threatened its very existence and forced the cancellation of its first month of the season, is back making music as of this weekend. We''ll revisit the symphony''s \"Alamo\" concert from last fall, a special musical survey of the unique cultural perch of the symphony and the city it serves. First, we''ll hear Music Director Christopher Wilkins conduct the San Antonians in \"The Alamo\" Overture and Prologue from Dmitri Tiomkin''s Oscar-nominated soundtrack to the John Wayne film. (NPR)", "The Solisti New York Orchestra, conducted by Ransom Wilson, performs the Overture in C, the \"Trumpet\" Overture, by Felix Mendelssohn (onetime conductor at the Leipzig Gewandhaus, which we''ll be featuring this hour). Recorded this summer at the OK Mozart International Music Festival in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. (Edward Dumit Recordings)", "This year&#8217;s Sundance Film Festival was completely virtual. We&#8217;ll hear from Aisha Harris of NPR&#8217;s Pop Culture Happy Hour about how it went and get some of her picks for films that stood out. This article was originally published on WBUR.org.", "Throughout the program today we&#8217;ll be following the news from last night&#8217;s attack on police in Dallas. The snipers opened fire during a protest about the recent fatal shootings of black men by police in Louisiana and Minnesota. Dallas Police Chief David Brown said that during a standoff with police one of the suspects told authorities he was upset about those shootings. That suspect was later killed a bomb detonated by police. The investigation into what happened continues.", "President Biden is traveling to Wisconsin on Tuesday where he&#8217;ll pitch voters on his nearly $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill. Later this week, he&#8217;ll stump for the bill in Michigan. We speak to NPR White House correspondent Tamara Keith about Biden&#8217;s attempt to sell the so-called &#8220;rescue&#8221; package. This article was originally published on WBUR.org.", "Earlier today we learned that rapper and actor LL Cool J didn't appreciate that FOX News planned to use a canned interview he did in 2008 on the new show hosted by conservative superstar Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential nominee. LL's publicist complained and FOX ditched the rapper/actor's interview from the show with an explanation some might view as snippy in which it referred to LL by his birth name \"James Todd Smith.\" \"... It appears that Mr. Smith does not want to be associated with a program that could serve as an inspiration to others, we are cutting his interview from the special and wish him the best with his fledgling acting career.\" (Was that a 21st century version of Muhammad Ali's critics referring to him by his birth name Cassius Clay?) Later we learned that another canned interview, this one with country singer Toby Keith was also scheduled to be on the new show, Real American Stories With Host Sarah Palin. The Keith segment is still apparently scheduled to air on the show, scheduled to make its debut Thursday, April 1 at 10 pm ET. An interview with Jack Welch, the former General Electric chief executive, is also scheduled to be part of Palin's first show. NPR's David Folkenflik tells me that Fox defends its decision to use the interviews and never said Palin conducted them. David e-mails: Fox now says none of the interviews -- eg. LL Cool J (since dropped); Toby Keith, or Jack Welch, were conducted by Palin. Fox News says that Mr. Smith/Cool J was interviewed in 2008; obviously, Palin was selected only in January of this year. She's hosting inspirational and non-ideological fare, by their lights. But obviously she's a divisive figure and some may not wish to be associated with her. David also passes along this response from Bill Shine, FOX executive vice president of programming, to LL's publicist: \"Fox News did not commit to restrictions on its interview with Mr. Smith so therefore the network did not need his permission to use the interview in this program.\" Clarification at 9:35 p.m. ET: Earlier, we referred to Shine as a Fox spokesman. We've now added his title to the post.", "With guest host Indira Lakshmanan. We&#8217;ll talk to sports science writer Alex Hutchinson about endurance — his new book on our physical and mental limits, how they interact with each other, and how we can push past them. We&#8217;ll also welcome someone who&#8217;s doing just that: Olympic cross country skier Kaitlynn Miller, who&#8217;s preparing to participate in the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. This show airs Tuesday at 11 a.m. EST. Guests: Alex Hutchinson, sports journalist, endurance runner and author of &#8220;Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance.&#8221; (@sweatscience) Kaitlynn Miller,  member of the 2018 U.S. Olympic cross-country skiing team. From The Reading List: Excerpt of &#8216;Endure&#8217; &nbsp; &nbsp; As the world’s best winter sportsmen and women head to the Olympic Games, we have a question: How do elite athletes speed skate for 10,000 meters, or &#8211; for that matter &#8211; scale Mount Everest and dive the ocean without air tanks? How do some people stretch the limits of physical endurance in ways mere mortals can only dream of? Is it really just a state of mind? This hour, On Point: new science on endurance: how we can use our brains to push our bodies to their limits. &#8212;Indira Lakshmanan", "LL Bean's flagship store in Maine is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Independent producer Joshua Gleason found that a lot of the people wandering among the outdoor goods in the wee hours aren't actually shopping.", "First up, Jesse&rsquo;s conversation with the rapper Bubba Sparxxx. He grew up in rural Georgia and describes himself as a &lsquo;country white boy&rsquo;. His dad thought a rap career was preposterous. Bubba did it though. Jesse and Bubba talk about the rapper&rsquo;s career and why it took him seven years to put out his fourth album. Later, Jesse talks to Ian MacKaye. As a member of Minor Threat and Fugazi, he made history in the punk rock world. They&rsquo;ll talk about the first punk show he ever went to. Plus, Megan Mullally and Stephanie Hunt will each tell you about a piece of culture SO amazing that they wish they&rsquo;d made it themselves. A couple of our pals at NPR&rsquo;s Pop Culture Happy Hour share two VERY different movies on DVD that you should check out as soon as possible. And speaking of movies -- there&rsquo;s something really special in theaters right now. We should celebrate it. Jesse will tell you why.<img src=\"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/tsoya/~4/zZ27GrleN-0\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\"/>", "Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone are both creative and romantic partners. They&rsquo;ll talk about their most recent collaboration, the new movie Tammy. Then Jesse will talk to another family that&rsquo;s working together: The Sklar Brothers.Randy and Jason Sklars' stand-up comedy special is called What Are We Talking About? &nbsp;Plus, culture picks from the folks at NPR&rsquo;s Pop Culture Happy Hour, Davy Rothbart from FOUND Magazine, and Jesse talks about his favorite, crazy-eyed player on the San Francisco Giants.<img src=\"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/tsoya/~4/MIdM14nhHQc\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\"/>", "Junot Diaz has a book of short stories out now in paperback. It&rsquo;s called &lsquo;This Is How You Lose Her.&rsquo; Junot&rsquo;s book is new, but the protagonist Yunior isn&rsquo;t. This is the third time the Pulitzer Prize-winning author has written about him. Is Yunior just an alter-ego for Diaz? Jesse will ask. Then, we revisit Jesse&rsquo;s interview with the actress Carrie Fisher. She&rsquo;ll talk about what it's like to play one of the most recognizable characters in movie history. Later in life, Fisher was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and then treated it with electroshock therapy. She&rsquo;ll talk about what that was like, too. Plus, the hosts of My Brother My Brother and Me answer listeners&rsquo; pressing pop culture problems; Ian Cohen introduces us to a couple of great new heavy records; and in the wake of The Accidental Racist, Jesse will tell you about a record that mixed country and hip-hop to the benefit of both.<img src=\"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/tsoya/~4/MtkW7-zrjso\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\"/>", "Guests: James Grimaldi Washington Correspondent Seattle Times Washington, DC Mary Lou Steptoe Antitrust Partner Skadden, Arps Washington, DC Jeri Clausing Technology Reporter New York Times Online Washington, DC Deirdre Mulligan Staff Counsel Center for Democracy and Technology Washington, DC On Monday, Microsoft and the Justice Department are scheduled to face off in what may be the pivotal court case of the digital age. This hour, we''ll preview the antitrust case: what''s ahead, what''s at stake, and what the results might mean. Plus, a rundown on technology-related legislation still before a Congress eager to recess.", "Soccer Mommy — also known as Sophie Allison — will join us from SXSW to talk about her music, the self-described &#8220;chill but kinda sad&#8221; sound of her new album &#8220;Clean.&#8221; We&#8217;ll also talk to Alicia Bognanno, the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the band &#8220;Bully.&#8221; In addition to their music, we&#8217;ll hear about how women are charting a new direction for indie rock. This show airs Thursday at 11 a.m. EST. Guests: Sophie Allison, musician who goes by Soccer Mommy. Her debut studio album is called &#8220;Clean.&#8221; (@sopharela) Alicia Bognanno, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for the alt-rock band Bully. Albums include &#8220;Losing&#8221; and &#8220;Feels Like.&#8221; (@Bully) Playlist:\n Sophie Allison says she didn’t make music seriously until she was 18. She’s all of 20 years old now, and now she’s being called one of the most exciting voices in indie rock. Performing as Soccer Mommy, critics call her music blunt and skeptical enough to face her own insecurities. It’s that emotional honesty that’s the hallmark of the best indie rock out there today. And it’s being made by women. Alicia Bognano, of the band Bully, has that same grit. We’ll talk to them both. This hour, On Point: Why women are ruling indie rock. &#8212;Meghna Chakrabarti", "Guests: Laura Garwin <LEM>North American Editor Nature, Washington, DC</LEM> Paul Raeburn <LEM>Senior Editor, <EM>Science and Technology Business Week</EM>, New York, New York</LEM> John Rennie <LEM>Editor Scientific American, New York, New York</LEM> In 1997, Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule, golfer Tiger Woods won the Masters, and millions tuned into Diana''s funeral. In the world of science, the Pathfinder landed on Mars, and the world''s first cloned mammal was born. In this hour, we''ll take a look back at the biggest science stories of 1997, and ahead to science in 1998.", "With Jennifer Glasse Self-driving cars quickly went from science fiction, to reality thanks to big pushes from Google, Uber, Tesla, and more. But after two fatalities, it might be time to pump the brakes. We&#8217;ll discuss the uncertain road ahead. Plus, we&#8217;ll talk this hour about the Trump administration&#8217;s plan to roll back fuel efficiency standards. This show airs Tuesday at 10:20 a.m. EDT.  Guests: Tim Higgins: Reporter from the Wall Street Journal covering tech and autos. (@timkhiggins) Hod Lipson: Professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University and the director of the Creative Machines Lab. Author of &#8220;Driverless: Intelligent Cars and the Road Ahead.&#8221; Mary Cummings: Professor of mechanical engineering in the Duke University Pratt School of Engineering. Director of the Humans and Autonomy Lab. From The Reading List:  The Wall Street Journal: &#8220;Two recent fatal crashes of cars with varying levels of autonomous-driving technology are focusing attention on vehicles that vest control in both humans and machines.&#8221; The Independent: &#8220;When a woman was hit and killed by a self-driving Uber taxi in Arizona recently, it was both an awful shock and a horrifying inevitability. The crash was the combination of a series of tragic and small problems. If the car had been going slightly more slowly, if either its human or computer driver had spotted the woman slightly earlier, or if the road was slightly differently designed, then it’s possible no accident would have happened.&#8221; Self-driving cars are already being tested on our streets – and Google would like to have robot taxis on the road by the end of the year. Two fatalities in the past month have raised questions about the future of automatic cars – companies say they’re still safer than human drivers. Is the technology moving too fast? Should computers be making life and death decisions? And we’ll look at the EPA’s decision to revoke Obama-era emissions standards that would have meant more than 50 miles a gallon by 2025. This hour, On Point: The future of cars. &#8212;Jennifer Glasse", "President Trump issued disaster declarations for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands after the passage of Hurricane Maria. Here & Now&#8216;s Jeremy Hobson talks with U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Kenneth Mapp (@govhouseusvi) about the recovery effort there. Interview Highlights On the situation after Maria &#8220;I had three islands &#8212; St. John, St. Thomas and Water Island &#8212; devastated by Hurricane Irma, and St. Croix was our base for restoration and recovery. And then here came Maria, and Maria decided, well, she wanted a piece of the Virgin Islands as well, and so a good section of St. Croix on the western end really got hammered hard. I mean the island was affected across the board, but the western end got hammered hard. So we&#8217;re really right now making sure we check on our folks, make sure they&#8217;re sheltered, they&#8217;re fed, they&#8217;re secure. We have a full curfew in the territory today. And I&#8217;m here working with the FEMA folks trying to make sure that we&#8217;re reprovisioning more stuff to make sure we can feed our folks, give them water, and then we will turn our sight towards recovery, and the rebuilding of the entire U.S. Virgin Islands.&#8221; On the extent of power outages &#8220;One-hundred percent out. Only those folks with power generations have power. The hospital is generated, we do the hospitals and the airports completely underground, so they have power. But everywhere else is relying on their own standby generators. The main distribution terminal from the plant where all those heavy power lines came down, that&#8217;s damaged. So before they can get any place, have power, they&#8217;ve gotta get that assessed and then repaired, and start working on going out into the community.&#8221; On the power restoration timeline for St. Croix &#8220;I believe we&#8217;ll start seeing pockets of power probably within the week. But power restoration across the entire island will take months.&#8221; On what the U.S. Virgin Islands need most from the outside &#8220;We need help. With our FEMA partners and our cruise ship partners, we&#8217;re bringing in a lot of food, water, tarpaulins, personal hygiene packs, cots and blankets. That&#8217;s really the immediacy of the need. We&#8217;re asking folks who can to go to USVI Recovery and they can donate there. That&#8217;s under the Community Foundation of the V.I., it&#8217;s a 501(c)(3), and indeed it&#8217;s been around for 30 years in the Virgin Islands, and they do all kinds of stuff to help the community, and we&#8217;re coordinating donations there. But you know, folks that like to put missions together, we were asking them to think about food and water, and cots, personal hygiene packs. We&#8217;re gonna soon have the DMATs, the disaster medical assistance teams, on the ground. We&#8217;re expecting the C-17s to start arriving late this afternoon and this evening. I was able to speak to our Administrator William Brock Long of FEMA, and had a very good conversation with him, as well as the Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke, as we coordinate the relief for St. Croix.&#8221; On which island is in the worst shape &#8220;I know St. John is still the worst of it in terms of the extent of the damages. St. John and St. Croix and St. Thomas really hold a lot of the main infrastructure, particularly St. John is reliant on the infrastructure of St. Thomas, and we&#8217;re working now, today they started back on power restoration there. St. Croix, we&#8217;re just trying to fire up standby generators to water pumps and keep the city waters flowing and stuff like that. I can&#8217;t tell you today which is the worst. It&#8217;s worse in different pockets for many reasons, but it&#8217;s just bad.&#8221; On what dealing with Maria and Irma has been like &#8220;I have the distinct honor of being on deck with two [Category 5 hurricanes] in 12 days. Yesterday I was on 32 hours straight without sleep, and I was actually able to go and get a very hot shower and just lay down and sleep for five hours. And I truly got up much more refreshed today and much more focused. But I&#8217;ll worry about me later as long as I can get a good chow in and coordinate the efforts and get them done, what need to be done, and take care of the folks. I&#8217;ll be fine, if I see progress for the folks, that really helps me. That helped me personally to continue to drive on adrenaline and do what I am required to do.&#8221;", "Guests: Ferid Murad 1998 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine Professor and Chairman, Department of Integrative Biology, Pharmacology, and Physiology University of Texas Houston Medical School Houston, Texas John Pople 1998 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Board of Trustees Professor of Chemistry Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois Horst Stormer 1998 Nobel Laureate in Physics Professor, Physics and Applied Physics Columbia University Adjunct Physics Director Lucent Technologies'' Bell Labs Murray Hill, New Jersey This week, the 1998 Nobel Prizes were announced. This year''s winners made contributions in the field of quantum mechanics and to our understanding of how signals are transmitted in the cardiovascular system. In this hour, we''ll talk with three of the winners about their scientific achievements and what it feels like to win.", "Andy Daly is a very pleasant looking guy, in a sort of all-American, unthreatening way. He&rsquo;ll talk to Jesse about how he used that image to surprise people on his new TV show. Later, Jesse talks to the influential bandleader Willie Colon about salsa: a blend of sounds from the Caribbean, Africa, South America and his native New York City. Comedian Karen Kilgariff will share a sweet, funny and melancholy song. The AV Club&rsquo;s Erik Adams will tell you about two TV crime shows that you&rsquo;ll love &nbsp;-- HBO&rsquo;s True Detective and NBC&rsquo;s Hannibal. Lastly, Jesse will reveal the secret ingredient that makes a great country song.<img src=\"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/tsoya/~4/PmlwRjtEAIo\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\"/>", "When it comes to sharing the planet with other animals, you might think that we humans are just screwing it all up. Ruining everything. Hogging all the resources. But what if it&rsquo;s a little more complicated than that? What do the stories we tell ourselves about wild animals actually mean? Jon Mooallem&rsquo;s new book Wild Ones attempts to explain. Then later, revisit Jesse&rsquo;s conversation with the late master of American pulp ficton: Elmore Leonard. They&rsquo;ll talk about his distinctive prose and the many film adaptations of his work. Plus comedy from Kurt Braunohler, a couple of new DVD recommendations from film website The Dissolve, and Jesse explains the virtues of watching drunk people explain important historical events.<img src=\"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/tsoya/~4/RKlX6eLYyE0\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\"/>", "MILO MILES reviews the new CD by Jaguars. (hag-ar-es) The ablue is \"El Equilibrio De Los Jaguares.\" INT. 2: We''ll hear from NORMA STORCH and JUNE CROSS who are featured in this week''s Frontline program entitled \"Secret Daughter.\" Storch who is white gave up her half black child to a black couple. We''ll hear from both mother and daughter as they reflect back. Norma Storch (mother) is married to actor Larry Story who starred in the TV comedy F-Troop in the mid 1960''s. June Cross (daugher) is a television producer for the PBS series \"Frontline.\" REV. 2: We''ll hear an excerpt from the new NPR radio show, \"This American Life\" produced at WBEZ in Chicago. Short fiction writer, JULIE SHOWALTER talks about growing up on a turkey farm in Missouri.", "Devastating trucking accidents put trucking safety issues front and center recently. The number of hours truckers are allowed to drive in a day and per week is especially controversial. Tensions are high in the trucking community concerning the &#8220;hours of service&#8221; rule, which was re-instated in December, overturning 2013 regulations that required truck drivers to have two breaks between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. within a week&#8217;s period. Lyndon Finney, editor of The Trucker.com, tells Here & Now&#8217;s Robin Young that studies show few truck drivers drive more than nine hours each day but most truck drivers prefer to choose for themselves when they&#8217;ll take breaks. Guest\n\nLyndon Finney, editor at The Trucker.com.\n\nRelatedSummary of Hours of Service RegulationsLarge Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2012", "The 40th annual Kennedy Center Honors last night (Dec. 3) recognized those in the arts who've made lifetime achievements in American pop culture and ushered in some new traditions in the process. This year's honorees were dancer/choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, singer Gloria Estefan, rapper LL Cool J, TV writer Norman Lear and singer Lionel Richie. LL Cool J becomes the first hip-hop artist to be recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors. In a career spanning more than three decades, the Queens-born MC helped pioneer the burgeoning rap genre, while often being cited as hip-hop's first heartthrob. As Def Jam Recordings' first signee, LL is best known for hits like \"Mama Said Knock You Out\" and \"Doin' It.\" Fellow golden-era rapper Queen Latifah immortalized LL on stage before he received the award. Q-Tip and The Roots members Questlove and Black Thought were in attendance for support while Busta Rhymes, DMC and DJ Z-Trip paid tribute to LL in a performance. A true chameleon in the industry, LL has earned many awards for rapping and acting, including two Grammys, but the legendary MC told NPR's Morning Edition, the Kennedy Center Honors is different \"because now you're being recognized by your country.\" Another 'first' for the evening was Gloria Estefan's induction as the first Cuban-American to receive a Kennedy Center Honor. Estefan, who's served as front woman for the Miami Sound Machine for nearly two decades, is best known for crossover hits like \"Conga\" and \"Get On Your Feet.\" The latter song has later become the title of a Broadway production based on the singer's life. 2001 honoree Quincy Jones, 1999 honoree Stevie Wonder, Kenny Rogers and Leona Lewis and paid tribute to R&B titan Lionel Richie in song, belting a rendition of his song \"All Night Long.\" While the 2017 honorees graciously shared the spotlight, some of the night's conversation pivoted to a famous face that was noticeably missing from the ceremony. President Trump notably did not go this year's honors, breaking a presidential tradition of the first family attending the ceremony. President Trump announced he would be missing the ceremony back in August after Lear and de Lavallade said they would boycott the awards if he was there.", "[r] Who is Lemmy? Well he&rsquo;s the singer for Mot&ouml;rhead and he&rsquo;s revered by metal fans around the globe. Jesse talked to Lemmy in person a couple of years ago at SxSW and you&rsquo;ll hear that amazing conversation later in the show. But first we revisit Jesse&rsquo;s conversation with Jackson Publick, the co-creator of The Venture Bros. The show has just returned for a fifth season after a long hiatus. Plus, a couple of Jason Kottke&rsquo;s all time picks for the best stuff on the web, and the hosts of My Brother My Brother and Me offer up answers to listeners&rsquo; pop culture quandaries.<img src=\"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/tsoya/~4/bINkPRTzea8\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\"/>", "Warm summer nights mean it&#8217;s time for stargazing. But when it comes to identifying planets, stars and constellations, many of us don&#8217;t get much further than the Big Dipper. With his new book, &#8220;100 Things to See in the Southern Night Sky,&#8221; astronomer Dean Regas hopes to change that. &#8220;I&#8217;m in love with the stars, because they&#8217;re so far away, so distant and we&#8217;ve been looking at them for all these years,&#8221; Regas (@DeanRegas) tells Here & Now&#8216;s Robin Young. &#8220;I try to know them all personally if I can. It&#8217;s the ultimate long-distance relationship, I have to say.&#8221; Interview Highlights On some of the simplest constellations to spot in the night sky &#8220;For the Northern Hemisphere in the summertime, we&#8217;re looking for Cygnus, the Swan, is the really nice one to look for. It&#8217;s also called the Northern Cross, because it looks like a long, extended cross in the sky. It&#8217;s all tucked in this big feature called the Summer Triangle, which is even easier. &#8220;What Cygnus looks like is just this long, cross-like shape with a bright star on the top of the cross, and that&#8217;s a star called Deneb. Now this is where you use your imagination: You have to picture a long swan with a belly, and a long, stretched-out neck and beak and then wings spread out. And to add a little more flavor to it, if you&#8217;re out in the country, you can actually see the Milky Way going right through there, right through Cygnus, the Swan, as if it&#8217;s flying down the river in the sky.&#8221; On the best time of day to be on the lookout &#8220;Right after dark, there&#8217;s a lot of things to look for right now. There are these very bright, suspiciously bright, stars that are up in the sky. When you look to the western sky right after sunset, you will see this thing that looks like it&#8217;s following you home or something like that, it&#8217;s like a UFO or a plane coming in for a landing. It&#8217;s actually the planet Venus, and that&#8217;s just the starters &#8212; as it gets darker, you&#8217;ll start to see Jupiter up in the southern sky about halfway up, it&#8217;ll be a little dimmer than Venus, and then a little later you&#8217;ll see Saturn, and then a little later you&#8217;ll see Mars. So we&#8217;ve got a whole lot of planets coming up.&#8221; On how to use your hands to make angles for stargazing &#8220;It really helps to figure out how far apart some stars are in the sky. A lot of guidebooks show you, and they say, &#8216;Oh this is 10 degrees away, or 20 degrees away, from another star,&#8217; and you could use your fingers and hands to tell your angles. You extend your arm fully and close your fist, and your fist at arm&#8217;s length is 10 degrees in the sky. And so you can kind of get a feel for how far apart some of the stars are from each other by just using angles like that.&#8221; On the Pleiades constellation, also called the Seven Sisters, which as the story goes is fleeing Orion&#8217;s amorous advances &#8220;I always say that Orion &#8230; was very good at hunting and very good at battle, but not very good at talking to women. And he just fell in love with all seven of them at the same time, he saw no problem with that whatsoever, and thought the eight of them would be very happy together. The sisters said no, and asked the gods for help, and they fled to the sky to get away from Orion and they got turned into doves to fly away from Orion. And so some people when they see the Seven Sisters in the sky, they think it looks like a little dove up there.&#8221;", "This week, scientists announced that they''ve traced the AIDS virus to a particular species of chimp in Africa. In this hour, we''ll talk about this scientific detective work, and how it may change the way AIDS is treated. Plus, a new satellite system that marks the end of Morse Code as the distress call for ships at sea. Guests: Larry Arthur Director, AIDS Vaccine Program National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center Science Applications International Corporation Frederick, Maryland Anthony Fauci, M.D. Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institutes of Health Bethesda, Maryland Les Kalmus Amateur Radio Operator Member American Radio Relay League President Cyberstaff America Ltd. New York, New York J. Patrick Allen President Mercomms Unlimited Panama City Beach, Florida", "With guest host Tom Gjelten. Twenty-plus years after the whack heard &#8217;round the world, we&#8217;re talking with Craig Gillespie, the director of the new Tonya Harding biopic “I, Tonya.” We&#8217;ll also talk to sports reporters who covered the attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan. Guests: Craig Gillespie, director of the 2017 biopic &#8220;I, Tonya.&#8221; Alice Cook, Olympic figure skater and former sports reporter for Boston TV station WBZ. (@alicemcook) Christine Brennan, national and international sports columnist for USA Today. (@cbrennansports) Trailer of &#8220;I, Tonya&#8221; [Youtube] The big story from the 1994 Winter Olympics was the figure skating competition between Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan. A rough-edged competitor in Tonya, a refined beauty in Nancy. A new film revisits the story, featuring the brutal attack on Nancy before the competition but also presenting Tonya in human terms, as a fragile, even tragic figure. This hour, On Point: I, Tonya, the Tonya Harding biopic. &#8212;Tom Gjelten", "For a time, Mendes was probably the most famous Brazilian musician in the world. Mendes will talk to Jesse about why bossa nova has such a universal appeal. Jesse will also talk to James Fearnley. He plays accordion for The Pogues. Fearnley will talk about mixing traditional Irish folk with punk music. He&rsquo;ll also talk about when he knew that lead singer Shane MacGowan&rsquo;s hard-drinking ways had gone too far. Then later you&rsquo;ll hear comedian Brent Weinbach&rsquo;s set from MaxFunCon. Lastly Jesse will talk about tell you about a great new thing on adult swim: What if Jesus lived in America, in 2014? In Compton? Well on this show, he does.<img src=\"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/tsoya/~4/T4ZOzHPW_bY\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\"/>", "Virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier now says VR could be the “evilest invention of all time.” He&#8217;ll join our show to make the case. This show airs Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST.  Guest: Jaron Lanier, virtual reality pioneer, author and musician, author of &#8220;Dawn of the New Everything: Encounters with Reality and Virtual Reality.&#8221; From Tom&#8217;s Reading List: Excerpt of Dawn of the New Everything: Tech visionary Jaron Lanier was there at the beginning of virtual reality in the 1980s, when it was just goggles, a glove, some relatively simple software, and the dream that we could walk into an alternate world. In the decades since, the internet has made our own world look alternative. We’re immersed in the whirl of social media and screens all over. And still, deep virtual reality is coming. This hour, On Point: Jaron Lanier on humanity and the tech frontier now. &#8212;Tom Ashbrook", "After devastating Haiti earlier this week, Hurricane Matthew is now scraping the coast of north-central Florida. Powerful wind and heavy rain have already prompted mass evacuations and left hundreds of thousands without power. Matthew was downgraded overnight to a Category 3 storm, but is still dangerous, with winds offshore reaching up to 120 miles per hour. The system appears to be moving north toward Georgia and South Carolina, where residents are preparing for the worst. Here & Now&#8216;s Jeremy Hobson hears the latest from Jeff Huffman, meteorologist for the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network. We&#8217;ll also get updates from Georgia Public Broadcasting&#8217;s Sean Powers and Jessica Palombo, news director for WJCT in Jacksonville, Florida. Guest Jeff Huffman, meteorologist for WUFT in Gainesville, Florida. He tweets @HuffmanHeadsUp.", "Usually, nominations for awards shows are announced via some drab medium or other, whether it's a newly refreshed Web site, a hastily emailed press release, or a dry recitation of names in a dusty press conference. Wednesday night, CBS and the Grammy Awards decided to milk the awards-show magic for an extra hour, with a special telecast promising to unveil a bevy of surprises and magical musical performances. Because there's nothing we love more than watching kudos hurled in the direction of The Black Eyed Peas, we decided to chat about the show online via Instant Messenger, in the spirit of our similar enterprise during last year's Grammy ceremony. For those seeking a commentary-free list of nominees on the Grammy Web site, click here; for those looking to skim the highlights, we've placed the nominees announced in the CBS special in bold. STEPHEN: So what's getting nominated for Album Of The Year? I simply cannot wait to find out! LINDA: Fortunately, LL Cool J just personally invited me to watch the nominees being announced. STEPHEN: If only they were having some sort of television event informing me of the nominees! They could have a concert and everything, and perhaps even sell advertising during breaks in the action. The thing with the Grammys is that I never spend a whole lot of time thinking about whether a given album will be nominated, but then, when they announce the nominations, I'm always like, \"Duh. Of course. How could I have forgotten the Herbie Hancock album of Joni Mitchell covers?\" Perhaps one heavily awarded artist made an album with another heavily awarded artist! There needs to be an album in which Sheryl Crow and Alison Krauss perform a collection of austere Michael Jackson covers. LINDA: Hey, it's Sugarland! I know them from not knowing them during last year's Grammys. STEPHEN: So what gets tons of nominations? It's hard to tell, in part because the window of eligibility is so screwy. Brand-new stuff isn't eligible yet, while stuff released a zillion years ago is still up for awards. I think Metallica's self-titled album from 1991 will get some nominations tonight. LINDA: I am very confused by this opening number with LL Cool J and the candy cane dancers. And I realize it makes me seem like I arrived here on a Rascal scooter, but I really enjoy a little LL Cool J with my day. STEPHEN: I love LL Cool J without reservation. \"The Grammy Countdown begins NOW.\" This is more eventful than a press release, yes. But only just barely. LINDA: The Black Eyed Peas are performing from their TABLE? STEPHEN: I don't mean to rock your world, but elements of this performance may have been pre-recorded. Also, if you are the source of the song \"My Humps,\" should you be performing at an event which ostensibly honors artistic merit in music? I realize that this makes me sound like the fuddiest of fuddy-duddies, but dude. \"Welcome to our celebration of music's greatness. And, now, the band that does that stupid song from the commercials!\" LINDA: \"Welcome to the Oscars! Please welcome the cast of All About Steve.\" STEPHEN: Also, we have been getting this party started for 10 damn minutes. \"WHEN ARE THEY GONNA GET TO THE FIREWORKS FACTORY?!\" LINDA: So far, we have seen The Black Eyed Peas and George Lopez. I actually feel cool enough to be here. STEPHEN: Ha! Okay, so Song Of The Year. Are these the nominees? No. These are potential nominees. The hell? LINDA: This is seriously going to be the longest hour in history. STEPHEN: But it's already 20 percent over! LINDA: They are completely blowing the suspense by putting these nominees' photos up in a different order from the order in which George Lopez is reading their names. STEPHEN: Okay: \"Poker Face\" by Lady Gaga. \"Pretty Wings\" by Maxwell. \"Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)\" by Beyonce. \"Use Somebody\" by Kings Of Leon. \"You Belong With Me\" by Taylor Swift. Delivered with a lame Tiger Woods joke, putting this show within a 48-hour pop-cultural window. Oh, and it turns out that several of the nominees are pleased to have been nominated! Aaaaaaaand commercials. LINDA: I endorse \"Single Ladies.\" And I do so in spite of the commercials currently running in which it is sung by a gang of lady Chipmunks. STEPHEN: Didn't that Kings Of Leon record come out, like, six years ago? I feel like it did. And I have to think \"Single Ladies\" wins this going away. LINDA: I think if we are talking about impact, you can't possibly not give it to \"Single Ladies.\" STEPHEN: Agreed. I feel like all pop songs this year morphed into one giant performance of \"Single Ladies,\" the way everything seemed to morph into Coldplay's \"Clocks\" earlier in the decade. LINDA: Time for Sugarland! It seems that the message of this Sugarland song is that mothers are good. I endorse this message! STEPHEN: Sugarland! Which has suddenly become country music's designated Grammy magnet. As Metallica is to metal, as Bonnie Raitt is to the blues, as Kanye West is to hip-hop, Sugarland has suddenly become to co", "With guest host Indira Lakshmanan.  Senator Bob Menendez sees his bribery case dismissed after a hung jury and a judge&#8217;s decision. A former Virginia governor, meanwhile, saw his charges vacated at the Supreme Court, leading to a domino effect from Louisiana to New York. We&#8217;ll ask if it&#8217;s gotten too hard now to prosecute politicians for corruption. This show airs Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST. Guests: Randall Eliason, professor of Law at George Washington University. Former Assistant United States Attorney. Contributing columnist for the Washington Post. (@RDEliason) Abbe Lowell, defense attorney who represented Sen. Bob Menendez in his bribery trial. Tara Malloy, senior director at the Campaign Legal Center. David Debold, partner at Gibson Dunn. Former Assistant United States Attorney. Norm Eisen, senior fellow at Brookings. Former Special Counsel and Special Assistant to President Obama for Ethics and Government Reform. Chair and co-founder of CREW. (@NormEisen) From The Reading List: Washington Post: Robert Menendez’s trial shows the bar to prove corruption just keeps rising — &#8220;As long as we have a system of privately financed campaigns for which politicians are allowed to raise money, we must require compelling evidence to charge political contributions as bribery. After all, a politician accepting a donation and later taking actions favored by the donor is simply politics as usual — it happens every day. But requiring a higher level of proof also means that only the most blatant and clumsy corrupt officials will be subject to prosecution. Those careful enough not to make explicit deals are safe.&#8221; New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez was accused of trading favors for $700,000 in donations and lavish vacations, but last week the corruption case against him collapsed. It was another setback for the Justice Department, which prosecuted former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell for accepting a Rolex and Ferrari rides for setting up meetings, only to see his conviction vacated. This hour, On Point: Have courts made it too hard to find politicians guilty of corruption? &#8212;Indira Lakshmanan", "Ron Chernow’s history lesson on Hamilton went to Broadway—now he takes up President Ulysses S. Grant. We&#8217;ll talk about presidents past and present. This show will air Friday at 11 a.m. EST. The Civil War, back in the news this week with White House chief of staff John Kelly controversially describing it as the fruit of failed compromise.  Ron Chernow is watching.  The celebrated biographer wrote the book on Hamilton that went to Broadway.  Now he’s gone deep on Ulysses S. Grant, the general and president who won the war and guided Reconstruction.  This hour, On Point:  Ron Chernow on Ulysses S. Grant and America’s understanding of the Civil War. &#8212;Tom Ashbrook Guest: Ron Chernow, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, journalist, historian and biographer, author of &#8220;Grant.&#8221; From Tom&#8217;s Reading List: Excerpt of &#8220;Grant&#8221;" ]

[ "Mulaudzi out-dipped Kipketer to win silver in 1:44.61 to add to the world indoor title he won in March. Kipketer, the world record-holder and a three-time former world champion, had to be content with bronze in 1:44." ]

[ "ISTANBUL: Hundreds of Greek Orthodox faithful yesterday welcomed the return of the remains of two saints 800 years after Crusaders snatched the relics from Constantinople.", "NAJAF: US planes pounded Iraqi militias in Najaf last night after tanks rumbled to within 800 metres of a holy shrine at the centre of a near three-week insurgency.", "US tanks rumbled to within 800 metres of a holy shrine in the Iraqi city of Najaf today as fierce clashes with Shiite rebels in a nearby town killed at least 40 Iraqis, officials said.", "VERO BEACH, FLA. -- People formed a line stretching more than 800 metres for food and water, while others searched in vain for generators in yesterday&#39;s sweltering heat as Florida residents began cleaning", "Workers used dumptrucks to empty scores of bodies into a four-metre-deep hole Wednesday - the first mass grave for more than 800 flood victims - as bystanders shrieked, held noses against the stench and demanded officials collect", "NAJAF/MOSUL, AUGUST 22: US helicopter gunships pounded Shi’ite militias in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf on Sunday as tanks rumbled to within 800 metres of a holy shrine at the centre of a near three-week insurgency.", "NAJAF (Iraq) - US helicopter gunships pounded supporters of Moqtada Al Sadr in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf yesterday as tanks rumbled to within 800 metres of a holy shrine at the centre of a near three-week insurgency.", "Jack Dainel's parent company snatches up a Mexcian tequila maker.", "German airline Lufthansa AG said Wednesday that it will order 20 Boeing 747-800s and seven Airbus A340-800s to renew its long-haul fleet.", "A Sri Lankan court has sentenced two men to die for causing the death of a woman who survived the first waves of the 2004 tsunami but was pushed back into the sea by the duo after they snatched her gold chain, a police officer said Thursday.", "Thousands of protesters in Indian-administered Kashmir snatch the body of a second civilian as it is exhumed.", "The sentiment was expressed on a simple wreath with tiny roses, carnations and deep purple flowers. &quot;Ralph,&quot; said the gold letters on the wreath&#039;s white ribbon. &quot;TWA Flight 800.&quot;", "A British woman is charged by Greek police investigating the snatching of a baby in Athens.", "A policeman is dragged along for 15 metres by a car being driven off to evade a police patrol.", "Burglars snatch laptop computers containing Metropolitan police payroll details in a raid.", "HARRISBURG, Pa. - A man was sentenced to probation Monday for snatching the hairpiece off the head of another man at a restaurant...", "· Palestinian gunmen planned to snatch soldier· One shot dead after attack on unmanned watchtower", "The devastating earthquake that struck the Indian Ocean probably caused some islands to move by several metres.", "JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (CP) - Evil Plankton is the obvious suspect, but landlubbers are more likely to blame for a rash of thefts of 2.7-metre-tall and 2.7-metre-wide SpongeBob SquarePants inflatables propped on the roofs of Burger King restaurants.", "Evacuate 800 persone, gravemente ustionati i pompieri", "A man was sentenced to probation Monday for snatching the hairpiece off the head of another man at a restaurant.", "A hometown waits for the only American G.I. unaccounted for in the war, snatched by insurgents 10 months ago", "By James Coates, Chicago Tribune Feb. 25--On Thursday, the Googlers launched their long-awaited attack on the Microsofties' 800-pound-gorilla dominance of the business software gold mine. You know, the software behind that monitor sitting on your desk at work.", "10-metre, 450kg colossus New Zealand fishermen have landed what experts reckon might be the biggest squid ever snared - a 10-metre-long, 450kg example of \"colossal\" Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni.…", "Brazil's economy is the 800-pound gorilla of Latin America.", "A man whose attempt to snatch a girl in Doncaster was caught on camera is jailed for four years.", "Paula Radcliffe is set to run in the 10,000 metres at the 2005 World Championships.", "Gunmen in military uniforms sealed off a commercial street in the Iraqi capital and snatched dozens of merchants.", "Mother of three-year-old snatched in Nigeria says the kidnappers phoned and threatened to kill her daughter.", "By Leith, James 'WHASSAMADDA? I tell you cast 12 metres, 1 o'clock. Why you cast 10 metres 12 o'clock? You think bone-fish eat with arse?' A torrent of furious and thankfully incomprehensible Spanish abuse follows.", "Gunmen in Nigeria's Niger Delta snatch three foreigners as the new president announces a crisis summit.", "Scientists perform a surgical operation on a living cell, using a needle just a few billionths of a metre wide." ]

[ "I suspect it was the despot, Idi Amin" ]

[ "That is not an example of Russell's Paradox.\\n\\nRussell's Paradox (on which I should be writing a paper right now) arises from sets or concepts of the form:\\nS ={x: x is a set which is not a member of itself.}\\n\\nThe paradox arises when you try to decide whether S itself is a member of S. If S is a member of S, then that means that S is a set which is not a member of itself. This is a contradiction.\\nIf S is not a member of itself, then that means S is a member of itself (because it is not in S). This too is a contradiction.\\nSo, S can neither be in nor not be in S.\\n\\nTo arrive at an example of Russell's Paradox, you need an instance of negated self-reference.", "run winamp and press Alt + S u will get skin browser. u can see an option named set skin directory. click on it and choose ur skin directory. and apply..", "Well, they say there´s no end to space....prove it!!! \\n\\nI say it should take you about 3 weeks if you take a gentle stroll...but hey, who´s gonna prove me wrong!!! \\n\\nGreat question... ;-)", "There is an additional battery inside the case, did you replace it also? Could be that it actually is coming on and the contrast needs set. Try turning it on and while pressing the beta function key, press the up arrow.", "Judicial activism - a philosophy by which judges are motivated to depart from strict adherence to judicial precedent in favor of progressive and new social policies, which are not always consistent with the restraint expected of appellate judges. It is commonly marked by decisions calling for social engineering and occasionally these decisions represent intrusions into legislative and executive matters.\\n\\nJudicial (self) restraint - self-imposed discipline by judges in deciding cases without permitting themselves to indulge their own personal views or ideas which may be inconsistent with existing decisionsl or statutory law.", "Because they're wearing a cup, and cups aren't all that comfortable. Now, with that said, I guess baseball players just have less self-restraint than football, hockey, and soccer players.", "Think of which words in the song are least likely to be found in something else. Then, search for those words as a phrase.\\n\\nFor example, in Mary Had a Little Lamb, the words \"made the children laugh and play\" are a little unusual. You could search for that phrase at, say, Google. This often works.", "The Germans made a deal with the Japanese that if they attacked America then they (the Germans) would help the Japanese fight against the U.S. This did not happen.The Germans wanted the Japanese to keep the U.S. busy while the Germans did there thing. America had a deal with Great Britain that the U.S. would send equipment and supplies to help in the war. It was called \"lend and lease\". This would help the war effort and keep the Americans from the fighting. This was working to some point until the raid on Pearl harbor. There is speculation that the Brits knew of the attack on pearl but didn't say anything because they wanted the U.S. to join the war. There were a few stipulations G.B. had to agree to for the U.S. to officially join in the war effort. The most important was that G.B.(great Britain) would have to remove it's self from ALL of it's colonies. such as India and others.", "Your best bet is to lawyer up. Retain a lawyer and get prepared for them to press charges. They will, no doubt, pursue this. $12,000 is a lot of money, and they have to set an example for their other employees.", "I did hear McCane say that on meet the press this morning and also admited that Bush has made some mistakes in Iraq.", "yes, instead of pressing the little print icon go to file and then print it will have a set up box pop up and in that it says \"Page Range\" and has a box where you can type what pages you want to print instead of printing all the pages.", "Definition: restriction\\nSynonyms: bar, barrier, blockage, check, embargo, hang-up, hindrance, interdict, interference, obstacle, prevention, prohibition, reserve, restraint, reticence, self-consciousness, shyness, sublimation, suppression\\nAntonyms: encouragement, promotion", "Bangladesh did not get Independence from the British! On 15th August,1947 when India got Independence, Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan.But in 1971 with the intervention of India, Bangladesh attained independence from Pakistan.This was the main reason for the 1971 Indo-Pak war.", "That's what they refer to as \"PORK\", They put a bill out saying one thing and before it is passed it has all of the add-ons to it which have nothing to do with the bill it\"s self. They hide legislature and laws inside of another document; because they are crooked as hell.", "ya the best way 2 quit smoking is to make up ur mind..if u decide in ur mind that u r not going to smoke again u can definately quit this habit u just need to exercise self restraint", "Use Yahoo search engine. Type the name Pinocchio in the input field then press go. Then press the tap that says \"images\" and you should get what you want.", "ideally, no. In reality, yes. One example of it is the concept of prior restraint, which is that the government stops something from being printed or published. Prior restraint is only alowed in case of messages that can put soldiers in danger (like publish where our troops are camping or where they're gonna attack). \\n\\nSometimes on college or university campus, there are hate speech and racist community or something like that going on. The president might stop those activities, and they're debating if it's a violation of the freedom of speech or not.", "we read of the plagues God sent upon the land of Egypt, but Pharaoh would not let the people go. But God knew that after the final plague, Pharaoh would let the people go.\\n\\nAnd so Moses told the Israelites that each house was to take one perfect lamb, which was under a year old. And the lamb was to live in the house with the people for 14 days, and at the end of the fourteenth day they were to kill the lamb in the evening.\\n\\nAnd they were to take the blood of the lamb and put it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the house, and they were to roast the lamb and eat it, and nothing was to remain. And that night the LORD would pass through the land, and all the people who were the first ones born in their family, would die, but the blood of the lamb was to be a sign, and whenever God saw the blood on the doorposts, he would pass over the house, and no one in that house would die. And this day was to be called the passover, and was to be celebrated each year.\\n\\nAnd so the people of Israel did as the LORD had commanded, and at midnight on the chosen day, all the people born first in the land who were not protected by the blood of the lamb died, including Pharaoh's first born child.\\n\\nAnd so on that day Pharaoh agreed to let the people of Israel go with their flocks, and with jewels and clothing that the people of Egypt gave to them, and there were 600,000 men, not counting women and children. \\n\\nAnd so after 430 years, the time had come for the Israelites to leave the land of Egypt, and God brought them out of the land.\\n\\nThe blood of the lamb which protected the people of Israel is a perfect picture of the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for us. What a wonderful thing it is that the Lord Jesus did for us because he loves us.\\n\\nMemory verse: Exodus 12:13 \"...when I see the blood, I will pass over you.\"\\n\\nQuestions:\\n1. What was the LORD going to do to the people of Egypt?\\n2. What instructions did the LORD give about the lamb the people chose?\\n3. What were they supposed to do when the lamb was killed?\\n4. What happened when the LORD came through the land?\\n\\nAnswers:\\n1. He was going to cause the first born person in each family to die.\\n2. There was to be one for every house, it was to be perfect, it was to be less than a year old, and it was to live with them in the house for 14 days.\\n3. They were to put its blood on the sides and top of the door of the house. They were to roast it and eat it.\\n4. When He saw the blood on the door posts, no one in that house died, but all the people who were born first who were not protected by the blood of the lamb died.", "DO YOU NO WHAT 1ST DATE THEY ARE HARD, BUT ON A 1ST DATE I LOOK FOR SOME1 THAT I CAN HAVE A LAUGH WITH SOME1 THAT I REALLY DO GET ON WITH THAT DONT PUSH ME IN TO ANYTHINK. A SOFT GENTLE WARM LAD THAT MAKES U LAUGH BUT NOT A LAD THAT CAN SAY EVERYTHINK U WANNA HEAR AS THEN U THINK HIS A PLAYER. BE UR SELF IF SHE DONT LIKE WHO U R THEN SHE AINT WORTH IT BABE XXX", "Morgan Freeman had uncredited roles from 1964-1968 in \"The Pawnbroker\", \"AMan Called Adam\" and \"Where Were You When The Lights Went Out\". In 1971, he received credit in a movie called \"Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow\" From 1971 - 1977, he was on The Electric Company.", "Kevin (Elijah Wood) - Sin City\\n\\nHanibal Lecter - Silence Of The Lamb\\n\\nThe Character Kevin Bale Played In American Psycho\\n\\nThe Killer In I Know What You Did Last Summer\\n\\nMystique - X-Men", "What is up with all the self-centered \"me\", have some dignity. Clearly the person asking the question, the_violent_femmes_rock_my_soc...'s Q&A, is the sexiest woman alive. \\n\\n(Make sure you check out the web site to fully understand why I say this.)", "You have to access your router's set-up, and look into the Security option. In the choices it will say something about Enabling encryption. Listed in the options will be the Wep Key. It may be blocked out with **********'s so if you are stuck and don't know what it was just change it.", "Surprisingly, given the time that guys spend thinking about sex and boobs, most guys don't speak much about their sexual encounters. For example, most of my friends won't reveal any details besides what is self-evident to everyone who has seen the girl.\\n\\nTo be more precise, guys WILL brag about going with a girl, but they usually WON'T say what they did exactly, how many times, how long, describe her exact anatomy, her taste, smell etc. \\n\\nA typical description is something like \"I did X and it was real good. We did it all night and she enjoyed it a lot\". \\n\\nYounger men (<18-20) may speak about the act in detail, but only to their few close friends.", "if you are running 2 sep. entity sets of books then you need to have an account set up for a receivable and payable of some kind or an exchange account. you did not say what the transfer is for so it is hard to give you the exact details.", "That is a very tricky concept.\\nLet S be the set of all sets that are not members of themselves.\\nIs S a member of S? If it is, it implies that S is not a member of itself.\\nIf it's not, it implies that it's not a set that is not a member of itself, so S must be a member of itself.\\nContradiction!\\n\\nBy the way, this paradox was discovered by Russell and Zermelo, and basically MURDERED all the classic (naive) set theory.\\nIt was like a major earthquake in the Math world, and the scientists tried to pick up the pieces and construct some non-contradictory axiomatic systems.\\n\\nI believe the problem of self-membership is approached in different ways by different systems, but I don't really know the details.\\nFor further info, you can start reading from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell%27s_paradox\\n\\nP.S. About the first answer: membership is NOT inclusion", "Think about what would happen if suddenly everyone decided that they were tired of \"keep right\" when they drove. They wanted to drive on the left side too.\\n\\nThere aren't enough cops in the world to MAKE people drive on the right side of the line. \\n\\nA stronger example occurred in the LA riots a decade or so back. Law enforcement could not stop the looting. But a television image did. It was footage of a man carrying a freshly \"liberated\" TV set being set upon by a small gang robbed of it. Easier than going to the store, I suppose.\\n\\nBut the image brought home to people the eventual consequenses of anarchy, the idea that laws to protect propery were protecting THEIR property too. Due to this image, the SOCIAL CONTRACT again went into effect.\\n\\nSo my conclusion is that the social contract -- self-discipline and self-governance -- is the most important aspect of our society.", "You have to set your computer to actually boot to the disc. It won't automatcially read the disc.\\n\\nTo do this, while your computer is booting up, it should show you what button to press to enter BIOS (the button is different depending on who made the computer). Press this, and navigate yourself to your boot order, and tell it to boot from the CD.\\n\\nSome computers (some Dells, for example), will have a \"One-time boot\" option, which is more effective, as you don't have to change boot orders again.\\n\\nThis should help you out.", "British actor Sean Connery was the first James Bond.\\n\\nHe did a total of six movies as James Bond :: Dr. No (1962), From Russia With Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever (1971).\\n\\nSome say that he is the best bond of all and I totally agree with this statement.", "Cause France and Britain were fighting at the time and Britain was blockading our trade with France and kidnapping Our sailors and forcing them into the British Navy to Fight. USA declared war on British and the British Burned down DC, and teh President had to abandon the Capital, the only time in Hirstory that happened, Then in Baltimore they heard what happened in DC and the British were heading their to destroy the port of Baltimore, but Baltimorons were not afraid to fight and repelled the British afetr setting up defensive positions", "The United Kingdom is a country that consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In fact, the official name of the country is \"United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.\"\\nGreat Britain is the name of the island northwest of France and east of Ireland that consists of three somewhat autonomous regions: England, Wales and Scotland.\\n\\nTherefore, England is part of Great Britain, which is part of the United Kingdom. The U.K. includes England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are not countries but the United Kingdom is. The remaining portion of the island of Ireland (that which is not the U.K.'s Northern Ireland) is an independent country called the Republic of Ireland (Eire).", "Another example of people not learning their lessons:\\n\\nFrance was seriously pissed at Germany for taking the French territories of Alsace and Lorraine in the Franco Prussian war, and because of it France grew even more infuriated at Germany (classic rivals). Angry France got some allies (Britain, Belgium, Russia, Serbia) as did Germany (Austria-Hungary) and soon World War One started. After World War One, the allies (Mostly America, Britain and France) devastated Germany by making Germany pay their war debts and taking a great amount of German territory. What happened about twenty years later? A little something called World War Two.\\n\\n\\nGreat lessons are learned through the study of history" ]

[ "No, the claim is completely ridiculous, and easy to disprove. The claim doesn't say which retailer(s) are supposed to only make profits during holiday shopping, but, at least in the U.S., when we think \"retailers\", we think of Wal-Mart or Target.\n\nThe Wal-Mart web site shows that they turned a profit every quarter of 2013:\n\n\n2013Q1, US$1.14 EPS (earnings per share)\n2013Q2, US$1.24 EPS\n2013Q3 US$1.14 EPS\n\n\nThe Target web site shows:\n\n\n2013Q1, US$0.77 (GAAP EPS)\n2013Q2, US$0.95\n2013Q3, US$0.54\n\n\nAnd compare this to Walmart's 2012Q4 US$1.51 EPS, or Target's 2012Q4 $1.47 GAAP EPS and you can see that, if all else is equal, the last quarter of the year, which encompasses the holiday season, is more profitable. But it is not in any way the only profitable, nor is it significantly more profitable, such that one might choose to ignore the other 3/4 of the year.\n\nIt should be similarly easy to find the earnings per quarter of any publicly-traded retail company you fancy." ]

[ "First, as @littleadv mentions, and as I've pointed out before, anyone who participates in a market using limit orders (which, by the way, should be every non-professional investor) is by definition a market maker. So, I will assume that your question pertains both to official market makers and to \"retail investors\" using limit orders.\n\nWhen you remark that there are such \"tight spreads\" in \"liquid assets\", what you are really saying is \"wow, look at all the market makers in these products!\" That's the benefit of electronic trading and algorithmic traders -- millions of participants each with their own opinion of the value of a financial instrument, trying to find people who have very specifically opposing opinions of the value of that same instrument. This is called price discovery, and is the entire point of financial markets.\n\nSo, you ask why are there all these market makers present to create such tight spreads in assets like SPY? Answer: Because they can make money in these markets:\n\nImagine (towards a contradiction) that market makers thought they couldn't make money by offering tight spreads in SPY, and so SPY had a wider spread than it actually does. For example, say the highest bid for SPY was $99.98 and the lowest ask was $100.01. Now imagine that a market maker with perfect knowledge of the future came along knowing that he would be able to sell SPY for $100.01 in 5 minutes. Then he would load up as many buy orders as he could for $100.00 or lower. (He wouldn't bid $100.01 or higher because those trades would not be profitable according to his information -- at least not 5 minutes from now.) So the spread had previously been $0.03 and then suddenly it was $0.01, all because a market maker with better information came along and realized he could make money by creating a tighter market!\n\nNow, nobody has perfect knowledge of the future, which is why markets are never infinitely tight or infinitely liquid. Each market maker has to weigh possible profits against the probability that those profits will actually turn into losses. But if one market maker decides not to participate in a particular instrument, there's bound to be another market maker who will happily take his place. So the very fact that there are so many market participants with resting buy/sell orders for SPY right now is proof that there are market makers able to make money doing so. If they could not make money, they wouldn't be there, and the spread would be wider.\n\n10-15 years ago, before electronic trading and algorithmic trading, the number of market participants was far lower, and the spreads were far wider, meaning retail investors like you and me had a much harder time making money. The only people making money were the institutional investors, the brokers, and the exchanges. Now that all these new millions of players are present in the market, retail investors like you and me get to participate and make money too.", "Reviewing various state regulations on GoBYO, corking fees generally do not appear to be mandatory but instead optional for establishments that already have liquor licenses.\n\nBeverage sales generally represent some of the highest profit items for restaurants. Soda tends to have the highest margins since it is so cheap, but alcohol is easily a 200% or higher margin and sells per bottle/glass. If people can bring in their own beverages without paying, or just paying cost, it dramatically reduces the amount of money a restaurant can make.\n\nFor a retail beer store that lets you drink on premises, it's possible that they are now dealing with two sets of rules, one for selling and one for consumption, or that they have to take on higher insurance liabilities. You're also transforming retail space into dining space creating an opportunity cost. This would justify an increased cost. It would probably also wreck their general retail business if they tried not charging a corking fee. If you knew of a bar where you could buy beer at retail cost, wouldn't you go there all the time?", "There's several approaches to the stock market. The first thing you need to do is decide which you're going to take.\n\nThe first is the case of the standard investor saving money for retirement (or some other long-term goal). He already has a job. He's not really interested in another job. He doesn't want to spend thousands of hours doing research. He should buy mutual funds or similar instruments to build diversified holdings all over the world. He's going to have is money invested for years at a time. He won't earn spectacular amazing awesome returns, but he'll earn solid returns. There will be a few years when he loses money, but he'll recover it just by waiting.\n\nThe second is the case of the day trader. He attempts to understand ultra-short-term movements in stock prices due to news, rumors, and other things which stem from quirks of the market and the people who trade in it. He buys a stock, and when it's up a fraction of a percent half an hour later, sells it. This is very risky, requires a lot of attention and a good amount of money to work with, and you can lose a lot of money too. The modern day-trader also needs to compete with the \"high-frequency trading\" desks of Wall Street firms, with super-optimized computer networks located a block away from the exchange so that they can make orders faster than the guy two blocks away. I don't recommend this approach at all.\n\nThe third case is the guy who wants to beat the market. He's got long-term aspirations and vision, but he does a lot more research into individual companies, figures out which are worth buying and which are not, and invests accordingly. (This is how Warren Buffett made it big.) You can make it work, but it's like starting a business: it's a ton of work, requires a good amount of money to get going, and you still risk losing lots of it. \n\nThe fourth case is the guy who mostly invests in broad market indexes like #1, but has a little money set aside for the stocks he's researched and likes enough to invest in like #3. He's not going to make money like Warren Buffett, but he may get a little bit of an edge on the rest of the market. If he doesn't, and ends up losing money there instead, the rest of his stocks are still chugging along.\n\nThe last and stupidest way is to treat it all like magic, buying things without understanding them or a clear plan of what you're going to do with them. You risk losing all your money. (You also risk having it stagnate.) Good to see you want to avoid it. :)", "Helpful first post suggestions: When you describe an option position, you need to specify all of the details. In this case, are these puts or calls? Are you quoting the bid, the ask or the last trade? The details are apparent when I look at an option chain but the reader shouldn't have to look up the quotes.\n\nNow, some answers. These are illiquid options. The $40 put has an Open Interest (OI) of zero. That means that there are no contracts in existence. This illiquidity is also reflected by a closing bid of $0.00, a closing ask of $4.80 and a last trade of $2.40 which occurred who knows how long ago and at what price of VSAT? Although the ask price and last trade are slightly different for the $45 and $50 put, it's the same zero OI. There's no valid basis for comparison for any of these options.\n\nAnother tip off that this is bad data is that the last trade in all three of these strike prices ($40, $45, and $50) was $2.30 to $2.40 and yet the $60 put is $0.05 x $0.10 with a last trade of $0.10. The further out-of-the-money options are, the less they are worth. And yet the $40, $45 and $50 puts are worth 23 times the $60 put, based on the last trade? All of these puts are near worthless and this is just garbage quote time.", "If it's actually used, as in previously owned with real mileage, they should have disclosed that. If it's in new condition, or new condition with some amount of the discount being for shop wear or due to being a low-mileage return, then I would say there's nothing disingenuous about omitting the manufacture date unless asked directly.\n\nFor better or for worse, it's not the standard practice in bike shops to include the model year on the sticker, as is seen for example on a car lot. Maybe it's a reasonable question whether that makes the whole industry that much scummier, but following the practice doesn't make any particular shop especially scummy.\n\nMany who work at or run shops don't have great feelings about the industry's general insistence on model year cycles. The way it tends to play out is the model year cycle is one of the back industry's tools to generate sales based on perceived obsolescence, whereas we in shops know if a bike was good and worth standing behind 5 years ago, it very probably still is today. Meanwhile, however, the model year cycle creates a need in the retail environment to constantly worry about selling through stock before it becomes last year's model, an artificial panic which really doesn't do the retailer any good in the end. This is only to give some background about common attitudes in shops on the topic.", "In common law contract law, the price tag or posted price is only an invitation to treat. The offer and acceptance of the offer happen at the cash register. You are free to back out of the deal when you become aware of the higher price at the register.\n\nBarring a consumer protection law that forces vendors to honour listed prices, common law contract law applies.\n\nIt is hard to prove a negative and I have limited exposure to UK law, but these two articles lead me to believe that the UK doesn't have a law requiring vendors to honour posted prices:\n\n\nhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/money-saving-tips/10602641/Price-glitches-Do-retailers-have-to-honour-pricing-mistakes.html\n\n\n\n If an item is priced incorrectly on the shelf, or scans at the wrong price at the till, retailers are under no obligation to honour it, under the Sale of Goods Act.\n\n\n\nhttp://www.theguardian.com/money/2012/sep/10/does-shop-honour-price-shelf\n\n\n\n price tag is not a contract. It is an \"invitation to treat\" ie it is inviting the customer to make an offer to purchase and the retailer doesn't have to accept that offer. A contract is only formed when the shop accepts a payment", "This is from an article on VegNews from August of last year, and might answer your question, or at least give you a place to start looking for answers:\n\n\n On Friday, retailer Target informed Hampton Creek—makers of popular\n vegan condiment Just Mayo—that it would end its contract with the food\n technology company. On June 22, Target inexplicably removed all of the\n company’s 20 products from retail and online outlets after receiving a\n fraudulent letter that claimed, among other falsehoods, that Hampton\n Creek products could be contaminated with listeria and/or salmonella.\n At least one other retailer of Hampton Creek products received a\n similar letter, and, instead of removing products from shelves,\n contacted Hampton Creek directly to settle the issue. Last week,\n Hampton Creek announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)\n had cleared the company’s products of any potential health threats and\n revealed that its retail team had begun negotiations to be reinstated\n at Target. “To our surprise, Target informed us that sharing with the\n public the FDA’s conclusion that our products are safe somehow\n violated Target’s vendor communication guidelines,” Hampton Creek CEO\n Josh Tetrick said in a statement, wherein he also mentioned that the\n company’s vegan cookie dough was the best-seller (outselling\n similiarly positioned brands that contain animal products) at one\n major retailer prior to Target pulling its products. Tetrick told\n VegNews that the company will not pursue further action to reinstate\n its products at Target and that Hampton Creek will move forward in its\n pursuit to replace animal agriculture with plant-based foods, adding\n that the loss of Target’s distribution points will not pose a\n substantial financial threat to the company.", "Prices for rare or unique items are usually nearly meaningless numbers. What an item fetched at auction last week may have no bearing on what you might be able to buy it for today (possibly it would be literally priceless), and no bearing on what it might sell for tomorrow if it went to auction again. That said, a 1947 Cheval-Blanc last sold at auction in 2010 for £192,000. Who knows what Thomas Jefferson's Chateau Lafite 1787 would sell for if it came up for auction now (it sold in 1985 for $160,000).\n\nIf you restrict it to something you can actually buy now at retail, I think it would be tough to beat the 50 year old Balvenie (~£30,000) or 50 year old Macallan Lalique (~£50,000 if available?), but prices will be highly retailer dependent.\n\nNovelty bar drinks will probably be more expensive by volume, if anybody actually pays for them... but if you disqualify Diamond Is Forever from the Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo ($22,600) since you're paying for a $16,000 diamond inside the drink itself, and also disqualify drinks with any precious materials other than the liquids themselves (e.g. The Gigi from Gigi's at Mayfair for £8,888 gets you a bit of gold leaf) and further disqualify \"profits go to charity\"-type drinks (you can taste the Macallan Cire Perdue¹ for $64,000 at the £10 bar (lol) of Montage Beverly Hills hotel), you're probably left with whatever made-for-publicity drink currently holds the record. That might be Salvatore's Legacy at £5,500 from Playboy Club in Mayfair... but at this point, does it really matter? The prices would seem to just be part of the gimmick and a way of keeping score.\n\nTo try to answer the \"why\" part of the question explicitly, a price is only reflective of value to the extent that both a buyer and a seller can agree to transact at it. A ticket price only indicates willingness on a seller's part, and shouldn't be taken as evidence that it can in fact \"command\" that price. That said, while production costs (including storage, wastage, and opportunity costs) are a big reason why older wines and spirits tend to cost more, at the top end, rarity and perceived prestige will also play a big part. At auctions, though, most of it will come down to a few people with money who all want something of which only one exists. It's similar to how a print of what to my admittedly philistine eyes looks like a boring photograph of a not-particularly-pretty section of river can sell for millions.\n\n\n\n1: the Cire Perdue bottle itself was disqualified at the outset for being cheaper per liter than the wines and also not available at retail.", "Why do you say you are not adding value to the company? It sounds like you are doing work that will make your company more money in the future. Just because you are not earning money this year it doesn't mean you are not adding value (that's why people talk about 'adding value' rather than 'generating profits', which are more of a short term thing).\n\nIf you think the work you are doing now will make the company better in the future, go to your meeting ready to explain that. Perhaps you should also talk to the financial director and get some pointers for how he thinks this data mining project will benefit the company.\n\nOther reasons why you might be worth more in the next year than the last one include: \n\n\nYou've demonstrated your ability to do good work, whereas last year they were taking a chance\nYou've learned more about how the company works, so you are ready to be more productive in the future\nYou know more about the programming tools and methods used than you did last year.\n\n\nUltimately your offer will depend on how much the company agrees with this.", "Welcome to Money.SE. Please forgive what might sound like a cliche, \"How well do you sleep at night?\" I mean, specific to the mortgage. There are those who are in a group who consider debt, at any rate, to be inherently bad, and would not take on a 2% mortgage even if a different bank were offering 4% CDs. You just need to understand the risk. \n\nYour mortgage cost after taxes may be 2.625% (if you are in the 25% bracket) therefore, your break even is 3.09% for long term investments. The recent \"lost decade\" had a return of -9.5% for the full 10 year period. This is just about the worst decade in modern history. The average 10 year return is a cumulative 183% gain, with a standard deviation of 138%. If a perfect bell curve, this means that 1 10 year in 6 will give you a return under 45%. In fact, of the last 100 10 year periods, 15 had returns less than 45%, and just 8 were less than 30%, right in line with the bell curve stats.\n\nWe always need to say \"past performance is no guarantee of future results,\" yet, when it comes to the market (I use the S&amp;P for my numbers, by the way) we do have history to give us an idea of the kind of volatility we might see over the years. In my opinion, your approach is sound, and your returns very skewed to the positive, the median 10 year return being 138%, vs your cost of money of 40% or so for a decade. \n\nIt's pretty easy to pull S&amp;P data into a spreadsheet and analyze as you wish.", "I don't agree with the answer you read on quora. DEC did have a partner relationship with a certain kind of customer, namely engineering and science labs. Ken Olsen and the engineering staff at DEC all understood how scientists and engineers think and what they want.\nBut this was without any marketing specialists to act as liaisons.\nSometime in the 1970s, DEC began selling more to business types like banks and insurance companies. That's where the big money was. But the engineers didn't have an intuitive grasp of those customers' preferences.\nDEC continued to thrive with superior products but inferior marketing.\nWhen the desktop computer began to displace the minicomputer, they were completely unprepared to sell into that market. They didn't have a partnership model with retailers, and they couldn't make much money selling to retail customers. At this point in time, the quora answer makes sense.\nIBM's middle name was Business.\nDEC's middle name was Equipment.", "Adequate salaries would probably not be enough\n\n\nThat's true.\n\nSuperior salaries\n\nSuperior salaries are needed to attract superior staff. There are many examples of companies that pay (significantly) above-average salaries so they can attract the best. This is true in retail (The Container Store), tech (Google), and other industries. I see no reason why it would be different in academia. While salary is not the only thing that matters it does matter a great deal. Countless research on motivation (Herzberg, Ariely, Pink) shows that what is important is to pay enough that people stop thinking about money. If people are just \"getting by\" then they will be thinking about money rather than thinking about how to be the best in their field.\n\nFreedom\n\nOnce you get the money right, you need to give freedom (as written in the comment by Sverre). Hire the best and get out of their way. Yes, support them but do not \"tie their hands\" and make them do things because \"it has always been that way.\" This is one point which it should be both easy for your university to do as well as to convince candidates that it is true. Your school is young and so has not been doing things the same way for 50 years. Let the candidates know they will have freedom to do as they see fit.\n\nSupport\n\nGiving freedom does not mean abandoning them. If your teachers want start producing videos, acquire the tools they will need. If they want to experiment and they need help, help them. If they are not from the area, help them transition. Be open and supportive.", "I don't know if Amazon breaks out downloads such as Kindle or movies from the non-AWS part of income statement. You might look at the annual filing to see if there is a breakdown. You are interested in &quot;retail&quot;. If we take &quot;retail&quot; to mean non-AWS then we can use the table I posted. It looks like in 9 recent months retail made 5.7B USD in North America and AWS made 9.9B USD. This is only an operating profit so expect actual profit to be less. If they had overestimated depreciation rates and surged retail investment then it might be that reducing retail investment will increase the retail profit margin. The retail operating margin looks like 3.5% in North America and 0.5% international. At Walmart it was 4.0%. So Amazon is delivering and they make a similar amount on a margin basis in at least in North America albeit the nature of the goods is different. The international segment is the laggard at Amazon.\n\nFor comparison is this Walmart statement that follows. Note that at Amazon the recent data column is to the right of the &quot;year ago&quot; column and at Walmart the order of the columns is the opposite...", "What do you need help with? Asking us should you quit your job? We cannot answer that. \n\nA few advises. \n\nIf you plan to quit your job and do freelance, take this into consideration:\n\n\nDo you have enough money to pay bills for 1 year? Yes, 1 year. \nWrite down all your clients and count how many hours of work they all can bring in 1 month. Be realistic and lead by your current amount of work with them. \nThink about how many clients you can surely attract in 1 year. Think about sources you will attract them from. \nIf you start freelancing, you may have to raise your price. Are your client ready to pay that price? You may lose more than half of them. \nWrite a note to your clients saying that you plan to do freelance full time and ask them to predict how much work they can give you monthly. You may be surprised. \n\n\nThe 1st year will be tough. Design is usually less paid in freelance world that programming. Thinking \"if work 5 hours a day, I can make the same money\" is wrong. Can you make 25 hours of work weekly? Each week in a year? We freelancers always think in a way \"if I work 40 hours at this rate, I would be rich\", but it's hard to find full week of work every week. \n\nAlso think of all expenses you may have working freelance: extra office, extra costs on bills, etc.", "If you have an unpaid invoice under GBP £5000, then you can use the UK courts 'small claims services' It will cost money , but a refusal to pay after such a claim will be recorded at Companies House in UK and reflect on their annual public reports. Note you need advice on this. I threatened many years ago to use this against a company and it brought payment somewhat rapidly thereafter. I then changed to make sure I never issued any invoice for a sum above GBP £5,000.00 Putting in my terms that all amounts must be paid fortnightly. \"within 15 days of invoice date\"\nYou need legal advice on this so do get it before using. There may be some on small debts services site : https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money.\nI hope this helps.", "I really welcome your approach of listening to the customer and wanting to keep what has been a really good customer! Just saying 'don't lower your rates' is not a very helpful approach. It's been my motto as a freelancer to try and save my clients money for years and it's paid very well :)\n\nSome ideas:\n\n\nWhat you can reduce, without lowering your rates, is the time you spend on the project. Instead of ad-hoc work, collect enough bugs throughout the week and then spend 1 or 2 days of focused work.\nCap the budget and help the client prioritise which bugs to fix. Or if the trust is there, you prioritise the bugs that are important. Then say 'I've fixed x,y,z and we've reached the budget cap. Do you want to spend 1/2 day extra this week or keep the bugs until next week? In my experience, they will often spend the extra money anyway.\n\n\nAll of this shows you care and are listening to your client's concerns. That is all that matters. This is where you build trust and create a really deep,long-lasting relationship. And you may find that they will continue to pay you the same amount as before.\n\nGood luck &amp; let us know how it goes!", "There is a general principle that the answer to \"Would this extremely simple strategy make money?\" is \"No\". This is the \"no free lunch\" or \"no arbitrage\" rule. It isn't exactly a physical law, but it is a pretty decent approximation of reality. (A more nuanced version is, maybe it can make some money, but only in proportion to the difficulty, risk, and expense of executing the strategy.)\n\nYour strategy as stated is incomplete. You need to say what happens for a stock when the price goes down from the open. Do you keep holding it to close? Or set some stop-loss and sell then? Keep holding it overnight so you don't have to repurchase at the next day's open? \n\nLets say you do that last version: keep holding. Then consider the results. Classify stocks as \"winners\" if they generally trend up during a day, \"mixed\" if they bounce up and down, and \"losers\" if they generally trend down during a day. At the start of the day you have a portfolio of everything. But you soon sell out of the winners and mixed stocks for a tiny profit on each. By the end of the day you are only holding losers. Do you expect this to outperform the buy-and-hold-everything strategy? I would bet even without transaction costs it doesn't, and with transaction costs it throws away money like crazy.", "You had added the conditions in a wrong way. IF(condition, success, fail). Here is the correct way of your formula.\n\n=IF(Today() &gt;= DATE(YEAR([Hired])+2,MONTH([Hired]),DAY([Hired])),\nIF([Courses]=\"Class1\",DATE(YEAR([Last Taken])+1,MONTH([Last Taken]),DAY([Last Taken])),\nIF([Courses]=\"Class2\",DATE(YEAR([Last Taken])+1,MONTH([Last Taken]),DAY([Last Taken])),\nIF([Courses]=\"Class3\",DATE(YEAR([Last Taken])+3,MONTH([Last Taken]),DAY([Last Taken])),\"\"))))\n\n\nNote: I did not change any condition to check your requirement. Just corrected the formatting of your formula.\n\nAs I see your updated requirement, only 1 condition is needed to check if the date hired date is older than 2 years and assigning next due as year+3. Rest all have Year+1. SO here is the formula you should use.\n\n=IF(AND(TODAY()&gt;=DATE(YEAR([Hired])+2,MONTH([Hired]),DAY([Hired])),[Courses]=\"Class3\"),\nDATE(YEAR([Last Taken])+3,MONTH([Last Taken]),DAY([Last Taken])),\nDATE(YEAR([Last Taken])+1,MONTH([Last Taken]),DAY([Last Taken])))\n\n\nFormula is tested so it should not give you invalid formula error.", "No chance. The economy is heading for a deep recession, because of an exogenous fall in demand (think of a supply and demand graph, where demand falls drastically, and so Q and P falls). Recessions most of the time mean less inflation (firms sell less). Exceptions are called stagflation and are fairly uncommon, except in totally destroyed economies where inflation is a deep cause of the recession, like in Venezuela.\n\n\nnumbers are most likely calculated by looking at needs, size of market, etc. In most cases these stimulus are funds. They are money to be put in a box and taken as needed. Not all might be used.\na lot of funds are targeted and not given directly as cash to people. In any case, people won't be spending the money as crazy, partly because there is little on which to spend it (no eat out, no holidays). Plus all the uncertainty about how long this will last make people averse to spend it. Wage costs are low and partly subsidized too so firms won't increase prices.", "Main considerations:\n\n\nsource of materials. \n\n\nObviously more oil is a bad thing. This casts aspersions on any plastic too.\n\n\nLongevity. \n\n\nA shoe that lasts for 10 years is a 20 times the value of one that lasts for half a year.\n\n\nCost of making. \n\n\nCost is a measure of crystallized sweat. Energy. Labour. Cheaper is better. Cost != Retail Price, although often they are proportional. \n\n\nLocality\n\n\nSomething that you make is better than something downtown. Downtown is better than next county. Next county is better than China.\n\nTurning that into pragmatic answers:\n\n\nSandals made from old tires are a big win. The tires already exist, so making sandals isn't really an eco cost. Unless you walk for a living they are good for decades. I see these throughout central and south America. Price in Peru was about 20 sols-- about $2\nRope soled shoes. Don't last nearly as long. You can find them on Instructables if you want to make your own.\nLeather moccasins. As long as we eat cow, we may as well use the wrappers the bovines come in. This is also something you can do for yourself from the internet.\nGo barefoot. Not a full time answer, but your feet toughen up a lot, and you can get away with it when not at work most of the time.\nBuy used shoes at Salvation Army, Goodwill and other such stores. This is tough as someone else's shoes can be worn in patterns that cause you foot and knee grief.", "For each individual beekeeper, it depends. The price of bee products (honey, pollen, etc.) change over time, and so does the price of pollination services that beekeepers provide.\n\nBut it seems like pollination currently produces more revenue overall, at least in North America.\n\n\n Today, many beekeepers make at least half of their annual income not from selling honey, but rather from renting their hives to farmers to pollinate crops nationwide. (SciAm)\n\n\nHoney\n\nEach hive of bees can make 20-60 pounds of honey per year and beekeepers can sell it at wholesale for anywhere from $2/lb (low wholesale) to $6/lb (high retail), allowing for total revenue of $40-$360 per hive-year. At least one beekeeper managed $500 per hive-year. Beekeepers can increase their profits by selling beeswax, bee pollen, and propolis.\n\nPollination\n\nThe practice of migratory beekeeping (transporting hives in trucks) allows beekeepers to perform multiple engagements each year. Three engagements, each lasting a bit more than a month, is a reasonable estimate. Different agricultural crops fetch different prices, anywhere from $60-$160 per hive. So migratory beekeepers might bring in $450-$500/hive-year.\n\nAnecdotes\n\n\nThe vice-president of the BC Honey Producers Assocation claims he can generate $1000/hive-year through retail honey sales and hive-splitting but only $100/hive-year for pollination services.\nAlmond growers in California may pay as much as $200/hive to bring in bees when the almond trees are flowering.", "Yes. In the US these are called certificates of deposit or savings accounts. Every run-of-the-mill bank offers them. You give the bank money and in return they pay you an interest rate that is some fraction of or (negative) offset from the returns they expect to make from your money.\n\nSince most investments that a bank makes (say, loaning money to a local business) are themselves based on some multiple of or (positive) offset from the prime rate, in return the interest rate that they offer you is also mathematically based on the prime rate.\n\nYou can find lists of banks offering the best returns on CDs or savings accounts at sites like BankRate.", "Here is the website where you could get all the visa information if applying in India:\n\nNorway\n\n\n What is an appropriate amount of money to have in the account?\n\n\nActually most Schengen countries require at least 50 to 60 Euros per day plus air travel expenses. Norway is one of the most expensive countries to visit, therefore if you are visiting for 9 days you have to have 600 to 700 euros plus the cost of your airline ticket. Nowadays most travel agents and tour operators suggests to show at least 2500 euros if you are visiting for 10 to 15 days. \n\nAlthough these are the minimum requirement to satisfy the visa officer that you can maintain yourself during your stay in Schengen states, you still need to convince the visa officer that you earned all these money lawfully in India by providing at least last 6 months bank statements along with official maintenance letter signed by the bank manager:\n\n1 If employed :\n\n\nEmployment contract with payslips last 3 to 6 months.\nLeave permission from employer\nIncome Tax Return (ITR) form or Certificate of Income Tax deducted at\nthe source of salary\n\n\n2 If self employed\n\n\nCompany registration certificate with relevant authorities plus copy\nof your business license\nCompany bank statement of the latest 6 months plus maintenance\ncertificate\nIncome Tax Return (last 2 to 3 years)\n\n\n\n Flights/accommodation are already paid in full. Can I still be\n rejected because of a low balance?\n\n\nYes, it is written in all Schengen visa application that \"compliance with required documents doesn't necessarily means that a visa would be issued\".\n\nAlso it is advisable from most Schengen embassies/consulates that do not purchase any tour package and airline ticket until a visa has been approved, same is written in embassy of Norway visa document checklist:\n\n\" (Do not buy the ticket until a visa has been granted. Note: If the application is approved, the visa will be issued according to the dates on the booking).\"", "Each security has its own set of trading days on which the market is open for trading. For stocks, typically this excludes weekends (Note: NYSE traded on Saturdays until Sep 1952) and also excludes designated public holidays. There are some extraordinary events that also affect weather the market is open - in recent times these are weather or terrorist-related.\n\nIndividual stocks may also have trading halts/suspensions applied to them, which can last several days in some cases.\n\nA good way of normalizing your date series is to use the dates from a known good index, such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (for US stocks).\n\nBeware of futures trading because the holiday schedule is different for each futures contract. The exchanges publish a detailed set of session closes for each market. Futures can also exhibit limit up/limit down moves where trading is halted for the rest of the trading session.\n\nSpot forex typically trades all weekdays except for Christmas Day and New Years Day. Some new exotic exchanges (such as Bitcoin) trade every day.\n\nSince the markets are closed for trading, interpolation is not applicable since you cannot trade anyway. \n\nIf you are backtesting trading strategies with multiple legs or use calculations across multiple securities/indexes, you should reconsider whether any signals are applicable in these scenarios.", "They make their profit either by buying at a discount the same as other retailers, or by selling at a premium to buyers who don't notice that the book is available at a lower price.\n\nHow they buy books:\n\n\nAt the retail price from CreateSpace's or Amazon's store, same as any other retail customer.\nAt the wholesale price (60% discount from retail price) through CreateSpace's extended distribution program, same as any other retailer.\n\n\nHow they do this:\n\n\nThey use automation or cheap labor to watch CreateSpace, and when a new book appears, they use automation or cheap labor to list it. So their cost to list a new book is very, very low.\nBecause the books they list are print-on-demand, they do not need to stock books. So their cost to carry a book in their \"inventory\" is very, very low.\nThey often apply a large markup. I have seen some of my $4.99 books listed at $30 or more.\n\n\nWhy they do this:\nTheir costs are so low that they can make a profit even at very low volume, even at very low markup.\n\nHow this affects your royalties:\nYour royalty is the same as any other book sold through CreateSpace (retail or wholesale) or Amazon:\n\n\nIf the bookseller buys the book through CreateSpace's retail store, you get the same royalty as if CreateSpace had sold the book to any other retail customer (list price minus printing costs).\nIf the bookseller buys from Amazon, you get the same royalty as if Amazon had sold the book to any other retail customer (list price, minus Amazon's 40% cut, minus printing costs).\nIf the bookseller buys through CreateSpace's extended distribution program, you get the same royalty as if CreateSpace had sold the book to any other retailer (list price, minus the retailer's 60% \"extended distribution\" discount, minus printing costs).", "Given that the 'efficiency' of Peltier/Seebeck/thermoelectric systems is very, very bad — even under ideal conditions — if one manufacturer comes up with a low-efficiency design, you are effectively comparing very, very bad with very, very, very bad.\n\nIf you want one of these things because they just look cool, then fine. If you want to use it to impress your friends, then fine. If you want to use it as an educational tool, then fine. If you are off-grid and have zero access to electricity, then fine. Otherwise, if you just want to mix the air in your room efficiently and inexpensively, consider the following:\n\nA 'large' 12V computer fan (e.g. the 200mm NF-A20 FLX from Noctua) can draw less than 1W when running at maximum speed (actually 0.96W @ 800RPM). All 3-pin fans can run at lower speeds (and be much quieter) by simply dropping the voltage. A Low Noise Adapter is included with each of the above fans, does just that, and drops RPM down to 550 and power draw to 0.66W. At that speed it's virtually silent and circulates 100.8m&sup3; per hour — which I suspect would be more than sufficient to meet your needs.\n\nIf your search showed thermoelectric stove fans ranging between &pound;25 and &pound;100, then the middle of that range would be &pound;62.50. Given that a NF-A20 costs &pound;27 from Amazon.uk with free delivery, you'd have &pound;35.50 left over if you bought one of those instead. If you are paying 15p/kWh, then &pound;35.50 would pay for 236.667kWh of electricity. It would take the NF-A20 about (236667/0.66=) 355,000 hours / 14,791 days / 40.5 years of continuous use to consume 236.667kWh of electricity.\n\nThe Mean Time Between Failure of the NF-A20 is 150,000 hours / 6,250 days / 17.1 years of continuous use and Noctua backs that up with a 6-year warranty. By contrast, most thermoelectric stove fans have warranties of only a year and die around then. Some of the better ones have 2 year warranties. I haven't personally seen any with a 3 year (or longer) warranty. I doubt that any have a 6 year warranty. Most of the ones I've read about lasted between 1 and 2 years before failing.\n\nSo:\n\n\nthermoelectric stove fans on a seasonal duty cycle last ~2 years\ncomputer fans on continuous cycle can last ~17 years\nthe money you save buying the latter can power it for ~40 years\n\n\nA little bit of easy math shows that thermoelectric stove fans don't make financial sense if you have access to electricity and mixing air efficiently and inexpensively is what you are actually trying to accomplish.\n\nComputer fans are not the only way to mix air, of course. Even a regular ceiling fan would probably end up cheaper (and be more effective) in the long run. You can also do the same thing with some copper/aluminium pipe and a pipe bender — although that is definitely a different aesthetic. There are lots of choices (none of which exploit the thermoelectric effect, and some of which are completely passive).\n\nBefore spending money on a thermoelectric stove fan of any kind, I'd encourage you to look into the other options.\n\nIn essence, thermoelectric stove fans are primarily an expensive gimmick/toy. It makes virtually no sense for the vast majority of the population to buy one.", "Probably yes. There is a time gap between the two days. During that time gap it's likely that there was a market being made (and trading going on) for that security outside of what your data captures. If there was no market and no relevant news or market movement taking place in between days, then you could argue for keeping the data together.", "Route-by-route load factors are proprietary information which airlines guard zealously— why inform your competitors about where you're making your money and where there's slack in the system? Indeed, in 2004, now-defunct JetsGo sued WestJet accusing the latter of stealing domestic load factor data, and of using that information to \"gain an unfair competitive advantage over Jetsgo and prey upon Jetsgo's business and operations by targeting both profitable and vulnerable routes, flight times and fares.\"\n\nThe best we can do is make guesses on flight-by-flight load factors based on things like available fares. After all, a flight that has plenty of T fares at 21 days out probably isn't that full. Some airlines, like United, offer an \"Expert Mode\" interface where you can see available booking classes. You could alternatively subscribe to a service like ExpertFlyer, which has the same information for multiple airlines.\n\nI would caution that seat maps are notoriously unreliable guides, as not everyone selects a seat prior to the day of departure. The seat map may be wide open, but that's because it doesn't include the tour group of 24 scheduled to be on that flight.\n\nI would add that steady capacity reductions over the last 5-10 years, enabled by airline mergers and forced by high fuel prices, mean that most flights on network carriers will be very full. As recently as 2005, United would a block middle seat as an unpublished perk for Premier Executives, but I can't tell you the last flight I've been on where the middle seat has been empty, even in Economy Plus.", "Check out the following on Quandl:\n\nUS Census Bureau database - search for \"grocery sales\" within the database and you'll see data for retail grocery sales\n\nFederal Reserve Economic Data database - search for \"grocery sales\" within the database and you'll see data for sales by grocery chain stores\n\nUS Industry Aggregates - search for \"grocery sales\" within the database and you'll see grocery stores aggregate sales, aggregate cash flow etc (this is a premium database)\n\nHope this helps! \n\n[Disclosure: I work for Quandl]", "Yes, you have to pay it. The person you borrowed the shares from is entitled to the dividend, whether small or large.\nYou are likely to have enough cash in your account to pay the dividend, because you are required to maintain margin for the short position.\nOf course, the stock price (all else equal) will go down by a similar amount on ex-dividend day, so you will make an offsetting gain on the short position.\nThe dividend you pay may be tax-deductible:\n\nSo long as you keep your short position open for longer than 45 days, then you're allowed to deduct payments in lieu of dividends on short sales as investment interest... [Otherwise] you're not allowed to deduct those payments as itemized deductions. Instead, you have to treat them as part of the total price you paid to buy the shares to close the position, so the payment becomes part of the capital gain or loss you realize on your short sale.\nNote that there's a special IRS rule to deal with special dividends. If a dividend is greater than 10% of the price of a share of common stock or 5% of a preferred stock, then the required holding period becomes a year, rather than 45 days.", "One ESPP I am familiar with also offers a 15% discount on stock and a max of 10% of salary. Deductions are taken from each paycheck and stock purchases are made twice a year. It also has the feature that the 15% discount is applied to the lower of the stock price at the beginning or end of the period.\n\nFor contributions made at the beginning of a period, this gives a minimum annualized return on investment of about 38%. For the final contribution of the period, the return is 1,143,160,976%, according to this calculator https://www.calculator.net/roi-calculator.html. (Invest $85 for 4 days and receive $100.) The return averaged over the 6 month period is over 90% APR.\n\nThose returns are based on the assumption that the stock goes down during the period. If the stock goes up, the return is even higher, since the purchase price is less than 85% of the current price at the end of the period.\n\nConclusion: It would be crazy not to take advantage of this opportunity. The only risk is that the stock plummets between the time it is purchased and the time you sell it. For the risk averse, the company offers automatic sale 1-2 days after the purchase.", "Coming from a door to door vacuum salesman, I would have to bring up a point regarding standard retail store vacuum quality. \n\nThese vacuums are intended for basic cleaning, the beater bar and other components of a vacuum simply are not designed with standards. You can easily \"kill\" a ANY vacuum purchased at walmart, target, and other big retail stores in your area.\n\nKirby, FilterQueen, Electrolux and others are simply in a different breed of \"Quality\". If you are needing a vacuum that is going to hold up to your environment, and at the same time provide proper micron filtering (HEPA quality) to prevent indoor air pollution (HUGE DIFFERENCE with these vacuums stated above), you should serious invest in one of the higher quality vacuums. You should be able to find one of these in a local shop that specializes in \"Vacuums\". I would not shy from 2nd hand ones either as these vacuums are PROVEN to last many many many more years than your Dirt Devil or Dyson. (Do a good clean, replace ALL filters before using the vacuum inside your home if you buy a 2nd hand one).\n\nGL" ]

[ "Commentator Jeff Steinbrink says he's disappointed at the possibility that the universe is flat, rather than round or curved, as previous theories held. He wishes the shape of the universe were more exciting." ]

[ "So, a Twitter spat between astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and rapper B.o.B over the flat Earth theory has turned into a full-blown rap battle (and it's way better than Drake vs. Meek Mill). B.o.B, whom you might know from his hits \"Airplanes,\" \"Nothin' On You\" and \"Strange Clouds,\" kicked things off Monday when he started tweeting about how he believes the Earth is flat. He also tweeted about why he believes NASA is hiding the truth about the edge of the world. And he shared several meaningless diagrams about the planet including one about flight routes. The rapper fired off more than 50 tweets, saying things like \"I'm going up against the greatest liars in history ... you've been tremendously deceived,\" before Tyson took to Twitter to respond. In a short series of tweets, Tyson explained why the Earth was round. He tweeted: \"Earth's curve indeed blocks 150 (not 170) ft of Manhattan. But most buildings in midtown are waaay taller than that.\" \"Polaris is gone by 1.5 deg S. Latitude. You've never been south of Earth's Equator, or if so, you've never looked up.\" \"Flat Earth is a problem only when people in charge think that way. No law stops you from regressively basking in it.\" Tyson's last tweet to B.o.B was, \"Duude — to be clear: Being five centuries regressed in your reasoning doesn't mean we all can't still like your music.\" So, naturally, B.o.B whipped up a song about the why the Earth is flat, called \"Flatline,\" that expanded on the theory, called out Tyson by name and also name-dropped David Irving, a renowned Holocaust denier. Here's one line: \"Aye, Neil Tyson need to loosen up his vest / They'll probably write that man one hell of a check.\" Here's another: \"I see only good things on the horizon / That's probably why the horizon is always rising / Indoctrinated in a cult called science / And graduated to a club full of liars.\" You can read the full lyrics on Gawker. That was Monday night. Tuesday afternoon, Tyson dropped his own dis track, called \"Flat To Fact,\" written and rapped by his nephew, Stephen Tyson. He tweeted: \"As an astrophysicist I don't rap, but I know people who do. This one has my back.\" Here's a sample: \"Very important that I clear this up / You say that Neil's vest is what he needs to loosen up? / The ignorance you're spinning helps to keep people enslaved, I mean mentally.\" And Tyson's rap didn't pull any punches: \"All those strange clouds must be messing with your brain.\" \"I think it's very clear that Bobby didn't read enough / And he's believing all this conspiracy theory stuff.\" You have to hear it to believe it. Alarmingly, B.O.B isn't the first celebrity flat Earth truther. Earlier this month, Tila Tequila, of MTV fame, fired off a series of tweets demanding proof the Earth was round. Hopefully, Tyson's track is the last word, or rap, on the matter.", "I'm a sucker for a stuttered guitar sound. It's a sound I came to love listening to Fela Kuti and other African greats in the '70s and '80s. American rockers often tend to crank their gritty guitars to 10 — they get loud and gritty about two and a half minutes into the tune. But it's that sweeter, stuttered sound that grabs me right away; you can hear it these days in bands like Fool's Gold or Vampire Weekend. BRAINSTORM is from Portland, Ore., and has an album coming on Oct. 2 called Heat Waves. I asked the band to tell us about \"Flat Earth,\" a tune that seems to be about two people with diverging visions of life. In an email, drummer and singer Adam Baz told us what he hoped to convey in the song, as well as its inspiration. Read More \"Flat Earth\" is kind of our take on your classic heartbroken love song. Yet, both lyrically and musically, it presents those themes abstractly. The song is about a relationship that dissolves because the two lovers have fundamentally different beliefs in life. There's no fight, infidelity or tragic accident, as you might expect from a song of that nature. The conflict is deeper. It sits in the very ways they approach the world. She is rational, a traditionalist. Straight in her course, she knows the world is round and that fate is uncontrollable. He is a lost dreamer. The earth appears flat to him; he believes that fate will hold them together, and he can't see the world as she sees it. And so she slowly fades away from him, and his world becomes dark. I think those themes just followed naturally from the nostalgic throwback feel of the beginning verse. We were riffing on classic '60s groups like The Ronettes or The Shangri-Las. There's some perfect teenage couple driving on a winding road overlooking the city, listening to a crackling AM radio; that archetypal kind of American imagery. The middle section of the song, which has a much more driving and ecstatic feel, came later, and was inspired by '70s Afro-Colombian songs. Given the change of mood that this section created, we decided to make the lyrics shift, as well. All of a sudden, there is hope for the despairing lovers: Opposites attract, the poles rejoice, and maybe they find some common ground in the end. You can find out more about this album from the Tender Loving Empire.", "It is the season to give thanks and here at 13.7 it shouldn’t be any different. Let’s lift our heads up a bit and take a good look around. No, this is not going to be a depressing romp about the state of the economy or the nation or the world. Look further up, to the sky. We are here to celebrate and celebrate we will. Let’s start with our universe. What an amazing place to be alive! Some 200 billion galaxies, each with some 200 billion stars, a good fraction of them with planets, and these planets with moons. Trillions of worlds besides our own, each unique, each with its own history, with its own mysteries and wonders. If Copernicus thought (he didn’t, but many who followed him did) that displacing the Earth from the center of the cosmos would make the cosmos and the Earth less interesting, he was quite wrong. This expanding fabric of space, with texture so rich we couldn’t have imagined even 20 years ago, will never cease to amaze us. What’s beyond space? What happened before the big bang, the event that kick-started time? These are the questions so many want to understand. Can we? Yes, we can! After The Jump: Prepare To Have Your Mind Boggled Our present measurements — and remember, all we can say about the world is what we can measure of it; the rest may be cool to talk about in parties but it’s speculation until measured — indicate that space is flat: this means that it goes on forever. Now, do we know that for sure? Not really. All we can say is that the portion of space that we can measure, that is, the portion that is delimited by the distance light traveled since the initial bang 13.7 billion years ago, is flat or very very nearly so. Think of a beach and the horizon in the distance. You know the ocean doesn’t end there, just what you can see of it. Well, it's the same with space. We can see as far as light traveled since the beginning of time, a staggering 45 billion lightyears, in round numbers. Beyond that there is more space, and probably more galaxies, more stars, more planets. (Why 45 billion lightyears and not 13.7? Because light gets a “push” from the cosmic expansion as a surfer riding on a wave and covers a larger distance than only 13.7 billion light-years.) How can we be so certain? Because our measurements tell us that the laws of physics and chemistry are the same across the vastness of space. How mind-boggling is that? We can tell what a star is made of without ever needing to go there; we can tell how galaxies formed some 10 billion years ago, way before Earth even existed. As we look into space we look into the past: the farther away, the farther into the beginning. Who said there is no magic in science? And what about “the” beginning? Well, we don’t really know. But we do know a lot of the cosmic history all the way down to one trillionth of a second after the big bang. Not too bad for a science that is only about 400 years old, right? We also know that there isn’t much sense in asking what happened before the big bang. Kind of asking who were you before you were born. Since there was no time ticking for you, there was no you. As Saint Augustine cleverly said some 16 centuries ago, space and time came into being with the cosmos. No cosmos, no space and no time. If only it were so simple. Some speculate that our Universe is just a chunk of a much larger (how large?) entity, a multiverse that represents all possible realizations of universes. Or almost all. In each of them, the laws of nature may be different, and most would blatantly fail to become anything interesting. As in no life. So, give thanks to our universe, the one among the many that has the right properties to live long enough so that galaxies and stars can form, and then planets and, in some of them, life. But wait! Don’t get carried away. Our universe couldn’t care less about life or about preserving it. Be suspicious of arguments that claim that our universe is just right for life! Just look at our cosmic neighbors, barren worlds, desolate and fascinating. Strip away our thin atmosphere, our protective magnetic and ozone shields and Earth would turn barren too, a dead world incapable of harboring life. (Or at least complex life. Maybe simple life is resilient enough to survive in very extreme conditions.) So, it’s not really to the universe that we should be giving thanks but to Earth itself, our amazing, life-bearing, life-preserving planet. The more we move outwards to explore other worlds, the more remarkable our own becomes. We should all, collectively as a species, be giving thanks to our world. Most of all, for its patience in taking so much abuse from us and still letting us stick around. Few mothers would be this patient.", "It's Pitch Perfect meets March Madness. Well, almost. The competition might lack the drama, stage fright and screaming fans of a live singing competition, but hundreds of collegiate a cappella groups from across the country submitted their best videos for the UpStaged National Collegiate Performing Arts A Cappella Championship. Organizers announce the final four teams heading into a championship round Wednesday: The Harvard Opportunes with their version of \"All For Us\" (Labrinth ft. Zendaya) The Vanderbilt Melodores with an Ariana Grande medley BYU Vocal Point from Brigham Young University with \"Circle of Life\" from The Lion King Penn Masala from the University of Pennsylvania with a mashup of Ed Sheeran's \"Castle On The Hill\" and the Bollywood song \"Ilahi\" An audience that topped 150,000 people voted these groups into the Final Four, the competition's organizers say. Annette Philip, one of the judges during the earlier rounds, says she was \"overwhelmed and really just feeling so much joy\" over the four finalists. Philip is a member of the Berklee College of Music faculty and a longtime a cappella singer with the group Women of the World. \"The four final entries really spoke to the amazing diversity and the richness of a cappella music that is today,\" she says. Some of the vocal groups submitted videos that were made before the pandemic. UpStaged judge Christopher Diaz says he was thrilled to see other groups take on the challenge of making videos during lockdown. Even though it didn't reach the Final Four, one of his favorites was the Doox of Yale arrangement of the Nick Jonas song \"Levels,\" which was made on a Zoom call. \"They have all these flashing boxes with really kind of creative things happening in each of the boxes,\" Diaz says excitedly. \"And it made me feel like, 'Wow, this is on Zoom, but this is the kind of Zoom call I'd like to be on.' \" The UpStaged competition was as much about video producing and editing skills as it was about singing. Brigham Young's video was shot in the spring of 2019 on the Salt Flats in Utah with the singers surrounded by gorgeous mountains. BYU senior Carson Trautman says the group has tried to find ways to rehearse during the pandemic. For a while they did it in the school's football stadium. \"So we were like 20 feet apart,\" he says. Using in-ear monitors, he says they could hear themselves and one another when they sang into the mic. \"But then it started getting really cold,\" he laughs. Now Trautman says they're practicing indoors, wearing masks and staying socially distant. The Harvard Opportunes are not singing together at all right now. \"It's really sad. I miss it so much,\" says singer and junior Ben Dreier. He also misses competing in person. While the group is very proud to be in the final four of UpStaged, he says the video competition didn't produce \"the same butterflies\" as performing in-person does. But he notes \"You can't have that right now.\" During this pandemic, \"we've been grateful to have any amount of competition,\" he says. A cappella groups that make it to the final rounds win cash prizes for charities of their choosing. Rose Friedman edited and Ryan Benk produced this story for radio. Meghan Sullivan edited and produced for the Web.", "NPR's Planet Money team is manufacturing its own T-shirt. After the women's shirt was assembled in Colombia, they voyaged by container ship to Miami. The container, a big standardized box that moves easily from truck to ship to train, is the unsung hero of the global economy. It was invented in the 1950s and dramatically reduced shipping costs, ushering in a new era vastly different than the world retired stevedores remember. There's a whole lot more about what it takes to make a simple T-shirt — the journey from cotton to completion — here. ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST: From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel. MELISSA BLOCK, HOST: And I'm Melissa Block. Our Planet Money commissioned a T-shirt and all this week they've been reporting on the global economic machine that made it, and it is a global machine. The men's T-shirts traveled half way around the world and back. Cotton grown in Mississippi was sent to Indonesia to be spun into yarn. The yarn went to Bangladesh where it was made into shirts. Those shirts then traveled back to the U.S., 20,000 miles, for a humble T-shirt. David Kestenbaum caught up with the Planet Money's women's T-shirts where they were made in Colombia. And he has the story of the often ignored innovation that made all this traveling possible. DAVID KESTENBAUM, BYLINE: This innovation, you can see it at any port. Actually it's about all you see. (SOUNDBITE OF BEEPING) KESTENBAUM: It's like you're in a maze of containers. UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: (Foreign language spoken) KESTENBAUM: Shipping containers, you've seen them even if you don't know it. That truck next to you on the road, sometimes the back of it, the back of that truck, it is a container that not long ago had been on a ship, and before that maybe on the other side of the world. One of the advantages of containers is that they're pretty much identical. That is not an advantage though if you're trying to find a particular one, as I was at this port in Cartagena, Colombia. UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: (Foreign language spoken) KESTENBAUM: Out T-shirts were scheduled to be loaded by crane onto a ship bound for Miami. I knew the shirts were in a blue shipping container with a number on it which, frankly, was not a lot of help. Fortunately my colleague Marianne McCune, who had watched the T-shirts get packed, helpfully wrote the words Planet Money on our container using what she had with her, in lipstick. Oh, there it is. Yeah, M-O-N, that's it. It's still there. (LAUGHTER) KESTENBAUM: Marianne McCune, your lipstick held up. The world of containers is not a human sized world. You can fit 80,000 T-shirts in one of these containers. And the ship in port here can carry 700 containers; meaning, if this were a pure T-shirt ship that would be over 50 million T-shirts on one giant ship. Big metal boxes might not seem like an innovation, but you could argue our T-shirts would not be made where they were, all over the world; the global economy would not be as global without the humble container. To understand why, consider how things were done before. Before containers in the 1950s, a ship might have to get loaded with 200,000 different items: bananas, fish meal, steel pipes, random stuff in sacks and boxes, all packed tightly together often by hand. ANTONIO SALCIDO: My name is Antonio Salcido. I am 84 years old. I worked as a longshoreman; hole-work, dock work, jitney, driving a forklift. KESTENBAUM: Salcido's first day on the job was in 1949 at the Port of Los Angeles. As it happens, he was loading cotton. Who knows? Maybe destined to be a T-shirt. A single bale of cotton weighs 500 pounds. But you could move one if you were good, he says. Bales were basically round, except for one flat section. So you'd get this big, 500 pound thing rolling. SALCIDO: You go flat round, flat round, so whenever it goes flat you really put an extra bit of pressure to get it to the round side. It's very difficult. KESTENBAUM: It's easy to romanticize these days of hard-working men, laboring side by side. But that romantic vision would leave out cattle hides, Salcido's least favorite cargo. SALCIDO: They were slimy, often had maggots and they were stinky as hell. I mean it was just horrible. I've never smelled anything like hide. KESTENBAUM: It was also a dangerous job. Salcido says he saw one man get crushed loading steel pipes. On days like that everyone would stop work and go home. And even with 50 or 100 people working, it could take weeks to unload and reload a single ship. Marc Levinson wrote a history of the container called \"The Box.\" He says the guy who led the move to containers had no experience with ships at all. His name was Malcolm McLean. McLean owned a trucking company and he was thinking about a different problem entirely. His problem? It was taking a long time for his trucks to go up and down the East Coast. This was the 1950s, the interstates hadn't been built yet. MARC LEVINSON: He originally had the idea that maybe if he could buy ", "On Saturday, a limousine driver plans to launch himself on a mile-long flight over the Mojave Desert in a rocket of his own making. His name is \"Mad\" Mike Hughes, his steam-powered rocket is built of salvaged metals, his launch pad is repurposed from a used mobile home — and he is confident this will mark the first step toward proving the Earth is flat, after all. \"It's the most interesting story in the world,\" Hughes told The Associated Press of his jury-rigged quest to overturn more than two millennia of scientific knowledge. And the whole thing is costing him just $20,000, according to the AP. (It goes without saying, but we'll say this anyway: Do not try this at home — or anywhere.) \"I don't believe in science,\" Hughes added. \"I know about aerodynamics and fluid dynamics and how things move through the air, about the certain size of rocket nozzles, and thrust. But that's not science, that's just a formula. There's no difference between science and science fiction.\" The plan, as stated, is to send himself 1,800 feet high in the air at a speed of 500 mph before finally pulling out his parachutes — which, one hopes, will not be the same ones he used for another launch in 2014. Hughes, 61, told a flat-Earth community Web show that the flight, which the AP said took him a quarter-mile across Arizona desert, ended when he pulled his parachutes — two of which he said were at least 20 years old at the time and one of which didn't open. \"Yeah, it was a scary moment,\" he said in the interview, adding that he had to use a walker for several weeks after his landing. \"I had never parachuted before.\" It was not his first time tinkering with a big hunk of metal, however. Though Hughes may drive limousines for a living, he says he has worked in NASCAR pit crews, and The Washington Post reports he \"has been building rockets for years.\" Just don't liken the man's entrepreneurial spirit to that of Elon Musk, who \"is a giant fraud,\" according to Hughes. In fact, many notable space explorers came in for Hughes' criticism during the interview, including the \"Freemason\" NASA astronauts John Glenn and Neil Armstrong. Hughes maintained that all of them have been involved in \"the roots of the deception\" that the Earth is round. Now, it must be noted that humans knew the world was round long, long before NASA launched astronauts into space and we saw pictures of our spherical planet from afar. As the BBC points out, Aristotle — a Greek man with no known connections to NASA or Freemasonry — explained how we know back around 350 B.C.: \"Again, our observations of the stars make it evident, not only that the Earth is circular, but also that it is a circle of no great size. For quite a small change of position to south or north causes a manifest alteration of the horizon.\" Other famed explorers who have circumnavigated the globe, such as Ferdinand Magellan and Sir Francis Drake, also failed to report observing the sea ice that many flat-Earthers believe marks the ends of our earthly disc. Still, Hughes converted to the flat-Earth belief recently, shortly after his first fundraising campaign for the rocket earned just $310 of its $150,000 goal. His second campaign, this time posted after his conversion and with the support of the flat-Earth community, succeeded in hitting its $7,875 goal. \"I've been a believer for maybe almost a year. I researched it for several months in between doing everything else — you know, I've still got to make a living and all that kind of stuff, and building this rocket actually eats up a lot of my time,\" he told the flat-Earth Web show. \"But when I'm not doing that, I research things.\" And Hughes intends that research to continue well beyond Saturday's launch, which he says he will be streaming online. He envisions the launch as just one step toward eventually getting himself into space, at which point he plans to take a photograph \"to prove once and for all this Earth is flat,\" he told his interviewer. \"This is the king of the deceptions,\" Hughes said. \"Once this domino falls, this is it.\"", "A performance by the winner of the Cleveland International Piano Competition, who was named over the weekend: 29-year-old Per Tengstrand (PAIR TENG-strahnd) of Sweden plays the Fantaisie-Polonaise (fah(n)-teh-see poh-loh-NEZ) in A-flat by Frederic Chopin, recorded last Wednesday the quarter-final round of the competition at the Cleveland Institute of Music.", "Two years ago, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote that the global, economic playing field was leveling out for countries such as China and India. A new edition of his book, The World is Flat, has been released in paperback. Thomas Friedman, foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times; author, The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century No one ever gave me directions like this on a golf course before: \"Aim at either Microsoft or IBM.\" I was standing on the first tee at the KGA Golf Club in downtown Bangalore, in southern India, when my playing partner pointed at two shiny glass-and-steel buildings off in the distance, just behind the first green. The Goldman Sachs building wasn't done yet; otherwise he could have pointed that out as well and made it a threesome. HP and Texas Instruments had their offices on the back nine, along the tenth hole. That wasn't all. The tee markers were from Epson, the printer company, and one of our caddies was wearing a hat from 3M. Outside, some of the traffic signs were also sponsored by Texas Instruments, and the Pizza Hut billboard on the way over showed a steaming pizza, under the headline \"Gigabites of Taste!\" No, this definitely wasn't Kansas. It didn't even seem like India. Was this the New World, the Old World, or the Next World? I had come to Bangalore, India's Silicon Valley, on my own Columbus-like journey of exploration. Columbus sailed with the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María in an effort to discover a shorter, more direct route to India by heading west, across the Atlantic, on what he presumed to be an open sea route to the East Indies — rather than going south and east around Africa, as Portuguese explorers of his day were trying to do. India and the magical Spice Islands of the East were famed at the time for their gold, pearls, gems, and silk — a source of untold riches. Finding this shortcut by sea to India, at a time when the Muslim powers of the day had blocked the overland routes from Europe, was a way for both Columbus and the Spanish monarchy to become wealthy and powerful. When Columbus set sail, he apparently assumed the earth was round, which was why he was convinced that he could get to India by going west. He miscalculated the distance, though. He thought the earth was a smaller sphere than it is. He also did not anticipate running into a landmass before he reached the East Indies. Nevertheless, he called the aboriginal peoples he encountered in the new world \"Indians.\" Returning home, though, Columbus was able to tell his patrons, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, that although he never did find India, he could confirm that the world was indeed round. I set out for India by going due east, via Frankfurt. I had Lufthansa business class. I knew exactly which direction I was going thanks to the GPS map displayed on the screen that popped out of the armrest of my airline seat. I landed safely and on schedule. I too encountered people called Indians. I too was searching for India's riches. Columbus was searching for hardware — precious metals, silk, and spices — the sources of wealth in his day. I was searching for software, brainpower, complex algorithms, knowledge workers, call centers, transmission protocols, breakthroughs in optical engineering — the sources of wealth in our day. Columbus was happy to make the Indians he met his slaves, a pool of free manual labor. I just wanted to understand why the Indians I met were taking our work, why they had become such an important pool for the outsourcing of service and information technology work from America and other industrialized countries. Columbus had more than one hundred men on his three ships; I had a small crew from the Discovery Times channel that fit comfortably into two banged-up vans, with Indian drivers who drove barefoot. When I set sail, so to speak, I too assumed that the world was round, but what I encountered in the real India profoundly shook my faith in that notion. Columbus accidentally ran into America but thought he had discovered part of India. I actually found India and thought many of the people I met there were Americans. Some had actually taken American names, and others were doing great imitations of American accents at call centers and American business techniques at software labs. Columbus reported to his king and queen that the world was round, and he went down in history as the man who first made this discovery. I returned home and shared my discovery only with my wife, and only in a whisper. \"Honey,\" I confided, \"I think the world is flat.\" How did I come to this conclusion? I guess you could say it all started in Nandan Nilekani's conference room at Infosys Technologies Limited. Infosys is one of the jewels of the Indian information technology world, and Nilekani, the company's CEO, is one of the most thoughtful and respected captains of Indian industry. I drove with the Discovery Times crew out to the Infosys campus, about fort", "Let me say it straight out:  I’m a traitor. I wish Slovenia had made it to the Round of 16, even had it meant the country of my birth (England) or my adopted homeland (the U.S.) went home.  Well, in truth, having imbibed enough American values not to tell a lie, I was kind of bummed when Landon Donovan scored.  Until that instant Slovenia’s World Cup dreams were alive. Before you yank my Green Card, I wish the U.S. no ill will.  I’ll cheer for them in the next round with all the enthusiasm of “Sam’s Army.”  But Slovenia is one of the great stories of the 2010 World Cup. One of the smallest former Yugoslav Republics, with a population of only two million — the tiniest population of any team in South Africa.  It’s picture postcard beautiful, with a spectacular mountainous landscape that barely seems flat enough to host soccer fields.  You’d expect Slovenia to produce the occasional championship skier, or ice hockey star, but not a world class soccer team.  Most of its players compete for second tier European clubs. And yet Slovenia came within minutes of advancing. Read More Earlier this morning I called a hotel in Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital, looking for a juicy quote or two from locals readying to watch the game. The best I could come up with was a succession of polite Slovenes wishing both England and Slovenia well.  Bet if I’d called a pub in London the response wouldn’t have been so gracious. After the game, Slovenia’s coach appealed for the media to give his players a chance to mourn their broken dreams. “Our sportsmen should be left alone for a while because they are experiencing hard moments,'' he said. Not too many hard moments, I hope. The World Cup is a little poorer for losing the little nation that could.", "For reasons that remain mostly mysterious, the note we call B flat does the oddest things. Here are a few of them. B Flats and Alligators During World War II, the New York Philharmonic was visiting the American Museum of Natural History. During rehearsal, somebody played a note that upset a resident live alligator named Oscar. Oscar, who'd been in the museum on 81st Street, suddenly began to bellow. Naturally, with so many scientists in residence, an experiment was quickly devised to see how to get Oscar to bellow again. Various musicians — string, percussive and brass — were brought to Oscar to play various notes. It turned out the culprit was B flat, one octave below middle C. The experiment was described back in the 1940s. I repeated the experiment on an ABC News broadcast in the 1990s, playing a B flat to a collection of gators at a roadside attraction in Florida and recording their bellows. Why B flat? You'd have to ask an alligator. B Flat and Glenway Fripp the Piano Tuner Jay Alison (of This I Believe fame) and radio correspondent Viki Merrick live in Massachusetts and help run public radio stations on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. In their capacities as managers-poets-reporters in residence, they regularly devise short promotional \"moments\" featuring local personalities. One of their promos described a trip that Glenway Fripp took up a staircase. Mr. Fripp, a piano tuner by trade, was humming in B flat while climbing the stairs at his dad's office building, when he noticed that his hum had somehow escaped him and was hanging, resonating without him, on the staircase landing. He couldn't quite explain what was happening; only that his hum (and it was definitely his hum, no one else's) had gone off without him. If you listen to the broadcast, you can hear this for yourself. Viki Merrick recorded it. Glenway has no idea why B flat had this particular property on that particular staircase. He suspects that the walls were porous and may even contain cavities that are very B-flat friendly. That's all he knows. But the truth is, he doesn't have an explanation. B Flat and Black Holes This one's a bit of a stretch, but here's what happened. In September 2003, astronomers at NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory found what can be described as sound waves emanating from a supermassive black hole. The black hole can be seen in the Perseus cluster of galaxies located 250 million light years from Earth. Andrew Fabian of the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge, England, analyzed the waves and announced, \"We have detected their sound....\" The sound he found (which is really the waves passing through gas near the black hole) translate to the note B flat. But this is not a B flat you or I can hear. It is 57 octaves below middle C. A piano, by comparison, contains only seven octaves. So if a black hole hums, it hums at a frequency a million billion times lower than you can hear. A Song in B Flat While you may not be able to hear a black hole humming, this story is, to a considerable extent, sung. The vocalist (who is also the lyricist, and a journalist) is Josh Kurz of Los Angeles. His partner this time out is Shane Winter, who composed the song \"Have You Heard About B Flat?\" — which wasn't easy, since he decided to hang with B flat for as long and as often as possible. Josh Kurz's other work can be found at the Web site he shares with Adam Raitano of Brooklyn, N.Y. STEVE INSKEEP, host: Now here's a puzzle, a musical puzzle that centers on the note B-flat. For some reason, and we still do not know the reason says science correspondent Robert Krulwich, B-flats keep popping up in the most peculiar places. So here is Mr. Krulwich's report sung appropriately by Robert and his friend, Josh Kurz, in the key of B-flat. (Soundbite of song, \"Have You Heard About B Flat?\") Mr. JOSH KURZ & ROBERT KRULWICH: (Singing) Here you go. Have you heard about B-flat? That special magic frequency that is found around in the world, it abounds. There's something universal about B-flat. Unidentified Man #1: Start the story. Mr. KURZ: Yeah, start us off, Robert. KRULWICH: All right, then. I read that scientists at the American Museum of Natural History once found that if you a B-flat to a male alligator… Unidentified Man #1: How does one do that? KRULWICH: With a tuba. Mr. KURZ: Of course, a tuba. KRULWICH: Absolutely. So I asked a tuba player, Phil Porter of the Cyprus Lake High School Marching Band in Florida, to play a B flat to a pit of alligators. We did this for ABC television. He did it once. (Soundbite of Tuba playing) KRULWICH: Then he did it a second time. (Soundbite of Tuba playing) KRULWICH: And indeed, when the alligators heard the B-flat… (Soundbite of alligators bellowing) KRULWICH: …they began… (Soundbite of alligators bellowing) KRULWICH: …to bellow. (Soundbite of alligators bellowing) KRULWICH: Presumably, they mistook the B-flat for an invading alligator. Mr. KURZ: Just when they h", "You don't have to agree with everything he writes to appreciate the work of Thomas L. Friedman. He just makes sense. When he lashes out at the U.S. addiction to oil, or calls out politicians on energy or Iraq, or flattens out the world as we know it, he's generally got the insights and experiences to back it up. Over the years, he's won Pulitzers and a gaggle of loyal readers. And the new edition of his book, The World is Flat, is out in paperback. We'll talk to him about the current state of flatness, about Iraq, China, and oil. If you have questions for Friedman, post 'em here.", "Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry is in South Carolina, where he'll deliver a speech on economic policy and his approach to a flat tax Tuesday. The Texas governor has brought on some new senior staff and is preparing a new round of TV ads in an effort to revive his campaign.", "In our Weekly Innovation series, we pick an interesting idea, design or product that you may not have heard of yet. Got an innovation you think we should feature? Fill out our form. The advent of 3-D printing brought on a number of innovations worthy of news coverage. Printers have created prosthetic hands, action figures, food, even blood vessels, simply by depositing layer after layer of different kinds of ink. Now a handful of engineers around the world are trying to push the boundaries one step further — by printing objects that can build themselves. It's called 4-D printing, and the fourth dimension in this case is time. Here's how it works: A 3-D printer with extremely high resolution uses materials that can respond to outside stimuli, like heat or light, as ink. The resulting structure can change, move or even assemble itself after it's been printed. One team of researchers led by H. Jerry Qi, an associate professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, is using heat and mechanical pressure to transform flat objects into three-dimensional structures. They printed an unfolded box with glassy polymer fibers — a composite material that has \"shape memory behavior\" — along the folds. They heated it, pulled on the sides and cooled it, and the flat structure responded by folding into a box. Another team — a collaboration between University of Pittsburgh, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Harvard University — recently garnered an $855,000 grant from the U.S. Army Research Office to explore how adaptive materials can respond to stimuli like light or temperature. It's not unlike how the body works, says Professor Anna Balazs at Pittsburgh. It responds continuously, in complex ways, to the world around it. \"The idea is the use the full arsenal of 3-D printing,\" she says. \"It allows complicated objects to morph their structure. You're not just going to print one object, one use.\" One potential application? You could make a fabric that changes color in response to light or changes permeability in response to temperature. It could provide a protective layer in the presence of toxic chemicals — that would be particularly useful for soldiers in combat. Another application, Qi says, is useful in places where traditional manufacturing is impractical — like in space. You could make an instrument that's small and flat and expand it aboard a spacecraft. You can't make these products at home, at least not yet. The printers are still being tested by individual academic labs, along with the responsive inks. Balazs says integrating the two for reliable commercial use will probably take another three to five years. Until then, some researchers will be trying, as always, to take technology to the next level. Skylar Tibbits, who researches self-assembly at MIT, is looking at how construction processes might be simplified by using materials that respond to shaking — or even to sound. His vision is lofty, but he has arguably the most imaginative ideas of 4-D printing research so far. \"Manufacturing could be more like growing,\" he said in a BBC interview in July. \"Maybe the construction sites in the future, we play Beethoven and structures build themselves.\"", "In this game, we give a sentence with an overly literal misuse of a common business cliché, and you give us the cliché. For example, \"I really need you to force the flat rectangular paper container to move forward!\" is \"push the envelope.\" Heard in A Mad Men Endgame OPHIRA EISENBERG, HOST: Our next game is called Like A Confused Boss. And here to play it are Nick Duggan and Sara Paden. (APPLAUSE) EISENBERG: Nick, what is one of the most annoying things a boss has said to you or asked you to do? NICK DUGGAN: One time, I had a boss who told me to get the equipment for an event out of the shed without telling me that the shed was full of spiders. EISENBERG: Oh, nice. DUGGAN: Yeah, so that was really nice of them. EISENBERG: What kind of equipment was this? DUGGAN: It was something stupid like trash cans or something. EISENBERG: Sara, how about you? SARA PADEN: I had an internship at the university here, so my boss was a professor. And he made me redo my CV about 16 times before he allowed me to then send it out into the working world. EISENBERG: And was it minor things? PADEN: Oh, yeah. It was, you know, you didn't have a comma or something, and it was... JONATHAN COULTON: What a monster. He made you proofread your resume. Are you kidding me? PADEN: I know. (LAUGHTER) COULTON: To fix commas and spelling errors and stuff? WILL HINES, BYLINE: Throw that guy in the spider shed. (LAUGHTER) EISENBERG: So in this game, we're going to take business jargon that gets thrown around in meetings on a literal level. We'll give you a sentence with an overly-literal misuse of a common business cliche, and you're going to give us the cliche. For an example, let's go to puzzle guru Will Hines. HINES: Sure. So contestants, if you hear I really need you to force the flat, rectangular paper container to move forward, you'd say push the envelope. (LAUGHTER) DUGGAN: What's an envelope? HINES: Get in the spider shed, mister. We don't need your attitude. (LAUGHTER) EISENBERG: I'm starting to agree with your bosses. (LAUGHTER) EISENBERG: Here we go. I don't need an exact amount, just give me a number that fits in a tract of land where a popular American sport is played. (SOUNDBITE OF BELL) EISENBERG: Sara. PADEN: Just give me a ballpark number. EISENBERG: Yeah, ballpark figure. Exactly. (APPLAUSE) EISENBERG: We can't blame everything on Jenkins. It will look like we're propelling him beneath a large motor vehicle carrying many passengers on a fixed route. (SOUNDBITE OF BELL) EISENBERG: Nick. DUGGAN: We're throwing him under the bus. EISENBERG: That's right. (APPLAUSE) EISENBERG: I think we exhausted this marketing discussion. We don't want to assault a deceased herbivores, ungulate mammal. (SOUNDBITE OF BELL) EISENBERG: Nick. DUGGAN: We certainly don't want to beat a dead horse. EISENBERG: No, we don't. (APPLAUSE) EISENBERG: Carol in accounting says we did really well last quarter. Our product is being purchased like flat crepes made from a starch-based batter and fried on a griddle. (SOUNDBITE OF BELL) EISENBERG: Sara. PADEN: They're selling like hotcakes. EISENBERG: Hotcakes, exactly. You got it. (APPLAUSE) HINES: I like the idea of a mass of people just screaming for hotcakes, though, you know, like the demand is so intense. More hotcakes. (LAUGHTER) EISENBERG: I know. It would be, like, both frightening and sweet. All right, this is your last clue. If you want the corner office someday, you need to be more organized. You need to get your broad-build, web-footed, waterfowl lined up beside each other. (SOUNDBITE OF BELL) EISENBERG: Nick. DUGGAN: You need to get your ducks in a row. EISENBERG: You sure do. That's right. (APPLAUSE) HINES: That was a very close one, Ophira, but the winner for that round was Nick. So, Nick, we'll see you in the final round.", "Half a million roses have been placed in the shape of a flat-topped pyramid in Tabacundo, Ecuador, in an attempt to enter the Guinness Book of World Records. Currently, the world record for largest flower arrangement is held by the Dubai Miracle Garden in United Arab Emirates, which created a life-size sculpture of a Airbus A380 in 2016. That installation was also covered in more than half a million flowers. El Universal reports that the flower structure, located in the canton of Pedro Moncayo, is a replica of a pyramid located in Cochasqui archaeological park, also located in Pedro Moncayo. The pyramids in that park — also called ramp mounds or tolas -- pre-date the Incan civilization. The massive floral structure is meant to boost tourism and promote the export of cut flowers from Ecuador, El Universal writes. Ecuador is already the world's third-largest exporter of cut flowers, behind the Netherlands and Colombia. Update: The effort was successful.", "In one month, the U.S. Men's national soccer team plays Ghana, in the first of three tough opening round games at the World Cup in Brazil. A pre-World Cup camp opened this week at Stanford University.", "Terrorist attacks, hurricanes, a divisive U.S. election, Brexit — 2016 has not been easy. With the year coming to an end, we thought it was time to get some serious perspective — from the scale of the entire universe. We're tackling big questions: what scientists know, and what they have yet to learn. So before you ring in another year, take a moment to contemplate the billions of years that led to 2017 and the billions more yet to come. Where did the universe come from? \"That happens to be my absolute favorite question,\" says Chuck Bennett, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University. He points out that the big-bang theory says the universe started out dense and hot, and that it has been expanding and cooling for 13.8 billion years, but, he says, \"the big-bang theory doesn't actually say what happened right at the beginning.\" You can follow our laws of physics back in time, he says, but they break down close to the start, when things were unspeakably fiery and close together. Still, there may be clues from the weird world of quantum physics. In that world, strange stuff can happen, like particles can just appear out of nowhere. \"Even if you take something that's a complete vacuum, you've gotten all of the particles and dust and everything out of the way, in quantum mechanics you still have particles popping in and out of existence all the time,\" explains Bennett. So maybe the kernel that became our universe just randomly and spontaneously appeared. \"It seems bizarre, but that is kind of the going thinking about this,\" Bennett says. And if you want to think about something even more bizarre, consider this point made by Caltech theoretical physicist Sean Carroll. If the big bang was the first moment in time, that creates a conundrum: \"There's no verbs before time itself exists, right? There's no popping into existence, there's no fluctuating, there's no quantum mechanical craziness, there is literally nothing,\" says Carroll. Is the universe infinite? You might be tempted to try to answer this question by stepping outside the universe so you can take a gander. But, obviously, that's impossible. \"There is no such thing as outside the universe, as far as we can tell,\" says Carroll. Even though the universe has been expanding for about 14 billion years, that doesn't mean it's ballooning out into some other realm. \"I know it's difficult to wrap our minds around,\" says Carroll, \"but it's just getting more and more of it, even though it's not expanding into anything at all.\" So if we can't leave the universe, all we can do is look around inside. Let's say you flew off the Earth, out of our solar system, out of the Milky Way galaxy, out of our cluster of galaxies, and flew on and on. How far could you go? \"We don't 100 percent know,\" says Janna Levin, a theoretical physicist at Columbia University. \"What we see of the universe is vast. We know that the universe is something like 90 billion light-years across.\" But that's just the part we can see. Anything beyond that has to remain a mystery, because stuff out there is so far away, its light will never be able to reach us. \"It makes logical sense to assume the universe goes on beyond that boundary. It would be kind of magical if we were just happening to be able to see right to some boundary and then something crazy happened beyond that, like galaxies ceased to exist,\" says Levin. \"I mean, that just seems nuts.\" So the universe goes on, but is it infinite? \"It is somewhat unimaginable but quite possible that our universe simply goes on forever,\" says Bennett. To us, the universe seems flat, so maybe it's like an endless sheet of paper. But on the other hand, people used to think the Earth was flat, too, because people saw flat land stretching to a horizon, beyond which they could not see. These days, the idea of a flat Earth seems silly — we know it's really a huge sphere. \"Our universe might be like that,\" says Bennett, noting that the universe might be curved and might even curve back on itself like a sphere, \"but on a scale that is truly enormous.\" If so, and you headed off into the universe, going straight in one direction, you would eventually find yourself right back where you started. What is the universe made of? You might think this is one of the easier questions about the universe to answer. But you would be wrong. \"All the stuff we've ever seen in the laboratory, all the kinds of particles and matter and energy, that only makes up 5 percent of our universe,\" says Carroll. Five percent! So what is the rest of the universe made of? Well, one biggie is something called dark matter. About 25 percent of the universe is dark matter, which is quite literally dark. \"It just doesn't interact with light at all,\" says Bennett. \"It doesn't give off any light; it doesn't absorb light; it doesn't scatter light; there's no way to see it. The only way we know that it's there is because it has gravitational effects.\" Scientists discovered dark matter when they looked at ", "The other day, my four-year-old son asked me, point blank: —Dad, can you count to infinity? —No son, you can't, it would take forever. —But what's infinity minus three?\" —It's infinity, too. —But how do I write the number infinity? —It's like an eight lying down. —Is that even a number, like one or two? The point is, infinity is more an idea than a number. It's a concept we came up with to represent endless sequences of numbers, or a point in space or in time infinitely distant from our position or from the present moment. It's not something you get to; it's something you think about. It's a representation of our own limitations, finite beings that we are. (But for this reason, also a representation of our amazing creativity.) And yet, we use the notion of infinity all the time. In cosmology, present data indicates that our universe is infinite. This means that if you start moving in one direction you will never come back to your starting point. Had the universe been finite, like the 3d version of a surface of a sphere, you could circle around and come back to your destination point. Can we be absolutely certain of the infinity of the universe? No, we can't. All we can say is that the portion of space that we can measure, what is called our horizon — the distance traveled by light since the beginning of time some 13.7 billion years ago — is flat or very nearly so. And a flat geometry, like the surface of a table, would go on forever. But that's where our certainty ends. It's possible that our flat patch of space is really part of a huge curved universe. If we have no access to information beyond our horizon we can't really tell what's there. All we can do is infer. And what about points and lines? Strange concepts, too. A point marks a location in space. However, it occupies no space at all, as a point has zero volume. And a line, linking two points in space, has no thickness. If we say that a line is a sequence of adjacent points it gets even weirder. How can something with no volume be adjacent to something else? So, we represent our spatial reality by things that don't really exist in space, more ideas than real things. Given out sensorial limitations (small things become invisible below the accuracy of our vision), approximations such as representing points by dots on a page are very efficient. The wonderful thing about mathematical representations is that they work, even though they are intangible. Things get even weirder when we go to physics and look for the smallest material constituents of reality, the building blocks of matter. What happens if you cut a chunk of matter down to its smallest pieces? Read More You get to atoms, aggregates of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons and neutrons are not indivisible, being made of smaller particles called quarks. So, as far as we can tell at present, matter is made of quarks and electrons. Can quarks and electrons be cut down to smaller pieces? Here, things get tricky. An electron is not a simple little ball of energy with a negative electric charge. It's an entity that can either look like a little ball of energy with a negative electric charge, or it could look like a wave carrying electric charge. If you were to ask a high energy particle physicist, she would say that an electron has no inner structure, meaning that we don't think there is anything in there. But can we be sure? Just as with the flatness of the universe, we can only base our arguments on what we can measure. In the world of particle physics, we study structure by colliding particles at each other at speeds near the speed of light, somewhat like throwing an orange against a wall (or another orange) to see what's inside. So, all that we can say is that current measurements and theories don't indicate that the electron has an inner structure. We may treat it like a point particle with negative charge, but should keep in mind that that's only an approximation to the real thing. And what is the real thing? We may never know. As with the ideas of infinity and points and lines, electrons and quarks are constructions of our intellect to represent what we see of the world. Their reality is contingent on how we see them.", "Fake news has been, well, in the news a lot lately. It seems no claim is too absurd to be aired. For example, NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal has just become the fourth NBA star to make public remarks that he believes the Earth is flat, not round. \"I'm just saying. I drive from Florida to California all the time, and it's flat to me,\" he said on a podcast he hosts. For the world's largest crowdsourced encyclopedia, combating myths like this is nothing new. (Check its entry on contemporary flat-eartherism, titled, \"Modern flat Earth societies.\") \"Wikipedia has been dealing with fake news since it started 16 years ago,\" notes LiAnna Davis, deputy director of the Wiki Education Foundation. To combat misinformation, Wikipedia has developed a robust corps of volunteer editors. Anyone can write new entries and scrutinize existing ones for adherence to Wikipedia's rules on sourcing and neutrality. While it's not free of errors or pranks, what results is a resource that 50 million people turn to daily on hundreds of thousands of topics in a few dozen languages. Today, educators are among those more concerned than ever with standards of truth and evidence and with the lightning-fast spread of misinformation online. And the Wiki Education Foundation, a freestanding nonprofit, is sharing Wikipedia's methods with a growing number of college students, striking a blow for information literacy along the way. The foundation gives professors the technical assistance they need to assign students to write a brand-new Wikipedia entry, or expand an existing entry, on any topic in virtually any discipline. This spring, 7,500 students are expected to participate. Among the many items past students have written on are: The \"social data revolution\" Environmental issues in Kuwait Silent film star Bess Meredyth Since the program began six years ago, Davis says, students have collectively added more than 25 million words of content to Wikipedia. Jennifer Malkowski, an assistant professor of film and media studies at Smith College, assigned her class on new media and participatory culture to write and contribute to Wikipedia entries this past fall. \"One of the things they really liked about it was the ability to share knowledge beyond the professor — that audience of one,\" she says. While all Smith students are expected to use good research methods in their classes, knowing that their entries might be rejected outright if they didn't conform to Wikipedia's standards \"felt like a higher stake than the difference between a B and an A-minus,\" she says. Malkowski will be leading a workshop to help her colleagues, some of whom are less technically minded, learn how to make Wikipedia assignments in their own classes as well. Davis says many professors report a greater level of effort from their students on Wikipedia assignments. \"If you're writing something millions of people are going to read, it's a reason to do a really good job, to go into a library and get a deep understanding of the topic.\" Some professors, like Tamar Carroll, an assistant professor of history at the Rochester Institute of Technology, see Wikipedia as a way to make previously neglected areas of knowledge more visible. For Carroll, it's women's history. She says a former student recently emailed her to say that her Wikipedia entry on Mary Stafford Anthony, the suffragist and sister of Susan B. Anthony, was \"the most meaningful assignment she had\" as an undergraduate. There's another learning opportunity too. Every Wikipedia entry has a \"talk\" page, where editors discuss changes, and a \"view history\" page that shows additions and deletions over time. Peeking behind that curtain, says Malkowski, helps \"expose how knowledge is collectively created and how different voices might come to consensus, or not, on a particular topic.\" Right now, she adds, \"is an especially important time to be asking these epistemological questions.\" According to the foundation's own survey, 87 percent of university faculty who participated in the program reported an increase in their students' media literacy. By grinding some Internet info-sausage themselves, essentially, they gained a better understanding of what goes into it. It's an interesting turn of events for Wikipedia, which, as Davis acknowledges, has had a bad rap in academic circles as the lazy student's substitute for real research. \"When I first started going to academic conferences, people would hide and say, 'Don't let my department chair see me talking to you,' \" says Davis. She added that Wikipedia should only be a starting point for a university-level research paper. But if you want to check what shape the Earth is, it's a pretty reliable source. A version of this story originally ran on NPR Ed in February.", "An early return from the Indianapolis Violin Competition: Yesterday, the preliminary round of the competition got underway and we'll hear a performance by two of the competitors. Twenty-five-year-old Reiko Otani (RAY-kohoh-TAH-nee) and pianist Akira Eguchi (ah-KEE-rah eg-GOO-chee) play the Melodie in E-flat, Op. 42, No. 3, by Tchaikovsky, and 29-year-old Francesco Manara plays Caprice in G minor, Op. 10, No. 1, by Niccolo Paganini. (Planting Ground Productions)", "Was Vlad the Impaler the real life Dracula? We’ll look at the history and the myth of literature’s great vampire. There is something about biting and blood that we never get over.  Luis Suarez and his bite debated round the world in the World Cup.  Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and the Victorian tale of castles and darkness that we still feel at our throats.  That story has had amazing staying power.  “I want to suck your blood!” and all the rest.  Built off the story of Transylvania’s real Vlad the Impaler.  Back to Europe’s long struggle with the Turkish caliphate.  The story never dies.  This hour On Point:  the history and myth of literature’s great vampire – Dracula. &#8211; Tom Ashbrook Guests Elizabeth Miller, professor emeritus of English at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Author of &#8220;A Dracula Handbook&#8221; and &#8220;Reflections on Dracula.&#8221; Leslie Klinger, Dracula expert. Author of &#8220;The New Annotated Dracula&#8221; and &#8220;In the Shadow of Dracula: Classic Vampire Fiction, 1819 &#8212; 1914.&#8221; (@lklinger) From Tom&#8217;s Reading List CNN: Underground Budapest: Caverns, churches and Cold War bunkers &#8212; &#8220;The Hapsburg Palaces, romantic banks of the Danube and historic spas draw the crowds to Budapest, but there&#8217;s a whole world underground within the city limits. Literally underground. While one half of the city, Pest, is flat, Buda&#8217;s curvy hills are rich with secret labyrinths, hidden bunkers and caving adventures. There are up to 200 caves in total.&#8221; HLN: Haunted (open) house? Dracula&#8217;s castle is for sale &#8211; &#8220;Bran Castle was completed in 1388 and in the centuries since, has served primarily as a royal residence, fortress and customs point. However, its most famous role, as the isolated hilltop home from which Count Dracula morphed into a bat and sucked the blood of his victims, is largely fictional &#8212; and not just because, you know, Dracula never existed.&#8221; Daily Mail:  Is this Dracula&#8217;s final resting place? 16th century headstone unearthed in Naples could belong to Vlad the Impaler &#8212; &#8220;He has cast a shadow over the craggy Transylvanian Alps for centuries. But the remains of the real-life Dracula are today to be found not in the Romanian Alps but in Italy, according to new research. Count Vlad Tepes, the so-called Dracula, was thought to have died in battle. But scholars from the University of Tallinn say they have discovered documentary evidence that he was in fact taken prisoner, ransomed to his daughter &#8211; by then safe in Italy &#8211; and buried in a church in Naples.&#8221; Surprising Health Benefits Found In Young Blood\n New York Times: Young Blood May Hold Key to Reversing Aging &#8211; &#8221;It later became clear that stem cells are essential for keeping tissues vital. When tissues are damaged, stem cells move in and produce new cells to replace the dying ones. As people get older, their stem cells gradually falter. In the early 2000s, scientists realized that stem cells were not dying off in aging tissues.&#8221; Amy Wagers, professor and researcher at Harvard University&#8217;s Stem Cell Institute.", "Pianist Leon Bates plays five pieces by Sergei Rachmaninoff: the Preludes in G-sharp minor and B minor, Op. 32, Nos. 12 and 10; the Etudes-Tableaux in F- sharp minor and E-flat minor, Op. 39, Nos. 3 and 5, and the Prelude in B-flat, Op. 23, No. 2. Recorded February 26th at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. (KBAQ Production Studios, Arizona State)", "Last night, the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis named 16 semi-finalists. Martin talks with producer/reporter Douglas Dillon, who's recording the competition for us. And we'll hear two of the semi-finalists in their preliminary round performances at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. Korean violinist Ju-Young Baek performs the Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, No. 2, by Frederic Chopin. And Icelandic musician Judith Ingolfsson plays \"Beau Soir\" (boh SWAHR--\"Beautiful Evening\") by Claude Debussy, arranged by Jascha Heifetz. The pianist is Anne Epperson. (Douglas Dillon Recordings)", "From a concert given at Miller Theater at Columbia University in New York City, pianist Jean-Philippe Collard (zhah(n)-fee-leep koh-LAHR) performs four pieces by Gabriel Faure: two barcarolles -- No. 1 in A minor, Op. 26, and No. 6 in E-flat major, Op. 70; Nocturne No. 6 in D-flat major, Op. 63, and Impromptu No. 2 in F minor, Op. 31. (Miller Theater)", "George Li is a young pianist on the rise. At age 10, he gave his first public concert and at 15, he won a silver medal at the revered Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Li recently released his debut album on a major label and has been fielding offers, performing with some of the world's great orchestras. Li is 22 now, and he tells me how his day started out. With a kind of self-confident nonchalance, he sounds like a typical college student. \"I got up, I guess, at around nine o'clock and then I went to class,\" he says. \"It's an English class on gender and representation.\" Wait a minute. An English class when you've got a career as a concert pianist? \"I think the most sensible route would have been for me to go to a conservatory somewhere,\" Li admits. \"But I really believed that I wanted a well-rounded education.\" And that's where taking English classes comes in. \"At one point it kind of dawned upon me how close music and literature are together,\" he says. \"So it's helped me understand music even deeper.\" Li is enrolled in a hybrid program between Harvard University and the New England Conservatory. The centerpiece of Li's album is the passionate Piano Sonata No. 2 by Chopin – the one with the haunting funeral march as its third movement. Chopin is close to Li's heart, as it was Chopin's music that earned him the top prize at the Cooper Competition at Oberlin Conservatory when he was just 14. As we talk, I surprise Li with a little tape of his final round victory performance. \"I can't even find that performance myself,\" He chuckles. But Li isn't laughing while we listen to him burn through the closing pages of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1. It ends with uproarious applause. \"Yeah, I mean it was a very energetic performance, but I definitely feel differently about how I approach the piece now,\" Li admits, cringing with a little embarrassment. \"I would be more refined if I played it now.\" But there's no cringing from critics when they hear George Li play. They're calling him \"a major talent.\" One thing that sets him apart is that for all his \"mesmerizing technique\" he's not just an empty showman. His mind, they note, is well attuned to the nuances of the score. Li's album, Live at the Mariinsky, released last fall on Warner Classics, opens with the Sonata in B minor by Haydn. Li's subtle touch makes the music sparkle. \"I think the main requirement is the touch. It has to be so sensitive,\" he says about Haydn. \"Imagine the image of champagne bubbles, or just that sound when the champagne pours into the glass.\" Li was born near Boston. His parents came to the U.S. from China in the 1980s. He says they had few opportunities to hear classical music growing up during the Cultural Revolution. Li began playing piano at age four and thought of it only as a hobby. But one day, when he was 11, playing Beethoven's First Piano Concerto, everything changed. \"All of a sudden, in the middle of the performance I felt different,\" he recalls. \"I was kind of transported in some other reality. And I felt all these emotions within the piece and within myself.\" And that's when Li's light bulb switched on. \"After that moment I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.\" Fortunately for George Li fans, that's likely to be a very long time. George Li is one of the new Slingshot artists — emerging talent, handpicked by public radio stations and NPR. (SOUNDBITE OF GEORGE LI PERFORMANCE OF LISZT'S HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY NO. 2) STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: We're hearing a performance by George Li, an artist to keep an ear on. He gave his first public concert at age 10. He received a silver medal in a famed Russian competition at 15. And now the still-young pianist performs with some of the world's great orchestras. Here's NPR's Tom Huizenga. TOM HUIZENGA, BYLINE: George Li is 22 years old now, and he sounds like a typical college student. GEORGE LI: I got up, I guess, at around 9 o'clock, and then I went to class. It was an English class on gender and representation. HUIZENGA: Wait a minute - an English class when you've got a career as a concert pianist? George Li, who studies at Harvard, likes to chart his own path. LI: At one point, it kind of dawned upon me how close music and literature are together. And so it's kind of helped me understand music even deeper. (SOUNDBITE OF GEORGE LI PERFORMANCE OF CHOPIN'S PIANO SONATA NO. 2 IN B-FLAT MINOR) HUIZENGA: From George Li's debut album, that's a sonata by Chopin, a composer close to Li's heart. It was Chopin's music that earned Li the top prize at the Cooper Competition at Oberlin Conservatory when he was just 14. I surprised him with a little tape from that final round victory performance. LI: I can't even find that performance myself (laughter). (SOUNDBITE OF GEORGE LI PERFORMANCE OF CHOPIN'S PIANO SONATA NO. 2 IN B-FLAT MINOR) LI: (Laughter). (APPLAUSE) LI: Yeah. I mean, it definitely was a very energetic performance. I definitely feel differently how I approach the piece now. HUIZENGA: How would", "Pianist Fazil Say (FAH-zul SEYE) plays Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 13 in B-flat major, K. 333, in a performance recorded last September at Clemson University in South Carolina. (Robert Howell Brooks Center for the Arts, Clemson University)", "Diastole is a non-traditional medical school at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. It was founded by non-traditional cardiologist E. Grey Dimond. Dimond's experience attending medical school during World War II — in which he and his classmates went year round — and working with its head cardiologist shaped the doctor's vision for the medical school and how young doctors should be trained.", "Pianist Leon Bates performs the Rhapsody in E-Flat, Op. 119, No. 4, by Johannes Brahms. Recorded in late February on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ. (KBAQ Production Studios, Arizona State University)", "A new ranking of the world's 800 best universities has U.S. institutions dominating the Top 10, with MIT and Harvard ranking first and second, respectively. The QS World University Rankings 2013, which is based on surveys of academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, citations per faculty and the number of international students and faculty of more than 2,000 institutions to develop the ranking, gave the Massachusetts Institute of Technology a perfect score. Harvard was a close second, followed by four U.K. institutions: the University of Cambridge, University College London, Imperial College London and the University of Oxford. The Top 10 list was rounded out by Stanford, Yale and the University of Chicago. California institute of Technology (Caltech) and Princeton tied for 10th place. It was the third year in which MIT, Harvard and the University of Cambridge held the top three slots. MIT was also first in the 2012 ranking, but in that year, Cambridge edged out Harvard. Here's more of the top-rated institutions: 12 – Eth Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) 13 – University of Pennsylvania 14 – Columbia University 15 – Cornell University 16 – Johns Hopkins University 17 – University of Edinburgh 17 – University of Toronto 19 – Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) 19 – King's College London 21 – McGill University", "Why does the world need a new pasta shape? For Dan Pashman, host of the food podcast The Sporkful, there's just a lot of mediocre pasta out there. There's plenty of room for improvement. \"Spaghetti is just a tube,\" he tells Morning Edition. \"After a few bites, it's the same.\" And its round shape means it's not great at holding on to sauce. Meet his cascatelli — Italian for \"little waterfalls.\" To come up with his own shape, he bought, ate, studied and catalogued all kinds of existing pasta. \"I brought together attributes from different shapes that I especially like that have never been brought together in this way before,\" he says. Cascatelli is short, with a flat strip and ruffles that stick out at a 90-degree angle. The ruffles give the shape texture, Pashman says. \"That right-angle element is really key to what I think makes this shape different,\" he says. \"There are very few pasta shapes that have right angles. It provides resistance to the bite at all angles. It creates kind of like an I-beam, and that makes for a very satisfying bite.\" Pashman has documented his three-year effort to invent a new pasta shape, have a die-maker create a mold and then ultimately sell it. \"If you were to ask me which has kept me up more in the past three years — my actual children or this pasta shape — it'd be a tough call.\" Click the audio button to hear Dan Pashman describe his pasta shape on Morning Edition.", "Dr. Amanda Vincent is the director of Project Seahorse at the University of British Columbia, an organization that conducts research on sustainable use of the world's coastal marine ecosystems. She was able to conserve enough personal energy to put together a list of books she managed to read this summer. Race Against Time, by Stephen Lewis. The Golden Spruce, by John Vaillant. The Sewing Circles of Herat, by Christina Lamb. Rounding the Horn, by Dallas Murphy. Soul Mountain, by Gao Xingjian.", "By now you must know the sound. If you've watched any of the just completed World Cup games you've heard the constant buzzing drone of the infamous vuvuzela, a traditional Zulu instrument, loved by South Africans and hated by the rest of the world. The instrument plays only one note: B-flat. For reasons that are still unclear, this note is special and seems to crop up again and again in the oddest places. Here's a sampling of other places the \"B-flat Phenomenon\" rings true, as I first reported a few years back. Read More B-Flats And Alligators During World War II, the New York Philharmonic was visiting the American Museum of Natural History. During rehearsal, somebody played a note that upset a resident live alligator named Oscar. Oscar, who'd been in the museum on 81st Street, suddenly began to bellow. Naturally, with so many scientists in residence, an experiment was quickly devised to see how to get Oscar to bellow again. Various musicians — string, percussive and brass — were brought to Oscar to play various notes. It turned out the culprit was B-flat, one octave below middle C. The experiment was described back in the 1940s. I repeated the experiment on an ABC News broadcast in the 1990s, playing a B-flat to a collection of gators at a roadside attraction in Florida and recording their bellows. Why B-flat? You'd have to ask an alligator. B-Flat And Glenway Fripp The Piano Tuner Jay Alison (of This I Believe fame) and radio correspondent Viki Merrick live in Massachusetts and help run public radio stations on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. In their capacities as managers-poets-reporters in residence, they regularly devise short promotional \"moments\" featuring local personalities. One of their promos described a trip that Glenway Fripp took up a staircase. Fripp, a piano tuner by trade, was humming in B-flat while climbing the stairs at his father's office building, when he noticed that his hum had somehow escaped him and was hanging, resonating without him, on the staircase landing. He couldn't quite explain what was happening, only that his hum (and it was definitely his hum, no one else's) had gone off without him. If you listen to the broadcast, you can hear this for yourself. Viki Merrick recorded it. Fripp has no idea why B-flat had this particular property on that particular staircase. He suspects that the walls were porous and may even contain cavities that are very B-flat friendly. That's all he knows. But the truth is, he doesn't have an explanation. B-Flat And Black Holes This one's a bit of a stretch, but here's what happened. In September 2003, astronomers at NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory found what can be described as sound waves emanating from a supermassive black hole. The black hole can be seen in the Perseus cluster of galaxies located 250 million light-years from Earth. But this is not a B-flat you or I can hear. It is 57 octaves below middle C. A piano, by comparison, contains only seven octaves. So if a black hole hums, it hums at a frequency a million billion times lower than you can hear. A Song In B-Flat While you may not be able to hear a black hole humming, this story is, to a considerable extent, sung. The music of B-flat was performed by the group Higher Mammals, whose opposable thumbs and prefrontal cortexes allow them to write lyrics and compose music. More information about both Higher Mammals members (Josh Kurz and Shane Winter) can be found here: highermammals.com." ]

[ "Resources. Located on the Main Line between Malvern and Exton, 20 miles west of Philadelphia, Immaculata boasts an excellent location with access to plenty of activities.iscover local attractions that are a short trip from Immaculata: museums, restaurants, theater, historical sites, sports venues, shopping, concerts, outdoor activities, and more." ]

[ "The Militia Immaculatae (meaning the Army of the Immaculate One), called in English the Knights of the Immaculata, is a worldwide Catholic evangelization movement founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe in 1917.onaventure Pontifical Theological Faculty (now the International College of the Conventual Franciscans) by a Conventual Franciscan, Father Maximilian Kolbe. The MI, as it is also known, is open to all Catholics and encourages intercession to the Virgin Mary for the conversion of sinners.", "The Immaculata University Predoctoral Internship Consortium (IU-PIC; “Consortium”) was developed to. respond to the needs of many Immaculata University Graduate Psychology students who need a local internship.", "Pennsylvania is home to... The list of things to do in Pennsylvania is endless. Sightseeing in Pennsylvania can range from a family trip to an amusement park to a fall-foliage tour along a Pennsylvania railroad.", "Maximilian was born in 1894 in Poland and became a Franciscan. He contracted tuberculosis and, though he recovered, he remained frail all his life. Before his ordination as a priest, Maximilian founded the Immaculata Movement devoted to Our Lady.After receiving a doctorate in theology, he spread the Movement through a magazine entitled The Knight of the Immaculata and helped form a community of 800 men, the largest in the world.Maximilian went to Japan where he built a comparable monastery and then on to India where he furthered the Movement.fter receiving a doctorate in theology, he spread the Movement through a magazine entitled The Knight of the Immaculata and helped form a community of 800 men, the largest in the world. Maximilian went to Japan where he built a comparable monastery and then on to India where he furthered the Movement.", "History [edit]. The Militia of the Immaculata (MI) was founded in Rome at the St. Bonaventure Pontifical Theological Faculty (now the International College of the Conventual Franciscans) by a Conventual Franciscan, Father Maximilian Kolbe.The MI, as it is also known, is open to all Catholics and encourages intercession to the Virgin Mary for the conversion of sinners.onaventure Pontifical Theological Faculty (now the International College of the Conventual Franciscans) by a Conventual Franciscan, Father Maximilian Kolbe. The MI, as it is also known, is open to all Catholics and encourages intercession to the Virgin Mary for the conversion of sinners.", "Pennsylvania Map. The history of the Renaissance Fair Pennsylvania is closely tied to the story of a historic house—the Mount Hope Estate & Winery. Throughout the year, the elegant home hosts events and is open for tours and winery tastings.", "To find or post medical interpreting conferences or events in Pennsylvania go to: http://www.imiaweb.org/events/default.asp. Trainings. To find or post trainings and workshops in Pennsylvania go to: http://www.imiaweb.org/education/trainingnotices.asp.", "The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire is a Renaissance fair occurring over 13 weekends from early-August through late-October on the grounds of the Mount Hope Estate and Winery in Manheim, Pennsylvania. In 1980, the Estate was sold and converted to a winery. 1 History.", "How long do I have to live in Pennsylvania to obtain a divorce? Parties wishing to initiate a divorce action in Pennsylvania must establish residence in the state at least six months prior to the initiation of the action. After I file for divorce, do I have to continue to live in Pennsylvania? No. What if I am in the military and out of state?", "Answers.com ® WikiAnswers ® Categories Travel & Places Countries, States, and Cities United States of America Pennsylvania When was Pennsylvania Lines LLC created? What would you like to do? Flag", "Ocimum sanctum essential oil inhibits virulence attributes in Candida ... by Khan, Amber; Ahmad, Aijaz; Xess, Immaculata; Khan, Luqman A.; Manzoor, Nikhat / Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology.", "How do I know what portion of an annuity payment is taxable in Pennsylvania? If I receive a 1099R from AllState Life for $2,000 (Coded 7-D - payments from nonqualified annuity), how do I know what portion, if any, is taxable in Pennsylvania? If the annuity payment is from a nonqualified annuity (as indicated), the income is taxed as interest for Pennsylvania purposes. Consult Chapter 7, Section XIV, of the Department of Revenue’s Pennsylvania Personal Income Tax Guide for more information.", "Our Mission. The mission of the Pennsylvania Academy of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery (PAD) is to promote the highest standards of dermatologic care and service in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. What We Do.", "A Pennsylvania Recreational Guide for. Nockamixon. State Park. The primary purpose of Pennsylvania state parks is to provide. opportunities for enjoying healthful outdoor recreation and serve as. outdoor classrooms for environmental education.", "the centerpiece of the luxurious nemacolin woodlands resort and spa in pennsylvania s laurel highlands should be called mystic rocks the refurbished 7032 yard golf course is one of pete s most dye abolical designs", "Find Imedecs located at 157 S Broad St, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, 19446. . Ratings, reviews, hours, phone number and directions from ChamberofCommerce.com = Sign Up", "“Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire”. Review of Mount Hope Estate & Winery, home of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. Owner description: This winery is also home to a theater group, Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire's Acting Company, which puts on performances regularly. This is a great family day. It is like stepping into a small English Shire that the Queen is visiting for the day.", "Restaurants near Pennsylvania Dutch Market; All things to do in Hagerstown; Things to do near Pennsylvania Dutch Market", "Whether you spend the day exploring the history of the coal mines or taking a guided tour of America's oldest brewery, our hotel in Frackville, PA is here to help you unwind. Families can spend the day at Knoebel's Amusement Resort.", "Free Admission to This PA Arboretum! Gardens and arboretums in Pennsylvania are great places to visit whether you are with your family, a group or on a romantic date. Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens, will charm you with its peaceful setting and beautiful variety of flowers.", "http www nemacolin com nemacolin woodlands resort is a four seasons resort in farmington fayette county pennsylvania the resort is owned by maggie hardy magerko president of the 84 lumber company and was founded by her father joseph hardy", "Saint Mary Czestochowa Cemetery Also known as: Saint Marys Polish Catholic Cemetery. Upper & Lower Heckman Roads, White Oak, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 15131 USA; 412-673-1258; 2,860 Memorials added (10% photographed)", "1. What were the names of two Indian tribes native to Pennsylvania? 2. What colony was established on Tinicum Island in 1643? 3. In what year did Pennsylvania first get its name? 4. Who did William Penn name the state after? Pennsylvania in History & Today http://www.pavisnet.com/pafact/ 1. What three important documents were written in Pennsylvania? 2.", "There are 35 private schools in Durham County, NC, serving 6,073 students. Read about great schools like: Immaculata Catholic School, Trinity School of Durham & Chapel Hill and Acton Academy Durham. x", "Virginia-Pennsylvania Boundary. Today there is no common border between Virginia and Pennsylvania-but between 1681 and 1863, the southwestern border of Pennsylvania was shared with Virginia. Exactly what territory was Virginia and what was Pennsylvania was a challenge that took about 100 years to resolve.", "Pennsylvania Fun Facts WebQuest Pennsylvania, often called the Keystone State, is a big place brimming with interesting history. Can you find the answers to these questions? Just go to each website listed to find what you’re looking for! The Geography of Pennsylvania http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/pa_geography.htm 1. What six states does Pennsylvania share borders with? 2. What are the four major rivers in Pennsylvania? 3. What mountain range runs across the state southwest to northeast? 4. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Pennsylvania was -42°F. Where was this? 5. The highest temperature ever recorded in the state was in Phoenixville. What was it? 6. Which of the Great Lakes shares a border with Pennsylvania? Early Settlers in Pennsylvania", "Reprinted here with Permission of CNEWA. It is the eve of Theophany at St. Mary Protector Byzantine Catholic Church in the northeastern Pennsylvania town of Kingston. Masses of red and white poinsettias frame the iconostasis; the fragrance of beeswax tapers and votive candles fills the air.", "Answers.com ® WikiAnswers ® Categories Travel & Places Countries, States, and Cities United States of America Pennsylvania Pittsburgh What is the standard abbreviation for Alabama? What would you like to do?", "Things to Do in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: See TripAdvisor's 302 traveler reviews and photos of Mechanicsburg tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in January. We have reviews of the best places to see in Mechanicsburg. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.", "Now Hiring for the 2017 Season! Become a part of the fantasy at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire! Learn more and apply today at PaRenFaire.com/Employment. New on the Grounds of Mount Hope. FoodStock • July 29, 2017. Tickets on sale now! Enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet, music, and more while helping end hunger in our community!", "What time is it in pennsylvania right now? Youtube. Click here to see the current local time in philadelphia now pennsylvania weather center. Movie times and movie theaters in philadelphia_ pa local. What time is it in pennsylvania now? Map of pennsylvania, zone names and the largest cities current local usa philadelphia. Note local time in these zones changes when daylight saving begins and ends. Time zone not currently being observed in pennsylvania what time is it pennsylvania, united states?", "Explore the most exquisite botanical gardens in Pennsylvania. 54th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19143. Gorgeous Historic Gardens in Philadelphia! Historic home to the Bartram family, this is America's oldest living botanical garden and home to the oldest Gingko tree in the country. Located near several historic sites in Philadelphia these gardens have been visited by persons such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson." ]

[ "[deleted]" ]

[ "Charlie Murphy telling stories about Rick James and Prince.", "James is older than John, by about 60 years. Mary is older than John, but not James.", "OJ Simpson was originally considered to play The Terminator, but James Cameron rejected the idea because OJ looked \"too nice to be a killer\"", "James Bonding \n\nAn intimate study into the bonds formed between James and other people he meets.", "King James.", "James", "Gorillaz, considering what people listen to nowadays my tastes are pretty obscure", "James Earl Jones.", "What do you consider an immigrant?", "James Bond theme.", "Cared less about what people thought", "Caring less about what people think.", "Every James Bond", "James and the giant peach", "In a bank vault with James bond", "Ronnie James Dio", "Some people don't know what to talk about.", "Orenthal James Simpsons", " what is wrong with James Charles talking? I don’t watch him so idk if he’s annoying or not", "Idk about yall but I consider it as a compliment", "Really? Bond... James bond", "That people actually care about what others say.", "Stop caring about what other people think.", "I'll share mine:\n\n\"James Bond was probably called Jimmy Bond in grade school.\"\n\n\"Considering the amount of work they put into it, the original Nazis must be offended by the claims of Holocaust deniers.\"", "Reposting is not sexy", "James yelling CLARKSON in Uganda.", "That they care about what poor people think or live.", "Jessie—James Meoww! PG TR", "Authoritarians want to control what people talk about.", "And why do you only address the people? What about us non-people of reddit?", "Because what is considered good differs from person to person", "Text people about what happens after you die" ]

[ "JAG" ]

[ "\"'S Wonderful\"", "the Olmec(s)", "Beefeater(s)", "1920's", "the 1970's", "S-E-X-E-S", "S (takes it to cosmic)", "the 90's", "S-T-A-R-S-K-Y", "T. S. Eliot", "S-H-I-A-T-S-U", "G-N-E-I-S-S", "Double 3's", "P-E-S-S-I-M-I-S-T", "(Ulysses S.) Grant", "U2's tutus", "C. S. Lewis", "Ulysses S. Grant", "Williamson S. Stuckey", "a Milky Way", "(William S.) Burroughs", "\"All The Way\"", "the goal(post)s", "William S. Gilbert", "a parting of the ways", "S (for shear wave)", "N-E-M-E-S-I-S", "S Club 7", "E-S-O-P-H-A-G-U-S", "mare(s or maria)", "William S. Burroughs", "F-A-S-T-I-D-I-O-U-S" ]

[ "By . Lauren Paxman . Last updated at 2:48 PM on 16th November 2011 . Life-saving operation: Jade Lucas, 20, almost died when fluid began spurting out of her head during an emergency operation . Jade Lucas, 20, almost died when a huge cyst in her brain filled with fluid - and burst when surgeons drilled open her skull to operate. The fluid began to pour from Jade's brain during the operation, but doctors carried on with the surgery and saved her life. Jade has had an arachnoid cyst and excess fluid in her brain since she was born. She has undergone brain surgery 15 . times at Great Ormond Street Hospital - but has now been told by doctors . she is unlikely to need any more major surgery for years. The . college student, from Horley, Surrey, said: 'I couldn't believe it when . I was told what had happened during my surgery - I don't think the . doctors had ever had to dodge brain fluid during an operation before. 'I'm . told I was lucky to survive after such high pressure in my brain. I . can't thank the doctors and nurses who saved my life enough.' Despite . making a full recovery, Jade still relies on a shunt inserted into her . brain to keep her alive - which drains fluid directly into her heart - . to prevent it collecting in her skull. Her condition is so severe that doctors spotted a dark mass on her brain before she was even born - on an ultrasound scan. Just months after she was born, Jade's mum noticed one side of her head growing faster than the other - and a brain scan revealed she was suffering from an arachnoid cyst. The cyst was already too big to remove, and surgeons inserted the shunt into Jade's brain to drain the fluid. Jade said: 'I've known about my condition all my life, so I've been used to going in and out of hospital for operations. 'I went for a routine check up the day before I started college, and doctors noticed a lot of pressure behind my eye - and discovered my optic nerve had been bleeding. Jade is still suffering, she said: 'One day I'll feel perfectly normal, but the next I might not be able to get out of bed due to blinding headaches' 'I'd already had a shunt implanted in . my head as a child that was supposed to drain fluid away - but it had . somehow broken, and fluid was building up fast. 'They told me I needed an emergency operation for surgeons to release the pressure, as the cyst was growing bigger and bigger. 'If it got any bigger, it could have caused brain damage. 'If my shunt stops draining, I have four hours to get treated before things get very dangerous. 'I've since found out there was so much fluid under pressure in my head it had literally exploded when surgeons opened up my skull. Recovery process: Jade has undergone brain surgery 15 times at Great Ormond Street Hospital, but still manages to stay upbeat . A shunt is a delicate piece of equipment that's prone to malfunction, usually through blockage or infection. It's estimated that up to 4 out of 10 shunts will malfunction in the first year after surgery. Sometimes a scan carried out after the operation shows that the shunt isn't in the best position, and that further surgery may be needed to reposition it.If a baby or child has a shunt fitted, the shunt may become too small as your child grows, and it will need to be replaced. As most people need to have a shunt for the rest of their life, more than one replacement may be needed.It's estimated that most children with hydrocephalus may have an average of two procedures for shunt problems before they're 10 years old.A shunt blockage can be very serious because it can lead to an excess build-up of fluid on the brain, which can cause brain damage. Shunt infection is also a relatively common complication. The risk of infection can be around 3-15% and is more likely to occur during the first few months after surgery. Source: NHS . 'When I'd recovered, a nurse told me . the minute the surgeon had drilled into my skull, the fluid came . spurting out - and he had to jump out of the way.' Jade slipped into a coma following the operation, and doctors told her terrified mum she might not survive. Over the next week, she had four further operations on her brain, but amazingly, managed to pull through. Surgeons were eventually able to fit another brain shunt. And after a further 15 months of operations and hospital appointments, she was finally able to start a college course. Jade said: 'I try to just get on with things, but the condition does affect my day-to-day life quite a lot. 'One day I'll feel perfectly normal, but the next I might not be able to get out of bed due to blinding headaches and pressure behind my eyes making it painful to see anything bright - even daylight. 'Sometimes I wake up with a headache and feel well enough to go to college, but within a few hours I have such a crippling pain in my head it feels like it is going to burst. 'However, my new shunt has now been problem-free for two years, which is a good sign, as 50 per cent of shunts fail within 24 months. 'I hope now I'll be one of the lucky ones - and my shunt could last me a good 25 years before I'll need another operation.'" ]

[ "By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:01 EST, 5 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:05 EST, 5 September 2012 . A brave schoolboy has had 40 operations as doctors try to cure him of an eight-year headache. Football-mad Laughlan Dougall has suffered pains in his brain since the age of two after diagnosed with a frontal lobe arachnoid cyst - a growth that swells and causes pressure to build up in his skull. Since then he has gone under the knife on average once every two months to drain fluid and even expand his skull, having his last operation just six weeks ago at Glasgow’s Yorkhill Royal Hospital for Sick Children. Laughlan (left) has suffered from head pain since the age of two when he was diagnosed with a brain cyst. He has been treated several times at Glasgow's Yorkhill Royal Hospital (right) Doctors have installed several shunts into his head which connect his brain to his stomach to allow the fluid in the cyst to drain away but the shunts continue to fail and need replacing regularly. Due to the number of operations Laughlan has also developed complex hydrocephalus, also known as ‘water on the brain’. Despite his condition the Celtic fan still loves to play football with his mates, though he isn’t well enough yet to join a team, and attends school three days a week. But Laughlan said his dreams came true when he met the Scotland football squad during one of their training sessions at Cappielow in Greenock, Inverclyde, on Tuesday. Laughlan, of Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire, said: 'The have always had the headaches so I don’t really notice them anymore. 'I have had a lot of operation but I don’t mind them really. It is just something that happens. 'It was brilliant training with the team and I got a top signed by the players. I like to play in goal but haven’t been able to join a team because I wasn’t well. 'However, doctors have told me I can play football again, so I’m going to start.' Lauchlan after his most recent operation to relieve the pressure on his brain . Laughlan’s mother Debbie, 36, first noticed something was wrong with his son when he continually fell over as a toddler. She took him to hospital where doctors found he had a cyst in his brain.The cyst constantly fills with fluid causing pressure to build inside Laughlan’s skull, and giving him a constant headache. The schoolboy had an operation to remove bone from his skull to give the brain more room in October last year, but the surgery failed. Laughlan’s most recent operation was to replace his shunt, which became blocked. Proud Debbie has raised her son alone, along with his 17-year-old sister Amber, since his dad Barry died of skin cancer three years ago. Lauchlan is keen to start playing football again after meeting Scotland goalie David Marshall . Debbie said: 'When he was a toddler he would get really bad headaches and hit his head against the wall. We took him to the hospital and that’s when they discovered he had the cyst. 'To this day, though, if he’s got a really bad one he’ll hit his head against walls. 'The shunts don’t seem to work for any length of time, so he needs to keep going back to the hospital. When the shunts fail he will quite often start to twitch, and you’re guaranteed he’ll be in the hospital within the next couple of days. 'He has had 40 operations but each time I have to watch him be put to sleep is painful. 'At the end of the day he is my baby and always will be. We just take each day at a time and hope this shunt won’t fail. 'I don’t know how he lives with a constant headache. I couldn’t do it. He is absolu . tely amazing and the bravest person I know.' Lauchlan is now fronting a campaign for the Child Brain Injury Trust t . o raise money for children suffering from the same condition. Debbie added: 'They wanted to get Lauchlan a weekend away or a new computer but he wanted it to go to charity. 'It’s a very nice gesture and hopefully he will be able to make it along to throw a few bowls himself.'", "By . Claire Bates . PUBLISHED: . 09:42 EST, 20 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:56 EST, 20 September 2012 . A mother-of-four had emergency surgery after her brain became riddled with tapeworm larvae. Suki-Jane Taylor, 42, contracted neurosysticerosis in 2009, a parasitic disease of the nervous system, after she was infected by pork tapeworm eggs. The eggs are spread through food, water, . or surfaces that have been contaminated with faeces. The tapeworm larvae travelled to her brain where they formed cysts. When they started to die they caused an aneurysm the size of a tangerine in Miss Taylor's brain. Miss Suki Taylor (right) had major brain surgery to treat a brain aneurysm that was most probably caused by tapeworm larvae . She was rushed to St George's Hospital, in south London, where an MRI revealed the dangerously swollen blood vessel. Surgeons were quick to operate, inserting a shunt in her skull to drain away a build up of fluid. She . suffered a loss of taste and smell as a result of the rare condition . and now suffers from epilepsy and depression. Miss Taylor said: 'If it hadn’t been . for my partner’s insistence that they keep me in at St George’s and I . see a specialist and had an MRI scan they wouldn’t have found the . aneurysm. 'They removed . it straight away and when I was coming around he was talking to my . partner and he said I was two weeks away from death. It was right at the . top of my spine at the back of my brain.' Neurocysticercosis is very rare in developed countries causing just 24 cases a year in the UK and 1,500 cases in the U.S. Infected: The pork tapeworm larvae forms inside cysts (sacs) and can cause tissue inflammation when they die . It is contracted by ingesting eggs excreted . by a person who has an intestinal tapeworm. People living in the same . household with a tapeworm carrier have a much higher risk of getting . cysticercosis than others. It is only spread along a faecal to oral route. Once ingested, the larvae embed in tissues including the brain, forming cysticerci (cyst sacs).  These can cause seizures and . headaches. However, confusion, lack of . attention to people and surroundings, difficulty with balance and excess . fluid around the brain (called hydrocephalus) can also occur. If left untreated the . disease can result in death. Symptoms can occur months to years . after infection, usually when the cysts are in the process of dying, so . it's almost impossible for a patient to know when they picked it up. When the parasites die the brain tissue around the cyst can swell. The . pressure caused by swelling is what causes most of the symptoms. Infections are generally treated with anti-parasitic . drugs in combination with anti-inflammatory drugs. Surgery is sometimes . necessary to treat cysts in certain locations. Miss Taylor is now fighting another battle - this time to be moved from her third-floor council flat for fear of having an epileptic fit while alone with her children. Miss Taylor, who has been on the housing list to move since 2001, is currently living in Colliers Wood, south London, with her partner, two-year-old son, 12 year-old-son who has Asperger’s syndrome, and 10-year-old daughter. Miss Taylor, pictured with her children Fred (left), Bertie and Mille, now suffers from epilepsy. Her neurologist said climbing stairs to her council flat is endangering her health . She regularly climbs the three flights of stairs carrying her two-year-old, despite neurologists warning her doing so could cause an epileptic seizure putting herself and her child in danger. She said: 'My balance has gone, my sense of smell and taste has gone and my eyesight has got worse. 'If I carry too much up and down the stairs I can have an epileptic fit.  I can sometimes feel that I have taken the stairs when I haven’t. 'My consultant has said if I am moved to a property where I haven’t got any steps she could take me off of the epileptic tablets. I’m alive and I’m going to see my children grow up, but I have been left by Wandle Housing Association. In a letter to Wandle Housing Association, Miss Taylor’s consultant neurologist described her accommodation as “unacceptable”, calling for her to be moved as a “priority”. A Housing Association spokesman said it . recognised the family had been 'dealing with what is clearly a very . stressful situation' and they were working hard to find a suitable . property for Miss Taylor. Recovering: Miss Taylor, pictured after surgery, struggles with her balance and has lost her sense of smell .", "By . Anna Hodgekiss . Katie Hill discovered she had a 2.5stone cyst while pregnant . A 'miracle' baby has survived despite his mother suffering from a two stone cyst while pregnant with him. Doctors feared the huge growth could be cancerous and warned Katie Hill it would kill her and her unborn son Alfie if it burst. She had her partner Ricky Collier had been trying for a baby for 18 months and were delighted when they discovered Ms Hill was pregnant last July. But a few weeks after the 12 week scan last September she experienced sharp, cramping pains down her left side. Doctors discovered a small cyst and drained four litres of fluid from it, but just after her 20 week scan, Ms Hill was recalled to hospital and told a huge second cyst had been found. She said: 'My consultant told me that there was debris inside this cyst and it could be cancerous, so they would have to operate to remove it. 'They told me they were going to leave me until I was 25 weeks pregnant before they operated to give the baby the best chance of survival. 'By this point I was in so much pain with the cyst because it was so heavy and they put me on painkillers. 'They told me it was if I was carrying twins at 30 weeks, as the cyst had made me so much bigger than I should be at that stage of pregnancy. 'However, it was only after they operated that we found out it was a lot worse than that. 'I was absolutely huge and if the cyst had burst or ruptured, both me and the baby would have died.' Ms Hill, 25, was rushed to Royal Preston Hospital in December as she struggled to breathe and had a temperature. She was losing blood internally, given an emergency transfusion and booked in for the emergency operation to remove the cyst. Ms Hill pregnant with the cyst (left) and after it was removed (right). Doctors had warned it could rupture, killing her and her unborn child . Ms Hill underwent a three-and-a-half hour operation to drain 12 litres of fluid from it and, to her relief, no cancer was found. The cyst had not been a common ovarian one but developed inside her left fallopian tube, which had expanded massively as it had grown. Ms Hill had regular scans to check on her baby as doctors feared that being so squashed by the cyst might have affected his growth but he seemed fine. Baby Alfie survived the surgery as he wriggled lower into his mother's womb . Ms Hill added: 'Once they removed the cyst, they removed my left fallopian tube as well. 'The doctors told me: 'We don't know how you survived. Thankfully, there was no cancer.' Ms Hill then continued with her pregnancy and three months after the operation, her son Alfie was born slightly prematurely, but otherwise well. A month on, he is now doing well at home in Preston, Lancashire. Ms Hill, a clerical officer for the NHS, said: 'Alfie is an absolute joy and we cannot believe he is here after everything we have been through. 'It is frightening to think that if the cyst had ruptured, both Alfie and I could have died. 'We experienced some very frightening times but now Alfie is here, we are both so happy, as he is just so perfect.' Alfie survived the surgery as he wriggled lower into her womb and Ms Hill returned home after a few days in hospital. The couple faced further anguish after 30 weeks of pregnancy when a scan showed enlarged ventricles to the baby's brain. Ms Hill was referred to specialists in Manchester who offered to test for Down's syndrome. She said: 'We felt there was no point having the test, as it was not an issue. Alfie was going to come anyway.' Ms Hill went into hospital on March 24 to be induced, but doctors told her she had already started labour and she had to be sent for an emergency Caesarean section. When she came round her first words were: 'Is my baby alive?' and she was told that Alfie was in intensive care. She said: 'Once I came round, they took me up in my bed to see Alfie. He was all wired up and in an incubator.' After having the cyst removed, Ms Hill (with partner Ricky) went on to have baby Alfie slightly prematurely . Alfie, who was born on March 25 weighing 7lb 7oz, began gradually getting better, and after seven days in hospital he and his mother were allowed home. She said: 'Alfie is now a month old and is doing really well. 'He's a perfect miracle and we are just amazed that he is here. We just keep looking at him and crying.' His father added: 'Alfie is perfect. We just can't stop looking at him and checking on him.' Sanjeev Prashar, clinical director of women's health at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: 'A cyst that weighs more than two stone is certainly quite unusual and removing a large cyst during pregnancy can be a difficult operation. 'We wish Katie, Alfie and the family well for the future.'", "By . Lucy Laing . PUBLISHED: . 10:19 EST, 2 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:03 EST, 2 April 2013 . When pregnant Laura Horne’s bump suddenly started growing much faster than expected, worried doctors carried out a scan to find the cause. What they discovered was a huge ovarian cyst – growing on the ovary not of the mother-to-be, but of her unborn daughter. And as well as putting increasing pressure on the baby’s vital organs, if it burst the little girl could suffer serious complications. Mrs Horne had to have an emergency Caesarean to deliver her daughter, so she could then undergo a life-saving operation. Laura Horne had a scan when her baby bump started to grow much more quickly than expected. She is pictured with baby Ruby and husband, Michael . The scan showed that Ruby had an ovarian cyst which was two inches in diameter. The cyst is the round black area in the centre of the image . Ruby, now 23-months-old, has made a complete recovery and is at home with her parents in Stirling, Scotland. Mrs Horne, 26, a pharmacist, said: ‘The scan saved Ruby’s life. If the doctors hadn’t carried out the scan to see why my stomach was so huge, then they might not have spotted the growth in time. ‘It was in the top of her stomach and growing upwards so that it was squashing her major organs. ‘It could have ruptured any minute whilst she was in the womb – which would have killed her. She is the luckiest baby in the world.’ The growth of Mrs Horne’s bump started accelerating after she went past the 30-week mark in her pregnancy in April 2011. She said: ‘When I got to 36 weeks my bump was so enormous that I looked as though I was having triplets. I couldn’t fasten my seatbelt in the car. ‘My pregnancy had gone smoothly at first. I’d had a bit of bleeding initially, which was a worry, but that soon stopped. And my scans had shown nothing was wrong. ‘But then after I reached 30 weeks pregnant, my bump really started to grow over the next few weeks. Even the midwives were shocked at the size of it – they thought it was absolutely huge.’ Ruby had to be delivered by emergency Caesarean because the cyst was putting pressure on her vital organs and was in danger of rupturing and killing her . Doctors at Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital thought Mrs Horne might have had excess fluid in her womb so carried out a scan. It was then they discovered that the baby had a mass growing in the top of her stomach. Ovarian cysts in newborn baby girls are quite common and usually clear up on their own but Ruby's was unusual as it was putting pressure on her organs and was in danger of rupturing. Mrs Horne, who lives with husband Michael, 25, an engineer, said: ‘It was terrifying. The sonographer ran the scanner over my stomach and then said they could see a mass growing in the baby’s stomach. ‘I had another scan to check, and at that point the doctors weren’t sure whether the mass was a tumour, a cyst or a bowel blockage.’ Mrs Horne underwent an emergency caesarean to deliver Ruby, who weighed 7lb 6oz. After she was born Ruby had to have an operation to remove the cyst which turned out to be benign. She has now made a full recovery . Ruby had to have one of her ovaries removed but her parents have been told that it should not affect her ability to have children in the future . Ruby was immediately transferred to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow, where she had an operation. Doctors discovered she had an ovarian cyst measuring nearly two inches in diameter. The surgeons managed to remove all of it, and Ruby immediately lost half a pound. Mrs Horne said: ‘We were so worried about Ruby having the operation as she was so young, only a few days old. ‘But we knew that the cyst could have ruptured at any moment, so we didn’t have a choice. When surgeons removed Ruby's cyst she immediately lost half a pound in weight . ‘When they told us afterwards that it had been a success it was such a relief.’ The couple have been told that although one ovary had to be removed, it should not affect Ruby’s chance of having children in the future as she still has one ovary remaining. Mrs Horne added: ‘We were so amazed that a baby could even have an ovarian cyst like this. ‘The doctors told us it was incredibly rare but it had probably developed as she had absorbed excess hormones through me.’ Tests showed the cyst was benign, not cancerous.", "Surgeons have removed kidneys that each weighed as much as a newborn baby from an Indian man with a genetic disorder. The giant internal organ reportedly weighed a colossal 6lbs (2.7kg) - and was 20 times bigger thanit should have been. It was was extracted from a 45-year-old suffering from autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). This condition causes fluid-filled cysts to grow in the kidneys, so they expand in size. Surgeons have removed the kidneys, which weighed as much as a newborn baby, from a 45-year-old man with a genetic disease. Scan shows the kidneys, which had grown to 20 times their normal size . Incredibly, a week after his initial operation at Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, a second kidney weighing 5.5lbs (2.5kg) was removed. Both kidneys beat the previous record of 4.7lbs (2.1kg), which was removed in Dhule, India, in 2011, according to Guinness World Records. Normally, healthy kidneys weigh between 125g and 170g in men - less than half a pound. The patient was diagnosed with ADPKD, which is potentially lethal, last year. He arrived at the hospital suffering from high fever, blood in his urine and severe abdominal pain before he was admitted. 'I used to remain tired throughout the day due to excessive blood loss,' the patient, whose name has not been released by the hospital, said. It took a team of surgeons three hours to remove the giant organ, before he was then put on dialysis. He will soon receive a kidney transplant. Dr Bhargav, one of the surgeons who carried out the procedure, said: 'The kidney was 20 times the normal size and was stuck around the intestines. Normal healthy kidneys weight between 125g and 170g in men - less than half a pound. One of the kidneys the doctors removed weighed 6lbs (2.7kg) (is is pictured on the scales) 'The patient is recovering and awaiting a kidney transplant.' ADPKD affects between 1 in 700-1,000 individuals worldwide, with 12.5 million cases globally, and is currently incurable. It is caused by mutations in one or more genes, causing them to function abnormally. Cysts develop in the kidneys, and often the livers and the pancreas. Over time, they grow and multiple, replacing normal healthy tissue and causing the kidneys to stop working. In the early stages, there may be no symptoms and the cysts won't be noticed until adulthood. They will vary by individual but may include back or abdominal pain, recurrent urinary infections or blood in the urine, kidney stones and kidney failure. Two thirds of adults with ADPKD will develop high blood pressure, and 1 in 12 will develop small brain aneurysms. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is an inherited condition that causes small, fluid-filled sacs called cysts to develop in the kidneys. Although children are born with the condition, ADPKD does not usually cause any noticeable problems until the cysts grow large enough to affect the kidneys' functions. In most cases, this doesn't occur until 30-60 years of age. When ADPKD reaches this stage, it can cause a wide range of problems, including abdominal pain, high blood pressure, blood in the urine, urine infections and kidney stones. Eventually, kidney function gets worse and worse, until so much is lost that kidney failure develops. ADPKD affects between 1 in 700-1,000 individuals worldwide, with 12.5 million cases globally, and is currently incurable. It is caused by mutations in one or more genes, causing them to function abnormally. Sources: NHS Choices and Polycystic Kidney Charity .", "He looks just like any happy five-year-old boy, but Harvey Hawkins lives with a lump on his brain which could kill him at any time - and his parents have no choice but to let it grow. Harvey was diagnosed six months ago with a rare growth called a colloid cyst after he started vomiting and became delirious for days on end. But his parents Anita and Neil, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, face an agonising wait because the 9mm lump is so hard to reach that surgery could do Harvey more harm than good. Ticking time bomb: He looks just like any happy five-year-old, but Harvey Hawkins lives with a lump on his brain which could kill him at any time, and his parents have no choice but to let it grow until surgeons can reach it . Doting: Harvey's parents Anita and Neil (pictured), from Milton Keynes, keep a close eye on his symptoms . They have been told they must wait for the non-cancerous cyst to grow before surgeons have a hope of removing it, even though it can cause severe brain damage and even sudden death. If the cyst grows it will begin to . stop vital fluids from entering his brain, which means his parents must keep a keen eye on his symptoms and take him for regular brain scans. Mrs Hawkins, 37, said: 'If you saw him you wouldn't think there is anything wrong with him. He's just a normal happy little boy, but with a ticking time bomb in his brain. 'We just have to wait for the worst to come and then it is a matter of time whether we can save him. It could be tomorrow or it could be in 20 years, but once it grows too big it can cause sudden death. 'It's very hard to live with but we will try our utmost to save him when it comes to the worst.' Mrs Hawkins, 37, said: 'We just have to wait for the worst to come and then it is a matter of time whether we can save him. It could be tomorrow or it could be in 20 years, but it can cause sudden death' Colloid cysts are rare, making up just 1.5 per cent of brain tumours according to the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. The jelly-like masses are usually found on the third ventricle, one of four fluid-filled structures which provide a core for the brain and help protect it. Although they are not cancerous, they have the same life-threatening effects as any abnormal lump. They push other cells out of their way and cause symptoms including headaches, vomiting and even sudden death. Despite the cysts measuring up to 5cm in extreme cases, medics are unable to agree on what causes them. Harvey's symptoms first showed just before Christmas last year when he began to vomit, but he was initially turned away from . the doctor with suspected gastritis. His mother took him back to the doctor two days later when the vomiting refused to stop, and he was admitted to hospital where he remained for five days for tests. But he was sent home again, and returned only once he began vomiting violently on Christmas Day. The little boy had an MRI scan at . Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital which confirmed he had a colloid cyst on the third ventricle of his brain. Surgeons analysed the amount of pressure the cyst was placing on Harvey's brain and decided operating on it would be more risky than leaving it until it became easier to reach. Now the family have to rush Harvey to hospital whenever there is a slight change in his condition. 'If his temperature goes above 37 degrees, or he has weakness in his limbs we have to act fast,' his mother said. 'I had a call from his school that he was complaining his eyes were hurting, we spent three hours in A&E and it turned out he was just tired - but we can't take any chances. 'They call it a \"sit and wait\" condition as there is nothing we can do. We try to put it to the back of our minds and to live a normal life, but this is reality.' Fundraising: Harvey's parents want to take him on holidays while he is still guaranteed to enjoy them . Sarah Lindsell, chief executive of the Brain Tumour Charity which offers advice and support to patients and their families, said: 'Our hearts go out to Harvey and his family. 'Being told that your child has a potentially life-threatening condition is every parent's worst nightmare. 'It is even more agonising - and frightening - to be told you must wait before any treatment is possible. 'The most important thing is that Harvey's family and those around him know exactly what to look out for and who to speak to on his medical team if they are worried at any point that things have changed.' The family is raising money to take Harvey on holidays while he is still guaranteed to enjoy them, including to Lourdes in France, where his devout Catholic parents believe he could be healed. 'I want him to get blessed so that when the operation comes, he will be okay,' his mother said. For advice on brain tumours and growths visit thebraintumourcharity.org.", "By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 04:52 EST, 16 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:52 EST, 16 August 2012 . A baby who was born with a growth on her face the size of a melon has made an incredible recovery after having life-saving surgery to have it removed. Mia Molyneux was born with a huge cyst on the side of her face - that was bigger than her own head, and weighed almost half as much as she did. Surgeons battled to remove the growth in a gruelling nine-hour operation - which saw little Mia have 96 pints of blood pumped into her tiny body to keep her alive. Doctors urged Michaela to terminate her pregnancy because they thought Mia could be disabled, but she refused . Now aged 20 weeks, she has finally been given the all clear to go back to the family home in Widnes, Cheshire. Her mother Michaela, 20, said: 'I was absolutely terrified when I found out Mia had something wrong with her. 'The doctors were urging me to terminate the pregnancy, as they feared Mia would be severely disabled, but I absolutely refused. 'When she was born I fell in love with her instantly. When I looked at her I saw my baby girl alive, not the growth. 'The operation to remove the it was really risky - I was terrified the cyst would rupture and she would bleed to death - but the surgeons were amazing. 'She needed 96 pints of blood transfued - the average baby only has one pint in their body. I'm just so glad to have my little girl home with me at last.'Medics realised there was something wrong with the pregnancy after Michaela, desperate to know the sex of her baby, booked herself in for an extra ultrasound scan. Before; Mia's cyst was due to the abnormal development of the lymphatic vessels that drain fluid from tissues . After: Surgeons managed to remove the cyst following nine hours of surgery . Sonographers quickly spotted a huge swelling on the baby's face - and feared she would be born with severe disabilities. Michaela said: 'I booked an extra scan at 17 weeks at Warrington Hospital to find out the sex of the baby because I was so impatient. 'The sonographer was staring at the screen and instantly I knew something was wrong. He said he could see swelling so booked me in for a more detailed examination the next day.' Doctors were concerned about the baby and urged Michaela to terminate the pregnancy, but the mother-to-be refused to give up on her unborn baby. At 36 weeks pregnant, still unsure of her unborn baby's exact prognosis, Michaela had an MRI scan which confirmed that Mia had combined venous-lymphatic malformation. Mia will always have some scarring. Her mother said: 'I'm so proud of her.' The ultra-rare condition results from an abnormal development of the lymphatic vessels that drain fluid from tissues. When these vessels develop abnormally they can cause a localised swelling, often with cysts, and sometimes blood vessels can also develop abnormally in the same area. A caesarean was planned for 27 March, at Liverpool Women's Hospital, as a natural birth would be too dangerous for the pair. Doctors explained they would need to carry out a risky procedure during the birth where they would insert a ventilator into Mia's throat before the umbilical cord was cut, to help her breathe. Medics were so worried about the procedure, there were 18 doctors and nurses in the room when Mia was born. She was rushed to intensive care after the baby's lung collapsed minutes after birth. Michaela said: 'Mia was bought to see me before she was rushed to intensive care at just three hours old. My legs weren't working because of the spinal block so I couldn't lean over to see her, so the doctor guided my hand in to feel her face.' When Mia was just six days old, surgeons decided to operate on the cyst. Michaela said: 'The surgeon explained that there was a risk that it might rupture and that she would bleed and they wouldn't be able to control it. 'They said if that happened then there will be nothing they can do for her. I was worried but I knew she was in the safest possible hands. Mia had several bleeds but luckily with a bit of pressure they managed to stop them.' Dr Adam Donne, paediatric ENT surgeon at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, carried out the surgery and said: 'This was an extremely difficult and rare case and Mia's condition was critical. The lesion was very delicate and therefore bleeding was challenging. 'Following surgery, Mia continued to be cared for by our Intensive Care team before she became well enough to recover on our neurosurgical ward. 'Although she required further surgery, she has now returned home and we are pleased with her progress. 'This is a wonderful example of how the doctors and nurses throughout Alder Hey work well together to save the life of a newborn.' After nine hours Mia came out of surgery and started her recovery. Michaela said: 'She looked so battered and bruised, it was heartbreaking seeing her in that state. It was so hard not being able to hold her until she was 15 days old.' Now, at 20 weeks old, Mia has been able to go home to her proud mum. Michaela said: 'Mia will be scarred for life but it's a small price to pay. When her bandages came off after the surgery I used to still wrap her up in them when we went outside because I was worried what people would think. 'Now I don't, she's been through so much and I'm so proud of her.'", "By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:49 EST, 28 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:52 EST, 28 November 2012 . An 11-year-old wrestling fan has proved he's a real fighter after enduring 30 brain operations. Callum Murray has overcome numerous bouts of illness while training to become a junior referee in his favourite sport. The youngster has beaten meningitis twice, overcome a brain haemorrhage, a cyst on his brain and  sudden attacks which saw him black out and stop breathing. Callum, pictured left during a recent visit to hospital, says wrestling is the one world where he has felt totally accepted . In the ring: Callum referees a match between wrestlers Shaun The Hammer Davis and Tyson T-Bone. The wrestling world has got behind his fundraising cause . In January 2006, doctors at Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital diagnosed him with Arnold Chiari Malformation. The condition is a malformation at the base of the brain which puts pressure on vital nervous system fluid moving from the brain to the spinal cord. Now a special valve fitted behind Callum's ear helps drain the fluid and keep him alive. He also takes 24 tablets a day to keep his condition in check. Despite six years of operations and staying at three different hospitals brave Callum has found one thing that helps him feel like any other child - wrestling. He loves the sport so much Callum has travelled hundreds of miles to watch it and has had the backing of some of the sport's biggest stars. Now wrestling is helping his determined parents Sharon, 35, and Rob, 36, raise £10,000 to take him for pioneering treatment in the US through fund-raising bouts. The fund stands at just over £7,000 towards taking Callum to the The Chiari Institute, New York, U.S, where he and his family hope to find some answers. Callum has managed to stay positive despite enduring six years of operations . Biggest fans: Callum with his mother Sharon, father Rob and wrestler John Cena, who has helped raise money for an operation for Callum in the U.S . Callum - who has already undergone referee training and overseen junior bouts - said wrestling was the only time he felt totally accepted. The youngster - who lives with his parents in Widnes, Cheshire, said: 'What the wrestlers have done for me is awesome, I want to say thank you so much. 'When I'm older I want to be a referee but if I can't do that a manager or a promoter. I don't like WWE or WWF, I like the wrestling we have in Britain. 'My illness makes me sad because I miss lots of holidays and can't go to school as much and I can't play with other children as much as I'd like.' Mother Sharon said one of the best things for Callum about wrestling was the fact people didn't look twice at him and accepted him meaning he could be himself. Still smiling: Callum has had a valve fitted behind his ear to drain extra fluid from his brain . She said: 'Callum is a real little . fighter, he doesn't want people feeling sorry for him, he's fighting to . have a normal childhood. 'He . can get second glances sometimes because of the scars but when we are . at wrestling no one looks twice and he can just be like any other child. 'Callum . doesn't feel like he's abnormal, he's older than his years, he'll go up . to people in their 20s and 30s and say 'alright buddy'. 2006 . 1) First brain surgery2) Decompression surgery after bone causing pressure grows back3) Emergency surgery to inset a drain after a brain bleed4) Shunt inserted after developing build up of fluid on brain5) Monitoring device inserted to check brain pressure6) An operation to change the top part of the shunt7) Operation to replace shunt from brain to stomach . 2007 . 8) Bottom part of shunt replaced to improve drainage9) Hole opened in brain to re-establish flow of fluid. Reservoir inserted to doctors could sample fluid.10) Antibiotics put directly into reservoir after contracting meningitis11) Reservoir removed after meningitis found to be breeding there. Insert external brain to remove infected fluid12) Remove the drain13) Insert monitoring device in brain14) Decompression surgery15) Antibiotics line inserted in arm after contracting meningitis a second time16) Antibiotics line inserted in chest17) Surgeons remove tissue from brain and clean out fluid18) Cerebrospinal fluid discovered pouring from head scar. New drain attached.19) Drain removed and another shunt inserted20) Stitches removed from decompression scar . 2008 . 21) Shunt replaced after it becomes blocked22) Pressure measured on brain23) Shunt blocked again so moved to different part of the brain2009 . 24) Shunt replaced 25) Cyst discovered. Needle inserted into brain to drain fluid26) Monitoring operation to measure pressure on brain27) Op to replace valve in the shunt28) Another monitoring operation29) Shunt and valve replaced30) Extra device fitted called an anti-syphon to cope with extra fluid in brain . 'He plays in goal at football, he . loves his Xbox and Playstation, he acts just like any other 11-year-old . and never lets it get him down.' One of the worst moments for Callum . was just after Christmas 2006 when aged just seven he had to fight off a . deadly rare form of meningitus. Sharon said: 'Callum contracted a form of meningitis that just lives in the ventricles of the brain, two parts at the base of the head. 'During the treatment the doctor showed us the fluid from the brain, it should have been the colour of white wine but it was as cloudy as milk because of all the white blood cells fighting the infection.' Father Rob, a former Royal Navy submariner, said there weren't words to describe how brave his son had been in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds. At one stage Callum was blacking out and not breathing almost every week so the Murray's had special 'Keep Clear' road markings drawn outside their home for the ambulance. He said: 'As a family seeing the pain he has been through, not knowing if he was going to make it through operations has been hard, but Callum has been brave for all of us. 'Sharon and I have been in hospital so many times we get other parents coming to us for advice, it's even got to the stage when we have been spelling the name of his condition to some doctors or nurses because we know it better than they do. 'At one stage during Callum's illness they offered for him to be cared for at a hospice, which was really nice, but we knew it wasn't the place for him. 'His attitude is amazing and we are hopeful in America they will be able to offer something perhaps we can't get over here that might be able to help him.' Steven Fludder, from Preston City Wrestling, helped organise a fund-raising event for Callum that raised around £2,000. He said: 'Callum doesn't act any different to a boy his age, he doesn't want attention because of what has happened to him, he just gets on with life, he's an inspiration. 'If Callum wants to be a referee some day in wrestling there's nothing stopping him and I think he should follow his dream. 'I started this wrestling club in August 2011 and Callum and Rob and Sharon have been there since the beginning so it has been nice to give something back.'", "By . Emma Innes . A woman whose stomach was so swollen she thought she was pregnant has told of her horror after discovering she was carrying a 5st ovarian cyst. Lorna Fulton, 44, desperately wanted a family but was left heartbroken when doctors told her, and her husband Stewart, they were unlikely to conceive naturally. Mrs Fulton, from Glasgow, tipped the scales at 21st and wore size 24 dresses. Lorna Fulton had such a swollen stomach (left) she was convinced she was pregnant. She was devastated to be told she actually had a huge ovarian cyst that had to be removed. She is pictured (right) after it was removed . But she refused IVF treatment and instead threw herself into slimming to a healthier weight in the hope of conceiving. However, in August last year Mrs Fulton was baffled when she struggled to even fit into a bigger size 26 and her waistline continued to expand despite months of dieting and losing 2st. She rushed to her GP hoping her growing bump was a miracle baby, but after a pregnancy test came back negative she was referred to specialists who discovered a huge ovarian cyst. She said: ‘Stewart and I had almost given up hope of having children, but when our doctor suggested IVF, we decided not to go down that route and hoped it would happen on its own. ‘At 21st I knew I had to do something about my weight to help my chances. ‘So, I joined a diet class and started eating a healthier diet and within a few months I'd lost 2st. During surgery to remove the cyst, Mrs Fulton had to have 32 litres of fluid drained from her stomach. She also had to have a hysterectomy. She is pictured after the cyst was removed . ‘I went out to buy a new outfit to celebrate. I had been a size 24 so I picked up a size 22, hoping it would now fit comfortably. ‘But I couldn't get into it as around my middle was too big and I had to go up to a size 26. ‘It was so noticeable that people at work thought I was pregnant and kept asking when I was due. ‘So I went to see my GP, who was convinced at first I was pregnant. An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac that develops on a woman's ovary. They are very common and do not usually cause any symptoms. In most cases, they are harmless and usually disappear without the need for treatment. However, if the cyst is large or causing symptoms, it may need to be surgically removed. An ovarian cyst will usually only cause symptoms if it ruptures, is very large, or if it blocks the blood supply to the ovaries. In this case, symptoms can include pelvic pain, urinating frequently, a change to menstruation, bloating and tiredness. Source: NHS Choices . ‘But when a pregnancy test proved negative I knew there was something more sinister lurking. ‘I was referred to hospital where I had a biopsy, a CT scan and an ultra sound. ‘Finally a specialist told me that I had a huge ovarian cyst, which from the scan they could see was filled with fluid. ‘They told me if I didn't have it removed I could die.’ Devastated, Mrs Fulton was forced to undergo a full hysterectomy at Glasgow's Royal Infirmary where medics drained more than 32 litres of fluid from her stomach. She said: ‘At the hospital, I had to have my operation in the maternity unit. ‘It was horrible. I was really sad, but I knew I just had to deal with the fact I wouldn't be having children. ‘I knew what was involved in the operation, but I just wanted it gone.’ Mrs Fulton shed more than 5st overnight after the growth was successfully removed. She said: ‘The doctors said it was too risky to remove it whole so it had to be drained. ‘Plus, there was a chance it could come back in my other ovary so I finally consented to a full hysterectomy. ‘I went under the knife and said goodbye to having children once and for all. Mrs Fulton (pictured with her husband, Stewart) was devastated to be told she needed a hysterectomy as she was desperate to have children - but she says she is also grateful to be alive . ‘The doctor drained 32 litres of fluid and removed the lump. ‘Waking up from the op, I felt much better and the following day weighed myself. ‘At that point I'd been 19st and after having the lump removed I was now down to 14st. ‘It was unbelievable I'd been carrying around all that weight. ‘I've now accepted that children are not on the cards for me. Mrs Fulton lost 5st in weight during the operation to remove her cyst and have fluid drained from her abdomen . ‘But things could have been so much worse. I'm lucky to be alive.’ An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac that develops on a woman's ovary. They are very common and do not usually cause any symptoms. In most cases, they are harmless and usually disappear without the need for treatment. However, if the cyst is large or causing symptoms, it may need to be surgically removed. An ovarian cyst will usually only cause symptoms if it ruptures, is very large, or if it blocks the blood supply to the ovaries.", "A police officer who visited a hospital after a dying patient made a 999 call begging for a drink told an inquest he witnessed nursing staff ignoring his requests for water. PC Matthew Oommen, who visited Kane Gorny after the emergency call at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, south London, said he heard the patient twice ask for a drink but no water was brought. Kane, 22, lost more than a third of his body fluid while recovering from a hip operation at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, southwest London. He needed vital medication to help his body retain fluid and resorted to phoning 999 to beg for a drink. Officers arrived at Kane Gorny's bedside, but were told by nurses that he was in a confused state and were sent away. Hospital: Kane Gorny, 22, pictured with his mother Rita, needed drugs to regulate his hormone levels after successfully beating brain cancer. However, during a hospital stay nurses forgot to give him his medication . The keen footballer and runner from Balham, died of dehydration a few hours later. He said Mr Gorny had stuck out his tongue and asked: ‘does this look like a dry mouth?’ before asking the nurses for a drink. He told Westminsters' Coroners Court: 'Kane shouted to the nursing staff \"Can I have some water?\" There was no water by his bedside and I asked him again to explain why he had called police. 'He stated that he kept asking for water but they wouldn't give it to him. He was complaining of a dry mouth.' The officer and his colleague left after doctors reassured him Mr Gorny had a history of erratic behaviour following a brain tumour he had suffered the year before. But the inquest has heard no evidence that Mr Gorny was given any water. The inquest heard earlier that specialist doctors at the hospital who . had been treating Kane for a year and knew of his rare medical needs . were not even told he was in the building until after he died. ‘The guidelines say if patients come . in, you call us - bleep and we are always available’, said Arshia . Panahloo, the consultant endocrinologist in charge of his treatment. ‘The best way is to call us because we know the patients. It would be very difficult not to find us.’ Mr Gorny had just been given the all-clear from a malignant brain tumour when he was admitted to St George’s on May 25, 2009. The inquest heard Mr Gorny’s hip had . been weakened by steroid’s during the tumour treatment, and he needed a . replacement operation. Dr Panahloo was on leave when Mr Gorny . was admitted but none of her colleagues in the endocrinology . department, who knew of his specialist medical needs, were told he was . there. Inquest: Rita Cronin, left, and Kane's father Peter Gorny arriving at their son's inquest. Rita told the court she had tried to convince the staff at the hospital her son needed urgent attention but they insisted he was alright . ‘I wanted him to have the operation at St George’s so I could be involved in his care’, said Dr Panahloo. ‘I would see him before the operation and daily afterwards. ‘He had a rare tumour and was on a . large amount of hormone replacements. In my opinion, there needed to be . looked after by an endocrinologist afterwards. ‘I expected to hear the date he was coming in.’ The medication would be taken at least once a day to ensure sodium levels stayed normal and his body could retain fluids. Mr Gorny, who worked in Waitrose and was training to be a locksmith and shoe repairer, was denied the medication and sodium . levels rocketed to an abnormally high 164. The normal range is between 135 and 145. Happier times: Mr Gorny, who worked in Waitrose and was training to be a locksmith and shoe repairer, was denied the medication and sodium levels rocketed to an abnormally high 164 . On the morning of his death, on May 28, 2009, he had lost nine litres of body fluid, the inquest was told. Dr Simon Bridle, the consultant in . charge of Mr Gorny’s care, said he was not told of the sodium reading . and would have acted if he had known. The inquest heard Mr Gorny's hip had been weakened by steroid¿s during the tumour treatment, and he needed a replacement operation . ‘I don’t think I’ve ever had a patient . with a sodium level of 164, I would have been very surprised and known . something was seriously wrong’, he said. ‘Particularly given Kane’s background, . I would have undoubtedly instructed the endocrinology team to be . involved as an emergency.’ A letter had been penned by Dr Bridle . detailing Mr Gorny’s rare condition, but doctors and nurses on the ward . did not see it when sedating him without ensuring he was being given . fluids. Deputy Coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe . asked Dr Panahloo if nurses would have been told of the vital need to . maintain fluid levels if her team had been involved. ‘If there was any evidence of . excessive thirst or drinking too much, it is a very early sign that . there may have been a problem’, said Dr Panahloo. ‘It would have been clearly documented . on the notes and I would expect the nurses to read that and be aware . that the fluid balance was important. ‘I would expect them to call us.’ A nurse later admitted knowing little . about Mr Gorny’s rare medical condition when she left it off notes for . medical staff at the hospital where he died. Erlinda Edwards recommended Mr Gorny . for admission to hospital a day early so that doctors could be fully . prepared for his hip operation. But Ms Edwards, a sister at St George’s Hospital admitted that she ‘was not knowledgeable’ about his condition. She said she decided not to write . about the disease - diabetes insipidus - on forms for nurses because she . assumed they already knew about it. ‘I didn’t normally instruct nurses on the ward what to do, what to observe’, she said. ‘I can’t write everything, instructing nurses on the ward whether they should do this and do that. ‘I would expect nurses would know about the diabetes insipidus and know what to observe.’ Ms Edwards said a letter penned by Mr . Gorny’s consultant Dr Simon Bridle had already outlined the special . circumstances and the need to liaise with the hospital’s endocrinology . department, which had been giving Mr Gorny care since his treatment for a . brain tumour. Help: Police raced to St George's Hospital in Tooting, south London (pictured) but were turned away by staff . But Deputy Coroner Dr Shirley . Radcliffe criticised Dr Bridle’s letter for being vague and not spelling . out exactly how Mr Gorny needed to be treated. Dr Radcliffe pointed to places on Ms Edwards’ assessment form where the condition could have been documented. ‘It could have been, in my view, . exactly the sort of form that could have conveyed information of the . management of thirst and output of urine’, she said. A letter had been penned by Dr Bridle detailing Mr Gorny's rare condition, but doctors and nurses on the ward did not see it . But Ms Edwards said: ‘Because he was . already being treated and had brain surgery, and also he was a young . 22-year-old, there’s nothing that would alert me. ‘Although he had a medical problem, I didn’t think of writing all of that.’ Dr Radcliffe asked: ‘Did you have a . clear understanding of the disease when you saw him and the implications . for post operation management’. She replied: ‘At the time, I must admit, no’. Nurses who treated Mr Gorny are due . to give testify this week that they did not give him medication to help . his fluid retention because they did not know about the condition. Dr Bridle has told the inquest he . expected his nurses to know about the condition from his letter, but did . not do enough to check to treatment Mr Gorny was given. The inquest heard Mr Gorny became agitated the day before he died, pulling down the curtain next to his bed on the ward and lashing out at nurses. Professor Sebastian Lucas, who performed the post mortem on Mr Gorny, said as sodium levels rise in the body, irritability and aggression is a symptom that normally comes before seizures, the patient slipping into a coma, and ultimately dying. But nurses on the ward sedated him without ensuring he was given intravenous fluids, and still did not give him the vital medication. Last week his mother Rita Cronin, a . civil servant told Westminster Coroner's Court that staff tutted at her . and repeatedly refused to listen to her concerns that her son hadn't . been given vital medication. At one point he became so desperate . and upset that staff sedated and restrained him – and on the night . before his death, his mother said, he was not checked on by medical . staff, despite being in a room on his own. Following his death, a nurse . allegedly inquired whether the family, from Balham, South-West London, . was 'finished' and asked a matron in front of them whether she could . 'bag him up'. The inquest continues.", "By . Emma Innes . A mother has today told of her horror after her baby was born with ‘two heads’. Ellie Wellman-Smith, 20, said when Harry, now one, was born he had such a large growth on his shoulder, prompting fears her son had a second head. But after surgery to remove the fluid-filled growth, Harry is now a healthy toddler. Ms Wellman-Smith said she is glad she chose not to have routine pregnancy scans, which could have led doctors to offer her a termination. Harry Barron-Edgley, now one, was born with a huge fluid-filled lump on his shoulder . When Harry Barron-Edgley was born he had a lymphatic malformation – a fluid-filled lump just under the skin. Ms Wellman-Smith said: ‘Lymphatic malformations can sometimes indicate lots of other problems including chromosomal abnormalities. I probably would have been told that termination was an option. ‘As it is, Harry is a lively, wonderful, healthy child. He can eat, he can play, he can mess around with his brother and enjoy life.’ Single parent Ms Wellman-Smith, a former financial services advisor, was initially shocked when Harry was born with the large growth after a 15-hour labour. She said: ‘I said aloud what I thought - it looked just like a second head. When he was two months old, Harry had surgery to remove the growth and he is now a healthy one-year-old . Harry's mother, Ellie Wellman-Smith, 20, says that when Harry was born she initially thought he had two heads . Ms Wellman-Smith says she chose not to have any pregnancy scans and that she is now pleased she made this decision as she fears she would have been advised to terminate the pregnancy . ‘I was worried it was some kind of cancer. If you see a cyst or a lump on anyone’s body, that’s what naturally comes to mind. ‘After I’d gone through the surprise, I had an instinct that Harry would be alright. I didn’t panic - I knew he would be fine.’ She was able to take Harry home for three weeks as doctors decided on the best course of action. A lymphatic malformation is an area in the body containing clear fluid. It appears as a lump just under the skin, often in the neck or armpit. It occurs when the lymph vessel fails to form correctly during the early weeks of pregnancy. Most do not need treatment other than careful cleaning to prevent infection. However, they might need treatment if they interfere with breathing or feeding or if they are large and restrict movement. There are a number of different treatment options including surgery. Source: Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital . A specialist surgeon at Birmingham Children’s Hospital eventually removed the huge cyst in a series of operations when Harry was eight weeks old. Ms Wellman-Smith, from Corby, in Northamptonshire, said: ‘It was impossible to get t-shirts over him, and his head would always slump forward when he was sitting upright because the cyst was too heavy. ‘At first we were told that Harry could have injections which would stabilise the growth, and it would become less noticeable as he grew up. ‘I was devastated. I worried about bullying at school and how he would cope with his first nights out in town as a teenager - all the day-to-day challenges he would face. ‘The surgery was risky. There was a 30 per cent chance of damage to a nerve which controls Harry’s shoulder. But I was determined to do the right thing by him.’ Harry’s wound became infected following the procedure and he required four more operations during a month-long hospital stay. Ms Wellman-Smith, who also has a two-year-old son, Bailey, was finally able to take Harry home when he was three months old. She said: ‘It’s been quite a journey. When you’re caring for a baby with health problems your whole life changes. The things you worried about in your old life seem completely ridiculous. Ms Wellman-Smith said: 'Harry is a lively, wonderful, healthy child. He can eat, he can play, he can mess around with his brother and enjoy life' Since having the lump removed, Harry has restricted movement in his shoulder and this is being investigated . Ms Wellman-Smith said that she was worried Harry might have cancer when she saw the lump and that she was relieved to find out this was not the case. Harry is pictured after his operation . ‘I chose not to have a 12 week scan when I was pregnant because it didn’t matter to me whether Harry had any disabilities or not, and I’m really glad I didn’t change my mind. ‘I can imagine other families of children with lymphatic malformations going through with the scan and being given a list of all the serious health problems that it might indicate, and thinking that the risk to the child’s quality of life was too great. ‘It’s easy to see how the temptation would be to terminate, and try again for a healthy baby.’ Ms Wellman-Smith said: 'Harry's hilarious. He's the naughtiest one-year-old you'll ever meet. He copies his older brother in all his cheeky behaviour.' Image shows the cyst being prepared for surgery . After the cyst was removed (pictured) Harry developed an infection and had to have four more operations . Harry now follows a special diet to regulate lymphatic fluid in his body and experiences some mobility problems in his right shoulder which are currently being investigated. Ms Wellman-Smith marked her son’s first birthday on May 2 with a party at which she asked friends and supporters to make a donation to the Birmingham Children’s Hospital. She said: ‘Harry’s hilarious. He’s the naughtiest one-year-old you’ll ever meet. He copies his older brother in all his cheeky behaviour. ‘I’m so glad he’s with us.’", "The parents of a newborn baby girl have spoken of their heartbreak after she was born without any eyes. Mother-of-three Danielle Davis, 24, refused a termination when a routine scan showed her baby had a cyst on the brain. But when Daisy was born, Ms Davis and her partner Andrew Smith, 31, were told she had the rare disorder Anophthalmia, meaning she had no eyes. The condition is incurable, and so while Daisy can be fitted with glass eyes as she gets older, she will never be able to see. Danielle Davis, 24, has told of her heartbreak as her daughter Daisy, now eight weeks old, was born without any eyes . Daisy suffers from Anopthalmia, a rare condition which means 'lack of eyes'. Daisy will never be able to see, but some children with the disease have prosthetic eyes fitted for cosmetic reasons . Ms Davis refused a termination when a scan revealed a brain cyst, and says she 'has no regrets'. Daisy is now at home enjoying time with her mother Danielle, father Andrew, 31, and siblings Logan, six, and Tyler, four . Ms Davis, a care worker from Cwmbran, South Wales, said: 'It was a shock - we had never heard of it before and neither had any of our friends or family. 'People didn't really know what to say when we told them. 'But she is our gorgeous baby and we have no regrets about turning down a termination. 'We want to give Daisy as normal a life as possible and give her the same opportunities as other children.' Anophthalmia is a rare disease in which a baby is born with no eyes. It develops during pregnancy, and affects around one in 10,000 births in the UK. There is sadly no cure. Ms Davis said: 'The cyst showed up on the 21-week scan and naturally, we were worried about it. Anophthalmia means an absence of the eye. A child may be born with one, or both eyes, missing from the eye socket. The rare disorder develops during pregnancy and can be associated with other birth defects. The condition may be caused by genetic mutations and abnormal chromosomes. Researchers also believe that environmental factors, such as exposure to X-rays, chemicals, drugs, pesticides, toxins, radiation, or viruses, increase the risk of anophthalmia, but research is not conclusive. Unfortunately, there is no treatment that will restore vision in children affected by Anophthalmia. Children will need to undergo repeated hospital visits and many have prosthetic eyes to ensure that the bone and soft tissue around the eye socket grows properly and to improve appearance. Source: The Micro and Anopthalmic Children's Society . 'But none of the doctors said our baby could be born blind. 'Everyone has been really supportive and I can't thank the doctors and midwives enough for all of their help.' Daisy, now eight weeks old, is settling in at home with her siblings Logan, six, and Tyler, four. She will be admitted to the Great Ormond Street Hospital later this month for an operation to fit glass eyes. They will be replaced when she is 18-months-old with painted eyes that will look more natural. Her parents are now planning a 12,000 ft skydive to raise funds for the charity RNIB that supports people with sight loss. The couple also want to raise awareness of the condition. Ms Davis said: 'I hope that by raising awareness other parents to be won't experience the same shock that we did if their child has the condition.' The news comes after MailOnline reported on the story of baby Richie, who was also born without eyes, in January. Staff at Arizona's Banner Desert Medical Center initially thought Richie's face was swollen at birth. But they were stunned to discover the reason his eyelids would not open was because he had anolpthalmia. Richie’s mother Kelly Lopez, from Mesa, Arizona, is optimistic that science will progress enough to help Richie see in his lifetime. Baby Richie Lopez was born with Anopthalmia in January. Doctors initially thought his face was just swollen .", "By . Jane Gregory . PUBLISHED: . 16:04 EST, 3 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:05 EST, 5 August 2013 . Operation: Jasmine Smith is one patient to have benefited from the pioneering surgical technology . Pioneering surgical technology similar to car satnav systems is revolutionising the treatment of difficult-to-reach brain tumours. The technique uses MRI scanning to show the soft tissues inside the brain, in real time. So unlike an  X-ray, which is effectively a photograph, this is like a live video feed from inside the head. The images are used to create a three-dimensional map of the brain, which is shown on a screen, allowing surgeons to pre-plan the operation instead of going in blind. Brain tumours are among the hardest to remove completely. Some surgeons describe the process as like ‘trying to extract a spider from jelly’. While parts of the head are easily cut away, the nature of such cancers means it spreads through the brain – so ‘legs’ may be left, which will continue to grow. Taking away too much healthy brain tissue can result in long- term damage and complications such as loss of speech, vision and motor functions. During the new ‘satnav’ operation, images can be updated during surgery, making it far easier to target the tumour precisely and helping to avoid harm to the surrounding brain. Mr Andrew McEvoy, neurosurgeon at the National Hospital  for Neurology & Neurosurgery in London, has performed more than 100 of these operations since the technology became available two years ago. He says: ‘We can stop the operation and scan the brain while the head  is still open to double-check that all the tumour has gone. ‘Patients have their wound closed up only once the scan gives the  all-clear. It lessens the need for a second operation a few days later to remove any tumour left behind. Afterwards, it leaves more vital functions intact because the surgery is so controllable.’ One patient to have benefited is Jasmine Smith, 22, a trainee nurse. Jasmine lives with her parents, Ruth, 41, and Ambrose, 42, who run a roofing business, and her sister Amber, 19, in Denham, Buckinghamshire. Jasmine’s problems began in 2008, when she suffered the first of a series of seizures. ‘I was talking to my mum when I had a strong sense of déjà vu,’ she says. ‘Apparently, then I babbled something about my brother – but I don’t have a brother. Then I felt really tired and slept for two hours.’ Guided in: Surgeons remove Jasmine's tumour during a 13-hour operation in June 2011 . A week later Jasmine fainted. Initially she put the incidents down to exhaustion. She was studying performing arts and dancing seven days a week. But when she started to feel a numbness in her face, she went to her GP, fearing she had had a stroke. He immediately referred her for  a brain scan, which revealed a tangerine-sized tumour. Every day at least 20 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour,  and Jasmine’s type, an epidermoid tumour (also called an epidermoid cyst), makes up about one per cent of those. It is benign (non-cancerous) and is formed by skin cells deposited in the wrong place during brain development in the womb. This causes a cyst to form, which makes up the tumour. It is likely Jasmine was born with it, and due to its slow growth she developed symptoms only when it got big enough to put pressure on her brain and trigger seizures. Her neurologist told her that because of its position, the tumour was inoperable. Her only option was to try  anti-epileptic drugs to see if they would control the seizures, which continued to worsen – and often led to her blacking out completely. Hard to reach: It is likely Jasmine was born with the tumour (pictured) Then, two years ago her neurologist referred her to Mr McEvoy as she was considered an ideal candidate for the new ‘satnav’ procedure. Jasmine underwent the 13-hour operation under general anaesthetic in June 2011. After nine days, she was sent home. Eighteen months later she suffered another major seizure – and has been put back  on anti-epileptic medication, which has now controlled the problem. She has since returned to work. Despite not having a perfect result, she is happy. She says: ‘The reality of my ordeal sank in only about a year after the op – I was looking at photos of my brain after surgery and burst into tears. It felt like a release. I decided to give up dancing for nursing. I started my training in September. I felt so inspired by the wonderful medical team that saved my life, I want to give something back.’", "By . Emma Innes . A mother has defied the odds to have a baby after refusing to let doctors remove her last ovary. Sarah Muukua was told she had a cyst the size of an orange on the ovary but refused to let doctors remove it because she wanted a baby. The cafe owner was even warned by medics that the cyst could rupture, causing her to die of blood poisoning. Sarah Muukua, 31, risked her life to have baby Michael who was born in March 2013 . Despite the dangers, she refused to go ahead with the operation. As she had already had her right ovary removed three years earlier, she did not want to give up her last chance of having a baby. The life-risking decision paid off as Mrs Muukua became pregnant with son Michael weeks later while she was received counselling to help persuade her to go through with the operation. Mrs Muukua, 31, said: ‘I never thought I would conceive, let alone experience childbirth. Michael is our little miracle. ‘He is amazing. He is such a good little baby, unbelievably good and happy. ‘At the time, all the odds were against him being here but he still he made into the world. Mrs Muukua had an ovarian cyst the size of an orange but she refused to have it removed as surgeons warned her they might have to remove her only remaining ovary - meaning she couldn't have had baby Michael . Surgeons warned Mrs Muukua (pictured with Michael and husband Clemens) that the cyst could rupture putting her at risk of potentially life-threatening blood poisoning . ‘When they removed my left ovary in November 2010 it damaged my nerves in my stomach and left me with chronic pain. ‘Two years ago the pain got even worse and the doctor sent me for a scan - it showed a cyst on my left side the size of a small orange. ‘They told me they needed to remove it straight away and they gave me a consent form to sign. ‘One of the possibilities on the consent form was to remove my left ovary if they couldn’t save it. ‘I just couldn’t bring myself to sign it as it was giving up my last hope of children. Surgeons tried to persuade Mrs Muukua to have the surgery but just weeks later she discovered she was pregnant with baby Michael (pictured shortly after his birth) Mrs Muukua was so convinced she wouldn't be able to have a baby that she started looking into adoption . ‘I was in floods of tears as three different consultants and the head of gynaecology all tried to talk to me about the consequences. ‘They said if cysts rupture it can give you blood poisoning and that I was in danger of it exploding.’ Mrs Muukua and her husband Clemens, 33, had been trying for a baby for 10 years but struggled to conceive after she was plagued with ovarian cysts, fluid filled sacs which develop in a woman’s ovary. Mrs Muukua, who is a trained counsellor, talked to her family about the idea of adopting and fostering and had come to terms with never having children of her own. She added: ‘I had just got my head around it and then all of a sudden it was all turned upside down. Mrs Muukua said: 'I never thought I would conceive let alone experience childbirth. Michael is our little miracle. He is amazing. He is such a good little baby, unbelievably good and happy' ‘I started going off coffee, which I absolutely love, so I took a pregnancy test and realised I was pregnant. ‘When it showed positive I was absolutely shocked, me and Clemens were so surprised, it was on July 2. ‘I had next to zero hormones, one ovary, internal scar tissue, damage to my bowel and bladder and still managed to somehow fall pregnant. It was against all the odds. ‘The cyst had also dispersed so I no longer needed the operation.’ Mrs Muukua, from Cheltenham, had five scans during her pregnancy and numerous tests to make sure both she and her baby were fine, as well as having to have drugs to maintain her hormone levels. Michael was born on March 8 2013 weighing 7lb 10oz at Gloucester Royal Hospital.", "By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 15:49 EST, 12 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:18 EST, 13 April 2013 . A three-year-old Asiatic black bear has been hailed a medical pioneer after becoming the first of her kind to undergo brain surgery. Champa, who lives at a sanctuary in the mountains of northern Laos, had always stood out after she was rescued as a cub due to her protruding forehead and difficulties socialising with other bears. When her behaviour became more erratic and her vision faded, vets and staff at the Free the Bears sanctuary, situated about 20 miles south of Luang Prabang, started to suspect hydrocephalus, or 'water on the brain', which is described as similar to having a 'constant migraine'. Champa the bear underwent brain surgery after staff suspected she was suffering from a condition which is like having a 'constant migraine' Champa's operation took six hours and was carried out by an Edinburgh Zoo vet . Staff from Free The Bears say Champa is already showing signs of improvement since the procedure . While in most Western countries an animal with the condition would be put down, the strong Buddhist traditions in Laos, and the technicalities of its wildlife protection laws, meant this was not an option, the National Geographic has reported. Champa underwent six hours of keyhole surgery, carried out by South African veterinary surgeon Pizzi, who works at the Edinburgh Zoo, in Scotland. During the procedure, in February, the vet drilled a small hole behind one of the bear's ears and used an ultrasound probe to confirm she was hydrocephalic. He then inserted a thin tube into the brain and threaded it under her skin to her abdomen. It will remain in place to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid into the abdominal cavity, where it can be easily absorbed. Matt Hunt, chief executive of Free the Bears, told National Geographic that by the following morning Champa was awake and 'looking like a very different bear'. He said: 'There was a lot more recognition. We can't know if her vision is fully recovered, but everyone certainly believes her vision has improved.' The Asiatic black bear lives at a sanctuary in northern Laos . Champa has spent most of her life at the Free the Bears sanctuary, situated about 20 miles south of Luang Prabang (pictured) The sanctuary protects bears rescued by Lao officials from wildlife traffickers. The Asiatic black bear, or moon bear, is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Its bile is considered a valuable ingredient in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine. National Geographic has reported how six weeks after the operation, Champa is gaining weight and is more active and social.", "Houston (CNN) -- In the days and weeks to come, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' recovery from a gunshot wound to the head will be a marathon, not a sprint, doctors say. Nearly three weeks after her brain injury, there are several acute medical issues to be concerned about, according to doctors not involved with her care. It could take months -- or longer -- for her to get back to where she was before the bullet ripped through her brain. One immediate worry is an infection in her brain, according to Dr. Greg Zorman, chief of neurosurgery at Memorial Healthcare System in southern Florida. \"With gunshot wounds to the head, an infection can still happen, even this late,\" Zorman said. The other concern is the buildup of fluid in the brain. Giffords had hydrocephalus after she was shot, a condition where an excess of cerebral-spinal fluid puts pressure on the brain. Surgeons in Arizona implanted a drain to get rid of the fluid, and on Monday, Dr. Dong Kim, Giffords' neurosurgeon in Houston, removed the drain, saying she no longer needed it. Zorman said doctors will be monitoring Giffords closely to make sure the excess fluid doesn't return. Giffords on Wednesday moved from the intensive care unit to the Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR) at Memorial Hermann in Houston, where she'll undergo physical, occupational and speech therapy to try to get her brain back to where it once was. Her doctors there are optimistic. \"It's only been a few weeks since this happened and she has been tolerating our aggressive therapy program,\" Dr. Gerard Francisco, chief medical officer at TIRR Memorial Herman, told CNN's \"American Morning.\" That program began as soon as Giffords arrived in Houston after being transferred from Tucson, Arizona's University Medical Center, he said, and has been upgraded. Neurosurgeons on Giffords' team describe the brain fluid situation as \"stable,\" Francisco said, \"but we're going to monitor that.\" \"Neural recovery is a hurry up and wait situation,\" Zorman said. \"Recovering from that injury just takes time.\" One of the first things doctors will do is try to get Giffords back to a regular schedule, said Dr. Alan Novick, medical director of rehabilitation for Memorial Healthcare System. \"In the intensive care unit, patients get their days and nights mixed up.\" Rehab doctors will give Giffords a series of tests to assess her physical and cognitive abilities, he said. For example, they might ask her to draw a clock. \"It sounds simple, but sometimes they'll put in the wrong numbers, or put all the numbers on the right hand side,\" he explained. \"That shows us which part of the brain is having issues.\" Another area doctors will look at is called \"executive function,\" or the ability to incorporate many different thoughts all at the same time. \"In our everyday lives, there are snippets of info coming in all at once, and we integrate multiple things that are going on at the same time,\" said Dr. Ross Zafonte, chairman of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. \"Obviously, she was really good at that, and hopefully she will be again,\" he said. With a brain injury, functioning may be impaired depending on what area of the brain was damaged, Francisco said. Doctors will watch Giffords' functioning closely and modify her therapy program \"to address individual impairments and deficits,\" he said. Still, Francisco said he continues to be surprised at the speed of Giffords' recovery. \"When I see her every day, there is something new,\" he said. That has been a challenge to her medical team, but provides them opportunities to challenge her as well, he said. Trying to become the person you once were can be very trying, doctors said. \"Emotionally, this kind of recovery can be very difficult,\" Zafonte said. \"Depression rates in this situation are well over 50%.\" Some brain injuries affect not just a patient's emotional state, but their basic personality. \"They may have different behaviors,\" Novick said. \"Spouses and other family members have to relate to a person who was not necessarily the same person they knew before the injury.\" All of this requires patience from the patients and their families. \"People like (Giffords) often have a rocky road,\" Zafonte said. \"But they often get to places that surprise us, and surprise them.\"", "By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 11:49 EST, 26 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:52 EST, 26 November 2013 . A wheelchair-bound woman has managed to walk down the aisle unaided after beating a crippling spinal disease - by becoming a bodybuilder. Lisa Bradley, 28, could barely lift herself out of bed and needed 24-hour care after she was diagnosed with a rare condition which causes cysts to develop in the spinal cord. But when a series of operations and daily cocktail of drugs failed to ease her constant pain she decided on a completely new approach and struggled to the gym. Lisa Bradley, 28, overcame a crippling spinal condition, that left her in a wheelchair, to walk down the aisle . The mother-of-three worked with a personal trainer and began lifting tiny weights but was soon pulling off squats, bench presses and bicep curls as her symptoms eased. In just six months she shed a staggering 10 dress sizes - as her growing strength combated her illness. And to the delight of her family she proudly walked down the aisle on the arm of her father, Pat, as she married her partner, Derry Bradley, 34, in December last year. Mrs Bradley said: ‘It was amazing to be able to walk down the aisle - I nearly ran it. ‘I had no pain whatsoever and felt so confident. My GP is completely amazed and can’t believe the difference in me. ‘My condition got so severe, it would hurt if I sneezed or moved my toes. I needed assistance for everything, even moving in bed. Mrs Bradley has a condition - called syringomyelia - which causes cysts to develop in her spinal cord causing pain, muscle weakness and even paralysis . ‘I’ve gone from needing 24-hour care and being pushed in a wheelchair to training twice a day six times a week. ‘I no longer have any pain and have come off my medication - and it’s all down to pumping iron.’ Mrs Bradley, who is mother to Brannan, 10, Olan, three, and Allayna, two, was diagnosed with syringomyelia in 2009 after suffering years of chronic back pain and shaking in her legs. The rare disease causes cysts to grow in the spinal cord - these can eventually damage it and leave the sufferer paralysed. The condition became so severe she was confined to a wheelchair and needed 24-hour care. She piled on the pounds to become a size 22 because the condition left her unable to take any exercise . When she got engaged, she decided to try and improve her health so she started going to the gym. Starting with very small weights, she gradually built up her strength . Symptoms usually develop slowly over time and include muscle weakness, decreased sensitivity to pain, loss of reflexes, stiffness, pain and numbness. It is not known exactly what causes it but it can result from meningitis, spinal cord tumours and injuries. Mrs Bradley underwent two major spinal operations, including one to drain fluid from a cyst in her spine, but her body became frail and ballooned to a size 22 because of the lack of exercise. At the height of her illness she was . forced to endure regular painkilling injections and was on a daily . cocktail of tablets, patches and injections. Mrs Bradley says that as a result of her workouts she is no longer in pain and is able to walk again . Mrs Bradley said: 'My condition got so severe, it would hurt if I sneezed or moved my toes. I needed assistance for everything, even moving in bed' She decided to try the bodybuilding approach after agreeing to marry Mr Bradley - and now intends to keep up her training for life because it’s the only thing keeping her condition at bay. In fact, she’s so proud of her new muscles she’s entering a bodybuilding show next year. Ms Bradley, who lives in Cork, Ireland, said: ‘I have no intention of giving up, I want to continue working with my personal trainer and break even more barriers. ‘I feel like it’s saved my life. I can do everything I want with my kids and am able to get the most out of life. Before taking up bodybuilding, Mrs Bradley had to undergo two major spinal operations and she took a cocktail of drugs every day but these treatments failed to remove her pain or muscle weakness . Mrs Bradley said: 'I've gone from needing 24-hour care and being pushed in a wheelchair to training twice a day six times a week' ‘I was determined not to let my children grow up watching me in pain and unable to move.’ Mrs Bradley sought help from top personal trainer Joe Binley, who specialises in training bodybuilders on how to eat healthily and get into shape for contests. Joe, based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, said: ‘Lisa is one of the most dedicated people I’ve dealt with. ‘She has a deep rooted determination to succeed. In a scenario when most would quit Lisa has chosen to fight.’ Syringomyelia is the development of a fluid-filled cyst in the spinal cord. As the cyst grows it can cause pain, muscle weakness and stiffness. It can also cause loss of reflexes, loss of sensitivity to pain, numbness and spinal curvature. The condition can be caused by spinal cord tumours, meningitis and spinal cord injuries. If the condition is not causing the sufferer any problems then no treatment will be required. In more severe cases, surgery is sometimes needed. Source: Mayo Clinic .", "This gruesome video shows how a man popped a huge cyst in his arm with a needle, screwdriver and a pair of pliers. The man, known only as Jason, from Vancouver, uploaded the clip to YouTube after his wife filmed the stomach-churning moment. It begins with him explaining exactly how he will pop the grape-sized growth on his wrist. He says: 'We have the pliers, they're going to hold onto the needle which will then be smashed into my cyst with the end of a screwdriver. 'It should be pretty cool.' The man, known only as Jason, uploaded the video to YouTube of his unique way of popping a cyst - using a needle, a pair of pliers and a screwdriver. Pictured is his sister in law putting the needle into the swelling . As Jason's sister in law hammers the needle deeper into the cyst with the handle of a screwdriver, he emits loud cries of pain . First, he lays his left arm down on some kitchen roll on a table so the lump is easily accessible. His sister-in-law then inserts the needle into the cyst and holds it in place with a pair of pliers as he winces. She then begins the horrifying process of hammering the needle deeper into the growth. Sharp cries of pain are heard from Jason with each hit. Astonishingly, though the process seems too agonising to bear, Jason says: 'I think we can go a little deeper'. After one last hammer – which was once again met with a loud moan – he says: 'It's in there pretty good. Now we've got to pull it out. Dr Arun Ghosh, a private GP in Liverpool, condemned Jason's method of popping his cyst with a needle, pliers and a screwdriver. He told MailOnline: 'We advise not draining minor ganglions. 'They just get bigger and bigger. We only drain it if they are very large and hindering the use of the hand. 'It’s wrong to pop a ganglion with a needle and a screwdriver on so many levels. Traditionally, ganglions would be 'bashed with the family bible', but doctors do not advise this . 'From a hygiene point of view you’ve got to sterilise your equipment. We would never insert a needle that would be used in the house. They are covered in millions of bacteria. 'You can never control the force by using a screwdriver, and that’s dangerous. 'There are very fine arteries and nerves in the hand, and they’re so easy to damage. 'If they are damaged you get irreversible pain. If you think how often you use your hand that can be debilitating. 'There used to be a myth that you should bash a ganglion with a family bible to burst it. 'That’s caused problems with the fluid going into the wrist joint, causing carpel tunnel syndrome: swelling inside the wrist. 'If we did treat it, we’d do a needle aspiration, which means sucking out the glue-like pus. 'But that would be what is known as \"aseptic\", meaning the pus would be drawn out into the syringe and would never touch the wound, to prevent infection. 'We would also do it under ultrasound so as not to damage the fine veins and arteries in the hand. 'If you have a ganglion or a swelling you must go to your GP and they will advise whether its OK or whether it’s best to be left alone. 'Then it will be followed up and receive proper after care.' 'I'm going to see if we can get the fluid squirting out if it does.' Moments later, he takes the needle out and asks the camera to zoom in on his arm. As he squeezes the cyst, sticky, translucent jelly comes rushing out and gathers in a pea-sized ball. 'Let's see what the consistency looks like,' he said as he rubs the gluey substance between two fingers. He adds: 'This is probably the grossest thing I've ever seen – since the last time I've done this. 'This will probably do the trick for three or so months until I have to pop it again.' Uploading the video to YouTube under the name 'The Wrist Cyst', he promises to upload another video in another three months time when he pops the cyst again. Unsurprisingly, medical professionals do not advise using Jason's method to treat lumps found on the body. Dr Arun Ghosh, a private GP in Liverpool, explains that Jason's cyst is a ganglion, a fluid-filled swelling that develops near a joint or a tendon. They are made up of a thick jelly-like fluid called synovial fluid, which surrounds joints and tendons to lubricate them during movement - and occur when this fluid leaks out and collects under the skin. Ganglions can occur alongside any joint in the body, but are most commonly found on the wrist, hand and fingers. Generally harmless, if they do not cause any pain, they can be left alone and will disappear without any treatment. Dr Ghosh said: 'We advise not draining minor ganglions. They just get bigger and bigger. We only drain it if they are very large and hindering the use of the hand. 'A ganglion is a fluid-filled sack. If you start the drainage process, the bigger and bigger the sack will fill. 'This is the issue this gentleman has caused, he’ll need to drain it more often.' Traditionally, ganglions were treated by being 'bashed with the family Bible', but this is no longer recommended, as this could cause the fluid to disperse and cause carpel tunnel syndrome - a swelling in the wrist - he added. Dr Ghosh added Jason's method was also not advisable either. He told MailOnline: 'It’s wrong to pop a ganglion with a needle and a screwdriver on so many levels. It’s unhygienic, you can’t control the force and you could damage the nerves in the hand. 'From a hygiene point of view you’ve got to sterilise your equipment. We would never insert a needle that would be used in the house. They are covered in millions of bacteria. 'You can never control the force by using a screwdriver, and that’s dangerous. 'There are very fine arteries and nerves in the hand, and they’re so easy to damage. If they are damaged you get irreversible pain. If you think how often you use your hand that can be debilitating.' He removes the needle and squeezes the cyst, and a ball of sticky, see-through jelly-like fluid emerges . Jason rubs his fingers together to show the sticky consistency of the fluid that comes out of the growth, which doctors explain is synovial fluid, which surrounds joints and tendons to lubricate them . At the end of the video, Jason says the cyst will need draining again in three months. But doctors strongly advise against his method - and say ganglions do not normally require treatment . If the cyst needs treatment, the fluid should be drained out with a needle and syringe by a doctor, or cut out in a surgical procedure. Dr Ghosh added: 'If we did treat it, we’d do a needle aspiration, which means sucking out the glue-like pus. 'But that would be what is known as \"aseptic\", meaning the pus would be drawn out into the syringe and would never touch the wound, to prevent infection. 'We would also do it under ultrasound so as not to damage the fine veins and arteries in the hand. 'If you have a ganglion or a swelling you must go to your GP and they will advise whether its OK or whether it’s best to be left alone. 'Then it will be followed up and receive proper after care.'", "By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 09:01 EST, 27 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:01 EST, 27 February 2013 . A popular punk rocker has told of his shock at catching a tapeworm which burrowed into his brain and had to be removed in a major operation. Jay Whalley, lead singer of Australian group Frenzal Rhomb, feared he had cancer after suffering two seizures on his way to a gig. After the growth in his brain was removed, he discovered that it was an egg from a pork tapeworm - but since he is a vegetarian, he was baffled as to how the parasite entered his body. It later emerged that the tapeworm had apparently come from a vegetarian burrito which Mr Whalley had eaten in Central America which had been contaminated by the person who cooked it. Scar: Jay Whalley's head after the singer underwent surgery to remove a cyst from his brain . The 40-year-old singer has released eight albums with Frenzal Rhomb, one of Australia's leading punk groups. Along with his bandmate Lindsay McDougall, Mr Whalley used to present a radio show on station Triple J. The rocker took to Facebook yesterday to post a comprehensive 1,000-word account of his ordeal after catching the parasite. He said that his first hint of health problems came on February 25, when he started feeling unusual and having difficulty seeing. After he failed to recognise the coins he was holding in his hand, a friend stepped in and made sure he was safe while he endured two seizures. Agony: Mr Whalley, pictured performing last year, suffered two seizures after catching a tapeworm . Mr Whalley was taken to hospital, where doctors gave him a brain scan and discovered a 1cm object which appeared to be a tumour. 'Worst case would be a malignant melanoma, the best would be a benign tumour or an infection of some kind,' he later wrote. However, when he was operated on three weeks later, he was relieved to be told that the growth was not a tumour but a cyst. Doctors later told him he had been infected with Taenia solium, the pork tapeworm, during a trip to Central America, despite the fact that he does not eat meat. Surprise: Mr Whalley was afflicted with the pork tapeworm despite being a vegetarian . Taenia solium, known as the 'pork tapeworm', is native to pigs as well as humans. It lives in the intestines, and is usually caught by pigs when they eat human faeces contained the worm's eggs. The most common way for people to become infected by T. solium is eating . the meat of an infected animal which has not been thoroughly cooked. The worm can grow as long as seven metres and lives in the intestine for years. Its eggs frequently migrate into muscle and brain tissue, causing . cysticercosis - the formation of cysts which isolate the egg from the . rest of the body. These cysts can cause muscle pain, and when present in the brain induce seizures. Mr Whalley posted a vivid description of the infection process: 'So the tapeworm eggs live in pig flesh (most common in C America but found in loads of other countries too), the pig is killed and the meat undercooked and eaten by old mate. 'Old mate grows a tapeworm in his intestine which eventually produces eggs. Old mate goes to el baño, doesn't wash his hands properly then busies himself cooking my vegetarian burrito. Gross.' Once the egg had made its way to Mr Whalley's brain, his body formed a cyst around it to isolate it, which remained in place for four years. However, when the cyst grew large enough to press on his brain, it caused the debilitating seizures which he suffered last month. The singer now appears to have fully recovered after a period of weakness in hospital following his operation. 'I don't feel like I've retained any deficits from the brain surgery but I guess only time will tell,' he wrote. 'Perhaps the slice will be taken out of my golf swing. My friend Clem thinks I will become racist.' Mr Whalley also joked about possible nicknames based on his experience, including 'Ham Solo', 'Notorious P.I.G.' and 'Oink 182'.", "By . Amanda Williams . As a baby, doctors believed Calvin was just hours from death. But he is now preparing for his third birthday . The parents of a little boy who doctors believed was just hours from death are preparing for his third birthday. Emma Wilkinson, 32, and Gary Marshall, 42, were told their son Calvin was unlikely to survive emergency heart and stomach operations in the weeks after he was born. The little boy was born with a heart condition which was picked up at Miss Wilkinson's 20 week scan. It means the chambers in his heart were reversed, leaving two big holes - a condition termed 'transposition of the great vessels'. The heart problem was found to be an isolated defect probably caused by a random mutation, and could be fixed immediately after delivery with major heart surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Having been separated from her son . after the birth at University College London Hospital on August 11th . 2011, Miss Wilkinson rushed over to the children's hospital in time to . see Calvin - named after the boy in Bill . Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes comic strips - being prepared for theatre. She said: 'He was in the middle of a huge system of different machines. Tubes . were coming in and out everywhere. But apart from the fact his hands . and feet were a little blue, he looked completely normal.' The heart surgery was a success but celebrations were cut short when Calvin stayed unconscious for two days. His repaired heart was beating too fast, leading to problems with the blood supply to his stomach. Ten . days after the surgery Calvin finally opened his eyes. But later that . day his bowel ruptured, immediately requiring a round of life-saving . surgery. Miss Wilkinson said: 'That's when the surgeon told us to expect the worst. 'We were devastated.' 'I . watched him, hooked up to all the machines, and reflected on the fact . that he had been through so much in his few days with us. The little boy was born with a heart condition which was picked up at Miss Wilkinson's 20 week scan. It means the chambers in his heart were reversed, leaving two big holes - a condition termed 'transposition of the great vessels' 'We didn't want to be anywhere else other than with Calvin, but at the same time we couldn't face being in intensive care any longer. 'We just wanted him to get better.' But then, despite the odds, Calvin grew stronger. Emma Wilkinson, 32, and Gary Marshall, 42, were told their son was unlikely to survive emergency heart and stomach operations in the weeks after he was born . Ten days after his heart surgery Calvin finally opened his eyes. But later that day his bowel ruptured, immediately requiring a round of life-saving surgery . His repaired heart was beating too fast, leading to problems with the blood supply to his stomach . Miss Wilkinson said: 'We were approaching the doors to the ward when a nurse ran towards us and excitedly said she had some wonderful news. Calvin had turned a corner.' As the year drew to a close, Calvin contracted a nervous infection requiring a three-week stay in hospital over Christmas and he now has a shunt fitted to drain excess fluid from his brain. But by January 2012, doctors were confident that Calvin was finally out of the danger zone. Miss Wilkinson said: 'We're never going to be able to be relax fully. 'We need to stay vigilant for infections and we stay in close contact with the specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital. 'Calvin will see speech and occupational therapists, but everyone's really happy with him and he's reaching all the right developmental milestones. As the year drew to a close, Calvin contracted a nervous infection requiring a three-week stay in hospital over Christmas and he now has a shunt fitted to drain excess fluid from his brain . Three years on, and Calvin has reached all the right developmental milestones, and is looking forward to his third birthday . 'He's very cheeky and happy all the time. He loves giving out kisses and cuddles. He's very gentle with other children. 'He's also quite stubborn - he knows what he wants and he's determined to get it. It's a characteristic which must have helped while he was fighting. 'Sometimes I think back to those moments when we didn't think Calvin would survive, and think how lucky we are. Things could have been completely different. 'I really think of him as a miracle. But his survival was all down to him. He's got a strong fighting spirit.' To support the Great Ormond Street Hospital charity visit www.gosh.org .", "By . Alexandra Klausner . PUBLISHED: . 13:20 EST, 22 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:01 EST, 22 February 2014 . One two year old boy and a 9-month-old rescue dog share something in common. They both have a rare brain condition and now they're both best friends. Dylan, 2, and Frank the dog both have something called hydrocephalus, a condition that causes excessive fluid in the brain to accumulate and causes the skull to expand. The Huffington Post reports that young Dylan has already had to undergo 15 brain surgeries. Dylan Lipton-Lesser has a brain condition that causes excess fluid to accumulate and expand his skull . Frank the dog has the same brain condition that Dylan has . After meeting for the first time, the dog and the boy became fast friends . Dylan's mother, India Lipton, would frequently take her son to the Children's Hospital of Richmand at Virginia Commonwealth University for his medical treatments. Coincidentally, Frank's owner Stacy Metz is an administrative assistant at the hospital's Department of Neurology. Due to Frank's brain condition, Frank suffered a seizure when he was eight months old and risked being put down. Frank's owner Stacy Metz wanted to give the dog another chance. 'We really didn't hesitate [to adopt Frank] because we are fully aware of the condition,' Metz told HuffPost. 'We wanted the little guy to get a chance on life.' When Lipton found out that Stacey Metz had adopted a dog with the same brain condition that her son has, she immediately reached out to Metz so that the pair could meet. Dylan and Frank met on February 8. at the Richmond Animal League where Metz adopted Frank in August. 'It was a toddler and a puppy,' India Lipton told HuffPost. 'And a whole lot of energy,' she continued. 'To know a dog that has the same condition as Dylan, it'll be just amazing to see them grow up together,' Lipton said. Frank is in training to become a service dog and his mom hopes that he will be able to help more children like Dylan. Frank already has his own large group of adoring facebook fans. The dog and the boy met after Dylan;s mother discovered Stacey Metz had adopted him . In addition to sharing a brain condition, the boy and the dog are around the same size . Frank is currently being trained as a service dog so that he can help more children like Dylan .", "A baby girl who suffers from a rare condition that caused her head to swell to nearly double its size is recovering in hospital today after receiving life-saving surgery. Following a series of preliminary procedures last week, 15-month-old Roona Begum, who was born with hydrocephalus, received a major operation at a hospital in Delhi, India, this morning. Surgeons at the private hospital run by the Fortis Healthcare group, offered to treat Roona for free after pictures emerged of her living with the condition in a village in rural state of Tripura. Scroll down for video . Roona Begum, a 15-month-old girl who suffers from a rare condition which caused her head to swell to twice its size is prepared for surgery at a hospital on the outskirts of New Delhi . Success: Doctors said the procedure went 'perfectly' and that the results were 'better than expected' Improved: 15-month old Roona, who was suffering from a buildup of fluid inside the skull that leads to swelling has had life-saving surgery and the size of her head has reduced . Operation: So far doctors have reduced the swelling around 18-month-old Roona's head by nine inches . One surgeon Sandeep Vaishya told the AFP news agency: 'The surgery went perfectly, much better than expected. After Roona's plight appeared in a number of publications, including MailOnline, a charity came forward to offer help. Norwegian students, Jonas Borchgrevink and Nathalie Krantz, started an online campaign that raised $52,000 to help fund any further care needed. The Fortis Foundation flew the . poverty-stricken family from their rural village to the hospital in Gurgaon two weeks ago. Worried parents: Mother Fatima Khatoon, 24, and 19-year-old father Abdul Rehman . Waiting: Parents Fatima and Abdul at the private hospital near New Delhi where their daughter is being treatedia. New hope: Roona begum will undergo surgery to drain fluid from her brain tomorrow after a charity stepped in to help her . Doctors have already said that the . youngster is lucky to be alive, with most sufferers of the condition not . surviving beyond a year old. Speaking before the procedure was carried out, Dr . Sandeep Vaishya, Director of Neurosurgery at Fortis Memorial Research . Institute, who is treating Roona, said: 'I was surprised when I saw the . baby for the first time. Even though I had seen her pictures, I wasn't . expecting the head to be so big. 'Her head measures 94 cm, in similar cases the average measurement is around 50-60 cm. Getting help: Dr Sandeep Vaishya, from the Fortis Memorial Research Institute, examines Roona Begum, who was born with hydrocephalus . Countdown: Abdul and Fatima sit by their daughter's bedside in hospital ahead of the life-saving surgery . Treatment: Roona is being treated at a private hospital after the Fortis Foundation offered to help . 'It is swollen to an extent that she . is not able to close her eyes completely. We have an opthamologist . looking at her eyes, so that there are no complications there. 'We . are hopeful that she will make a complete recovery. The challenge is to . drain her brain fluid in a gradual manner, so as the brain gets used to . it.' Fatima said: 'When she was born, I wondered why do children of poor people like us suffer this fate? Loving: Fatima Khatoon attempts to comfort her young daughter as she rests in her hospital bed . Poorly: Doctors say that Roona is lucky to be alive as sufferers of the condition normally do not live beyond a year . 'Why is fate cruel to us? Why do rich people who can afford to cure their kids never get diseases like this? 'Before she was born, I went to a doctor twice. Once when I was one month pregnant and than when I was six months pregnant. We did not have money to go more often. 'She was born through a Caesarian operation and the doctor told us we had to take her out of Agartala to get her treated. But we did not have any money at all.' But the devastated mother revealed some family members had been less than supportive. Fatima added: 'When she is better, I hope my in-laws accept her. And she can have the love she deserves from her grandparents.' Roona's father Abdul, 19, added: 'Even though our neighbours come and play with her, my parents have refused to acknowledge her existence, since she was born.' Abdul, who earns the equivalent of just £1.82 a day as a labourer thanked those who had helped Roona. He said: 'I cannot find work every day. Its hard enough to earn for food, so her treatment would have been impossible had it not been for the press and hospital people who have helped us.'", "A new mother who 'died' for 11 minutes during her son's birth woke up four days later with no memory of ever being pregnant or having her baby. Hilary Wilson, from Whitchurch, Shropshire, was technically dead for a terrifying 11 minutes after suffering a severe cardiac arrest as her son, Felix, was being born. The 41-year-old woke up four days later, with absolutely no idea that she had been pregnant, or that she had given birth to Felix just days earlier. It was only when she saw a picture of her new baby wearing her children's hand-me-downs that she realised he was her son. Hilary Wilson had a cardiac arrest during a Caesarean section and 'died' for 11 minutes. When she woke up, she had no idea she had been pregnant or given birth to her son Felix (pictured now at nine months old) Mrs Wilson only realised she had a son when someone showed her a picture of Felix wearing a baby grow that her other children had worn when they were born, and it 'clicked' that he was her son . The mother-of-three has defied the odds and made a remarkable recovery, despite being given just a 30 per cent chance of survival and an 85 per cent possibility of brain damage. Mrs Wilson, a translator, said: 'When I woke up, my friends and family would talk to me about Felix, but I had no idea what they were on about. 'I was trying to make sense out of everything - I didn't know where I was or what had happened - I had no idea that I'd ever been pregnant or just had a baby. 'It wasn't until my sister showed me a picture of Felix that things very slowly started to fall into place. Her older sons, Sebastian, six, and Lucas, four, had both worn a white baby grow with blue piping when they were newborns. 'Felix was wearing it in the picture - so I thought he must have been mine,' said Mrs Wilson. 'I knew no one else would have one like it, so when I saw him wearing it, I thought he must be mine. 'I made the conscious decision to believe what everyone was telling me, even though I'm not quite sure I'd accepted it just yet.' An amniotic fluid embolism is a rare but serious condition that occurs when amniotic fluid — the fluid that surrounds a baby in the uterus during pregnancy — or fetal material, such as hair, enters the maternal bloodstream. An amniotic fluid embolism is most likely to occur during childbirth or immediately afterward. Signs and symptoms of an amniotic fluid embolism might include: . Source: Mayo Clinic . She added: 'When I met him when he was six days old, I didn't really feel like he was mine - I wasn't interested in holding him, and I was happy for my mum to give him cuddles instead of me. 'It wasn't until I was well enough to go back to the maternity ward and could breastfeed Felix that I really started to bond with him. 'Slowly, vague memories of being pregnant and giving birth returned, and I gradually started to feel the instinct to look after him. 'Now, Felix and I have a wonderful relationship, and the whole ordeal almost feels like a dream.' Mrs Wilson suffered an amniotic fluid embolism. This is where the amniotic fluid – the liquid inside the sac in which the baby grows - or other matter from the foetus, such as hair, cells or other debris, gets into the mother's bloodstream. The condition can lead to seizures, coma, and cardiac arrest, where electrical activity of the heart becomes chaotic and it suddenly stops pumping blood around the body. Mrs Wilson had been in labour for 12 hours when doctors decided to perform a Caesarean. Just as baby Felix, now nine months, was being lifted out of the womb, Mrs Wilson went into cardiac arrest. She said: 'I remember feeling sick, and seconds later I had a cardiac arrest. 'They did CPR on me for 11 minutes and I had adrenaline injected into my heart. 'I lost four fifths of my blood because they hadn't finished the surgery on my C-section - I had to have a blood transfusion and was put on life support. 'I woke up four days later and had no idea what was going on - all I knew was that I was in a lot of pain. Mrs Wilson was given just a 30 per cent chance of survival. Thankfully she made a remarkable recovery and is now at home with her family ((from left to right) Felix, Lucas, four, Sebastian, six, and husband Barry . Mrs Wilson can only remember vague details of being pregnant or Felix's birth. But he is now a 'perfectly healthy, smiley little baby', she said, and they are 'completely bonded' 'I was trying to make sense of everything around me, I thought maybe I was paralysed, or that I'd died - I eventually decided that I must be having a nightmare. 'I remember someone telling me that Felix was fine, but I was so confused - so many people would visit me and mention him, but I had no clue who they were talking about.' Family and friends showed Hilary photographs of her new son, but she remained confused and unable to recall any details about him. She said: 'I knew that the pain I was feeling was coming from my stomach, so when people talked about the baby, I thought it would make sense that my tummy hurt if I'd just had a Caesarean. 'But I wrestled with the idea of believing it, because whilst it all made sense, I couldn't remember. 'My sister showed me a picture of Felix on her iPad, and when I saw the baby grow he was wearing, something clicked. 'It was very strange - one minute I would have a grasp on reality, and the next I would be all over the place again.' Mrs Wilson finally met Felix for the first time when he was six days old, but she still struggled to accept that he was her baby. Mrs Wilson said she burst into tears when she saw Felix for the first time (he is pictured in hospital). She said: 'I was sad that such a little baby had been all on his own for the past week' 'After that he was brought in once a day, but the bonding process only really began when I was able to breast feed him. 'The nurses had used a breast pump on me while I was sedated, so I was still able to breast feed. 'I was so pleased that my husband allowed the medics to do that - breast feeding is really important to me, and it allowed me to bond with Felix. 'I finally started to truly accept that he was mine.' After spending two weeks in hospital, Mrs Wilson and Felix returned home. 'I can only vaguely remember my pregnancy and giving birth - some things come back to me, but I'll see pictures of me before I had the baby, and I had no recollection of him. 'The past 12 months are pretty hazy, but I have to accept that I may never get my memories back. 'It's bizarre to look back on what happened, it's almost like a dream. 'Life is never going to be the same again - the day Felix was born was like a re-birthday for me because it's given me a whole new perspective. 'It's made me realise how precious life is, and I'm grateful for every single day I have.' Mrs Wilson will be cycling from Vietnam to Cambodia to raise money for CMPA support and for the Shrewsbury Intensive Treatment Unit which saved her life. To donate, visit:  https://www.justgiving.com/Hilary-Wilson-ITU .", "By . Luke Garratt . A mother was left weeping with joy after her severely disabled son spoke his first-ever word after nine years of silence, giving her hope that he might one day utter full sentences. Lucas Kirby suffers from a rare condition called lissencephaly which means his brain has not developed beyond that of a baby. His mother Tracie, 45, was warned that he might not live beyond two, but Lucas has defied all the odds and reached his ninth birthday. Tracie Kirby with her son Lucas, who finally spoke his first word - the name of the paramedic who saved his life . The brain condition means that he is confined to a wheelchair and had never spoken a word - until recently. When Lucas choked on some food and lost consciousness, his mother called 999. Before they arrived Ms Kirby managed to dislodge the blockage and resuscitate him, but paramedics still arrived to check on him. Dr Andrew Mason introduced himself to Lucas while he was performing checks and was startled when the boy said his name 'Andy' back to him. Dr Mason called for Ms Kirby and he repeated the name again. Dr Andrew Mason (far right) with his fellow paramedics and Lucas when he went to visit the ambulance crew which responded to his emergency . Dr Andrew Mason, who introduced himself to Lucas and was startled when the boy repeated his name . While Lucas has not said anything since his outburst on March 2, his mother says she now has fresh hope that he might one day be able to talk. She said: 'My first reaction when the paramedics told me was that they were taking the mickey. Lucas has never spoken because he is so disabled. 'I was just floored, literally floored. One of the rapid response team had to hold me up, I was just sobbing. 'It has definitely given me hope that he will speak again. You have gone from thinking that he is not capable of doing it to seeing and hearing that he is. 'Lucas has gone through so much in such a short life that every day he is exceeding expectations. 'We were told he wasn’t going to live past two and this month he turned nine. 'I have been trying to get him to say \"mum\" his entire life so it is actually quite annoying. 'Even if he never speaks again, at least I know he can. He’ll always be my little miracle boy.' Since the incident, Tracie Kirby said she now hopes her son might one day be able to speak more words . Ms Kirby had been told her son wouldn't survive beyond the age of two but he has just had his ninth birthday . Lucas’s Lissencephaly means he has a 'smooth brain' which doesn’t have the same grooves or ridges as other children’s. As a result he needs round-the-clock care as regular seizures put him at risk of dying every day. There is no cure and sufferers rarely live past the age of ten. Ms Kirby, who looks after him full time at their home in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, added: 'He is just a happy kid. 'They said he wouldn’t show any emotion but he definitely does. 'He doesn’t need to say anything because his facial expressions tell you how he feels. Lissencephaly, which literally means smooth brain, is a rare brain formation disorder. It is caused by defective neuronal migration during the 12th to 24th weeks of pregnancy resulting in a lack of development of brain folds and grooves. The disease can be identified at birth, or soon after, by ultrasound CT or MRI. Causes can include viral infections of the uterus or the fetus, or insufficient blood supply to the fetal brain early in pregnancy. 'I am proud of him every day. Even with all his issues he is still the best thing I have ever done. 'You go through life with your blinkers on. You don’t think how many disabled children there actually are. 'But Lucas fills me with wonder every day. One of his nicknames is my wonder boy.' Dr Mason, from Suffolk Accident and Rescue Service, said: 'I walked over to little Lucas and introduced myself. 'When he repeated my name after me, I assumed that it was because his consciousness was improving. 'I told his mum this, only for her to say he couldn’t speak so he can’t have said my name. 'Again I introduced myself and the same thing happened, as clear as anything he said \"Andy\". 'This time Tracie was there to witness it - and promptly burst into tears.' Lucas was taken to West Suffolk General Hospital but was soon discharged and is now recovering well at home. Since the incident the youngster and his mother visited Bury St Edmunds ambulance station to meet the crews and doctor who saved his life. Andrew Mascall, from the East of England Ambulance Service, was the first paramedic on scene and said Lucas’s first word was a 'wonderful moment'. He said: 'It was clear Lucas was quite unwell so we immediately started assessing and treating him. 'He was beginning to show signs of improvement when we clearly heard him say \"Andy\". 'I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a wonderful moment. It was amazing. 'Tracie was bawling her eyes out after hearing her son say his first word ever - though I think she was pretty miffed it wasn’t \"Mum\".'", "A mother has told of her heartbreaking victory in a landmark court case which allowed her to end the life of her severely disabled daughter. Twelve-year-old Nancy Fitzmaurice was born blind and unable to walk, talk, eat or drink unaided. She suffered from meningitis, septicaemia and fluid on the brain. Before the right-to-die ruling – a first for a child without a terminal illness and not on life support – her mother Charlotte wrote in a statement to the court: ‘My daughter is no longer my daughter. Scroll down for video . Nancy Fitzmaurice's mother, Charlotte (right) , has spoken of the heartbreak of letting her disabled daughter die . Ms Fitzmaurice, 36, gave up her job as an NHS nurse so she could stay by her severely disabled daughter's side . Nancy was born blind and suffering from fluid on the brain, meningitis and septicaemia, which left her unable to talk, walk, eat or drink . ‘She is now merely just a shell. The light from her eyes is now gone and is replaced with fear and a longing to be at peace.’ Miss Fitzmaurice, 36, added: ‘Today I am appealing to you for Nancy as I truly believe she has endured enough. For me to say that breaks my heart. But I have to say it.’ The judge granted the request in August and Nancy died 14 days later. Her case saw London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital – which had provided her with round-the-clock care – fight on behalf of the girl’s parents to give them the right to end her life. The ruling sets a precedent as it is the first time a child breathing on their own and not suffering from a terminal illness has been allowed to die. Miss Fitzmaurice, who had given up work as a nurse to be her daughter’s carer, said: ‘Nancy was screaming and writhing in agony for 24 hours a day and it broke my heart to see her like that. ‘Not being able to help her or ease her suffering was too much to bear. ‘She wasn’t my angelic child any more, she was just a shell. I wanted to have beautiful memories of Nancy, not soul-crushing ones.' Doctors only discovered that Ms Fitzmaurice was carrying Group B Streptococcus two days before Nancy was born. If they had known earlier, they could have easily treated the baby while she was in her mother's womb . After a routine operation went wrong, leaving her daughter in agonising pain, Ms Fitzmaurice and Nancy's father, David Wise (right), took the decision to let her die . Nancy's quality of life was so poor that she depended on round-the-clock hospital care and was fed and watered through a tube . She added: ‘Sitting at her bedside and holding her hand, it killed me that there was nothing I could do to help her. All of the nurses were in tears as they witnessed her screaming and doubling over in pain. ‘All I wanted was for my daughter to die with dignity with me by her side, holding her hand.’ Two days before giving birth in July 2002, Miss Fitzmaurice, from Ilford, Essex, was told her daughter was likely to be severely ill as she carried Group B Streptococcus. If caught early the condition is easily treatable in the womb with antibiotics, but the mother-to-be was told that as it had gone untreated, it would harm her unborn child. At ten days old, Nancy had to have a shunt – a small tube with a valve – fitted to drain fluid in her brain. A High Court judge ruled that Nancy, pictured being held by her grandmother Elaine Hewitt, should have her fluids withdrawn . The operation for kidney stones had left Nancy 'screaming and writhing in agony for 24 hours a day', Ms Fitzmaurice said . Her illness was so severe doctors warned she would die before her fourth birthday. Despite that outlook, Nancy survived far beyond the age of four. But a routine operation in May 2012 to remove kidney stones left her with an infection and specialists told her parents there was nothing more they could do. She became immune to the strong pain relief cocktail of morphine and ketamine, leaving her in agony. It was then that her mother and father David Wise met the ethics board at Great Ormond Street Hospital to beg them to put an end to Nancy’s suffering. While doctors agreed to stop feeding her, they were not able to withdraw all fluids and said it could take months for her to die. After her fluids were withdrawn by doctors, it took two weeks for 12-year-old Nancy to die . Ms Fitzmaurice misses her daughter every day, but says she knows it was 'the right thing to do' Heartbroken: Ms Fitzmaurice said the 'absolutely horrifying' day her daughter died was the hardest of her life . The hospital agreed to take Nancy’s case to the High Court, to argue that she deserved the right to a quicker, less painful death. On August 7 this year, Mrs Justice Eleanor King read Miss Fitzmaurice’s plea and declared it was in the mother and daughter’s best interests to withdraw fluids. ‘The love, devotion and competence of her mother are apparent,’ the judge said. ‘In her own closed world [Nancy] has had some quality of life. ‘Sadly that is not the case now. Please can you tell Nancy’s mother that I have great admiration for her, and please express my deep condolences to her.’ Nancy died two weeks later, on August 21, with her family at her side. Her mother said: ‘The last day was the hardest of my life. It was absolutely horrifying. ‘I miss my beautiful girl every day and although I know it was the right thing to do, I will never forgive myself. ‘It shouldn’t have to be a mother’s decision to end their child’s life.’ Mr Wise, a 47-year-old businessman, added: ‘It was heartbreaking to see my daughter like that. Nancy never spoke so we never knew how she felt. She couldn’t tell us what she was going through and it was the hardest decision we’ve ever made.’", "Dr Dorin Scladan removed the 11lb (5kg) growth from the woman, who had believed she was pregnant . A Romanian woman who believed she was pregnant was devastated to be told she actually had an 11lb tumour inside her uterus. Madalina Neagu, 42, arrived at a hospital in with severe pain in her abdomen and told doctors she believed she was in labour. As a result, medics at Botosani County Hospital prepared to operate to deliver the child. But after carrying out tests, they were shocked to discover she wasn't pregnant at all. Instead, she was actually carrying a 11lbs (5kg) tumour inside her uterus. One of the doctors treating her, Dr Dorin Scladan, 47, said: 'As the woman told us she was pregnant, we initially expected pregnancy complications. 'In fact, the size of her belly was quite similar to that of a nine-month pregnant woman, so we didn't have any reason to doubt what she told us.' Dr Sclandan and his colleage Dr Camelia Todica, 43, carried out an operation to remove the tumour. The patient was then transferred to intensive care - and doctors say she will recover. Dr Scladan said: 'We don't often see a tumour of this size and in this location.' The news comes after last year MailOnline reported on the story of Lorna Fulton, 44, who desperately wanted a family and believed she was pregnant when her stomach began to swell. She had ballooned to a size 26 and her waistline had been expanding despite months of dieting. But while she hoped this was a sign she was expecting, specialists discovered a huge ovarian cyst. Mrs Fulton was forced to undergo a full hysterectomy at Glasgow's Royal Infirmary where medics drained more than 32 litres of fluid from her stomach. It was revealed she had been carrying around a 5st cyst, a sac of fluid that forms on the ovary, for months. She recovered after the operation, and although she now cannot have children, says she feels 'lucky to be alive'. Doctors carried out emergency surgery to remove the tumour from the woman's uterus, and she was transferred to intensive care . And in 2012, MailOnline reported on the story of Kayleigh Terry, 21, who believed she was pregnant with her first child after gaining weight. But she was terrified to discover she actually had cancer. An ultrasound scan revealed she had a large cancerous growth which covered an area from her breast to her lower abdomen. She was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma and had emergency chemotherapy to shrink the potentially deadly tumour. Miss Terry lost her hair and eye-lashes along with 3st in weight after the shrunken tumour was removed a few months later. But after treatment, she was given the all clear, and now hopes to start her own family.", "By . Lizzie Parry . Twin brothers who suffered a rare condition which meant they shared the same placenta and blood supply, were saved when doctors performed laser surgery in the womb. Nathaniel and Joshua Cavalier had a condition known as twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, which resulted in an unequal flow of blood from their mother Verena's placenta. The condition - which can be fatal - was diagnosed when their mother went for a 21-week scan at Southend Hospital. The 32-year-old, from Rayleigh in Essex, was rushed to London's King's College Hospital where she underwent pioneering laser surgery the same day. Verena Cavalier's twin boys Nathaniel and Joshua were born in February after doctors performed life-saving laser surgery on the boys while they were still in the womb . A critical operation - with just a 33 per cent chance of both the twins surviving - was carried out in December. Doctors inserted a camera and fibre optic laser down a tiny endoscope into Verena's womb. The laser then sealed off some of the shared blood vessels to ensure the boys received a more equal supply of blood. The operation was a resounding success and the boys were born on February 12 by Caesarian section at Southend Hospital. Nathaniel weighed 3.12lbs and his brother Joshua weighed in at just 3.1lbs. But if the brothers' start in life was not enough, they have also had to fight blood poisoning and meningitis since their birth. This week Mrs Cavalier and her husband Paul, 41, celebrated their sons' four-month 'birthday'. Language teacher Mrs Cavalier, said they feel very lucky their boys survived. She said: 'I was very lucky because the condition can develop very rapidly and I wasn't due another scan for a week, but my consultant said she would do it early as she was going on holiday.' Doctors at King's College Hospital did an ultrasound to confirm the condition. And just an an hour later Professor Kypros Nicolaides performed the surgery. But because events had moved so quickly, Mrs Cavalier only just had time to call her husband to let him know she was being operated on. She said: 'One minute I was at Southend Hospital and the next I was on the train. Joshua (pictured) and his brother Nathaniel, have also fought blood poisoning and meningitis since they were born on February 12. They were diagnosed with the rare condition twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome when their mother had a 21-week scan at Southend Hospital . Doctors at King's College Hospital in London performed the life-saving surgery on Nathaniel (pictured) and his brother Joshua (pictured right with their mother Mrs Cavalier) 'My husband was at work so I had to make the decisions myself. He got there just as they started the surgery. 'It was an awful decision to have to make, but there was no time to lose. The longer we waited, the higher the chance the babies could die or be brain damaged.' The crucial operation was carried out under a local anaesthetic meaning the expectant mother was fully aware of what was happening to her and her babies. She said: 'They had a camera attached to the laser with a monitor nearby. 'I could see what they were doing. I could see a little hand moving about and I prayed the babies wouldn't move and get caught by the laser. 'It took 45 minutes and then I was sent to recover in a quiet room. Another scan showed the babies were both well and I was allowed to go home.' Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome occurs in twins who share a placenta, . when there is an unequal flow of blood between the two babies. Too much blood in one twin will put a strain on his heart and cause him to produce more urine to get rid of the excess fluid. The other twin will not grow as well and may have little or no amniotic fluid around him. The condition can be serious if it is left untreated. It is rectified using a harmless laser beam, which seals off some of . the blood vessels between babies and makes the blood flow more equal. Despite its success, the couple were left on tenterhooks knowing that the odds were against both boys surviving. Mrs Cavalier, a German and Latin teacher, then had to face a 20 per cent chance of a miscarriage during the following six weeks. She said: 'I had two miscarriages before, so I was convinced I would lose them. 'I went back to work because I didn't want to sit at home and panic.' At 29 weeks her waters broke but she did not go into labour for another two weeks, giving the twins 'vital extra time'. She was also given cortisone in that time to help the babies' lungs develop. Both had to overcome a potentially fatal infection of the stomach and blood poisoning but survived. They then went home on March 9 but had to return to Southend Hospital after catching bacterial meningitis. However, the boys came through once again and now weigh in at 8.3lbs and 6.10lbs respectively - the size that many babies are actually born at. Mrs Cavalier, who also has a daughter, two-year-old Magdalena, added: 'We owe Professor Nicolaides so much. Without him, we wouldn't have our boys. We would have lost them. 'We are really grateful to Southend Hospital neonatal unit as well. They were all wonderful there. 'The boys are four months old now. People ask me how old they are and are very surprised when I tell them.' Professor Nicolaides added: 'The boys were delivered by emergency caesarean section and were quite poorly after they were born. 'I am so pleased they are now both healthy and happy and their parents can enjoy watching them grow up.'", "As he crawls around and babbles his first words, Lucas Moore is an exhilarating bundle of joy. But, remarkably, he could easily have not been here – if he had weighed just an ounce less at birth. He was born prematurely at 23 weeks weighing 520g, just 0.7 of an ounce over the hospital’s 500g cut-off point for intervention. Bundle of joy: Lucas Moore pictured with his parents Sylvia, 30, and Tom, 33, at home in Rugby, Warwickshire . Tiny: Born at 23 weeks - a week before the abortion cut-off limit - weighing a tiny 1lb 1oz, Lucas was so small and unwell that his parents claim they were advised to turn off his life-support machine . With severe health problems – including a bleed on the brain and a hole in his heart – Lucas’s chances seemed dire, and doctors warned there was a high chance of him suffering disabilities as a result. However, he defied predictions and has now celebrated his first birthday. The case will fuel the debate over guidelines governing whether hospitals try to save the lives of extremely premature babies. It will also raise fresh questions about abortion laws, which allow terminations up to 24 weeks. Proud: A year on, Lucas has no long-term health problems, his parents claim, calling him their 'miracle' baby . Lucas: The case will fuel the debate over guidelines governing whether hospitals try to save the lives of extremely premature babies . Lucas’s mother Sylvia Moore, 30, described her son as a ‘little fighter’, adding: ‘We know premature babies can make it. While the final decision of whether to help an extremely premature baby to survive is a decision primarily for doctors, in consultation with the parents, guidelines are set by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine. These state: . Less than 23 weeks: ‘It would be considered in the best interests of the baby, and standard practice, for resuscitation not to be carried out’. 23 weeks to 23 weeks and six days: ‘If… the foetal heart is heard during labour, a professional experienced in resuscitation should be available to attend the birth’. 24 weeks to 24 weeks and six days: ‘Resuscitation should be commenced unless the parents and clinicians have considered that the baby will be born severely compromised’. 25 weeks and greater: ‘It is appropriate to resuscitate babies at this gestation and, if the response is encouraging, to start intensive care’. The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has also issued guidance, which covers interventions in the case of even more premature babies. It suggests: . Between 22 weeks and 22 weeks and six days: ‘Standard practice should not be to resuscitate the baby’. It should only be considered if the parents insist and ‘the clinicians agree that it is in the baby’s best interests’. Before 22 weeks: ‘Attempts to resuscitate should only take place within a clinical research study that has been assessed and approved by a research ethics committee’. ‘If you say you will support a child that is 500g then what is the difference with one that is 495g? I think abortions are morally wrong after 22 weeks.’ Mrs Moore, from Rugby in Warwickshire, started experiencing complications with her pregnancy when her waters broke at 22 weeks. She and her husband Tom, 33, a car designer for Tata Motors, were told she would need bed rest in hospital to try and extend the pregnancy. Doctors at Coventry University Hospital warned that her baby faced being stillborn unless he had more time to develop – but she went into labour just nine days later, on August 28 last year. Lucas was unable to breathe for the first six minutes of his life as attempts were made to open his immature lungs. He was rushed to intensive care immediately – ending up spending 109 days in hospital. He had severe bleeding on both sides of the brain and [doctors] said it was worth thinking about whether we wanted to put Lucas through all this, added Mrs Moore, who is originally from Brazil. ‘I asked what they meant and they said there was a 99 per cent chance he would have cerebral palsy. He would be deaf and could be blind.’ But after ten weeks the bleeds had gone altogether, and by the time he left hospital he was overcoming the hole in his heart. Now the only signs of his ordeal are that he is small for his age and short-sighted because of a condition associated with his long-term use of an oxygen machine. Mr Moore added: ‘We said that if he started fighting we would fight for him and that’s what he did.’ A hospital spokesman said that medics had discussed the possibility of switching off Lucas’s life support simply to ‘prepare’ his parents in case he deteriorated. He added: ‘There was no sense of “giving up easily”.’", "By . Lizzie Parry for MailOnline . When nine-month pregnant Holly Cross felt a sudden and searing pain in her stomach, she thought she was going into labour. The 23-year-old described feeling 'something burst', just days before her second child was due. She was rushed to hospital where doctors performed an emergency Caesarean section. But as well as delivering her son, doctors discovered a 10-inch cyst attached to one of Mrs Cross' ovaries had popped, causing the agonising pain. Scroll down for video . Holly Cross was nine months pregnant when she felt something burst inside her stomach. The 23-year-old thought she had gone into labour and rushed to hospital where doctors found a cyst attached to her ovary had burst . Tests revealed the cyst, found during a C-section as doctors delivered her second son Joshua, pictured left, was cancerous. Mrs Cross is pictured with her older son Liam, right . Tests carried out on the cyst revealed the mother-of-two had ovarian cancer. Terrified she would die, leaving her husband Ray, 24, to bring up their sons alone, Mrs Cross opted to have a full hysterectomy, to try and rid her of the cancer. ‘I was devastated when I was told I had cancer, I thought I was going to die,’ she told MailOnline. The mother-of-two, from Chatham in Kent, had been at home with her husband and their three-year-old son Liam, in September 2013, when she complained of feeling sick from the pregnancy. ‘I wanted the baby to be born so I could get on with feeling normal again and enjoy family life,’ Mrs Cross, said. ‘Then I felt a popping sensation and a piercing pain in my stomach. ‘I was doubled up in pain and thought I was having a heart attack and was convinced I was going to die.’ She was rushed to Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham, where doctors monitored her baby. They found its heart rate had dropped so Mrs Cross was taken to theatre for an emergency C-section. Baby Joshua was delivered safely, weighing 7lbs, 13oz. ‘When I came round doctors told me they’d found a cyst and had taken a biopsy to run tests,' she told MailOnline. 'In the meantime I could go home. I was stunned, but it hadn’t sunk in that it could be cancer. I was too busy embracing my new role as a mum-of-two. Mrs Cross, pictured with Liam after the birth of Joshua, believes her unborn son wriggling around caused the cyst to burst. She said: 'I believe had it not been for my baby, Joshua, wriggling around, which I think caused the cyst to burst, it could have continued to grow and the cancer could have spread' Around one in every 50 women in the UK develops ovarian cancer during her lifetime. While the causes are not yet completely understood, the risk of developing ovarian cancer is very low in young women, the risk increasing with age. More than 80 per cent of cases occur in women over the age of 50. Most ovarian cancers start in the cells that cover the surface of the ovary. Symptoms of the disease include: . Because the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be mistaken for symptoms of other non-cancerous conditions, there can often be a delay in diagnosis. Health bosses advise that if a woman has suffered bloating, feeling full, pain or discomfort in the lower tummy and needing to pass urine more often or more urgently for more than a month, they should see a GP straight away. Source: Macmillan Cancer Support . ‘A week later the results showed I had cancer. Nobody knew how long the cyst had been growing. ‘In a way I was lucky to be pregnant as I hadn’t had any symptoms that would have made me aware I had ovarian cancer. ‘I believe had it not been for my baby, Joshua, wriggling around, which I think caused the cyst to burst, it could have continued to grow and the cancer could have spread. ‘It’s popping made the doctors aware of it, which saved my life.’ The paramedics, who arrived at the couple's house, told Mrs Cross the pains were contractions and that she had gone into labour. ‘But I knew they were a lot worse than that,’ she said. ‘I was struggling to breathe. I thought I was having a heart attack. As I held my stomach, it felt as hard as rock. ‘I remember Liam tried to comfort me by rubbing my back and saying, \"Mummy, are you OK?\".' She added: ‘The pain I had been in wasn’t from labour pains but the cyst bursting.’ ‘I was told that cysts were quite common during pregnancy so I thought everything was going to be alright and all I had to do was recover from my caesarean.’ However, a week later, Mrs Cross received a phone call from the hospital asking to come back in to see doctors. There, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Doctors gave her the option of having the ovary affected removed, or a full hysterectomy to make sure the cancer did not spread. The latter would cause Mrs Cross to experience the menopause, at the age of just 22. Terrified she would die, leaving her husband Ray, 24, pictured, to bring up their sons, Liam and Joshua, alone, Mrs Cross opted to have a full hysterectomy, to try and rid her of the cancer . ‘I was devastated at first but I decided I’d had my two boys and didn’t want there being any chance the cancer could come back,' she said. 'I wanted to see my boys grow up. I was prepared to do anything for my family.' On November 6, 2013, Mrs Cross had the procedure, with surgeons removing her womb, cervix, lymph nodes, appendix and both ovaries. After suffering an infection, the mother-of-two was kept in hospital for a further month. 'I felt a popping sensation and a piercing pain in my stomach' - Holly Cross . She said: ‘One week I was in hospital I felt so ill I asked Ray not to bring the boys in to see me. 'I didn’t want Liam to see me in pain again. He’d been so upset the time the cyst had burst. ‘During those weeks I was in hospital I felt like I didn’t get the chance to bond with my new baby boy. 'When I was allowed home I realised he’d changed so much and I’d missed that.’ Mrs Cross was told the cyst contained fluid and cancerous cells, that could have leaked causing the cancer to spread. In January 2014 she began chemotherapy. ‘I was grateful I had a lot of help with the boys and I came home and played with them when I could,’ she told MailOnline. ‘I said yes to everything Liam wanted to do because I knew that a week later I could be feeling too tired to do anything with him. So we went to the park, the zoo, the farm, activity centres.’ The mother-of-two underwent chemotherapy and has since been given the all-clear from cancer. She is raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support to help others facing the disease . Mrs Cross, who lost her hair during chemotherapy, didn’t want her sons to see her bald, so she wore wigs to cover it. She completed her chemotherapy in May this year and her hair started to grow back straight away, marking the end of her battle with cancer. Earlier this year, Mrs Cross decided she wanted to help others facing cancer by raising money for the cancer charity, Macmillan Cancer Support. ‘Because my stomach was still sore, following the caesarean and hysterectomy, I knew a running event could potentially put a strain on my wounds,’ she said. ‘Then I heard about the Great London Swim, taking place on August 30, so I suggested to Ray we could take part, and we began to train for it. ‘I found being in the water relaxing and I could spend time with our boys in the pool too.’ Mrs Cross has now been given the all clear but will continue to have regular check-ups. She said: ‘Finally I’m getting to put the past behind me, and make up for lost time with my boys. They’re all that matter to me.’", "A mysterious sleeping epidemic that makes residents of a village known as Sleepy Hollow doze off for days at a time is caused by excessive fluid in the brain, according to doctors. Doctors, however, have been unable to identify the cause of the condition that has affected residents in the remote village of Kalachi, in northern Kazakhstan, for nearly four years. Locals say the strange sleeping disorder is getting worse, with nearly 14 per cent of the towns 600 residents having been affected. Scroll down for video . Kalachi and the neighbouring town Krasnogorsk are located beside an abandoned Soviet-era uranium mine that many locals believe is responsible for causing the mysterious sleeping sickness that affects residents . Some in the remote village, which is 276 miles from the Kazakh capital Astana, now live in fear that they may never wake up from the strange sleeping disorder. Over the summer, 60 people were taken to hospital suffering from the condition, which leaves people feeling dizzy, unable to stand, fatigued and with memory problems. Some have also reported suffering from vivid hallucinations. Doctors have already ruled out viruses and bacterial infections like meningitis as the cause. Scientists have also been unable to find any chemicals in the soil or water that might be causing the sleeping sickness. Children affected by the mystery illness are so dizzy they can barely stand up by themselves and spend days at a time in bed. Doctors have been unable to work out what is causing the condition despite thousands of tests . This is one of the victims of the 'sleeping epidemic' that routinely hits areas near a disused Soviet mine . Many locals believe the cause may be coming from nearby former Soviet-era uranium mines that are now abandoned. However, miners who worked down the mine have also not been affected, while tests have shown that radiation levels in the village and the neighbouring town of Krasnogorsk, once a prosperous area but now a ghost town that surrounds the abandoned mine, are the same as background levels. The cause of the mystery illness remains a mystery, but various theories continue to circulate. Many locals believe the cause may be coming from nearby former Soviet-era uranium mines that are now abandoned. Others claim toxic waste has been buried in the area. Baffled doctors have diagnosed the sufferers with encephalopathy, a disorder of the brain, of unclear origin. Scans have shown that many of the sufferers have excessive accumulation of fluid in their brains - known as oedema. Experts fear that prolonged diffuse brain oedema could have long term consequences on the neurological development of the children's brains. But they are still no closer to finding out what might be causing the symptoms. Some have dismissed the condition as narcolepsy or even chronic fatigue syndrome, but Professor Jim Horne, a sleep expert at Loughborough University's Sleep Research Centre, thinks this is unlikely. Yet a film crew from Russia Today, who filmed a documentary about the latest outbreak in September this year, reported detecting radiation doses 16 times higher than would be expected from background radiation close to the entrance of an abandonned filled in mine shaft. Some locals claim wind and smoke coming from the mines may be responsible for the illness. Others claim toxic waste has been buried in the area. Alsu Shjeladeva, a local resident, said some men from the area had gone down the shaft in mine seven and detected a sweet smell while down there. She told Russia Today said: 'We are afraid of what lies in store. We're afraid that we may all fall asleep.' Igor Samusenko, another local resident whose son suffers from the condition, said: 'He runs around and then he gets inert, starts staggering. 'When he turns his head his eyes stay fixed as what he ws looking at. If you try to wake him it seems the wants to open his eyes but can't. 'Sleepy valley, sleepy hollow, that's what people call us.' Lyubov Belkova claims to be the first resident to have fallen asleep in April 2010 and has since suffered repeated episodes seven times. She was initially diagnosed with ischemic strokes but then her neighbour began suffering the same symptoms. Krasnogorsk has been left virtual ghost town since the closure of the neighbouring uranium mine. It was once a wealthy area with 6,500 residents but now it is home to just 130 people while 600 live in the village of Kalachi . Soon dozens of other residents in Kalachi began feeling dizzy and suffering the same symptoms. It has affected adults and children. On 1 September this year, eight children collapsed following their assembly at school. Baffled doctors diagnosed the sufferers with encephalopathy, a disorder of the brain, of unclear origin. Scans indicated that many of the have excessive fluid on their brains - known as oedema. Kair Abdurakhmanov, a senior doctor at the Regional Children's Hospital, said: 'All the kids had a CT scan. There's a diffuse brain oedema, but there's no deterioration in terms of neurological symptoms. 'There is no signs of meningitis.' Radiation levels at a filled in mine shaft were found to be 16 times higher than normal background levels . In the Soviet era, Krasnogorsk was a secret and 'closed' uranium mining town run directly from Moscow . Radiation danger signs are used to warn people as they approach the uranium mines . Experts fear that prolonged diffuse brain oedema could have long term consequences on the neurological development of the children's brains. But they are still no closer to finding out what might be causing the symptoms. Some have dismissed the condition as narcolepsy or even chronic fatigue syndrome, but Professor Jim Horne, a sleep expert at Loughborough University's Sleep Research Centre, thinks this is unlikely. He said: 'It is not likely to be narcolepsy as the symptoms affect people for very short periods of time, not days on end. 'It doesn't seem like a sleep disorder to me - more likely a mild form of encephalitis. 'Most seem to recover quite quickly - so maybe its a virus - but then several seem to go down all at once, which suggests environmental contamination as there doesn't seem to be any fever.' Russia Today said that none of its film crew suffered any unexplained sleeping problems while making the film.", "By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 06:22 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:52 EST, 13 January 2014 . A former army recruitment officer says her life has been ruined because she was left 'partially blinded' by medication which was meant to cure her acne. Rachel Yeo, 26, says she experienced shattering migraines when antibiotics prescribed by her doctor caused fluid to build up around her brain. The mother-of-one has been left with blurred peripheral vision, which prevents her from driving, and requires regular lumbar punctures to ease the increased pressure inside her skull caused by the rare reaction to the routinely-prescribed drug. Rachel Yeo, 26, developed migraines and vision problems after taking Minocycline tablets to treat her acne . She said: ‘I'm waiting for a scan to determine whether my sight problems can be fixed, but the consultants are not optimistic. I'm absolutely gutted.’ Ms Yeo, of Penarth, in Wales, asked her GP for advice in December 2011 after suffering for several years with acne caused by polycystic ovary syndrome. She said: ‘Having spots affected my confidence massively. People looked at me as though I was a teenager. ‘I was always asked to prove my age when I bought alcohol and I felt extremely self-conscious when I attended job interviews. ‘I tried over-the-counter creams but nothing ever worked.’ Her doctor prescribed a three-month course of Minocycline tablets, a form of tetracycline antibiotic. Ms Yeo said: 'Having spots affected my confidence massively. People looked at me as though I was a teenager' After a month of trying the tablets Ms Yeo's acne remained unchanged and she began experiencing a range of troubling symptoms, including severe migraines and flashing and spotted vision. The symptoms became so distracting that Ms Yeo was often forced to ask her mother, Lynette, to babysit her daughter Isabelle, now three, while she recovered. She said: ‘At first, I put the symptoms down to stress. It was frightening. I'd never suffered with anything like it before. ‘The only place I could be comfortable was a dark room. Thank goodness mum was there to help. ‘When my vision became very blurry in October I decided it was time to see an optician. As soon as it affected my normal day-to-day life, I took action. ‘The optician checked me and said there was bleeding in the back of my eyes caused by pressure on my brain.’ Ms Yeo, a former British Army and TA recruitment officer, was rushed to University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff, where baffled doctors ordered a lumbar puncture to drain fluid from the base of her spine. She said: ‘Doctors were practically queuing up to have a look at the effect of the pressure on the backs of my eyes. They'd never seen anything like it before - that's how rare it was.’ In a discharge summary for the case, drawn up in April 2013, Specialist Registrar in Neurology Dr Joe Anderson diagnosed that Ms Yeo had idiopathic intracranial hypertension precipitated by use of Minocycline. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is high pressure inside the skull which can happen suddenly or build up over time. Ms Yeo (pictured with her daughter, Isabelle, three) was diagnosed with intracranial hypertension - increased pressure in the skull - and has to have lumbar punctures to drain fluid from her skull to reduce the pressure . It can be caused by many things including a brain tumour, an infection and a blood clot. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is that which occurs without an obvious cause. It is most common in overweight women in their 20s and it causes severe headaches and changes in vision. Ms Yeo said: ‘I was immensely stressed. I wondered whether I was somehow to blame, whether I hadn't led a healthy enough lifestyle. All I could think about was my daughter - what if I had to stay in hospital? Who would look after her? ‘I hadn't thought for one moment that the problems were caused by the acne medication. I had no idea that antibiotics would have such drastic effects. When the doctor told me, I was utterly shocked. He said it wasn't unknown to happen.’ Ms Yeo (pictured with a migraine) is no longer able to drive and says she struggles to watch TV because of her sight problems. She says she feels lucky that she is still able to care for her daughter . The NHS Choices website lists intracranial hypertension as a rare side-effect of Minocycline use. It advises patients to seek medical advice if they develop blurred or double vision. Dr Channarayapatna Krishna, a clinical pharmacologist and clinical toxicologist at the University of Wales Hospital, said there were currently no plans to review the use of Minocycline. Intracranial hypertension is high pressure inside the skull. It can occur as a result of a head injury, a stroke, a brain tumour or a brain infection among other things. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is that which occurs for no obvious reason. It is most common in overweight women in their 20s and is linked to hormone problems, certain medications and anaemia. The most common symptoms are severe headaches and changes in vision. The condition can also cause drowsiness, confusion, nausea and vomiting. Treatment options include weight loss, medications, lumbar punctures and surgery. Lumbar punctures remove excess fluid to reduce intracranial pressure. Surgery can be used to insert a shunt which diverts excess fluid to another part of the body. Many patients find their symptoms improve with treatment but they will require monitoring for the rest of their lives. Source: NHS Choices . He said: ‘Minocycline is an antibiotic which is used to treat acne. When categorising reactions to medication, we group them into “common”, “uncommon”, “rare” and “very rare”. ‘A reaction to Minocycline causing intracranial hypertension is considered to be rare. This reaction is reported in one in 1,000 to 10,000 patients. ‘All drugs have side effects and, in this, there are inherent risks. When prescribing drugs, the risks are explained. ‘Usually patients are given a patient information leaflet which comes with the medication itself. The leaflet lists a full range of possible reactions, including those which are unproved but suspected. ‘The healthcare professional, with the consent of the patient, will consider the risks and benefits when prescribing medication. ‘If a medication is thought to have a “rare” or “very rare” side effect, we keep an eye out for those side effects, but the risk is not considered great enough to prevent use. ‘As soon as such a reaction is suspected in a patient, I would advise the patient to stop using the medication immediately. ‘Intracranial hypertension means there is extra fluid or pressure in the brain. The brain is constrained within the “box” of the skull, so it can't expand very easily to accommodate this extra fluid or pressure. ‘Depending on how severe the reaction is, sometimes treatment is needed to bring the pressure or swelling down. ‘The treatment needs to be followed up once the medication is stopped to make sure that it is the drug causing the swelling, not anything else.’ Ms Yeo, who is not pursuing any claims . for compensation, has struggled to come to terms with the fact that her . life may never be the same again in the wake of the devastating . reaction. She said: ‘I'm with it for life. There is no cure, but the pressure on the brain can be regulated with lumbar punctures. Ms Yeo (pictured with a letter from her doctor) says she now hopes her symptoms will improve over time . ‘While I wait between procedures, I just have to suffer. With every lumbar puncture, there's a risk I'll lose some feeling in my legs, but it's a risk I have to take. ‘I'm on all sorts of different tablets to reduce the cerebral fluids but the sight loss might be irreversible. I can't drive and watching television is a struggle. I can't get glasses because my prescription could change from week to week. ‘Even though I've lost a lot, I could have lost so much more. I could have been completely blinded or I could have had a stroke or fallen into a coma. ‘At least I can still be a mum for Isabelle. Even though it's a struggle sometimes, I'm lucky that the reaction wasn't even more serious.’", "By . Jenny Hope and Louise Eccles . PUBLISHED: . 18:01 EST, 17 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:41 EST, 18 June 2013 . Little ground breaker: Heath Kidd is the first baby to be born using a new IVF treatment . He's only seven weeks old, but little Heath Kidd is already a pioneer. His birth – the result of a groundbreaking technique dubbed ‘the natural IVF’ – could offer hope to thousands of women who are currently unable to have children. While conventional IVF involves the mother being injected with artificial hormones, baby Heath was conceived with a new method that uses a naturally occurring hormone, kisspeptin. This helps produce eggs in a safer way for the mother and avoids some of the risks associated with traditional IVF. Heath’s mother Suzannah said she was thrilled with her ‘groundbreaker’ baby, who was born in April weighing 7.5lb after a ‘normal, healthy pregnancy’. And while Mrs Kidd is the first to give birth, ten more women are expecting babies following the breakthrough study at Hammersmith Hospital’s IVF unit in West London, conducted with Imperial College, London. Experts hope the treatment could be widely available in as little as two years. ‘We are over-the-moon to have Heath,’ Mrs Kidd said. ‘We feel so lucky to have him. 'It shows it does work and to know that we have helped move IVF treatment on is great.’ Mrs Kidd, 34, had tried for years to get pregnant after marrying husband Calum, 31, a project manager for a construction firm in 2008, but with no success. After being diagnosed with ‘unexplained’ fertility problems and referred for conventional IVF on the NHS at Hammersmith Hospital, Mrs Kidd, who works as a credit manager, became pregnant with son Lochlann, now two, in March 2011. Although they longed for another baby they were not entitled to any further rounds of IVF on the NHS. Bundle of joy: Heath, seven weeks, with his parents, Suzannah and Calum Kidd and older brother Lochlann . New technique: Compared to traditional IVF treatment, where artificial hormones are used, which the Kidds underwent with two year old Lochlann, Heath was conceived using natural hormones . The pair were attempting to save the £6,000 required to pay for the treatment privately when Mrs Kidd spotted a poster advertising the new kisspeptin IVF trial at Hammersmith Hospital and phoned straight away to see if she was eligible. Conventional IVF uses injections of high levels of ovary-stimulating drugs to mature eggs faster for collection. But there are well-recognised risks to the mother if the ovaries are over-stimulated, known as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. This can endanger her life by leaking excess fluid into other parts of the body, leading to blood clots. The risks are particularly serious for women with polycystic ovaries. Kisspeptin is a naturally occurring hormone that researchers suspected could be successfully used as a safer way to induce a woman’s eggs to mature and become ripe for fertilisation. In normal pregnancies the body produces a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH), which supports egg maturation and triggers ovulation. In traditional IVF an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) mimics this. However, it can overstimulate the ovaries in women at high risk, especially those with polycystic ovaries. The Kisspeptin, which has been produced in a synthetic form by the researchers, acts on the pituitary gland and sets off this LH surge. She began to receive the trial treatment in July last year. 'I didn’t notice any difference at all from when I had the conventional IVF with Lochlann,’ she said. A fertilised embryo was implanted within days of the final injection and Mrs Kidd discovered she was pregnant just three weeks later. The study looked at the effectiveness of using kisspeptin to induce egg development in place of conventional hormone injections. In regular IVF, the hormone injections that are used for egg development can trigger a serious condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). This results in over-stimulation of the ovaries – causing too many eggs to be released. In some rare cases, this condition can even lead to death. Those most at risk are women who cannot have children because they have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). As many as one in 12 women has PCOS, in which the polycystic ovary has tiny cysts around the outside, thought to be follicles that have failed to develop properly to release an egg. For those women, this safer treatment is a major breakthrough. Professor Waljit Dhillo, of Imperial College, said: ‘The results of the study are very encouraging and whilst we are primarily looking at women most at risk of developing OHSS, there is the potential kisspeptin could be used across all IVF treatments  as a more natural alternative.’" ]

[ "The U.S. Embassy will officially inaugurate a new engagement-focused facility equipped with state-of-the-art technology called the Satchmo Center, located inside the Embassy’s premises on Thursday, April 26, 2018.\nThe Satchmo Center, whose primary purpose is to support engagement with Ethiopians on issues related to American culture, society and policies, is equipped with some of the latest technologies, such as a new interactive wall screen, a 3D printer, video conferencing facilities, a view sonic display kiosk, and media lab video production equipment, including a green screen and sound system. The Center is open to public.\nU.S. Ambassador Michael Raynor will inaugurate the Center in the presence of distinguished guests, members and the media.\nAdvertisement\nThe Center was named after the influential African-American trumpeter, composer and singer- Louis Daniel Armstrong, nicknamed the Satchmo.\nYou are cordially invited to cover the inauguration of the Satchmo Center at:\nVenue: American Embassy, Entoto\nTime: Thursday, April 26, 2018 at 5:00 pm\nPlease RSVP to Ali Suleiman (0911 509 510) or to Yohannes Gezahegn (0911 512 227)\nDistributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia." ]

[ "At the colourful gathering, addressing nearly 600 guests, Ambassador Susanna Moorehead said:\n“Many Ethiopian friends and colleagues see this as a pivotal moment in this country’s rich and proud history. As Prime Minister Abiy sad in his inaugural address, it is a new opportunity for Ethiopia to re-focus on freedom and establishing justice, to re-engage young people and women in building this country, and to listen to the people so that Ethiopians can – and I quote – “all work together in a new spirit going forward”.\nThe United Kingdom very much welcomes Ethiopia grasping these opportunities. Prime Minister Abiy has called on development partners to continue to walk alongside Ethiopia in these times of change. I am proud to say that Britain is already doing that and will continue to do so.”\nAdvertisement\nSpeaking about the African Union, and Chairperson Faki’s commitment to address some of the most inexorable conflicts in the world, including South Sudan, Somalia and the DRC, Ambassador Moorehead said:\n“All of these conflicts represent development in reverse, not the progress that Africa’s youth demands and deserves. I and Her Majesty’s Government are clear. Such vision and challenges cannot be addressed alone. Partnership is critical. Our efforts must be collective if we are to prevail. And as we leave the European Union, our relationship with Africa will grow in importance.\nThe wise African proverb – If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together – is more relevant than ever today.”\nAmbassador Susanna extended her sincere gratitude to Gold sponsors renewable energy company Globeleq, as well as to Diageo, Crown Agents, Kefi Minerals, Cluff Geothermal, Pittards Leather, Rolls Royce and IDS for being sponsors of the event.\nDistributed by APO Group on behalf of British Embassy Addis Ababa.", "The Global Book Alliance, which is comprised of donor agencies from the United States, Norway, the UK, and other countries, is launching a new Global Digital Library in Ethiopia to increase the availability of high quality reading resources for children and youth across the country. Ethiopia was selected as the first country to launch the Global Digital Library, which is a worldwide effort to provide children with the books and learning materials they need to learn to read.\nThe Global Digital Library is collecting existing, high-quality, open educational reading resources, and making them available on digital platforms (web, mobile) and for print. It will also eventually facilitate translation and localization of these resources to more than 300 languages worldwide. In Ethiopia, the Global Digital Library will be hosting openly licensed high quality reading resources in seven Ethiopian languages (Amharic, Tigrigna, Afaan Oromo, Af-Somaali, Sidama Afoo, Wolayttatto, and Hadiyyisa), as well as library resources for leisure reading in three Ethiopian languages from African Storybook.\nFounding members of the Global Book Alliance include: the Norwegian Embassy and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UKaid, UNICEF, UNESCO, Save the Children, the World Bank, World Vision, ADEA, Australian Aid, and the Global Partnership for Education.\nAdvertisement\nThe United States Embassy in Addis Ababa invites you to attend this event\nDate: April 26, 2018 at 11:00 am\nVenue: United Nations ECA Conference Center, Large Briefing Room, UN Compound, Addis Ababa\nPlease RSVP to Ms. Elisabeth Gebremariam ([email protected], tel. 0911-469114) and Mr. Tomas Danicek ([email protected], tel. 0978-819217) at UNESCO no later than Wednesday, April 25 at 12:00 noon to ensure access to the UN compound.\nDistributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.", "Ethiopian Airlines has started services to Barcelona, its 13th destination in Europe.\nA colorful inaugural ceremony was held at the VIP Salon on July 1, 2018 in the presence of Ethiopian Group CEO Mr Tewolde GebreMariam, H.E. Mr Borja Montesino Martinez, Spanish Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ethiopian Executive Management members, invited guests and members of the press.\nTewolde GebreMariam\nGroup CEO Mr Tewolde GebreMariam expressed their delight over the launch of services to Barcelona.\nBorja Montesino Martinez\nSpanish Ambassador to Ethiopia H.E. Borja Montesino Martinez also commended Ethiopian Airlines for the contribution in providing seamless connectivity options for business people as well as tourists from Barcelona to the airlines’ 58 destinations in Africa via its main hub in Addis Ababa.", "The visiting Ethiopian Foreign Minister Dr Workneh Gebeyehu and Algerian Foreign Affairs State Minister Ramtane Lamamra officially inaugurated the embassy. During the occasion, Lamamra said that the absence of an Ethiopian embassy in Algeria has not been an \"obstacle\" for \"rapprochement\" between the two countries, recalling the existence of an Algerian diplomatic representation to Addis Ababa for more than 40 years.\nStart the conversation, or Read more at Walta Information Centre.", "The Coffee Time is open on Lincoln park neighborhood area Writer Zelalem Endeta The 28-year-old Ethiopian- American woman, Selot Zewdie opened an Ethiopian coffee shop in the most significant Midwest town of Chicago in the Lincoln Park area. The crowning […] admin\nDisability advocate Yetnebersh Nigussie receives Right Livelihood Award The Ethiopian lawyer spoke with DW about the importance of education and supporting the disability community in Africa and around the world. The award honors those who have found practical […] admin\nAzeb Mesfin, who has had a roof over the global corner of corruption, confessed Azeb Mesfin, who has had a roof over the global corner of corruption, confessed: On the Rift Valley, the former Prime Minister of the former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles […] admin\nThe world loves Ethiopian pop star Teddy Afro. His own government doesn’t. WorldViews By Paul Schemm September Ethiopian pop star Teddy Afro at his home in Addis Ababa. (Mulugeta Ayene/Associated Press) ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Monday marked the first day of the […] admin\nEthiopia: Addressing the alarming conflict in the border areas of Oromia National Regional State and Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State 14TH SEPTEMBER 2017 BY ADMIN Press Release September 14, 2017 Your Excellences, The General Assembly of the United Nations United Nations Human Rights Council African Commission on Human and Peoples […] admin\nETHIOPIA Hand grenade blast injures thirteen in Jimma town Jimma town Hand grenade blast injures thirteen in Jimma town Hand grenade blast injures thirteen in Jimma town Jimma town At least thirteen people have been injured in a grenade attack in […] admin\nCan the Ethiopian community hang on in Seattle? by Chetanya Robinson Habtamu Abdi, civilian liaison between the Seattle Police Department and the East African community at the Ethiopian Community Center in Rainier Valley. (Photos by Matt M. McKnight/Crosscut) […] admin\nPermit denied for Teddy Afro concert A planned concert by Ethiopia’s biggest pop star, Teddy Afro on Ethiopian New Year’s eve has been denied permit, according to the radio show Ethiopicalink. The September 10 concert in […] admin", "Addis Ababa (AFP) Feb 14, 2017 - A huge newly-built Ethiopian dam is cutting off the supply of water to Lake Turkana in northern Kenya, rights group Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.\nThe Gibe III dam, along with a network of sugar plantations, has caused the depth of Lake Turkana to drop by 1.5 meters from its previous levels since the dam's reservoir began filling in 2015, according to a HRW report.\nIn one part of Turkana, the world's largest desert lake, the shore has receded by nearly two kilometres, threatening the livelihoods of fishing communities.\n\"Ethiopia is in such a rush to develop its resources that these downstream individuals, who are completely marginalised, just aren't part of the equation,\" said Felix Horne, a HRW researcher.\nBuilt at a cost of 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion), Gibe III is the third-most powerful dam in Africa and the highest, at 243 meters (800 feet) in height.\nThe dam, which has already caused some controversy, is expected to double the electricity output of Ethiopia.\nThe country was the continent's fastest-growing economy in 2015, but GDP is expected to take a hit due to a series of anti-government protests that targeted foreign businesses, and to an ongoing drought.\nEnvironmentalists and the UN cultural body UNESCO have condemned Gibe III, saying they fear the dam will staunch the Omo River, which provides 80 percent of the water flow into Lake Turkana.\nHRW has also criticised Ethiopia's government for uprooting people along the river to make way for sugar plantations.\nEthiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn dismissed criticism of the dam in a speech inaugurating the project, saying Gibe III satisfied Ethiopia's power demands and allowed it to export electricity.\nEthiopia also plans 100,000 hectares (250,000 acres) of sugar plantation in the Omo River valley, along with factories to process the cane.\nTens of thousands of hectares have already been cleared, but Horne says the development should be reduced to preserve Lake Turkana's water level.\n\"I think the most important thing by far is that the sugar plantations, which are very water-intensive, that those be cut back,\" Horne said.\nAt Turkana, communal clashes have broken out over access to scarce water supplies.\nShould the lake drop further, Horne worries conflict will intensify.", "An Ethiopian international flight, which could not land at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu on Sunday due to bad weather was forced to make a quick U-turn and flew back to Addis Ababa.\nThe bad weather was occasioned by the harmattan season.\nThe passengers in the plane, who expressed anxiety and concerns were said to have protested the development, although their protest could not change the situation.\nIt was gathered that the Ethiopian international flight was scheduled to land at the Akanu Ibiam airport by 3pm but when it got there it was not safe and proper for landing, hence it made quick U-turn and flew back to Ethiopia.\n“There was protest but it was not much. The Airline checked them into a hotel in Ethiopia, and explained to them the risky condition, and I think they appreciated it,” a source said.\nAbout six flights comprising local and international flights were scheduled for yesterday (Saturday) at the Enugu airport but the hazy, harmattan weather affected all the flights.", "Staff Reporter\nAddis Ababa-The Ethiopian Immigration and Nationality Affairs main department in collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines has finalised preparations of the initial phase to commence an e-visa service for international visitors to Ethiopia, effective June 12.\nThe e- visa is processed and issued online on a single webpage, where applicants apply, pay and secure their entry visa online. Once the online application is approved, applicants will receive an email authorising them to travel to Ethiopia and will get their passport stamped with the visa upon arrival in Addis Ababa.\nRegarding the new service, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Tewolde GebreMariam remarked that “Ethiopia, the oldest independent civilisation in Africa and one of the oldest in the world, is endowed with historical places, natural beauty, colourful and diverse cultural activities and various endemic wild animals, which are of great interest to international tourists.\n“However, we have not made best use of these natural resources to attract large number of tourists. To this effect, this project is part of a new national initiative to transform the tourism sector in the country. The full commencement of the online visa application and issuance system will promote tourism, trade and investment to the country. It will save time, energy and cost for travelers to Ethiopia in addition to the simplicity and convenience that it facilitates.\n“With direct flights to/from more than 95 destinations from all corners of the world operated by the most modern airplanes, we will continue to make travel to Ethiopia, dependable, easy, convenient and affordable. I will take this opportunity to thank our IT team and our colleagues at the main department for immigration and nationality affairs for the commendable collaboration and the job well done.”\n“We are glad that we have been working together with Ethiopian Airlines for the effective implementation of e-visa facilities at Bole International Airport. Now international visitors to Ethiopia, from countries provisioned for visa upon arrival, will make use of this service.\n“Moreover, we have set up separate counters to process the visas of travellers under electronic travel authorisation,” Gebreyohannes Teklu, the director of the main department for immigration and nationality affairs said.", "Ethio-Turkish bilateral relation flourishing into economic cooperation\nStarting diplomatic relations in 1896, Ethiopia and Turkey have been elevating their historical ties in various areas. And currently, the relation between the two countries is in a positive track. The Ethio-Turkish relation has got strengthened with a very constructive and fruitful engagements since its inception.\nExcellent bilateral relations that are characterized by the ever-growing economic and political ties based on common understanding and mutual respect is being built between the two nations. And the constructive role Turkey plays in Africa is exemplary and showing the country's determination to assure mutual benefits and foster growth and development in the continent.\nFrom the four trading partners of Turkey in Sub-Saharan Africa and out of the six billion USD Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the continent, 2.5 billion USD has been channeled to Ethiopia. This is the biggest share of the total African investment.\nTurkish investors are benefiting from investing in the textiles, food processing, leather, energy production and generation activities. There are still greater opportunities of partnership in the areas of development finance, investment and bilateral trade. The economic cooperation of the two countries have witnessed mutual benefit.\nIt was learned from the 4th Ethio-Turkish Business and Investment Forum held Wednesday here in Addis Ababa that half of Turkey's African investment is in Ethiopia that exceeds two and a half billion from the total six billion Turkish investment in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ethiopia is now Turkey's biggest African investment spot. There are currently over 150 Turkish investors working in Ethiopia. Turkish officials and the delegates who visited Ethiopia for a day-long this week said that this is the result of the encouraging situation and trust built over the years between the two nations. The trade volume between the two countries has risen to be 450 million USD in 2016 and efforts are underway in both sides to raise the figure to 1 billion USD in the near future.\nBoth Ethiopian and Turkish senior government officials as well as business partners view that the trade, investment and people to people ties between the two nations is strong and satisfactory.\nTop diplomats in the Ethiopian Embassy at Ankara recently said that Turkish companies are now focusing on Africa. \"Ethiopia is a gateway for their vision. And Turkey is now changing and transferring to the service sector from industry.\"\nEthiopian Embassy at Ankara and the government of Ethiopia are aggressively working to encourage more Turkish companies to come to Ethiopia and this combined with the current Turkish investment in Ethiopia is creating a push, pull effect to enhance the already blossoming trade between the two nations.\nAyalew Gobeze, Ethiopia's Ambassador to Turkey, said that in connection to economic relation, other aspects of the relationship are also growing. As to Ayalew, the number of Turkish investors seeking to invest in Ethiopia is rapidly growing. \"We are also working strongly to expand the number of Turkish investors in Ethiopia since they will encourage technology and knowledge transfer.\"\nAccording to Minister of Economy of the Republic of Turkey Nihat Zeybekci, his country is looking for further ways of boosting economic and bilateral trade and investment ties with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in the years ahead.\nAt the end of the forum, Ethiopia and Turkey have signed cooperation and MoUs in the areas of mining, hydrocarbon development, standardization, small and medium manufacturing industries development enterprises, media and electricity sub sectors.\nMinster of Ethiopian Foreign Affairs, Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, said that Ethiopia and Turkey will go a long way to further enhance the close partnership and historical relations. He underlined that the multifaceted bilateral relations between the two nations need to be deepen and strengthened as Ethiopia has created conducive trade and investment environment for investors. Turkey is Ethiopia's a strategic partner in the development and transformation drive that the nation has envisioned.\nHaving a healthy growth of investment in the country, Ethiopia is keen to attract Turkish investment in textile and garment, leather and leather products, construction and industrial parks development, Dr Workneh said.\nEthiopia is the only country in Africa where the Turkish International Cooperation Agency opened its branch office; this is the indication of the strong partnership built between the two nations.\nMinister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci witnessed that Ethiopia is a country that is in a state of sustainable development. \"We want to strengthen our trade and investment relationship with the nation giving the gain to Ethiopia first. And our partnership with Ethiopia is successful in various areas.\"\nChairman of Ethio-Turkey Business Council Emre Aykar said that Ethiopia is one of Turkish most trusted business partners in the African continent. \"The Turkish investment in Ethiopia is now over 2.5 billion USD and over 30,000 temporary and permanent jobs were created for Ethiopian citizens by the investment opportunities created by Turkey so far.\"\nHe further said that investment in the areas of banking, air-cargo transport, free trade, payment services and other facilitation should be given careful attention in the future endeavours.\nAfter the forum, the delegates led by the Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci discussed with Ethiopian President Dr. Mulatu Teshome and Prime Mnister Hailemariam Desalegn. The Minister in his discussion with the president assures that his country is committed to boost trade ties and support development projects.\nEthio-Turkish historic relationship goes beyond economic issues. Seeing the significance of cultural bondage, Turkey government is actively engaging in areas of heritage preservation.", "The U.S. Ambassador Elisabeth Millard attended a launch ceremony for the new $9.7 million Feed the Future Tajikistan Land Market Development Activity Project in Tajikistan, reports the U.S. Embassy. The ceremony was also attended by key stakeholders and other counterparts who make significant contributions to promote land use rights, including Rajabboy Ahmadzoda, Chairman of State Committee for Land Management and Geodesy of the Republic of Tajikistan, as well as representatives from Parliament and the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, and the U.S. Embassy.\nStart the conversation, or Read more at AkiPress.", "(CNN) — Ethiopia has banned the adoption of Ethiopian children by foreign families, according to the country’s state-run News Agency ENA, citing concerns over abuse.\nEthiopian officials previously suspended adoptions back in November, but allowed pending cases to continue through the process, according to the US Department of State.\nChildren adopted by foreign families in the past have been exposed to “various crimes and social crisis in the country they grew up in,” ENA said.\nIn 2013, a US couple was convicted in the death of their 13-year-old daughter, whom they adopted from Ethiopia. Hana Williams died in 2011 from “hypothermia brought on by malnutrition and being forced to remain outside on a cold rainy night,” according to court documents.\nHana’s mother was convicted of homicide by abuse in the first degree, while her father was convicted of manslaughter in the first degree. Both are currently serving prison time.\nThe state news agency said intercountry adoption made children “vulnerable to identify crisis, psychological problems, and violation of rights.”\nThe ban will “enable children to grow up in Ethiopian culture, custom, social values and practices of their birth place.”\nThe US Embassy in Addis Ababa said it is unsure how the decision will affect current pending adoption cases, but that it will continue to “engage with the Ethiopian government.”\nEthiopia was among the top 10 countries from which Americans adopted children in 2016, according to the US Department of State. Since 1999 more than 15,000 adoptions to the United States have been completed.\nActress Angelina Jolie famously adopted her daughter, Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt, from Ethiopia in 2005 when the girl was six months old.\nThe African country has seen a steady decline in adoptions since 2010, according to statistics from the State Department. In 2016, Ethiopia experienced “changes in the government office that oversees processing of adoptions,” the State Department says. These changes contributed to ongoing processing delays.\nEthiopia says the new proclamation “encourages local adoption, family reunification and reintegration that will enable children to grow up in the midst of their fellow citizens.”", "North Central Texas College Alumna Lyndi Starr was recently named the Masked Rider at Texas Tech University, the university’s official mascot. A 2013 Mt. Vernon H i g h S c h o o l g r a d u – ate, Starr first attended NCTC in Fall 2013.\nShe was a member of the Stock Horse, Equestrian, and Horse Judging teams while at NCTC. In 2014, Starr and the Stock Horse Team were the Stock Horse of Texas (SHOT) Collegiate World Champions. After the Fall 2015 semester, Starr graduated with an associate of applied science degree in equine science and received the equine marketable skills certificate. She then transferred to Texas Tech University in Lubbock.\n“NCTC was a great place for me to start after high school rather than going straight to a university,” said Starr. “It gave me time to mature and the equestrian program at NCTC really helped prepare me. In fact, without the equine program, I more than likely would not be at Texas Tech or be the Masked Rider.\nRead the full story in the mid-week news.", "A Tri-County Tech instructor concedes her quest to unseat a third-term U-S representative from what’s considered an entrenched Republican district is an uphill battle. But it’s a battle that Democrat Mary Geren is eager to undertake. A large number of her supporters cheered for her yesterday in a ballroom at Clemson University’s Madren Center. Geren elicited cheers and some laughter when she invoked the popular phrase that helped Republican Donald Trump grab the White House from the Democrats when she said, “It’s time to actually, really ‘drain the swamp.’” Geren said she grew up in a large family and that her father, for decades, worked in a rock quarry and had trouble making ends meet. Geren’s message yesterday is that there is no shame in poverty nor, she said, is it wrong for someone to rely on government assistance when it’s needed. She accused Republican Representative Jeff Duncan of insensitivity to the poor and to females. If Geren wins, she’d be the first of her gender to represent South Carolina’s Third District.\nVK Facebook Twitter Google+", "TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN A COLLISION BETWEEN A SEMI AND AN S-U-V ON HIGHWAY 20 IN LAWTON EARLY SUNDAY.\nTHE WOODBURY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THE DRIVER OF THE EASTBOUND S-U-V CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AND STRUCK THE WESTBOUND SEMI HEAD-ON AROUND 3:30AM NEAR THE PRONTO ON HIGHWAY 20 IN LAWTON.\nTHE MALE DRIVER WAS AIRLIFTED TO MERCY MEDICAL CENTER WITH CRITICAL INJURIES.\nA FEMALE PASSENGER WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO MERCY WITH SERIOUS INJURIES.\nBOTH VICTIMS HAD TO BE EXTRICATED FROM THE S-U-V.\nTHE DRIVER OF THE SEMI WAS NOT INJURED.\nNAMES OF THE VICTIMS HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED.\nHIGHWAY 20 WAS CLOSED BETWEEN 3:30AM AND 6AM SUNDAY IN LAWTON.\nTHE ACCIDENT REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.", "LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The head of the U.S. Consulate in Nigeria's capital says U.S. support for Nigeria's economy will continue given the African country's demographics.\nUnited States Consul General F. John Bray spoke with The Associated Press on Monday after participating in the closing gong ceremony at the Nigeria Stock Exchange House in Lagos.\nBray says the U.S. private sector invests $8.1 billion a year in Nigeria and the country's population of 180 million provides a tremendous base of consumers.\nBray said that businesses without a strategy for Nigeria don't have an investment strategy for Africa.\nThe consul says he discusses diversifying the Nigerian economy with American business leaders.\nHowever, Nigeria's crippled infrastructure has made doing business there difficult. Power outages, road blockages and security issues are some of the issues investors consider.", "Khartoum — The Pime Minister of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe is due to arrive the country Tuesday, in a three days visit to the country during which he will hold talks with the President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer al -Bashir tackling means for enhancing the bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries and the regional and international issues of mutual concern.\nThe Ethiopia PM will meet during the visit with the First Vice President of the Republic, the National Prime Minister, Lt. Gen. Bakri Hassan Salih, and the Vice President Ustaz, Hassabo Mohamed Abdulrahman.\nThe delegation accompanying the Ethiopian Prime Minister, consists of the Ethiopian Information and Government Communication Minister, Negro Gdjaho, the Minister of Energy, Electricity and Water, Selishi Bakala, Ambassador, Burhani the Ethiopian PM Special Consultant and Mrs. Hirut Zemene, the State Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.\nThe visit's programs includes a lecture to be introduced at the Friendship Hall next Thursday, on the Horn of Africa, a cultural evening in addition to a visit to some of the country's industrial constructions.", "Asmara — Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Diagnostic and Operation centre constructed at an expenditure of over 15 million Nakfa within the premises of Orotta Referral Medical Hospital was inaugurated last Wednesday. The project was implemented in cooperation with the Government of Eritrea and the German MEDCARE Association.\nSpeaking on the occasion attended by Ministers and members of the diplomatic corps, the Minister of Health, Ms. Amina Nurhusein, said that the construction of the diagnostic and operation centre attests to the Government's policy of giving priority attention to the health sector and resolve to work in cooperation with partners.\nLikewise, the Director of Orotta National Referral Hospital, Dr. Habteab Mehari, said that the ENT centre is part of the substantial investment being made to ensure public health.\nMeanwhile, the founder and Head of MEDCARE, Prof. Eberhard Stennert, explained that ENT diagnosis and operation is one of the important sectors of health and expressed satisfaction to witness the centre inaugurated and begin providing service to the public.\nThe ENT facility is equipped with patients bed rooms, surgery and recovery ones besides laboratory and other facilities.", "Republic of the Philippines aims at a series of bilateral political talks with Ethiopia in a bid to intensify the four decade long diplomatic ties between the two countries, Ambassador of Philippines to Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti Leslie Baja told The Ethiopian Herald.\n\"We currently have a bilateral trade exchange estimated to be around twenty million US dollars per annum\", said Baja, adding that Philippines would like to boost this economic relations to heightened cooperation through permanent presence in Ethiopia in the form of Consulate or Embassy in the near future.\nBy doing so, he added, \"we intend to strengthen the two countries' business ties by having increased number of businessmen in each others' country\". The Ambassador also explained the desire to boosting tourism flow between Ethiopia and Philippines amid the existing operation of Ethiopian Airlines to the Asian nation.\nThe first Filipinos to come to Ethiopia were teachers arriving in as soon as Ethiopian Airlines started flying to the archipelago 40 years ago. Baja said, \"Now, there is a remarkable amount of Filipino presence here engaged in all sectors including TVET, Universities, factories, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, religious institutions and some voluntary activities as well\".\nThe Ambassador also revealed that Ethiopia's agricultural production could benefit a lot from the wider Filipino market. \"The tourism sector especially medical tourism is where the two countries can exchange a lot once the two countries formally sit down to discuss investment opportunities,\" he further added.\nBaja said, \"We have recently signed a bilateral consultation mechanism with Ethiopia, and we hope to setup a road map to strengthen our political, economic and cultural ties in the near future\". As Ethiopia is the seat of the African Union and other international organizations, the country offers political and historical significance to the continent ensuring Philippines' increased interest to the Nation, he added.\nAfrica and Asia established strong relations since the first Bandung Conference held in 1955, whereas Ethiopia recently opened a heightened alliance with East Asian nations which the Ambassador believes is a \"step forward towards solidifying ties between the two continents\".\nIn an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Asia and Oceania affairs Director General at the Minstry of Foreign Affairs Tsegab Kebebw said, \"Philippines, as a newly industrialized nation, could share its knowledge and experiences in the areas of ICT and Medicine where we expect Filipino businessmen to invest in Ethiopia.\"\nHe further mentioned the market potentials available for Ethiopia's agricultural products that could be exploited in Philippines as they are emerging economies dubbed \"the tiger cub economy\". Ethiopia can learn a lot regarding eliciting economic benefit from remittances, Tsegab further added.", "The Caesarea-based firm is teaming up with partner TodayTomorrow Ventures Inc. in a $400,000 deal to construct a wastewater treatment facility at the EPRI 1 condominium complex in Addis Ababa. Aiming to provide a more efficient and reliable alternative to the aging septic systems of Addis Ababa, Israeli company Emefcy will be building an innovative sewage plant to serve one residential neighborhood in the Ethiopian capital.\nStart the conversation, or Read more at Jerusalem Post.", "Baku. 1 February. REPORT.AZ/ The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will officially open a new feed-grinding center in Jojug Marjanli village in the Jabrayil district February 2.\nReport was informed in the US Embassy in Azerbaijan.\nThis new feed-grinding and seed-cleaning center will help the people of Jojug Marjanli and nearby communities to make their own animal feed for cows and other livestock. Before the feed-grinding center opened, many people had to travel long distances to the nearest city to buy often costly animal feed. Local residents now have access to affordable feed for their animals in their own community. For Jojug Marjanli and three nearby communities, this new center will help save the time, money, and energy of more than 3,100 people whose livelihoods depend on cattle-breeding and agriculture.\nThe idea for this feed-grinding project came from the people of Jojug Marjanli themselves following a visit by USAID Mission Director Mikaela Meredith to the village in February 2017. The local community discussed the possible options and benefits and decided upon the feed-grinding project. The project was co-financed by the U.S. and the Azerbaijani governments and implemented by East-West Management Institute.\nThis Jojug Marjanli project is another of the many examples of the United States’ on-going work with Azerbaijanis, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), to help them improve their prosperity and well-being. Since 2011, the United States and Azerbaijan have completed 113 community projects in 100 different Azerbaijani communities. These projects have benefitted nearly 183,000 people, some of whom are IDPs. Since 2003, the United States has invested over $5.5 million to build 16 new schools that serve IDP children and three projects to provide access to water to IDP communities. To date, the U.S. government has provided more than $125 million to help Azerbaijan’s IDPs.\nThe United States has been and remains a strong partner of Azerbaijan.", "The U.S. Government through USAID launched on April 12 two information terminals at Manas International Airport to prevent human trafficking and protect the rights of Kyrgyzstani migrants traveling abroad. Ten additional kiosks will be installed across the country.\nStart the conversation, or Read more at AkiPress.", "Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Y ld z was briefed Monday on the drought situation in Horn of Africa region during his visit to the capital of Ethiopia Addis Ababa. Y ld z, who is leading a delegation of Organization of Islamic Conference, said his meetings with Ethiopian officials were pivotal for coordinating assistance in the region.\nStart the conversation, or Read more at Walta Information Centre.", "Britain must permanently return all artefacts from Ethiopia held by the Victoria and Albert Museum and Addis Ababa will not accept them on loan, an Ethiopian government official said.\nThe call comes after the museum, one of London's most popular tourist attractions, put Ethiopian treasures plundered by British forces in 1868 on display.\n\"Well, it would be exciting if the items held at the V&A could be part of a long-term loan with a cultural institution in Ethiopia,\" museum director Tristram Hunt said.\n\"These items have never been on a long-term loan in Ethiopia, but as we look to the future I think what we're interested in are partnerships around conservation, interpretation, heritage management, and these need to be supported by government assistance so that institutions like the V&A can support sister institutions in Ethiopia.\"\nAmong the items on display are sacred manuscripts and gold taken from the Battle of Maqdala 150 years ago, when British troops ransacked the fortress of Emperor Tewodros II.\nThe offer of a loan did not go far enough for Ethiopia.\n\"What we have asked (for) was the restitution of our heritage, our Maqdala heritage, looted from Maqdala 150 years ago. We presented our request in 2007 and we are waiting for it,\" government minister Hirut Woldemariam said.\nEphrem Amare, Ethiopian National Museum director, added: \"It is clearly known where these treasures came from and whom they belong to. Our main demand has never been to borrow them. Ethiopia's demand has always been the restoration of those illegally looted treasures. Not to borrow them.\"\nThe V&A said on Tuesday the idea of a long-term loan had come up as it discussed its Maqdala exhibition with Ethiopian authorities. \"The V&A is committed to continuing this important and wide-ranging dialogue with colleagues at the Ethiopian Embassy in London,\" it added in a statement.\nIn launching the Maqdala 1868 exhibition of what Hunt called \"stunning pieces with a complex history\" this month, he said the display had been organised in consultation with the Ethiopian community in London.\n\"As custodians of these Ethiopian treasures, we have a responsibility to celebrate the beauty of their craftsmanship, shine a light on their cultural and religious significance and reflect on their living meaning, while being open about how they came to Britain,\" he said in a blog on the museum website.", "The Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association -ECCSA signed memorandum of understanding with Jordanian Chamber of Industry during the joint Business Forum held at Hilton Hotel yesterday.\nFDRE State Minister of Trade Ayana Zewdie on the occasion appreciated and welcomed the interests of the Jordan Kingdom and investors to benefit from the nation's investment opportunities.\nHe said Ethiopia is one of the best places in Africa to invest in as the people and government are striving for sustainable development and there is a competitive investment incentive packages.\nFurthermore, he said that Ethiopia is the leading foreign investment destination in Africa for several reasons. The countries rapidly growing economy, availability of cheap renewable energy and human resource are among the factors that make Ethiopia preferred investment destination.\nHe elaborated that there is a large amount of irrigable land, enormous quantity of water and mineral deposits. He explained that the nation has highly developing infrastructure, the first African electrically powered railway to the port of Djibouti and other logistics to facilitate import, export.\nHe added the pro investment friendly policy, political stability and security, cheap renewable energy, macro-economic stability, regional and international market opportunities, investment guarantees and protection make the country best place to invest in. Exceptional climate, competent and trainable cost efficient labor also make Ethiopia best investment destination.\nState Minister for Investment Affairs of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Mr Muhannad Shehadeh, said that Ethiopia's active role in the world and its rapidly growing economy make it the choice of the Jordanian investors.\nAmbassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Ethiopia, Dr. Wasfi Ayyad on his part thanked the government of Ethiopia and ECCSA for initiating and organizing the forum. He lauded the international relations Ethiopia has especially with the Arab world, US and Europe that makes export easier. And he stressed that Ethiopia is the choice of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Jordanians in the Horn of Africa in that the embassy is one of the only two in Africa.\nAs well, he told that the Jordanian investors and businessmen have selected the right place at the right time to invest in. He further noted that the two countries have cultural similarities and development priorities as well as diplomatic approaches. He called on the businessmen to use the opportunities and work for mutual benefit.\nECCSA Vice President Assefa Gebreselase, acknowledged the Kingdom of Jordan and Jordanian Business community and investors for their quick response to the offers made during the discussion made two months ago. He also confirmed that his chamber would pave any necessary grounds to make the relation persist.\nThe President of Jordanian Chamber of Industry, Mr. Adnan Abu El-Ragheb, on his part said that his chamber will also be committed to sustain the two countries investors interrelation. He stated that he looks forward to see the Ethiopian businessmen and women in his country.\nAt last, the chambers signed memorandum of understanding while the business matching and networking were made parallel.", "WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has opened up about his secret meetings with Pamela Anderson, his various love children and the mixed emotions he felt when Hillary Clinton lost the election.\nIn a lengthy and wide-spanning feature with The New Yorker's Raffi Khatchadourian, Assange shed light on his paranoid life living in exile in London's Ecuadorian embassy.\nThe 46-year-old, who has been living within the small confines of the embassy for five years now, has fueled romance rumors of late with former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson after it emerged that the pair had been meeting since October last year.\nAnderson regularly stops by the embassy where they hold private meetings in the conference room, which are often disguised by white noise.\nWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has opened up about his paranoid life living in exile in London's Ecuadorian embassy after he sought asylum there five years ago\nWhile there have been rumors of a romance between the pair, an Assange supporter told the New Yorker that it was unlikely to be true and that their meetings are recorded by a surveillance camera.\n'The Ecuadorians are trying to run their Embassy. They are quite a Catholic nation, and so the idea of him having his girlfriends come in is quite a difficult one. I don't think it really happens,' the source said.\nAnderson, who says she takes 'a lot of notes' during their meetings, said she acted as the 'bridge' between Assange's life in the embassy and the one outside.\n'He's a political prisoner,' Anderson said. 'He is the hard line - and I always say that there has to be an extreme for there to be a middle ground.'\nAssange has divided his 4x4 meter room in the embassy into an office and a living area where he has been leading WikiLeaks since he sought asylum on June 18, 2012.\nHe got a cat - which now has its own Twitter account - in May 2016 to give him some company. Assange told the media at the time that it was a gift from his children. But a source told the New Yorker that Assange had stared at the animal for a while to figure out how it could be useful and maximize publicity for him.\n'Then (he) came up with this: 'Yeah, let's say it's from my children',' the source said.\nAssange has several children but their identities are largely not known. Some of them reportedly live in France under secret names. An ex-colleague spoke out in 2011 saying he had at least four children living in Australia.\nMost is known about his eldest son, who is believed to be an Australian software designer in his mid-20s named Daniel. Assange is said to have fathered him in his teens with his then 17-year-old girlfriend.\nAssange has fueled romance rumors with Baywatch star Pamela Anderson after she started visting him regularly since October. She is pictured above in April (left) and February (right) arriving at the embassy\nAssange (above in May this year) often stays awake for up to 22 hours until he collapses from exhaustion and lives in fear that the embassy could be stormed at any time\nBehind the walls of the embassy, Assange often stays awake for up to 22 hours until he collapses from exhaustion. He lives in fear that the embassy could be stormed at any moment.\nAssange also takes several precautions to make sure he doesn't fall ill to avoid having to go to hospital and potentially lose his asylum status.\nThe embassy reportedly has a whiteboard with procedures listed out in case Assange faces a medical emergency.\nThe former computer hacker is said to have a fractured tooth and a shoulder injury that he has not yet treated given his fear of being arrested.\nEverything down to the food he eats is planned out. Someone close to him will go out and hand deliver food to him.\n'It has to be brought in discreetly,' Assange told the New Yorker. 'If it is all from the same place, it is a security risk. I don't want to sound paranoid. The Embassy has security staff, and they have concluded that it is too dangerous.'\nAssange has made many enemies given his long track record of releasing top secret government documents. In the weeks prior to the 2016 US election, WikiLeaks leaked emails from the DNC and Hillary Clinton's campaign manager John Podesta.\nThose close to Assange say he has fostered a dislike for the former Democratic presidential candidate for a decade. Clinton once declared that Assange's leaks was an attack on 'America's foreign-policy interests' and the 'international community'.\nAssange got a cat in May 2016 to give him some company. Assange told the media at the time that it was a gift from his children. He has several children but their identities are largely not known. Some of them reportedly live in France under secret names\nJust weeks after Trump's inauguration, Assange started dropping cryptic hints on Twitter about the release of 'Vault 7' - a trove of documents claiming to reveal top CIA hacking secrets. The documents were released in March\nGreek politician Yanis Varoufakis said Clinton's high polling results ahead of the election were 'energizing' Assange: 'The person who might become President of the United States was targeting him, and at the same time he had material over her. He was exhilarated.'\nAssange had expected Clinton to win and, despite his disdain for her, had reacted to Donald Trump's win by saying: 'This isn't happening, is it?'\nJust weeks after Trump's inauguration, Assange started dropping cryptic hints on Twitter about the release of 'Vault 7' - a trove of documents claiming to reveal top CIA hacking secrets.\nWikiLeaks said the thousands of files, which they released in March, were the most comprehensive release of US spying files ever made public.\nThe leak included 8,761 documents and files from an isolated, high-security network situated inside the CIA's Center for Cyber Intelligence in Langley, Virgina.\nIt detailed intelligence information on CIA-developed software intended to hack iPhones, Android phones, smart TVs and Microsoft, Mac and Linux operating systems.\nWikiLeaks alleged that some of the remote hacking programs could turn these electronic devices into recording and transmitting stations to spy on their targets.\nIt also claimed the CIA can bypass the encryption of Whatsapp, Signal, Telegram, Wiebo, Confide and Cloakman by hacking the smart phones the applications run on.", "Less than one month after opening, University of Chicago Medicine’s new Level I adult trauma center is busy, to say the least.\nSince May 1, the Chicago Fire Department has transported 177 patients to the trauma center — more than to any other trauma center serving the city. In all, U. of C.’s trauma center treated 274 patients during its first four weeks. That number includes people transported by the Fire Department, private ambulance companies and “walk-in” patients.\nAbout 38 percent of patients were victims of penetrating trauma, such as gunshots and stabbings.\n“It showed there was a definite need for them in the community,” said Leslee Stein-Spencer, acting division chief for EMS at the Illinois Department of Public Health, which licenses emergency medical technicians and ambulances and handles trauma center designations.\nStroger Hospital had the next highest number of trauma patients transported by the Fire Department this month, at 129. Stroger sees more than 5,000 trauma patients a year — more than the 2,700 to 4,000 people U. of C.’s trauma center is projected to see annually.\nUniversity of Chicago Medicine opened its trauma center after years of campaigning by community activists. Until this month, the South Side had not had a trauma center for nearly 30 years, which meant patients from an area wracked with gun violence sometimes had to travel as far as 10 miles for care.\nMichael Reese Hospital in Bronzeville closed its adult trauma center in the early 1990s. The U. of C.'s first adult trauma program shut down a few years before that, in 1988. Though University of Chicago Medicine has long had an emergency department, Level I trauma centers provide more extensive, round-the-clock care with on-site specialists.\n“Having something like this on the South Side is fundamental to dealing with the violence in our community,” said Xitlali Avila, youth violence prevention officer for the Alliance of the Southeast, a community organization that recently received a violence recovery grant from University of Chicago Medicine. She spoke at a news conference conducted by U. of C. Medicine to discuss the trauma center’s first month.\nChrista Hamilton, CEO and executive director of the Centers for New Horizons, which also recently received a grant, said she’s already heard of community members using the new trauma services. “For us, having a backyard trauma center is a great resource,” Hamilton said.\nThe Level I adult trauma center is now one of nine serving Chicago. The center had an especially busy Memorial Day weekend, with 44 adult patients.\[email protected]\nTwitter @lschencker", "SAN FRANCISCO, April 28 A funny thing happened on Wall Street in Donald Trump's first 100 days in the White House: Shares of companies that got closest to the president lagged the market's march higher.\nMeanwhile, stocks from sectors that have had less access, and have faced occasional bluster from Trump, such as media and technology, have hopped into the driver seat.\nBanks, industrials and other companies expected to win from Trump's policies surged following his unexpected election victory in November. Valuations for many grew stretched.\nBut Wall Street's change in focus in recent months also reflects concerns among investors that Trump may struggle to enact deep tax cuts and stimulate economic growth as quickly as previously expected. Indeed, the economy grew just 0.7 percent on an annualized basis in the first quarter, the first of Trump's presidency, as consumer spending stalled.\nMany of the industries Trump singled out for special attention, like coalminers, steelmakers and oil companies, face major market trends and commodity price fluctuations that he can do little to change.\nSince Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, representatives from nearly 100 publicly-listed companies have visited the White House, with carmakers, healthcare companies, banks and industrials getting more face time than technology companies, retailers and media firms.\nShares of companies that have visited the White House since the inauguration have enjoyed a median increase of 3.7 percent, trailing the benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 Index's gain of 5.5 percent.\nBut Trump's recent failure to push a healthcare overhaul through Congress, as well as other miscues, now have investors a little less sure he will be able to make good on his promises.\nThe S&P 500 is near record highs after the administration unveiled a long-awaited proposal Wednesday to steeply cut corporate tax rates. But the plan may be unpalatable to Republican fiscal hawks since it lacks proposals for raising new revenue and would potentially add billions of dollars to the federal deficit.\n\"The stability of the market and its ability to rise is still based on the feeling that the administration may be getting its act together,\" said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer of Solaris Group in Bedford Hills, New York. \"But at some point investors will ask if any of this stuff is going to happen or if it's all talk.\"\nEARLY WINNERS FADE\nSince the election, the financial sector has risen 19 percent, more than any other. But its gain since the inauguration has been among the weakest, at 3 percent.\nAn investor buying a basket of banks and selling utilities immediately after Trump's election would have made as much as 29 percent by mid-February. But that gain has since shrunk to 17 percent, according to Vincent Deluard, Vice President, Global Macro Strategy at INTL FCStone Financial Inc.\nOther \"Trump trades\" have lost momentum.\nInvestors bet big on steel right out of the gate after Election Day, with the industry seen as a poster child for Trump's focus on \"unfair\" trade deals that hurt U.S. producers. The S&P 1500 steel industry group index had gained 36 percent by the first week of December.\nThe group is down by more than 13 percent since then, however, and even last week's executive order to investigate whether U.S. steel companies need additional trade protections under the auspices of national security delivered only a short-lived rebound. Poor earnings from sector heavyweight United States Steel Corp ruined the party.\nTrump this month signed an executive order sweeping away Obama-era climate change regulations, saying it would end America's \"war on coal.\" But reflecting an abundance of cheap natural gas and falling costs of wind and solar power, coal miners CONSOL Energy and Cloud Peak Energy have dropped 16 percent and 32 percent, respectively, in Trump's first 100 days.\nMeanwhile, tech stocks that were left out of the early Trump rally have surged recently as investors shift out of low-valuation stocks favored immediately after the election and back into high-growth stocks like Alphabet and Facebook that delivered much of the market's momentum in recent years.\nIn the absence of concrete results from Trump, corporate earnings have taken center stage, with first-quarter profits of S&P 500 companies expected to surge 13.6 percent, helped by strong international growth.\n\"Earnings are through-the-roof good. Companies are very profitable, and potentially are going to be more profitable with tax-cut legislation,\" said Stephen Massocca, Senior Vice President at Wedbush Securities in San Francisco.\nOther stocks seen as out of favor under Trump have also outperformed during his first 100 days.\nTesla, which some investors feared could be hurt by the removal of tax incentives for the purchase of its electric vehicles, has surged 27 percent to record highs.\nAnd perhaps most telling of all, the media sector - regularly lambasted by Trump for its coverage of him - is up 7 percent since he took office.\nEven New York Times Co, publisher of what Trump has repeatedly disparaged as \"the failed New York Times\" newspaper, hit a three-year high after the inauguration and is up 10 percent since he moved into the White House.\n(Reporting by Noel Randewich,; Editing by Dan Burns and Nick Zieminski)", "Related News\nThe United State Agency for International Development, USAID, and the Nigerian Ministry of Health on Monday inaugurated a medical facility that will provide medical authorities better access to lifesaving medicines and other essential health commodities.\nUSAID in a press statement said the Abuja Premier Medical Warehouse facility, also known as “Warehouse in a box”, was constructed in partnership with Nigeria’s Ministry of Health and Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.\nThe new state of the art medical storage facility costs $5.1 million.\nStephen Haykin, Mission Director of USAID, at the launch said the 3,500-square meter kitted structure was shipped to Nigeria for onsite assembly and features smooth dust-free floor surfaces, temperature regulating systems, security systems, thermal insulated ceiling and warehouse handling equipment.\n“We are proud to have been a partner in the “warehouse in a box” effort and with this new facility, the Ministry of health will now be able to provide safe storage for more medicine required to meet Nigeria’s annual needs for public health commodities for the foreseeable future,” he said.\nMr. Haykin said the facility will provide storage space for public health commodities at the central level, enabling the ministry to ensure the provision of quality life-saving health commodities for Nigerians through a central facility.\nThe U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR, through USAID, and the Global Fund, with the Nigerian Ministry of Health approval, provided support for the construction of the warehouses in Abuja and Lagos.\nThe U.S. assistance in the area of medical storage began in 2014, followed by construction of the first “warehouse in a box” facility near Lagos the following year.", "John Gray High School’s debate team went head to head against Cayman International School for the finals of the 6th Conyers Inter-school debate tournament last night (05 October.)\nThis year’s final debate centered on U-S politics and the question, is Donald Trump is good for the American political system?\nCayman 27 was there last night and had the highlights. Over 200 people attended the event at the Camana Bay Arc.\nShare this: Facebook\nTwitter\nPrint", "(AP Photo/Bill Sikes). U.S. distance runners Galen Rupp, left front, Jared Ward, center, and Desiree Linden depart after a Boston Marathon media availability Friday, April 14, 2017, in advance of Monday's race in Boston.\n(AP Photo/Bill Sikes). Top-seeded distance runners Atsede Baysa, left, and Lemi Berhanu Hayle, both of Ethiopia, participate in a Boston Marathon media availability Friday, April 14, 2017, in advance of Monday's race in Boston.\n(AP Photo/Bill Sikes). Top-seeded distance runner Lemi Berhanu Hayle, of Ethiopia, participates in a Boston Marathon media availability Friday, April 14, 2017, in advance of Monday's race in Boston.\n(AP Photo/Bill Sikes). Top-seeded distance runner Atsede Baysa, of Ethiopia, participates in a Boston Marathon media availability Friday, April 14, 2017, in advance of Monday's race in Boston.\n(AP Photo/Bill Sikes). U.S. distance runner Meb Keflezighi waves during a Boston Marathon media availability Friday, April 14, 2017 in Boston. Keflezighi has said he'll retire after running in Monday's race and the TCS New York City Marathon in November.\nBy JIMMY GOLENAP Sports Writer\nBOSTON (AP) - The Kenyans are back in Boston after a relative lull that saw them shut out in the world's most prestigious marathon twice in the past three years.\nMore surprisingly, so are the Americans.\nGeoffrey Kirui won the 121st Boston Marathon on Monday, pulling away from three-time U.S. Olympian Galen Rupp with two miles to go to give Kenya its first men's victory in five years. Edna Kiplagat won the women's race to complete the Kenyan sweep.\nThey were followed closely by Americans who grabbed two of the top four women's spots and six of the top ten for men - the first time that's happened since the race went professional in 1986.\n\"It's so exciting to see Americans being competitive here,\" said Rupp, the Olympic bronze medalist who was making his Boston debut. \"It's a real exciting time. And it's awesome to see American distance running on the upswing and being competitive in these races.\"\nKirui finished in 2 hours, 9 minutes, 37 seconds to claim a silver trophy, a guilded olive wreath from Marathon, Greece, and the $150,000 first-place prize. Rupp was 21 seconds back, and Japan's Suguru Osako an additional 30 seconds behind him.\nRounding out the top 10 were runners from California, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and Utah.\nKiplagat won her Boston debut in 2:21:52, adding the victory to two world championships and wins in London, New York and Los Angeles. She pulled ahead of Rose Chelimo of Bahrain in the Newton hills to win by 59 seconds.\nAmerican Jordan Hasay, making her debut at the 26.2-mile distance, was third and Desi Linden was fourth - the first time since 1991 that two U.S. women have finished in the top four.\nKenya had won either the men's or women's race every year since 1991 before being shut out in 2014 and again last year. In fact, Kenya had taken both titles six times since 2000, so dominating the top 10 that Boylston Street began to look like a Great Rift Valley training run.\nBut Ethiopia has surpassed its East African neighbors on Patriots' Day the past four years, earning its first sweep in 2016. In December, Kenyan Rita Jeptoo was stripped of her title for failing a drug test and it was handed instead to Ethiopia's Buzunesh Deba.\nThe American drought reached almost three decades from the time Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach won in 1985 until Meb Keflezighi ran down Boylston Street to raucous chants of \"U-S-A!\" in 2014, the year after the finish line bombings killed three people and wounded more than 260 others.\nKeflezighi, 41, finished 13th this year in what he said will be his last competitive run in Boston. He plans to run the New York Marathon, which he won in 2009, one last time in the fall before retiring.\nThe warm temperatures that hit 79 degrees at the 20-kilometer mark in Natick slowed the runners, but the strong tailwind was a boost - especially in the wheelchair races.\nMarcel Hug won Boston for the third time, outpushing 10-time champion Ernst Van Dyk down Boylston Street and finishing in 1:18:04 to beat the course record and world best by 21 seconds. Fellow Swiss Manuela Schar shattered the women's mark by more than five minutes, winning in 1:28:17.\nThe winners' times on the point-to-point Boston course are considered a world best and not a world record because of the possibility of a supportive tailwind like the one on Monday.\n\"The wind is so important,\" Hug said. \"The roads were good. Everything was fantastic today.\"\nEarlier Monday, city officials announced plans for memorials to mark the sites where two bombs exploded during the 2013 Boston Marathon. Sculptor Pablo Eduardo will create the markers.\nCopyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.", "US Consul General in Hyderabad Katherina Hadda represented the United States\nSenior officials of the joint US and Indian organizing team for the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) on Thursday held a press conference in the host city Hyderabad offering insight into the program and planning process of the Summit.\nThe summit will be held from November 28 to 30 at the Hyderabad International Convention Center in Hyderabad and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump.\n“GES is an opportunity to showcase the United States’ world-renowned entrepreneurial acumen, underscore women’s economic empowerment, and foster economic growth and prosperity for our partners. When America’s partners are growing and prospering, our world is more secure,” said Jennifer Arangio, senior director for International Organizations and Alliances at the White House’s National Security Council, the US Embassy, India, reported.\nUS Consul General in Hyderabad Katherina Hadda also represented the United States while the Indian side was represented by C Muralikrishna Kumar, senior advisor, NITI Aayog.\nThe GES is the pre-eminent global entrepreneurship gathering that is being co-hosted by the US and Indian governments in Hyderabad for 2017. This year’s summit is expected to bring together 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem supporters from around the world for two and half days of training and mentoring sessions, networking, and investment matchmaking.\n“This is the first time GES is being held in Asia and we will make this the world’s best Entrepreneurship Summit so far, by enabling innovative solutions to the biggest developmental challenges,” the embassy website quoted NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant. “The best innovators and entrepreneurs from across the world are being invited to interact with investors for the benefit of societies at large.”\nThe theme of this year’s summit is ‘Women First, Prosperity for All’ and Consul General Hadda pointed that the US companies in Hyderabad are always working for women’s empowerment.\n“I’m excited that we’ll be able to introduce even more American entrepreneurs and investors to this region. They will become yet another linkage in our ever expanding partnership with India,” Hadda said.", "Members of Ethiopian Public Diplomacy receiving its Sudanese counterpart, May 2016.\nEfforts in the public diplomacy sphere have ensured that the people of Ethiopia are building the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in a non-harming fashion, for the mutual benefit of millions of people in the riparian.\nHouse of People's Representatives Foreign Affairs Standing Committee Chairperson Tesfaye Daba says GERD construction doesn't essentially pose harm but benefits downstream nations in many ways. According to him, the public diplomacy engagement has helped much in enumerating the blessings to all pertinent bodies.\nFor instance, he said, a great deal of confidence building activities have been carried out in Sudan in relation to the project. \"We discussed the fact that the people of Sudan and Ethiopia are the same, but live in two different countries.\"\nSimilarly, Tadesse Abebe of Wolkitie University said Ethiopia attaches great importance to its relations with Egypt over the Nile. He said the country accepts Egypt's use of Nile waters. Equally, it sincerely believes that the only way to realize this is through cooperation.\nTadesse further said public diplomacy would help achieve successful relations among countries. A sober assessment of the methods used to do this, including the use of soft power and hard power, is indispensable to success, he said.\nHe added that in this age of information, soft power, which is the ability to shape what others want and projecting a positive image, stands tall as a technique to help achieve foreign policy goals.\n\"Indeed, public diplomacy through the employment of soft power has helped countries communicate values and achieve foreign policy objectives,\" he said.\nTesfaye picks up the thread and says the Public Diplomacy Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is exerting efforts towards facilitating legal grounds for the activity, as the public diplomacy mission among the people of the three countries is vital not only for them but for regional peace and security as well." ]

[ "According to the Yucatan Times, the early signs may mean trouble for Mexico and \"El Presidente Electo\" who won't assume the presidency until December 1st:\nDown in Mexico, \"Presidente-electo\" Andres Lopez-Obrador is singing a conciliatory tune. I think that he understands that the other 47% of the people who split their vote between three centrists are concerned that he meant what he said during the campaign. Words matter, as we say up here.\nInitial euphoria over Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s landslide victory soured as the dollar’s gain jolted investors back to the reality that the country’s first leftist president in recent times may alter its economic model. The peso declined as much as 1.3 percent after results of the Sunday elections signaled his Morena party was set to enjoy broad support in Congress. The victory came with a commanding lead for Lopez Obrador, showing a strong mandate for his policies. Stocks also slipped, along with the country’s dollar-denominated notes. Investors are concerned that under Lopez Obrador, the privatization of the energy industry will be rolled back, and spending on social programs will push the country into debt. In a victory speech following the vote, the 64-year-old struck a unifying tone while saying that his government will give preference to the poor. The peso’s drop in the second quarter was the biggest since 2014. While analysts said it may be a few days before the makeup of congress is clarified, Eurasia Group said Lopez Obrador’s large margin of victory suggests his party would have a strong position in both houses and be able to attract support from smaller parties as well. Among his proposals are a halt to a $13 billion airport project, the rollback of a historic opening of the energy industry and an expansive fiscal program.\nIt may be an insignificant early reaction, but the peso fell. It may stop falling, so let's not overreact but a falling peso is always traumatic for Mexicans who remember 1976, 1982, and 1994, the big three devaluations of recent memory.\nMy guess is that \"El presidente electo\" knows that his presidency can't take much peso erosion.\nI lived in Mexico in 1982 when the pre-1994 peso went from 26 (to a US dollar) in August to 150 by the end of the year. I learned a big lesson: Mexicans will always bet against their currency or exchange their pesos into dollars.\nTo be honest, Mexico is better prepared for peso erosion today because they've let the currency float since the late 1990s. Nevertheless, nothing scares the Mexican middle class more than the peso losing value.\nIn other words, President Lopez-Obrador will need a stable peso and economy. He cannot accomplish that without a strong U.S. economy. Mexico's new president will need for President Trump's economic plan to succeed across the board. He may be a public Trump critic but deep inside he will become his secret admirer.\nTrump's economic success will mean Mexico's economic success. President Lopez-Obrador can not deliver a single promise unless Mexico's economy grows.\nGuess who will be cheering on President Trump? Mexico's \"Presidente electo\"! Suddenly, he needs Trump to succeed!\nP.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter." ]

[ "MEXICO CITY — New President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador went to one of his most important meetings yet Tuesday by cruising through city traffic in a compact car with the windows down and no visible security detail, establishing a casual new style of leadership that has some expressing concerns for his safety in violence-wracked Mexico.\nIn place of police outriders, a half dozen television cameramen on motorcycles buzzed around Lopez Obrador’s car en route to a meeting with outgoing President Enrique Pena Nieto at the National Palace in the heart of Mexico City.\n“The people will protect me,” Lopez Obrador told reporters who asked about the lack of security.\nHe suggested journalists would also cover his back, but jokingly complained that “I have been hit a few times by cameras” and he asked reporters: “Don’t squash me.”\nLopez Obrador met with Pena Nieto to discuss the transition for his taking office Dec. 1, hoping to ensure an orderly transfer of power after a heated and polarizing campaign.\nMexico’s Foreign Relations Department, meanwhile, said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Mexico on July 13 to met with Lopez Obrador, the first high-level meeting with a leftist populist who has long denied accusations of being anti-American.\nLopez Obrador praised the Mexican team that has been leading talks under Pena Nieto to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.\n“I have the impression they haven’t done a bad job,” he said, though he also wants his team to sit in on the talks.\nThe administration of President Donald Trump has demanded higher U.S. or regional content in key sectors like autos and a phase-out clause for the 1994 trade agreement.\nLopez Obrador also has been critical of NAFTA in the past and has suggested it include issues such as immigration.\nLopez Obrador said that he has already met with businessmen after his crushing victory in Sunday’s election and that he planned a Tuesday night meeting on inviting international figures — including Pope Francis, rights activists and the United Nations — to help come up with a plan to solve Mexico’s problem of soaring violent crime.\nThat violence was on many minds as television stations carried live images of Lopez Obrador weaving through Mexico City’s notoriously chaotic traffic in the front passenger seat of a compact car that was at least five years old.\nOne television reporter on a motorcycle even interviewed Lopez Obrador briefly through the car’s open window.\nLopez Obrador, 64, confirmed that he won’t budge on his decision to forgo secret service protection. He said he will essentially dissolve Mexico’s equivalent of the secret service back into the army, of which it is unit. He also vowed to sell off government airplanes and travel on commercial flights, where he usually goes tourist class.\n“He who fights for justice has nothing to fear,” the president-elect said. “I do not want to have bodyguards.”\nJose Antonio Crespo, a political analyst at Mexico’s Center for Economic Research and Teaching, called it “an act of absolute irresponsibility.”\n“It is a little demagogic to say, ‘I am just like anybody else, I have no privileges,’ when he isn’t just an average citizen, he is a head of state,” Crespo said. “A good part of the country’s stability and rule of law depend on his security and health.”\n“It is one of the things I would say is populist about him,” Crespo said.\nPolimnia Romana Sierra organized Lopez Obrador’s six-member, all-female security detail when he served as Mexico City mayor from 2000 to 2006. She said the group, known as “gazelles,” never acted as traditional bodyguards.\nShe said Lopez Obrador as mayor, and later during his first run as a presidential candidate in 2006, “never left anybody with an unshaken hand. He accepted everything” — all the gifts, food and religious amulets he was given by supporters.\nIt was hardly an ideal security setup, but Romana Sierra noted the group never had to draw their guns.\nIt seemed Lopez Obrador wanted the team there to protect him against the crush of adoring crowds or attempts to politically embarrass him, for example, by paying someone to confront him verbally.\nBut even Romana Sierra said that as president, Lopez Obrador should accept traditional security. “He not only should, he is obliged to.”\n“He is no longer Andres Manuel,” said Romana Sierra. “He represents a whole nation.”\nA total of 145 politicians — most local figures — have been killed in Mexico since September.\nLopez Obrador was eager to call for national unity and praised Pena Nieto for not interfering in the campaign.\nPhotos showed the two men shaking hands and strolling the opulent halls of the colonial-era National Palace off the main square known as the Zocalo, the political and cultural heart of the country.\nLopez Obrador said he was entering the meeting with in a “conciliatory spirit” and he hopes for “a transition for the benefit of everyone.”\nHe won election Sunday in a landslide with about 53 per cent of the votes against three competitors, after coming up short in two previous runs for the presidency.", "Scroll for more content...\nAndres Manuel Lopez Obrador has declared victory in Mexico's presidential election, as preliminary results showed that the leftist veteran politician, who had presented himself as an agent of change, secured a landslide win.\nPresident-elect Lopez Obrador is estimated to have received over 53% of the vote, more than double the total of his closest rival, according to the country's electoral commission.\n\"Today, they have recognized our victory,\" Lopez Obrador, known by his initials AMLO, told a crowd of jubilant supporters at an event in Mexico City late Sunday local time.\nPresident Enrique Peña Nieto called Lopez Obrador shortly beforehand to congratulate him and pledged to help him carry out an orderly transition. Lopez Obrador will formally take power on December 1.\nLopez Obrador had dominated the polls in the run up to Sunday's vote, at times holding a 20-point lead over his rivals. Within two hours of polls closing, three of his main rivals had conceded defeat.\nIn his speech to supporters, the President-elect said he would forge a new relationship with the US \"rooted in mutual respect and in defense of our migrant countrymen who work and live honestly in that country.\"\nHe added migration should be done by choice, not because of necessity, promising to \"strengthen the internal market to try to produce in the country what we consume and so that Mexicans can work and be happy where they were born, where their family is, where their customs and their cultures are.\"\nLopez Obrador also promised to tackle violence and wipe out corruption, which he said was the \"result of a political regime in decay.\"\n\"We are absolutely certain that this evil is the principle cause of social inequality and of economic inequality,\" he said. \"Because of corruption, violence has erupted in our country.\"\nHe added that he will pursue a peace plan with representatives of the United Nations, human rights and religious organizations, to help tackle the murder rate, which soared to an all-time high under Peña Nieto, whom critics accused of failing to adequately deal with crime, corruption and economic inequality.\nUS President Donald Trump congratulated AMLO in a tweet, saying he looked forward to working with him. \"There is much to be done that will benefit both the United States and Mexico,\" Trump said.\nCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also congratulated the new Mexican leader, saying the two countries \"share common goals, strong people to people ties, and a mutually beneficial trading relationship that is the envy of the world.\"\n\"I look forward to working closely with President-elect López Obrador, his administration and the Mexican Congress to build on the vibrant partnership between our two countries, create economic growth that works for everyone, and advance human rights and equality,\" Trudeau said.\nAMLO mania\nFor many of the 89 million eligible Mexican voters, Sunday's election was a referendum on the country's political elite and its economic direction, as well as the tenure of President Enrique Peña Nieto, who was limited to a single six-year term.\nSpeaking to CNN in Mexico City, where supporters of AMLO thronged the streets into the early hours of Monday morning, voter Maria del Carmen Munoz said she supported Lopez Obrador during his previous two unsuccessful bids for the Presidency \"and the third time (was) the charm.\"\n\"I have supported him for so long because I believe in him, because the government we have is rotten,\" she said. Our youth must have a leader to believe in. I am already older, but the young must have faith and hope in a President.\"\nYounger Mexicans, many of whom have grown up surrounded by rampant corruption and drug violence, were expected to have played a key role in choosing the country's direction. Nearly 13 million voters between the ages of 18 and 23 were expected to vote for the first time, according to election officials.\nDario Manuel Lopez Pineda's cited AMLO's record as leader of Mexico City as the reason for supporting him.\n\"He was the first to give universal pension to seniors, he created 16 high schools in marginal areas,\" he said. \"He created such seemingly insignificant things such as permanent driver licenses so that the government would not keep taking money from the people.\"\nMexico's new leader will have to contend with Trump's threats to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement and his calls for the construction of a border wall between the two countries, among other divisive talking points. Lopez Obrador told voters that he is the person for the job.\nLopez Obrador pushed back against plans for a border wall in a book he wrote titled \"Oye Trump,\" or \"Listen Trump.\" He also pledged to propose to keep NAFTA.\nHe ran on a populist platform to break what he described as the grip that elites -- or \"power mafia\" --- have on Mexican society. He said he would lower the salaries of top officials and give those at the bottom a pay increase. He promised to sell presidential planes and turn the presidential palace into a public park.", "WASHINGTON — Mexico’s next president is a fiery left-wing populist and nationalist who says he won’t be Donald Trump’s “pinata” and says he will bring “profound” change to his country. But he also says he won’t change anything much about NAFTA negotiations.\nAndres Manuel Lopez Obrador, winner of Mexico's presidential election, waves during a rally at Zocalo square in Mexico City on July 1, 2018. Lopez Obrador’s chief negotiator, Jesus Seade, has said they will make no new demands of the U.S. and Canada with regards to NAFTA negotiations. ( Cesar Rodriguez / Bloomberg )\nAndres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a longtime NAFTA critic turned recent NAFTA supporter, has worked since last year to reassure proponents of the North American free trade pact. Since his landslide election on Sunday, his team has gone further. In interviews this week, his chief negotiator, Jesus Seade, has said they will make no new demands of the U.S. and Canada. “I do have ideas on things to explore to try to find a movement that’s maybe satisfactory to both sides, but not new demands, I mean not bringing in new issues...that would be very disruptive and it’s not in our interest,” Seade, a former World Trade Organization economist, told Inside U.S. Trade. “No new demands, and the flip side of that — no rejections of positions taken up [until] now by the Mexican side.”\nArticle Continued Below\nThe negotiations have been stalled over contentious demands from the Trump administration. One of the biggest disagreements is over a Trump proposal to exempt a North American car from tariffs only if a certain percentage is produced by workers earning a wage much higher than workers currently earn in Mexico. Some analysts had speculated that Lopez Obrador might be more accommodating to this proposal than the current president, business-friendly Enrique Pena Nieto, since Lopez Obrador campaigned on raising wages for low-paid Mexican workers. But Seade, like Pena Nieto’s officials, said a trade deal should not be used to force wage hikes on particular sectors. Pena Nieto has largely chosen to play down Trump’s insults of his county. Lopez Obrador, known for his combative rhetoric, wrote a book called Listen Up, Trump, and he vowed during his campaign to push back forcefully. But he has struck a more conciliatory note since his victory, telling Televisa, “We are not going to fight.” He also said he would act with “prudence” in response to inflammatory tweets. “Lopez Obrador’s skin is much thicker than Pena Nieto’s,” said Horacio A. Lopez-Portillo, a trade lawyer at Vazquez Tercero & Zepeda in Mexico. “I think he’s too much of a pragmatist to let himself be swayed by something crass or something offensive.”\nLopez Obrador, widely called AMLO, is known for his invective against political elites and corporate tycoons he says have been part of a corrupt “mafia of power.” But he showed a pragmatic side as mayor of Mexico City from 2000 to 2005, partnering with a billionaire on a major redevelopment project. He has promised not to expropriate property or nationalize companies. “He may use sharp rhetoric, but he is very pragmatic and measured as a political leader. Are we likely to have unpredictability? Absolutely, but that will be coming from the U.S.,” said Harley Shaiken, chair of the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.\nArticle Continued Below\nLopez Obrador’s party, the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), will control both houses of Congress. Many Mexican business leaders, foreign investors and outside analysts remain skeptical of his professed moderation. “Right now he has maintained a moderate tone, he has been conciliatory. But the real question is: is this really just a discourse or has Lopez Obrador changed his views? And my fear is that it is the former rather than the latter,” said Hugo Perezcano, an official at Mexico’s economy ministry for 20 years who is now deputy director of economic law at the Centre for International Governance Innovation. Perezcano argued Lopez Obrador will be less inclined to fight for the preservation of NAFTA than Pena Nieto is. “If ultimately the NAFTA fails and he can blame Trump for it, I don’t see that that would be a result Lopez Obrador would find as terrible as the current administration seems to have found,” he said. Despite Seade’s insistence that Lopez Obrador will not make new NAFTA demands, Lopez Obrador has not renounced campaign promises on agriculture and energy that may sit uneasily with the U.S. and Canada. Lopez Obrador’s base includes farmers and ex-farmers who have suffered as U.S. imports have spiked under NAFTA. During the campaign, he pledged to increase Mexico’s agricultural self-sufficiency by imposing price floors for homegrown corn, beans and other key items. “His whole economic platform is oriented toward reinvigorating the domestic market, which feels it’s been abandoned, and the countryside, including with government programs — some of which could possibly be prohibited under NAFTA,” said Laura Carlsen, Mexico City-based director of the Americas program at the left-leaning Center for International Policy. In 2017, Lopez Obrador told the Wall Street Journal that NAFTA must “include migration issues.” Trump also says he wants to include immigration issues in NAFTA, but from an opposite, anti-immigration perspective. Carlsen said it would be a “big disappointment” if Lopez Obrador did not raise labour mobility issues. She added: “Of course, if they did bring it up, and talk about it, they would get nowhere.” Lopez Obrador does not take office until Dec. 1. Before that, some of his negotiators will join Pena Nieto’s NAFTA team. With the U.S. congressional mid-terms in November, it appears unlikely a deal will be struck before Lopez Obrador’s inauguration.", "After months of sparring with the Trump administration, the Mexican government has a new point of frustration with its US counterparts.\nDuring testimony in front of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on April 5, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly was pressed by Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain on the current status of US-Mexico relations.\nAfter asking about the border wall and ways to monitor the border, McCain turned to Mexican domestic politics.\nMcCain: But, however, we’ve got a problem with Mexico. Right now there’s a lot of anti-American sentiment in Mexico. If the election were tomorrow in Mexico, you would probably get a left-wing, anti-American president of Mexico. That can’t be good for America. Kelly: Right. It would not be good for America or for Mexico.\nMcCain and Kelly then moved on to discuss US-Mexico security cooperation, with Kelly saying he had close working relationships with Mexican officials, particularly the chiefs of the army and navy.\nBut their brief exchange — which seemed to be a reference to leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador — on the state of the Mexican presidential race raised the hackles of the Mexican government.\nThe next day, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, speaking at a news conference in Washington, said he had brought the remarks up with Kelly.\n\"I told him in a respectful but clear manner that the electoral decisions ... correspond to Mexicans alone and that what we expect from the United States is respect toward the Mexican electoral process,\" Videgaray said.\nLopez Obrador, responding to the remarks, dismissed the notion that he was \"anti-American,\" but he has railed against Trump and the US president's policies.\nThe Mexican populist, who views himself as an outsider, has made hay of Trump's anti-Mexico stance during his campaign, especially during stops in the US, exhibiting both fiery rhetoric and restraint in his criticisms.\n\"We should counter the strategy of Trump and his advisers not with shouts and insults ... but with intelligence, wisdom and dignity,\" he said during an event in Los Angeles earlier this year. \"This is a battle that we should wage on the terrain of ideas.\"\nLopez Obrador left office as Mexico City mayor in 2005 with an approval rating over 80%, but lost narrowly in the 2006 and 2012 presidential races, disputing the result each time. Prior to Trump's election, Lopez Obrador drew comparisons to him on both style and some of his positions, which Lopez Obrador rejected.\nHe also railed against corruption and graft viewed as pervasive in Mexican politics, though his own dealings have attracted scrutiny. Some observers see him as pursuing politics of personality and showing \"little commitment to institutions,\" though his supporters have heralded him as a welcome change from the current government, seen as venal and unresponsive.\nLopez Obrador has also placed high in recent polls, seemingly buoyed by anti-Trump fervor.\nAn early-April poll showed 29% of respondents intended to vote him, behind the 32% garnered by Margarita Zavala of the conservative National Action Party but ahead of the 27% earned by Miguel Osorio Chong of the governing center-right Institutional Revolutionary Party. Another poll from March put them at 33%, 27%, and 13%, respectively.\nA poll released this week on party preference showed Lopez Obrador's National Regeneration Movement (Morena) party with a slight lead on the PAN, 24% to 23%, with the PRI at 13%.\nRecent weeks have seen strains in US-Mexico ties soothed by less frequent pronouncements from Trump and more high-level engagement, including by Kelly, the Homeland Security secretary.\nThose improvements suggest smoother sailing over the 15 months between now and Mexico's presidential voting.\nBut key points of conflict between the US and Mexico — NAFTA renegotiations, border-wall construction, and Trump's immigration crackdown — remain.\nLopez Obrador himself has avoided criticizing President Enrique Peña Nieto directly, but a poor handling of those issues by Peña Nieto and his PRI government could make Lopez Obrador Trump's next Mexican counterpart.\n\"Our relationship with the United States will be one of friendship and cooperation, but not one of submission,\" Lopez Obrador said in response to McCain and Kelly's comments. \"We are a free and sovereign nation.\"", "Mexico’s new president-elect, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, attended a meeting Tuesday with a visible lack of security, telling reporters that “the people” will protect him.\nLopez Obrador, a leftist populist who won the country’s election by a landslide Sunday, traveled to a meeting with outgoing President Enrique Peña Nieto at the National Palace in Mexico City as a half-dozen television cameramen on motorcycles trekked alongside his car, which had the windows open.\nThe 64-year-old suggested journalists would cover his back, but jokingly complained that “I have been hit a few times by cameras,” and he told reporters: “Don’t squash me.”\nThe ingoing and outgoing presidents met to discuss the transition of power, which will take place Dec. 1.\nLopez Obrador said he planned a meeting with international leaders — including Pope Francis, rights activists and the United Nations — for Tuesday night to discuss ideas to solve Mexico’s violent crime.\nThat violence was on many minds as television stations carried live images of Lopez Obrador weaving through Mexico City’s notoriously chaotic traffic in the front passenger seat of a compact car that was at least 5 years old.\nOne television reporter on a motorcycle even interviewed Lopez Obrador briefly through the car’s open window.\nThe president-elect said he’s forgoing the country’s equivalent of Secret Service protection, and will essentially dissolve the agency back into the army. Lopez Abrador also said he’d sell off government airplanes and travel on commercial flights.\n“He who fights for justice has nothing to fear,” he said. “I do not want to have bodyguards.”\nJose Antonio Crespo, of Mexico’s Center for Economic Research, called Lopez Obrador’s decision to have minimal security “a little demagogic.”\n“It is a little demagogic to say, ‘I am just like anybody else, I have no privileges,’ when he isn’t just an average citizen, he is a head of state,” Crespo said. “A good part of the country’s stability and rule of law depend on his security and health.”\nLopez Obrador’s former security lead, who organized his detail when he served as Mexico City mayor from 2000 to 2006, said that while the all-female group never acted as his traditional bodyguards, the president-elect “is no longer Andres Manuel … He represents a whole nation.”\nA total of 145 politicians — most local figures — have been killed in Mexico since September.", "Leftist presidential candidate Andres Lopez Obrador has widened his already significant lead over the field with just a month to go before voting commences in Mexico’s July 1 election — a contest experts say could have major consequences for the Trump administration’s NAFTA talks and U.S.-Mexico relations overall.\nMr. Lopez Obrador, who has positioned himself as an anti-Trump candidate despite also saying he’s eager to engage in serious negotiations with Washington on both immigration and trade, showed 52 percent percent support in a May 24-27 poll, following Mexico’s second televised election debate.\nThe survey conducted by Mexico’s Reforma newspaper and published Wednesday showed a 4 percent increase from previous polls for Mr. Lopez Obrador, the 64-year-old former mayor of Mexico City and longtime favorite of progressives and left-leaning activists on the Mexican political landscape.\nCiting the Reforma poll, Reuters said Mr. Lopez Obrador is now running 26 percentage points ahead of second-place candidate Ricardo Anaya of a right-left coalition. Jose Antonio Meade, from the centrist and ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) of current Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, is in third with 19 percent.\nThe populist Mr. Lopez Obrador lost presidential runs in 2006 and 2012. But his new National Regeneration Movement — known as Morena — has surged through the recent months of campaigning in Mexico.\nWashington’s foreign policy establishment has long viewed Mr. Lopez Obrador as a Ralph Nader-esque outsider, too far to the left to garner the broad support needed to win the presidency. But there are signs his hard line anti-corruption and anti-establishment messages — highlighting scandals plaguing Mr. Peña Nieto’s presidency over the past five years — have made the July 1 vote Mr. Lopez Obrador’s to lose.\nThe candidate has made international headlines by sharply criticized President Trump’s push to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, arguing the problem of illegal drugs flowing north from Mexico is fueled by U.S. consumption and won’t solved by more security measures.\n“This problem needs to be addressed from the demand sides in terms of consumption in the United States,” Mr. Lopez Obrador said in speech in Washington in September.\nAt the same time, he said he is eager for a serious dialogue on trade and security with Mr. Trump, but has no interest in the president’s “propaganda” on such matters.\nMr. Lopez Obrador has also criticized the Trump administration’s trade policies, saying the administration’s threat to impose dramatic tariffs on goods heading north from Mexico as a way to pay for a wall along the border and reduce the bilateral trade deficit were simply unrealistic given the pain such a move would bring to U.S. consumers.\n“If you impose this tariff,” he said in his Washington speech in September, “it would cost U.S. citizens more to buy new cars, and if we were to punish the Mexican auto industry, consumers would have to pay a price for that in the United States.”\nMr. Lopez Obrador also vowed that, if elected, he would vigorously defend the rights of Mexican immigrants and migrant workers inside the United States, enlisting Mexico’s consulates throughout the U.S. in the fight.\n“The 50 Mexican consulates in the United States in a short period of time will fully take on the defense of Mexicans and migrants,” he said, adding that a Lopez Obrador administration would turn the facilities into “true centers for the defense of migrants” by elevating an official at each consulate to the “rank of ambassador.”\nCopyright © 2018 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.", "Mexican president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador left the country’s national palace on Tuesday in the front passenger seat of a white Volkswagen Jetta, swarmed by hundreds of jubilant supporters including one waving a live rooster. There was not a bodyguard in sight.\nSince claiming victory on Sunday, the leftist politician has promised transformative change for Mexico. That includes ambitious plans to stem the corruption and violence that have become the status quo, though Lopez Obrador has yet to provide details.\nLopez Obrador’s approach to security is one of the first signs of how he is breaking from the mould of the typical Mexican presidency.\nHis plan to travel without armed guards has sparked worry in some quarters about his safety on the heels of Mexico’s deadliest year since modern records began.\n“The people will protect me. … He who fights for justice has nothing to fear,” Lopez Obrador said after meeting with President Enrique Pena Nieto, who he said offered federal protection.\n“You’ll all be watching out for me,” he told a large hall packed with press during a lively, 35-minute back-and-forth that sharply contrasted with Pena Nieto’s brief, tightly controlled appearances.\nSome audience members were sceptical.\n“This is the institution of the presidency of the republic, this isn’t just one person,” a journalist said, asking Lopez Obrador if he would change his strategy. “We’re just reporters,” another called out.\nThe people will protect me … He who fights for justice has nothing to fear\nAndres Manuel Lopez Obrador\nSince Sunday, Lopez Obrador’s every move has been broadcast live, with journalists and supporters forming a slow-moving convoy around the 64-year-old, who has pledged to shed various trappings of power including the presidential residence and plane, while earning half of Pena Nieto’s salary.\nAt one point, Lopez Obrador’s Jetta, which often snaked through Mexico City with the windows down, knocked a member of the posse off his motorcycle while making a right turn. The man appeared unhurt.\nClose-to-the-people campaigning has been the style of the former Mexico City mayor for 13 years during two prior presidential bids, taking him to the most remote and dangerous pockets of Mexico.\nEven in recent months, despite a surge of politician killings, Lopez Obrador has ventured into drug-cartel strongholds rarely visited by Pena Nieto, such as Chilapa and Reynosa.\nMexico is on track to register even more murders this year than in 2017, according to government data, and Lopez Obrador’s vows to curb violence appealed to many voters frustrated with the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party’s inability to stem the bloodshed.\nBut Lopez Obrador’s new status may compel him to make some compromises, said Vicente Sanchez, a professor of public administration at the Colegio de la Frontera Norte in Tijuana.\n“He should understand the risk, and that once he’s elected, he doesn’t owe it to himself, but to the country,” Sanchez said. “He has too much desire to go down in history as an austere figure, close to the people.”", "The leftist candidate defended his proposals to \"speak with everybody\" to solve Mexico's crime problem. He said he would even invite the pope to discuss how to carry out such a dialogue.\nThe other candidates harshly criticized the amnesty proposal. Third-place candidate Jose Antonio Meade said the proposal put Lopez Obrador \"on the side of the criminals.\"\nBut all of the candidates conceded that Mexico's anti-crime and law enforcement policies have been a failure.\nEven Meade, who is running for the governing Institutional Revolutionary Party, the PRI, and who served in several Cabinet posts in the current administration, acknowledged the weakness of police. \"Above all, we don't investigate,\" he said.\nSeveral candidates proposed creating an FBI-style federal investigation agency to make up for the fact that drug cartels operate freely in many parts of Mexico.\nSince his failed presidential bids in 2006 and 2012, Lopez Obrador has sought to move to the middle and hadn't much mentioned the \"poor come first\" slogan of the 2006 campaign until Sunday. He later hedged it a bit, saying that if he is elected, his government \"would represent the rich and the poor.\"\nIn 2006, Lopez Obrador also held a significant lead early in the race, and conservative sectors sought to link him to another leftist — then President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, whose socialist policies are blamed by many for the economic implosion that is wracking that country.\nRicardo Anaya, the former head of the conservative National Action Party, again sought to play the Venezuela card Sunday, saying Lopez Obrador's proposal to hold recall votes was similar to tactics used by Venezuela's ruling socialists to hold on to power.\nKnown in the past for his extremely slow and often rambling speech, Lopez Obrador on Sunday was focused and appeared better prepared. He had little problem distinguishing himself from the other four candidates, because they all often turned to attack him.\nLopez Obrador has held a lead of as much as 20 points in some opinion polls on the July 1 elections.\n\"This isn't just another election,\" Lopez Obrador said. \"This is to truly change things in this country.\"\nLopez Obrador became overconfident in 2006, skipped a debate and eventually lost by a tiny margin, and that the danger appeared to hover over him Sunday. At one point he said: \"Here is the latest poll and, not to brag, but with all humility, 48 percent. Something terrible would have to happen\" for him not to win.\nForeign policy was absent from the first debate, though it will be on the agenda for debates in May and June, but independent candidate and former first lady Margarita Zavala still got in a swipe at U.S. President Donald Trump.\n\"The focus of my government will be to defend Mexicans, to defend you, from the corrupt ones, from the criminals, defend you from Trump,\" Zavala said.\nThe debate was also marked by a couple of bizarre proposals.\nIndependent candidate Jaime Rodriguez, the swaggering governor of the northern state of Nuevo Leon, proposed cutting off the hands of politicians who steal public funds.\nAnd, he said, \"Mexico would be great ... if the president answered WhatsApp messages.\"\nFOLLOW NBC LATINO ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.", "Leftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of MORENA addresses supporters during a campaign rally in Zitacuaro Thomson Reuters By Dave Graham\nMEXICO CITY (Reuters) - One of Mexico's richest men has warned his staff of the risk of a \"populist\" winning the July 1 presidential election, the latest swipe by big business against leftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.\nA letter by billionaire German Larrea, published in Mexican media on Tuesday, refers indirectly to Lopez Obrador, who has accused Larrea of belonging to a group of tycoons seeking to thwart democracy and keep him from power.\nLopez Obrador has a history of clashing with business leaders and his opponents repeatedly painted him as a threat to Mexico's economic stability during his previous two tilts at the presidency. He finished runner-up both times.\nThe letter, which was seen by Reuters and which a spokeswoman for Larrea's mining and rail company Grupo Mexico said was genuine, sought to flag the risk of Mexico adopting policies similar to Venezuela, Cuba or the former Soviet Union.\n\"If this populist economic model, in which everything supposedly belongs to and comes from the state, and in which people are given things without working for them, ends up being imposed on Mexico, investment will be disincentivized, seriously affecting jobs and the economy,\" it said.\nThe letter by Larrea, who was Mexico's second-richest man in the 2018 Forbes List, did not mention Lopez Obrador by name and was also addressed to his shareholders.\nAdvertisement\nBut it made reference to Lopez Obrador's candidacy and some of his more contentious proposals, including threats to walk back the government's opening of the oil and gas sector to private investment, and to scrap a 2012-13 education reform.\nThe former Mexico City mayor is an admirer of the Mexican model pursued during a period of rapid growth between the 1950s and 1970s, when the state played a bigger role in the economy.\nBut he has also moderated his economic rhetoric and said this month that a $13 billion airport project he long opposed could be built as a private concession.\nLopez Obrador hit back at Larrea at a campaign rally in Poza Rica in the Gulf state of Veracruz on Tuesday, urging him not to scare his workers and saying that entrepreneurs would have nothing to worry about under his presidency.\n\"I understand that German Larrea doesn't want change, because he's done very well,\" Lopez Obrador said.\nAdvertisement\nLarrea said Mexico needed a \"considered vote\", and pledged to take \"precautionary measures\" such as savings and paying off dollar-denominated debt to ensure the health of Grupo Mexico.\nHis letter was dated May 25, the same day the chairman of bottler and retailer Femsa issued a public statement in which he warned about damage done in the past by \"populist\" policies in Mexico, while his counterpart at manufacturer Grupo Vasconia expressed concerns about a \"populist\" victory on July 1.\nAdding to the tension, Lopez Obrador has put on his party's ticket for the Senate union leader Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, a veteran adversary of Larrea who led strikes against Grupo Mexico before moving to Canada to escape corruption charges.\n(Reporting by Dave Graham; Additional reporting by Noe Torres and Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Paul Tait)", "Mexican academic Carlos Urzua Cordero is set to serve as finance minister under president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador\nThe renegotiation of the NAFTA trade agreement is still on track and could \"accelerate\" after the US mid-term elections in November, Mexico's next finance minister, Carlos Urzua, said Wednesday.\nUrzua, a respected academic tapped by president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to head his economic team, said he was optimistic on the talks, dismissing speculation that Mexico's newly elected leftist president would throw a wrench in the works.\n\"We are confident that after the (US mid-term) elections in November, things could accelerate very quickly,\" Urzua told Mexican TV network Televisa, adding that a deal was possible by the end of the year.\n\"President Tump just has to give the go-ahead,\" he said.\nLopez Obrador, an anti-establishment firebrand, was elected in a landslide victory Sunday, promising to bring \"profound change\" to Mexico. He takes office on December 1, the first leftist president in recent history.\nA free-trade skeptic, he has raised new doubts about the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Mexico and Canada. The deal is already under attack by US President Donald Trump, who has insisted on overhauling it.\nTrump said over the weekend that he would delay signing a new version of the deal until after the November 6 elections, in which his Republican party is battling to maintain control of Congress.\nThe three countries have been renegotiating the deal since August, but the talks have stalled over a series of issues, including the Trump administration's demands for increased American content in cars and a five-year \"sunset clause.\"\nTrump's decision to impose steep steel and aluminum tariffs on Mexico and Canada -- met with retaliatory tariffs by both countries -- only added to the strain.\nUrzua said the incoming Mexican government would collaborate closely on NAFTA with the country's current negotiating team.\nNAFTA is vital for Mexico, which sends 80 percent of its exports to the United States.\nLopez Obrador clashed with the business sector during the campaign, but has since gone to great lengths to insist his presidency will be business-friendly.\nHe reiterated a soothing message to Mexico's business community after meeting top officials from the influential Business Coordinating Council (CCE).\n\"We won't act in high-handed fashion. Nothing will be imposed from above,\" he said after what he called a \"respectful\" meeting.\nCCE chief Juan Pablo Castanon said the president-elect had agreed to meet with the group every three months.\n\"We established working mechanisms for the transition period, which for us will generate a lot of confidence and an opening where it will be possible to work with (Lopez Obrador's) team,\" he told a press conference.", "MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico’s business elite had warm words for President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday after he assured them he respected private enterprise, a contrast to jibes in his campaign that some tycoons belonged to a “mafia of power.”\nMexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Juan Pablo Castanon, President of the Business Coordinating Council (CCE) shake hands during a news conference in Mexico City, Mexico July 4, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Becerril\nThe encounter between the powerful CCE business lobby and Lopez Obrador comes as markets took the election of the self-styled radical in stride.\nAt a news conference, CCE director Juan Pablo Castanon and Lopez Obrador said their meeting was characterized by certainty and trust.\n“I want to express my satisfaction for the attitude of the business sector,” Lopez Obrador said. “They have acted very respectfully to us, recognizing our triumph.”\nSince Sunday’s presidential election, Lopez Obrador and his team have focused on soothing market fears, saying he would not ramp up government spending and would respect the central bank’s independence.\nMexico’s business community has in turn reached out to try to ease past tensions with the new leader.\nGerman Larrea, chairman of miner Grupo Mexico, published a full-page message in a national newspaper congratulating Lopez Obrador and applauding his comments. During the campaign, Larrea warned staff about voting for Lopez Obrador.\nClaudio X. Gonzalez, whose family owns part of Kimberly Clark de Mexico, said on Twitter he wished Lopez Obrador the best and asked him to be a unifying figure.\nFormer President Vicente Fox, who had a tense relationship with Lopez Obrador when he was mayor of Mexico City and released a video during the campaign titled “how can you support Lopez? Impossible.” also congratulated him.\nMexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador arrives at a meeting with the Business Coordinating Council (CCE) in Mexico City, Mexico July 4, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Becerril\nLopez Obrador criticized all three during the campaign, in which Castanon also warned voters about the dangers of “populism.”\nIn March the CCE urged Lopez Obrador to stop questioning major planks of the current government’s economic agenda, such as a new $13 billion airport for Mexico City.\nThe leftist slammed corporate defenders of the airport project as “corrupt.” He has since moderated his stance.\nOn Wednesday, Lopez Obrador said even though his coalition will likely have a majority in Congress, he would not impose anything and said he was building an authentic democracy not a dictatorship.\nLopez Obrador and Castanon agreed to work together on labor issues for young people, after a campaign promise for apprenticeships funded in part by the government. Lopez Obrador said his youth programs and higher pensions for the elderly would together cost 150 billion pesos ($7.7 billion).\nSlideshow (2 Images)\nInvestors say they have yet to see how the next president’s pledge to cut excess spending and corruption will pay for his promises.\n“We have not had any detailed numbers on how this will be achieved or if this will even be possible,” said Graham Stock, emerging market sovereign strategist at BlueBay Asset Management.\nMexico’s peso on Tuesday posted its biggest daily increase in over two years, boosted by a global emerging markets rally as well as pledges from Lopez Obrador to not increase spending. The peso and strengthened slightly on Wednesday.\nDespite uncertainty about what policies Lopez Obrador could put in place, foreign investors have been comforted by the discipline of Mexico’s central bank.\n“Banxico could teach many central banks in emerging markets a lesson when it comes to monetary policy and how to do it in a credible and appropriate way,” said Paul Greer, a portfolio manager at Fidelity International in London, adding that he expected Mexico’s bonds and peso to do well.", "MEXICO CITY - Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador left the country's national palace on Tuesday in the front passenger seat of a white Volkswagen Jetta, swarmed by hundreds of jubilant supporters including one waving a live rooster.\nThere was not a bodyguard in sight.\nSince claiming victory on Sunday, the leftist politician has promised transformative change for Mexico. That includes ambitious plans to stem the corruption and violence that have become the status quo, though Lopez Obrador has yet to provide details.\nLopez Obrador's approach to security is one of the first signs of how he is breaking from the mould of the typical Mexican presidency.\nHis plan to travel without armed guards has sparked worry in some quarters about his safety on the heels of Mexico's deadliest year since modern records began.\n\"The people will protect me. ... He who fights for justice has nothing to fear,\" Lopez Obrador said after meeting with President Enrique Pena Nieto, who he said offered federal protection.\n\"You'll all be watching out for me,\" he told a large hall packed with press during a lively, 35-minute back-and-forth that sharply contrasted with Pena Nieto's brief, tightly controlled appearances.\nPhoto: Reuters\nSome audience members were sceptical.\n\"This is the institution of the presidency of the republic, this isn't just one person,\" a journalist said, asking Lopez Obrador if he would change his strategy.\n\"We're just reporters,\" another called out.\nSince Sunday, Lopez Obrador's every move has been broadcast live, with journalists and supporters forming a slow-moving convoy around the 64-year-old, who has pledged to shed various trappings of power including the presidential residence and plane, while earning half of Pena Nieto's salary.\nAt one point, Lopez Obrador's Jetta, which often snaked through Mexico City with the windows down, knocked a member of the posse off his motorcycle while making a right turn. The man appeared unhurt.\nClose-to-the-people campaigning has been the style of the former Mexico City mayor for 13 years during two prior presidential bids, taking him to the most remote and dangerous pockets of Mexico.\nEven in recent months, despite a surge of politician killings, Lopez Obrador has ventured into drug-cartel strongholds rarely visited by Pena Nieto, such as Chilapa and Reynosa.\nMexico is on track to register even more murders this year than in 2017, according to government data, and Lopez Obrador's vows to curb violence appealed to many voters frustrated with the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party's inability to stem the bloodshed.\nBut Lopez Obrador's new status may compel him to make some compromises, said Vicente Sanchez, a professor of public administration at the Colegio de la Frontera Norte in Tijuana.\n\"He should understand the risk, and that once he's elected, he doesn't owe it to himself, but to the country,\" Sanchez said. \"He has too much desire to go down in history as an austere figure, close to the people.\"", "news\nThe renegotiation of the NAFTA trade agreement is still on track and could \"accelerate\" after the US mid-term elections in November, Mexico's next finance minister, Carlos Urzua, said Wednesday.\nUrzua, a respected academic tapped by president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to head his economic team, said he was optimistic on the talks, dismissing speculation that Mexico's newly elected leftist president would throw a wrench in the works.\n\"We are confident that after the (US mid-term) elections in November, things could accelerate very quickly,\" Urzua told Mexican TV network Televisa, adding that a deal was possible by the end of the year.\n\"President Tump just has to give the go-ahead,\" he said.\nLopez Obrador, an anti-establishment firebrand, was elected in a landslide victory Sunday, promising to bring \"profound change\" to Mexico. He takes office on December 1, the first leftist president in recent history.\nA free-trade skeptic, he has raised new doubts about the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Mexico and Canada. The deal is already under attack by US President Donald Trump, who has insisted on overhauling it.\nTrump said over the weekend that he would delay signing a new version of the deal until after the November 6 elections, in which his Republican party is battling to maintain control of Congress.\nThe three countries have been renegotiating the deal since August, but the talks have stalled over a series of issues, including the Trump administration's demands for increased American content in cars and a five-year \"sunset clause.\"\nTrump's decision to impose steep steel and aluminum tariffs on Mexico and Canada -- met with retaliatory tariffs by both countries -- only added to the strain.\nUrzua said the incoming Mexican government would collaborate closely on NAFTA with the country's current negotiating team.\nNAFTA is vital for Mexico, which sends 80 percent of its exports to the United States.\nLopez Obrador clashed with the business sector during the campaign, but has since gone to great lengths to insist his presidency will be business-friendly.\nHe reiterated a soothing message to Mexico's business community after meeting top officials from the influential Business Coordinating Council (CCE).\n\"We won't act in high-handed fashion. Nothing will be imposed from above,\" he said after what he called a \"respectful\" meeting.\nCCE chief Juan Pablo Castanon said the president-elect had agreed to meet with the group every three months.\n\"We established working mechanisms for the transition period, which for us will generate a lot of confidence and an opening where it will be possible to work with (Lopez Obrador's) team,\" he told a press conference.", "MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's proposed comprehensive deal to reduce unemployment in Mexico with the aid of the US would likely be effective, but is not in the current interests of the US, with growing tensions between the two countries a more probable eventuality, experts told Sputnik on Wednesday.\nLopez Obrador, writing in his official Twitter blog on Monday, stated that in conversation with US President Donald Trump he proposed a comprehensive agreement between Mexico and the United States that would create jobs in Mexico and at the same time aim to reduce Mexican north-bound migration and improve border security.\nTrump stated on Tuesday that until changes are instituted to US migration laws, Lopez Obrador will provide help with the US-Mexico border.\nUS-Mexico Agreement Will be Effective\nJoel J. Feller Research Professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland Robert Koulish stated that US investment in Mexican employment would be an effective way to stem migration from the country.\n\"A 21st-century version of John Kennedy's Alliance for Progress would be a positive step forward in relations between the US and Mexico. Of course, it depends on the details, but US investment in Mexican development projects has the potential to be perhaps the most effective means of slowing undocumented immigration to the US,\" Koulish said.\n© REUTERS / Daniel Becerril Mayor of Tecalitlan Killed Day After General Elections in Mexico\nThe Alliance for Progress, aimed at improving relations between the United States and Latin America, was a multibillion-dollar scheme introduced by President John F Kennedy to maintain a democratic government and increase social and economic development among the 22 Latin American countries that agreed to the charter.\nChris Rudolph, an associate professor of international relations at the School of International Service at the American University, stated that such an agreement would be a step ahead of previous statements made by the US administration on creating a wall along the US-Mexico border.\n\"Taking a broader view of migration processes is certainly a step in the right direction. It is important to move beyond the simplicity of the border wall approach and address migration more comprehensively,\" Rudolph said.\nOne of Trump’s signature campaign pledges included calls for Mexico to pay for a wall that would go along the US-Mexico border. As of June 26, Trump stated that he would ask Congress to provide additional funding above the $1.6 billion already approved, and as much as $25 billion to construct the border wall.\nREAD MORE: Populist Wave Hits Mexico with Presidential Election Landslide\nRudolph added that despite the general benefit that such a project could bring, the experience of Mexico with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) could be indicative that such a US-led initiative could encounter problems.\n\"A US-backed development project with Mexico might help in reducing migration pressures. However, I don't think that this would be the sole answer to solving the immigration issue. First, we must remember that a similar argument was made regarding NAFTA. In short, free trade would spur economic development in Mexico, create jobs and increase wages, and thus, reduce emigration pressures. I don't think NAFTA really succeeded in this sense,\" Rudolph said.\n© AP Photo / Moises Castillo ‘Andres Manuelovich’: The Resistance Links Mexico’s New President to Russian Op\nThe NAFTA trade block, signed in 1994 between Canada Mexico and the United States, has faced sharp criticism from Trump and threats of US withdrawal from the agreement if a better deal is not negotiated. Lopez Obrador, however, according to Mexican Ambassador to the United States Geronimo Gutierres Fernandez, has intentions of securing a revised NAFTA agreement as soon as possible.\nRudolph added that it may not be entirely effective to create a border deal solely concerning Mexico, as a large portion of Central American migrants in the United States are from Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras.\nTrump Will Not Follow Through\nFrancoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and Director of the Mexico Center at the Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Dr Tony Payan said that the United States would most likely refrain from making any development aid investments in Mexico.\n\"There is almost no possibility that the USA would invest a single dime in Mexico or any kind of development in Mexico. I still believe that Mexico will have to think more broadly about Mexico-Central American relations, and perhaps even without the USA, particularly because the USA does not really intend to go into Central America with any kind of development aid,\" Payan said.\nKoulish added that Trump would be much more willing to enforce trade ties with Mexico and that the creation of such development projects would require a greater incentive.\n\"I think Trump is more interested in a bilateral trade agreement than providing jobs for Mexicans to stay in Mexico. Trump's base is energized by the President's anti-immigrant populist rhetoric, which is to suggest Trump is unlikely to be serious about creating a new Alliance for Progress unless there is something big in it for him,\" Koulish said.\nAccording to the Office of the US Trade Representative, Mexico is the third largest goods trading partner for the United States, with around $557 billion in goods traded both ways in 2017. The total goods and services trade between the United States and Mexico in 2017 was $616.6 billion.\nREAD MORE: Mexico Wants Radical Change: Leftist López Obrador Wins Big\nOscar Martinez, a professor of history at the college of social and behavioral sciences at the University of Arizona, stated that Trump’s outlook on Mexican migration would not likely lead to US dedication to such a development project.\n\"The US historically has not backed projects in Mexico that would make a real difference in generating the kind of employment opportunities that Mexico needs. I doubt seriously that the Trump government would assist with any projects since Trump thinks Mexico 'takes advantage' of the US,\" Martinez added.\nWhile announcing his candidacy for president in June 2015, Trump made remarks that Mexico was not \"sending the best\" people to the United States, adding that Mexican immigrants bring problems such as drugs and crime to the United States.\nRudolph stated that considering Trump’s rhetoric on Mexican migrants, any bilateral agreement that resolves the issue of the border would likely originate from Trump’s successor.\nTensions to Rise\nTrump, speaking to reporters on Monday, stated that the United States would have a good relationship with Mexico under the new government, led by Lopez Obrador who in the latest results by the National Electoral Institute of Mexico secured 53 percent of the votes.\nLopez Obrador has also stated on his official Twitter blog on Monday that his conversation with Trump was conducted in a respectful manner and that continued conversations on the development project would be undertaken by representatives from both sides.\nMartinez believes that Lopez Obrador will seek a fairer relationship between the United States and Mexico than has previously existed during his term.\n\"Lopez Obrador is a nationalist, but he is pragmatic and will seek to have a positive and fair relationship with the United States on trade, migration, and border security, the major issues that cause friction in the relationship,\" Martinez said.\nDr. Stephen Morris, a professor at the department of political science and international relations at the Middle Tennessee State University, said that Lopez Obrador’s political ideology would probably escape the grasp of understanding of the US administration.\n\"While I consider Lopez Obrador a pragmatist, his view reflects a more leftist discourse rooted in the social and nationalistic content of the ideas of the Mexican Revolution. These ideas are little understood by the US government,\" Morris said.\nMoreover, he added that Trump’s penchant for unpredictability could lead to growing tensions in the relationship between the United States and Mexico.\nThe views and opinions expressed by the experts do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.", "The party of Mexico's president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and its allies will have an outright majority in Congress but will not surpass the two-thirds threshold needed to change the constitution, estimates show.\nMEXICO CITY: The party of Mexico's president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and its allies will have an outright majority in Congress but will not surpass the two-thirds threshold needed to change the constitution, estimates show.\nLopez Obrador, a leftist, won a landslide victory on Sunday, and will wield considerable power in a Congress set to have the highest concentration of female lawmakers in Mexican history.\nAdvertisement\nFor the first time, there may be more female senators than male, and a nearly 50-50 split in the lower house, Mexico's electoral institute projects, underlining the far-reaching consequences of Lopez Obrador's win.\nTapping into widespread disillusionment with years of violence, corruption and inequality in Latin America's No. 2 economy, Lopez Obrador won about 53 percent of votes.\nHis victory has upended Mexico's political status quo, in which just two parties have held the presidency since 1929, and drawn a line under decades of technocratic rule. No ruling party has held an absolute majority in Congress since 1997.\nLopez Obrador's triumph extended to both houses of Congress, where his National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party and its partners are seen winning 61 percent of seats in the 500-member lower house, projections by pollster Consulta Mitofsky show.\nAdvertisement\nAdvertisement\nHis coalition, which includes the leftist Labor Party and the Social Encounter Party (PES), a religious, socially conservative anti-abortion group, is projected to win 53 percent of seats in the 128-member Senate, Mitofsky said.\nThe congressional advantage will help Lopez Obrador deliver on his pledge to radically reshape Mexico, which he intends to do by helping the poor while also keeping investors happy.\n\"It makes the day-to-day easier,\" Carlos Urzua, Lopez Obrador's pick for finance minister, told Reuters on Monday.\nThough the estimates suggest Lopez Obrador will lack the two-thirds majority in both houses needed to make constitutional changes, he may still benefit from defections in Congress. Urzua said the government had no plans to change the constitution.\nFinal congressional results are expected by Saturday.\nNEW CONGRESS\nThe results are a severe blow to the established parties.\nThe ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which governed Mexico continuously from 1929 to 2000, and again from 2012, is seen with 45 seats in the lower house, according to Mitofsky, down from over 200 in the 2012 election.\nThe PRI is likely to get 13 seats in the Senate, Mitofsky said, down from over 50 six years ago.\nTainted by corruption scandals, the PRI has become increasingly reviled under Enrique Pena Nieto for failing to get a grip on security and lift the economy.\nThe National Action Party, which ruled between 2000 and 2012 and became embroiled in a grisly drug war, was seen winning 82 seats in the lower house and 24 in the Senate, according to Mitofsky, well below their 2012 tallies.\nStill, Lopez Obrador's coalition may prove unwieldy.\nThe 64-year-old will have to balance interests of leftist nationalists, social liberals and religious conservatives.\nSo far Lopez Obrador has kept a lid on potential conflict by adopting ambiguous stances on contentious issues such as abortion, gay marriage and economic liberalisation.\nBut his tie-up with the PES may prove tough, and it faces resistance from supporters on the left.\n(Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)", "MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico’s president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will meet with business leaders on Wednesday, as the leftist seeks to ease private sector worries after an election campaign in which he accused some tycoons of belonging to a “mafia of power.”\nMexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador arrives at a meeting with the Business Coordinating Council (CCE) in Mexico City, Mexico July 4, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Becerril\nLopez Obrador is meeting the powerful CCE business lobby, which in March urged him to stop questioning major planks of the current government’s economic agenda, such as a new $13 billion airport for Mexico City. The leftist slammed corporate defenders of the airport project as “corrupt.”\nMexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (R) embraces his top economic adviser and chief of staff nominee Alfonso Romo while arriving at a meeting with the Business Coordinating Council (CCE) in Mexico City, Mexico July 4, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Becerril\nSince winning a landslide in Sunday’s presidential election, Lopez Obrador and his team have focused on soothing market fears, saying that he would not ramp up spending and would respect the Mexican central bank’s independence.\nMexico’s business community has in turn reached out to try to ease past tensions with the new leader.\nGerman Larrea, chairman of miner Grupo Mexico, published a full-page message in a national newspaper congratulating Lopez Obrador and applauding his comments. In the campaign, he warned staff about voting for him.\nMexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is flanked by the President of the Business Coordinating Council (CCE) Juan Pablo Castanon and top economic adviser and chief of staff nominee Alfonso Romo while arriving at a meeting in Mexico City, Mexico July 4, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Becerril\nClaudio X. Gonzalez, whose family owns part of Kimberly Clark de Mexico, said on Twitter he wished Lopez Obrador the best and asked him to be a unifying figure.\nFormer President Vicente Fox, who had a tense relationship with Lopez Obrador when he was mayor of Mexico City, also congratulated him.\nLopez Obrador criticized all three during the campaign.\nMexico’s peso on Tuesday posted its biggest daily increase in over two years, boosted by a global emerging markets rally, as well as pledges from Lopez Obrador to not increase spending.\nDespite uncertainty about what policies he could put in place, foreign investors have given him the benefit of the doubt for now, eyeing the payout on Mexican bonds, which offer the highest rates of any investment grade country.", "By Anthony Esposito\nMEXICO CITY, July 4 (Reuters) - Mexico's business elite had warm words for president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday after he assured them he respected private enterprise, in contrast to jibes in the campaign that some tycoons belonged to a \"mafia of power.\"\nThe head of the powerful CCE business lobby, Juan Pablo Castanon met Lopez Obrador and both said in a news conference the encounter was characterized by certainty and trust.\n\"I want to express my satisfaction for the attitude of the business sector,\" Lopez Obrador said. \"They have acted very respectfully to us, recognizing our triumph.\"\nSince winning a landslide in Sunday's presidential election, Lopez Obrador and his team have focused on soothing market fears, saying he would not ramp up spending and would respect the Mexican central bank's independence.\nMexico's business community has in turn reached out to try to ease past tensions with the new leader.\nGerman Larrea, chairman of miner Grupo Mexico, published a full-page message in a national newspaper congratulating Lopez Obrador and applauding his comments. In the campaign, he warned staff about voting for him.\nClaudio X. Gonzalez, whose family owns part of Kimberly Clark de Mexico, said on Twitter he wished Lopez Obrador the best and asked him to be a unifying figure.\nFormer President Vicente Fox, who had a tense relationship with Lopez Obrador when he was mayor of Mexico City and released a video during the campaign titled \"how can you support Lopez? Impossible.,\" also congratulated him.\nLopez Obrador criticized all three during the campaign, in which Castanon also warned voters about the dangers of \"populism.\"\nIn March the CCE urged him to stop questioning major planks of the current government's economic agenda, such as a new $13 billion airport for Mexico City.\nThe leftist slammed corporate defenders of the airport project as \"corrupt.\" He has since moderated his stance.\nOn Wednesday, Lopez Obrador said even though his coalition will likely have a majority in Congress, he would not impose anything and he was building an authentic democracy not a dictatorship.\nLopez Obrador and Castanon agreed to work together on labor issues for young people, after a campaign promise for apprenticeships funded in part by the government. Lopez Obrador said his youth programs and higher pensions for the elderly would together cost 150 billion pesos ($7.7 billion).\nMexico's peso on Tuesday posted its biggest daily increase in over two years, boosted by a global emerging markets rally, as well as pledges from Lopez Obrador to not increase spending.\nDespite uncertainty about what policies he could put in place, foreign investors have given him the benefit of the doubt for now, eyeing the payout on Mexican bonds, which offer the highest rates of any investment grade country. (Additional reporting by Michael O'Boyle Writing by Christine Murray Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Chris Reese)", "By Gabriel Stargardter and Miguel Gutierrez\nMEXICO CITY, July 4 (Reuters) - The party of Mexico's president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and its allies will have an outright majority in Congress but will not surpass the two-thirds threshold needed to change the constitution, estimates show.\nLopez Obrador, a leftist, won a landslide victory on Sunday, and will wield considerable power in a Congress set to have the highest concentration of female lawmakers in Mexican history.\nFor the first time, there may be more female senators than male, and a nearly 50-50 split in the lower house, Mexico's electoral institute projects, underlining the far-reaching consequences of Lopez Obrador's win.\nTapping into widespread disillusionment with years of violence, corruption and inequality in Latin America's No. 2 economy, Lopez Obrador won about 53 percent of votes.\nHis victory has upended Mexico's political status quo, in which just two parties have held the presidency since 1929, and drawn a line under decades of technocratic rule. No ruling party has held an absolute majority in Congress since 1997.\nLopez Obrador's triumph extended to both houses of Congress, where his National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party and its partners are seen winning 61 percent of seats in the 500-member lower house, projections by pollster Consulta Mitofsky show.\nHis coalition, which includes the leftist Labor Party and the Social Encounter Party (PES), a religious, socially conservative anti-abortion group, is projected to win 53 percent of seats in the 128-member Senate, Mitofsky said.\nThe congressional advantage will help Lopez Obrador deliver on his pledge to radically reshape Mexico, which he intends to do by helping the poor while also keeping investors happy.\n\"It makes the day-to-day easier,\" Carlos Urzua, Lopez Obrador's pick for finance minister, told Reuters on Monday.\nThough the estimates suggest Lopez Obrador will lack the two-thirds majority in both houses needed to make constitutional changes, he may still benefit from defections in Congress. Urzua said the government had no plans to change the constitution.\nFinal congressional results are expected by Saturday.\nNEW CONGRESS\nThe results are a severe blow to the established parties.\nThe ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which governed Mexico continuously from 1929 to 2000, and again from 2012, is seen with 45 seats in the lower house, according to Mitofsky, down from over 200 in the 2012 election.\nThe PRI is likely to get 13 seats in the Senate, Mitofsky said, down from over 50 six years ago.\nTainted by corruption scandals, the PRI has become increasingly reviled under Enrique Pena Nieto for failing to get a grip on security and lift the economy.\nThe National Action Party, which ruled between 2000 and 2012 and became embroiled in a grisly drug war, was seen winning 82 seats in the lower house and 24 in the Senate, according to Mitofsky, well below their 2012 tallies.\nStill, Lopez Obrador's coalition may prove unwieldy.\nThe 64-year-old will have to balance interests of leftist nationalists, social liberals and religious conservatives.\nSo far Lopez Obrador has kept a lid on potential conflict by adopting ambiguous stances on contentious issues such as abortion, gay marriage and economic liberalization.\nBut his tie-up with the PES may prove tough, and it faces resistance from supporters on the left. (Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)", "(AP Photo/Emilio Espejel). Mexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador greets a supporter as he leaves the National Palace where he met with Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City, Tuesday, July 3, 2018. The president-elect met w...\n(AP Photo/Marco Ugarte). Mexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks to reporters after meeting with Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto at the National Palace in Mexico City, Tuesday, July 3, 2018. The president-elect met with the cu...\nBy MARK STEVENSON\nAssociated Press\nMEXICO CITY (AP) - President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador promised $7.5 billion for youth job training and aid to the elderly Wednesday, keystone programs that could make Mexico's business sector one of the biggest beneficiaries of his first year in office.\nLopez Obrador pledged the government would pay the salaries of apprentices employed by Mexican companies as part of a $5 billion package of scholarships and job training.\nThe once-fiery leftist met with Mexican businessmen on Wednesday in a surprisingly chummy encounter where he sealed the job-training deal in a handshake with business chamber leader Juan Pablo Castanon.\nThe programs for the elderly and youths will be the cornerstones of Lopez Obrador's first year in office, which starts when he takes office Dec. 1.\n\"We will have to come up with this funding ... even if we are left without a shirt on our backs,\" Lopez Obrador vowed. The president-elect - whose victory must still be certified by electoral authorities and the courts - implied that most of his other campaign promises will be left to later years in office. Lopez Obrador was elected in a landslide Sunday.\nLopez Obrador pledged $2 billion to extend and increase old-age supplementary payments to the elderly so that every Mexican over 68 will receive at least the equivalent of $2.25 per day.\nThe elderly payments initially started in Mexico City when Lopez Obrador was mayor in the early 2000s, but he has now pledged to fund them at the same level as in the capital - currently about $60 per month - nationwide.\nBut the youth program appeared to be a big gift to the business sector: Companies will get much of the $5 billion to pay salaries to youths; the remainder will apparently go to technical colleges and universities or to scholarships.\nThe firms will give their apprentices certificates of competence, but apparently won't be required to hire them after their apprenticeships.\nThe program is aimed at reducing the number of unemployed youths recruited by drug cartels, or as Lopez Obrador put it in a campaign slogan \"Students on scholarships, not cartel hitmen.\"\nLopez Obrador's third day as president-elect was marked by healing wounds left with business and other groups that emerged during the bruising presidential campaign, in which some businessmen wrote letters to their employees urging them in veiled terms not to vote for Lopez Obrador.\nOn Wednesday, one of the businessmen who wrote such a letter - German Larrea of the mining and rail conglomerate Grupo Mexico - sought to make up with Lopez Obrador.\nLarrea signed a full-page ad in Mexican newspapers saying, \"We wish you the greatest success as president.\"\nBanco Base analysts noted Wednesday that the peso hit its strongest value of the day after Lopez Obrador's meeting with the business group.\n\"The communication efforts of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and his team in the days since July 1 illustrate their objective of generating confidence in financial markets and the business sector by being emphatic about the importance of maintaining an orthodox fiscal policy and functional monetary policy,\" the bank said.\nEven former President Vicente Fox, who called Lopez Obrador \"Lopito\" and \"crazy\" during the campaign, issued a video statement Wednesday saying, \"All of Mexico won, by voting for a change ... congratulations, Andres.\"\nGiven the venom with which they had attacked Lopez Obrador over the years - Fox, for example, promoted a court case seeking to prevent the leftist from running in 2006 - Lopez Obrador was conciliatory, but not cutting his long-time opponents any slack.\nLopez Obrador thanked Mexico's former presidents for their congratulatory messages, but said he was still determined to eliminate the luxurious pensions that ex-presidents enjoy in Mexico.\nUnion groups allied with the old ruling party, the PRI, also got into the act. The oil workers union published full-page ads Wednesday saying, \"Our institutional respect for the president will be, as always, limitless.\"\nThe autocratic oil union - run by the same leader since the mid-1990s - had been caught in the past passing millions in government money to the ruling party.\nLopez Obrador took note of the union ads, but said, \"There will be union democracy, and we will not allow corruption.\"\nCopyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.", "Mexico’s President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks to reporters after meeting with Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto at the National Palace in Mexico City, Tuesday, July 3, 2018. The president-elect met with the current leader to discuss his transition to office in December, aiming to ensure an orderly transfer of power after a heated and polarizing campaign. (Marco Ugarte/Associated Press)\nMEXICO CITY — President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador promised $7.5 billion for youth job training and aid to the elderly Wednesday, keystone programs that could make Mexico’s business sector one of the biggest beneficiaries of his first year in office.\nLopez Obrador pledged the government would pay the salaries of apprentices employed by Mexican companies as part of a $5 billion package of scholarships and job training.\nThe once-fiery leftist met with Mexican businessmen on Wednesday in a surprisingly chummy encounter where he sealed the job-training deal in a handshake with business chamber leader Juan Pablo Castanon.\nThe programs for the elderly and youths will be the cornerstones of Lopez Obrador’s first year in office, which starts when he takes office Dec. 1.\n“We will have to come up with this funding ... even if we are left without a shirt on our backs,” Lopez Obrador vowed. The president-elect — whose victory must still be certified by electoral authorities and the courts — implied that most of his other campaign promises will be left to later years in office. Lopez Obrador was elected in a landslide Sunday.\nLopez Obrador pledged $2 billion to extend and increase old-age supplementary payments to the elderly so that every Mexican over 68 will receive at least the equivalent of $2.25 per day.\nThe elderly payments initially started in Mexico City when Lopez Obrador was mayor in the early 2000s, but he has now pledged to fund them at the same level as in the capital — currently about $60 per month — nationwide.\nBut the youth program appeared to be a big gift to the business sector: Companies will get much of the $5 billion to pay salaries to youths; the remainder will apparently go to technical colleges and universities or to scholarships.\nThe firms will give their apprentices certificates of competence, but apparently won’t be required to hire them after their apprenticeships.\nThe program is aimed at reducing the number of unemployed youths recruited by drug cartels, or as Lopez Obrador put it in a campaign slogan “Students on scholarships, not cartel hitmen.”\nLopez Obrador’s third day as president-elect was marked by healing wounds left with business and other groups that emerged during the bruising presidential campaign, in which some businessmen wrote letters to their employees urging them in veiled terms not to vote for Lopez Obrador.\nOn Wednesday, one of the businessmen who wrote such a letter — German Larrea of the mining and rail conglomerate Grupo Mexico — sought to make up with Lopez Obrador.\nLarrea signed a full-page ad in Mexican newspapers saying, “We wish you the greatest success as president.”\nBanco Base analysts noted Wednesday that the peso hit its strongest value of the day after Lopez Obrador’s meeting with the business group.\n“The communication efforts of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and his team in the days since July 1 illustrate their objective of generating confidence in financial markets and the business sector by being emphatic about the importance of maintaining an orthodox fiscal policy and functional monetary policy,” the bank said.\nEven former President Vicente Fox, who called Lopez Obrador “Lopito” and “crazy” during the campaign, issued a video statement Wednesday saying, “All of Mexico won, by voting for a change ... congratulations, Andres.”\nGiven the venom with which they had attacked Lopez Obrador over the years — Fox, for example, promoted a court case seeking to prevent the leftist from running in 2006 — Lopez Obrador was conciliatory, but not cutting his long-time opponents any slack.\nLopez Obrador thanked Mexico’s former presidents for their congratulatory messages, but said he was still determined to eliminate the luxurious pensions that ex-presidents enjoy in Mexico.\nUnion groups allied with the old ruling party, the PRI, also got into the act. The oil workers union published full-page ads Wednesday saying, “Our institutional respect for the president will be, as always, limitless.”\nThe autocratic oil union — run by the same leader since the mid-1990s — had been caught in the past passing millions in government money to the ruling party.\nLopez Obrador took note of the union ads, but said, “There will be union democracy, and we will not allow corruption.”\nCopyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.", "Rules adopted by Mexico's ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party allowing it to form coalitions and non-members to run for president were necessary to stop leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador from winning office next year, the PRI's president said.\nThe rules adopted over the weekend give the once-dominant party, known as PRI, a better chance of clinging to power in next July's presidential election, where veteran leftist Lopez Obrador is an early favorite among voters tired of graft, scandals, violence and a tepid economy.\nPRI President Enrique Ochoa on Monday called Lopez Obrador \"the enemy to beat,\" repeating a long-standing refrain by Mexico's ruling class that he would wreck the economy with Venezuelan-style policies. Lopez Obrador's advisers say he supports the market economy.\n\"He is the threat for Mexico going forward,\" Ochoa said in an interview on Foro TV. \"We don't want to have the same fate as Venezuela, with food shortages, the highest inflation in the world and GDP falling by 7 percent.\"\nSince last year, Mexico has been more concerned about a possible rupture of trade ties with the United States under Donald Trump than domestic politics. But the government has grown confident in recent months that talks starting this week in Washington will not end the North American Trade Agreement, which underpins much of Mexico's economy.\nLopez Obrador recently denied having anything to do with the Venezuelan government. On the two previous occasions that the former Mexico City mayor ran for president, his opponents used the same strategy of comparing him with Venezuela's socialists.\nOchoa said the new party rules allowed any future PRI president-elect to form coalitions to \"foment governability.\" He did not rule out alliances with any major party, beyond saying coalitions should be with those the centrist PRI could identify with ideologically.\nThe rules allowing non-party members to run for president are seen as favoring Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade, a technocrat untainted by the scandals that have eroded backing for Pena Nieto's government.\n\"...I am focused on my work and only thinking about 2018 in terms of the economic package,\" Meade said at an event on Monday, referring to the budget, which he is due to present to Congress by Sept 8.\nMeade is also seen as a possible candidate to lead Mexico's central bank.\nHe has served in governments of both the PRI and the conservative opposition National Action Party, but is not a member of either party.", "MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Just over a month before Mexico’s presidential election, more than half of voters support leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a survey showed on Wednesday, while they pulled support from the poll leader’s main rival following attacks on his honesty.\nLeftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) addresses supporters during a campaign rally in Zitacuaro, in Michoacan state, Mexico May 28, 2018. REUTERS/Alan Ortega\nAndres Manuel Lopez Obrador, in his third bid for the presidency, gained more followers after a televised debate in which he dubbed second place candidate Ricardo Anaya “Richy Rich,” the poll by newspaper Reforma showed.\nIn the debate, Lopez Obrador theatrically clutched his wallet, saying he wanted to protect it from Anaya, who has faced sustained criticism by opponents for his business dealings and decision to move his family to Atlanta for several years.\nAnaya, who heads a centrist coalition and trailed Lopez Obrador by 26 points in the poll, denies any wrongdoing.\nLopez Obrador is riding a wave of anger against the ruling party amid rising violence, corruption scandals and sluggish growth.\nA victory for the former Mexico City mayor could usher testier relations with the United States, Mexico’s principal trading partner, and a shift in direction for the country’s economy, with more skepticism about foreign investment, especially in the energy sector.\nThe May 24-27 voter poll showed 64-year old Lopez Obrador with 52 percent support, up 4 percentage points from a Reforma survey carried out in late April. It was the paper’s first poll since the May 20 debate.\nLopez Obrador responded by posting the poll on his Twitter feed and calling on supporters to keep working hard to ensure his victory.\n“You won’t win the fight laying in the hammock,” he wrote.\nAnaya lost four points to 26 percent. In third place was ruling party candidate Jose Antonio Meade, whose backing rose two points to 19 percent.\nThe poll showed Lopez Obrador’s Morena party, which he founded after his second run, with 42 percent support in lower house voting, up from 36 percent in the prior poll.\nThe poll showed support for the conservative National Action Party (PAN) fell four points to 20 percent while the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) gained two points to 18 percent.\nThe poll surveyed 1,200 voters in their homes with a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percentage points.", "MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Oil and gas contracts awarded under the Mexican government’s energy reform will be respected by the incoming administration provided no problems emerge in a review of the tender process, the likely future finance minister said on Wednesday.\nFILE PHOTO: Economist Carlos Urzua, picked for finance minister of Mexico's new president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, speaks during an interview with Reuters in Mexico City, Mexico July 2, 2018. REUTERS/Ginnette Riquelme\nLeftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador won Sunday’s presidential election by a landslide. Carlos Urzua, his choice for finance minister when he takes office in December, said energy contracts would be honored if everything was in order.\n“If it looks good, on we go. It’s a contract we have to respect,” Urzua told Mexican television.\nA former Mexico City mayor, Lopez Obrador has promised to root out corruption, and wants the contracts analyzed to ensure the process was not tainted.\nUrzua and other members of the Lopez Obrador team, including his pick for chief of staff, Alfonso Romo, have said they do not expect the review to reveal acts of corruption.\nOpening exploration and production of oil and gas to private capital was the centerpiece of outgoing President Enrique Pena Nieto’s economic agenda. The government says contracts worth billions of dollars in investment have been awarded.\nLopez Obrador was an opponent of the 2013-14 energy reform, and has threatened to reverse it. However, his business advisers say they have persuaded him to keep an open mind. Romo said last week more contracts could be awarded.\nBefore taking office, the new government will negotiate the federal budget for 2019 with the outgoing administration.\nWhen asked to sum up the economic outlook for 2019, Urzua said he expected growth of about 2.5 percent and that inflation would be about “4, between 4 and 5 percent.”\nHe saw the peso trading around 19 pesos per dollar and the price of Mexican crude at about $70 per barrel.\nThe peso, which was under pressure before the election, strengthened on Tuesday after Lopez Obrador vowed to work closely with Pena Nieto for an orderly transition.\nUrzua said the currency could appreciate if Mexico concluded the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the United States and Canada this year. That could see the peso trade below 19 per dollar, he forecast.\nLopez Obrador has also criticized the new $13 billion Mexico City airport, which is already under construction. He had threatened to scrap it, but has since held out the possibility of turning into a concession.\nUrzua, who was Lopez Obrador’s finance minister for part of his 2000-2005 term as mayor, said it was too early to predict what would happen with the airport, but noted a concession might prove the “easiest” option.\nGasoline prices would rise in future in accordance with inflation, he added.", "Leftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) gestures while leaving the Palacio de Mineria after the first presidential debate in Mexico City, Mexico April 22, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Romero\nBy Dave Graham\nMEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The second-placed contender in Mexico's presidential race won the opening televised debate of the campaign on Sunday night, a telephone survey found, after the front-runner came under relentless attack from competitors.\nTapping into discontent with the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) over corruption and violence, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has led polls for months, and all four rivals trained their fire on him during the debate.\nSecond-placed Ricardo Anaya led the charge, accusing Lopez Obrador of endangering Mexico with a vague proposal to explore an amnesty for criminals to curb the violence, and of hypocrisy for making common cause with people he had once called corrupt.\nRunning as the candidate of a right-left coalition, the 39-year-old Anaya was deemed the winner of the debate by 36 percent of 245 respondents in the telephone poll by newspaper Reforma. Lopez Obrador came second with 34 percent, it showed.\nPollsters say ad hoc telephone surveys should be treated with caution, but as an initial indication of the ebb and flow of the contest, the positive reception of Anaya was in line with how many Mexican political analysts called the debate.\nLopez Obrador, 64, ignored many attacks and sought to avoid getting into scraps with his adversaries. But he showed signs of irritation as the evening wore on, at one point pulling out a board with his polling numbers to answer critics.\nA separate poll of financial market analysts by Reuters on Monday found that 11 out of 13 saw Anaya as the winner. The other two analysts identified no victor.\nAnaya's co-campaign manager, Jorge Castaneda, said the two-hour debate had shown his candidate was the only real alternative to a Lopez Obrador victory on July 1.\n\"The contrast was very clear between the tired change of Andres Manuel and the radical, fresh, youthful, new change of Ricardo Anaya,\" he told Mexican television. \"And I think it became clear that this is an election between two (choices).\"\nOnly last week, a Reforma voter survey showed Lopez Obrador extending his poll lead to 22 percentage points over Anaya.\nA separate Reforma consultation of \"903 leading citizens\" from academia, civil society, business, and politics in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey showed that 68 percent felt Anaya had won the debate, with 16 percent for Lopez Obrador.\nThat second survey showed that, apart from Anaya, the candidate who most improved his standing in the eyes of respondents was independent contender Jaime Rodriguez.\nRodriguez, a state governor from northern Mexico, put on a confident display, and created a stir by saying politicians who steal money should have their hands cut off.\nPolls suggest that Rodriguez has no chance of winning the presidency himself, but his maverick candidacy could plunder votes from the anti-establishment campaign of Lopez Obrador, said Jorge Buendia of polling firm Buendia & Laredo.\nBoth of Reforma's ad hoc surveys also found many respondents thought Lopez Obrador was the main loser in the debate.\nAfterwards, Lopez Obrador posted a video online saying he believed he had won the debate, but added: \"I would like to have responded to other lies, especially from (Anaya).\"\n(Reporting by Dave Graham; additional reporting by Sharay Angulo; editing by Frank Jack Daniel, Bernadette Baum and Jonathan Oatis)", "MEXICO CITY, July 4 (Reuters) - Oil and gas contracts awarded under the Mexican government's energy reform will be respected by the incoming administration provided no problems emerge in a review of the tender process, the likely future finance minister said on Wednesday.\nLeftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador won Sunday's presidential election by a landslide. Carlos Urzua, his choice for finance minister when he takes office in December, said energy contracts would be honored if everything was in order.\n\"If it looks good, on we go. It's a contract we have to respect,\" Urzua told Mexican television.\nA former Mexico City mayor, Lopez Obrador has promised to root out corruption, and wants the contracts analyzed to ensure the process was not tainted.\nUrzua and other members of the Lopez Obrador team, including his pick for chief of staff, Alfonso Romo, have said they do not expect the review to reveal acts of corruption.\nOpening exploration and production of oil and gas to private capital was the centerpiece of outgoing President Enrique Pena Nieto's economic agenda. The government says contracts worth billions of dollars in investment have been awarded.\nLopez Obrador was an opponent of the 2013-14 energy reform, and has threatened to reverse it. However, his business advisers say they have persuaded him to keep an open mind. Romo said last week more contracts could be awarded.\nBefore taking office, the new government will negotiate the federal budget for 2019 with the outgoing administration.\nWhen asked to sum up the economic outlook for 2019, Urzua said he expected growth of about 2.5 percent and that inflation would be about \"4, between 4 and 5 percent.\"\nHe saw the peso trading around 19 pesos per dollar and the price of Mexican crude at about $70 per barrel.\nThe peso, which was under pressure before the election, strengthened on Tuesday after Lopez Obrador vowed to work closely with Pena Nieto for an orderly transition.\nUrzua said the currency could appreciate if Mexico concluded the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the United States and Canada this year. That could see the peso trade below 19 per dollar, he forecast.\nLopez Obrador has also criticized the new $13 billion Mexico City airport, which is already under construction. He had threatened to scrap it, but has since held out the possibility of turning into a concession.\nUrzua, who was Lopez Obrador's finance minister for part of his 2000-2005 term as mayor, said it was too early to predict what would happen with the airport, but noted a concession might prove the \"easiest\" option.\nGasoline prices would rise in future in accordance with inflation, he added. (Reporting by Dave Graham Editing by Frances Kerry)", "(Reuters) - Mexican presidential front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has extended his lead well beyond his nearest rivals with just a month to go before the July 1 election, an opinion poll showed on Thursday.\nLeftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) is greeted by supporters while arriving to a campaign rally in Zitacuaro, in Michoacan state, Mexico May 28, 2018. REUTERS/Alan Ortega\nThe survey by polling firm Parametria showed support for the leftist former mayor of Mexico City at 45 percent, an increase of six percentage points from a prior April poll. That gave Lopez Obrador more backing than his nearest two rivals combined.\nLopez Obrador, 64, was runner-up in the previous two elections, with fears that he could destabilize the economy contributing to his defeat. This time frustration over corruption, rising violence and tepid growth have all helped lift his bid.\nLopez Obrador’s closest competitor is Ricardo Anaya, a former chairman of the center-right National Action Party (PAN), who is fronting a right-left coalition of parties.\nHowever, support for Anaya slipped 5 percentage points to 20 percent, in spite of the May 16 withdrawal from the race of former first lady and onetime PAN member Margarita Zavala.\n“Anaya was expected to go up because of Margarita quitting, but it seems that the one who benefited was (Lopez Obrador),” Parametria founder Francisco Abundis said.\nHolding steady at 14 percent support in third place was former finance minister Jose Antonio Meade, the candidate of President Enrique Pena Nieto’s Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. The law prevents Pena Nieto from running again.\nThe fourth candidate on the ticket, independent Jaime Rodriguez, dipped one point to 1 percent. Rodriguez was fined this week for raising illicit campaign funds.\nAll told, 17 percent of respondents expressed no preference in the latest poll, which followed a separate survey by newspaper Reforma published on Wednesday that gave Lopez Obrador support of more than half the voters.\nParametria said its poll consisted of 1,000 face-to-face interviews and was conducted from May 23-29. The poll had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.\nThe silver-haired Lopez Obrador has pledged to root out corruption and reduce violence, as well as re-invigorate the domestic economy and address chronic inequality if elected.\nHis room for maneuver as president will depend considerably on how much control his National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party can exercise in Congress.\nThe latest poll showed increasing support for MORENA, but it is unclear whether the party will have an outright majority. No party has held an absolute majority in Mexico since 1997.\nSupport for MORENA and its two main allies came to about 37 percent in the lower house and 39 percent in the Senate. Once undecided voters are stripped out, the percentage rises.", "MEXICO CITY (AP) — The landslide victory by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico's presidential election brought an abrupt end to the monopoly on power enjoyed by the Institutional Revolutionary Party, a nearly century-long dominance that cultivated corruption along with an extensive patronage system.\nOn Sunday night there were some tears, but no obvious shock or anger among the campaign workers streaming out of PRI headquarters after their candidate conceded the race within minutes of polling stations closing. Their party had finished a distant third.\nLopez Obrador, a populist and self-described leftist, had maintained a double-digit lead in the polls throughout the campaign, while PRI candidate Jose Antonio Meade's message had never gained traction.\nSo, what happened?\nOn the wide sidewalk in front of PRI headquarters, Ernesto Garcia Elizalde leaned on his cane considering that question and where the path forward might lie for the party he joined and has ardently supported since 1964.\nAdvertisement\nMeade, a mild-mannered technocrat with Cabinet positions in multiple PRI administrations, had struggled in vain to address the issue of corruption, which Lopez Obrador made the central issue of a campaign that resonated strongly with Mexicans.\n\"There's no need to invent a hidden reason,\" said Garcia. \"We know why we lost. We didn't lose because we had a bad fighter. We lost because of all the baggage we have.\"\nAs Meade campaign workers quietly slipped away after Sunday's loss, taunted by the celebratory honking of passing cars, Garcia lamented the PRI's half-dozen former governors who were either jailed or facing charges of corruption or organized crime ties.\n\"The people voted against the corruption that was generated and allowed to grow inside the party,\" he said.\nWith nearly 94 percent of the ballots counted, Meade had only 16.4 percent of the vote — a third of that won by Lopez Obrador. As recently as 1976, the PRI claimed 100 percent of the vote for its unopposed candidate.\nAdvertisement\nThe PRI was also on track to lose all the governorships at stake and even the bulk of the mayoral and congressional races in its last urban bastion, the state of Mexico, which nearly surrounds Mexico City.\nA campaign staffer who requested anonymity to discuss the mood inside PRI headquarters said Sunday's result had been \"anti-climactic\" and compared it to the death of a very ill relative.\nEveryone had known for some time what was going to happen, but when it finally did they were still not totally prepared, the staffer said. \"That's what the whole campaign was like.\"\nFor decades, the PRI functioned as a serial dictatorship, with each all-powerful president serving six years and then choosing his successor, who would win in rigged elections.\nWhen it lost the presidency for the first time in 2000 after a series of gradual democratic reforms, there was shock and visible anger among its members.\nAdvertisement\nThey dismissed the victory by the upstart conservative National Action Party and its candidates who had not come up through the ranks of the PRI, the traditional training ground for Mexican politicians, and scoffed at the idea that they could govern effectively.\nAnd just as the PRI predicted, the two National Action presidents floundered, getting their initiatives through Congress only with the help of the PRI, which retook the presidency in 2012.\nBut the party blew its chance at a comeback with a string of corruption scandals that culminated in Lopez Obrador's victory on Sunday.\nParty president Rene Juarez Cisneros seemed to be signaling the steps needed to repair the damage in a speech following Meade's concession. It was peppered with words like \"responsibility\" and \"honesty.\"\n\"In the coming hours and subsequent days we must have a great call for deep reflection to find the path forward, to find the reasons and causes of these circumstances that we're facing today,\" he said.\nAdvertisement\nPolitical scientist Jesus Silva Herzog said that while Sunday's loss was the most challenging yet for the PRI, it would be wrong to consider it a fatal blow.\n\"We have given the PRI up for dead many times,\" he said.\nNevertheless, after the 2000 loss, the PRI still had a very strong congressional presence. Now Lopez Obrador could cobble together a two-thirds majority in congress without even consulting the PRI.\n\"Today I have the impression that the PRI could be dispensable,\" Silva Herzog said.\nStill, the party has rural strongholds. It could hang on for years in sparsely populated states where it still holds governorships, such as Campeche, Coahuila, Sonora and San Luis Potosi.\nAdvertisement\nBut even in those states, Lopez Obrador out-polled Meade, and the generous government funding the PRI uses to pay its staff and for advertising is likely to be seriously reduced since it is based on vote share.\nPeople packing the streets Sunday night to celebrate Lopez Obrador's victory were not generous toward the PRI.\nWaving a Lopez Obrador banner, 26-year-old law student Hugo Moreno declared: \"The PRI is flailing like a drowning man.\"\nRetired teacher Susana Zuniga advised the PRI to \"sit down and learn from its errors.\"\nBack at PRI headquarters, Garcia seemed to be doing just that, saying the party had to work harder to choose honest candidates who had not lost touch with its base.\nAdvertisement\n\"Its roots are very deep,\" Garcia said of the party. \"It's going to take a lot of work not to reconstruct it, but to reunite it ... to reform a series of things, to get rid of the bad and leave the good.\"\n__\nAssociated Press writer Maria Verza contributed to this report.", "(Bloomberg) -- Mexico investors used to watching asset prices swing on the words of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador are in for five more months of much the same.\nThe nation’s unusually long period between elections and the transition of power mean traders will be obsessing about the next president’s often contradictory speeches, without the ability to see what actual policies he pursues until his Dec. 1 inauguration.\nThat dynamic will add to volatility in Mexican markets -- which posted moderate declines after Lopez Obrador won a decisive victory Sunday that will also bring many of his allies to Congress. Investors need to understand if the leftist firebrand will proceed with the market- unfriendly measures featured in his campaign -- like halting a $13 billion airport project and pursuing aggressive social spending -- or if he will pursue a more balanced approach. The latter would would provide relief for Mexican assets that sold off in recent months.\n“The bias will be for the peso to move back toward 21 per dollar,” said Alvise Marino, a strategist at Credit Suisse in New York, adding that his forecast assumes the global backdrop will remain unsupportive for emerging markets. He says the market response will be “less comfortable” if his Morena party and its allies win a majority in the congress.\nLopez Obrador’s coalition looks poised to control both houses of Congress, according to one projection. With half the votes counted, he’s on track to win more than three-fifths of seats in the lower house and 70 of 128 in the Senate, though final tallies in some of those races could still be days away.\nInvestors in Mexico should remain wary, as risks abound, Esteban Polidura, a multi-asset strategist at UBS AG, wrote in a note.\n“Our medium-term outlook remains cautious,” Polidura said. “Most of AMLO’s potential cabinet members have limited public sector experience and might have a longer-than-usual learning curve that could weigh on economic growth.”\nFor now, traders see either a strong selloff or quick rebound as unlikely. Stocks stumbled in the second quarter and the peso dropped as polls showed Lopez Obrador was bound for victory, so his election has already been priced in. While optimists have suggested that the next president’s actual policymaking won’t be as radical as his speeches, in which he often rails against the abuses of capitalism, it’s all conjecture until he actually takes office.\nThe main areas of concern are Lopez Obrador’s pledges to boost social spending, whether he will seek to foster foreign investment in the energy industry and his stance toward trade with the U.S. Some investors fear that energy privatization will be rolled back and spending to help the poor will push the country into debt.\nMexican assets fell Monday as emerging markets slid. The peso declined 0.7 percent to 20.0567 per dollar, while the Mexbol equity index sank 1.8 percent.\n\"During the transition period, financial markets might become unusually volatile and skittish,\" Jaime Reusche, an analyst at Moody’s Investors Service wrote in a note. A key risk is the chance that \"uncertainty surrounding the incoming administration’s economic policy agenda will undermine business sentiment, hurting investment and growth prospects.\"\nIn a victory speech following the vote, the 64-year-old struck a unifying tone while saying his government will give preference to the poor. Carlos Urzua, who was picked for finance minister, said the new administration will be fiscally responsible and will respect the autonomy of the central bank and allow the peso to trade freely.\n“The early indications from AMLO are fairly encouraging,” London-based Capital Economics economist Edward Glossop wrote in a report. “Beyond the very near term, though, it’s worth cautioning that we still have little clarity on AMLO’s economic policies.\"\nMohamed A. El-Erian, the chief economic adviser at Allianz SE, wrote in a column that investors were right to respond relatively calmly -- but they shouldn’t become complacent.\nMexican assets “will remain sensitive to uncertainties about its trading relations with the U.S., to the receding of global liquidity, and to the limited effectiveness of multilateral institutions in influencing economic policy,” El-Erian wrote.\nFor some, the relief of having the election completed and a calm market reaction are enough to create a buying opportunity. Bulltick is recommending investors go long on the peso at 20 per dollar.\nOthers are in wait-and-see mode.\n“AMLO has had statements that run the gamut from pragmatic to incendiary, so it will be interesting to see which facet of his personality prevails when in power,” said Dirk Schnitker, the head of Latin American equity sales at Auerbach Grayson.\n--With assistance from Ben Bartenstein and Michelle F. Davis.\nTo contact the reporters on this story: Aline Oyamada in Sao Paulo at [email protected];Justin Villamil in Mexico City at [email protected]\nTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Rita Nazareth at [email protected], ;Jeremy Herron at [email protected], Brendan Walsh\n©2018 Bloomberg L.P.", "Leftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) arrives at Palacio de Mineria for the first presidential debate in Mexico City, Mexico April 22, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Romero\nBy Dave Graham\nMEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican presidential front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador faces a test of his mettle on Sunday night as he squares off against rivals in the first televised debate of the campaign for the July 1 election.\nThe veteran leftist has built up a commanding lead in opinion polls since the campaign formally began at the end of March, with one voter survey in the past week putting the former Mexico City mayor 22 points ahead of his nearest challenger.\nThat could make the 64-year-old Lopez Obrador the principal focus of attack in the debate among five candidates, with his competitors running out of time to make up ground.\nSo far, his two main rivals, Ricardo Anaya, who leads a right-left alliance, and Jose Antonio Meade, candidate of the ruling centrist Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), have devoted much of their energy to battling each other for second.\nLopez Obrador came within a whisker of winning the presidency in 2006 and was runner-up again six years later.\nBuoyed by widespread discontent with the PRI over corruption, record levels of violence and sluggish growth, he has never approached the final two months so far ahead.\nThis time, Lopez Obrador has cut a more relaxed figure on the campaign trail, generally avoiding the kind of outbursts that in the past helped adversaries depict him as a radical menace to stability in Latin America's No. 2 economy.\nHe has moderated much of his economic rhetoric, although his threats to scrap a $13 billion Mexico City airport now under construction have dismayed many influential business leaders.\nAnaya, 39, is polling second in most surveys, but he has struggled to extricate himself from a mud fight with the PRI, which has tried to discredit him with corruption allegations over a 2014-2016 property deal in his home state of Queretaro.\nHe dismisses the accusations, but the dispute has dented his momentum and supporters believe he must take risks in the debate, which starts at 8 p.m. (0100 GMT Monday).\n\"It's tough for Anaya, he's got to make a splash,\" said his ally Fernando Belaunzaran, a former congressman for the center-left Party of the Democratic Revolution. \"But this could be a turning point, because after the debate it may be beyond doubt that it's a two-horse race between Andres Manuel and Anaya.\"\n(Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Peter Cooney)", "OTTAWA — The federal Liberal government is determined to rekindle intensive talks on a new continental trade pact this summer—even though President Donald Trump says he won’t sign a renegotiated NAFTA until after the U.S. midterm elections this fall.\nNow that Mexico’s presidential election is done, Ottawa wants negotiations on the North America Free Trade Agreement to restart as soon as possible, one government official familiar with the plan said on condition of anonymity.\n“Our priority has always been to conclude a mutually beneficial agreement as quickly as possible and that, I think, remains our goal,” said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.\n“That’s what we’re going to stay focused on. We’ll see where it goes.”\nThat effort is expected to intensify following Monday’s election win by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who has already said he supports the continued renegotiation of NAFTA and wants his own team of experts to be part of the talks before he takes office Dec. 1.\nUntil Lopez Obrador is sworn in, members of the current Mexican administration will continue to serve as the country’s lead NAFTA negotiators, the official said.\nTrump, however, has said he wants to wait until after November’s U.S. congressional midterms before committing to a new agreement.\nIn an interview that aired Sunday on Fox News, Trump said he could quickly sign a revised NAFTA with Canada and Mexico, but instead wants to land a better deal for the U.S. Asked about the timing of an agreement, Trump said: “I want to wait until after the election.”\nTrump has also indicated repeatedly he’d be open to striking separate agreements with Canada and Mexico.\nA fresh round of talks on the three-country pact will come with Canada and the U.S. locked in an unprecedented, cross-border trade fight. The neighbours have already swapped punitive tariffs on some imports—and there are fears things could get worse.\nOn Sunday, Ottawa responded to the Trump administration’s tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum with duties of its own against U.S. imports—dollar-for-dollar, reciprocal tariffs that target steel and aluminum, as well as a long list of consumer goods, the government says.\nTrump himself has already threatened to go even further by putting tariffs on the auto sector, which could prove far more damaging for the Canadian economy than the steel and aluminum duties.\nThat tariff fight will form a rather tense backdrop for the effort to reach a NAFTA deal, which Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has said she expects to ramp up soon, following several conversations last week with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.\nOn Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Lopez Obrador by phone. The two discussed “mutually beneficial economic and trading relationship between the two countries, and their shared priority of updating the North American Free Trade Agreement for the betterment of their peoples,” Trudeau’s office said in a statement.\nCanada’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods do nothing to help Canada and will only hurt American workers, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Monday.\n“We’ve been very nice to Canada for many years and they’ve taken advantage of that, particularly advantage of our farmers,” she said.\nIn recent months, Trump has frequently attacked Canadian trade barriers on agriculture—dairy products in particular—as unfairly hurting American farmers.\nTrump told Fox about proposing to his G7 partners during last month’s summit in Quebec that they remove all trade-related barriers and taxes.\n“Canada, you’re not going to get 275 per cent for your dairy and you’re going to take down all your barriers,” he said as an example.\n“We’re going to take down all our barriers, we’re going to take down all our taxes, right. Do you know what happened? Everybody said, ‘Uh, can we get on to another subject?”‘\nTrudeau has insisted the U.S. president’s complaints about Canada’s trade barriers are the result of his refusal to give in to Trump’s demands to do away with the country’s supply-management system, which is designed to protect dairy, poultry and egg producers.\nThe prime minister has said they’ve disagreed over Trump’s call for Canada to open up its supply management system during NAFTA talks.\n—with files from Associated Press", "Mexico's president-elect, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, is not closed to the idea of selling opium for pharmaceutical use, a senior aide said on Wednesday, a sign of the deep changes the next government is considering in the war on drugs.\nMEXICO CITY: Mexico's president-elect, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, is not closed to the idea of selling opium for pharmaceutical use, a senior aide said on Wednesday, a sign of the deep changes the next government is considering in the war on drugs.\n\"Why not sell it to pharmaceutical companies?\" said Olga Sanchez, a former Supreme Court judge who is the incoming president's pick to run the interior ministry.\nAdvertisement\nShe said the next president, a 64-year-old former mayor of Mexico City, supported a public consultation on the possibility of regulating opium and decriminalising marijuana.\nLopez Obrador did not take a clear stance on decriminalising drugs before Sunday's election, but says he will try out new approaches to tackling Mexico's violence, including possible amnesty for some cartel employees.\nThe United States has been engulfed by an epidemic of opioid addiction in recent years that has led to tens of thousands of overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration says 93 percent of the heroin on U.S. streets is produced in Mexico.\nIn Mexico, the battle for control of heroin production and trafficking is held partly responsible for the country's record violence, which led to nearly 30,000 murders last year.\nAdvertisement\nAdvertisement\nRegulation of opium poppy farming for morphine production is a model used in Turkey and India, among other countries, but some experts believe changes in the market thanks to the rise of synthetic opiates make it hard to achieve.\nTo legally grow and export opium poppies for painkillers, Mexico first would need authorization from the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), a United Nations body.\nLopez Obrador takes office in December. The current government also explored regulating poppy production to make pharmaceutical opiates.\nLopez Obrador upturned Mexico's political status quo in Sunday's election with more than half the country voting for him, and his coalition will have a majority in Congress, projections show, ending 89 years of rule by just two parties.\nSanchez said the newcomers were also exploring decriminalising marijuana for recreational use, saying it no longer made sense for Mexican authorities to engage in a violent struggle against the drug when Canada and several U.S. states had adopted more lenient policies.\n\"What are we thinking? Tell me. Killing ourselves. Really, keep on killing when ... North America is decriminalising?\" she told W Radio.\nSanchez said any such move would be in parallel to rehabilitation programs and strict punishments for anyone who sold drugs to children.\n(Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel and Dave Graham in Mexico City; Editing by Matthew Lewis)", "By Frank Jack Daniel\nMEXICO CITY, July 4 (Reuters) - Mexico's president-elect, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, is not closed to the idea of selling opium for pharmaceutical use, a senior aide said on Wednesday, a sign of the deep changes the next government is considering in the war on drugs.\n\"Why not sell it to pharmaceutical companies?\" said Olga Sanchez, a former Supreme Court judge who is the incoming president's pick to run the interior ministry.\nShe said the next president, a 64-year-old former mayor of Mexico City, supported a public consultation on the possibility of regulating opium and decriminalizing marijuana.\nLopez Obrador did not take a clear stance on decriminalizing drugs before Sunday's election, but says he will try out new approaches to tackling Mexico's violence, including possible amnesty for some cartel employees.\nThe United States has been engulfed by an epidemic of opioid addiction in recent years that has led to tens of thousands of overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration says 93 percent of the heroin on U.S. streets is produced in Mexico.\nIn Mexico, the battle for control of heroin production and trafficking is held partly responsible for the country's record violence, which led to nearly 30,000 murders last year.\nRegulation of opium poppy farming for morphine production is a model used in Turkey and India, among other countries, but some experts believe changes in the market thanks to the rise of synthetic opiates make it hard to achieve.\nTo legally grow and export opium poppies for painkillers, Mexico first would need authorization from the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), a United Nations body.\nLopez Obrador takes office in December. The current government also explored regulating poppy production to make pharmaceutical opiates.\nLopez Obrador upturned Mexico's political status quo in Sunday's election with more than half the country voting for him, and his coalition will have a majority in Congress, projections show, ending 89 years of rule by just two parties.\nSanchez said the newcomers were also exploring decriminalizing marijuana for recreational use, saying it no longer made sense for Mexican authorities to engage in a violent struggle against the drug when Canada and several U.S. states had adopted more lenient policies.\n\"What are we thinking? Tell me. Killing ourselves. Really, keep on killing when ... North America is decriminalizing?\" she told W Radio.\nSanchez said any such move would be in parallel to rehabilitation programs and strict punishments for anyone who sold drugs to children. (Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel and Dave Graham in Mexico City Editing by Matthew Lewis)" ]

[ "By . Lillian Radulova . With Australia's strict asylum seeker policy putting an effective stop to boat arrivals, Indonesian people smugglers have set their sights on another 'safe haven'. More than 8,000 kilometres away, beyond the treacherous waters of the Indian Ocean and the fickle Tasman Sea, lies New Zealand, a country whose shores have so far remained untouched by any refugee boat. Various separate plans to attempt the journey have so far been thwarted, with some never making it past Papua New Guinea while others collapse at the early planning stages, still in Indonesia. New Zealand is the the new ideal location for the approximate 100,000 refugees currently in limbo in Indonesia, after crackdowns in Australia render seeking asylum in the closer country impossible . But a joint investigation by Fairfax Media and New Zealand's Sunday Star-Times, has revealed that, as desperation mounts amongst the 100,000 plus asylum seekers currently in Indonesia and with more arriving every day, smugglers continue to try and win over the wallets of those who are frantic to resettle. Part of the desperation for the 100 or so refugees that arrive each day, is their instant move into limbo, due to Indonesia not being a signatory of the Refugee Convention. This means they are dubbed illegal and are unable to work or educate their children, leaving them with the option of remaining in Indonesia with a minute chance of resettlement, returning to the home they fled or risk a spell in one of Australia's detention centres. Feeding off of these anxieties, are people smugglers, who offer the faint hope of a fourth option: New Zealand. One Pakistani travel agent, who now resides in Bogor, Indonesia, has most recently been one of the culprits behind a ploy to smuggle 50 Indian, Bangladesh, Pakistani and Afghan refugees out of the town of Cisarua and onto a boat bound for West Papua and finally Kaitaia, in New Zealand's north-west, Fairfax reports. New Zealand's Indonesian Ambassador David Taylor is skeptical about the small refugee boat's ability to successfully make the 8,000km journey from Indonesia, as no refugee boat has ever reached its shores to date . For the price of $500 US up front, and about $5000 US in total, the organisation offered the asylum seekers passage on an metal-hulled, 32m-long and 7m-high boat which he termed 'safe' for the treacherous voyage. The smugglers also claim a second boat would follow close behind as back up as they travelled along the Indonesian coast, and as far as West Papua where the larger boat would be re-provisioned and the smaller support vessel would return to Java. They told the passengers that the journey would take 10-12 days, but ensured them that New Zealand would accept the refugees if the boat made it to its destination. The plan was thwarted however when the refugees were intercepted by police after a suspected tip-off. The most recent New Zealand bound boat, which planned to follow a route similar to the one pictured, was thwarted by Indonesian officials on Wednesday . New Zealand's Indonesian Ambassador, David Taylor, says the smugglers' grand promises are all dangerous lies. 'The boats these people-smugglers are using are mainly wooden, small, they're not ocean fit and they're overcrowded . . . it's a pipe dream that they're going to be able to get to New Zealand,' he said. 'Some [smugglers] say \"we'll get you to New Zealand\" not actually intending to get there because they know they can't, [they're] hoping to get to a certain point then duck into Australia, so it's part of their marketing strategy.' In a tape obtained by The Sunday Star-Times, a money changer said the following about a proposed voyage to New Zealand: 'All passengers are waiting for getting one boat through. If one boat through, proved getting to New Zealand, more will go.'" ]

[ "Russell Brand has taken aim at Tony Abbott and Australia's asylum seeker policies. The British comedian, who has rebranded himself as a political activist, says mandatory offshore detention and resettling asylum seekers in other countries is not in tune with modern-day globalised society. 'Anything where people are sent into camps makes me nervous... the whole mentality of anti-immigration really seems to me like an old-fashioned one and not in tune with a progressive globalised times,' Brand said in a pre-recorded video message. 'I don't reckon he's (Abbott) ever been on an immigration vessel,' he says in a video for his The Trews web series. Brand's criticism of Australia's Prime Minister comes at a time when his leadership of the country is under threat. Scroll down for video . British comedian Russell Brand has uploaded a video on his 'The Trews' YouTube channel . Brand criticised Tony Abbott's (left) strict immigration policy and Rupert Murdoch's (right) tax avoidance . An image of asylum seekers arriving by boat, escorted by Australian navy patrol boats . Refugee and asylum seeker activists who are also against Tony Abbott's policies . Brand also criticised the fact that journalists were not allowed to enter Australia's detention centres and mocked Abbott for treating the issue like a quiz show. 'He does think it's a quiz show. Tony, why are there even white people in Australia? How did white people get to Australia?' The 39-year-old argues asylum seekers are not a drain on the country's economy and the government could be tougher on corporate tax evaders if they wanted to increase revenues. He was especially critical of Rupert Murdoch and his companies, who he says pay too little tax. The 39-year-old, who has rebranded himself as a political activist, also criticised the fact that journalists were not allowed to enter Australia's detention centres . Brand's video was uploaded on Thursday has already been watched more than 73,000 times . 'Rupert Murdoch is a refugee of the world. Rupert Murdoch can be a refugee in the Virgin Islands, a refugee in Mauritius ... and not pay tax in Britain and not pay tax in Australia and not pay tax in the United States, but actual refugees ... they can't get no traction, they can't get no satisfaction or opportunities, for them the gates are closed. 'Global corporations treat it (the earth) as a borderless world where they can go where they want and do what they want,' he said. 'But if the poor people of the world, similarly (do so), in search of a better life... then those doors are slammed for them.' 'We should be closing the doors for corporations who already have wealth and affluence and opening the doors to the needy.' Brand's video was uploaded on Thursday has already been watched more than 73,000 times. Some Australians registered their support for Brand's views on Twitter. '@rustyrockets Don't worry, the people in Australia disagree massively with Abbott. He will not be in his position much longer,' @martyaskew said. This comes as two Liberal backbenchers announced they would move a spill motion against Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Friday. Since then, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop has stated she would not stand on a ticket with Mr Abbott. However Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has ruled himself out of contention but Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has not issued a statement. Mr Abbott will reportedly face a leadership challenge on Tuesday in Canberra . It's the first Liberal leadership challenge since 2009.", "Asylum seekers trying to reach Australia could be housed on Indonesia's uninhabited islands, under a plan being proposed by that country's ministers. Human rights advocated say the scheme would make those seeking asylum hostages in the country. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno has suggested the idea so the asylum seekers 'don't disturb the public'. Asylum seekers trying to reach Australia could be housed on Indonesia's uninhabited islands, under a plan being proposed by that country's ministers; above, a group of about 120 Australian-bound asylum seekers, mostly from Afghanistan and Iran, are evacuated by Indonesian authorities from a tanker in Marak port in April 2012 following a two-day stand-off . Suspected asylum seekers arrive at Flying Fish Cove, Christmas Island, after being intercepted and escorted in by the Australian Navy in August 2013 . Galang Island, Batam, in Indonesia's northwest, has been identified as a place to house asylum seekers . He has suggested Galang Island, Batam, in the country's northwest. The island was used to accommodate 250,000 refugees during the Vietnam War between 1979 and 1996. The asylum seekers expenses would be covered by the Indonesian government who would work alongside non-governmental organizations - such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Purdijatno is one of three senior Indonesian government ministers who have championed the plan to President Joko Widodo. The suggestion follows last week's decision by Australia's federal government to lock out asylum seekers who registered after July 1. They will also accept 150 less asylum seekers who are awaiting resettlement from Indonesia, reducing yearly numbers from 600 to 450. A boat carrying about 350 asylum seekers arrives into Christmas Island in the remote northwest of Australia in August 2001; passengers appear happy, waving out to photographers nearby . Sri Lankan and Afghan detainees look out from the fence from inside the Construction camp detention center on Christmas Island in February 2012 . An Australian frigate can be seen in the background as defence personnel prepare to board a boat carrying about 200 asylum seekers as they approach Christmas Island in October 2001 . According to the World Bulletin Human Rights Minister Yasonna Hamonangan Laoly said the unclear status of refugees or asylum seekers would make them hostages in the country. He said: 'It is the right [policy] for Australia, but it will weigh on us,' said Laoly. Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno LP Marsudi says the plan goes against the Convention on Refugees and Indonesia's international duty. He said: 'If the responsibility to resolve the problem only burdens transit countries, then it is not fair.' In April 2014 the United Nations refugee agency in Jakarta reported that there were about 10,000 asylum seekers and refugees in Indonesia, the majority from the Middle East. The majority are Muslims hoping to move to Australia. Meanwhile, waves of refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Iraq and Myanmar continue to flow in. Most have travelled across continents in crowded leaky boats that are liable to capsize.", "Ban: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced a ban on all boat refugees settling in the country . Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has banned all illegal boat refugees from ever settling in the country. Mr Rudd announced on Friday that all new unauthorised asylum-seekers will be sent to Papua New Guinea under a regional resettlement deal, declaring future boat refugees will have 'no chance' of staying in Australia as refugees. The tough move is designed to prevent people smugglers exploiting refugees and taking vast sums of money putting them on leaky wooden boats with false promises that they will be able to make Australia their home. In a blunt message to the people traffickers, Mr Rudd said: 'Your business model is over. 'These are nothing but false hopes,' said Mr Rudd, who added that Australia would continue to take 'large numbers' of genuine asylum-seekers through its refugee resettlement programme. The Prime Minister said he would impose the changes as soon as possible as he signed the agreement with the promise that there be no cap on the number of asylum-seekers being sent to PNG's Manus Island detention centre. 'From now on, any asylum-seeker who arrives in Australia by boat will have no chance of being settled in Australia as refugees,' Mr Rudd said in Brisbane at a press conference with PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill. 'Asylum-seekers taken to Christmas Island will be sent to Manus and elsewhere in Papua New Guinea for assessment of their refugee status. 'If they are found to be genuine refugees they will be resettled in Papua New Guinea - an emerging economy with a strong future, a robust democracy which is also a signatory to the United Nations refugees convention. 'If they are found not to be genuine refugees they may be repatriated to their country of origin or be sent to a safe third country other than Australia.' Mr Rudd said the agreement did not specify an absolute limit to the number of refugees who could be resettled. Crackdown: The tough move is designed to prevent people smugglers exploiting refugees and taking vast sums of money putting them on leaky wooden boats such as the one pictured, with false promises that they will be able to make Australia their home . 'Some will say it's too hard-line, others will say it's inadequate,' Mr Rudd said of his plan, as he sought to present it as a 'balanced' approach that lay between the opposing camps on border protection policy. With a federal election looming, Mr Rudd has been under fire from the Liberal Opposition for doing nothing to stop the boats. He said: 'Our responsibility as a government is to ensure that we have a robust system of border security and orderly migration, on the one hand, as well as fulfilling our legal and compassionate obligations under the refugees convention on the other.” Immigration Minister Tony Burke said the new regime applied immediately - starting with those asylum seekers on board a vessel intercepted earlier yesterday. He said: 'People who are currently within the detention network - within Australia on Manus or on Nauru - do not have these rules apply to them. 'But from now, on vessels that are intercepted will have the new rules apply to them and it will be a couple of weeks because of the health checks ... before the first transfers take place.' Mr Rudd said the arrangement would apply for the next 12 months, and be subject to annual review. Dangerous: There have been several examples of refugee-laden boats running into trouble including this one off Christmas Island in 2010 when at least 27 asylum seekers died . He said: 'Our expectation ... is as this regional resettlement arrangement is implemented, and the message is sent loud and clear back up the pipeline, the number of boats will decline over time as asylum-seekers then make recourse to other, more normal UNHCR processes to have their claims assessed.' He acknowledged that the change would be subject to a court challenge and would add to budget outlays. The Prime Minister unveiled today's agreement in the hope it will undermine the selling points used by people-smugglers, who have sent more than 15,000 asylum-seekers to Australia so far this year. While the Coalition has dismissed Mr Rudd's ability to put his tough talk into action, Mr Rudd is using the new plan to try to address a major political vulnerability ahead of the federal election. Tony Abbott immediately welcomed the initiative as a 'very promising development'. 'But it will never work with Mr Rudd in charge,' the Coalition leader said. He said it was Labour's fifth go at dealing with asylum-seekers and today's agreement remained about processing 'not stopping the boats'. Alternative: Boat refugees will be sent to Papua New Guinea instead (file picture) Neither Mr Rudd nor Mr O'Neill would say how many asylum-seekers would be sent to PNG, despite speculation earlier today that the arrangement would be capped at about 3000 people. Mr O'Neill said: 'We will take as much as we can with the capacities that we have on the ground. 'As you know we are building more capacity to take more refugees and asylum-seekers. 'You can't simply estimate a number given you don't know how many people are seeking such refugee status in the boats that are arriving. 'We are hoping that the boats will stop and there will be nobody coming to Manus, and that is the objective of this arrangement.' Mr Rudd said Australia and PNG would deliver the message 'loud and clear' to people-smuggling networks and criminal elements within Australia helping them. Discussions: Mr Rudd hoped those Nauru arrangements would be built on in the future. He said he had spoken with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (pictured) about the plan . The hopes they offer their customers for the future are nothing but false hopes,' he said. He acknowledged the implementation of the new regional approach would not be smooth. He added: 'We are bound to run into many unanticipated problems. We will tackle them one by one.' Australia will continue its cooperative offshore processing arrangements with Nauru. Mr Rudd hoped those Nauru arrangements would be built on in the future. He said he had spoken with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon about the plan. Australia also plans to convene an international conference of transit and destination countries to consider how to improve global arrangements for refugees. The conference would consider the adequacy of processing arrangements and how Australia, the US, Canada and other countries could deal better with the resettlement issues. Mr Rudd said Australia would also seek to develop more regional arrangements at a similar conference due to be hosted by Indonesia. He said: We will also be working with regional partners on visa arrangements for certain countries around the world that have become source countries for irregular people movements.' The new policy increases federal spending on border protection to support an agreement with Papua New Guinea that will see the detention centre on Manus Island expanded from the previous plan to lift its capacity to 600. In exchange for PNG's agreement, Australia will fund further aid initiatives. These include redeveloping a major referral hospital in Lae, PNG's second largest city, and assisting with its long-term management. Australia will also supply half the funding to reform PNG's university sector and in 2014 implement the recommendations of an Australia-PNG education review.", "Two compounds at the Manus Island detention centre in Papua New Guinea have been barricaded by groups of asylum seekers who are not allowing staff to enter. ABC News reported on Sunday that protesters in the Delta and Oscar compounds of the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre placed boxes in front of gates to keep out security staff and government officials. ‘People in Delta compound fear (the) guards,’ one asylum seeker said. Scroll down for video . An asylum seeker on hunger strike at the Manus Island detention centre is carried away on a stretcher . However, security staff have reportedly rounded up who they consider to be the ring leaders and put them in a high-security isolation unit. Refugee advocates say Transfield riot officers raided early on Sunday a compound seizing leaders of the protest in which hundreds of men are on hunger or water strike at the Australian-run asylum-seeker processing centre. While about 30 other asylum seekers have sewn their lips together. ‘The riot squad attempted to force water down the throat of two unconscious asylum seekers in the compound,’ Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said in a statement. Security staff march into a Manus Island detention centre compound . ‘They also threatened that a special forces unit will come from Port Moresby 'to deal with you' unless the hunger strike was ended by this morning.’ Deputy premier Warren Truss could not confirm those reports on Sunday, but said new Immigration Minister Peter Dutton would be seeking to do that. 'Minister Dutton has made a number of statements about what he believes to be happening at the present time. The flow of information is not always reliable,' Mr Truss told AAP in Brisbane. The security personnel were reportedly rounding up who they considered to be the ring leaders . The refugees said they were being denied food and water and have sent photos of men burrowing beneath a fence to reach crates of bottled water placed just outside the compound. A spokesman for Immigration Minister Dutton said the government had been ‘advised that food and water continue to be available’. ‘However, normal services and supplies in certain areas of the centre have been affected by the disruptive behaviour of some transferees. Normal services are ready to resume in those areas as soon as the situation allows,’ the spokesman said. Refugees said they were being denied food and water at the detention centre on Manus Island . On Sunday, the Refugee Action Coalition also published a letter it said was signed by 80 asylum seekers in Foxtrot compound. ‘Here a disaster is about to happen, please prevent this disaster,’ the letter read. ‘The Australian Government is planning to resettle us in PNG against our will, by forcing us. ‘We are not willing to be resettled in PNG because there is no safety [or] any future for us and our family. ‘Today we consider us to be hostage for the Australian Government so they can deter others not to come to Australia.’ Asylum seekers' bedding lies on the ground where their hunger strike is taking place . The protests, which began on Tuesday, were apparently sparked by plans to transfer some of the 50 men given refugees status to a transit centre near the main town of Manus Island. He said the government wanted to ensure that people in those centres were appropriately cared for. But Mr Truss reiterated that people who arrived by boat without a visa would not be resettled in Australia. Asylum seekers look on as security personnel search one of the compounds . 'You won't be able to get your way into this country through some kind of illegal people smuggling operation or by, for that matter, put up an argument that somehow or other you are being badly treated now and therefore should be granted access to this country,' he said. However, Mr Rintoul said taking leaders hostage or sending in the riot squad would not stop the hundreds of hunger strikers.", "Immigration controls in Australia are so tough that asylum seekers are rejected on board naval warships at sea before being returned immediately, it emerged yesterday. Australian prime minister Tony Abbott says the EU must ‘urgently’ follow his lead to stop migrants dying in the Mediterranean as they seek a new life in Europe. Yesterday Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi said his country was ‘at war’ with migrant traffickers, describing them as ‘the slave traders of the 21st century’. Scroll down for video . The Australian Navy, pictured, is processing migrants' claims while at sea before returning them home . Australia has one of the toughest immigration policies in the developed world according to experts . Australian PM Tony Abbott, pictured, has said his country's immigration controls have been strengthened . EU leaders will hold a crisis summit in Brussels today to agree a strategy after up to 900 were killed when a fishing boat from Libya capsized. They are expected to double funding and equipment for EU border-patrol missions off the North African coast. But critics believe millions of impoverished Africans and Asians are happy to set off into the Mediterranean in leaky boats because they are confident humanitarian efforts will save them and speed them to their destination. Mr Abbott has insisted: ‘The only way you can stop the deaths is to stop the boats.’ Australia detains people on the Pacific islands of Nauru or Papua New Guinea while their asylum applications are considered, in order to avoid them absconding and staying on Australian soil while their cases are heard. Those on Nauru have the ‘opportunity’ to seek a life in Cambodia – which is paid by Australia to take them – while those in Papua New Guinea can stay there under a similar deal. Any who sneak past navy patrols to set foot on Australia are barred from staying for ignoring procedure, even if their asylum claim is genuine. But it emerged yesterday that Australian premier Mr Abbott’s immigration-control policy is even tougher than had been previously thought. It was revealed that officials rejected asylum claims of 46 Vietnamese aboard an Australian navy vessel – without setting foot on dry land – before the group was handed back to Vietnam last week. The screening aboard HMAS Choules is believed to have happened over a number of days after a boat was intercepted north of Australia. They were returned to the port city of Vung Tau, south of Ho Chi Minh City. Australia’s Vietnamese community leaders warned that the Abbott government would be ‘throwing people back to hell’ by returning the asylum seekers. There were reports last year that an asylum seeker from an ethnic minority hill tribe was badly beaten by Vietnamese government officials after being returned by Cambodia. And Amnesty International said that claims of persecution by the Vietnamese cannot have been adequately assessed while still at sea. Amnesty’s Graeme McGregor said: ‘These reports are extremely concerning and represent a fundamental violation of refugee rights. ‘Basic screening procedures at sea cannot be relied upon to make such life and death decisions. ‘Instead of digging itself deeper into disrepute by negotiating secretive deals to return asylum seekers, Australia should be helping those in need and identifying safe, practical ways for refugees to reach safety. The government has repeatedly excused its secretive boat turn-backs by trying to claim that they save lives. ‘The return of Vietnamese asylum seekers to the very country and government that they have escaped from exposes the truth about the government’s policies: that they do not save people, but repel people who may need our help.’ Immigration minister Peter Dutton refused to comment on the return of the Vietnamese but insisted people were not sent back to countries where they would face persecution. However, in a video to be shown to asylum seekers on Nauru, he can be seen urging them to take up the Australian offer for them to resettle in Cambodia. He tells the asylum seekers: ‘It is a fast-paced and vibrant country with a stable economy and varied employment opportunities.’", "(CNN) -- Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono sought to present a united front on the controversial issue of asylum seekers Monday, as the two leaders held talks in Jakarta. The talks -- Abbott's first on foreign soil after assuming the premiership last month -- took place in the wake of the deaths of at least 36 people on Saturday off the coast of West Java, Indonesia. \"We are determined to end this scourge, which is not just an affront to our two countries, but which has so often become a humanitarian disaster in the seas between our two countries,\" said Abbott during a joint press conference with his host. OPINION: Why Australia's asylum plan won't work . \"They give us a burden socially and economically,\" agreed Yudhoyono. \"When they want to make their way to Australia, they also burden Indonesia. So in this spirit, to enable Indonesia and Australia to solve their problem, we have to work together.\" On Monday, 28 survivors were being cared for by immigration officials in the West Java city of Cianjur, according to local police spokesman Martinus Sitompol, who added that rescue and recovery efforts would continue for the next three days. Most of the boat's occupants were from Lebanon and Iraq, officials said, while others came from Nigeria, Jordan and Iran. It's believed they were heading for the Australian territory of Christmas Island. Last week, Abbott moved to defuse tensions with Indonesia over how Australia handles asylum seekers entering its waters, dismissing the situation as \"a passing irritant.\" \"The last thing I would ever want to do is anything that doesn't show the fullest possible respect for Indonesia's sovereignty,\" Abbott told Fairfax Radio. \"This is a broad and deep relationship which is going to get broader and deeper over time. \"The last thing anyone should want is to have Australia's relationship with Indonesia defined by this boats issue, which I am sure will be but a passing irritant.\" OPINION: Australian parties in 'race to bottom' on asylum seeker policy . Abbott has ordered a military-led border protection plan in response to an increased number of illegal arrivals by boat -- many of whom use Indonesia as a staging post in onward voyages into Australian waters -- and has told the Royal Australian Navy to turn back vessels when it is safe to do so. Australia's new Liberal-Coalition government argues that the tow-back policy would show criminal syndicates in Indonesia that it was serious about smashing people-smuggling operations. Indonesia, however, has been cool towards the tow-back scheme which it sees as a violation of its sovereignty. At a meeting in New York with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop last week, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa warned that Indonesia would not accept violations of its borders, cautioning the Abbott government against taking any \"unilateral steps\" that would put the \"cooperation and trust\" between the two countries. Ignoring a plea from Bishop to deal with the problem \"behind the scenes,\" Indonesia took the step of publishing details of the private conversation, a move seen by commentators as a blunt warning from Indonesia. ''Asian diplomacy in particular is marked by understatement ... this is what makes it such an extraordinary development,'' Acting opposition leader Chris Bowen told ABC TV. ''It's an unprecedented step by an Indonesian foreign minister, I can't recall an Indonesian foreign minister taking a step like this in relation to Australia ever before.'' The Indonesian Foreign Ministry and the Ambassador to Australia both issued statements last week saying the meeting transcript was not intended to be issued. Former Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer weighed into the debate on Friday, saying Indonesia needed to accept responsibility for the problem. ''They do have to understand that it's their boats with their crews, their flagged boats, which are breaking our sovereignty and are breaking our law by transgressing our national borders, our maritime borders,'' Downer told Fairfax Radio. ''There's no point in allowing ourselves to be bullied by the Indonesians in this way. I mean, we have to stand up for ourselves and stand up for our national interest and be prepared to call it as it is.\" Indonesian researcher with Human Rights Watch Andreas Harsono told CNN that refugees were caught between harsher policies emanating from Australia and harsh conditions in Indonesia, which is not a signatory to international conventions on refugees. \"The problem in Indonesia is that there is a lack of a protection mechanism within the Indonesia legal system to protect these asylum seekers,\" Harsono said, adding that refugees -- including unaccompanied minors -- were often placed in detention for a year and had no right to work or go to school on their release. He described Australia's tow-back policy, meanwhile, as \"dangerous.\" \"Most of these boats are not seaworthy, many of them do not have GPS or other navigational equipment -- to tow them back into international waters is dangerous,\" he said. \"What Tony Abbott can do is to urge Indonesia to ratify the refugee conventions.\" According to the latest data from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship there were 17,698 asylum seekers as of March, 2013. The figures show a marked increase in the number of people seeking asylum in Australia, with the first three-quarters of 2012-13 already ahead of the total for the entire 2011-2012 period. The figures also show that for the first time \"irregular maritime arrivals\" (IMA), or boat people, for the first time outnumber arrivals by air (non-IMA). Despite the recent increases in the number of asylum seekers, Australia takes just 3% of the world's refugees, according to figures from the United Nations High Commission of Refugees. The majority of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat were from Afghanistan in 2011-12, with Iran, Sri Lanka and Pakistan the next largest groups.", "By . Australian Associated Press . and Ryan Lipman . Prime Minister Tony Abbott has defended Australia's policy of turning back asylum seeker boats after the High Court granted an interim injunction to prevent the government handing 153 asylum seekers to the Sri Lankan authorities. On Tuesday, Mr Abbott said what his government does at sea is in line with its international obligations and safety protocols. He also took a swipe at Opposition and Greens 'activists', accusing them of trying to disrupt the Government's policies. Scroll down for video . Prime Minister Tony Abbott said what his government does at sea is in line with its international obligations and safety protocols . 'The person who brought this injunction is a former Labor candidate,' he told the Seven Network, referring to George Newhouse, who was among the group of barristers who brought the claim before the High Court. The Prime Minister added: 'What I'm focused on is stopping the boats. That is what we are absolutely and constantly focused on, because as long as the boats keeping coming, we will keep having deaths at sea. 'So the most decent, humane and compassionate thing you can do is to stop the boats.' The United Nations has criticised Australia's decision to return 41 asylum seekers to Sri Lanka, as the High Court considers the future of 153 others who could face the same fate. But Mr Abbott dodged questions about the asylum seeker group and the court's decision. 'I'm just not going to comment at all on operational matters,' he told the Seven Network. 'Any commentary by government members about operational matters just gives aid and comfort to the people smugglers.' This comes as the father of a three-year-old girl named Febrina, who is among 37 children in the group of 153, has appealed for the government to protect his daughter. It is claimed that Febrina was travelling on a vessel which left the Indian city of Pondicherry on June 13. There has been no word from the boat since June 28. Sri Lankan girl Febrina, 3, is claimed to be a passenger on the missing boat of asylum seekers . Speaking to the Tamil Refugee Council, the unidentified man appealed directly to Immigration Minister Scott Morrison for information . 'I am desperate to know where my family is. I can’t function at all not knowing. I know all of them would be in very big trouble if sent back to Sri Lanka,' he said. 'I want to plead with the Australian minister to stop our pain and let us know what he has done with all the kids and families on the boat. I ask him to be kind to these people. They are all very frightened. 'They cannot be sent back to Sri Lanka. Many of them will be tortured again and even killed.' The man wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals. 'I cannot understand why a country like Australia would send people back to Sri Lanka, knowing they have been tortured there. Why would they do it?' he said. An image believed to be his daughter has appeared on the Tamil Fightback website. It was impossible to verify if the girl in the picture was on the refugee ship. A late sitting of the High Court in Sydney on Monday barred the return of the 153 asylum seekers, 48 of whom are Tamil, until 4pm Tuesday or further order of the court. Their case will be heard at the High Court in Melbourne at  2pm today. The injunction is a major blow the the government's turnback policy. Pictured is an example of type of vessel used by asylum seekers trying to enter Australia by boat . Prime Minister Tony Abbott defended the government's actions at sea saying the government had met its international obligations. But he said he was not going to comment on 'operational matters'. 'Any commentary by government members about operational matters just gives aid and comfort to the people smugglers,' he said. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees also criticised Australia's decision to return the 41 asylum seekers to Sri Lanka, saying it doubted the government's brief interviews on board the boat to assess refugee claims complied with international law. The agency said its experience with shipboard processing has generally not been positive. 'Such an environment would rarely afford an appropriate venue for a fair procedure,' it said in a statement. Amid reports that 41 Tamils from another boat of asylum seekers were facing criminal charges following their handover to Sri Lankan police, lawyer George Newhouse says the 153 asylum seekers are 'entitled to have their claims for protection processed in accordance with Australian law'. 'The [immigration] minister cannot simply intercept their vessel in the middle of the night and \"disappear' them,\"' Mr Newhouse told AAP on Monday night. 'The asylum seekers claim that they are fleeing persecution and that they're at risk of death, torture or significant harm at the hands of Sri Lankan authorities,' Mr Newhouse said. '[There's] a need for ongoing protection.' Forty-one Sri Lankan asylum seekers from a second boat already returned by the Australian authorities reportedly face jail despite assurances from the Abbott government they were in no danger of persecution. But Mr Newhouse argues there are serious concerns for the safety of the asylum seekers if they are handed over, and is worried they will also be charged and potentially jailed. 'In Sri Lankan jails, detainees are often subjected to torture and sometimes they never reappear,' he said. 'We're talking about a boat load of women and children, and I would have thought that the minister needs to think very clearly before he sends them into Sri Lankan jail.' The group already handed over will face court in the port of Galle at an unspecified date, charged under the Immigrants and Emigrants Act, a Sri Lankan police spokesman reportedly said. A High Court injunction is preventing the return of 153 asylum seekers to Sri Lankan authorities over concerns about their safety and relatives of those reportedly on a missing boat are appealing for information . The asylum seekers were transferred in mild sea conditions off the coast of Sri Lanka after the boat was stopped west of the Cocos Islands in late June. 'The sentence for those who are proved to have left illegally is two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine,' the spokesman said, according to Reuters. The Australian government says none of the Tamils, who were screened via video link, are in danger of persecution. 'All were screened in terms of any potential protection obligation and none were found to be owed that protection,' Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday. Refugee lawyer David Manne said it was difficult to track the fate of returned asylum seekers. 'This is part of the problem that we've seen in Sri Lanka, with people being essentially summarily expelled there without proper due process,' he told ABC TV. Opposition frontbencher Penny Wong says Labor has 'serious concerns' about the treatment of the asylum seekers.Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says the government seems to believe it is 'above the law'. 'The Australian people are becoming sick and tired of the spin, the secrecy, and the danger we're putting these people's lives in.' The court's injunction ends at 4pm on Tuesday unless it makes an order to extend it.", "By . Candace Sutton . People smugglers are offering 'kids travel free deals' to asylum seekers as well as discount prices on boat trips to Australia, says the chief of the border protection command. Operation Sovereign Borders commander, Lieutenant General Angus Campbell said the government's toughened border policies had made people smugglers desperate to make money. '[There are] much reduced prices, special deals, and some smugglers offering kids to travel for free: all this and more, to put people’s lives at risk, in small boats on a large ocean,' General Campbell said. Scroll down for video . Kids go free: People smugglers are offering 'kids travel free' deals to asylum seekers and discount boat trips to Australia since border protection rules changes . Neverending flow: Border protection chief Lt General Angus Campbell (above) says desperate people smugglers will make money anyway they can and the flow of people seeking refuge across the world had reached 232 million, three per cent of the world's population, and showed no sign of abating . In his first speech since taking over Australia's border protection and the Abbott Government's new strategies regarding detention centres on the island of Nauru and in Papua New Guinea, General Campbell said international syndicates were looking for any gaps in policy to exploit the nation's borders. 'The ability of people to travel—through a range of both regular and irregular means—has never been greater,' he said. Operation Sovereign Borders launched in September 2013 with these key components to stop asylum seeker boats to Australia: . •    No onshore processing of refugees and increased offshore centres . •    Expanded customs fleet and disruption of boat activity . •    Improved air/sea military surveillance . •    Regional awareness campaign that people smuggling is criminal and illegal boat people cannot stay on Australia soil . •    Boat buy back programme to discourage sale of vessels to smugglers . •    Intelligence scheme to uncover smuggling operations and bounty payments for arrests . •    Lifeboats for refugees to thwart scuttle attempts, demands for Australian rescues and allow boat people to safely turn back . 'This trend shows no signs of abating. There are too many prospective travellers susceptible to believing that Nauru is a town in Australia.' He said the number of people crossing international borders had grown from about 77 million in 1960 to about 232 million in 2013, or just over three per cent of the world's population. Addressing the Australian Strategic Policy Institute on Thursday night, he said the Operation Sovereign Borders team had 'greatly disrupted maritime people smuggling to Australia'. 'Business is down, but smugglers will keep trying because they hope to turn a profit. As with combating other forms of organised crime, our determination and long term perseverance is essential to effectively dealing with this wicked problem.' While no boatload of refugees had successfully arrived in Australia for five months, his job was far from over. 'The benefits to date, while real, are modest,' he said. 'Substantially changing the irregular flow toward Australia and drawing down the pool of potential illegal immigrants in transit countries will require years, not months, of collective regional effort. 'To modify a well-known and very apt phrase, the price of border security is eternal vigilance.' Gen Campbell said he would not be heading the new $480.5 million super front-line agency, Border Force Australia, which would take over border protection in July 2015. He expected the Syrian conflict would continue to drive refugees across borders into other countries. aimed at stopping maritime arrivals of asylum seekers to Australia.", "By . Leesa Smith . and Aap . Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the Australian government would not be subjected to 'moral blackmail' when it comes to assessing who is given asylum in Australia following reports nine mothers on Christmas Island attempted suicide in the hope their children would by allowed to stay. The latest claims come as the government finally admitted in the High Court that they had intercepted a ship carrying 153 Sri Lankan asylum seekers in the Indian Ocean outside Australian territorial waters. At the detention centre on Christmas Island, reports have emerged of at least nine Sri Lankan mothers attempting to take their own lives in the past week once told by immigration officials that they would never resettle in Australia due to arriving before July 19, 2013, The Sydney Morning Herald reports. Scroll down for video . Sri Lankan asylum seekers prepare to enter the magistrate's court in the southern port district of Galle on Tuesday . The 41 refugees face court after being handed back to their country by Australia when a boat was intercepted off Cocos Island in late June - although their government declared they would not risk persecution if returned . Maurice Blackburn lawyer Jacob Varghese, who represents 72 asylum seeker babies, said the women were in a ‘state of utter despair’ about the welfare of their children. Mr Abbott said he had not seen the report, but added: \"If true, it is a harrowing tale\". However, he said the government would not capitulate to 'moral blackmail' when it came to border protection. 'This is not going to be a government which has our policy driven by people who are attempting to hold us over a moral barrel - we won't be driven by that,' he told the Nine Network on Wednesday. 'No Australian government should be subjected to the spectacle of people saying \"Unless you accept us, I am going to commit self harm\".' Officials told the High Court that a boat carrying the refugees had been intercepted last week. They are still on the customs vessel in the Indian Ocean outside Australian territorial waters while their fate is decided. The government promised to give three days' notice before attempting to return the group, which includes about 40 children, some as young as two. Meanwhile, 41 asylum seekers who were handed back to Sri Lanka by Australia appeared in court to face charges of attempting to leave the country illegally. Five remained in custody while 27 were granted bail. Nine children were discharged. The group had been intercepted off Cocos Island in late June and their government declared they would not risk persecution if returned. More... Tony Abbott defends Australia's policy of turning back boats after High Court STOPS government handing 153 asylum seekers over to Sri Lanka . Government has returned 41 asylum seekers detained in June to Sri Lanka despite fears their lives could be in danger . The Sri Lankan group was charged for attempting to leave the country illegally with 27 granted bail and five remanded in custody while nine children were discharged . Meanwhile, up to one dozen Sri Lankan mothers have attempted suicide on Christmas Island in the hope that their then orphaned children would get to reside in Australia . Late on Monday, the High Court granted an urgent temporary injunction preventing the return of the 153 to Sri Lanka ahead of Tuesday's hearing in Melbourne, where Commonwealth Solicitor-General Justin Gleeson undertook to give 72 hours' notice before moving them. Refugee rights activist Ian Rintoul said the decision will come as an ‘enormous relief’ to the asylum seekers. ‘It is only a temporary fix, but it's blown a bit of a hole in the government's treatment of asylum seekers,’ he said. The government had previously declined to reveal any details about the boat, citing its longstanding policy not to comment about on-water operations. But Mr Gleeson told the High Court on Tuesday Australian authorities had intercepted the boat 12 miles from Australian territorial waters which meant their future would be determined by the Maritime Powers Act, not the Migration Act. The matter will return to court within 21 days for a directions hearing. There are also 153 Sri Lankan asylum seekers held onboard the Australian customs vessel in the Indian Ocean since being intercepted in the last week . The fate of the Sri Lankan asylum seekers held at sea would not be decided for a least another three weeks .", "Liberal MP Wyatt Roy and comedian Josh Thomas have swapped insults in a Twitter stoush about children in detention centres. Josh Thomas, star of ‘Please Like Me’, took offence to a tweet from Roy about the Liberal party’s treatment of asylum seekers. The Federal Member for Longman had claimed, ‘1100 deaths at sea, 1400 children in detention. Our policies have saved lives – a fact lost on Labor members.’ The comedian, 27, instigated a fiery feud by quizzing the Liberal MP about the alleged sexual assault of children in Australia's detention centres. ‘Our government didn’t actually rape, kids did it?’ asked Thomas, accompanied by an article about the reported abuse. Scroll down for video . Comedian Josh Thomas has found himself in the middle of another heated exchange with a politician, when he took Liberal MP Wyatt Roy to task on the issue of asylum seekers . The Twitter stoush escalated when Josh Thomas referred to allegations that children in detentions centres have been the subject of sexual abuse. Wyatt Roy retaliated with an insult that referred to the title of Thomas' ABC TV show, Please Like Me . Wyatt Roy is the Federal Member for Longman. He had posted a tweet saying the Australian government is now implementing policies that are saving asylum seekers' lives . There were 33 reported cases of sexual abuse involving children in detention centres between January 2013 and March 2014. Allegations also emerged last month that guards at Nauru detention centre have been sexually assaulting refugees. The 27-year-old comedian began the argument by tweeting: ‘You’re being a twerp’, meaning a ‘silly, weak-minded, contemptible person’. Thomas took the 24-year-old MP to task over the Liberal government’s policies, also asking about cuts to foreign aid and the deportation of gay refugees to Papua New Guinea 'where homosexuality is illegal'. Josh Thomas' first tweet, igniting the feud, was the simple four word insult: 'You're being a twerp' Roy and Thomas swapped barbs on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon about the Liberal party's policies . The Federal member for Longman retaliated, lashing out at the ‘Please Like Me’ star. ‘No wonder you have to ask ppl to like you (sic),’ Wyatt Roy tweeted to Thomas. ‘Is this part of your routine? I wouldn’t open with that in any company.’ The Federal MP’s first tweet was accompanied by a YouTube video of Roy speaking in parliament, accusing the Labor party of being responsible for the death of 1100 asylum seekers at sea. Thomas pushed the MP to answer questions about the current state of Australia's immigration. ‘If the goal of being cruel to asylum seekers is to deter people from getting on boats then why the secrecy?’ Thomas tweeted to Roy. ‘And why not be crueller? We are a great, rich nation. Kick them in the balls, film it and put it on YouTube.’ Josh Thomas ABC show Please Like Me was nominated for an International Emmy in the comedy category . Roy responded to Thomas, defending the changes the Liberal party have made to their policies. ‘What is kind about ppl drowning & kids in detention (sic)? We can now take more of the world’s vulnerable,’ Roy tweeted. When Thomas then asked about the rape allegations, Roy lashed out at the comedian. ‘really? Is this where you are going with this conversation. No wonder you have to ask ppl to like you,’ Roy responded, referring to the name of Thomas’ ABC television program, Please Like Me. Wyatt Roy became the youngest person to ever be elected to Australian parliament in 2010 . The Liberal MP told Thomas there are ‘516 fewer children in detention compared to when we came into office,’ standing by his belief that Liberal policies are saving lives. Josh Thomas continued the debate, discussing the actions of the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Scott Morrison. ‘There are less (children in detention) because loads were sent back to danger. It’s not good having @ScottMorrisonMP as your legal guardian,' he tweeted. Josh Thomas also took a swing at the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Scott Morrison . Earlier this month, Josh Thomas was involved in another heated exchange with a politician whilst appearing on ABC program Q&A. He criticised north Queensland MP Bob Katter for his refusal to address homosexual issues as a politician. 'You say that it's (mental health issues amongst the gay community) not a priority but you talk about it quite a bit, and when you do talk about it you say awful things,' began Mr Thomas. 'All you need to do (is) say you say you know what, I've said some things in the past, it was a mistake,' said Mr Thomas, telling Mr Katter how to move forward in a more positive manner. '(You need to say) I understand now, it's (Mr Katter's comments) hurting people's mental health, it's part of the problem, not part of the solution. 'I'm sorry, hooray for homosexuals, here's some glitter.' Earlier this month, Josh Thomas was involved in another heated exchange with a politician whilst appearing on ABC program Q&A when he criticised north Queensland MP Bob Katter for his refusal to address homosexual issues as a politician .", "PUBLISHED: . 06:28 EST, 22 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:31 EST, 22 January 2014 . Australia's . Immigration Minister has come out fighting against claims that the navy was . responsible for burning the hands of asylum seekers who said they were forced . to hold on to parts of a hot boat engine. Minister Scott Morrison said he . would not tolerate the Australian navy being subjected to 'sledging' after . claims by Indonesian police that asylum seekers sent away from Australian . shores suffered burns. According to the Australian . Broadcasting Corporation, quoting Indonesian police sources, 10 asylum seekers . had to receive treatment after being escorted away from Australian waters - . seven of whom had 'severe burns' on their hands. An Australian frigate stands by as defence personell board an asylum seeker boat off of the coast of Christmas Island. Australia has had a recent bout of anti-asylum seeker policy . Asylum seekers react as they are evacuated, many of those seeking asylum in Australia are from middle-eastern countries like Iraq . The ABC said it had obtained vision . of the asylum seekers being medically assessed for burns from the hot engine . after they were returned to Indonesia. The burns claims, supported by . pictures of the hands of at least one asylum seeker, follows allegations by the . refugees two weeks ago that they were badly treated by the Australian navy. Now, according to the ABC, boat . passenger Merke Abdullah Ahmed, from Somalia, claimed that Australian navy . personnel punched some passengers and others were forced to hold onto the hot . metal. 'They physically harmed us,' the . broadcaster reported him as saying. 'Some of the passengers on board, they . tried to complain and speak about just their problems. 'They (navy personnel) just . punched...and you, know, fall down on the ground' Barges carry some of the mainly Iraqi boat people to shore on their arrival on Christmas Island October 10, 2001 after they were rescued from their sinking boat by Australian navy frigate HMAS Adelaide October . With relations between Australian . and Indonesia already strained after it was revealed that Australian naval . vessels had entered Indonesian waters on more than one occasion, Mr Morrison . said today that the injury claims were unsubstantiated. 'The Australian Government is not . going to put up with people sledging the Australian navy with unsubstantiated . claims,' he said. He added that people smugglers and . their clients 'have strong motivations for seeking to discredit the activities . of Australia's border protection operations in an attempt to undermine public . support for the Government's strong border policies. 'There has been no police . investigation in Indonesia. There has been nothing of that sort.' Australian Navy boats are being used accused of entering Indonesian waters in the transfer of asylum seekers . Acting Liberal Prime Minister Warren . Truss said later today that he was confident Defence Force personnel had acted . responsibly. 'I regret the fact that some asylum . seekers seem to have been injured, but who knows under what circumstances that . injury happened,' he told the ABC. The Indonesian government has not . yet announced whether it has accepted Australia's apology for its naval vessels . entering Indonesian waters without permisison, but it has sent four of its own . ships to patrol its sea borders to the south. A former Indonesian general who is . now a member of Indonesia's foreign affairs commission has rejected claims by . Australia that its ships had not intended entering Indonesian waters. Australian troops board a small craft on the way to a Norwegian-registered frigate carrying asylum seekers . Tubagus Hasanuddin said he had . studied at the military academy in Australia and he doubted the navy had . strayed into Indonesian waters unintentionally. 'The Australian navy doesn't have . wooden boats. They have warships equipped with modern technology,' he said. 'They should have known which part of the water is Indonesia and which is not.' Mr Tubagus warned that if Australia . kept forcing asylum seeker boats back into Indonesian waters, it risked meeting . the Indonesian navy head to head on the high seas.", "By . Aap . Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has told an inquiry into the treatment of children in detention about the 'moral burden' and 'emotional challenges' of his job, but says indulging in sentiment will result in more asylum seeker deaths at sea. Mr Morrison made the comments during his opening statement into an Australian Human Rights Commission inquiry hearing into the treatment of children in detention. 'There is much emotion in this serious topic that is before your inquiry. There should be,' he told AHRC president Gillian Triggs in Canberra. Scroll down for video . Immigration minister Scott Morrison speaking during a public hearing of the Human Right Commission at Parliament House in Canberra today . 'As a parent of two young children, the emotional challenges of working in this policy portfolio are just as real and just as great [as] they would be any other parent in my position. 'But sentiment cannot be indulged at the expense of effective policy that is saving lives and ending the chaos and tragedy that was occurring.' He said the Australian people decided at the last election that enough children had drowned while seeking asylum. 'There is no decision that I, or any of my predecessors, take as a minister in this area that is free of moral burden.' A group of asylum seekers are transported to Christmas Island in July 2012 after their boat issued a distress signal . 150 children will be released from mainland detention centres into the community. But approximately 700 children will remain in detention on Christmas Island (pictured) and on Nauru . The inquiry comes as this week Mr Morrison announced that 150 children held in mainland detention centres would be released into the community on bridging visas by the end of the year. Approximately 700 children will remain in detention centres, including those in Nauru and on Christmas Island. Concerns have been raised by refugee advocacy groups about the effect mandatory detention has on children, with allegations of physical and sexual abuse and deprivation outlined in a recent report released by the Australian Human Rights Commission. However Mr Morrison said the inquiry should be investigating his Labor predecessors, under whose watch most of the children arrived in Australia. Mr Morrison expressed disappointment the commission had not sought testimony from his four Labor predecessors, given more than 8,469 children arrived in Australia by boat during the Labor years. 'I invite the commission to rectify this situation by extending an invitation to my predecessors,' he said. Under the Abbott government, more children had been released from detention than put in, he said. He said just 353 children had arrived in Australia by boat since the September election, while 537 were released from detention - with the further 150 to come out in coming months. A drawing done by a six-year-old asylum seeker currently detained in Australian . There have been allegations that the conditions of the detention centres could cause depression and trauma for the children . Prof Triggs pressed Mr Morrison for any evidence that detaining children for long periods of time had a deterrence effect. 'There appears to be no connection between these two,' she said. People she had interviewed in mainland centres and on Christmas Island had 'no idea' of that aspect of government's policy. But Mr Morrison said detention of young children was merely a consequence of the government's policy not to allow refugees to be processed in Australia. That was followed by a heated exchange about whether detention facilities employed armed guards and resembled prisons. Prof Triggs said there was no way into the centres except through armed guards. Immigration department secretary Martin Bowles took issue, categorically denying armed guards work at the centres and calling on Prof Triggs to retract her statement. The commissioner then claimed conditions on Christmas Island were similar to those of prisons, prompting Mr Morrison to query whether she was comparing the facility with Long Bay jail. Prof Triggs said she would like to move on. Mr Morrison blamed the government's lack of movement on processing tens of thousands of backlogged refugee applications on the Senate, which was refusing to pass the reintroduction of temporary visas. The government's policy was to no longer grant permanent visas to refugees meaning there was no visa available for them, he said. 'And the government is not going to allow a set of policies to be weakened that would see an Australian staring into the face of a child corpse again,' he said. A picture drawn by a Rohingya child, described as one of the least-wanted people in the world, detained on Christmas Island .", "(CNN) -- Two children are among four people who died after a boat carrying at least 160 people capsized off the coast of West Java, Indonesian rescue officials said Wednesday. Fisherman, who saw people floating in the water on Tuesday night, alerted search and rescue teams that worked in the dark to find survivors, said Rochmali, the head of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Team. Rochmali -- like many Indonesians -- only uses one name. Some made it to land on their own and were found along the beach just off Cianjur District, south of Bandung, the capital of West Java Province, he said. So far, 156 survivors have been taken to temporary shelters and clinics on the island. Rescuers in rubber boats and local fisherman continue to search the water for remaining survivors in choppy sea within 5 nautical miles of the shore. Some media reports suggested that as many as 60 people were missing, though that number could not be confirmed as the boat was not registered and carries no official passenger list. \"We don't know how many people were on board, because the survivors are reluctant to tell us,\" said Rochmali. It's uncertain where the boat was headed, although Rochmali said Indonesian officials believe they were on their way to Australian waters near Christmas Island to seek possible asylum. READ MORE: Riots as Australia shuts door on asylum . \"They don't want to talk to officials frankly about their intention and who they are. Even some of them tried to run away, or maybe already run away after being saved,\" he said. Those who had spoken to officers claimed they were nationals of Iran, Iraq, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Rochmali said. \"But whether it is true or not, we still have to reconfirm,\" he added. Last week, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that asylum seekers arriving in Australian waters would no longer be resettled in the country. Instead, they'll be sent to Papua New Guinea for processing and will be settled there if found to be refugees. If their bids fail, they'll be sent home or to another country, Rudd announced. READ MORE: Why Australia's asylum plan won't work . Rights groups have condemned the policy, accusing the Australian government of shirking its responsibility for asylum seekers. \"It cannot possibly be presented as an example of regional cooperation because it is little more than a wealthy country paying a much weaker neighbor to take on its international responsibilities to people seeking asylum,\" said Paul Power, chief executive officer of the Refugee Council of Australia. On Wednesday, Rudd said the tragedy off West Java emphasized the need for policy changes to send \"a clear message to people smugglers to stop sending people by boat to Australia.\" \"We're seeing too many drownings, we're seeing too many sinkings, too many innocent people being lost at sea,\" according to Rudd. Australian agencies were monitoring the situation, he said. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority declined to comment on the rescue to CNN, saying it was being handled by Indonesian authorities. Journalist Rudy Madanir contributed to this report.", "By . Australian Associated Press . and Sarah Dean . In denial? Minister for Immigration Scott Morrison has refused to confirm claims by refugee activists that a boat carrying Tamil asylum seekers is in trouble . Immigration Minister Scott Morrison is refusing to confirm the existence of a boat carrying 153 Tamil asylum seekers, including apparently sick children, 170 nautical miles off Christmas Island. The boat is likely to have run out of oil and is stranded in high seas, refugee advocates say, but Mr Morrison claims there are no significant incidents at sea to report. The West Australian is reporting a second boat has been intercepted by Australian Customs vessel Triton near Christmas Island. Opposition immigration spokesman Richard Marles said he had heard the second boat, carrying 50 asylum seekers, had departed from Java. Refugee activists said on Saturday the larger 21m boat which left from India on June 13 had sprung an oil leak and was expected to run out by lunch time on Saturday. 'We are experiencing huge waves and very bad conditions,' a man claiming to be aboard the boat told Fairfax Media via satellite phone on Saturday. 'We are very afraid and at threat. We have only three litres of water left. We can only manage for today, and tomorrow we will have nothing to drink.' This photo shows a group of asylum seekers arriving on Christmas Island, on December 6, 2013 . A second boat has reportedly been intercepted by Australian Customs vessel Triton (pictured) near Christmas Island . Two children on board - one aged three months, the other two years, were sick with vomiting, fever and headaches, he said. 'The wind is increasing. It is a very difficult situation.' There are thought to be 32 women and 37 children on the vessel. If it reaches Christmas Island it will be the first asylum-seeker boat to reach Australian shores in six months. Mr Morrison would not confirm if there was a boat, if it was in Australian waters or if the government was taking any action. 'No boat has arrived,' he told reporters in Melbourne. The minister said the government's border protection policies had not changed and that he would not comment on reports relating to Operation Sovereign Borders unless a significant event was involved. 'I am advised that I have no such report to provide to you today,' he said. Where they could end up: A temporary detention centre on Christmas Island . If the boat reaches Christmas Island it will be the first asylum-seeker boat to reach Australian shores in six months . Mr Marles said Mr Morrison's response was 'a complete farce'. 'He's very happy to beat his chest on the good days, but is silent on the bad,' he told reporters in Melbourne. Mr Marles said he had no doubt Australian customs and the navy would do their job and provide assistance when it become necessary. But Mr Morrison was reaching new lows by not commenting on what actions are being taken just because it was 'inconvenient for his political scoreboard'. Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said Mr Morrison's attitude to the problem was 'cavalier and dismissive'. Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. From the late 1980s and early 1990s, boats carrying asylum seekers, mainly departing from Indonesia, began landing on the island . 'We don't want to see the government waiting until it's too late,' he said. Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said turning the boat back to India was not an option. 'If the Prime Minister intends on creating a diplomatic row with India by attempting to turn the boat back, he needs to be up front about that,' Ms Hanson-Young said in a statement on Saturday. 'After nearly two weeks on board this boat these people will be extremely traumatised and in need of care. 'We should be offering this to them.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.", "By . Kate Lyons . Cricketing great Glenn McGrath has come under fire after Immigration Minister Scott Morrison presented cricket bats signed by him and fellow fast bowling great Brett Lee to the Indian government to secure their cooperation in accepting 157 asylum seekers detained at sea for four weeks. Mr Morrison presented cricket bats signed by McGrath and fellow fast bowler Brett Lee to Indian Home Affairs Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj when they met to discuss the deal last week. Glenn McGrath came under fire on social media for being associated with the deal - despite having no knowledge that the bats had been presented to the ministers. Scroll down for video . Glenn McGrath has come under fire for signing cricket bats that were presented to Indian officials as goodwill gifts by Scott Morrison before he negotiated a deal to return asylum seekers to India . 'You should be ashamed of yourself lending your name to send vulnerable refugees back to their misery! Disgusted,' wrote Dame Lisa Townes in a tweet later deleted from Glenn McGrath's account. But fast bowler defended himself against the criticism, saying he was a humanitarian - even though he had no knowledge the bat had been used by Mr Morrison. 'I do support asylum seekers & have compassion for humanity. I have always tried to help people but I sign a bat & I'm labelled otherwise?!!' he tweeted. The signed Kookaburra bats were presented to Ministers Singh and Swaraj last week as a gesture of goodwill before the meetings with Mr Morrison, which saw India agree to accept all Indian nationals and some Sri Lankan nationals on board the border protections vessel that has been floating off the coast of Australia for almost a month. Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee reported signed the bats as a favour to Immigration Minister Scott Morrison and knew what they were going to be used for . The Daily Telegraph reported that Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee were 'happy to sign the bats as a favour to Mr Morrison, after he told them what they were for' and many on social media took Glenn McGrath's involvement as a sign of his approval of the government's hard-line policy on asylum seekers. 'Ooh Ah Glenn McGrath loves Scott Morrison Ooh Eee Brett Lee loves what we do to asylum seekers,' wrote Bec. 'Very sad to see cricket legends Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee backing Scott Morrison's policies,' tweeted Leon Gettler. Scott Morrison announced on Friday that the Australian vessel carrying the 157 asylum seekers would be brought to Australia and so those on board could be processed, making it the first asylum seeker vessel to land in Australia since the government introduced its hard-line Stop The Boats campaign. The asylum seekers were detained on the boat for almost one month, leading to a High Court case which sought to determine if this detention was legal. It is believed the boat left Pondicherry in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu on June 11 and was intercepted by Australian border patrol on 29 June. Glenn McGrath has defended himself saying he supports asylum seekers and has 'compassion for humanity'", "The protester who gate-crashed the Australian Open men's final has apologised to Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and the 'tennis heads' at the game - but has said she would do it again to raise awareness about the plight of asylum seekers in Australia. 'I would absolutely do it again and again and again,' said Karoline Morwitzer, 32, on Radio 3AW this morning. The community arts worker told Daily Mail Australia about the 'scary' and 'overwhelming' moment she and a friend were grabbed by security after they stormed the court. Play was halted for five minutes while the activists were carried away from the court, with many in the crowd booing. Around six other people in the front row joined the demonstration, wearing shirts: 'Australia Open for refugees' or 'Shut Down Manus Island'. Scroll down for video . Security guards quickly detained two women, including Karoline Morwitzer (pictured), who ran onto the court during the second set of Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic's Australian Open Men's Final match . Channel 7 opted to delay the telecast for four minutes so the commotion caused by the protest and the slogan on the banner were not shown on television . Arts worker: Ms Morwitzer has pledged to act in defence of asylum seekers 'again and again and again' When she's not protesting, Ms Morwitzer is a community arts worker who has been involved in bands (pictured) A security guard runs after one of the women who managed to get access to centre court at Rod Laver Arena whilst fellow refugee advocates brandish a banner from the front row . Two women rushed onto the court yelling and waving banners which declared: ‘Australia Open for refugees #ShutdownManus', whilst another banner was also unfurled by another five supporters in the front row . 'This issue was bigger than the tennis, bigger than Rod Laver Arena and something we felt every person in Australia better be thinking critically and consciously about,' she said. 'I would say to the players -  as well to all the tennis heads - I send an apology to them but reiterate that this issue is bigger than the tennis game.' But Ms Morwitzer refused to go into detail about how expensive their protest was and how much planning was involved. 'I'm going to continue to skirt that particular aspect because it may affect the charges,' Ms Morwitzer said. The Tennis Australia price guide said tickets purchased prior to the tournament commencing cost $390 for adults. 'It's something every person in Australia needs to be thinking very very deeply - legitimising torture and abuse.' The Manus Island immigration detention facility, also known as the Manus Island Regional processing centre, is an offshore asylum processing institution located in Papua New Guinea, which operates on behalf of the Australian Government. Recently, the centre has been the subject of a number of protests which are angered by harsh treatment of detainees, who have been denied basic amenities as they bid for asylum. The policy of detaining asylum seekers offshore - intended as an immigration deterrent - has been criticised by several human rights groups. Following the court invasion, Australian Open officials released a statement on Twitter, confirming the arrests of two protesters. Tug of war: A security guard removes the banner of political protesters during the men's singles final between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic . Seated: Security guards circled Djokovic (left) and Murray (right) to protect them, as a precaution despite the peaceful nature of the protest. The match was stalled for five minutes due to the protest . The Australian Open Twitter account announced that both women were arrested for intruding on the court . 'Two people have been arrested after a court invasion during the second set of the men's final,' they wrote. 'Security responded immediately. Both were quickly removed with minimal disruption to play.' Apparently unperturbed by the incident, Djokovic went on to beat Murray to claim his fifth Australian Open title. A team of around four security guards each formed a shield around the tennis players when the intruders broke out onto the court. The Australian Open Men’s Final was televised live and was expected to draw in millions of viewers. Channel 7 opted to delay the telecast for four minutes so the commotion caused by the protest and the slogan on the banner were not shown on television. However, photos of the incident quickly circulated online, particularly on social media. The group who organised the protest are called Australia Open for Refugees. 'We have created this international media spectacle today to expose the torture, abuse, and horrific conditions that are being perpetrated on Manus Island,\" the group told SBS. \"We will not be silent. We are drawing a line with this issue. If we allow this to happen, there is no end to what this government is capable of.\" Debate ensued when many took to social media, sharing a range of opinions on the unexpected protest. ‘Yeah, that \"Australia open for refugees\" sign did look threatening. Cant have human rights interrupt our entertainment,’ tweeted Steve Raymond. ‘Great protest at the Australian Open, from what I hear. Well done, whoever it was. MY country will ALWAYS be open for asylum seekers,’ wrote Sir Joseph d'Ananas . ‘Why pay $400 bucks for a ticket and then decide to jump on court and protest. #Cowards #Gutless,’ wrote Michael Thompson. ‘Would like to applauded the @AustralianOpen security team. They had the protest dealt with at a blink of an eye,’ wrote Anita. ‘Congrats to the #refugee rights protesters for trying to get national attention,’tweeted Nicola Paris. The activists were protesting against the inhumane living conditions refugees suffer through whilst detained at Manus Island Processing Centre . The five protesters in the front row were also removed from Rod Laver Arena by security .", "By . Ryan Lipman . As many as 25 African delegates who were in Melbourne for the 20th International AIDS Conference are in crisis accommodation after refusing to leave Australia. The five-day conference finished on July 25 and delegates from countries including Tanzania are now seeking asylum in Australia, while their visas have reportedly expired or are due to imminently. One of the delegates, who preferred to remain anonymous, said his work with people with HIV and albinos in his native Tanzania had put his life at risk after, reported the ABC. Scroll down for video . About 25 African International AIDS Conference delegates are seeking asylum in Australia . Tanzania has one of the highest rates of albino murders in the world, often a result of witchcraft killings. Receiving death threats, the delegate said he was nearly killed by a group of people who chased him as he drove home from watching soccer game. 'So I got a very bad accident ... almost like dying. They wanted to kill me. After that crash, they disappeared completely because so many people came to give me help,' he said. Believing the Tanzanian Government will not be able to protect his safety or similar incidents from happening, the delegate plans to lodge his asylum application later this month. Pamela Curr of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre confirmed the group of delegates was seeking advice about gaining refugee protection in Australia . He said he decided to seek asylum in Australia due to its human rights 'reputation'. A spokesperson of Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the government would asses each claim for protection based on individual merit and in compliance with the law. Pamela Curr of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre said the group of delegates was getting advice about gaining refugee protection in Australia, because they come from countries where AIDS-related work had put their lives at risk. 'It seems that some of them have been considering whether they think they can survive in their countries of origin, or whether they should try to survive by getting refugee protection in Australia,' she said. She said the delegates' visas had either already expired or were due to and that it was not the first time conference delegates have tried to gain refugee status in Australia. 'When people have come from countries where their daily lives are threatened by violence and politics, and they come to Australia and take a deep breath, walk down the street, and know that no one is going to kill them. It's a very intoxicating freedom,' she said. Ms Curr said this is not the first time conference delegates had tried to get asylum in Australia . Ms Curr said this is not the first time conference delegates had tried to get asylum in Australia and that in the past, delegates had been granted asylum because their claims were considered strong under refugee protection. Calling a refugee visa one of the 'hardest' to get in Australia, she said the current delegate's claims would be assessed as per the refugee convention. If found to have a claim, Ms Carr said she wants to see protection offered to the delegates by the government. Crisis accommodation service HomeGround CEO Heather Holst said the organisation had helped find shelter for 14 of the delegates after they sought help. She said while the organisation was not involved in the asylum seeking process, they could provide support with finding a place to stay.", "An asylum seeker is pictured with his lips sewn together in this handout picture provided by the refugee action coalition, taken inside the Manus Island detention centre on January 13 . Two-thirds of asylum seekers at Manus Island are on hunger strike and up to 14 people have sewn their lips together to protest against a plan to move them to Papua New Guinea. Asylum seekers began hunger strikes last week at the Australian-run asylum-seeker processing centre, demanding the immigration department halt a scheduled January 22 transfer of 50 male detainees to temporary, insecure housing in Lorengau, the Manus capital. Up to 700 people have been refusing to eat and in some cases drink in the protests that have been escalating over the past week, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Asylum seekers have also written to Manus Island service providers asking that their organs be donated should they die in detention. 'As you see, hunger strike spreads all over the center and everyday more and more of us become unconsciousness and faint. This means we are entering a critical phase in our medical status,' the letter reads. 'All asylum seekers on Manus Island in hunger strike ask you to hand over our medical records to organ donation organisation in case of our fatalities inside the cage. 'This way at least a part of us may one day feel sweet taste of FREEDOM.' Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has said the situation was volatile and urged those involved to refrain from self harm. Refugee advocates said riot officers raided one compound in the early hours of Sunday, seizing ring leaders and placing them in isolation to stop the protest. Scroll down for video . Asylum seekers during a hunger strike at the Manus Island detention centre on Sunday . Asylum seekers have also written to Manus Island service providers asking that their organs be donated should they die in detention . But a PNG government spokesman told AAP there was 'no such incident' and that the raid did not happen. Labor believes the federal government should tell Australians what is going on at the Manus Island detention centre in Papua New Guinea amid conflicting claims about the protest. Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said in a statement that men had to burrow under a perimeter fence to reach bottled water left outside the compound. But a spokesperson for Mr Dutton said food and water continued to be available to the protesters, and most men at the centre received meals on Sunday. Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss could not confirm details on Sunday but said Mr Dutton would be seeking to do that. The detainees are demanding the immigration department halt a scheduled January 22 transfer of 50 male detainees to temporary, insecure housing in Lorengau, the Manus capital . Up to 700 people have been refusing to eat and in some cases drink in the protests that have been escalating over the past week . 'The flow of information is not always reliable,' Mr Truss told reporters in Brisbane. He reiterated the government message that people who arrived by boat without a visa would not be resettled in Australia. 'You won't be able to get your way into this country through some kind of illegal people smuggling operation or by, for that matter, put up an argument that somehow or other you are being badly treated now and therefore should be granted access to this country,' Mr Truss said. Opposition leader Bill Shorten says Australians are sick and tired of the culture of secrecy surrounding the asylum seeker processing centre there. 'Australians will normally give support to their government on tough matters - if people are told the truth,' Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday. Refugee advocates said riot officers raided one compound in the early hours of Sunday, seizing ring leaders and placing them in isolation to stop the protest .", "By . Candace Sutton . A former offshore processing official says refugee advocates are encouraging asylum seekers in Australia's immigration detention centres to self harm so the advocates can use the incidents for their own political agenda. Greg Lake told Mailonline a handful of 'extreme' refugee campaigners coached 'ringleaders' in detention centres who stood over more vulnerable asylum seekers, forcing them to sew their lips together, make suicide attempts and harm themselves to gain publicity for the advocates' cause. 'Then these advocates are ready with a media release to promote their cause,' he said, 'they often know about the incident before the minister or the department does and that's because they organised it.' He said the practice was confined to a minority of advocates, but that it was 'despicable'. Scroll down for video . 'Despicable' acts: Whistleblower Greg Lake, a former immigration department manager on Nauru, says that a small number of 'extremist' refugee advocates are coaching ringleaders in island detention centres to induce vulnerable asylum seekers to self harm all for the political agenda of refugee campaigners back in Australia . Christmas Island detention centre (pictured) where refugee advocates say at least ten women attempted suicide this week, a claim which has since come intodoubt . Tragic death: Asylum seekers on Manus Island hold a photograph of Reza Berati, the 23-year-old Iranian man, who died in a violent clash at the island's detention centre in February. Former immigration official Greg Lake says actions by extreme refugee advocates to pus their political barrow caused the fatal riot . Staged riot: A violent clash between asylum seekers house on Manus Island detection centre (pictured), north of Papua New Guinea, was the result of extremist refugee advocates encouraging violence to further their political cause back in Australia . 'I'm not saying this is the majority of advocates - most refugee advocates are genuinely interested in giving a voice to the voiceless and making people aware of the circumstances around asylum seekers. 'However there are some who do and I am sure that this is what happened before the violent protest on Manus Island which resulted in the death of Reza Berati.' 'In reality there is a lot of self harm by detainees in immigration detention centres which is due to mental health issues which they experience while in detention. 'But some high profile advocates are using people to prey on the more vulnerable among them to lip sewing and other harming activities.' Mr Berati was killed on February 17 during a riot inside the Manus Island detention centre in Papua New Guinea. Political agenda: Greg Lake (pictured) says that while most refugee advocates genuinely care about giving refugees a voice, but that an unscrupulous few entice ringleaders to stand over more vulnerable asylum seekers, forcing them to sew their lips together, make suicide attempts and harm themselves to gain publicity for the advocates' cause . The 23-year-old Iranian allegedly died after he was beaten with a wooden stick and kicked, before being hit on the head with a rock, during a confrontation between detainees and PNG locals in which 62 people were injured. Mr Lake is a former Department of Immigration regional manager who once worked in Nauru detention centre. He resigned in December 2012 and has since been critical of both sides in the immigration and asylum seeker debate. Greg Lake said the actions of the extremist refugee advocates were 'at odds with their mandate'. He was responding to questions about a claim by the Refugee Action Coalition that ten women in detention on Christmas Island had attempted suicide this week so that their orphaned babies might be brought up in Australia. The Australian reported the Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul had 'backed down' from his earlier claimed that '10 mothers in the family camp have attempted suicide in the last two days on Christmas Island'. The newspaper quoted Mr Rintoul as saying he 'probably shouldn't have said attempted suicide' because 'people drinking concoctions of shampoo or detergent generally don’t die — was it a drastic cry for help? Yes, it was, and it remains that way'. Mr Rintoul told Mailonline that his apparent 'backdown' was nothing of the sort and had arisen out of a discussion about how the incident should have been reported. 'I am not resiling from what took place and that is self harm,' he told Mailonline. 'There are degrees of self harm. Some people slash their stomachs, some people drink concoctions. 'They drank shampoo, cut themselves, attempted to cut themselves. Drinking shampoo can kill you. 'Probably if I'd said ten women were self harming, there isn't any distinction between self harming and suicide.' Christmas Island: Claims of women attempting suicide in Christmas Island detention centre this week so that their orphaned children could become residents of Australia appear to have been exaggerated. The island which lies in the Indian Ocean 2600km northwest of Perth attracts boats like the vessel pictured off the island's Flying Fish Cove in August, 2011, from nearby neighbouring countries such as Indonesia . The detention centre on Christmas Island (above) opened in 2001 and now houses more than 1200 asylum seekers who arrived on boats from Indonesia and other neighbouring countries . Island detention: asylum seekers at Manus Island detention centre (pictured) attempt self harm because of mental health issues, but some are induced by the political agendas of extremist refugee advocates . Mr Rintoul denied encouraging individuals to self harm for his own political agenda. 'It's the system which encourages self harm,' he said, 'it breeds anxiety. 'I don't know individuals who actually self harmed. I do know some of the families. I got calls after the event.' Mr Rintoul said it was impossible for him or other advocates to call into detention centres, but that detainees could call them. He said Mr Lake's claims about advocates coaching detainees to self harm was 'sheer fantasy'. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has denied the claims that mothers had attempted suicide on Christmas Island so their children could gain Australian residency. Up to 14 female asylum seekers on self-harm watch were being monitored by female staff, Christmas Island shire councillor Gordon Thomson told AAP . Immigration Minister Scott Morrison is advised female staff are on hand to help women placed on watch when they are undertaking 'personal care tasks'.The level of monitoring varies, depending on the individual circumstances.'The wellbeing, safety and security of all people in immigration detention is of paramount importance,' a spokesman for Mr Morrison said in a statement to AAP.", "By . Leesa Smith . An openly gay African man planned to attend the AIDS 2014 conference in Melbourne with the aim to seek asylum in Australia because he fears for his life back in his homeland. The successful retail business owner decided to pay about $3220 to a man who organised his trip to Melbourne after his shop was looted three times with the final incident being done by the police themselves - where he was also beaten. The man, who is married to a woman who knew about his sexuality and who he recently had a child with, said he was left with no choice but to leave his family behind. Scroll down for video . About 25 African International AIDS Conference delegates are seeking asylum in Australia . ‘I said I did not want to leave without my family, but I could do nothing,’ he told The Age. ‘Even if you go to the police, they say, ‘In this country you cannot [be gay]'.' The man, who wished to remain anonymous due to concerns for his safety, is anxiously staying at a city backpacker hostel, with up to 25 other anxious African conference delegates seeking protection from persecution in their homelands. The five-day conference finished on July 25 and delegates from countries including Tanzania are are in crisis accommodation after refusing to leave Australia, while their visas have reportedly expired or are due to imminently. One of the delegates, who preferred to remain anonymous, said his work with people with HIV and albinos in his native Tanzania had put his life at risk after, reported the ABC. Tanzania has one of the highest rates of albino murders in the world, often a result of witchcraft killings. Receiving death threats, the delegate said he was nearly killed by a group of people who chased him as he drove home from watching soccer game. 'So I got a very bad accident ... almost like dying. They wanted to kill me. After that crash, they disappeared completely because so many people came to give me help,' he said. Believing the Tanzanian Government will not be able to protect his safety or similar incidents from happening, the delegate plans to lodge his asylum application later this month. Pamela Curr of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre confirmed the group of delegates was seeking advice about gaining refugee protection in Australia . He said he decided to seek asylum in Australia due to its human rights 'reputation'. A spokesperson of Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the government would assess each claim for protection based on individual merit and in compliance with the law. Pamela Curr of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre said the group of delegates was getting advice about gaining refugee protection in Australia, because they come from countries where AIDS-related work had put their lives at risk. 'It seems that some of them have been considering whether they think they can survive in their countries of origin, or whether they should try to survive by getting refugee protection in Australia,' she said. She said the delegates' visas had either already expired or were due to and that it was not the first time conference delegates have tried to gain refugee status in Australia. 'When people have come from countries where their daily lives are threatened by violence and politics, and they come to Australia and take a deep breath, walk down the street, and know that no one is going to kill them. It's a very intoxicating freedom,' she said. Ms Curr said this is not the first time conference delegates had tried to get asylum in Australia . Ms Curr said this is not the first time conference delegates had tried to get asylum in Australia and that in the past, delegates had been granted asylum because their claims were considered strong under refugee protection. Calling a refugee visa one of the 'hardest' to get in Australia, she said the current delegate's claims would be assessed as per the refugee convention. If found to have a claim, Ms Carr said she wants to see protection offered to the delegates by the government. Crisis accommodation service HomeGround CEO Heather Holst said the organisation had helped find shelter for 14 of the delegates after they sought help. She said while the organisation was not involved in the asylum seeking process, they could provide support with finding a place to stay.", "An online video game allowing players to become Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and 'stop the boats' has gone viral on social media. 'Stop the Boats' the game lets players try their hand at preventing refugee boats from landing on Australian shores - as a Tony Abbott head bobbing in the water. The mission? To keep as many vessels from the mainland as possible, while avoiding obstacles like politician Clive Palmer's Titanic and former One National leader Pauline Hanson 'at all costs'. The satirical game, set to Nintendo's Super Mario Brothers theme song, takes aim at the Coalition's divisive asylum seeker policy by greeting players with the teaser: . 'Oh no! Australia's refugee intake per capita is 68th in the world! Help Tony stop the boats and win over voter approval!' Gamers can also use their keyboards to 'Teleport Tony', 'Excercise humility with those $12 Billion F-35 jets, Straya'  or to help Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey  buy cigars. 'Stop the Boats' creator, Fraser Hemphill, said he was surprised to see the game received 100,000 hits within its first 36 hours online. 'It's gotten a lot bigger than I would ever have expected,' said Fraser. 'I needed to learn the language that the game's written in and I thought it would be a fun way to learn - but really, it was just a way of procrastinating for me and Facebook blew it up.' He said the game had clocked more than 1 million plays as of last night. Online gamers have called 'Stop the Boats' highly addictive, with one player saying it  'perfectly hits so-bad-it’s-good territory.' Scroll down for video . The 'Stop the Boats' online game has received xx hits on You Tube . If too many refugees make it to Australia, it's game over.  But winners who bat each boat offshore become 'the Suppository of all wisdom', a reference to a gaffe made by Mr Abbott at a Liberal Party meeting last year when he told the room: . 'No one, however smart, however well educated, however experienced, is the suppository of all wisdom.' The Abbott  government's 'stop the boats' asylum seeker policy, a key pre-election pledge, has been  condemned by the Australian Greens, non-governmental organisations and the United Nations as a breach of the Refugee Convention and human rights. Gamers are challenged to avoid obstacles like politician Clive Palmer in his Titanic and to collect revenue to help Treasurer Joe Hockey buy more cigars . You can play 'Stop the boats' at the Abbott Simulator here.", "By . Sally Lee . and Aap . If a picture is worth a thousand words, the messages in these disturbing drawings are loud and clear. Asylum seeker and refugee children, aged four to 17, have shared their experiences of being confined within the walls of Australia's detention centres. The drawings were released ahead the Australian Human Rights Commission's third hearing into the inquiry of detained children, which heard there are 659 children in immigration detention. Scroll down for video . The third hearing into the Australian Human Rights Commission inquiry on asylum seeker and refugee children will be held in Sydney on Thursday . A drawing by a six year old depicting life behind bars in an Australian detention centre . The drawings by asylum seeker and refugee children were released by the Australian Human Rights Commission . This image shows how children desperately want to be released from Australian detention centres . One troubling image shows people 'crying in the jail' while a child's parents are pictured committing suicide at Christmas Island. Another shows a haunting image of a person holding what appears to be a knife dripping with blood with the message: 'I need to go out please. I no wat [sic] to sit in jail. I want to go to school'. Through these drawings, children are pleading to be released where one child wrote: 'Is there anybody in Australia who can help us? Please help us'. An inquiry in to the health, well-being and development of children held in Australian detention centres was launched by Commission President Gillian Triggs on February 3. The Australian Human Rights Commission launched an inquiry into the health, well-being and development of detained children in February . This pictures shows a disturbing image of a person holding a knife that's dripping with blood . A heartbreaking drawing by a 14-year-old of life in one of Australia's detention centres . The head of Immigration Department Secretary Martin Bowles is due to make his first appearance at the inquiry along with other Immigration and Border Protection staff on Thursday . Department of Immigration and Border Protection secretary Martin Bowles told the commission the number of children being held in detention centres in Australia and offshore was 659 in July, 2013. This was 1330 less than the peak of 1992. Mr Bowles said the number of children being held at the Christmas Island detention centre was now 153, down by more than 530 in the past year. Some of those children had been transferred to Nauru, where there were now 185 children being held. Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) president Gillian Triggs asked Mr Bowles if he was being 'straight forward with the Australian public' in stating numbers on Christmas Island were being reduced if children had simply been transferred to Nauru. Mr Bowles responded that there had been a 'significant and considerable decrease' in numbers of children being held. 'I reject the imputation that we are either misleading or lying to anybody in relation to the reduction of children in detention,' he told the inquiry in Sydney on Thursday. The commission heard there are about 37 children among the 157 Sri Lankan asylum seekers recently transferred to the Curtin detention centre in Western Australia. 'Is there anybody in Australia who can help us,' one child writes underneath their drawing . Counsel assisting the inquiry Naomi Sharp asked Mr Bowles if he could confirm there were babies among those children. Mr Bowles that he could not confirm there were babies without having confirmed the \"biodata\" from assessment of the group, but said there were small children. In a statement to the inquiry Mr Bowles rejected claims made in the media about poor health care standards at the Christmas Island detention centre, saying the claims 'offend greatly' staff working at the centre. Mr Bowles said healthcare services on Christmas Island were 'commensurate with those available to the Australian community'. Mr Bowles said he would make no comments on Nauru as the scope of the commission extended only to onshore detention centres. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says reports from Western Australia's Curtin Immigration Detention Centre reveals 'high levels of torture and trauma' among detainees . The AHRC national inquiry into the health and well-being of children in immigration detention continues. Prof Triggs announced that Immigration Minister Scott Morrison had agreed to appear before the inquiry. She said Mr Morrison had declined to appear on Thursday because of the current legal proceedings surrounding the 157 Sri Lankan asylum seekers. No date has yet been set for the minister's appearance. A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the government would cooperate with the inquiry. 'More importantly the government will continue to reduce the number of children in detention as we have been doing since the day we were elected,' she said. The number of children in detention had fallen by almost 35 per cent since the September election. A six-year-old entitles his drawing as 'jail in Australia'", "By . Tom Mctague, Mail Online Deputy Political Editor . An asylum seeker who claimed they were 'destitute' to get thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money was found to have £74,000 in cash and illegal wages. The scandal was unearthed by the immigration watchdog in a damning report which exposed widespread fraud in the refugee system. John Vine, the Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, said asylum fraud cost taxpayers £1.2 million a year. But he warned that the true amount was likely to be 'substantially higher'. John Vine, the Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, said half of the recommendations in his report into the asylum system related to improvements in tackling fraud . Mr Vine said the Government was failing to tackle asylum seekers ripping off the taxpayers. The largest fraud seen by the chief inspector saw an asylum seeker handed £18,000 in support, while pocketing £74,000 from other benefits and wages from working on the side. The unnamed claimant was caught, but avoided jail - receiving a 12 month suspended sentence for fraud - and was not even asked to repay the cash even though they had £10,500 in savings. Theresa May has been ordered by the borders chief to get a grip on asylum fraud . Another asylum seeker and her husband illegally pocketed £11,000 in child benefit and child tax credit. The pair saved £10,000 of the benefits - but were only ordered to repay £6,000. Another supposedly destitute asylum seeker who was found with two laptops, a TV, several mobile phones and an exercise machine. Destitute asylum seekers can apply for 'asylum support' once they have been allowed to stay in the country. They can get free accommodation plus £36 a week if they are single or £72 for a couple. But as part of the deal they are not allowed to claim other benefits. The system costs £155 million a year - supporting 26,731 asylum seekers. In his report, Mr Vine said: 'I found no evidence that the Home Office had an effective strategy to identify and tackle fraud in the asylum support system. Work had not been undertaken to determine what its exposure to fraud risk was. 'No attempt had been made to ensure fraud and compliance teams operated in a consistent manner and there were insufficient resources dedicated to this work. As a result opportunities to identify and deter those wishing to commit fraud were lost. 'Almost half of my recommendations in this report relate to improvements in tackling fraud. The Home Office must ensure these are implemented swiftly and effectively.'", "The federal government's plan to boost its refugee intake by 7,500 has been overshadowed by claims that officials mistreated two pregnant Iranian asylum seekers who refused to get off a bus at a Darwin detention centre . The refugee increase will occur over four years and bring Australia's overall humanitarian intake to about 18,750. The move is expected to cost the government an estimated $100 million, which will be funded by savings within the immigration portfolio. It is one of a raft of measures that Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has agreed to as part of a deal with Senate crossbenchers to win support for his bill to resurrect temporary protection visas. Mr Morrison was forced to defend accusations that officials mistreated two heavily pregnant Iranian refugees who refused to get off a bus parked at Wickham Point detention centre 40km south of Darwin on Saturday. The federal government's boost to its refugee intake by 7,500 has been overshadowed by claims that officials mistreated two pregnant Iranian asylum seekers who refused to get off a bus at Wickham Point detention centre in the Northern Territory (pictured) Immigration minister Scott Morrison denies the pregnant women and their families were mistreated describing them as 'malicious claims by asylum activists' Mr Morrison said the welfare of the two heavily pregnant women, their husbands and one son was monitored and they had access to food, water, amenities, toilets and health professionals as they batted with authorities over the right to live in the community ahead of the births. But Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said the air conditioning was turned off on the bus during the stand-off which started at 10pm on Saturday when the women, Maryam and Tahere, refused to get off the bus. 'On Monday, both pregnant women fainted after the bus was intentionally allowed to heat up,' Mr Rintoul said on Wednesday. Maryam's husband collapsed and was taken to the medical centre in the facility, he added. Mr Rintoul also disputes the time frame for the end of the stand-off, saying the two women 'were dragged off the bus' between 5.30pm and 6pm on Monday, rather than Tuesday morning as reported. The second man, Adnan, alleges he was physically restrained by four guards as his wife Maryam was taken off. However, Mr Morrison rejected these claims stating that the department and detention service provider, Serco, had acted appropriately towards the women and their families. 'My understanding is they're fine,\" he said. Adnan and Maryam pictured boarding a plane in Nauru bound for Darwin, according to the Refugee Action Coalition . The 7,500 increase in Australia's refugee intake will be rolled out over four years. 'The government denies claims of cruelty and mistreatment of the individuals in the strongest possible terms,' he said in a statement. 'These are yet more malicious claims by asylum activists.' The two families had been on Nauru for 15 months, and had lived in the community for part of that time after being recognised as refugees. Mr Morrison said the government will 'hard-wire' its refugee intake commitment into a 'disallowable instrument,' so the intake can't be reduced without Senate agreement. Senator Nick Xenophon's amendments were also backed by the government and are expected to result in better alignment with the UNHCR when it comes to refugee assessments. The government's fast-tracking process will be limited to 30,000 cases left over from Labor government. A total of 25,000 asylum seekers now on bridging visas will be allowed work rights. Mr Morrison's announcement came after reports that his bill was set to be defeated in the Senate. 'The ultimate determination of this bill is in the hands of the Senate, it is not for me to commentate on the position of individual senators,' Mr Morrison said. The bill would also boost powers to turn back boats and head off a High Court challenge and create a five-year safehaven enterprise visa for genuine refugees. Senator Nick Xenophon's amendments were also backed by the government that will result in better alignment with the UNHCR when it comes to refugee assessments including greater efficiency which is free of bias .", "Britain has been stripped of its power to return asylum seekers to Greece - after a ruling by European judges. The decision by the Luxembourg court . risks plunging the entire European asylum system into chaos - and . leaving border controls in this country hamstrung. An immigration watchdog warned the ruling would open a ‘perfect back door into Britain’. Ruling: Britain and Ireland were today told they cannot send asylum seekers back to Greece because of the country¿s inadequate asylum arrangements . Under EU rules British officials can return asylum seekers to the first European country they set foot in. But today the European Court of . Justice said no-one should be returned to a country if it did not uphold . their ‘fundamental rights’. This means Britain cannot send asylum seekers back to Greece because its asylum system is such a mess. The ruling also opens the door for claims against other countries on the grounds their asylum systems are not up to scratch. Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch said: ‘This makes Greece the perfect back door into Britain. ‘In future, asylum seekers who are . not, in fact, genuine will claim that they have come through Greece, . whether or not they have. ‘It also undermines the agreement . which provides for asylum seekers to be sent back to the first EU . country in which they arrived.’ Around 90 per cent of illegal . immigrants who arrive in Europe do so through Greece, placing enormous . strain on the country’s immigration system. The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg (pictured) ruled that no EU government can take it for granted that another member state¿s asylum procedures complied with fundamental rights . The court ruled on a case brought by . an Afghan national known as ‘NS’ who was arrested in Greece in 2008 then . expelled to Turkey. He escaped and travelled to the UK where he applied . for asylum. Britain ordered his return to Greece but he launched a legal challenge. The court’s ruling said no EU . government could take it for granted that another member state’s asylum . procedures complied with fundamental rights. The judges said: ‘An asylum seeker may . not be transferred to a member state where he risks being subjected to . inhuman treatment.’ As a result member states cannot send . an asylum seeker back if they have ‘substantial grounds for believing . that the asylum seeker would face a real risk of being subjected to . inhuman or degrading treatment.’ Between 2006 and 2010, the UK removed . 6,034 people to other member states under the asylum rules - known as . the Dublin Regulations. Conservative MEP Timothy Kirkhope said it was time to ‘get tough’ with Greece. ‘Of course, it is not right that genuine asylum-seekers are returned to a country where they face further persecution’ he said. ‘However, there is also now a clear . incentive for people with other motives to enter the EU via Greece, safe . in the knowledge that other countries are powerless to return them.’ But Donna Covey, chief executive of the Refugee Council welcomed the ruling. She said: ‘The responsibility to . receive and determine claims of people seeking safety in Europe should . be shared across the continent, particularly in Western European . countries who see far fewer asylum seekers annually. ‘The focus for the member states must . now be on improving asylum systems across Europe to ensure people are . treated humanely while seeking safety in any country.’ Immigration minister Damian Green said: ‘Asylum claims should be dealt with in the first country of arrival. ‘We expect every member state to . ensure that the Dublin Regulation can operate effectively across the EU, . and we are working with Greece to improve their asylum processes.’", "Had he stayed in Russia, Andrew Mironov would be settling in to a stable job with an oil company, likely with a newly awarded doctoral degree in electrical engineering. Instead, he faces an uncertain future in New York City as one of scores of Russian gays seeking asylum in the United States because of hostility and harassment in their homeland. 'In Russia, I would have gotten my Ph.D. this fall, had a job and health insurance,' said Mironov, 25. 'Now, here, I'm nobody.' Seeking equality: In addition to Andrew Mironov, Russian gays such as Andrew Nasonov, right, and Igor Bazilevsky,left,  pictured on their wedding day, are seeking asylum in the US . Yet the sacrifices have been worth it, Mironov says, given the fears that lingered after he was severely beaten by several assailants in the lobby of a gay bar in his home city of Samara. 'Which is more important, happiness or success?' he asked over coffee in midtown Manhattan. 'I would say happiness. I feel no fear here.' There are no firm statistics on the number of gay Russian asylum seekers; U.S. government agencies that handle applications do not report such details. However, the Department of Homeland Security's latest figures show that overall applications for asylum by Russians totaled 969 in the 2014 fiscal year, up 34 percent from 2012. The increase is due in part to the worsening anti-gay climate in Russia, according to Immigration Equality, a New York-based organization which provides legal services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender immigrants. The organization says the number of inquiries it received from gay Russians seeking U.S. asylum has risen from 68 in 2012 to 127 in 2013 and 161 through Oct. 30 of this year. During that period, gay-rights gatherings in Russia were frequently targeted by assailants, and the parliament passed a law targeting 'gay propaganda' that was widely viewed as a means of deterring gay activism. Said Mironov of that law, 'It helped homophobic people feel the government is on their side.' To get an application approved, an asylum seeker must present a convincing case that he or she has a 'well-founded fear of persecution' in their home country. Russia's anti-gay policies and its record of anti-gay violence are factors that could strengthen an individual's case. Wanted more: The couple came to the United States from Russia in July, and are preparing to file an application seeking asylum in the U.S. Aaron Morris, Immigration Equality's legal director, said most of the recent asylum inquiries came from gay men in their 20s and 30s who had been targeted by anti-gay attacks, while only a handful have come from gays or lesbians raising children. 'If you have kids, it can be really hard to leave everything behind,' Morris said. In several U.S. cities, programs have been launched to assist gay asylum seekers from Russia and elsewhere as they await processing of their applications, which can take six months or more. For the first five months, the asylum seekers are barred from taking paying jobs, so they often struggle to support themselves, even with resumes illustrating professional success in Russia. In Washington, D.C., housing is among the major challenges, according to Matthew Corso, who has helped the DC Center for the LGBT Community create a program to assist people who are seeking asylum. 'We have no trouble finding them legal representation, but trying to find someone willing to give part of their home or money for food or transportation is not easy,' Corso said. Another group aiding gay Russian asylum-seekers in the Washington area is the Spectrum Human Rights Alliance, founded in 2011 by Russian immigrant Larry Poltavtsev. Gender equality: The legality of gay marriage and a more accepting culture are pushing gay Russians to move to the U.S. for asylum . Poltavtsev, who studied chemistry at the University of North Carolina in the 1990s, is frustrated by the rules that bar asylum-seekers from working. \"It makes no sense because most of our arrivals have advanced degrees and speak good English,\" he said. \"They're capable of being productive, paying taxes, but we are not letting them do those things while they're waiting.\" Soon to join the queue of applicants are Andrew Nasonov and Igor Bazilevsky, longtime partners from the Russian city of Voronezh who wearied of threats, harassment and beatings and came to the United States in July. They're now assembling the paperwork for their case and getting Russian documents translated into English. 'Of course we are worried, but we hope for the best,' Nasonov said. Nasonov, 25, was a journalist and human-rights activist in Russia; Bazilevsky, 32, was a graphic designer. They hope to pursue those careers in the U.S. if their asylum applications are approved. Meanwhile, they've been provided with lodging by a gay couple in a Washington suburb and took a step in October that would have been impossible in Russia - they got married. 'We were finally able to say that we are a real family - there are not enough words to describe how wonderful these feelings are,' Nasonov wrote in an email. 'But of course, we are still faced with a lot of difficulties,' he added. 'It was hard to leave our relatives, friends, and parents behind in Russia. ... We have nothing here, and in many ways are completely dependent on the assistance of the people who surround us.' Rise in attacks: Russia, led by controversial politician Vladimir Putin, has seen a rise in anti-gay attacks . In New York City, many asylum seekers have received advice and support from Masha Gessen, a Moscow-born journalist and activist whose family moved to the U.S. in 1981 and who holds U.S. and Russian citizenship. She said her family, as Soviet Jews, had group refugee status, allowing for an immigration process far easier than that faced by today's asylum seekers who must prove their individual case. 'There's no worse way to immigrate to the U.S. than the way these people are doing it,' Gessen said. 'You have nothing, and you have no right to work or public assistance. We've seen people end up on the streets.' She and her allies have lobbied the State Department to extend refugee status to LGBT people from Russia, but thus far to no avail. So for now, asylum seekers arrive unsure of their long-term prospects. 'After your tourist visa runs out, you're basically undocumented,' Gessen said. 'It can be hard to rent an apartment or get a cellphone. You have problems navigating everyday life.' The United States is among several countries favored as havens by LGBT Russians who emigrate from there. Canada, Finland and Israel are among the others. Gessen said the U.S. is more receptive than many Western European countries, and Aaron Morris, the Immigration Equality lawyer, said his legal team had been able to win approval for most of the Russian asylum cases that it has handled. Morris commended the Department of Homeland Security for asking Immigration Equality to train its asylum officers on distinctive aspects of LGBT asylum cases. 'They understand our community is a little different,' Morris said. Acceptance: 'Americans don't care if you're gay, but the Russians here, they still have a problem with it,' said Andrew Mironov (not pictured) Among the many pending cases is Andrew Mironov's asylum application, buttressed by photographs showing the injuries he sustained in Russia that required a hospital stay. He's not sure when he'll be called for an in-person interview but says his lawyer believes the case is a strong one. Mironov has been in the U.S. since November 2013, spending his first night in a homeless shelter run by the Metropolitan Community Church of New York. He now lives in Brooklyn but continues to attend the church, which serves the LGBT community. The past 12 months have been challenging. One obstacle, he said, is a chilly reception from many non-gay Russian immigrants in New York. 'Americans don't care if you're gay, but the Russians here, they still have a problem with it,' he said. Mironov worked for several months as a bartender at a restaurant in Manhattan but said his manager often mistreated him, calculating that he wouldn't complain because of his uncertain legal status. Now he's trying to establish a photography business, called Strekoza - Russian for 'dragonfly.' 'It's hard to not be sure about your future,' he said. 'In Russia, I'd planned my whole life out.'", "By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 04:39 EST, 14 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:08 EST, 14 January 2014 . The Government is paying £100,000 a day to support failed asylum seekers, it has been revealed. Would-be refugees who have been told to leave the country have received a total of £100million from the State since the Coalition came to power. The support payments are supposed to be temporary - but 2,000 failed asylum seekers have been receiving payments for more than a year. Claim: Failed asylum seekers are currently being given £100,000 a day by the British Government (file photo) Critics described the figures as . 'madness', claiming that Britain should not spend so much on supporting . people who have no right to live here. Asylum seekers who are denied permission . to remain in the UK are entitled to a payment known as 'Section 4 . support' if they have no other means of supporting themselves. This money pays for their accommodation and gives them £35.39 a week to spend on groveries and other necessities. It is supposed to be handed out on a temporary basis, but 2,000 failed asylum seekers have continued to receive the funds for more than a year. 'Madness': Labour MP Frank Field says the money spent on supporting the immigrants should be cut . Since the Coalition Government came to power in 2010, more than £100million has been handed out in Section 4 support. A leading Labour MP criticised the figures, saying they showed that immigration policy was 'madness on stilts'. Frank Field told The Sun: 'Can you imagine the wall we could build around the country for £100million?' Section 4 support can be claimed by failed asylum seekers while they are trying to leave Britain if they are judged to be at risk of becoming 'destitute'. Immigrants who are appealing against the decision to kick them out of the country are also eligible for the payments. A spokesman for the Home Office said: 'The number of failed asylum seekers claiming and being granted asylum support has more than halved in the past three years - along with the cost to the taxpayer. 'In some cases, destitute failed asylum seekers are unable to leave the UK immediately and can apply for support until their situation is resolved. 'The Home Office is clear that Section 4 support is limited, temporary and should not be capable of providing any incentive to remain in the UK.' A report last week found that new contracts supposed to save £20million a year on housing for asylum seekers had cost £12million more than expected over its first 12 months. The National Audit Office also revealed that one in 10 properties occupied by asylum seekers showed 'signs of wealth' such as electronic gadgets.", "By . Lillian Radulova . and Sarah Dean . A Sri Lankan asylum seeker has died after suffering what are believed to be 'self-inflicted' burns to 90 per cent of his body. He was understood to have doused himself in petrol before setting himself alight at a busy Geelong intersection. The 29-year-old feared being sent back to Sri Lanka, a spokesman for the Tamil Refugee Council told The Age. Leo Seemanpillai had been living in Australia on a bridging visa since January 2013. Scroll down for video . Scared: Leo Seemanpillai had been living in Australia on a bridging visa since January 2013. He died on Saturday night . Immigration Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that the Tamil man, who was living in Geelong, Victoria, died of his injuries on Saturday night. Tamil Refugee Council spokesman Aran Mylvaganam, who was at Mr Seemanpillai's hospital bedside on Saturday night, said he had known him for 13 months. 'He feared for his life if he was returned to Sri Lanka,' Mr Mylvaganam said. Both of Mr Seemanpillai's parents lived in a refugee camp in India, where he had also spent time. They are reported to be in shock over their son's death. Trevor Grant, a convenor at the Tamil Refugee Council, revealed that Mr Seemanpillai suffered depression after fleeing Sri Lanka about five years ago. 'He knew that if he was sent back he'd face persecution from the military,' Mr Grant explained. He also said the asylum seeker was on the organ donor register and five people have received his organs after his death on Saturday. Immigration Minister, Scott Morrison revealed that the asylum seeker died after receiving burns to 90 per cent of his body . A Victoria Police spokeswoman says officers were called to a unit fire in inner suburban Newtown on Saturday morning following reports a man was on fire in the front yard. It's believed the injuries were self-inflicted, she said. 'I'm advised by my department that a man believed to be an illegal maritime arrival of Sri Lankan nationality suffered serious burns in an incident in Geelong yesterday morning, I understand he died of his injuries overnight,' Mr Morrison told the ABC. Emergency services rushed the man to Geelong Hospital after hearing reports a man who was on fire near the intersection of Cairns St and West Fyans St after 10.30am. Mr Seemanpillai was then flown to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition where he died. Mr Morrison said the man arrived at Darwin in January 2013 before being granted a bridging visa in May, and again in July. The 29-year-old was on fire near the intersection of Cairns St and West Fyans St in Geelong . Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said bystanders tried to help the man when he ran from the unit. 'He was seen running out into the street on fire. Bystanders have tried to douse the flames with water,' Mr Mullen told AAP on Sunday. He said Mr Seemanpillai suffered full thickness burns to most of his body. The minister extended the government's sympathies to the man's friends and overseas-based family. 'The department and its Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme provider are working with the hospital and community, with members of the family also to make funeral arrangements... 'Those who were close to him in the community would be aware of this incident and they are also, to the extent that they are asylum seekers in the community on bridging visas, receiving the necessary support.' Police are investigating the incident. Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.", "This month marks a year since Father Rod Bower put up his first controversial message on the signage board outside Gosford Anglican Church. The message read: 'Dear Christians, some people are gay. Get over it. Love God'. It was a statement that certainly grabbed the attention of not only local passersby but also gained an international audience. And his outspoken views were not just confined to gay marriage. His thoughts on Australia's asylum seeker policy, climate change and coal seam gas have also been expressed in huge letters. Scroll down for video . This month marks a year since Father Rod Bower put up his first controversial message which he shared on the signage board outside Gosford Anglican Church, in the Central Coast - north of Sydney . Since then, the church's Facebook page has taken off - now with 12,607 likes . Now, Father Bower shares what's on his mind almost on a daily basis, displaying new messages on the board on NSW's Central Coast, north of Sydney. His unique way of engaging with the community began when he was visiting a dying man who's family tried to hide the fact that he was gay. Father Bower said he didn't want people to assume that he was anti-gay because he was Christian and a priest . 'That's when I thought to myself: \"hang on, I don't want people to assume that just because I'm a Christian and I'm a priest that I would be anti-gay\",' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Because I'm not. I'm actually a very vocal supporter of marriage equality. 'So I wanted to say to the community, don't assume that all Christians are conservative.' Since then, the church's Facebook page has taken off - now with 12,607 likes. 'It's just incredible. On a good week we get up to 300,000 views,' he said. 'It’s not unusual to get about 80,000 to 100,000 views.' But Father Bower's progressive views haven't gone without criticism. While other conservative priests have confronted Father Bower for his beliefs, he's also received threats and abuse from the public. 'Lots of hate mail, hate emails, hate tweets and hate posts,' he said. 'The ban button gets a bit of a work out sometimes.' A spokeswoman for the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle, which the Gosford parish belongs to, declined to comment on Father Bower's views. What the priest finds most concerning is the level of hatred Australians have towards others. 'I think the ones that I find most deeply disturbing are the ones targeted at vulnerable people,' he said. 'People saying things like \"if they [refugees and asylum seekers] all drowned that would solve the problem\".' One particular anonymous hate mail still remains in the forefront of his memory. The priest says he disagrees with Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott's stance on asylum seekers . Father Bower hopes to 'promote a society in which the vulnerable are cared for, in which the minority are embraced and in which human beings can flourish' 'Someone sent me a photocopied image of the boat breaking up on Christmas Island,' he said. 'He pasted a carton of beer and a bottle of champagne on the picture and wrote \"this is something to celebrate\". 'It was a graphic example of the kind of heart that I want to change.' Although the positive response definitely outweighs the bad, Father Bower says the criticism can 'some days eat into your soul a bit'. He believes media moguls like Rupert Murdoch sometimes have a negative influence on society. 'I think responsible journalism is one of the greatest gifts that can be given to a democracy,' he said. 'But I think when a powerful media provider is so focused on one area of the political spectrum, I think that can be very unhealthy for society.' So Father Bower wants his message of compassion and generosity to be loud and clear. 'For me it's really about the heart and emotion. Who we are as people and who we want to be as people,' he said. 'I hope to promote a society in which the vulnerable are cared for, in which the minority are embraced and in which human beings can flourish.' The Anglican priest says responsible journalism is an essential element to a healthy democracy. However he found that media mogul Rupert Murdoch 'focused on one area of the political spectrum' Father Bower said he received a lot of criticism from other conservative priest and also was sent hate mail from the public about his view on marriage equality . Father Bower makes no secret of his feelings towards Immigration Minister Scott Morrison . He even suggests Mr Morrison's actions are illegal and he should face court in The Hague . Father Bower also weighs into environmental issues, such as coal seam gas, a hot topic in his constituency . Forget the race that stops a nation every November, Australia stops all races, according to the churchman . Father Bower also feels strongly about education funding . After the jailing of Australian journalist Peter Greste in Egypt, Father Bower took another swipe at the Prime Minister . But Australia's asylum seeker policy is his favourite topic of discussion, linking the issue to his devout faith . The controversial federal budget, which has prompted nationwide protests, is also not off limits .", "More than 17,000 people . took part in Germany's largest anti-immigration rally to date in the eastern city of Dresden. Thousands of people gathered to sing . Christmas carols on Monday and listen to speakers complain about . immigrants and asylum-seekers. The rally, by a fast-growing grass-roots movement calling . itself PEGIDA, or Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation . of the West, was its tenth and largest so far. Scroll down for video . Participants: Supporters of a rally called 'Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West' (PEGIDA) hold German flags and lights during a demonstration entitled ëChristmas With Pegidaí in front of the bronze equestrian statue of King John of Saxony in Dresden, eastern Germany . Participants: More than 17,000 people took part in Germany's largest anti-immigrant rally to date on Monday . Sign: Participants of a 'Kagida' (Kassel Against Islamization of the Occident) demonstration carry flags and a banner reading: 'Our Homeland! Our Right! Against the Settlement policy of the Federal government! WE are the People!' Rally: Participants hold German flags and lights during the demonstration which took place between the bronze equestrian statue of King John of Saxony, left, and the Dresden Cathedral . PEGIDA leader Lutz Bachmann told the cheering crowd: 'Germany is not a land of immigration,' while they waved German flags and . chanted criticism of media it accuses of biased reporting. Bachmann started PEGIDA in October with an appeal on social . media in Dresden to protest plans to add 14 centres for about . 2,000 refugees locally. However, demonstrators rejected charges they are . far-right extremists or neo-Nazis. Monday's rally took place in front of Dresden's famous . Semper Opera house in the city's historic centre. A counter-demonstration of 4,000 people tried to disrupt the . PEGIDA rally, which grew from a previous record of 15,000 a week . ago and has embarrassed the political establishment with claims . that Germany is being overrun by Muslims and other immigrants. Justice Minister Heiko Maas has called PEGIDA a disgrace to Germany. Movement: The first PEGIDA march took place in Dresden in October and has since attracted thousands of participants to its weekly gatherings that have also begun spreading to other cities in Germany . City: Protestors gathered in Dresden, eastern Germany for their tenth Monday demonstration in a row . Crowd: People gather during the demonstration but reject charges they are far-right extremists or neo-Nazis . Christian: Supporters of the movement PEGIDA hold up a cross in German national colours during a rally against the supposed excess of immigration by refugees in Dresden . Anger: A woman holds a sign saying 'Germany's next...revolution' during a demonstration organised by an anti-immigration group . A group of people hold German flags and lights during the demonstration between the bronze equestrian statue of King John of Saxony, left, and the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, in eastern Germany . But PEGIDA's demands have attracted support from some on the . far-right as well as ordinary Germans alarmed by a sharp rise in . refugees, many fleeing the conflict in the Middle East. The rallies . have spread across Germany even though Dresden, with a tiny . immigrant community, remains the movement's hotbed. Islam: For the past ten weeks, activists protesting Germany's immigration policy and the spread of Islam in the West have been marching each Monday . Lights: People hold up lights during the demonstration organised by anti-immigration group PEGIDA against the Islamisation of the West . Opposition: About 17,000 opponents of Germany's policy towards asylum seekers and Islam attended . Instead of their usual marches through the night time . streets, the rally remained in one place where a crowd sang Christmas classics such as 'Stille Nacht' (Silent Night) and 'Oh, du froehliche'. The . Semper opera turned off its lights to protest the rally. Yet, the number of asylum-seekers in Germany has surged to some . 200,000 this year, more than any other western country, due in . part to an influx of Syrians. Patriotic: German flags are held to protest against Germany's immigration policy and the spread of Islam .", "Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been accused of abusing his power after drafting a code of behaviour for asylum seekers that threatens to deport them for ‘irritating people, disturbing someone or spitting or swearing in public’. Australia’s tough stance over asylum seekers from Indonesia has soured relations between the two countries in recent months and this document is not likely to improve matters. The number of asylum seekers from Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar and elsewhere reaching Australia in Indonesian fishing boats has soared in recent years and Australia has occasionally used its Navy to tow boats back to Indonesian waters. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been accused of abusing his power after his government drafted a controversial code of conduct for asylum seekers . Asylum seekers react as they are evacuated, many of those seeking asylum in Australia are from middle-eastern countries like Iraq . Now those who manage to make it to Australia’s shores will have to sign a new code of behaviour, currently in draft form, which sets out how they’re expected to behave. The document, which applies to those arriving by boat - or 'illegal maritime arrivals' - was leaked to The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. It states that they are banned from ‘irritating people’, ‘disturbing people’, ‘damaging property, spitting or swearing in public’ and ‘other actions that other people might find offensive’. ‘Spreading rumours’ at work or ‘excluding someone from a group or place on purpose’ are also banned. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre said punishment for code of behaviour infringements could vary. It said: 'It could start with just a warning, you may have your Red Cross payments reduced or stopped all together or you may be placed in detention in Australia or offshore on Nauru and Manus Island.' An Australian frigate stands by as defence personel board an asylum seeker boat off of the coast of Christmas Island. Australia has had a recent bout of . Kon Karapanagiotidis, a spokesman for organisation, told The Telegraph: ‘No other industrialised nation criminalises everyday behaviour. The idea that spitting in public or getting a parking fine is enough to get you sent to an off shore detention centre is extraordinary. It is an abuse of power and creates a climate of terror for asylum seekers.’ The controversy follows news that an Indonesian court has sentenced a Pakistani man to seven years in jail for attempting to smuggle asylum seekers to Australia on a rickety boat that sank, killing about 90 people. Javaid Mahmood, 55, was the second person found guilty by the East Jakarta District Court in connection with the overloaded fishing boat that capsized on its way to Christmas Island in June 2012. Another 110 people on the boat were rescued. A panel of three judges concluded that Mahmood, also known as Billu, organized the voyage and conspired with an international syndicate that smuggled asylum seekers from Indonesia to Australia. The judges said each asylum seeker paid the people smugglers up to $5,150 to get to Australia. Last year, the court sentenced an Afghan man, Dawood Amiri, 20, to six years in prison and ordered him to pay $79,000. His interrogation led police to arrest Billu almost a year after the deadly voyage. Prosecutors, who had requested a 10-year sentence, said the defendant knew that the boat was overloaded but did nothing to stop it from sailing. He was among the survivors and had organized three previous trips to Australia. The judges also ordered him to pay $66,200 or face an additional six months in prison. Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa has criticized an Australia policy of turning back boats with asylum seekers as a violation of Indonesian sovereignty. Australia has apologized for incidents in which its border patrol boats entered Indonesian waters without permission, which had prompted Indonesia to demand that Australia suspend such operations against boats carrying asylum seekers. Indonesia has long been a transit point for people fleeing war-ravaged countries on their way to Australia.", "A protester has been banned from all Qantas and Jetstar flights after staging a protest to stop the deportation of a Tamil asylum seeker on her flight. Jasmine Pilbrow received an email from Qantas condemning the political statement and saying her 'actions are unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the Qantas Group or the Jetstar Group'. Ms Pilbrow boarded the plane objecting to the transfer and deportation of Puvaneethan, a 25-year-old refugee, who she believed would face persecution upon arriving back in Sri Lanka. Scroll down for video . Ms Pilbrow boarded the flight intent on stopping a Tamil asylum seeker from being sent back to Sri Lanka . Three people have been banned from flying with Qantas after a making a political statement against the deportation of a Tamil asylum seeker . 'If he is sent back to Sri Lanka, he is likely to be imprisoned and tortured,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald. Upon boarding the flight Ms Pilbrow refused to take her seat until Puvaneethan was taken off the plane and returned to the Melbourne Immigration Detention Centre. Ms Pilbrow says she learnt of her ban after reading an article published by Fairfax Media last Tuesday. Jasmine discovered she was banned from Qantas flights after reading an article in The Age . Standing by her convictions: Ms Pilbrow  makes a speech during the International Day of Peace . 'I tried to follow up on the ban but there was no number for me to call. When I called Qantas headquarters they sent me to customer service who told me to fill out a form if I had a complaint about the ban,' Ms Pilbrow said, adding that she is seeking legal advice. 'Communication at Qantas needs to be fixed up.' Ms Pilbrow is not alone as two other passengers also received ban notices after deciding they would boycott the flight. Paul Leary, 51, and his female colleague were not involved in the protest but said they felt 'uncomfortable' upon learning of Puvaneethan's deportation. Mr Leary said he and a colleague felt faced with a 'moral dilemma.' After his female colleague decided she was not comfortable being on the plane Mr Leary also decided not to fly. 'We couldn't have been politer. We were travelling for business, we've both got executive roles in the organisation we work for… we were not aggravating or inciting other people,' Mr Leary told Daily Mail Australia. When he and his colleague were back inside the airport the federal police took their details but no one from Qantas informed them at that point of any kind of ban. Ms Pilbrown, Mr Leary and his colleague have also been banned from flying with Jetstar and Qantas affiliates . Flyers were handed out at Melbourne airport asking the public to save asylum seeker Puvaneethan from torture . It wasn't until Mr Leary was returning from Darwin four days later after catching a flight with a different airline that he attempted to return to Melbourne with Qantas and was told he was subject to a no-fly ban. 'As a result of your actions on board QF838 from MELDRW on 2nd February, we have decided to issue you a No Fly Notification - Until Further Notice while the incident is investigated,' Qantas wrote. 'I still didn't hear anything by Monday and the only response I got was to submit a customer care complaint,' he added. After Mr Leary submitted his complaint he then received a formal letter on February 16 informing him of his ban. Paul Leary was issued with this 'no fly notification' after he walked off a flight from Melbourne to Darwin which was carrying an asylum seeker thought to have been taken for deportation . While Ms Pilbrow was dissatisfied by the way Qantas communicated the ban to her, she said it was not right for the other two passengers, who were not part of the protest, to also face a ban . Mr Leary has since complained to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal's human rights division saying the ban discriminates against him on the basis of his political belief. 'If alternatively there was no asylum seeker on the plane and I decided to accompany my colleague off the plane because she was ill I don't think I'd be banned. 'So the only reason I can see for this ban is my political beliefs… I'm not a known activist, I never have been. I'm in my fifties, I'm not a radical.' His female colleague is also filing a complaint. A Qantas spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that the passengers will remain on a no fly list until the incident has been investigated by the Australian Federal Police. 'As the incident is under investigation, it is not appropriate to comment further.' Ms Pilbrow says it is unfair that the other two passengers, who were not part of the protest, also received bans ." ]

[ "eyewear prescriber" ]

[ "eyeglasses", "write prescriptions for controlled substances", "by prescription", "eyeglasses or spectacles", "prescription system", "prescription drugs", "the patient", "novelty eyeglasses", "prescription drug plans", "patients", "A patient diary", "The Patient's Charter", "writing", "write", "ophthalmologist", "Who", "an ophthalmologist", "writings", "digital prescription software", "their physician", "the Who", "ophthalmometer", "prescription drug abuse", "neuro-ophthalmologists", "Who?", "the clinician", "the ophthalmic", "doctor or registered pharmacist", "bedridden patients", "The English Patient", "The writing process", "Who Made Who" ]

[ "Matilda: I became... \\nHansel: What? \\nMatilda: Bulimic. \\nDerek Zoolander: You can read minds? \\n~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\\nDerek Zoolander: What is this? A center for ants? How are we expected to teach the kids to read good... if they can't even fit inside the building? \\n~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~" ]

[ "I agree with you M*A*S*H i liked radar and hawkeye. \\nThat show and Night Court were may fav.", "do what i do download yahoo toolbar and put the ones you dont want anyone to see in the fav. section there you have have your yahoo password to see them in the different dropdown box. so you have two fav. sections ie n yahoo!", "Fav movie Troy. Fav show desperate housewives.", "\"men have a natural desire to protect women and their presence in combat will get men killed!\" [your quote]\\n\\nI am a 52 year old ♀ who grew up in the 50's & 60's, with the old philosophies & the women's lib philosophies & I am totally against women in combat. Not only does your quote perfectly coin it, but I'm firmly of the concurrence that it can't help but create sexual tensions, which distract/undermine military efforts....AMEN BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!", "the enigmatic and poorly translated introduction to the American port of Zero Wing is equal parts confusing and hilarious. what in the world could a &quot;zig&quot; be? well, it would seem that the word &quot;zig,&quot; unfortunately, is not yet another perplexing term lost in translation. according to sites actually dedicated to reviewing the game in spite of its connections to the &quot;all your base are belong to us&quot; phenomena, the word &quot;zig&quot; is actually a made up name for the fighter plane you pilot throughout the game. think &quot;x-wing&quot; and you're on the right track.<br />\\n&quot;Take off every zig!!&quot; likely meant that every zig fighter needed to take off to battle the mysteriously robotic villian of the game, known only as &quot;Cats.&quot;", "what is his fav band..get him that CD\\nor do you know what he is REALLY into...get him some thing he likes", "My fav site is download.com, knock your socks off- its all free.", "Most fav: Internal medicine and psychiatry\\nLeast Fav: Clinical laboratory (its about how to design your lab, designing lab investigation forms, lab ethics, lab investigations and everything lab...simply sucks! I am going to be a doctor why give me the trouble to go through what a lab tech should do?)", "hey that is prince or whenever he was the sign in the 90's its him believe me its one of my dads fav songs. its whenever he was the sign. its called p*ssy control", "korn for instrumentals......slipknot has a better style...but more succesful 'KORN' but quote from anglesrock1010 answer 'they both kick a*s'\\n\\nPS. the 'acostic' dude is a prick who doesint know what hes talking bout.....", "I'm not sure what you mean, but you could try these:\\n\\nhttp://www.imdb.com\\n\\nMy personal fav\\nhttp://www.rottentomatoes.com", "I would say not all foreigners ..maybe unrealistic but it would depend on what country they are from ..er which country..Just as the entire world has favs and non favs.. I think the non favs for countries already know who they are and why...If a nation is violent and not good for the world and the government..lies and steals..and kills innocent humans..well then.. it is not well liked ..or the people either..because the government is suppose to represent the people..So...it is the government that causes it and their people that pay for it.", "Search Yahoo for \"[name of your fave pc game] cheats\" or \"[name of your fav pc game] walkthrough\"", "i don't know. I guess i would find out what my teachers fav food is make it and start kissing some serious butt!!!", "Here's how. go to www.videocodezone.com search for you favorite song then get your video code and then paste under fav music or where ever. If you need more help, this site is awesome and tells you step by step what to do.", "I'm just like you, but I'm 17. Rap??? They call that \"music\"??? And talent??? It's talking in rhymes! I think music back in the 60's and 70's was the best ... it actually ment something! Like The Beatles. Brilliantly composed and sometimes floaty. I love that. Ever herd \"Revolution #9\"? Now that's weird, but I still like it. Led Zeppelin is my fav. Brilliant, talented music with a meaning. Sounds cool too. But yeah, I agree with you 100 and 10% on that. Imagine what modern music will sound like 10 years from now! That's a scary thought!", "I luv this song i got it on cd he is my fav singer i luv his song chrome too it is my other fav song and it is my fav color in my rainbow i luv him lol!!", "My fav is a hummingbird and a bluejay.", "1. Lightning war. 2. I have no idea what your question is. Did you quote Lenin properly?", "What does religion have to do with it? I know christians who have Jesus tatoos or bible quotes and stuff like that. Just look at the ex-Korn guitarist, Brian Welch...When he went all bible-thumper, he got a scripture tatoo on his neck and J-E-S-U-S on his knuckles...So there, I'm guessing its not forbidden, but hey, I'm not christian, so I dont know for sure.\\n\\n\\n\\nPeace", "she's a gemini and my fav actress.", "the answer to that question can be found by answering this question... take you fav dish in the whole wide world, could you eat it everyday for the rest of your life?\\ni don't think you can truely be content with one person unless you mentally prepare yourself to eat you fav dish evryday for the rest of your life...", "my fav is moonlight sonata", "When they quote something word for word and include typos or misspellings, they put (sic) in to let you know that the person(s) they are quoting are dumbazzes, and not the newspaper itself.\\n\\nEDIT: Look at that! They ^^^ just copy and pasted a blah blah blah answer from dictionary.com. I gave you a REAL answer.\\n\\nYou're welcome!", "The drums are my fav musical instrument to play and to hear, there is something about playing the drums that gives you such a rush.. hard to describe unless your a drummer", "This sounds like a persuasive essay. If so, try this organization:\\n\\n1st : intro/thesis\\n2nd: second best reason,\\n3rd: opposing argument(s)\\n4th: opposition refuted\\n5th: best reason\\n6th: conclusion \\n\\nUse lots of quotes from the text to emphasize your points.\\nGood Luck!", "Anything, according to your bf's fav things. It can be a weist watch,a lighter( not for smoking,just to light out the candles),cds( movies or songs)and etc.", "yes i love basketball1 it is fav. sport", "listen to ur fav song", "Sweettalk the gal try to find her fav", "My fav T.V. shows are That So Raven,The Suite Life of Zach and Cody,Phil of the Future,Unfabulous,Drake and Josh,Zoey 101,and Foster's Home.\\n\\nBut my fav movie is Legally Blonde.", "a bibliography is a list of all the sources you referenced in your writing, whether or not you actually quoted them or not. a works cited is a list of all the sources you actually quoted in your writing. the format should be the same, but it depends on what you are supposed to use. There is MLA format, or APA. These two styles depend on how you actually cite the information in the paper itself. \\nDepending on what you need to use, there's www.apastyle.net, or http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html for MLA." ]

[ "Some of the most emailed, viewed and commented on stories on the web, including a major problem for a Texas high school." ]

[ "In Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam's press conference this weekend, regarding a racist photo from his yearbook, he said that he hoped the uproar over his yearbook photo would present an opportunity. An opportunity for productive dialogue where we could address the difficult issues that \"contribute to the greater racism and discrimination that defines so much of our history.\" Gene Demby of NPR's Code Switch sat down with All Things Considered to discuss why calls for these conversations are so frequent yet remain so unproductive. The interview has been edited and condensed. Ari Shapiro: Let's start with that press conference. Gov. Northam's apology seemed to make things worse for him. Gene Demby: Yes, it was kind of a mess — but it was instructive! Gov. Northam acknowledged that the picture that appeared on his yearbook page was racist while arguing that it was not, in fact, him in the picture. Then he pointed to another instance where he did, actually, wear blackface. So he's doing this very familiar thing where he's both saying racism is bad, he understands that the racist imagery is bad — while also very pointedly denying that he is responsible in any way for it or that he could be implicated in it. From there, he filled out the rest of the Race Apology bingo card. He referenced having black friends. \"This is not who I am.\" And then he said that this situation could lead to more productive conversations about race, that common reference to the \"healing powers of dialogue.\" What's wrong with that? Isn't dialogue about hard things, like race, valuable and important? Yes, it can be. With qualifiers! But, we should look at the way Gov. Northam specifically called for this conversation to take place. You almost hear him getting the point where he's acknowledging that our experiences and the consequences for our experiences are not symmetrical. But then he ends with this \"vice versa\" — as though his take on what is offensive are at all important in the aftermath of this blackface controversy. And that is one of the pitfalls of these \"hard conversations around race.\" We spend a lot of time thinking about the white person and whether they're innocent in their hearts or not and whether their opinions are valid and just from that you know these conversations can't be productive because they're not dealing with this larger context. The larger context being that there's a perpetrator and a victim and the dialogue focuses on the experience of the perpetrator rather than what the victim has suffered? Right. What was mostly glossed over in this conversation is about all the stuff around this blackface picture that's bigger than him. He's the governor of Virginia — the capital of the Confederacy. Its schools and neighborhoods are segregated like everywhere in the country and as governor of this state with this very specific history, he's implicated in all of it. So you're saying, a successful racial dialogue can't just be \"here's how I feel, here's how you feel,\" it has to be grounded in the historical, factual realities of the systems surrounding the event that is the center of the dialogue. Right. We come to these conversations with very different understandings of what the facts are and what the stakes are. There have been a lot of these high-profile efforts at \"racial dialogue.\" Just a few weeks ago, the controversy involving the Covington high school students and a native American activist prompted calls for racial dialogue. After two African American men got arrested in a Starbucks, that company tried to have healing conversations about race. Have these efforts gotten us anywhere? These conversations are both important and insufficient because I think we're starting in the wrong place. We need to have these conversations but there aren't really spaces where we can do that because of this long history of white supremacy. Our spaces are segregated so there's not a lot of spaces in which people have vested interest in the same institution, in spaces where they're invested in making these conversations continue. We're not working these things out in PTA meetings or our neighborhoods because we live in different neighborhoods and we send our kids to different schools. It seems like people are hoping that with dialogue, we can reverse-engineer inclusion into spaces that have been designed to be separate. We can talk, and then come together, that's the way the thinking goes. But it doesn't work like that, we can't have that dialogue without these spaces to hold the dialogue and where people are vested in staying in the dialogue, to begin with.", "David Fox, Ayan Pal and Ed Hong first met in the rhythm section of their high school jazz band. After forming their own group, they regaled classmates at basement parties and student functions, earning them coveted ink in the school paper and yearbook. Separated by college, they reunited after graduation in New York City and now play regular gigs together as Unbelievable Luck. Weaving melodic indie rock with a fresh take on folk narratives, the group recorded their self-titled debut album with rich vocal harmonies and guitar melodies evoking themes of loss, love and life. According to the band, the album was recorded in Ayan's home studio and \"fueled by countless microwavable sandwiches.\" By day, Unbelievable Luck's members are librarians, equity traders and an \"Internet geek.\" The featured track from Unbelieveable Luck is \"Bottlerocket.\"", "Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey has apologized for wearing blackface during a skit at Auburn University more than 50 years ago. Ivey said Thursday she still doesn't recall the incident, but after a recording surfaced of her discussing the sketch with her then-fiancé and later first husband, Ben LaRavia, Ivey admitted it must be true. \"Even after listening to the tape, I sincerely do not recall either the skit, which evidently occurred at a Baptist Student Union party, or the interview itself, both which occurred 52 years ago. Even though Ben is the one on tape remembering the skit — and I still don't recall ever dressing up in overalls or in blackface — I will not deny what is the obvious,\" Ivey said. \"As such, I fully acknowledge — with genuine remorse — my participation in a skit like that back when I was a senior in college.\" According to the interview Ivey and LaRavia did with the campus radio station in 1967, the sketch was titled \"cigar butts\" and \"did not require a lot of talent, as far as verbal talent, but did require a lot of physical acting, such as crawling around on the floor looking for cigar butts and things like this, which certainly got a big reaction out of the audience.\" Ivey is the latest politician to be swept into scandal over the wearing of blackface, a racist practice that has its roots in minstrel shows. Earlier this year, Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam admitted he had put black shoe polish on his face to dress up like Michael Jackson for a dance contest — an admission that came after a photo of a man dressed up in blackface aside another man in Ku Klux Klan dress appeared on Northam's medical school yearbook page. Northam has denied either man is him. Soon after, Virginia Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring admitted he had put on blackface when dressing up like a rapper during college. Other politicians have come under fire for appearing in Confederate uniforms. In a state like Alabama — infamous for its violence against and treatment of African Americans during the civil rights movement — Ivey's admission could draw even more scrutiny. Ivey alluded to those tensions in her apology, saying it's \"not what my administration represents all these years later.\" \"I offer my heartfelt apologies for the pain and embarrassment this causes, and I will do all I can — going forward — to help show the nation that the Alabama of today is a far cry from the Alabama of the 1960s,\" Ivey said. \"We have come a long way, for sure, but we still have a long way to go.\" In February, the Auburn student newspaper uncovered yearbook photos of members of Ivey's sorority appearing in blackface, but the governor denied she ever participated. Rep. Terri Sewell, the state's only Democratic House member, tweeted that \"Gov. Ivey's admission today only deepens open wounds\" and her \"words of apology ring hollow if not met with real action to bridge the racial divide.\" But the state Republican Party has come to Ivey's defense: \"The Alabama Republican Party appreciates and supports Gov. Kay Ivey taking ownership of and responsibility for this 50-plus-year-old incident. While it occurred when she was a college student, Governor Ivey has stood up, admitted her mistake and offered a sincere apology though she has no recollection of the event,\" Alabama GOP Chairman Terry Lathan said in a statement. \"Her extraordinary record of public service shows her ability to work with all people regardless of race, religion or party affiliation.\"", "An investigation into a racist photo on Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's medical school yearbook page revealed that the school's top officials were aware of the photo years before it publicly surfaced in February. Campus leaders, including the current and former president, decided not to release the photo, worrying that would create the appearance of trying to influence the election or Gov. Northam. The investigation could not determine how the photo ended up on the page or whether the Democratic governor is one of two people featured in the photo. The image shows one person in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan robe. The 32-page report, released Wednesday, says that the photo first surfaced while preparing for an EVMS alumni event and was brought to the attention of then-president Harry Lester, who left his post in 2013, during one of Northam's elections campaigns. Northam successfully ran for lieutenant governor that year. He also served in the state senate from 2008 to 2014. Staff asked both presidents whether \"EVMS had an obligation to or should do something about it, such as notifying Gov. Northam about it,\" according to the report. At a press conference on Wednesday, the school's current president, Richard Homan, said he first learned he first learned of the photo during Northam's run for governor and had no regrets about his decision to not release the photo. \"We are a public institution; we receive public funds,\" Homan said. \"I decided we did not want to enter any opportunity to have that photo enter the press or provide a political process that we're dealing with today, frankly.\" Homan said that in retrospect, he wished the school had moved the book to a reserve section so that it would only be available in response to public records requests. Todd Gilbert, the Republican Majority leader of Virginia's House of Delegates, called the report \"entirely inconclusive\" and said he was concerned EVMS kept knowledge of the yearbook private. \"While it is unclear if they took any action to cover up the photo's existence, it certainly appears that there was an effort to avoid public disclosure of such a racist photograph on the yearbook page of the most prominent alumni in school history,\" Gilbert said in a statement. The school hired McGuireWoods, a well-connected Richmond law firm, in early February to conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the creation of the 1984 yearbook as well as the campus culture at the time. Investigators said the passage of time and a dearth of documentation made it hard to verify Northam's claim that he did not appear in the photo. Northam reiterated that claim in a statement on Wednesday. He also apologized for any \"hurt\" he caused Virginians when he walked back his initially apology the day after he made it. \"I felt it was important to take accountability for the photo's presence on my page, but rather than providing clarity, I instead deepened pain and confusion,\" Northam said.", "If one goal of the uniforms for a women's cycling team from Colombia is to attract attention, they're a smashing success. Some observers are calling the outfits — which in photos seem to feature a swatch of flesh-tone-colored fabric in their lower region — \"rude,\" \"wrong\" and a \"disaster.\" But others are defending the uniform and the cyclists who wear it, saying the criticism is entirely sensationalized. The uniforms made quite a splash in Italy, where the team competed in the elite women's Giro della Toscana this weekend. The race was won by American Shelley Olds — but people on social media were thrown into a tizzy by the cycling kit of team Bogota Humana. (Contrary to some reports, the team isn't the national squad. Its sponsors include the city of Bogota, and it's endorsed by Colombia's sports ministry). A photo tweeted by Hilary Evans was retweeted more than 11,000 times — and Twitter deemed the image risque enough to warrant a warning that \"The following media may contain sensitive material.\" \"I'm no fashion expert but even I know that the Colombia women's cycling team kit seen here is a genuine disaster,\" Evans wrote. The uniform also drew the attention of UCI President Brian Cookson. \"To the many who have raised the issue of a certain women's team kit, we are on the case,\" he tweeted. \"It is unacceptable by any standard of decency.\" The BBC's story about the uniform, and Cookson's response, included a version of the post-race photo to which a black bar had been added. The controversy led Colombian cycling program Ultimo Kilometro to post a photo of a pro men's team (Footon-Servetto-Fuji) in a similar \"nude\" uniform, with the caption \"it's cycling, not fashion.\" On Monday, information emerged that answers two key questions: Who would design a cycling suit with a nude-colored section, and is the uniform really as inappropriate in person as it looks in photos? According to the Chasing Wheels website, the section that has made some viewers do a double-take is not a \"nude\" color, it's gold — and \"Lycra done as gold effect never photographs well. It's unfortunate, but there you are.\" As for the design, it seems to have come from one of the team's members, cyclist Angie Tatiana Rojas Suarez, according to both the Spanish-language ABC.es and El Tiempo. Rojas is an accomplished 22-year-old athlete who has won national titles in both cycling and skating, according to her online bio. She also works as a sports journalist and as the chief of communications at the vitamin company that sponsors the cycling team. Most of Rojas' recent messages on Twitter and Facebook skirt the uniform issue, choosing instead to celebrate her team's work in Italy. But she did retweet a comment that said, \"The uniform may not be the most beautiful and we may not like it, but there's no need for certain comments.\" Rojas also retweeted a message of apology from an Italian cycling website that had helped whip up controversy over the photograph. In an apology published Sunday, the website Tuttobici said it had been vulgar and disrespectful to the Colombian cyclists.", "Sixties pop artist Tom Wesselmann liked women, and saluted them on his canvases — or, sometimes, just parts of them: perfect glossy red mouths with lips parted to reveal pink tongues; nipples, even on the oranges he paints. These are just a few of the images that might make you blush in a Wesselmann retrospective now on view at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. \"I don't think you could ask for a more literal interpretation of the objectification of parts of the female body,\" says curator Sarah Eckhardt. Before these large works focusing only on closely observed individual body parts, Wesselmann painted a series of full nudes, sprawling indiscreetly against patriotic backgrounds with red, white and blue stripes, and some stars. The Great American Nude series was Wesselmann's best-known work. Painted in the 1960s, the large canvases featured the colors of Old Glory, sprawly nudes, and on the walls behind them, pasted clippings from magazines: a portrait of George Washington, a photograph of JFK, a reproduction of Van Gogh's Sunflowers, the Mona Lisa. What's going on here? Curator Sylvia Yount says Wesselmann was paying tribute to an artistic tradition: \"[He was] putting himself into that larger pantheon of artists who are dealing with the mainstay of art history: the female nude.\" And he was jockeying himself, as an American artist, into that pantheon. Some of Wesselmann's paintings are funny: Great American Nude #26 (he doesn't do fancy titles), which he painted in 1962, is a very pink figure, lying on what looks like a blue bedspread. On a table behind her, Wesselmann has pasted pictures of various objects cut out of magazines: a man's brimmed hat, a Siamese cat, liquor bottles, a half-eaten chocolate cake, a six-pack of Coke ... It's a contrast to Manet's scandalous 1863 painting Olympia (you can see it here), in which a nude prostitute reclines on white sheets, ignoring the black maid behind her holding an enormous bouquet of flowers. Wesselmann's 1962 nude gets cake — different times, different tastes. Now, in 2013, Wesselmann's tastes seem insulting to feminist eyes — seeing women only as sex objects. But curator Sarah Eckhardt says in the pre-feminist '60s (those Playboy and pinup days) women were objectified that way. And if these paintings shock us today, that's part of a long artistic tradition. \"If there's something to resist in Wesselmann, it's something that could be resisted in almost any of the nudes in art history,\" Eckhardt says. In fine art, the female body is a nude. In not-so-fine art, she's naked. In Richmond, the Virginia Museum of Fine Art's Wesselmann show has a bit of both. RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: Back in the 1960s, famous artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein painted images from popular culture; soup cans, comic books, as high art. A retrospective at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond features a pop artist whose name is less well known. And some of his work made NPR special correspondent Susan Stamberg blush. SUSAN STAMBERG, BYLINE: Porno, filthy pictures? That'll get you to the website. Tom Wesselmann liked women and saluted them on his canvases. Or, just parts of them, sometimes. SYLVIA YOUNT: The nipple. STAMBERG: Even his navel oranges have nipples. And then there's the Wesselmann oral fixation. YOUNT: The mouth - the open mouth. STAMBERG: Virginia Museum curators Sylvia Yount and later, Sarah Eckhardt. SARAH ECKHARDT: Pink tongue... (LAUGHTER) ECKHARDT: ...that really extraordinarily pink tongue. STAMBERG: And perfect lips. They're pillows. ECKHARDT: I don't think you could ask for a more literal interpretation of the objectification of parts of the female body. STAMBERG: Before these large works, focusing only on glossy individual body parts, Tom Wesselmann painted full nudes sprawling indiscreetly against some patriotic backgrounds. ECKHARDT: American presidents, the stars, the stripes, the red white and blue. STAMBERG: This was Wesselmann's best-known work, a 1960s series called \"The Great American Nude.\" On each large canvas, the colors of Old Glory; the sprawly nudes and, on the walls behind them, pasted clippings from magazines: a portrait of George Washington, a photograph of JFK, a reproduction of Van Gogh's \"Sunflowers,\" the \"Mona Lisa.\" What's going on here? Sylvia Yunt says Wesselmann was paying tribute to an artistic tradition. YOUNT: And putting himself into that larger pantheon of artists who were dealing with the mainstay of art history - the female nude. STAMBERG: And jockeying himself as an American artist into that pantheon. Some of Wesselmann's paintings are funny. \"Great American Nude Number 26\" - he doesn't do fancy titles, doesn't really need to. \"Number 26\" from 1962 is a very pink nude, lying on a blue bedspread, maybe. And on a table behind her, he pastes color pictures of various objects he's cut out of magazines; man's hat with a brim. YOUNT: The Don Draper moment, I think we have, from \"Mad Men.\" (LAUGHTER) YOUNT: A Siames", "With David Folkenflik The State of the Union? Divided. Virginia politics? Upended. Trump inauguration records? Subpoenaed. Green New Deal? Unveiled. The roundtable unpacks the week that was. Guests Yamiche Alcindor, PBS NewsHour White House correspondent. (@Yamiche) Paul Lisnek, political analyst for Chicago’s WGN News. Host of “Politics Tonight” on Chicago’s CLTV. (@PaulLisnek) Jack Beatty, On Point news analyst. (@JackBeattyNPR) From The Reading List WGN: &#8220;Political analyst Paul Lisnek on State of the Union address&#8221; Associated Press: &#8220;Democrats speechless as scandal engulfs Virginia’s leaders&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;With Virginia’s top three elected officials engulfed in scandal, fellow Democrats were rendered practically speechless, uncertain of how to thread their way through the racial and sexual allegations and their tangled political implications. &#8220;Gov. Ralph Northam’s career was already hanging by a thread over a racist photo in his 1984 medical school yearbook when a woman publicly accused the lieutenant governor of sexually assaulting her 15 years ago, and then the attorney general admitted that he too wore blackface once, as a teenager. &#8220;Everyone in Richmond, it seemed, was waiting Thursday for Virginia’s Legislative Black Caucus to respond to the latest developments. &#8216;We’ve got a lot to digest,&#8217; the group’s chairman, Del. Lamont Bagby, said Wednesday. &#8220;Attorney General Mark Herring — in line to become governor if Northam and Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax resign — issued a statement acknowledging he wore brown makeup and a wig in 1980 to look like a rapper during a party when he was a 19-year-old student at the University of Virginia.&#8221; CNN: &#8220;As Mueller probe winds down, House Trump investigation powers up&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;All along, the White House had hoped that President Donald Trump&#8217;s torment over Russia would end with Robert Mueller&#8217;s final report. &#8220;Now the special counsel&#8217;s final flourish is beginning to look like just the start of the President&#8217;s frustrations. &#8220;House Democrats, armed with subpoena power, on Wednesday announced a broader-than-expected investigation into Trump&#8217;s ties to Russia, Saudi Arabia and just about anywhere else. And criminal probes are digging ever deeper into the global business record of the real estate billionaire who became President and therefore opened himself to painful scrutiny. &#8220;Trump&#8217;s red line &#8212; that no one should delve into his or his family&#8217;s personal finances beyond a relationship with Russia &#8212; has been snapped.&#8221; NPR: &#8220;Despite Few Details And Much Doubt, The Green New Deal Generates Enthusiasm&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;For a non-binding resolution with an uncertain future, the Green New Deal is getting a lot of attention, along with a decidedly mixed reaction. &#8220;Dozens of Democrats Thursday introduced the measure, an ambitious framework for future legislation designed to eliminate the U.S. carbon footprint by 2030. &#8220;&#8216;Our energy future will not be found in the dark of a mine but in the light of the sun,&#8217; said Sen. Ed Markey, D-MA as he announced the legislation on Capitol Hill. &#8220;The resolution has few details, but aims to overhaul the U.S. economy and spread wealth more evenly. It calls for a speedy shift in energy generation, from fossil fuels to renewable sources like wind and solar, and for &#8216;a fair and just transition for all communities and workers.&#8217; &#8220;", "Donald Trump's extensive business dealings around the globe have focused attention on an obscure provision of the Constitution most law professors barely look at — the Emoluments Clause. Now, one of the hottest legal debates around is whether the president-elect is going to violate the Constitution if he continues doing business with companies controlled by foreign governments. Who even used the word \"emolument\" in an actual sentence before November 2016? Emolument is defined by Merriam-Webster as \"the returns arising from office or employment usually in the form of compensation or perquisites.\" The Foreign Emoluments Clause can be found in Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution. It provides that \"no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under [the United States] shall, without Consent of Congress, accept ... any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.\" The clause has been interpreted as an anti-bribery provision by constitutional scholars. \"The underlying concern of the clause is divided loyalties,\" said Erik Jensen, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University. \"The founders wanted U.S. officials not to have any arrangements under which there could be questions about whether they were acting in the best interests of the United States, or in the interests of a foreign state.\" Trump's companies do deal with businesses that are controlled or influenced by foreign government officials. Legal experts say the potential for constitutional violations is high. Take the Bank of China, for example. It's a lender for one of Trump's buildings in Midtown Manhattan. If the Bank of China were to offer Trump a lower interest rate on that loan after he takes office, it might raise an Emoluments Clause issue. Some legal scholars say it could be perceived as an attempt to curry favor with the president or influence policy. So what is a violation of the Emoluments Clause? Problem is, what constitutes a violation of the Emoluments Clause is a tangled conversation that very quickly involves lots of hypotheticals — because there is virtually no case law on the subject. Not only have prior presidents been careful to steer clear of any perceived violations of the clause, there's never been a president like Trump, whose companies have such vast global reach. And Trump hasn't fully disclosed the full extent of his global business dealings. So all legal experts can do now is pose possible scenarios. Objects Versus Services Richard Painter, who was chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2007, likes to use this example: Imagine the president sells a car to the Queen of England. If the Queen pays the president fair market value for the car, it's not a violation of the Emoluments Clause. If the payment the president receives exceeds the fair market value of the car, there could be a violation. The amount of over-payment could be seen as a gift, or \"present,\" under the clause. But let's say we're not talking about an object, like a car. What if the president renders services for a foreign government and receives compensation for those services? That would fall under the definition of \"emolument.\" And in that case, Painter says, it doesn't matter if the compensation amounts to fair market value. It's straight-up compensation for services rendered, so it's banned as an emolument under the clause. Here's how a President Trump might one day render services for foreign government officials. Say a bunch of diplomats from a foreign country stay at Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. Painter says you could interpret that as services rendered by Trump — and under the Emoluments Clause, he can't enrich himself from those rendered services. \"The services theory would be along the lines of, 'Well, if Donald Trump himself as president could not perform services for the foreign government, he can't have his hired help — people who work for him in that hotel — provide those services, and then he receives the payment.' That would be an end-run around the prohibition on any type of emolument,\" said Painter. The issue of whether a U.S. government official is violating the Emoluments Clause for services rendered actually does comes up in real life, says Ken Gross, a government ethics lawyer in Washington, D.C. Sometimes government officials go on a foreign detail or sabbatical and want to earn compensation for teaching at a government-funded university in that foreign country. In those cases, Gross said, U.S. government officials have had to forego pay to avoid violations of the clause. The role of Congress Under the clause, Congress has the power to consent to any business dealings that raise questions. But if even legal experts are scratching their heads about what constitutes a violation of the Emoluments Clause, imagine how lawmakers would feel entering this legal morass. \"What this does is put Congress in an almost impossible situ", "Photographer Sally Mann is fascinated by bodies. In the early 1990s, she became famous — or notorious — for her book Immediate Family, which featured photographs of her young children naked. Critics claimed Mann's work eroticized the children, but Mann says the photos were misinterpreted. \"I was surprised by the vehemence, I guess, of the letters and the dead certainty that so many people had that they understood ... my motivations and feelings and who my children were,\" Mann tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. \"People feel like they understand the children just by virtue of looking at the pictures but ... those aren't my children. Those are photographs of my children. They're just a tiny, tiny moment slivered out of time, a 30th of a second.\" After those photos, Mann moved on to what she describes in her new book, Hold Still: A Memoir with Photographs, as \"deeply personal explorations of the landscape of the American South, the nature of mortality (and the mortality of nature), intimate depictions of my husband and the indelible marks that slavery left on the world surrounding me.\" Mann's work has included a series of photos of decomposing bodies in a University of Tennessee forensic anthropology research facility and photos of her husband, whose muscles are withering from muscular dystrophy. Interview Highlights On photographing her children naked It's not that I wanted to do a series of pictures of my children nude, it's just that they were always nude in the summers when I did most of my shooting. We had a cabin on the river on our farm and there's not another breathing soul for probably 5 miles in all directions and they just never seemed to wear clothes. Why should they? They were in the river almost all day and deep into the night, so the fact that in many cases the children were nude ... that's just how the children were. ... I didn't take pictures of them once they reached the age of puberty, certainly. But considerably before then, I think, I quit taking pictures of them. On what she thinks the photos of her children capture One of the interesting things is to go back and look at the contact sheets and you look at picture after picture after picture of the same scene. And you'll see in one picture, [the children] look mean; and in another one, they're giggling; and in another, one of them is punching the other and they're laughing. They're just doing regular kid things. You just always have to remember that picture ... that's a 30th of a second and to either side of that picture are half a dozen other images that are completely different and warm and friendly and sweet. On photographing the University of Tennessee's \"Body Farm\" The \"Body Farm,\" as it's colloquially known, is designed to help graduate students measure decomposition in human bodies. They use it primarily forensically, I think, so that if law enforcement runs across a body that's, say, been locked up in a trunk for two weeks, they can gauge the size of the maggots or the development of the blowflies and know exactly or close to exactly when that body was put in that trunk given temperature conditions and all that kind of stuff. ... There was something matter-of-fact about the way those bodies were laid out and how they were treated. I mean, they were a scientific experiment and very quickly I grew to see them that way, in the same way that the graduate students were working with them. So that was one of the shocking things. ... The smell is just unbelievable but I had to sort of pull myself together and figure out a way to handle things I had never seen before and never anticipated ever seeing — these bodies in various stages of decomposition. On her fascination with death I have had a fascination with death that I think might be considered genetic. ... My father had the same affliction, I guess. The origin of his was the sudden death of his father — this is just a theory, we never talked about it. ... I think it changed the course of his life. He became fascinated with death. He then became a medical doctor and obviously fought death tooth and nail for his patients. But I was surrounded in the household with the iconography of death. He was a very cultured man and he was fascinated with the way death has been portrayed through the ages in all forms, from cave paintings to literature to everything. ... I picked it up by osmosis. On photography's effect on memory Using photographs as an instrument of memory is probably a mistake because I think that photographs actually sort of impoverish your memory in certain ways, sort of take away all the other senses — the sense of smell and taste and texture, that kind of stuff. On photographing her husband's body after his muscular dystrophy diagnosis I don't think that he in any way in those pictures loses his dignity ... and I don't think anyone would think of him as being weak. ... It was wonderful. It was some of the happiest times I can remember being behind a camera. It's usually so fraught", "Hugh Hefner died this week at age 91. And the Playboy founder managed, even in preparing for his death, to cultivate his celebrity and stoke controversy. Over the years, Hefner mentioned to reporters where he planned to be buried: right next to Marilyn Monroe, at the Westwood Village Memorial Park cemetery. The Los Angeles Times reported that Hefner paid $75,000 to buy the drawer next to Monroe's in a Los Angeles mausoleum, where her crypt is often marked by the lipstick kisses of her fans. \"I'm a believer in things symbolic,\" Hefner told the newspaper. \"Spending eternity next to Marilyn is too sweet to pass up.\" Of course Monroe, who died in 1962, didn't get a say in whether she would want to spend the hereafter next to Hefner. He might not have been her first choice. Monroe was both the cover and centerfold for the very first issue of Playboy. In 1948, as a young actress struggling to get a film career going, Monroe had posed nude for photographer Tom Kelley, signing the release form \"Mona Monroe\" to avoid association with the photos. She did the shoot because she was broke and needed to make a car payment, according to an account in a book by her friend and photographer George Barris. She said she made Kelley promise that she wouldn't be recognizable in the photographs, and she was paid $50 for the two-hour shoot. The photos were sold to Western Lithograph Co., which made a calendar called \"Golden Dreams\" out of them. In the fall of 1953, a young Hugh Hefner, living in Chicago with a dream of starting a new kind of men's magazine, heard that a local company owned the photos. He drove out to the suburbs and bought the rights for $500. The cover of that first issue of Playboy, in December 1953, featured a photo of Monroe riding an elephant at Madison Square Garden, one arm stretched high. \"FIRST TIME in any magazine FULL COLOR the famous MARILYN MONROE NUDE,\" it trumpeted. The magazine had no date on the cover, in case copies struggled to sell, according to the Times obituary. And while Monroe's name and body were splashed across the magazine, Hefner kept his own name out of the issue, in case the business failed. Instead, it launched his empire. And Monroe was never paid anything more for the photograph than the original 50 bucks. \"The magazine, I was told, thanks to my photos, [was] an instant sellout all across the country, an instant success,\" she reportedly told Barris. \"I never even received a thank-you from all those who made millions off a nude Marilyn photograph. I even had to buy a copy of the magazine to see myself in it.\" Hefner considered the nude photographs of Monroe a gutsy political statement — his own. \"Most people had heard about it but almost nobody had seen it and nobody had seen it because the post office had taken the position that you couldn't send nudity through the mail. And I'm the kid that didn't think the post office had that right,\" he told E! News in 2008. \"So we published that picture and it caused a sensation.\" Though they never met, Hefner said he felt a kinship with Monroe, as they were both born in 1926. \"My brother was in her acting class in New York,\" he told Los Angeles magazine in 2002. \"And she was going to do another cover for our anniversary issue — she approved a pictorial drawn from the film she never finished for Fox that had some nudity in it. And then she was gone.\" Hefner bought the plot from a private seller who realized that the spot in the crypt next to Monroe could fetch a good price from the right buyer, the magazine reported. \"I am very, very aware of my place in history,\" Hefner said. \"I feel so connected to the pop culture of my childhood. My dreams come from the movies. That's why I live in Los Angeles.\"", "Emojis were supposed to be the great equalizer: a language all its own capable of transcending borders and cultural differences. Not so fast, say a group of researchers who found that different people had vastly different interpretations of some popular emojis. The researchers published their findings for GroupLens, a research lab based out of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. \"I think some people thought that they could use [emojis] with little risk and what we found is that it actually is at high risk of miscommunication,\" Hannah Miller, a Ph.D. student at the University of Minnesota and one of the authors of the study, said in a phone interview. For example, the researchers found that when people receive the \"face with tears of joy\" emoji — which Oxford Dictionaries declared its word of the year — some interpret it positively, while others will interpret it negatively. \"We find that only 4.5 percent of emoji symbols we examined have consistently low variance in their sentiment interpretations,\" the researchers write. \"Conversely, in 25 percent of the cases where participants rated the same rendering, they did not agree on whether the sentiment was positive, neutral, or negative.\" This, the researchers found, only gets more complicated when you're texting across platforms, because the same emojis are rendered differently on an iPhone than they are on a Samsung Galaxy, for example. Via Miller, here's how \"grinning face with smiling eyes\" would look on each platform and how the study's subjects interpreted it: And here is an example of how that may work out in a real-life conversation: Jacob Thebault-Spieker, a PhD student at the University of Minnesota and another of the study's authors, said maybe part of the confusion comes from the newness of the language. \"The understanding that we have from theory suggests that people build shared meaning of communication and interaction over time,\" he said. \"These are new. People are building up their new norms within a group of friends or within a geographic region or perhaps even within a culture and those things may start to even out over time.\" One thing that could help, said Miller, is a dictionary or in this case emojipedia.com, the authority on the meaning of emojis. If that doesn't work, you can stick to old fashioned emoticons :( Those are less likely to be misconstrued. We'll leave you with a graphic from the paper that ranks how misconstrued emojis are across platforms. From left to right, it shows most misconstrued to least misconstrued:", "The images are iconic. Assembly workers with tools raised in a frozen moment of manufacturing. Doctors and scientists stand near a child in a nativity scene that pays tribute to medicine. Secretaries and accountants, heads bowed, fingers on typewriters and adding machines. One panel even shows Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, seeming to watch a collection on unseen workers below him. The meaning of these images is complex, a view of industry that challenges ideas about its role in society and raises issues of class and politics. These murals were painted by Mexican artist Diego Rivera. Rivera was already well known as the leader of the Mexican muralist movement when he started the work, and he considered Detroit Industry the most successful piece of his career. In 1932 Edsel Ford, the son of Henry Ford and president of the car company that bears the family name, and William Valentiner, the director of the Detroit Institute of Arts, commissioned Rivera to paint two murals for the museum's Garden Court. The only rule was the work must relate to the history of Detroit and the development of industry. Soon thereafter Rivera and his wife, painter Frida Kahlo, arrived in Detroit and began studying and photographing the Ford automotive plant on the Rouge River. The factory so fascinated and inspired Rivera that he soon suggested painting all four walls of the Garden Court. Ford and Valentier agreed and soon Rivera's commission was expanded. He spent about a month on the preliminary designs, and started painting in July 1932. The murals were completed in March 1933. Besides images of the assembly lines made famous by Ford, the murals also depict office workers and airplanes, boats and agriculture as well as Detroit's other industries at the time — medical, pharmaceutical, and chemical. They also show images of nudes representing fertility and a panel depicting vaccination. The Controversy Many people objected to Rivera's work when it was unveiled to the public. He painted workers of different races – white, black and brown, working side by side. The nudes in the mural were called pornographic, and one panel was labeled blasphemous by some members of the religious community. The section depicts a nativity scene where a baby is receiving a vaccination from a doctor and scientists from different countries took the place of the wise men. A Detroit News editorial called the murals \"coarse in conception ... foolishly vulgar ... a slander to Detroit workmen ... un-American.\" The writer wanted the murals to be destroyed. Even the commissioning of Rivera caused a stir. The country was in the midst of the Great Depression and some questioned why a Mexican artist had been chosen over an American painter. Others questioned Rivera's communist ties. Edsel Ford, patron of the murals, never publicly responded to the outcry. He only issued a simple statement saying \"I admire Rivera's spirit. I really believe he was trying to express his idea of the spirit of Detroit.\"", "In Virginia, two of the top three statewide elected officials have admitted to wearing blackface several decades ago. While Gov. Ralph Northam has denied that he appears in the racist photo on his page of his medical school's yearbook, he did admit to painting his face with shoe polish while dressing up as Michael Jackson for a dance contest in the 1980s. Meanwhile, Attorney General Mark Herring admitted that he too wore blackface while dressing up with college friends as rappers. Those are the scandals stealing headlines, but Florida's secretary of state recently resigned for dressing as an African-American Katrina victim, again using blackface. Fashion house Gucci has pulled a sweater from its physical and online stores for its resemblance to blackface. Blackface has been around since the 1830s, first appearing in minstrel shows where white actors would perform as black characters. \"They [were] literally watching black people in their moments of levity and privacy — it's being invaded and then co-opted and distorted. There's a violence to that,\" says Christy Coleman, CEO of the American Civil War Museum in Richmond, Virginia. That sentiment is reverberating across Virginia this week, even on the grounds of the state capitol. \"Who is that funny to?\" asks Kevin Williams, a businessman in town from Fredericksburg, Va. \"It's just not funny. There's nothing funny about blackface.\" Williams is African-American and says he has lost faith in the elected officials caught up in the scandal. This week, photos from old yearbooks popped up on social media. Photos of college students re-enacting lynchings and blackface cartoons were shared thousands of times on Twitter, and many Americans began to ask, \"Why?\" \"It's really the first truly American theater,\" says historian Gregg Kimball at the Library of Virginia. Kimball points out that minstrel shows were popular entertainment — and largely in northern and Midwestern cities, not the South. \"I grew up in a small town in New Hampshire. When I cleaned out my great-aunt's house, there was a minstrel program. Our town had no black people in it. So this was not like a Southern thing. It was an American thing,\" he says. It was a form of American theater that used exaggerated stereotypes of black people. \"They're lazy. They're unintelligent. They're prone to thievery, crooks,\" says Dwandalyn Reece. She's curator of music and performing arts at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. By the start of the 20th century, the racist caricatures were popularized in vaudeville and eventually radio, TV and film. In one comedy act called Two Black Crows, white actors stumbled about as naive and unintelligent black characters while wearing blackface, floppy hats and big white lips. Reece says a roster of these kinds of recurring characters developed into many that we may recognize today: \"The mammy figure. There is also the figure of Jim Crow — Jump Jim Crow.\" Those caricatures proliferated and came to stand for segregation, racism, and the unfair and inhumane treatment of African-Americans, Reece says. For many Americans, particularly outside the South, these popular images were the only lens through which to view African-Americans. And it was a distorted view, Reece says. The minstrel caricatures started showing up on toys, games, books, postcards and everyday household items. Reece says there was a tremendous market for them. \"You really see how it starts to shape people's attitudes around race and the prejudices and biases that come out of that.\" What's happening in Virginia, Reece adds, provides something visceral — and concrete — around which to have an honest dialogue about race and the dehumanizing impact of blackface.", "The first thing to appear in Waltz With Bashir is an animated dog, but it looks nothing like Bolt. This 'toon is part of an angry pack of yelping, yellow-eyed predators — a nightmare vision. In fact, Israeli writer-director Ari Folman's powerful, innovative film is composed largely of nightmares, all but the final one rendered in graphic-novel style. A series of flashbacks from Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, Waltz With Bashir has been called an \"animated documentary.\" Yet it's not about what happened, but what's remembered. \"Memory is dynamic. It's alive,\" says one character. That's why the movie was drawn rather than filmed: to capture that mutability, the play between fact and fantasy, guilt and denial, in 25-year-old recollections. The dogs are part of one man's Lebanon experience, remembered in a bar conversation with a cartoon version of the director himself. After learning what triggered the wolf-pack vision, Folman begins to wonder what he did or saw in Lebanon. Was he near the Sabra and Shatila camps where Christian Phalangist militias murdered Palestinian refugees after the assassination of Lebanese President-elect Bashir Gemayel? (Gemayel is the movie's title character.) Folman can't seem to remember, so he begins to collect other veterans' stories. The project takes Folman around Israel and overseas to Holland. As he travels, his quest flows into the anecdotes he hears: Abandoned on a Lebanese beach, a soldier swims south to safety. As a battle rages, a man imagines being rescued by a beautiful nude giantess. Troops enter a hippodrome and are shocked to find it full of dead horses. These are real stories, told in voiceover by the participants. (Usually: In two cases, an actor recited the text because a narrator didn't want his voice in the film.) The anecdotes may not all be literally true, but they certainly haven't been sanitized, and some of them are supported by multiple accounts. The episodes are mostly accompanied by stark, neoclassical music, occasionally punctuated by the cold sounds of '80s British art-pop. Public Image Limited's \"This is Not a Love Song\" underscores a soldier's tale of alienation while on furlough in a war-ignoring Israel; Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's \"Enola Gay\" plays as bombs fall. Folman's own long-suppressed recollections of the Lebanon war were triggered by sessions with an army psychiatrist, which are required of soldiers leaving the Israeli reserves. So it's understandable that Waltz With Bashir plays as a psychological exercise as much as a political one. The movie doesn't pretend to answer all the war's lingering questions. It's only about the Israeli veterans, what they did and saw and how they lived with the memories. If Folman doesn't consider Lebanese or Palestinian viewpoints on the war, he does progress from individual anguishes to general horror. The movie ends, boldly and disturbingly, with the Sabra and Shatila massacres, finally switching from animation to documentary footage. Ultimately, Waltz With Bashir's nightmares are everyone's. (Recommended)", "\"Sleep with\" is no euphemism in this sexually charged fable about a highly specialized Berlin brothel. Its clients are old men who pay for a night-long cuddle — but nothing more — with nude, drugged young lovelies. Contrasting a cast of veteran actors with an array of mostly silent and unclothed frauleins, House of Sleeping Beauties is a beguiling bit of erotic mood-spinning. Beautifully framed and composed, and heavily dependent on voiceover, the movie has a suitably wistful air; the story's outcome, however, is disappointingly concrete. This is the third film (and the first Western one) adapted from Japanese author Yasunari Kawabata's 1961 novella, and writer-director Vadim Glowna, who also plays protagonist Edmond, takes many details from the book. But he adds a new back story and ending, both of them more conventional than the film's mysterious vibe promises. A businessman in his 60s, Edmond is haunted by the car-crash deaths of his wife and daughter. (Did this happen recently, or long ago? We'll find out eventually.) Edmond turns to his friend Kogi (Maximilian Schell), who recommends the \"meditational\" experience offered by a small, discreet establishment. On his first visit, Edmond is greeted by the unnamed madam (Angela Winkler), who offers him tea, sleeping pills and a Franco-Japanese boudoir outfitted with an unconscious woman. That he's not to have sex with his deeply slumbering bedmate is unstated, but understood. As Edmond becomes a regular, he learns some more rules: He mustn't speak to any of the women if he encounters them outside the house, and he can't have the same drug that renders them insensible. Edmond doesn't follow instructions well and is sometimes threatened with banishment. Yet the mercurial madam doesn't follow through on such threats, perhaps because she has a dwindling clientele. An old man recently died in the house, Kogi tells Edmond, and his body was quickly removed to avoid attracting attention to the unusual business. The incident is just one reminder that death is Eros' partner in this dance, a pairing that seems less forced in the Japanese original. (At one point, Edmond speculates about staging a murder-suicide, a classic motif of geisha-house romances.) Mourning his wife and daughter, and anticipating his own demise, Edmond calls his caresses of one sleeping beauty \"lamentation, nothing more.\" Ultimately, Glowna decides to offer more, with a twist that's not taken from the novella. Rather than merely musing on the gap between young women's bodies and old men's yearnings, the director concludes the tale decisively — if not quite satisfyingly. Some viewers may find the movie creepy, but it's also artful and delicate. It's only with the final sequence, which veers from melancholy lust to kitschy redemption, that House of Sleeping Beauties turns leaden.", "NPR's Michael Goldfarb reports from London on one of the more unlikely successes on the art scene there. It's an exhibit of Victorian paintings of faeries. The exhibit depicts faeries looking a lot different from the Tinker Bells of our own time. Some of the 19th century faeries look evil and dangerous, and some pictures are voluptuous nude studies of women with dragonfly wings.", "Social media and dating apps are putting unprecedented pressures on America's teen girls, author Nancy Jo Sales says. Her new book, American Girls, opens with a story about one 13-year-old who received an Instagram request for \"noodz\" [nude photos] from a boy she didn't know very well. \"When I was a girl and the things that would come up in your life that were difficult or troubling or whatever — there was always a Judy Blume book for it,\" Sales tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. But, Sales says, when it comes to responding to an out-of-the-blue solicitation for naked images, \"there's no Judy Blume book for that. There's nothing for them to turn to, to know, like, 'How do I react to this?' \" In the 2 1/2 years she spent researching her book, Sales interviewed more than 200 teenage girls around the country about their social media and Internet usage. She says girls face enormous pressures to post \"hot\" or sexualized photos of themselves online, and she adds that this pressure can make the Internet an unwelcoming environment. \"I think a lot of people are not aware of how the atmosphere has really changed in social situations ... in terms of how the girls are treated and how the boys behave,\" Sales says. \"This is a kind of sexism and misogyny being played out in real time in this really extreme way.\" Interview Highlights On how males' and females' pictures differ on Tinder I talked to an 18-year-old girl who is talking about looking at Tinder with her older brother and ... she said she was struck by the way in which the boys and men's pictures were very different than the girls'. Guys tend to have a picture like, I don't know, they're standing on a mountain looking like they've climbed the mountain, or they're holding a big fish or they're doing something manly, or in their car. ... But the girls' pictures ... tend to be very different; they tend to be a lot more sexualized. This is a pressure on social media that goes back, for women and girls, a long time. ... I trace the origins back to a site called \"Hot or Not\" which came out in 2000. ... The whole idea of \"hotness\" has become such a factor in the lives of American girls, unfortunately, because according to many, many studies, including a really landmark report by the American Psychological Association in 2007, this has wide-ranging ramifications for girls' health and well-being, including studies that link this pressure to sexualize on all kinds of things like rising anxiety, depression, cutting, eating disorders. It's a thing that I don't think that boys have to deal with as much. On boys asking girls for nude photos I think the fact that so often we're talking about nudes and sexting is because kids are watching porn. There's multiple studies that say that they are. We know that they are. They're curious. They're going through puberty. They're watching porn. And yet, nobody really talks about it or talks about the fact that it has an effect on how they behave and what they think about sex and sexuality and how they deal with each other. And there's really no guidelines for girls about how to react to all of this. ... Some 13-year-old girls in Florida and New Jersey both told me that if they didn't [send photos] they had been threatened with boys sending rumors about them, sending around a picture that actually wasn't them and saying it was them. I mean, there's a kind of thing in adult life that we know about called revenge porn, and that happens among kids as well, unfortunately. It's very risky for girls to send nudes because when they do, if they chose to, those photos are not private. They can be shared and very often they are shared. I heard story after story of situations where girls had pictures of themselves sent around to groups of people. It has become such a normal thing to them. On \"slut pages\" A \"slut page\" is when someone, typically a boy, not 100 percent of the time, but mostly a boy or boys, will collect nude photos of girls in their school or in the area's schools and post them on a page. I've seen them on Facebook or Instagram. It looks like an amateur pornography site — it is an amateur pornography site, I would say — and it's underage girls and pictures that are sent to someone, very often that they think won't share them but who does. It's a nonconsensual sharing of these pictures, and sometimes without their knowledge. I've talked to girls who found out about it through text. Suddenly their phone blows up and they find out, \"Oh my god, you're on this page.\" I think it's very threatening because it's abuse of a certain kind and it's harassment, and it's very often not punished in any way, or even known by adults. On how porn is affecting sex It was through talking to girls that I started thinking about porn, and they really enlightened me about the effect that porn was having on their lives, because they would start describing to me interactions that they had with boys. For example, \"Send me nudes,\" or a boy sending a nude picture of ", "Lucian Freud, grandson of Sigmund, also explored the human psyche — through human physicality. His paintings were never called \"nudes\" — that's too polite. His subjects were \"naked\" — both physically and emotionally. His work divided critics and made him one of the most important artists of the 20th century.", "In today's hyper-fast media climate, who has time to wait for the Super Bowl to actually see the commercials? There are a few advertisers who will make us wait until the Big Game to see their wares – Snickers plans a live commercial with Adam Driver which will be Must See TV whether it works or not. Weeks ago, many advertisers started posting online teasers, previews and actual commercials airing in Sunday's game. (Beermaker Anheuser-Busch reportedly held a \"media briefing\" on its ads strategy with journalists last month). Makes sense. These companies are paying up to $5 million for 30 seconds of advertising time to the Fox network for space in a game that is often the most-watched TV event of the year. With that much at stake, a media strategy that doesn't include some pre-game day viewing seems like a missed opportunity. Just like with TV shows, ads that move audiences can tell us a lot about what values inspire or alarm us. And those notions can change on a dime – I'm betting Anheuser-Busch never expected its inspiring story about the immigration struggles of founder Adolphus Busch to be seen as a dig at President Donald Trump. But it's tough to watch scenes in its ad titled \"Born the Hard Way,\" where Busch initially faces angry Americans telling him, \"you're not wanted here... go back home,\" without thinking of Trump's executive order on immigration and the fiery debate it has kicked off. Here's a look at some of the most interesting Super Bowl commercials coming Sunday – including a few that are compelling for reasons their creators likely never intended. Bud Light: Ghost Spuds. The Weird But Kinda Works award goes to Budweiser for its ad featuring the ghost of its former Bud Light mascot, the party dog Spuds MacKenzie, voiced by actor Carl Weathers. At first, it's odd to be reminded that the dog which actually played the original Spuds in late 1980s ads is no longer with us. But watching the \"ghost\" lead a schlubby guy to realize the value of friendship through beer is kinda entertaining – and pretty much the spirit of a lot of Super Bowl revelry. Audi: Daughter. As the father of three daughters, I was all in for this ad featuring a young girl beating several boys to win a downhill cart race while her dad voices fears about how sexism will affect her, asking, \"do I tell her... she will automatically be valued as less than every man she meets?\" By the time the screen announces \"Audi of America is committed to equal pay for equal work,\" I'm drying my eyes and thinking about a vehicle upgrade. Ford: Go Further. Complaints about commercialism may seem quaint these days. But it's still jarring to see Ford use Nina Simone's rendition of the civil rights anthem \"I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free\" to illustrate scenes where people are frustrated by being stuck in traffic or locked out of the house. When Simone sang about wanting to \"break all the chains holding me,\" I don't think she meant sidestepping traffic tie-ups. Mercedes-Benz USA: Easy Driver. One notch down the commercialism disappointment scale, we find the Mercedes-Benz ad featuring Peter Fonda. Stories about Baby Boomers selling out are nothing new. But it's still odd to see a guy who once embodied '60s counter culture in Easy Rider star in a commercial with hordes of bikers acting like knuckleheads until they are struck dumb by the sight of a relatively clean-cut Fonda, peeling out of a parking lot in a $350,000 AMG-GT Roadster. Insult to injury: the commercial was directed by Fargo's Oscar-winning filmmakers, Joel and Ethan Coen. Honda: Yearbooks. Lots of celebrities are doing lots of interesting ads (it seems like New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski pops up in every other commercial). But my award for Best Use of a Big Name goes to this ad, which animates old, mostly embarrassing high school yearbook photos of celebrities like Robert Redford, Amy Adams and Viola Davis to tell viewers dreams really do come true. Even for guys geeky enough to try rocking the pornstar moustache Steve Carrell sports in his photo (\"You think any of these folks believed that I'd make it?\" he asks. Surely not.) Squarespace: Who is JohnMalkovich.com? I'm always telling journalism students to get ownership of their name as a URL for their websites soon as possible. So it was a tickle to see John Malkovich in this ad begging a fisherman to let him have his own name back. Extra points to Malkovich for always being willing to poke fun at his own eccentric image. Febreeze: Halftime #BathroomBreak. We all know what happens in bathrooms across the country between the halftime whistle and halftime show. Do we really need a TV commercial to remind us some air freshener may be needed? 84 Lumber: The Journey Begins. This 90-second ad features a Spanish-speaking mother and her young daughter enduring loads of hardships – jumping on trains, walking long distances, crossing rushing streams – to reach their destination. The company has said Fox rejected the original" ]

[ "(Stephen) King" ]

[ "a dark shark", "it broke in half", "The Dark Side of the Moon (by Pink Floyd)", "29 and a half", "CN Tower" ]

[ "Shelbyville is a city in Bedford County, Tennessee, United States. It had a population of 20,335 residents at the 2010 census. Shelbyville, the county seat of Bedford County, was laid out in 1810 and incorporated in 1819. The town is a hub of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry and has been nicknamed The Walking Horse Capital of the World." ]

[ "Public Notice The Shelbyville Municipal Airport Authority will meet in Regular Session on Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 1:00pm at the Shelbyville Municipal Airport, 2828 Hwy 231 N. Shelbyville, TN.", "Shelbyville, TN Houses for Sale. Buying a home in Shelbyville, Tennessee does not have to be difficult - Homes.com makes home buying a breeze. With 292 homes for sale in Shelbyville, Tennessee, you can search by price, bedrooms, neighborhood, and even by property type. Search Shelbyville homes for sale, foreclosures, MLS listings, and more. Make an informed decision with Shelbyville school data, neighborhood information, find Shelbyville real estate agents, and research home values in Shelbyville, TN. Homes.com has everything you need but the house keys.", "Shelbyville, Indiana. (Redirected from Shelbyville, Ind.) Shelbyville is a city in Addison Township, Shelby County, in the U.S. state of Indiana and is the county seat. The population was 19,191 as of the 2010 census.", "Current Local Time: Shelbyville, Tennessee is in the Central Time Zone: The Current Time in Shelbyville, Tennessee is: Thursday 1/18/2018 9:39 AM CST Shelbyville, Tennessee is in the Central Time Zone", "Lake Shelbyville. Lake Shelbyville is located in the heart of central Illinois. It offers a wide variety of outdoor activities for people of all ages. Lake Shelbyville consists of 11,100 acres of water and 23,000 acres...[more] 1989 State Highway 16. Shelbyville, IL 62565-9387.", "Discover the top 41 free things to do in Shelbyville, TN - including free activities, attractions and entertainment, ranked by 37,866 user reviews!", "Free & Cheap Things to Do in Shelbyville, TN. 1 The list below includes 41 free or cheap things to do in or near Shelbyville, Tennessee, including 60 different types of inexpensive activities like Parks, Bowling, Movie Theaters and Farms & Ranches.", "Shelbyville, Illinois. Shelbyville is a city in Shelby County, Illinois, along the Kaskaskia River. As of the 2010 census, the population was at 4,700. It is the county seat of Shelby County. Shelby Memorial Hospital, located in town, is the county's only hospital.", "Griffin Hv Park. Parks 220 Tulip Tree Road, Shelbyville, TN 37160 MoreLess Info. HV Griffin Park, which is located in Shelbyville, Tennessee, is a disc golf attraction that features a Frisbee instead of golf clubs and a ball for playing 'golf.' The park features an 18-hole disc golf course.", "Shelbyville is a city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Shelby County. The population was 19,191 as of the 2010 census.", "Home to Lake Shelbyville, the historic seat of Shelby County, and a Kaskaskia River community. Welcome to our online community where you can discover many great things about our city.", "A Used Car Dealer in Nashville Tennessee 1301 Madison St. Shelbyville, TN 37160 Phone: (931) 684-4731 home | view inventory | search inventory | directions | contact us", "Jewish Hospital - Shelbyville is located at 727 Hospital Drive Shelbyville, KY 40065 and can be contacted via phone number (502) 647-4300. Overview Hospital Name: Jewish Hospital - Shelbyville", "Regions Bank on 1401 Madison St in Shelbyville, TN. Welcome to Regions Bank (ATMs) on 1401 Madison St in Shelbyville, Tennessee. This bank is listed on Bank Map under Banks - ATMs. You can reach us on phone number (931) 685-1479, fax number or email address . Our office is located on 1401 Madison St, Shelbyville, TN.", "Mainstreet Shelbyville is dedicated to the revitalization of Downtown Shelbyville through historic preservation, new business recruitment, support for our traditional businesses, and creating a place where we love to live, work and play. Get to know your neighbor and together we can make a difference. 1 View Map.", "Shelbyville is a small town in Tn known for the Horse Show. Something I'd like to see change would be restaurants. There's the same restaurants, there's 3 steak houses, and 2 chicken places almost right next to each other. Id like to see a Red Lobster and Olive Garden be able to be built one day.", "BBB's Business Review for KENNITH WESSNER AUTOMOTIVE, Business Reviews and Ratings for KENNITH WESSNER AUTOMOTIVE in Shelbyville, TN. Home > Business Directory > Auto Dealers - Used Cars > KENNITH WESSNER AUTOMOTIVE 34 years in business 1303 Madison St Shelbyville, TN 37160-3627", "Shelbyville is a very small town but it's a great town to live in and it's a great family place to raise your kids.", "Lake Shelbyville is located in Moultrie County, Illinois. This lake is 11,100 acres in size. It is approximately 60 feet deep at its deepest point.", "50% Off Mexican Food at El Barril Mexican Restaurant & Seafood. 1 El Barril Mexican Restaurant & Seafood 341 Bethany Lane, Shelbyville, TN MoreLess Info. 2 Parks 1915 Shelbyville Dam on the Duck River, Shelbyville, TN MoreLess Info. 3 Parks 220 Tulip Tree Road, Shelbyville, TN 37160 MoreLess Info.", "Whetzel's Trace was cut just 4 miles north of site of Shelbyville and proved important in the settlement of Shelby County. Shelbyville was incorporated January 21, 1850, by a special act of the Legislature, according to county histories.", "Bedford County Clerk, a clerk, in Shelbyville, TN 37160, address and phone number. Clerks provide information on public court records and legal documents, criminal, jail, and arrest records, marriage licenses, divorce, judicial, and probate records, businesses liens, notary services, real estate taxes and voter registration services. Name. Address.", "Jewish Hospital-Shelbyville Shelbyville, KY. Jewish Hospital-Shelbyville in Shelbyville, KY is not nationally ranked in any specialty. more", "Central Standard Time - is abbreviated as CST. Central Daylight Time- is abbreviated as CDT. Shelbyville, Tennessee is GMT/UTC - 6h during Standard Time. Shelbyville, Tennessee is GMT/UTC - 5h during Daylight Saving Time.", "Bedford County is located in the great State of Tennessee, geographically in its southern middle section. Our population, taken from the 2010 Census, is 45,058 and our county-seat is the City of Shelbyville (cir. 1810) which was named for Major General Isaac Shelby of Revolutionary War fame and also the State of Kentucky’s first Governor.", "Chattanooga, TN (4) Gallatin, TN (2) Lewisburg, TN (1) Smyrna, TN (1) Erwin, TN (1) Lebanon, TN (1) Franklin, TN (1) Goodlettsville, TN (1) Manchester, TN (1) Shelbyville, TN (1) Tennessee (1) Emergency Dispatcher jobs nationwide", "Cities Near Murfreesboro, TN. Antioch, TN; Smyrna, TN; Lebanon, TN; Hermitage, TN; Franklin, TN; Mount Juliet, TN; La Vergne, TN; Brentwood, TN; Nolensville, TN; Shelbyville, TN; Lascassas, TN; Christiana, TN; Rockvale, TN; Lavergne, TN; Woodbury, TN; Cane Ridge, TN; College Grove, TN; Eagleville, TN; Arrington, TN; Bell Buckle, TN", "Collierville, Tennessee. Collierville is a town in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and a suburb located in the Memphis metropolitan area. The town had a population of 43,965 at the 2010 census. Collierville is a town of large houses and considerable retail expansion.", "Bedford County Historical Information. Founded in Early 1800's. Bedford County is located in the great State of Tennessee, geographically in its southern middle section. Our population, taken from the 2010 Census, is 45,058 and our county-seat is the City of Shelbyville (cir.", "Shelby County, TN is in the southwestern part of Tennessee in the east south central United States. Closest City to the Center of Shelby County, TN: Bartlett, Tennessee. Cities in Shelby County, TN: Bartlett, Memphis, Germantown, Millington, Lakeland, Arlington, Collierville. Neighboring Counties to Shelby County, TN:", "Save time and take some hassle out of your job hunt. Use filters and keywords to sort and save your popular/favorite searches. City, State Asia, TN (54) Decherd, TN (18) Dickel, TN (1) Lynchburg, TN (3) Manchester, TN (100) Nome, AK (2) Normandy, TN (1) Royal, TN (2) Shelbyville, TN (81) Tullahoma, TN (135) Winchester, TN (39) Work from Home, AK (1) Category Full-time (379) Part-time (418) Teen (41)", "• Surface Area: 11,000 Acres. Lake Shelbyville is a reservoir located in Shelby County, Illinois and Moultrie County, Illinois created by damming the Kaskaskia River at Shelbyville, Illinois. The lake's normal surface pool is 11,100 acres (44.9 km2) at an elevation of 183 meters (600.4 ft)." ]

[ "Heard foot steps right in front of me said can you not never happened again" ]

[ "Not having any reason to answer the teacher if you did your homework in online class", "That just makes you think, did they have to do that?", "I'd say its smart but if you think someone might have sabotaged them then you might have a bigger issue on your hands.", "[Serious] What's your actual, main credit card number if you have one?", "Yes, you missed the boat. You have to be serious for your entire life now.", "What do you think about when you have nobody to talk to?", "You have a reason to act like you have something up your ass.", "Your taxes and any paperwork you have left. Might as well use that time efficiently.", "brokeback mountain might have what you are looking for.", "There might be a reason you won’t get many, if any, replies.", "Did you just have a stroke?", "Would you rather have sex with your mother without anyone else finding out or not have sex with your mother but everyone thinks you did?", "If you have a serious question and y it want serious answers you would do that so your information would be accurate to the information you need to find out what the answer of the question is to further your knowledge", "Why did you have me if you didn't have any idea about how to be parents?", "Tbh there's a lot of things but here we go.\n\nHave you ever killed anyone? Did it affect you mentally?\n\nHow do you cope up or stay uplifted when you are away from your family on tours?\n\nProudest achievement?\n\nWhat are some dark things about being a soldier that no one talks about? Like stuff you have to do that might not be moral or ethical?\n\nWhy did you become a soldier?\n\nWhats your worst fear as a solider? And your greatest aspiration?\n\nI have more but I think these will do for now :)", "I’d try not telling people you have a beard when you don’t. What did you expect to happen next", "Make sure you have a question when they ask if you have any questions.", "I think the moral of the story is you have issues with women and grammar.", "What’s that saying, “when you have a son you have to worry about 1 penis, when you have a daughter, you have to worry about every penis”", "What do you do when you break both of your arms?\n\nHave your mom jerk you off", "It's like ripping off a Band-Aid: you just have to do it. And you have to go in knowing they might not accept your apology or react well.", "I don't think you understand what serious means", "if you 'find/create and follow your own personal purpose' then life has a purpose. the one you found or created. beyond that there is no reason for living. kinda by definition or something. not that that means there's any reason for dying if you lack a reason for living. life is just meaningless and there's no reason to it besides whatever you might make up to comfort yourself.", "You would have to be crazy to pay a reasonable price for a reasonable product advertised on your reasonable computer !", "Not really, just drink water when you feel thirsty and you'll be fine. This goes for most people, unless you have a serious medical condition.", "I think you might be a troll is what I think.", "Follow your heart it sounds great when you say but you have to be realistic.So many people aren’t realistic yes you should follow your heart but use your brain to . What ever your heart is telling you it might need to wait.", "I mean. You could just say you don’t have any money on you at the time. You shouldn’t feel guilty about having money unless your hella rich.", "Do you understand what you have just begun?", "You should have put a serious tag", "You know it’s all over when you have to parent your parents and you sound just like them.", "what makes you think I have any form of relationship... let alone with a non-gamer" ]

[ "OTTAWA (CP) - Admitting that drug patent regulations are unclear and subject to abuse, Ottawa is returning the rules governing competition between brand-name and generic drug makers." ]

[ "NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 27: The Centre brought into effect key changes to its patent law on Monday to cover a range of products from drugs and chemicals to mobile phone and computer software, in line with commitments to WTO.", "In a patent dispute, a federal judge ordered a Canadian company to stop distributing its generic version of the anticlotting drug Plavix.", "A federal appeals court let stand a ruling on Wednesday that reinstated a lawsuit challenging a Novartis AG patent on the genital herpes drug Famvir.", "A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that the patent on the blood clot-preventing drug Plavix is valid, handing a major victory to Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis.", "Will the product patents regime lead to unsustainably high drug prices? A demonstration against patenting of drug products in Chennai.", "Cut and polish The UK Patent Office has proposed a new set of rules (PDF) which it says will modernise its processes. The rules are open for consultation until June.…", "Chinese drug firms have appealed a court ruling upholding US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer&#039;s China patent for its impotency drug Viagra, both sides have said.", "The federal government is scaling back its efforts to intercept personal prescription orders mailed from Canada and other countries, a step that could make it easier for consumers to obtain cheaper drugs from abroad.", "VANCOUVER (CP) - Ottawa will not speed the creation of a national pharmacare program to deal with the growing flood of Americans who come to Canada to buy up supplies of cheaper prescription drugs.", "Amgen Inc. said yesterday a jury ruled in its favor in a patent dispute over an anemia treatment whose possible US launch could challenge the drug maker's top-selling drug.", "Pfizer Inc. said on Tuesday that it had won a patent case over its Lipitor drug in an Irish court, which ruled a patent protecting the blockbuster cholesterol fighter would be infringed by a competing product from India's Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd.", "The goal is to improve the quality of patents, which should curb the rising wave of patent disputes and lawsuits, the director of the government's patent office said.", "Canadian health officials are drafting a proposal to prevent Internet pharmacies from selling mail-order prescription drugs to U.S. consumers, a spokesman said Wednesday, a move that would essentially kill a &#36;700 million industry that has become increasingly popular with underinsured patients in search of cheaper medicine.", "WASHINGTON -- Federal drug regulators are using a &quot;lighter touch&quot; in their efforts to stop a growing number of cities and states from importing prescription drugs from Canada, and the City of Boston is taking advantage of that new posture.", "Canada is considering options to clamp down on the &#36;850 billion a year cross-border Internet pharmacy prescription drug trade by month's end, a Canadian health ministry official said Wednesday.", "Its suspension of two patents this week opens the way to use copycat drugs for diseases other than AIDS.", "WINNIPEG (CP) - It will take more than tough talk from politicians or changes to federal law to catch Canadian doctors who co-sign Internet pharmacy prescriptions, say medical and pharmacy watchdogs.", "Many Canadian internet pharmacies supplying Amer-icans with cheap prescription drugs will be forced to close under new licensing restrictions proposed by regulators in the prairie province of Manitoba.", "A jury in Texas has ruled that Boston Scientific’s drug-coated stents infringed a 1997 patent issued to a radiologist and has awarded the inventor $431 million.", "U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publishes Apple patent for \"chameleon\" cases that change their look.", "TORONTO, Jan. 6 -- The Canadian health minister plans to restrict the supply of inexpensive prescription drugs shipped to about 2 million patients in the United States each year, and industry officials here are saying President Bush is behind the move.", "The federal government will stop seizing small amounts of lower-priced prescription medications mailed from Canada, officials said.", "LONDON/NEW YORK - A court ruling upholding the patent on blockbuster blood-thinning drug Plavix has reignited talk France's Sanofi-Aventis will bid for its smaller U.S. partner Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. .", "Canada may have to toughen up rules on Internet pharmacies&#39; sales of medicines to the United States, Industry Minister David Emerson said on Friday, amid public concerns of shortages or price spikes despite controls.", "OTTAWA (CP) - Mexican President Vicente Fox says his country has undergone radical change, and is far removed now from a period when the president ruled through fear.", "With those words, Federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh has just put our neighbours on notice that Ottawa won&#39;t threaten Canada&#39;s own drug supply by allowing any number of Americans to buy cheaper medication through the booming cross-border prescription", "OTTAWA (CP) - Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced a new plan to curb the use of toxic chemicals in Canada. The plan covers compounds that were recently reviewed for their toxicity levels.", "Merck and Co. MRK.N suffered a double blow on Friday when a court ruled that the patent on its second-biggest drug will lapse a decade earlier than expected and U.S. regulators elevated their probe of its withdrawn Vioxx arthritis drug into a formal investigation.", "Los Angeles Times - WASHINGTON &#8212; Canada might soon prohibit pharmacies from selling prescription drugs to mail-order customers &#8212; a move that would cut off a market that is increasingly popular with U.S. seniors eager to take advantage of Canadian price controls that make drugs there far cheaper than at home.", "A drug manufacturer has been found to infringe patents licensed by the maker of a rival drug.", "OTTAWA (CP) - The nature of child care is changing, a Statistics Canada study indicates.", "TORONTO (CP) - Canadians are paying hundreds of millions of dollars too much for generic prescription drugs because federal government policies are allowing manufacturers to shut out competitors, a study released Monday concludes." ]

[ "14th Amendment | Constitution | US Law | LII / Legal Information ... No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.", "US Constitution - 5th and 14th Amendments | findUSlaw No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.", "AP Gov chapters 4 and 5 Flashcards | Quizlet \"Equal protection of the laws,\" as provided in the 14th Amendment, is understood to mean .... nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process .... Civil Liberties are legal and constitutional protections against ... The act by which government prevents material from being published is called.", "Due Process Clause - Wikipedia The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution each contain a due ... [N]or shall any person . . . be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law . .... to the United States Constitution, which guarantees reliable procedures that protect innocent people from being executed, which would...", "Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution - Wikipedia The Fourteenth Amendment (Amendment XIV) to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments. The amendment addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the ..... The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment applies only against the states, but it is..." ]

[ "Due Process includes law enforcement officers | TheHill Oct 1, 2016 ... The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States ... be \"deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. .... I said get back to me when you have studied the word of God. ... It appears you impersonate a Christian when you start posting ..... Carson: Trump won't have as much time.", "The Right of Privacy: Is it Protected by the Constitution? This page includes materials relating to the constitutional right to privacy. ... in the 1920s, read the Fourteenth Amendment's liberty clause to prohibit states from .... whose lawsuit led to the invalidation of a state law banning contraceptives. ... houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not...", "Fifth Amendment | Constitution | US Law | LII / Legal Information ... Amendment VNo person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise ... without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without. ... The Fifth Amendment creates a number of rights relevant to both criminal and ... In criminal cases, the Fifth Amendment guarantees the right to a grand jury,...", "Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution - Wikipedia The Fifth Amendment (Amendment V) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights and protects a person from being compelled to be a witness against himself .... The grand jury indictment clause of the Fifth Amendment has not been incorporated under the Fourteenth Amendment. This means that the grand...", "Search and Seizure Law - FindLaw The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and ... The Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and ... The Fourth Amendment Protects You from Government, not Private, Searches and Seizures ... There are a number of exceptions to these rather harsh rules (for example,...", "Fourth Amendment | Wex Legal Dictionary / Encyclopedia | LII ... ... houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not ... The ultimate goal of this provision is to protect people's right to privacy and freedom ... A seizure of a person, within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment, occurs ... Usually, these stops provide officers with less dominion and controlling...", "Protection of Constitutional Rights Those few provisions protecting individual rights include Article I, Section 9, which ... The First Amendment protects freedom of religion and freedom of speech and ... a person from being tried twice for the same crime (double jeopardy) or from...", "Constitutional protection for the home The Third Amendment prohibits, in time of peace, the quartering of soldiers in \"any ... have a right \"to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures. ... illustration of the Court's approach to search cases involving home privacy, we ... In Frisby, the Supreme Court upholds a ban on picketing in residential areas,...", "Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution - Wikipedia The Fifth Amendment (Amendment V) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights and protects a person from being compelled to be a witness .... The Grand Jury Clause of the Fifth Amendment does not protect those serving ..... person \"shall be compelled, in any criminal case, to be a witness against himself.\"...", "Fifth Amendment | Constitution | US Law | LII / Legal Information ... Amendment VNo person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or ... In criminal cases, the Fifth Amendment guarantees the right to a grand jury, forbids double jeopardy, and protects against self-incrimination. It also ... Fourth Amendment up Forum Selection Clause ...", "Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution - Wikipedia The Fifth Amendment (Amendment V) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights and protects a person from being compelled to be a witness against himself in a ... A defendant cannot be compelled to become a witness at his own trial. If, however, should he choose to testify, he is not entitled to the privilege,...", "Fifth Amendment Right Against Self-Incrimination - FindLaw The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives individuals the right to refuse to ... The right against self-incrimination is spelled out in the Fifth Amendment to the ... The [Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination] serves to protect the...", "Fifth Amendment | Wex Legal Dictionary / Encyclopedia | LII / Legal ... The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides, \"No person shall be held to ... to the states through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. ... in the Anglo-American tradition, the grand jury originally served to protect the ... Known as Miranda rights, these rights include the right to remain silent, the right...", "Fourth Amendment | Constitution | US Law | LII / Legal Information ... Amendment IVThe right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated ... as well as being central to many other criminal law topics and to privacy law.", "Fourteenth Amendment | United States Constitution | Britannica.com Jul 13, 2016 ... Fourteenth Amendment, amendment (1868) to the Constitution of the United States ... This so-called Reconstruction Amendment prohibited the states from depriving ... ...denounced the leaders of the Republican Party as traitors, .... On May 4, 1961 a group of seven African Americans and six whites left...", "When Discussing the Voting Rights Act, Race Can't be Ignored Mar 24, 2013 ... The Justice apparently missed that the 15th Amendment to the ... state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. ... The 14th Amendment specifies that no group's vote should be denied ... Court and reenacts the bill, perhaps changing a word or two so that it can say there is a difference.", "Second Amendment to the United States Constitution - Wikipedia The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution protects the right of ... Heller (2008), the Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision that .... militias as important for one or more of these purposes (in no particular order): ...... A right to the common-law writ of habeas corpus, to protect the other...", "Reconstruction Terms Flashcards | Quizlet Correct - U.S. History. a Northerner who went to the South after the Civil War and ... Civil War South, carpetbaggers were Northerners who moved to the South to take ..... deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. ... that no Southern military or political leaders could take in part of the Congress.", "Fifth Amendment | Constitution | US Law | LII / Legal Information ... In criminal cases, the Fifth Amendment guarantees the right to a grand jury, forbids double jeopardy, and protects against self-incrimination. It also requires that...", "The Bill of Rights (Amendments 1 - 10) - National Center for ... The Bill of Rights (Amendments 1 10) ... Amendment 5 - Protection of Rights to Life, Liberty, and Property ... Amendment 9 - Other Rights Kept by the People...", "Free Flashcards about LEGAL TERMS - StudyStack Other activities to help include hangman, crossword, word scramble, games, matching, quizes, and tests. ... THE 5TH AMENDMENT CLAUSE KNOWN BY THIS 2-WORD NAME PROTECTS YOU FROM THE FEDS; THE ONE IN THE 14TH, FROM ... COLORFUL TERM USED TO DESCRIBE STATE LAWS REGULATING THE...", "The Fourteenth Amendment and a natural born citizen - the Birthers A common misunderstanding of natural born citizenship comes from the ... Those born in the United States at the time of adoption and afterwards were only citizens. ... being born in the United States does not make one a natural born citizen, it ... liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within...", "The Thirteenth Amendment: Slavery and the Constitution This page includes materials relating to the Thirteenth Amendment and the ... until 1808, and prevented free states from enacting laws protecting fugitive slaves. ... but prohibited slavery in portions of the Louisiana purchase north of 3630'. ... the Thirteenth Amendment which abolished \"slavery\" and \"involuntary servitude\"...", "Fourth Amendment | Wex Legal Dictionary / Encyclopedia | LII ... The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides, \"[t]he right of the people ... houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not ... For instance, warrantless searches of private premises are mostly prohibited ... An Expectation of privacy in an open field is not considered reasonable.", "ap gov chapter 5 id's and key terms Flashcards | Quizlet States and local gov. could not pass law that denies freedom of speech. .... U.S. (1919) speech that presents a \"clear & present danger\"(non-protected speech). ... and to have an attorney appointed if he/she cannot afford one; Miranda Warning. ... nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.", "Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution - Wikipedia The Fourth Amendment (Amendment IV) to the United States Constitution prohibits .... Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden ruled that both the search and the seizure was ..... The Supreme Court has held that the Fourth Amendment does not apply to .... Searches and seizures without a warrant are not considered unreasonable if...", "Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution - Wikipedia The Fifth Amendment (Amendment V) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights and protects a person from being compelled to be a witness against himself in a criminal case.", "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness - Wikipedia \"Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness\" is a well-known phrase in the United States Declaration of Independence. The phrase gives three examples of the \"unalienable rights\" which the Declaration says have been given to all human beings by their Creator, and which governments are created to protect.", "First Amendment to the United States Constitution - Wikipedia The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prohibits the making of ... In addition to the right of assembly guaranteed by this clause, the Court has also ruled that ... or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the .... In Everson, the Court adopted Jefferson's words.", "The 15th Amendment does not protect the right of illegal immigrants ... Aug 17, 2016 ... The 15th Amendment says that The right of citizens of the United ... by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. ... After the Civil War, freed slaves were being denied the right to vote, ... All the while, these liberal regimes claim laws like the Kansas ... eddyjames 2 months ago.", "Frequently Asked Questions - Assembly | First Amendment Center ... Guilt can be shared only if the organization and its members have a common plan ... group is allowed to meet to discuss ideas and peaceably promote its point of view, ... would have First Amendment protection, while that same speech at midnight under ... Do we have an unfettered right to protest on government property?", "Chapter 4 Flashcards | Quizlet The ______ of the First Amendment protects an individual's right to believe and practice whatever religion she or he .... d. right against double jeopardy." ]

[ "Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email\nAaron Tshibola will play against a mentor as well as under one when he makes his Kilmarnock debut in Saturday's meeting with Celtic .\nThe 23-year-old was reunited with his former Reading manager and Aston Villa assistant when Steve Clarke signed him on loan from the West Midlands club this week.\nAnd furthermore he will come up against former Villa team-mate Scott Sinclair, Scotland's player of the year, at Rugby Park.\n\"He was actually my room-mate at Aston Villa,\" Tshibola said of Sinclair. \"I know Scotty quite well and it will be good to see him again. We have kept in touch.\n(Image: PA Wire)\n\"I didn't really speak to him too much before coming up here but I'm obviously aware of what Scotty's achieved here. He's a great player and a great person so I'm happy for him.\n\"Sharing a room with him, you gain small bits. You just naturally gain the professionalism and how they come across. He's a very experienced player and he's achieved a lot. I have gained a fair amount from the small time I was with him at Aston Villa.\"\nThe midfielder admitted Clarke was pivotal in his move to Kilmarnock .\n\"Obviously one of the main reasons for me coming here is the gaffer knows my qualities, my strengths and weaknesses and what I need to improve on and what I need to do to get to the top,\" he said.\n\"He's good at developing young players and passing on his experiences. He has been at some top clubs and done some massive things in the game. Everyone has bought into his training methods, it's enjoyable.\"\nVilla paid £5million for Tshibola in the summer of 2016 but he was loaned to Nottingham Forest after playing 10 games, and a season-long loan at MK Dons was cut short last November.\nHe said: \"For me it's all about getting back on track, playing well and just enjoying my football, and getting back to doing what I know I'm able to do. The rest will take care of itself.\n\"Of course, I made a great move at what people say is a young age. It's been a continuous learning curve. You come across stumbling blocks, you keep going, you keep pushing. Nothing is ever a straight road.\n\"To get to the top you have to make sacrifices and dedicate yourself. I'm still young, I'm still learning.\n\"Regardless of a big-money move or whatever people might say, I'm still the same person, I'm still trying to better myself every day and push myself.\"" ]

[ "Youssouf Mulumbu's second-half goal gave Kilmarnock a dramatic 1-0 Ladbrokes Premiership win over Celtic at Rugby Park with the visitors counting more than the cost of three lost points.\nFirst-half injuries to central defenders Dedryck Boyata and Kristoffer Ajer disrupted the Hoops, who were stifled on the artificial surface by the hard-working home side.\nKilmarnock were rewarded in the 70th minute when Mulumbu volleyed in a Jordan Jones cross to give Killie their first home win over the champions since 2010.\nAnd while Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers will hurt from an unexpected defeat - only his second against Scottish opposition - with the first leg of the Europa League tie against Russian side Zenit St Petersburg at Parkhead less than two weeks away he will be concerned about a growing injury list.\nMinutes before the transfer window closed on Wednesday night the Northern Irishman had signed 22-year-old centre-back Jack Hendry and he made his Hoops debut as part of a back three, while attacker Charly Musonda - on loan from Chelsea - started for the first time.\nThere were only 10 minutes gone when Rodgers had to reshuffle his defence for the first time.\nBoyata limped off\nBelgian defender Boyata went to ground after blocking a cross from Eamonn Brophy, back in the side along with veteran centre-back Gordon Greer, and limped off in some frustration to be replaced by Nir Bitton.\nCeltic's impressive early start gave way to some struggle as the well-organised Ayrshire side closed out all avenues and when Ajer was unable to recover from a leg injury he was replaced in the 35th minute by winger Scott Sinclair, with left-back Kieran Tierney moving into central defence.\nSome much-needed goalmouth action then ensued. Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham fired a 25-yard free-kick on to the roof of the Killie goal before Greg Taylor drove wide at the other end after Hoops keeper Dorus de Vries had spilled a Jones effort.\nThe Dutchman then saved an angled drive by Rugby Park skipper Kris Boyd.\nSinclair came off the bench for Celtic\nKilmarnock keeper Jamie MacDonald pulled a Sinclair shot out of the air in the 54th minute as Celtic upped the tempo after the interval.\nThe complexion of the game changed however, with 20 minutes remaining when the unmarked Mulumbu was picked out by Jones and from eight yards out guided the ball past De Vries for his first Killie goal since arriving in November.\nThe 31-year-old former Norwich City and West Brom player removed his shirt amid ecstatic celebrations for which he was booked by referee Kevin Clancy.\nRodgers threw on Odsonne Edouard for Eboue Kouassi and Celtic stormed forward in search of the leveller but Killie should have increased their lead.\nJones blasted over De Vries' bar in a breakaway before Mulumbu had a drive blocked by the Parkhead keeper, who then saved another effort from Jones.\nMacDonald saved a late free-kick from Ntcham and the determined home side held out the three added minutes.", "Ratings out of ten for every player in Kilmarnock’s 1-0 win over Celtic\nREAD MORE - Kilmarnock 1 - 0 Celtic: Mulumbu hands league leaders second defeat\nKILMARNOCK\nJamie MacDonald - 6\nSurprisingly under-used against a shot-shy Celtic, but saved well from Olivier Ntcham’s free kick late on to ensure Kilmarnock held onto the three points.\nStephen O’Donnell - 7\nMost of Celtic’s attack came down his flank but he coped well against Kieran Tierney in the first half and Scott Sinclair in the second.\nKirk Broadfoot - 7\nOther than conceding a late free-kick which nearly proved costly, Broadfoot was a solid presence at the heart of the Kilmarnock defence.\nGordon Greer - 8\nOne of his best performances since joining in the summer, Greer and his centre half partner, Broadfoot, ensured that Celtic rarely got a sniff of the home goal. Easily won the contest with Moussa Dembele.\nGreg Taylor - 7\nKept James Forrest quiet in the first half and did his best to support Jordan Jones going forward. The second half proved more of a defensive challenge but coped well against an improved Celtic.\nRory McKenzie - 6\nWorked hard throughout to put pressure on Celtic’s back line and helped push Kilmarnock further up the pitch when under pressure.\nGary Dicker - 7\nA less showy performance than his midfield colleague, Mulumbu, but was no less effective in denying Celtic space in the middle of the park.\nYoussouf Mulumbu - 9\nMulumbu’s quality was evident throughout the game; harrying Celtic relentlessly in possession and providing the platform for the majority of Kilmarnock’s attacks. He became an increasing threat in the final third after Steve Clarke changed tactics and deserved his well-taken goal.\nJordan Jones - 7\nJones was Kilmarnock’s primary threat and, at times, tormented Celtic debutant Jack Hendry with his direct running. His final ball was often disappointing, but made up for it with the assist for Mulumbu’s goal.\nEamon Brophy - 6\nMuch like McKenzie, contributed plenty of hard work and energy although was largely starved of the ball.\nKris Boyd - 6\nTested Dorus de Vries with a couple of efforts, but struggled to fashion any clear cut openings and was substituted just after the hour.\nSUBS\nAaron Tshibola - 7\nWith Celtic beginning to exert some sustained pressure in the second half, the new signing from Aston Villa helped wrestled momentum back for Kilmarnock.\nLee Erwin - N/A\nCame on with the game stretched in the final stages and nearly set up a second Kilmarnock goal.\nStuart Findlay - N/A\nLate sub.\nCELTIC\nDorus de Vries - 6\nAn unconvincing performance from De Vries, who poorly parried a Jordan Jones shot in the first half and struggled to pass out from the back. Made a couple of good saves from Mulumbu and Jones in the final stages.\nKristoffer Ajer - 5\nSubstituted after 35 minutes, having picked up a knock he couldn’t shake off.\nJack Hendry - 5\nA difficult debut for the former Dundee player. Competed well in the physical duel with Kris Boyd, but struggled up against the dangerous Jordan Jones. Looked nervous when asked to travel out of defence with the ball.\nDedryck Boyata - N/A\nSuffered a groin injury within the first ten minutes and had to be replaced.\nJames Forrest - 6\nAn unusually inert performance from one of Celtic’s best performers this season. After a very quiet first half, he began to stretch the Kilmarnock defence with some powerful runs midway through the second period, but he faded again as the clock wound down.\nEboue Kouassi - 5\nA largely anonymous performance from the midfielder, who was outclassed by his Kilmarnock counterparts.\nScott Brown - 6\nScott Brown rarely loses individual battles, but he met his match in Mulumbu, who won a number of important 50-50 challenges against the Scotland midfielder.\nKieran Tierney - 6\nTierney showed his versatility once again for Brendan Rodgers, starting on the left flank before an injury crisis forced him into the role of emergency centre half. He had looked Celtic’s best attacking outlet until the formation change.\nCharly Musonda - 6\nCeltic’s new signing from Chelsea showed flashes of quality but too often his tricks and flicks were deployed far from the Kilmarnock goal, as the home side limited the space for him to operate in. One snap-shot in the second half was as close as he came to scoring a goal on his full debut.\nMoussa Dembele - 5\nThere was nothing at Rugby Park to suggest Dembele is likely to overcome his form slump any time soon. The Frenchman was subdued throughout, finding space in the opposition box difficult to come by as he struggled to impose himself on the game.\nOlivier Ntcham - 6\nCame closest to scoring for Celtic with a free kick in each half. Saw lots of the ball but struggled to impose himself in an attacking sense.\nSUBS\nNir Bitton - 6\nAn admirable performance blotted by his failure to pick up Mulumbu in the box as Kilmarnock took the lead. He arrived into the fray after the early injury to Boyata and provided much needed composure either side of his inexperienced centre-half partners, but his late mistake proved costly.\nScott Sinclair - 5\nIn a game with few clear cut opportunities, Sinclair appeared to have been presented one midway through the second half, but he took a bad touch in the home box and the chance disappeared. It summed up an ineffectual appearance from the substitute.\nOdsonne Edouard - N/A\nCame on late and failed to make a meaningful impression as Celtic chased the game.", "Scottish Premiership The Observer Youssouf Mulumbu the hero as Kilmarnock beat blunt Celtic Youssouf Mulumbu celebrates scoring Kilmarnock’s goal against Celtic. Photograph: Jeff Holmes/PA\nYoussouf Mulumbu’s second-half goal gave Kilmarnock a dramatic 1-0 Scottish Premiership win over Celtic at Rugby Park with the visitors counting more than the cost of three lost points.\nFirst-half injuries to central defenders Dedryck Boyata and Kristoffer Ajer disrupted Celtic, who were stifled on the artificial surface by the hard-working home side. Kilmarnock were rewarded in the 70th minute when Mulumbu volleyed in a Jordan Jones cross to give Killie their first home win over the champions since 2010.\nThe Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will hurt from an unexpected defeat -only his second against Scottish opposition - with the first leg of the Europa League tie against Russian side Zenit St Petersburg at Parkhead less than two weeks away he will be concerned about a growing injury list.\nMinutes before the transfer window closed on Wednesday night the Northern Irishman had signed 22-year-old centre-back Jack Hendry and he made his Celtic debut as part of a back three, while attacker Charly Musonda - on loan from Chelsea - started for the first time.\nThere were only 10 minutes gone when Rodgers had to reshuffle his defence for the first time. Belgian defender Boyata went to ground after blocking a cross from Eamonn Brophy, back in the side along with veteran centre-back Gordon Greer, and limped off in some frustration to be replaced by Nir Bitton.\nCeltic’s impressive early start gave way to some struggle as the well-organised Ayrshire side closed out all avenues and when Ajer was unable to recover from a leg injury he was replaced in the 35th minute by winger Scott Sinclair, with left-back Kieran Tierney moving into central defence.\nSome much-needed goalmouth action then ensued. Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham fired a 25-yard free-kick on to the roof of the Killie goal before Greg Taylor drove wide at the other end after Hoops keeper Dorus de Vries had spilled a Jones effort. The Dutchman then saved an angled drive by Rugby Park skipper Kris Boyd.\nKilmarnock keeper Jamie MacDonald pulled a Sinclair shot out of the air in the 54th minute as Celtic upped the tempo after the interval. The complexion of the game changed however, with 20 minutes remaining when the unmarked Mulumbu was picked out by Jones and from eight yards out guided the ball past De Vries for his first Killie goal since arriving in November. The 31-year-old former Norwich City and West Brom player removed his shirt amid ecstatic celebrations for which he was booked by referee Kevin Clancy.\nRodgers threw on Odsonne Edouard for Eboue Kouassi and Celtic stormed forward in search of the leveller but Killie should have increased their lead. Jones blasted over De Vries’ bar in a breakaway before Mulumbu had a drive blocked by the Parkhead keeper, who then saved another effort from Jones. MacDonald saved a late free-kick from Ntcham and the determined home side held out the three added minutes.", "Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email\nYoussouf Mulumbu stunned Celtic to give Kilmarnock a famous and deserved Old Firm double.\nThe Rugby Park playmaker hit the winner 21 minutes from time as Steve Clarke ’s resurgent team backed-up their Christmas success over Rangers with a dismissal of the champions.\nMan of the Match Mulumbu’s far-post strike settled the issue and gave the Ayrshire outfit another massive boost, but it was a desperate day for Celtic.\nNot only were Brendan Rodgers’ team lacking in creativity and invention, they also lost defenders Dedryck Boyata and Kristoffer Ajer to injury during a painful first-half.\n(Image: PA)\nDespite the inclusion of new signings Jack Hendry and Charly Musonda, Rodgers’ team never got going and slumped to just their second defeat in the Premiership since the manager took over at the beginning of last term.\nFor Killie, though, it was another dream day in their ascent under Clarke.\nHendry started the game on the right-hand side of a flexible back three, but right away Celtic needed a reshuffle when Boyata sustained an injury inside 10 minutes and Nir Bitton took over. Ajer was also injured before half-time.\nThe contest was poor in the first 45 minutes. Kirk Broadfoot headed just over from a Stephen O’Donnell cross for the hosts and Kris Boyd had a strike held, while Oliver Ntcham curled a Celtic free-kick over.\nVideo Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now\nHowever, the standard was dreadful on the dismal surface. It did improve slightly after the interval.\nBoth teams had openings with Celtic sub Scott Sinclair and Broadfoot, again on a charge forward, missing decent chances as the contest ticked beyond the hour.\nIt was Killie who grabbed the winner 21 minutes from time when Jordan Jones escaped down the left flank and picked his head to find Mulumbu at the far post and the playmaker angled into the net.\nMulumbu and Jones both had chances to nab a clinching second during the closing stages, but keeper Jamie MacDonald’s last-minute save from an Ntcham free-kick meant one was enough for Clarke and his troops.\n3 talking points\nClarke trusts his troops\n(Image: SNS Group)\nKilmarnock’s manager stuck with his system and his personnel. Some bosses switch and change for facing Celtic, but Clarke gave his team confidence by trusting them and their usual shape against the champions. He deployed his two strikers in Kris Boyd and Eamonn Brophy and included talisman Mulumbu and it was a brave call which reaped the ultimate rewards.\nPitch imperfect\n(Image: SNS Group)\nRugby Park was drier than a camel’s tonsils and did not make for a good game. Artificial pitches are fine when there is a bit of rain or moisture in the air, but a dry day makes them awful. It didn’t affect the result. Killie were better, but a real manager like Clarke must want a real surface for his team. This is not an amatuer league. It’s Scotland’s top flight.\nRodgers rings the changes\n(Image: SNS Group)\nThe Celtic manager put two new signings into team and also had to make changes when defenders Boyata and Ajer limped off. These switches would not have helped the fluidity of the champions, yet they were miles off their best. Home gaolkeeper Jamie MacDonald did not have a really proper save until the final minute from an Ntcham free-kick. It was an awful performance.", "Oli Shaw seems like a pretty laid-back kind of guy, judging by the way he comes off the bench and scores against Celtic. But you might think he’ll have a few sleepless nights over the one that got away against the champions – the one that would have ended their unbeaten run.\n“I didn’t think too much about what it would mean, I just saw the ball and concentrated on hitting the target,” the Hibernian striker said of the last-gasp chance.\nLewis Stevenson goes to greet Oli Shaw after his equaliser for Hibs. Picture: SNS\nAn Efe Ambrose cross was spilled by Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon and the 19-year-old found himself in the right place for what would have been a golden moment in his career, no matter what else he achieves. But Shaw’s effort was blocked on the line by Mikael Lustig.\n“Afterwards I just thought: ‘Oh no!’,” added Shaw. “I’m a bit gutted to be fair. It would have been a good feeling to have been the guy who ended the run.\n“I thought it was in but obviously it wasn’t. It’s just hard lines for us. Someone was about to come through me so I had to hit the target. The ball went through [Jozo] Simunovic’s legs but Lustig has blocked it on the line.”\nAt least Shaw had been the guy to have earned Hibs a point, his equaliser coming just seven minutes after his entrance. In the Betfred Cup semi-final in October he needed only a minute to score with only his second touch. “The boys have been giving me a bit of stick in the dressing-room, saying I only score against Celtic,” he laughed. “Maybe I can come on against Rangers [on Wednesday] and get the winner.”\nOr start for the first time. “It was nice to score the equaliser against Celtic and the gaffer [Neil Lennon] told me I’d been close to starting. I just need to be patient, bide my time, then when the chance comes I need to take it. I’m a striker so obviously I’ll need to score goals. When I get the chance to start, I’ll need to score and keep scoring.”\nShaw’s opportunity wasn’t even the final one of a ding-dong affair, a match which really opened out in the second period. Scott Sinclair, who’d fired Celtic into a two-goal lead, had his own chance to win it. “I saw Scott Brown breaking and thought Dylan [McGeouch] was going to bring him down but he just skipped by. When I saw Sinclair free I was like: ‘Please don’t!’ He missed and then the final whistle went. Thankfully we managed to keep the draw.”\nSinclair said Celtic were cursing having allowed the match to slip from their grasp, although they had to be grateful to Lustig for preserving the unbeaten record. “I thought we had the game under control but we sort of threw it away,” he added. “Losing two goals like that felt like a loss. The game then became end-to-end and the block was great from Mikael. He showed his quality.”\nThe striker agreed teams were getting closer to ending the run. “Everyone who plays against us it’s like their cup final,” said Sinclair. “They all want to be the first to beat us. It makes it that little bit harder but we just need to concentrate on doing as well as we can.”", "Alex McLeish absolved Jordan Archer of blame for Scotland’s 2-0 defeat to Peru but still intends to hand Hearts goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin a debut in the imposing Azteza stadium this weekend.\nArcher endured a difficult debut in the Estadio Nacional del Peru as the hosts scored twice either side of half-time to condemn an inexperienced Scotland side to defeat in the opening clash of their two-match summer tour.\nNext comes an arguably bigger test against Mexico in the intimidating setting of the Azteca stadium, scene of the World Cup finals in 1970 and 1982.\nMcLaughlin, out of contract at Hearts and whose club future remains unclear, will be tasked with taking over in goal. The 30 year old is expected to start but give away to Celtic’s Scott Bain sometime in the second half.\nThey both watched from the bench yesterday as Archer, one of a total of seven Scotland debutants against Peru, rushed from his goal with the intention of dealing with a ball up the left flank. The 25 year-old collided with Charlie Mulgrew and in the ensuing chaos Scott McKenna conceded a penalty by using an arm to stop Jefferson Farfan’s shot towards the empty goal. Christian Cueva converted the penalty.\nArcher was also blamed in some quarters for letting Farfan’s effort shortly after half-time cross the line. But McLeish was adamant others had to carry the can for that game-ending strike.\n“Jordan thinks he shouldn’t have come for the first one,” said McLeish. “I think it’s harsh to criticise him for the second. It’s point-blank, it’s come through a ruck of players. We’ve got to ask our defenders why they didn’t stop that cutback. [Scott] McTominay stopped the first one and the next one came through a channel we should be shutting out.”\n“We spoke to him [Archer] after the game,” he said. “He is a big boy. He has played in a tough league this season with great aplomb in an amazing Millwall adventure that almost led to the play-offs.\n“The only goal they targeted last season was to avoid relegation. So he has had a great season with a lot of shut-outs. He deserves to be here. There is not evidence another goalkeeper wouldn’t have made a mistake. We don’t have an experienced goalkeeper here. Every goalie makes a mistake.”\nMcLaughlin will hope he can avoid that in the early hours of Sunday morning, when he will see action for the first time for Scotland.\nMcLeish’s squad has been further reduced by the departures of Lewis Stevenson and Matt Phillips. Both players had an agreement they could leave after the opening game.\nStevenson, who made an accomplished debut against Peru at left-back, is going on a pre-booked family holiday. West Bromwich Albion striker Phillips, meanwhile, has a prior engagement.\n“Lewis has gone back,” confirmed McLeish. “He has gone on a family holiday which was booked before he was called up. He bust a gut to come for this one and his family are already there so we agreed he would play one game. He is leaving but he had a smashing game [v Peru]. He showed he is a candidate. And Matt Phillips has an engagement. We agreed two months ago at the last gathering that he would come and play only one game.”\nMcLeish is not looking to call anyone else in and has been boosted by the arrival of Johnny Russell. The Sporting Kansas City was always going to join up with his international team-mates after the Peru match because of club commitments.\nHe is now likely to start in Mexico City, along with Celtic defender Jack Hendry and Aberdeen pair Ryan Christie and Graeme Shinnie, who came on as a second half substitute against Peru.", "Get Sport updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email\nThe new-look Scotland squad trained today ahead of this week's friendlies against Costa Rica and Hungary, but are all the team at the top of their game right now?\nAlex McLeish could hand 10 players their first cap for their country during the two friendlies.\nRecord Sport Online gives you the lowdown on the 26-man squad as the road to international glory starts here.\nJordan Archer\nThe Millwall No.1 played 90 minutes in his side's 2-0 Championship win over Barnsley. The 24-year-old has three clean sheets in his last six games. Archer is aiming for his first cap against Costa Rica.\nAllan McGregor\nThe veteran shotstopper conceded three times as Hull were trounced by Birmingham City. The 36-year-old is enjoying a strong season with the Tigers and has dislodged David Marshall as No.1.\nJon McLaughlin\nThe Hearts keeper has been one of the signings of the season in Scotland and was instrumental during their eight cleans sheets on the spin earlier in the campaign. He kept Partick Thistle at bay in the Jambos 3-0 weekend win.\nBarry Douglas\n(Image: AMA/Getty)\nWolves are going for the Championship title and Douglas and played the full 90 minutes in 3-1 weekend win against Burton.\nGrant Hanley\nIt was an eventful day for the Norwich City defender against Reading at the weekend. Hanley scored, was booked and made some crucial tackles in the thrilling 3-2 win.\nJack Hendry\nHendry earned his third start for Celtic in the 0-0 draw with Motherwell and played well. He grabbed the late call-up after injuries to Kieran Tierney and Russell Martin.\nScott McKenna\nThe big Aberdeen stopper has enjoyed a brilliant season and Derek McInnes reckons he's the best defender in the country. He was integral for the Dons as they kept Dundee out in a 1-0 win.\nCharlie Mulgrew\nThe Blackburn Rovers stopper is one of the finest players in League One and the former Celtic man played 90 minutes and picked up a booking in the 3-0 win against Blackpool.\nCallum Paterson\nThe Cardiff full back/winger is flying after recovering from a serious knee injury, but was curtailed at the weekend as Neil Warnock's men had their game against Derby postponed due to bad weather\nAndrew Robertson\nThe left back's dream season at Anfield continues as he provided an assist for Mo Salah in the 5-0 thumping against Watford. Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard praised him before kick-off.\nStuart Armstrong\nThe Celtic midfielder has featured from the bench against Rangers and Motherwell in the past two weeks as he gets back to fitness after a hernia operation in January.\nTom Cairney\nThe Fulham playmaker has scored in two of his side's last three games and netted the opener in the 2-2 draw with QPR on Saturday. He's hoping now is the time to make his impact with Scotland.\nJames Forrest\nA couple of quiet weeks for the Scotland star as he didn't have his best games against Rangers and Motherwell. He'll be hoping now is the time to score his first international goal.\nRyan Fraser\nThe jet-heeled Bournemouth winger hasn't played since February due to a back issue, but he's included by Alex McLeish for the friendly matches this week.\nKevin McDonald\nThe man who has been involved in the past is aiming for his first cap against Costa Rica. The 27-year-old played 90 minutes against QPR for Fulham at the weekend.\nDylan McGeouch\nThe Hibs playmaker missed the game against St Johnstone due to injury, but has met-up with the Scotland squad for the first time. McGeouch orchestrated his side's derby win against Hearts a week earlier.\nJohn McGinn\nThe all-action Hibs star played 90 minutes against St Johnstone as his side held on for a 1-1 draw with with 10-men.\nCallum McGregor\n(Image: SNS Group)\nMcGregor showed his versatility by filling it at left back for Celtic in the 0-0 draw with Motherwell, he can play in a variety of positions and his versatility will appeal to McLeish.\nKenny McLean\nMcLean played 90 minutes for Aberdeen in their 1-0 win against Dundee and he will be desperate to win his third cap for his country.\nScott McTominay\nThe man of the moment endured a stinker against Brighton, but Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho praised his ability to stick with it, despite not being at his best.\nJamie Murphy\nThe Rangers winger was below his best as he struggled to make anything happen in the second half against Kilmarnock.\nMatt Ritchie\nThe Newcastle man played the full game and scored in the 3-0 win against Southampton two weeks ago and the Magpies had a week off due to the FA Cup.\nRyan Christie\nChristie played the 90 minutes against Dundee, but hasn't scored in his last nine games.\nJason Cummings\nThe former Hibs forward replaced Alfredo Morelos in Rangers starting XI against Kimarnock, but was subdued during the 1-0 defeat.\nOli McBurnie\nMcBurnie fired a blank in the 2-0 defeat against Millwall, but has six goals since joining Barnsley on-loan from Swansea.\nMatt Phillips\nThe assist king from last season has struggled for form and played just 13 minutes as a substitute against Bournemouth for West Brom at the weekend.", "Ratings out of ten for every Celtic player in the 1-0 defeat to Anderlecht.\nREAD MORE - Celtic 0 - 1 Anderlecht: Celtic survive scare to reach Europa League\nCraig Gordon - 7\nHad a few shots to deal with from around the edge of the area. Admittedly they were hit straight at him, but he still had to make the save them and did so with minimal fuss.\nMikael Lustig - 6\nSeemed a little spooked in the opening 30 minutes trying to deal with Henry Onyekuru. Settled down after his move to centre-back.\nDedryck Boyata - 5\nDefensively he was good. With the ball at his feet he was terrible, constantly gifting possession.\nJozo Simunovic - 6\nCeltic’s most solid defender on the night. Shame he blotted his copybook by scoring the game’s only goal on behalf of the opposition.\nKieran Tierney - 6\nShowed his typical enthusiasm for getting forward but his crosses were generally wayward. Didn’t get tight enough to Dennis Appiah in the build up to the goal.\nScott Brown - 8\nQuiet first 30 minutes but then started to dictate things in the centre of the park. Excellent second half and Celtic’s best player.\nCallum McGregor - 6\nWas overwhelmed like the rest of his team-mates in the early going but managed to settle down and play his part.\nStuart Armstrong - 4\nWoeful. Gave the ball away just about every time he had it and contributed nothing to the attack. Hooked at half-time.\nJames Forrest - 6\nDidn’t get too many touches before being moved into the wing-back position following a change of system. Improved from that point and went close to scoring with an excellent run and shot.\nMoussa Dembele - 5\nHe was a lot better after half-time when playing up front alongside Tom Rogic, as his ability to drift out to the left wing caused Anderlecht some problems. Another who had a dreadfully poor first half, though.\nScott Sinclair - 4\nCompletely ineffective again on the big stage. It’s not been a Champions League campaign to remember for the reigning Scottish Footballer of the Year.\nSUBS\nOlivier Ntcham - 7 - Took up more threatening positions and better care of the ball than Armstrong.\nTom Rogic - 6 - Had moments when he contributed to the attack but was largely quiet following his introduction.\nOdsonne Edouard - 6 - Showed his power on a couple of occasions after replacing Dembele.\nREAD MORE - Five things we learned from Celtic 0 - 1 Anderlecht" ]

[ "Swarms of locusts descended on Cairo and around the fertile Nile Delta, but the authorities insisted the insects posed no serious threat to agriculture." ]

[ "Cyprus begins aerial spraying to eradicate swarms of crop-destroying locusts that have arrived from Africa.", "A state of alert is ordered as swarms of locusts from Africa arrive in Spain's Canary Islands.", "The locusts swarming across West Africa reach northern Nigeria, devastating fields of crops.", "The United Nations is flying six more aircraft to combat swarms of crop-devouring locusts in west Africa.", "Cyprus was invaded by a swarm of thousands of locusts, a rare occurrence on the east Mediterranean island, which left farmers scrambling to protect their crops.", "Locusts in West Africa are devouring crops and breeding at such a rate they are expected to create a substantial number of new swarms across the region in September, two reports said.", "EILAT, Israel - Swarms of locusts devoured lawns and palm trees Sunday in southern Israel, panicking farmers and leaving others worried about biblical plagues.", "The UN appeals for extra international aid to battle swarms of locusts that are spreading across west Africa.", "Locust swarms across West Africa have not damaged food crops as severely as initially feared, the UN says.", "Swarms of locusts that have devastated crops and pastures across West Africa may hit countries as far away as Pakistan, a U.N. agency said Wednesday as it announced an intensified control campaign.", "ROME -- Swarms of locusts that have devastated crops and pastures across West Africa may hit countries as far away as Pakistan, a UN agency said yesterday as it announced an intensified control campaign. The desert locusts are moving into southwest Libya, southern Algeria, and the borders of Morocco, the Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization said. Other swarms were ...", "Jerusalem - Swarms of locusts threatening to devastate the Palestinian West Bank region of Jericho and already destroying grass and trees at luxury hotels in southern Israel have brought the two sides into unusual co-operation against a common flying foe.", "Residents burned tires and trash in the streets Thursday trying to drive off swarms of locusts descending on the region in what a U.N. agency called the worst sub-Saharan invasion in more than a decade.", "Shortages of crop-dusting planes and pesticide are continuing to hamper locust control operations in West Africa, where new swarms of young insects are forming in southern Mauritania, northern Senegal and parts of Niger, the UN Food and Agriculture", "Locust swarms infesting Mauritania and other African nations could develop into a full-scale plague without additional foreign aid, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said Thursday.", "With swarms of locusts threatening crops in a number of African countries, a U.N. agency appealed for an additional &#36;70 million in assistance Thursday to prevent the upsurge from becoming a full-scale plague.", "Experts fighting a major locust outbreak plaguing West Africa will use a new technique for fighting the crop-devouring insects: attacking the flying swarms with pesticide from aircraft, a U.S. diplomat said Tuesday.", "afrol News, 17 September - The desert locust crisis in Mauritania, Senegal, Mali and Niger is &quot;expected to deteriorate over the next few weeks,&quot; and there was a serious risk that the Maghreb countries would be reinvaded by swarms from October onwards, FAO", "The huge locust swarms that have ravaged swaths of western Africa are likely to plague the region for several years, a senior U.N. official said.", "First reports of locust sightings in Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv were reported late Sunday night, Army Radio reported. A cloud of locusts smothered the city of Eilat on Sunday as millions of the ravenous plant-eating", "do well to turn to a UN site that counsels if you can&#39;t beat them eat them. swarms that have landed in Cyprus from Africa. &quot;Here are a few local recipes from locust-affected countries,&quot; a page on the FAO Web site says.", "An agricultural region in eastern Mauritania faces the loss of its entire crop to swarms of locusts unless action is taken immediately, a regional government official has warned.", "An estimated 100 million locusts swarmed one of the Canary Islands Tuesday, but the crop-ravaging insects &#151; many with only a week to live &#151; posed little threat, arriving with missing wings and broken legs after their 60-mile flight from the African mainland.", "Swarms of locusts invade southern Italy, including the town where Mel Gibson shot The Passion of The Christ.", "CAIRO -- It's sandstorm season in Cairo, when the desert wind known as the Khamaseen seems determined to reclaim the city.", "The continent struggles to contain a locust swarm that a UN official says could be more dangerous than Darfur.", "Mauritania repeats its call for urgent aid to combat the largest locust plague to hit the region in over 20 years.", "Torn by war, famine and disease, the world&#39;s most tortured continent faces a new horror: the biggest swarms of locusts for 15 years. Steve Connor reports on a gathering menace ...", "Spain's Canary Islands, which last week declared a state of alert as swarms of locusts arrived from western Africa, is under threat from a renewed cloud of the creatures, an AFP photographer on the spot said.", "By the time the two pale green Egyptian military helicopters wheeled in low over the city at the end of their melancholy flight from Cairo, the struggle to prevent the people", "The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says more funds are essential to combat locust swarms that are devastating crops in West Africa, and warns failure to act quickly, could result in a regional plague by the end of the year.", "Crop-devouring locusts have caused major damage to cereals in Mauritania but other West and Central African states have suffered much less than feared from the worst infestation in over a decade, the U.N. said on Thursday." ]

[ "Knitting through the back loop has a few functions, but the most obvious is that it twists the knit stitch. It's also used for other useful techniques like increasing, neatening edges and properly mounting stitches on the needle when they get twisted the wrong way." ]

[ "Ktbl is the abbreviation for \"knit through the back loop,\" and it's so easy that even beginners can do it. Knitting through the back loop has a few functions, but the most obvious is that it twists the knit stitch.", "Knit 1 Through Back Loop (k1tbl or k1 tb) on needles. Also called the twisted knit stitch.", "now I'm going to show you now how to knit or purl through the back loop. and so you'll often see through the back loop as abbreviated capital TBL and what that does is twister stitch. so if I'm going to knit through the back loop. here I've got the next stitch in the loop just basically means the loop or stitch.", "Also known as a Bar Increase. K1 tbl: Knit one through the back loop. k2tog: Knit two stitches together. k2tog tbl: Knit two stitches together, through the back loop. k-b: Knit through the back loop.OR knit below.", "['Knit 2 stitches.', 'Insert needle into next two stitches through the back loops and draw yarn through, knitting the two together. Three stitches on right hand needle.', 'Slip three stitches from right hand needle back to left hand needle.']", "The method: Right-leaning mini-cable (C2R): slip 2 stitches together knitwise, slip them back to LH needle purlwise, knit each stitch through the back loop.", "k1 f&b (or kfb): Knit one stitch in the front, then another through the back. Also known as a Bar Increase. K1 tbl: Knit one through the back loop. k2tog: Knit two stitches together.", "Tw. Twist stitch. This is made by knitting from the back part of the. loop. The right needle is put in behind the left needle, and passes.", "In loop knitting, long, dangling loops are introduced into the middle of a knitted fabric or along an edge (fringe border). The loops may appear singly or in large clusters. An overall array of such loops may be used to give a \"shaggy\" look to the fabric and/or make it warmer, e.g., tufting the inside of mittens.", "The modifier tbl indicates that stitches should be knitted through the back loop. For example, \"p2tog tbl\" indicates that two stitches should be purled together through the back loop. kwise and pwise connote \"knitwise\" and \"purlwise\", usually referring to a slip stitch. insertion point of stitch.", "['Slip the first stitch on the LH needle (as if to knit) to the RH needle.', 'Do the same to the next stitch.', 'Keeping the 2 slipped stitches facing in this direction, transfer them back to the LH needle.', 'Purl the 2 stitches together through the back loops.']", "Yarn is used to create loops that form a face side and a back side, or knit and purl side of the fabric. Double knit is literally just that, the structure is doubly knit. This weft knit fabric is created with two sets of needles and more strands of yarn than a single knit.", "LLI (Left Lifted Increase): Lift the left leg of the stitch 2 rows below the stitch on right-hand needle onto left-hand needle and knit it through the back loop. [", "Share. Copy link. This video knitting tutorial will help you learn how to knit the purl two together through the back loop decrease (p2tog tbl). This method of removing stitches from your work is used when decreasing purl stitches. It complements the p2tog decrease and creates a left slanting stitch on the purl side.", "[' Knit until you reach the YO you made in the previous row.', ' Insert the tip of your right-hand needle into the Back Loop (back leg) of the YO. ... ', ' Knit normally the YO loop.']", "kfb: Knit into the front and back of a stitch, an increase. kll: Knit left loop; an increase.", "Knit Front and Back is an increase stitch. Learn how to easily increase your stitches with the knitting technique Knit Front and Back, written in most patterns as KFB.", "In knitting, a yarn over is technique in which the yarn is passed over the right-hand knitting needle. In general, the new loop is knitted on the next row, either by itself (producing a hole) or together with an adjacent stitch (e.g., in \"tucked\" slip stitches).", "Abbreviation: kfb. Knitting in the front and back of the same stitch is one way to increase the row by one stitch. In this video we will show you how to increase a stitch using the knit front back method.", "NB: st + its yarn over counts as one, so knit together next 3 loops (or 2sts)", "slip marker. ssk. slip 2 stitches knitwise, knit these 2 stitches together through back loops; single left-leaning decrease.", "Magic Loop is a technique for working in the round that avoids the use of double pointed needles. Using longer-than-usual circular needles, you can knit projects even with very small circumferences, like wee little socks, crowns of hats, cuffs of sleeves… the list goes on!", "Explaining K1B: KB1 is the abbreviation for: knit one in the; back loop of the stitch. Insert one needle (right needle) into the back loop of the stitch on the left needle (Knit Stitch). Wind the yarn over the right hand needle.", "Every knit stitch looks like a purl on the back of it, and every purl stitch looks like a knit stitch on the back of it. Garter stitch happens when you flip the work and knit back. ... If you knit a row and turn it around, it lloks like purls from the back. This is because a purl stitch is the opposite of a knit stitch.", "To knit a nupp you knit a stitch as normal, but don't slip the old stitch off the needle. Instead you leave it on and make a yarn over. Then you repeat the stitch-and-yarn-over steps twice more, followed by a final stitch and slip the loop off. This means you have 7 loops on the receiving needle from the one stitch.", "ssk means \"slip, slip, knit\", i.e., the decrease \"slip two stitches knitwise individually, then knit them together through the back loop\". skp is another decrease, meaning \"slip, knit, pass the slipped stitch over the just knitted stitch\".", "Knitting uses a pair of long needles to form the loops, moving a set of loops from one needle to another; the stitches are held on the needle. Crochet uses a single hook to hook the loops together directly on the piece.", "yo would mean that you bring the yarn over the needle to the front than back under the needle to the back before you insert the needle to make the next stitch. yfwd would mean that you bring the yarn UNDER the needle to the front than over the needle to the back before you insert the needle.", "You're doing a YO between a knit and a purl stitch, and to do that you bring the yarn to the front (yfwd), then up and over around the needle to the front again (yrn). This will give you the YO when you p the next 2 together. Here is a video from this site.", "Warp knitting differs from weft knitting, basically in that each needle loops has its own thread. 3. In warp knitting the needles produce parallel rows of loops simultaneously that are interlocked in a zigzag pattern, while in weft knitting the needles produces loops in the widthwise direction of the fabric.", "k means a knit stitch (passing through the previous loop from below) and p means a purl stitch (passing through the previous loop from above). Thus, \"k2, p2\", means \"knit two stitches, purl two stitches\". Similarly, sl st describes a slip stitch, whereas yarn-overs are denoted with yo.", "When to use two circular needles to knit in the round It's especially great as a substitute for magic loop when you're working with a large amount of stitches that you can't quite fit on half of a long circular needle." ]

[ "Tune in to hear an earlier conversation with Evan Thomas about The Battle of Leyte, the last major WWII naval battle between the Americans and the Japanese which marked the defeat and destruction of the Imperial Japanese Navy. In his new book, Sea of Thunder: Four Commanders and the Last Great Naval Campaign 1941-1945, THOMAS tells the story focusing on the four commanders, two American and two Japanese, who confronted one another in the waters of the Philippines." ]

[ "The World War II-era Japanese battleship Musashi was sunk by U.S. warplanes on Oct. 24, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the war's largest naval battles. Despite numerous eyewitness accounts at the time, the location of the wreckage was never known. Until now. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, whose father served in World War II, says his research team discovered the Musashi's wreckage on March 1 in the Sibuyan Sea off the Philippines. Allen's team used \"historical records from four different countries, detailed topographical data and advanced technology aboard his yacht, M/Y Octopus,\" a statement said. Allen announced the find on Twitter. A statement on Allen's website said he has been searching for the Musashi for more than eight years, \"and its discovery will not only help fill in the narrative of WWII's Pacific theater, but bring closure to the families of those lost.\" Here's a video on the vessel's discovery.", "A little over a week after a major typhoon devastated parts of the Philippines, there is some reason for hope today. NPR's Russell Lewis, who has been trying to get to Tacloban all week, points us to the front page of today's The Philippine Star: \"Aid Delivery To Leyte, Samar Speeding Up\" the main headline reads. But once Russell boarded a C-130 military transport aircraft for Tacloban, the capital of Leyte, he saw a \"vast wasteland, wrecked by the typhoon's fury.\" When he landed, he tweets, he saw lines of people waiting to take that same C-130 out of Tacloban. \"Driving into town, you notice how quiet it is,\" Russell writes. \"People have lot of outdoor fires for light and cooking. People line up for supplies, gas, food, whatever. Stray dogs lope along the main road. It's been cleared of debris, but is still a mess. Piles and piles of debris, wrecked cars, downed power lines, you name it. It's utterly amazing.\" The official death toll has inched upward to 3,681 with 1,186 still missing. On the bright side, NPR's Anthony Kuhn says the relief mission has now turned into a concerted international effort with around two dozen countries contributing. Anthony tagged along with American Marines on a mission from Tacloban to the nearby Samar Providence. When the helicopter lands in Samar, \"the crowds at the field's edges erupt into cheering,\" Anthony reports. \"Local authorities have to hold them back to keep them from rushing the planes.\" Maj. Gen. Romer Poquiz of the Philippine Air Force told CNN that same scene repeated itself over and over across the affected areas. \"People swarm the helicopters, so we land the helicopters a little bit farther from the population areas,\" he said. \"So before the people come in, we would take off, go and drop in other places, drop and then go, drop, go, drop, go, at various places.\" The AFP reports that today many of those affected headed to Sunday service, which \"offered a moment to escape the grinding battle to survive in the wastelands.\" About 300 people attended service at the ruined 400-year-old Immaculate Conception church in Guiuan. The AFP spoke to Belen Curila. \"I wish to thank the Lord. We asked for his help for all the people who survived this typhoon to be able to eat and continue a life that is hopefully more blissful,\" the 71-year-old said. \"The Lord has strengthened our faith and made us stronger in order for us to survive and start off all over again.\"", "This is a rebroadcast of our conversation with DANIEL SOLOVE author of the new book The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy in the Information Age. It's a cautionary tale of how the web has blurred the lines between written and spoken gossip and the impact this is having on how people view us. He is an Associate Professor of Law at George Washington University Law School in Washington D.C.", "Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen says his team found the wreckage of the Mushashi in the Sibuyan Sea off the Philippines. The vessel was sunk during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944.", "In May, YouTube sensation Maangchi published her first cookbook &#8220;Maangchi&#8217;s Real Korean Cooking: Authentic Dishes for the Home Chef.&#8221; She showed Here & Now&#8217;s Jeremy Hobson how to make a kimchee pancake that month, when she visited our studios. We rebroadcast their conversation here. Guest\n\nMaangchi, cook, YouTube star and author of “Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking.” She tweets @maangchi.", "It's Animal Week on Fresh Air; during these last days of summer, we're featuring rebroadcasts of our best conversations about animals and how we live with them. Former Saturday Night Live writer and producer Robert Smigel uses animal puppets to say and do things that would make any decent person shudder. His most infamous creation is Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog, who made a name for himself \"pooping\" on guests of Late Night With Conan O'Brian. This interview was originally broadcast on Dec. 19, 2000.", "For more on the damage in the Philippines, Steve Inskeep talks to Steven Rood, of The Asia Foundation, about what Leyte province was like before the storm hit. Typhoon Haiyan may have killed thousands in the province and its capital Tacloban.", "We rebroadcast our conversation from earlier this month with one of fake news' most indelible personalities: Colbert Report host Stephen Colbert. This interview originally aired Oct. 9, 2007. Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report talks about his book I Am America (And So Can You!) and his successful television show. The former correspondent and contributor to The Daily Show created his own Emmy-nominated late-night show to parody Bill O'Reilly's The O'Reilly Factor. In I Am America, Colbert targets race, religion, sports and the American family as well as more mundane topics like breakfast cereal.", "&amp; 3: Diaster relief expert FRED CUNY (CUE-knee). Since January he's been in Sarajevo, implementing new water and gas systems. A former professor of engineering and public affairs, CUNY is hired by governments and agencies to coordinate responses to floods, famines, cyclones, earthquakes. He says, \"Diasters are a function of underdevelopment\" and he finds much humanitarian aid and relief satisfies the needs of the donor before it helps the recipient. CUNY was a Senior advisor to the US government on the Somalia famine in 1992. His book is \"Diasters and Development\" (Oxford University Press). (REBROADCAST from 11/3/93)Writer and director SUSAN SONTAG. Sontag was in Sarajevo in August, where she directed a performance of Beckett's \"Waiting For Godot\" in the Serbo-Croatian language. She is one of few arts figures to visit the conflict in the former Yugoslavia, a battle she calls \"the Spanish Civil War of our time\". Her latest novel is the \"Volcano Lover,\" recently published in paperback by Anchor Books. (REBROADCAST from 8/25/93) NO REV.(INT. 5 INSTEAD) : One of Bosnia's leading film makers, and professor of film at the Academy of Film and Theatre in Sarajevo ADEMIR KENOVIC. His newest film \"SA-Life\" (SA stands for Sarajevo) is compiled of scenes shot by himself, other film makers, and film students in and around Sarajevo that capture the horror of the war. Each day, KENOVIC and his fellow film makers would meet in his basement studio to plan the day's shoot, going out with hand-held cameras. KENOVIC has made three other films. \"SA-Life\" played at the Cannes Film Festival and at the \"International Video Arts Festival\" at Lincoln Center in New York. (REBROADCAST from 10", "Legendary film critic Roger Ebert died Thursday at the age of 70. Melissa Block interviewed Ebert in 2011 — this is a partial rebroadcast of that conversation.", "It's Animal Week on Fresh Air; during these last days of summer, we're featuring rebroadcasts of our best conversations about animals and how we live with them. Although assaults on animals were only declared felonies in 2000, Melinda Merck has been investigating animal cruelty for nearly 20 years. After years of legal and veterinary practice, she is now the forensic vet of the ASPCA. Her book Veterinary Forensics: Animal Cruelty Investigations is a guide for vets and police on analyzing and addressing cases of violence against animals. Although there's much to be done on the part of investigators and pet owners, Merck says that there is hope: \"We have seen a huge shift in taking these cases seriously, especially with law enforcement.\" Merck is also the co-author of Forensic Investigation of Animal Cruelty: A Guide for Veterinarians and Law Enforcement. This interview was originally broadcast May 14, 2007.", "The United Kingdom is set to announce major defense cuts next week. Some reports have those cuts as deep as 10%. The British Navy alone could cut the number of ships it has in half, to 25. Clinton was asked by the BBC if the cuts \"worried\" Washington. \"It does, and the reason it does is because I think we do have to have an alliance where there is a commitment to the common defence. \"Nato has been the most successful alliance for defensive purposes in the history of the world, I guess, but it has to be maintained. \"Now, each country has to be able to make its appropriate contributions.\" Tom Ricks pointed out that if the British Navy does get cut that much: Yow. If this happens, Britain will have fewer warships than the Imperial Japanese Navy lost in just one battle, Leyte Gulf. (Where, for the record, the U.S. Navy sent to the bottom 4 carriers, 3 battleships, 8 cruisers and 12 destroyers.) Or less than half the 63 galleons and armed merchant vessels the Spanish Armada lost, mainly to storms.", "Cinematographer Gordon Willis has an impressive resume. He's the creative eye behind eight of Woody Allen's most iconic films (including Annie Hall and Manhattan), to say nothing of the Godfather trilogy and All The President's Men. Willis's images helped set the style for 1970s cinematography, and he's often hailed for his ability to set a scene with light and color. This fall, he's being awarded an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement. \"Light means a lot to me in life,\" Willis told Fresh Air host Terry Gross in a 2002 interview. \"I hate to be in rooms that don't have dimension and light.\" We tip our hat in his direction with a rebroadcast of that 2002 conversation about his life behind the lens.", "The show rebroadcasts the Jan. 30 interview with Columbia space shuttle pilot Willie McCool and payload commander Mike Anderson. Following that conversation, Tavis talks to former astronaut Mae Jemison about Columbia's tragic ending and the future of America's space program.", "It's Animal Week on Fresh Air; during these last days of summer, we're featuring rebroadcasts of our best conversations about animals and how we live with them. Although his brain was no bigger than a walnut, Alex the African gray parrot could do more than speak and understand — he could also count, identify colors and, according to his owner Irene Pepperberg, develop an emotional relationship. When Alex died in September 2007, his last words to Pepperberg were \"You be good. I love you.\" In her book Alex & Me, Pepperberg explores the world of animal cognition and describes her unique relationship with Alex. Pepperberg is adjunct professor at the Department of Psychology at Brandeis University and a lecturer and research associate at Harvard University. She is also the author of The Alex Studies. This interview was originally broadcast on Nov. 12, 2008.", "In a special holiday rebroadcast, NPR's Tony Cox sits down for a conversation with Chicago's treasured jazz man, Von Freeman.", "It's Animal Week on Fresh Air; during these last days of summer, we're featuring rebroadcasts of our best conversations about animals and how we live with them. Chimpanzees who've acted in films, performed in circuses or been used in research are now living large in retirement. At Florida's Center for Great Apes, the chimps are set up with in-house doctors, patio forests to swing on and big-screen TVs to enjoy their favorite soap operas. Journalist Charles Siebert was envious of the space, telling Fresh Air host Terry Gross he thought, \"I don't think I'm going to do as well in retirement.\" Siebert visited the center while researching his book The Wauchula Woods Accord: Toward A New Understanding of Animals, which details his encounters with Roger, a retired former circus chimp who lived there and preferred the company of humans to chimps. This interview was originally broadcast July 13, 2009.", "It's Animal Week on Fresh Air; during these last days of summer, we're featuring rebroadcasts of our best conversations about animals and how we live with them. Underneath the cow patties in the pasture and the monkey dung in the jungle lies a miniature world of sex and violence. Here, ornately decorated beetles — armed with massive horns — fight for survival and sexual dominance. Douglas Emlen, a professor of biology at the University of Montana, studies them. Emlen is an expert on the evolution and development of bizarre or extreme shapes in insects, and he's particularly interested in insect weaponry. Much of his work takes place in a lab, but he has also had some wild adventures collecting different families of dung beetles from around the world. Emlen joins Fresh Air host Terry Gross to talk about those adventures — and the surprisingly interesting creatures at the center of his research. This interview was originally broadcast May 4, 2009.", "As the recovery effort starts to move from rescue to reconstruction in the Philippines, one family in Leyte Province sees a dark future after the devastating loss they suffered from Typhoon Haiyan.", "Film editor and sound designer Walter Murch won an Academy Award for sound design for <EM>Apocalypse Now</EM>. Some of the films he's edited and/or mixed are <EM>The Conversation</EM>, <EM>American Graffiti</EM>, <EM>Apocalypse Now</EM>, <EM>The Godfather II</EM>, and <EM>III</EM> and <EM>Crumb</EM>. He wrote a book about his work, <EM>In the Blink of An Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing</EM>. (Rebroadcast from 1996.)", "A live on stage conversation between film critic ROGER EBERT and film director MARTIN SCORSESE, held at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio in February. They discuss the scope of SCORSESE's career. (REBROADCAST from 3/24/97) (THIS CONVERSATION WILL CONTINUE INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).12:28:30 FORWARD PROMO (:29)12:29:00 I.D. BREAK (:59)12:", "2: Screenwriter WILLIAM LINK. With his partner Richard Levinson, Link created more than a dozen T-V series, including \"Columbo\" and \"Mannix.\" They also wrote the books \"Stay Tuned: An Inside Look at the Making of Prime-Time Television,\" and \"Off Camera: Conversations with the Makers of Prime-Time Television.\"Link has been inducted into the TV Hall of Fame and also stars in the new movie \"Flirting with Disaster.\" REBROADCAST (Originally aired 10/12/89Actor PETER FALK (FALL-k). He is best known for his role as a rumpled L.A. detective in the TV series \"Columbo,\" where he garnered three Emmy awards. REBROADCAST (Originally aired 3", "His book <EM>Reaching for Glory: The Secret Lyndon Johnson Tapes, 1964-1965 (Simon & Schuster)</EM> is now out in paperback. It is Beschloss’s second volume on the LBJ tapes. Beschloss will talk about the tapes, and we will hear excerpts, including some recordings of conversations about Vietnam, Civil Rights, and with Jackie Kennedy. Beschloss has written 5 previous books on American presidents. He is also a regular contributor to The News Hour with Jim Lehrer. (REBROADCAST FROM 11/27/01).", "Saturday on weekends on <em>All Things Considered</em>, host Guy Raz spoke with Pastor Eugene Peterson about his keeping faith in times of tragedy. Due to an overwhelming response from the audience following that conversation, the show is airing a rebroadcast of his initial interview with host Guy Raz from 2011. In that interview, Peterson talked about his memoir, <em>The Pastor</em>. (This piece initially aired March 6, 2011 on weekends on <em>All Things Considered</em>.)", "For this July 4 holiday, we're rebroadcasting our conversation with former President Jimmy Carter from March of 2018. Religion has been part of former President Jimmy Carter's life since he was a child, but his faith has been tested. Perhaps the most recent test was in 2015, when Carter announced he'd been diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer that spread to his brain. Carter wasn't expected to live much longer. But immunotherapy treatments kept the cancer away. Today he's 93 and on a mission to get people to examine their own relationships with faith. Carter discusses his own spiritual evolution and how public service deepened his desire for a prayerful life and a peaceful world.", "It was another busy week in the technology and society space, so we'll dive right into your weekly roundup: ICYMI Cloud Week: As we do every once in a while, the tech reporting team reported on a single theme together, with stories sprinkled throughout the week. This week, Steve Henn took a look at the quest for energy to power the data centers that make up the cloud, I reported on the price war between Amazon and Google over cloud computing and Laura Sydell chronicled the dangers of relying on cloud storage for your personal data. Losing Our Religion: A new study by a computer scientist links the rise of the Internet with the post-1990 decline in religious affiliation. The Internet doesn't explain all or even most of the decline, but take a look at how the statistics back up the finding. Buyer Behavior: How does adding state taxes to purchases on Amazon affect sales? Business correspondent Yuki Noguchi took a look at a study on the effects, and found that yes, adding \"Amazon taxes\" does make a difference. The Big Conversation The Future of TV: Aereo is a startup that lets you stream broadcast programming over your computer, but it's not paying rebroadcasting fees to the big networks for that programming. Needless to say, the networks aren't happy and say their content is basically being stolen. Their battle reached the Supreme Court, which heard arguments in the case on Tuesday. The high court is expected to rule by summer. Net Neutrality Rules: The Federal Communications Commission chairman is proposing to let Web companies pay for faster Internet access, which critics say creates the haves and have-nots that they feared. As Laura Sydell reported, some Internet entrepreneurs are wondering how they would have fared under such rules. Curiosities Gawker: NYPD's Twitter Backfires In The Most Predictable Way Possible You gotta love the Internet. This is what happens when crowdsourcing goes wrong. Reuters: Airbnb Set To Battle N.Y. Attorney General In Court It's one of the many flashpoints over regulation of the short-term housing offered by the startup. On the Road: I'm writing this roundup from downtown Las Vegas, where I'm doing a reporting trip on tech founder Tony Hsieh's bid to revitalize the urban core of Vegas in the same way tech startups work — huge infusions of cash and building a strong brand and culture. The story won't air for another month or so, but I'm sharing behind-the-scenes photos on our On the Road Tumblr.", "It's Animal Week on Fresh Air; during these last days of summer, we're featuring rebroadcasts of our best conversations about animals and how we live with them. Animal stage trainer Bill Berloni has 30 years' worth of experience training dogs, pigs, rats, cats and lambs for Broadway productions and Hollywood films. Berloni got his start when he agreed to train a stray dog for the role of Sandy in exchange for an acting part in the Broadway production of Annie. That experience inspired him to actively recruit shelter animals for roles. He has since worked on the Broadway productions of Legally Blonde, The Wiz and Annie Get Your Gun. His film work includes Charlie Wilson's War and The Producers. Berloni is the co-author (with Jim Hanrahan) of Broadway Tails: Heartfelt Stories of Rescued Dogs Who Became Showbiz Superstars. This interview was originally broadcast July 18, 2008.", "The town of Tacloban on the island of Leyte in the Philippines was devastated by Typhoon Haiyan. The scene at the airport there was chaotic as the Philippine and U.S. military delivered food and aid workers and residents rushed to board planes headed back to less-damaged Manila .", "Film editor and sound designer WALTER MURCH. This week he won an Academy award for editing of the film \"The English Patient\" Previously, he won an Academy Award for sound design for \"Apolcolypse Now.\" Some of the films he's edited and/or mixed are \"The Conversation,\" \"American Graffiti,\" \"Apocalypse Now,\" \"The Godfather (II, and III)\"and \"Crumb.\" He's also written a book about his work, \"In the Blink of An Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing,\" (Silman-James Press, L.A.) (REBROADCAST from 4", "Filmmaker JOHN WATERS' film \"Pink Flamingoes\" is 25 years old this year. We rebroadcast one of his earlier conversations with Terry, shortly after he made the cult film \"Polyester,\" starring Divine and Edith Massey. \"Polyester\" was Waters' first studio film, and the first of his movies that didn't carry a self imposed X-rating. (REBROADCAST from July 1985).DIVINE, the late leading lady of John Waters' films. Born Harris Glen Milstead, the 300-pound transvestite passed away in March of 1988, shortly after starring in John Waters' first big budget studio film, \"Hairspray.\" He was 42. Divine was an integral part of Waters' ensemble cast, appearing in all his earlier films except \"Desperate Living.\" Divine and Waters knew each other from childhood. It was Waters' movie \"Pink Flamingoes\" that made Divine famous, because he ate dog feces (yes, real feces) at the end of the film. (REBROADCAST from February 1988.)12:28:30 FORWARD PROMO (:29)12:29:00 I.D. BREAK (:59)12:", "It's Animal Week on Fresh Air; during these last days of summer, we're featuring rebroadcasts of our best conversations about animals and how we live with them. Temple Grandin is one of the nation's top designers of livestock facilities — and she also happens to be a person with autism. She uses her personal experience with the disorder to develop better ways to understand and communicate with animals. Grandin tells Terry Gross that animals have emotions, including \"fear, rage, separation anxiety and seeking.\" One of her first assignments as a consultant to the livestock industry was designing humane chutes to get the cows to slaughter, a task that drew on her understanding of the animal brain: \"[I] had to really understand how animals process information and how their senses compare to human senses because some things that would upset animals wouldn't upset us,\" she explains. An associate professor at Colorado State University, Grandin is the author of Animals Make Us Human and Animals in Translation. This interview was originally broadcast Jan. 5, 2009.", "It's Animal Week on Fresh Air; during these last days of summer, we're featuring rebroadcasts of our best conversations about animals and how we live with them. In 2003, when the city of New Orleans was evacuated due to Hurricane Katrina, an estimated 40,000 animals were left behind. In the weeks following the hurricane's touch down, the ASPCA sent in animal relief workers to rescue those that survived. Margaret McLaughlin, the director of veterinary technicians in New York City's Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, was one of the volunteers. She spent more than two weeks wading through chest-high water to find animals. \"We would just motor down the street and just whistle and at any given time you could hear five or six different dogs barking,\" McLaughlin tells Terry Gross. \"And we would ... collect them and put them in carriers. And when our boat was full, we'd just bring them back to our staging area, go back out again [and] get another boat full.\" McLaughlin says that some people who had remained in the city during the storm refused to leave their water-logged houses without their pets: \"They would not leave their pets behind,\" she says. \"We go in and get their pets and then they can be evacuated. So even though we're helping the animals, and our mission is to help the animals, we're still helping the people.\" This interview was originally broadcast Sept. 14, 2005." ]

[ "Sixteen lanostane-type triterpeneoids were isolated from the fruiting bodies of wild Ganoderma lucidum and G. multipileum. The new structures 3S,24S,25,26-tetrahydroxy-5α-lanost-8-en-11-one (1) and ganodermanondiol 24,25-acetonide (10) were elucidated by means of spectroscopic data and Mosher's experiments. Lanosta-7,9(11)-dien-3β-ol (9) strongly inhibited α-glucosidase with the IC50 values of 198.8 μM in compared with acarbose (IC50 712.4 μM)." ]

[ "Twelve compounds were isolated and purified from ethyl acetate extract of Ganoderma lucidum,and were identified as chrysophanol(1),emodin(2),baicalein(3),rhamnetin(4),isoliquiritigenin(5),limonin(6),2,5-dihydroxyacetophenone(7),benzoic acid(8),ganodermanontriol(9),cerevisterol(10),ergosta-7,22-dien-3β-ol(11) and ergosterol(12) by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic analysis.Compounds 1-6 were first isolated from the genus Ganoderma,while compound 7 was first isolated from this medicinal material.", "Four pairs of new polycyclic-meroterpenoid enantiomers, ganocins A-C (1-3) possessing a spiro[4,5]decane ring system, along with ganocin D (4) with an eight-membered ring, were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma cochlear. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data and X-ray diffraction crystallography. Their anti-AChE activities were evaluated, and a possible biogenetic pathway was also proposed.", "The powder of the fruiting bodies of Tricholoma matsutake,Ganoderma Lucidum and Lentinus edodes was extracted with aether through recycling in Soxheltre spectively,the physical chemistry qualities of their oil-soluble components was tested,the major components of oil-soluble components obtained from the fruiting bodies of Tricholoma matsutake,Ganoderma Lucidum and Lentinus edodes were terpenoid compounds. Oil-soluble components obtained from the fruiting bodies of Tricholoma matsutake,Ganoderma Lucidum and Lentinus edodes were investigated about antimicrobial activities and antioxidation activities. The three oil-soluble components had obvious action to antioxidation activities of scavenging effect for ·OH and the oil-soluble components from Tricholoma matsutake and Ganoderma Lucidum were very obvious,the results of the antimicrobial activities of the three oil-soluble components inhibited the growth of testing bacterias and sterilized them.", "Abstract A series of novel tetracyclic triterpanes based on the lanostane skeleton, ranging in carbon number from C30 to C32, were identified for the first time in Eocene lacustrine deposits of Biyang Basin, China. These compounds have been identified by GC, GC-MS, and coinjection with authentic standards as 8β(H),9α(H)-lanostane (C30), 24-methyl-lanostane (C31), and 24-ethyl-lanostane (C32). Mechanisms are proposed for the origin and geological fate of these compounds. To the best of our knowledge this is the first confirmed occurrence of lanostanes in the sedimentary record.", "Nine lanostane-type triterpenoids were isolated from branches and leaves of Abies faxoniana, along with 10 known compounds. Two were isolated as inseparable mixtures of epimers at C-23 of the γ-lactone ring that had a lactol structure. The structures of the nine compounds were established by spectroscopic analysis and circular dichroism (CD) data. The absolute configurations at the stereogenic centres of two of the known compounds were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. One compound showed cytotoxic activities against HCT-116, MCF-7, and A549 cells with IC50 values of 8.9, 7.6, and 4.2μM, respectively. The isolated compounds were tested for their effects on human DNA topoisomerases I and II. One was found to be a selective inhibitor of human topo II activity with an IC50 value of 53.5μM, which was comparable to that of the topo II inhibitor etoposide (IC50=49.6μM).", "Abstract Six new lanostane-type triterpenes, inoterpenes A ( 1 ), B ( 2 ), C ( 3 ), D ( 4 ), E ( 5 ), and F ( 6 ), were isolated from the sclerotia of Inonotus obliquus together with six known constituents. The chemical structures of new triterpenes 1 – 6 were characterized on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence including the application of the modified Mosher's method.", "Recent studies have shown that mushrooms are recognized as a promising source of functional and nutraceutical compounds. The species Ganoderma lucidum (also called Reishi or Lingzhi) is a mushroom used in medicine because Chinese attributes to this fungus better health and longevity. Among the numerous bioactive compounds identified in G. lucidum are polysaccharides mostly β-glucans, heteropolysaccharides or glycoproteins, terpenoids mostly ganoderic acids and derivatives, as well as many other bioactive proteinases that contribute to health and diseases prevention. The aim of this review is to report on the profile of the most bioactive compounds, particularly polysaccharides and terpenoids of G. lucidum.", "In the previous work we reported five lanostane-type triterpenes from the CHCl(3) soluble fraction of Fomes officinalis. In further study on the isolation of constituents from the CHCl(3) soluble fraction, four new triterpenes, fomefficinic acids F (1), G (2) and fomefficinols A (3), B (4), together with seven known compounds officinalic acid (5), fomlactone A (6), fomlactone B (7), fomlactone C (8), laricinolic acid (9), ergosterol (10), ergota-7,22,dien-3beta-ol (11) were isolated. The structures of new compounds were determined by spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods including NMR spectroscopic techniques ((13)C, (1)H, heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence (HMQC), heteronuclear multiple bonding correlation (HMBC), correlation spectroscopy (COSY) and nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY)).", "Two new fernane triterpenoids, 7α-hydroxyfern-8-en-11-one (1) and 11β-hydroxyfern-8-en-7-one (2), and two new filicane triterpenoids, 3β-hydroxyfilic-4(23)-ene (3) and filicenol (5), together with one known filicane-type triterpenoid, 3α-hydroxyfilic-4(23)-ene (4), were isolated from the methyl alcohol extract of the leaves of Angiopteris palmiformis. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive analyses of their spectroscopic data (NMR, MS, IR) and comparison with spectroscopic data in the literature.", "This review addresses the most recent research advances on Ganoderma triterpenes in the past five years, including three major topics of structural characteristics, physiological activities, and production. Thirty-two newly found triterpenes are summarized and more triterpenes, which were found to exhibit anticancer, antivirus, antioxidation, hepatoprotection, and cholesterol synthesis inhibition bioactivities, are reported in this article. Furthermore, new physiological activities including immunomodulation action and quinone oxidoreductase (NAD(P)H) induction are also described. Additionally, research on liquid fermentation and the detection of triterpenes are covered. This article provides a comprehensive profile addressing the progress of Ganoderma triterpene research in the last half decade.", "Analysis of the methanolic extract of seeds of Portulaca oleracea results in the isolation of taraxerane-type triterpenoids, viz., taraxerol 1, acetyl aleuritolic acid 2, portaraxeroic acid A (olean-14-en-3β-yl acetoxy-23-oic acid) 3 and portaraxeroic acid B (olean-14-en-3β-yl acetoxy-30-oic acid) 4. The structures of compounds have been determined on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis. The significance of their occurrence in P. oleracea is discussed from the biosynthetic viewpoint.", "Introduction: Lingzhi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) is the herbal medicine that have antiinflammatory, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, and hypolipidemic activities. Lingzhi mushroom contain triterpenoid that reported has hypolypidemic activity by cholesterol syntesis inhibitor. Objectives: Determine the triglyceride profile on hypercholesterolemi rats by ethanol extract of lingzhi mushroom. Methods: There are 20 rats that were divided 4 groups. Group 1 was given standard diet. Group 2,3,4 were given high-fat diet then given standard diet and aquadest 2.5 ml/200mg body weight (for group 2), diet standar and ethanol extract of lingzhi mushroom 200, 400 mg/kg body weight (for group 3, 4). Results: After treatment, levels triglycerides in all groups decrease. The decreasing triglyceride levels did not significantly between groups 3, 4 with group 2 and group 1 (p>0.05). Conclusion: Administration ethanol extract of lingzhi mushroom did not affect on the level triglyceride in hipercholesterolemi rats.", "This experiment was carried out to investigate proper conditions for protoplast isolation and reversion from Ganoderma lucidum and Gctnoderma sp.. In G. lucidum, 10 mg. Novozyme 234 with 0.6 M sucrose was proper for protoplast isolation. The optimal reaction time of mycelium with lytic enzyme was five hrs. Protoplast isolation from four-day-old mycelium was the most effective. Protoplast isolation from four-day-old mycelium in G. sp. was optimum in the combination of N ovozyme 234 and with 0.6 M sucrose. MCM was suitable for reversion in G. lucidum while SCM was good for G. sp.. The most effective osmoticum stabilizer for protoplast reversion in G. lucidum and G. sp. was 0.6 M sucrose.", "Several β-D-glucans, appertaining to the same molecular species but having different degrees of branching, were isolated from water and alkali extracts of the fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi). The purified glucans that were mostly water-insoluble had a backbone of (1 →3)-linked D-glucose residues, attached mainly with single D-glucosyl units at 0-6 and also with a few short (l→4)-linked glucosyl units at 0-2 positions. However, their degrees of branching appeared to differ in the range of d.b. 1/3 ~ 1/23, depending on the extracted glucan fractions. In addition to the ^-glucans, the fruiting body contained water-soluble heteropolysaccharides, comprising D-glucose, D-galactose, D-mannose, L-(or D)-arabinose, D-xylose, and L-fucose.A branched (1 →3)-β-D-glucan was also isolated from the culture filtrate of G. lucidum grown in a glucose-yeast extract medium. The extracellular β-D-glucan was less soluble in water after purification, but soluble in dilute alkali. This glucan has essentially the same...", "Abstract Two new protostane-type triterpenes have been isolated from the methanol extract of the rhizome of Alisma plantago-aquatica . Their structures have been elucidated as 16β-methoxyalisol B monoacetate and 16β-hydroxyalisol B monoacetate mainly on the basis of spectroscopic data.", "From the woody part of the stem of Euonymus bungeanus, Maxim, eight crystalline triterpenoid compounds have been isolated. Based on the physicochemical constants, especi lly the spectral data, the structures of these compounds were identified. I, mp 224-226℃, C30H46O3, is moronic acid. II, C30H44O3, is wilforlide B. III, mp 330-332℃, C30H46O3, is wilforlide A. IV, mp 302-310℃, C30H48O3, is oleanolic acid. VIII, mp 315-322℃, C30H48O4, is 3β, 22α-dihydroxy-Δ12-oleanen-29-cic acid. They have been further confirmed by comparing or correlation with authentic samples. Besides the triterpenoid constituent, gallic acid was isolated from the soluble portion of ethyl acetate.", "Spent Mushroom Substrates(SMS) of cultivated edible fungus have not been fully utilized.To reuse SMS,the contrast tests of different formulae for SMS of Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus abalones were used to assess the proper formula of cultivating Auricularia auricula-judae in Mudanjiang region.The results showed that 30% addition amount of SMS of Ganoderma lucidum was the appropriate formula in Auricularia auricula-judae cultivation trial,and it was significantly better than using SMS of Pleurotus abalones in various formulae.So it is available to use SMS of Ganoderma lucidum as alternative materials to cultivate Auricularia auricula-judae.", "The preparation technique of Ganoderma lucidum,Poria cocos and Hericium erinaceus fermentation tea with low grade Ulong tea, tea leaves and primary pearl tea was reported in this paper. The experiment results showed that Ulong tea medium was the optimum tea medium for Poria cocos and Hericium erinaceus, while the medium of tea leaves was the optimum tea medium for Ganoderma lucidum.", "Two new α-hydroxy ketone type diarylpentanoids, diplomorphanone A, 2(S)-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenyl-1-pentanone (1) and diplomorphanone B, 2(R)-hydroxy-1,5-diphenyl-1-pentanone (2) were isolated from aerial parts of Diplomorpha canescens (Meisn.) C.A. Meyer and roots of Diplomorpha ganpi (Sieb. et Zucc.) Nakai, respectively. Nine known compounds including diarylpentanoids (3–6), phenylpropanoid derivatives (7–9), (+)-afzelechin (10) and apiosylskimmin (11) were also isolated for the first time from D. ganpi. Structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data.", "Objective To explore the effects and mechanism of Lucid Ganoderma Spores Power on the hyperhomo Cysteinemia in rats.And make the theoretical preparations for the clinical application.Methods Wistar rats were divided randomly into three groups:control group,model group and treatment group.Model group and treatment group were given L-Met 1 g/kg for 28 days and the treatment group were given 0.20% Lucid Ganoderma Spores Power(10 mL/kg body weight) for 7 days.After 7 days,the values of the platelet aggregation rate,whole blood viscosity and thrombosis were assayed.Results Compared with model group,Lucid Ganoderma Spores Power could decrease the levels of the platelet aggregation rate,whole blood viscosity,thrombosis.Conclusion Lucid Ganoderma Spores Power has interventional effects on the hyperhomo cysteinemia through the hemorheology pathways.", "The polysaccharides of GLP1-1 and GLP2-2 were extracted and purification from fruitbody Ganoderma lucidum by DEAE-celluase column and gel chromatography.The purity was identified by gel chromatography.It was the sole polysaccharide component.GLP1-1 and GLP2-2 were analyzed by acid hydrolysis and HPLC and structures were studied by infrared spectrum and Ultra-Violet spectrophotometry.The results showed that polysaccharide existed as β-furan sugar and contained no protein and nucleic acid.GLP1-1 was composed of D-galactose,D-xylose,D-glucose,D-rhamnose.", "Ganoderma boninense, a phytopathogenic white rot fungus had sought minimal genetic characterizations despite huge biotechnological potentials. Thus, efficient collection of fruiting body, basidiospore and protoplast of G. boninense is described. Matured basidiocarp raised under the glasshouse conditions yielded a total of 8.3 × 104 basidiospores/ml using the low speed centrifugation technique. Mycelium aged 3-day-old treated under an incubation period of 3 h in lysing enzyme from Trichoderma harzianum (10 mg/ml) suspended in osmotic stabilizer (0.6 M potassium chloride and 20 mM dipotassium phosphate buffer) yielded the highest number of viable protoplasts (8.9 × 106 single colonies) among all possible combinations tested (regeneration media, age of mycelium, osmotic stabilizer, digestive enzyme and incubation period).", "Abstract The triterpenoids are a large group of natural products derived from C 30 precursors. Nearly 200 different triterpene skeletons are known from natural sources or enzymatic reactions that are structurally consistent with being cyclization products of squalene, oxidosqualene, or bis-oxidosqualene. This review categorizes each of these structures and provides mechanisms for their formation.", "A new instable aristolane type sesquiterpene ketone, gansongone ( 1), was isolated from the fresh underground parts of NARDOSTACHYS CHINESIS Batalin (Valerianaceae), growing in the province Sichuan (China). The structure of 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods. The structure of the corresponding alcohol 2, which was also found in N. CHINENSIS and formerly regarded as 9-aristolene-1alpha-ol ( 5) has to be revised to l(10)-aristolene-9beta-ol ( 2) from results of 2D-NMR-spectroscopy and oxidation to 1. Besides 1 and 2, the following compounds have been identified in the ethanol extract of the fresh plant material of N. CHINENSIS: nardosinone, nardosinondiol, deoxonarchinol A, beta-sitosterol, oleanolic acid, ethyl beta- D-glucopyranoside.", "Three new cucurbitane-type triterpene called karavilagenins A, B, and C and five new cucurbitane-type triterpene glycosides called karavilosides I, II, III, IV, and V were isolated from the dried fruit of Sri Lanka Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae) together with two known cucurbitane-type triterpenes, 19(R)-methoxy-5beta,19-epoxycucurbita-6,23-dien-3beta,25-diol and 5,19-epoxycucurbita-6,23-diene-3,25-diol, and nine known cucurbitane-type triterpene glycosides, goyaglycosides-b, -c, and -d, and momordicosides F1, F2, G, I, K, and L. The structures of karavilagenins and karavilosides were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence.", "Four new neoclerodane diterpenoids, 15-epilupulin A (1), 6-O-deacetylajugamarin (2), and ajugadecumbenins A (3) and B (4), were isolated from the whole plants of Ajuga decumbens. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data and chemical correlations.", "Neutral constituents extracted from Metasequoia glyptostroboides HU et CHENG were investigated and seven steroids, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, stigmast-4-en-3-one, stigmasta-4, 22-dien-3-one, campest-4-en-3-one, and 5α-stigmastan-3, 6-dione, together with α-cadinol, m-cresol, and methyl esters of fourteen fatty acids, were identified. This is the first case that 5α-stigmastan-3, 6-dione, stigmasta-4, 22-dien-3-one, and campest-4-en-3-one were identified from natural products.", "Objective To study the triterpenoid constituents of isodon macrophyllus.Methods Compounds were separated and purified by silica gel column chromatography and their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data and chemical evidences.Results Four compounds were obtained from ethyl acetate extract of leaves of Isodon macrophyllus and identified as ursolic acid(1),2α,3α-dihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid(2),2α,3α,24-trihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid(3),2α,3β,23-trihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid(4).Conclusion Four compounds are triterpenoid,and they are isolated from this plant for the first time.", "Five new triterpenes (1-5) and one new lignan (6) were isolated from the aerial parts of Maytenus apurimacensis. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic studies, including homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation NMR experiments (COSY, ROESY, HSQC, and HMBC).", "Abstract A new squalene-derived triterpenoid, raspacionin ( 1 ), has been isolated from the sponge Raspaciona aculeata . The structure of 1 , characterized by two trans -perhydrobenzoxepine moieties linked by an ethylene brigde, was suggested by spectral evidence and unambigously established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.", "Three new abietane diterpenoids, isoabietenins A-C (1-3), and 13 new ent-kauranoids, tenuifolins A-M (4-16), along with four known compounds (17-20), were isolated from the aerial parts of Isodon tenuifolius. The structures of the new metabolites were established on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configurations of 1, 15, and 16 were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Selected compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against a small panel of human tumor cell lines, and some compounds showed inhibitory effects. Furthermore, several isolates exhibited inhibitory activity against nitric oxide production in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages.", "A new triterpene compound ( 1), along with arjunolic acid, was isolated from an ethanol extract of the whole plant of Leandra chaetodon. Based on spectroscopic analysis, the structure of 1 was determined as 2alpha,6alpha- dihydroxybetulinic acid. Arjunolic acid showed inhibitory activity against Cryptococcus neoformans. (IC50 = 20 micrograms/mL)." ]

[ "Fishing by the Moon is one of the main factors in catching fish. Success in fishing is not by chance and by methodical studying of fishing patterns based on the moon phase, tide, time of day and time of the year." ]

[ "The moon is the closest body in space to Earth, with a mean distance of 238,857 miles (384,403 km). [1] The first probe to fly by the moon was the Russian Luna 1, launched January 2, 1959.", "The moon dragon is a silvery colored dragon that needs to be placed in the moon habitat in your DragonVale park. This dragon can be bred using various different combinations of cold and lightning.", " In Pokémon Sun and Moon, Bruxish is a colorful Water/Psychic-type fish Pokémon that can be found by fishing. This article will explain to catch it. ", "Photos of the moon are beautiful if done well, but it can be very hard to get a picture of the moon that doesn’t look blurry! Once you're aware of what equipment you need, when to take the best photos, and how to set up your camera, you'll be able to get great shots of the moon.", "Sailor Moon is the main protagonist in the Classic Sailor Moon Anime and Manga that released in early 90's, but the anime Sailor Moon has been remade and is called Sailor Moon Crystal.", "Sailor Moon is the main protagonist in the manga and anime series of the same name. This tutorial will show you how to draw the cute and funny Sailor Moon.", "The crescent moon is an iconic and enduring image. This short but inclusive tutorial will show you how to draw a stylized sleeping moon using Adobe Illustrator CS5.", "The ocean is a beautiful place. It's full of species that are prohibited to life on land and can only be found in this place. We know less about our ocean than our own moon!", "Those colorful fish you frequently see in large ponds in Japanese restaurants or shopping areas are becoming increasingly popular as the centerpiece of a backyard garden.", " A lovely vegetarian meal or a side dish for meat or fish. ", "The Cyprinus carpio , commonly known as the carp is a fish that’s found in Asia, Europe, and in most rivers and lakes in the United States. A member of the minnow family of fish, carp were introduced to the U.S. in 1877 as a way to provide a food source to a growing country.", "The Siamese fighting fish, or betta fish, fights other fish in nature. Although bettas prefer to live alone, they will play with you if you train them.", "Perch are a common freshwater fish, and popular among fishermen. There are different species around the world, and the yellow and white varieties are found in the United States.", "It takes the moon roughly twenty nine and a half days to orbit the earth. During its orbit, different portions of the moon are visible. These portions are referred to as “moon phases.”", "Sliced mushrooms, green onions, tarragon and a bit of butter top this baked fish dish. This is a quick, easy and somewhat healthy dish to serve for dinner.", "In Pokémon Sun and Moon, Cosmog is a Psychic-type legendary Pokémon that evolves twice, the final time into either Solgaleo or Lunala, depending on whether you have Sun or Moon.", "Fishing is one of the greatest pastimes ever created. Nothing quite compares to enjoying the crisp early morning air by the water's edge, throwing your line out, and seeing the sunlight sparkle as the lure hits the water.", "So you've already learned how to draw a fish . You can't draw just a fish though. Fish don't live in midair. It can be difficult to draw a fish bowl, however.", " How to be like Chibiusa/Rini/Sailor Chibi Moon from Sailor Moon!! Everyone will think you're the most Kawaii sugar baby, ever! ", "The silver dollar fish is an herbivorous fish belonging to the Characidae family that is native to South American freshwater rivers. [1] These fish are frequently selected for aquariums because they are visually appealing and easy to care for.", "You don’t need the power of a telescope to study and understand the relationship of the moon and the Earth. By creating an Earth and moon model, you can replicate some aspects of this relationship.", "Whether you're spending time with family and friends or fishing solo, fishing is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and come head-to-head with a vibrant array of fish.", "A hefty load of trout makes a great payoff after a long day on the river, but before you can fry them up, you’ll have to see that they’re properly cleaned.", "Moon flower ( Ipomoea alba ) is a climber which grows quickly. It's a tropical plant, hence it grows as an annual in cool to cold areas but is much longer lasting in warmer climates.", "Determining whether the moon is waxing or waning can tell you a lot about what phase it’s in, how the tides will move, and where the moon is in relation to the Earth and the sun.", "Rice bowls and dishes in Harvest Moon is a great way to use your rice crops and can give you a medium-sized profit for each. Salmon fried rice gives you +430 stamina when consumed.", "Every Harvest Moon DS player who has a lot of Gold, has a high Farm Degree, or who wants to finish the game is probably interested in a Harvest Moon marriage.", "Betta fish (sometimes called \"Siamese Fighting Fish\") are wonderful pets, as they are easy to care for, beautiful, and surprisingly good community tank fish.", "When you've had a productive day on the water and brought home a cooler, creel, or stringer of fish, there's still work to be done before you can enjoy your freshly caught meal.", " To all the fish lovers out there: here's a brief guide on how to draw them in their little home! :) ", " Betta fish are small fish and can be very fun to draw . If you need tips for drawing one, read on. ", "Do you want to see the moon without leaving the comfort of your chair? With Google Earth, you can not only navigate through the world’s streets and sights, you can also see the moon." ]

[ "Probably the medication she is taking that results in that stare and shine to the eyes. Antipsychotics can have side effects where they get that stare, shuffle when walking and sometimes smack their lips. I refer to it as the wide-eyed stare. From your description of feeling uncomfortable, it sounds like she needs her meds adjusted, probably too high of a dose. searching images for schizo wide-eyed stare returns a few examples that might be similar what you saw." ]

[ "I don't understand this \"we don't need something so we're going to lose it\" evolution thing. I thought that evolution was random mutations + natural selection, and in a modern world I don't see how people with, let's say, small wisdom teeth have a higher survival rate than people with big wisdom teeth. Maybe I'm totally wrong on how evolution work though.", "One major problem is that any people don't really bother reading more than the first page or two of comments. This means they're only seeing the top-rated comments, and upvoting those. Any comments that come later never get read or ever have a chance to get upvoted, regardless of quality. You can see this effect by looking at how many points the comments in a busy thread get. It'll be something like 2500, 1000, 200, 150, 100... Furthermore, upvotes just mean that people like it. It doesn't mean the post is *right*, especially if it's a subject that most people don't understand well enough to tell if something is right or wrong. That said, there's even more potential problems with *downvotes*.", "The moon is ~1000 times farther away than the ISS. The ISS in in close orbit around earth, the moon is MUCH MUCH farther away. It would mean sending supplies would be 1000 times more difficult. It would take much longer to rescue a team if something went wrong. Everything would be far more costly.", "The Romans measured a mile as 1000 paces (*mile* comes from the term *mille passus* meaning 1000 steps). We know that the Roman mile measured 1620 yards or 4860 feet. Unless they were under a forced march they would usually march for about 5 hours a day before making camp so that means they marched at about 4 mph, so a fairly brisk pace. As to the actual length of their strides I think that would depend on the soldier; taller men would have to shorten their stride and shorter lengthen theirs.", "You've misread something maybe you should upload the packet so we can understand where you've got it wrong. Beef jerky has approximately 33g of protein per 100g. It's impossible for 1 gram of jerky to have 10 grams of protein.", "Most common 14 clubs and typical loft and distances: Woods: long-distance clubs Driver: biggest wood: 12 deg loft; 225 yards 3 W: fairway wood: 15 deg loft: 210 yards 5 W: 5 wood: 20 deg loft: 190 yards Irons: 3: 22 deg loft: 180 yards 4: 25 deg loft: 170 yards 5: 28 deg loft: 160 yards 6: 31 deg loft: 150 yards 7: 34 deg loft: 140 yards 8: 37 deg loft: 130 yards 9: 41 deg loft: 120 yards Wedges P: Pitching Wedge: 45 deg loft: 105 yards G: Gap Wedge: 50 deg loft: 90 yards S: Sand Wedge: 55 deg loft: 70 yards Putter: To putt when on green. Depending on how far you are from the flag, you use the appropriate club to get closest.", "Reservations: We aren't doing that. Understandings: We think you mean this, so we will do that. Declarations: Hey everyone at home this is what we have done. Edited: I was wrong", "Most people only use inches, feet, yards, and miles. I\"m not sure I've even heard of chains before, and furlongs are only really used for horse racing. 12 inches to a foot, 3 feet to a yard, 5280 feet to a mile. We don't really do a lot of unit conversions, they're just convenient lengths. (Tell the truth, how often do you use a hectometer?)", "What i was told is that most die in the stomach. but because there are so many (think about how some vitamins are 1000% of your daily dose) a small portion makes it through and begin to reproduce (possibly wrong word) rapidly as bacteria do.", "One way to understand calculus is that it is the study of how varying one quantity affects another quantity. Since in science we are often looking at how one thing influences another (or, conversely, how something depends on something else), the concepts of calculus, including derivatives and integrals, plan an important role in the mathematical formulation of sciences.", "We only get a rough idea of a two dimensional sketch of a three dimensional object because we look at the world from a single, two-dimensional perspective. We must interact with something to understand it in three dimensions. (Looking at it from atleast two different viewpoints) To represent something with four dimensions in a three dimensional perspective, we would need to be able to comprehend multiple view points of something in real time. While we can create accurate representations of this, it isn't possible to actually understand it's shape, considering how our brains are wired.", "In a very real sense, if we knew the answer to your question, we would almost certainly understand turbulence. As it stands, we know the Navier-Stokes equations, which are the equations underlying the behavior of fluids. But we don't know how to show when and how turbulence emerges from this equations. If there is a conceptual framework which would allow something other than a brute force analysis (and I suspect there is), we would understand turbulence. Although there has been substantial progress in the field, such framework has remained elusive.", "You know how our family doesn't believe in drinking soda in the house, but Jimmy's family across the street does? That's an example of ethics. We believe one thing thing is right, and they believe something else is right. That's ethics. Morals are something our whole country agrees on. We all agree that stealing is wrong, and that you shouldn't hurt other people. That's what we call morals. *That's how I'd actually say it to a real five year old.*", "Essentially, teams have 4 \"downs\" (that is, plays/attempts) to gain 10 yards. So the when a team gets the ball, they are at \"1st and 10\" - they are on their 1st down and have 10 yards to go. If they gain 3 yards on that play, their next play will be \"2nd and 7\" - on the second down, have 7 yards to go. Once they gain at least 10 yards, they get a new set of downs. So on the 2nd and 7 the team makes a 12 yard play. Now they are on a new \"1st and 10\". However, you can also lose yards or get additional yards tacked on due to a penalty. So say on our 1st and 10 the defense manages to sack the quarterback 8 yards from the line of scrimmage (line of scrimmage = where the ball was placed at the beginning of the play). Now we have a 2nd and 18.", "All the federal taxes will be the same for everyone. No taxing one place or group more just because of who they are. That's how I understand it, anyway. Could be wrong.", "The usage of \"before\" in your question suggests our understanding of time extends to the moment of the big bang. Our understanding of how time works breaks down at the moment of the big bang. It is analogous to how our understanding of north breaks down at the north pole. - What is north of the north pole? Nothing. - What is before the creation of time as we know it? Nothing. It doesn't necessarily suggest something comes out of nothing, its simply means we will require a new definition to describe what is actually happening at that exact moment.", "a few orders of magnitude. to my understanding Microbiology is about tiny organisms like bacteria, maybe algae, viruses, etc. (size roughly 1/1 000 000th of a metre) Molecular biology goes about 1000 times smaller and looks at how the various proteins interact, how cells communicate using certain chemicals, how DNA works, etc. It's essentially \"Nanobiology\".", "We understand what gravity does. What we don't understand is *why*. Compare this to magnetic forces. We've understood magnetic forces for a long time. But more recently, we've started to understand exactly what it is about the structure and arrangement of atoms and sub-atomic particles that makes them magnetic. And even more recently, we've started to understand the exact reasons why this particular arrangement of sub-atomic particles is magnetic, and why another arrangement isn't. But for gravity, we have no understanding of why it works the way it does. How can something like Earth can have an effect on something as far away as the moon? By what mechanism does the moon \"know\" that Earth is there, and get pulled towards Earth? We have some ideas. And one of them - the Higgs boson - is looking like it may well prove to be the answer. But we don't know that yet.", "So please correct me if I'm wrong here, but I've read on other threads here that getting the opinions of the general public was difficult because very few of the read and even fewer wrote things that survived to today. So I guess my follow up question is this: how can we even begin to understand how the commonfolk of this period felt or thought with few primary sources?", "It would mean that a lot of our understanding of physics and chemistry is wrong so we'd have to do a lot of serious work to try to fix science. Absolute zero being impossible to reach is one of the most fundamental tenets of science right now, it would be a huge blow if it turned out to be possible. It's impossible to say what the practical applications and stuff would be, since (as we understand things right now) it's not possible. We can't predict how it would be useful using our current theories, since our current theories say it's not possible.", "They aren't as unique as you think. Even if they made only 1000 different keys, the chances of someone both having the exact same key as you *and* trying it in your lock are basically zero. If someone wants into something you have locked with a mass-produced lock, they will pick the lock or bypass it completely. They can't really just go around hoping their key will unlock something, especially since using the wrong key can get the key stuck or damaged.", "Staring at the sun for a short period of time does not necessarily cause permanent blindness. [This] (_URL_0_) webpage hosted by UC Santa Barbara gets into what we know about the effects. > Obviously, no one has done a study to measure the exact time before damage or blindness occurs, but doctors collect information after events like the 1999 solar eclipse, when people who stared directly at the sun for several minutes went to see their doctor. In one study, about half had permanent damage. Based on the information that we know about staring at the sun, it would seem unlikely that an entire village would ever go blind all at once by staring at an eclipse.", "If you apply classical physics all the way to t=0, then you find a singularity. No one really believes there was a singularity. There is no \"singularity theory\". All this means is that there is something wrong with our physics. This is not surprising. We know that quantum gravity effects must important near t=0, and we don't know how to do quantum gravity.", "There is a scientific principle that information cannot be destroyed. I might throw a book on a fire and let it burn down to ashes, but in principle, I could take those ashes, and all the surrounding molecules of gas, and deduces from them the original book. You can't do this with something that has passed into a black hole, however. So either the principle of information conservation is wrong, or we don't completely understand black holes.", "> But I still don't understand what you're actually looking at when you stare directly at a black hole You see an absence of light. Our brain interprets this as the colour black. The same reason that a completely unlit room is black.", "Well you don't want mud, or tall weeds, or noxious weeks so you want something manageable growing there. Houses were often fenced in the old days and goats or other animals did keep the grass trimmed by grazing in the yard. But as towns developed and the animals were no longer prevalent the idea of a display space became more the norm. A palette to show your house against. In many places little grass is grown and gardens are the norm. As others have said in many locals grass has been replaced by eco friendly materials. The trimmed yard we have today is a recent invention along with the rotary lawn mower. Prior to that yards were scythed down or otherwise kept in check by animals or other use.", "Because the yard is their turf, while the car is something that takes them away from their turf. They like riding in the car, but unless they spend a LOT of time in it, it's not something they feel they have to defend against all comers.", "It can hear them, it's generally pretty quiet in my house and if there is something in my yard me and my dog will hear it at the same time.", "It's very possible that time is just something we came up with to be able to understand how the world around us works. Then we get to the first cause \"origin\" of the universe and time itself, our explanations right now aren't scientifically satisfactory, I'm sorry to say.", "People generally had some understanding of electrical contacts and that if theyre dirty they wont work. Funny enough, youre actually not supposed to blow into cartridges, so we were all wrong.", "You shouldn't experience a metallic taste when using cutlery. Either there's something wrong with the cutlery, or with how you're using it.", "Hubble can very carefully stare at one spot for a long time and come back later on and stare at the same spot at a later time. Hubble can pick a spot and spend days, even weeks (off and on) staring at it. Hubble also has detectors that can count photons and with the use of filters it can count photons of very specific frequency ranges. After a while you know how much of different frequencies you are getting. Once you know that you can figure out what you are looking at." ]

[ "Where’d my tapeworms go? I left them in their cream sauce bath.... huh." ]

[ "\"How do you like your coffee?\"", "How do you think that is? What are your feelings on your answer? Do you like this couch, it's not too green is it?", "\"How often do you see your doctor\"", "How often do you pretend to like yours?", "Liberated and began cleanup at Bergen-Belsen. \"Someone had to do it, you put your feelings aside and get on with it.\"", "How to do your taxes!", "Taxes. Don't fuck up with taxes. Do your chores and keep that ledger up to date. If you can't do that, get someone to do it for you.", "Seeing your friends for the first few minutes before school starts. Unfortunately I can’t get that cause someone ate a bat", "If someone doesn’t agree with your opinion you get harassed", "“Guys just want to get in your pants. Use that how you will.”", "I don't get the question. What does a relationship have to do with your sense of self?\n\nRelationships are partnerships. You join with the other person, and build that partnership. But you are still you, and they are still them. \n\nIf you have a partner who is changing you into someone you don't recognize? Into someone you don't want to be? That's not good.\n\nRelationships are about compromise. You might have to do stuff you don't want to do sometimes, as will your partner with you. But the stuff you do is not your \"self\", not your identity. You shouldn't have to compromise your identity.", "Went for a ride on my electric skateboard, Ate some Thanksgiving leftovers and am now at work", "How do You Sleep at night Knowing your Capitalization is Inconsistent?", "If someone likes you, they don't like you for your looks, but for your personality", "You mean how do you hide your farts don't you?", "How I do your mom.", "But how? How are those things “disrespectful”? Why do you treat your home like a workplace?", "It's more ethical than various tube sites.\n\nYou have no way of knowing if something on a free site is of someone who was trafficked or the victim of revenge porn.\n\nAlso, you can get porn tailored to exactly *your* hyperspecific kink if you pay for it.", "I wonder how do people do this. If your SO cheated on you, chances are they are going to do it again.", "How much money do you make?\n\nOh and also this one that someone actually asked me: Have you already started having your period?", "I'm strongly against it. Capital punishment is like \"an eye for an eye\", the state is getting revenge by killing someone for killing someone else. That is not justice. The state should not be allowed to get revenge, it can only serve justice.", "Circumcised men of reddit: how do you feel about your *parents'* decision to mutilate your cock?\n\nFTFY", "Doing calculus, but if you get the question wrong they break one of your bones.", "Are you trying to get Reddit to do your Theoretical Sociology homework for you?", "Is it your problem when someone's starving? Is it your problem when someone gets shot? Is it your problem when someone in the street gets mugged? No, it's not your problem. And I'm not gonna say some bs like \"you should have a duty to help\". Because it's true that you don't owe anyone anything and it's not your problem.\n\nBut if someone is hurting or if someone is being hurt, you should have compassion and empathy. You should try to help in some way, in any way that you can. Just because it's not your problem doesn't mean you shouldn't help someone out. Thousands of people look away when they see a problem when they can DO something that HELPS. Don't be that person that just looks away for the sake of your own convenience.", "You only get two shots do not miss your chance to blow", "And how do you get into this?", "Depends, what is your preferred genre, and how much reading are you willing to do?", "How to find a hobby you enjoy.\n\nInterpersonal communication.\n\nHow to do your taxes.\n\n Credit establishment and maintenance.", "Stay strong and be patient. Life is a journey, you are just beginning\nIt will get better, you will meet someone to enjoy your life with, just keep your head up and your eyes open", "DO NOT pay for it. Fuck that. You WILL find someone. It will happen. 29 is young as fuck. You still have your whole life. Someone will come along.", "When they do something that makes you uncomfortable, and they get mad at you for expressing your discomfort." ]

[ "If you're always tired there's a chance you're suffering from chronic sleep deprivation which can lead to fatigue, a lower metabolism and can also raise your resting heart rate." ]

[ "No GPS, but fine for workouts, step-counting and heart rate One thing Series 1 does get is the improved heart rate tracking features of WatchOS 4: resting heart rate and walking heart rate averages are calculated automatically.", "['Nervousness and irritability.', 'Increased resting heart rate, which causes heart palpitations.', 'Heat intolerance and increased sweating.', 'Tremors.', 'Weight loss with increase in appetite.', 'Frequent bowel movements.', 'Thyroid enlargement causing a lump in the neck.']", "The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's rest and digestion response when the body is relaxed, resting, or feeding. It basically undoes the work of sympathetic division after a stressful situation. The parasympathetic nervous system decreases respiration and heart rate and increases digestion.", "For heart rate monitoring, the Fitbit Blaze is exceptionally accurate, especially in the areas of 24/7 and resting heart rate. While exercising, the Fitbit Blaze was less accurate when compared to a heart rate monitor that used a chest strap.", "During aerobic exercise, you breathe faster and deeper than when your heart rate is at rest. You're maximizing the amount of oxygen in the blood. Your heart rate goes up, increasing blood flow to the muscles and back to the lungs. During anaerobic exercise, your body requires immediate energy.", "Watching a horror film does increase the heart rate and blood pressure, so a scary movie at night might not be the best idea for the faint-hearted. The heart rate of young people watching a horror film increased by 14 beats per minute.", "TRIMPS Training Stress Score (tTSS) is based on average heart rate, total duration of the workout and the person's physiological heart rate properties (resting heart rate, threshold heart rate, and maximum heart rate).", "When your blood pressure drops, your heart rate increases and the blood vessels in other parts of the body constrict (narrow) to help maintain blood pressure. If your heart rate does not increase enough, or if your blood vessels do not constrict enough to maintain blood pressure, your blood pressure will fall.", "Belviq can cause your heart rate to slow and lead to valvular heart disease and congestive heart failure. Qsymia can increase your resting heart rate. It also can cause serious eye problems and lead to severe birth defects if you're pregnant or become pregnant while using the medication.", "When you wear a sweatshirt, your body temperature increases, circulation increases and heart rate increases in an effort to maintain body temperature. As a result of this increase in heart rate, you may burn more calories while wearing a sweatshirt, but it's not always a good idea.", "How does the flu affect people with heart disease? The flu puts added stress on the body, which can increase blood pressure, raise your heart rate and increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.", "See your heart rate Open the Heart Rate app on your Apple Watch to view your current heart rate, resting rate, and walking average rate. Your Apple Watch continues measuring your heart rate as long as you're wearing it.", "There is no agreement on the definition of atrial fibrillation (AF) with a slow ventricular response: the condition may be characterized as an AF with slow resting heart rate or as an AF with normal resting heart rate but with prolonged ventricular pauses.", "Conversely, hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland is underactive and does not produce enough hormones. Hypothyroidism can weaken the heart muscle and heart rate, reducing the heart's pumping capacity and increase the stiffening of blood-vessel walls. The combination of these changes can lead to hypertension.", "Sometimes called the rest and digest system, the parasympathetic system conserves energy as it slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles in the gastrointestinal tract.", "Beta 1 receptors are located in the heart. When Beta 1 receptors are stimulated they increase the heart rate and increase the heart's strength of contraction or contractility. The beta 2 receptors are located in the bronchioles of the lungs and the arteries of the skeletal muscles. ... Increased cardiac contractility.", "When a person sits in a sauna, their heart rate increases and blood vessels widen. This increases circulation, in a similar way to low to moderate exercise depending on the duration of sauna use. Heart rate may increase to 100-150 beats a minute while using a sauna.", "['Some physical effects of overtraining can include increased resting heart rate, decreased appetite, restless legs and dehydration;', 'Sleep disturbances such as poor sleep quality or insomnia;', 'Mental effects such as poor mood and increased stress;']" ]

[ "A redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report investigating Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election was released Thursday." ]

[ "Attorney General William P. Barr testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday for the first time since he released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Barr told the Judiciary Committee he did not misrepresent the report by Mueller. Barr also blamed the media for “reading too much” into his initial summary. But in a letter from the special counsel to the attorney general released on Wednesday, Mueller wrote that Barr’s summary failed to capture “the context, nature and substance” of his report and had left the public confused. Democrats on the committee grilled Barr on why he did not acknowledge concerns expressed in Mueller’s letter at a House hearing in April. They also challenged the attorney general on why he said President Trump cooperated fully with the investigation when, in actuality, he tried to derail it. During the hearing, Republicans focused on Hillary Clinton’s email server and text messages between FBI officials in 2016, which were against then-candidate Trump. We’ll analyze the testimony and talk about what to expect next. Show produced by Stacia Brown. GUESTS Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO, The National Constitution Center; professor, The George Washington University Law School; author, &#8220;William Howard Taft&#8221; and &#8220;Louis D. Brandeis: American Prophet&#8221;; @RosenJeffrey For more, visit https://the1a.org. &copy; 2019 WAMU 88.5 &#8211; American University Radio.", "NPR national security editor Phil Ewing (@philewing) joins Here & Now&#8216;s Robin Young to discuss Attorney General William Barr&#8217;s testimony to Congress Tuesday. Democrats on the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Justice Department want to know when Barr will release special counsel Robert Mueller&#8217;s full report on the Russia investigation, and how much of it will be redacted. This article was originally published on WBUR.org.", "Attorney General Barr testifies for the first time since the Mueller report's release and just after the release of a letter from Robert Mueller to Barr saying that Barr mischaracterized the report.", "Updated at 9:44 a.m. ET The House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a vote for Wednesday to authorize subpoenas for the full version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, the committee announced Monday. That announcement followed Attorney General William Barr's statement that Congress and the public would have to wait until mid-April to see a redacted version of the report, which was submitted to Barr by Mueller on March 22. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., had given Barr until Tuesday to submit a complete version of the report, including underlying evidence. \"As I have made clear, Congress requires the full and complete special counsel report, without redactions, as well as access to the underlying evidence,\" said Nadler. Barr's letter describing the report says it does not establish that President Trump and his 2016 campaign conspired with Russia. The report also does not come to a conclusion about whether Trump obstructed justice as the investigation proceeded, Barr wrote. Barr wrote to members of Congress that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had determined that Mueller had not developed sufficient evidence to establish that Trump had committed an obstruction of justice offense. Democrats accused Barr of trying to protect the president by suppressing details from the public. Barr's synopsis also left questions unanswered about many other aspects of what Mueller's investigation has uncovered. Barr says he is following Justice Department guidelines and that the report must be redacted to protect national security secrets, grand jury information and sensitive information about people who were not accused of any wrongdoing. The top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee was quick to defend Barr. \"Judiciary Democrats have escalated from setting arbitrary deadlines to demanding unredacted material that Congress does not, in truth, require and that the law does not allow to be shared outside the Justice Department,\" said ranking member Doug Collins, R-Ga. An NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist Poll last week found that overwhelming majorities of those surveyed want to see the full report. Barr is likely to face questions about his handling of the Mueller report next month. He is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 1 and has offered to testify before the House Judiciary Committee the following day.", "On Wednesday, Attorney General William Barr testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee — his first appearance since releasing a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the 2016 election. Barr told the Committee that he did not misrepresent Mueller’s report, and blamed the press for “reading too much” into his initial summary. But in a letter to Barr released on Wednesday, Mueller said otherwise. “The summary letter the Department sent to Congress and released to the public late in the afternoon of March 24 did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance of this Office’s work and conclusions,” he wrote. “There is now public confusion about critical aspects of the results of our investigation.” Barr declined to appear before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, sparking anger among Democrats. What’s next? &#8220;The place where law and politics meet each other is in the impeachment process,&#8221; Jeffrey Rosen of the National Constitution Center told us. He also noted that the attorney general can be impeached by the same process as the president, according to the Constitution. Meanwhile, President Trump has agreed to a $2 trillion infrastructure spending plan. He now has three weeks to decide how to pay for it. How will this play out in Congress? We’re also following the latest on two anti-Semitic incidents. On Saturday, a gunman opened fire at a synagogue in Poway, California, killing one person and injuring several others. Officials are investigating whether the suspected shooter posted a racist screed on 8chan before the attack. According to a new report from the Anti-Defamation League, anti-Semitic assaults doubled in the U.S. in 2018. The New York Times has also apologized for a cartoon widely condemned as anti-Semitic, which depicts President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We cover all this and more. Text by Kathryn Fink. GUESTS Marc Fisher, Senior editor, The Washington Post; @mffisher Kimberly Adams, Correspondent, Marketplace; @KA_Marketplace Josh Gerstein, Senior legal affairs contributor, Politico; @joshgerstein Jon Collins, Class and criminal justice reporter, MPR; @jonscollins For more, visit https://the1a.org. &copy; 2019 WAMU 88.5 &#8211; American University Radio.", "Updated at 5 p.m. ET Attorney General William Barr has told congressional leaders that he anticipates being able to give them a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on his investigation into Russia's interference with the 2016 presidential election by \"by mid-April, if not sooner.\" Democratic lawmakers have been pushing for lawmakers to see the full report without redactions, though members of both parties have called for its public release. On Friday, Barr sent a letter to chairmen of the House and Senate judiciary committees — Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. — with an updated timeline. Nadler and other Democrats had asked for a complete release by April 2, but Barr said it would a take little longer to make the necessary redactions to protect grand jury material, sources and methods, and ongoing investigations, a process that Mueller is assisting in. Barr says that the report is nearly 400 pages long and that \"everyone will soon be able to read it on their own\" after he delivers it to key members of Congress. He does not plan to send the report to the White House first. Barr added that he is willing to testify before the House and Senate judiciary committees in early May. Nadler responded that his April 2 deadline \"still stands.\" The House Judiciary Committee chairman also said he talked to Barr about working with him to \"request a court order to release any and all grand jury information to the House Judiciary Committee — as has occurred in every similar investigation in the past.\" Nadler added that he would take Barr's offer to testify in May \"under advisement\" but wants the attorney general to come before Congress \"immediately\" to explain his rationale for how he's handling the Mueller report. Nadler's Republican counterpart, ranking member Doug Collins, R-Ga., tweeted that the chairman \"stands alone in setting arbitrary deadlines for that release and in calling the attorney general to break the law by releasing the report without redactions.\" Graham said he appreciated Barr's update and that he looks forward to him testifying before the Senate committee on May 1, as Barr offered. On Sunday, Barr released a letter summarizing the major conclusions in Mueller's report, which was delivered to him on March 22. In that letter to judiciary committee leaders, Barr wrote that Mueller did not find that Donald Trump's presidential campaign had conspired with Russia to impact the election but that the report did not take a position on whether Trump had obstructed justice. The White House and President Trump have touted the findings as vindication, having long said there was \"no collusion\" with Russia. In reaction to Barr's latest update on releasing the report, Trump said Friday that he has \"nothing to hide.\"", "The Justice Department will release a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report Thursday. While it's likely to shed light on some big open questions, it could also raise others.", "Attorney General William Barr has released a letter summarizing the Mueller report. \nKey findings from the Mueller report, per Barr: • No evidence that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 election. • No recommendation of further indictments. • Mueller &#8220;does not conclude&#8221; Trump committed a crime, but &#8220;does not exonerate him.&#8221; pic.twitter.com/m3xdkwrFMq — NPR (@NPR) March 24, 2019 Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein spent the weekend reviewing the principal findings of the document, and released this letter on Sunday afternoon. The president responded to the report via Twitter. \nNo Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019 We bring you the latest on the report, plus reaction from across the political spectrum. What does it mean that Mueller&#8217;s report is wrapped up? What other investigations still linger over the president? Produced by Jonquilyn Hill. GUESTS Shane Harris, Intelligence and national security reporter, The Washington Post; Future of War fellow, New America; author, &#8216;At War: The Rise of the Military-Internet Complex&#8217; and &#8216;The Watchers: The Rise of America&#8217;s Surveillance State&#8217;; @shaneharris James Antle, Editor-in-chief, The American Conservative magazine; former politics editor, Washington Examiner; senior advisor, Defense Priorities; @jimantle Morgan Finkelstein, Spokeswoman, Center for American Progress and the Moscow Project; @momofink For more, visit https://the1a.org. &copy; 2019 WAMU 88.5 &#8211; American University Radio.", "Members of Congress and the public can finally read what special counsel Robert Mueller and his team of investigators found in their 22-month probe into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. There is a catch, however: Readers cannot see every word, sentence and paragraph in the massive document. READ: The redacted Mueller report Attorney General William Barr and his staff have been working with Mueller's team for the better part of a month to identify — and remove — segments of the document that contain the following four categories of sensitive information: Grand jury materials — Under federal rules, materials from grand jury proceedings are secret, although there are exceptions. Democrats are currently wrestling with the Justice Department over access to those materials. Intelligence materials — The report contains information that comes from U.S. intelligence agencies. Officials are concerned about compromising sources and methods that America's spies want to protect. Information related to ongoing investigations — A number of high-profile investigations have been spun out of Mueller's Russia probe, most notably the case against President Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen. Details that could reveal information about other ongoing investigations are scrubbed out of the redacted report. Derogatory information about \"peripheral\" individuals — Barr told Congress the Justice Department would not reveal information it has uncovered about people — not including the president and other public office holders — who are not accused of a crime. Don't see the graphic above? Click here.", "With Kimberly Atkins What will the redacted Mueller report from Attorney General William Barr tell us about the two-year investigation? Guests Ginger Gibson, national political correspondent for Reuters. (@GingerGibson) McKay Coppins, staff writer for The Atlantic. Author of &#8220;The Wilderness: Deep Inside the Republican Party&#8217;s Combative, Contentious, Chaotic Quest to Take Back the White House.&#8221; (@mckaycoppins) Jessica Levinson, professor of law at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. (@LevinsonJessica) From The Reading List Vox: &#8220;The last-minute drama about the Mueller report’s release, explained&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;On the eve of the Mueller report’s public release, a new controversy has erupted about whether Attorney General Bill Barr is attempting to spin the special counsel’s findings to the benefit of President Donald Trump. &#8220;The Justice Department announced earlier this week that they’d release Mueller’s report, both to Congress and the public, on Thursday. But they only announced on Wednesday afternoon that Barr himself would give a press conference about the report Thursday morning. Now Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) is claiming that DOJ will only release Mueller’s report after Barr’s presser. And a senior DOJ official soon confirmed to reporters that that was indeed the plan — meaning Barr will have the opportunity to publicly present his spin on its findings before reporters questioning him get to actually read the report, and duplicating the situation in late March where Barr released his own characterization of Mueller’s findings first.&#8221; Newsweek: &#8220;Legal Experts Weigh In On Mueller Report Release: &#8216;We Are Waiting For A Volcano To Erupt&#8217;&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;Attorney General William Barr is expected to release a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia report on Thursday, marking an end to one of the most high-profile political investigations in a generation. &#8220;&#8216;I think, from a legal perspective, I know of few moments in the last 30 years that has the potential crescendo of emotion as this one. In fact, I feel like we are waiting for a volcano to erupt,&#8217; former federal prosecutor Gene Rossi told Newsweek on Wednesday. &#8220;Americans got a glimpse into Mueller’s two-year probe last month when Barr gave Congress a four-page summary of the special counsel’s key findings. The most highly anticipated conclusion was that there was no conspiracy between President Donald Trump&#8217;s campaign and Russia during the 2016 election. &#8220;But the attorney general’s brief summary left people with more questions than answers, especially regarding the evidence relating to possible conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges. Plus, allegations that Barr may have mishandled the report out of allegiance to the president have only ramped up the public’s speculation.&#8221; Brian Hardzinski and Karen Shiffman produced this hour for broadcast. This article was originally published on WBUR.org.", "Updated at 11:3o a.m. ET As the Justice Department prepares a redacted version of the Mueller report for release later this month, the House Judiciary Committee authorized subpoenas for the full report and its underlying investigative evidence. The committee also authorized subpoenas for figures in the Trump orbit, including former White House counsel Don McGahn; McGahn's former chief of staff Ann Donaldson; former adviser Steve Bannon; former spokesperson Hope Hicks; and former chief of staff Reince Priebus. \"We are dealing now, not with the president's private affairs, but with a sustained attack on the integrity of the republic by the president and his closest advisers,\" said Democratic Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York. \"This committee requires the full report and the underlying materials because it is our job, not the attorney general's, to determine whether or not President Trump has abused his office.\" The panel split along partisan lines, resulting in a vote tally of 24-17 to back the subpoenas. During the contentious session, Republicans objected even to small procedural measures such as proceeding without verbally reading out the subpoena resolution in its entirety. \"Why is the chairman doing this?\" asked the committee's top Republican, Doug Collins of Georgia. \"Because even full compliance from these individuals wouldn't satisfy him. ... He's picking the fight because fighting makes good headlines, and because his caucus is desperate for dirt on this president.\" Attorney General William Barr has promised to release a redacted version of the approximately 400-page Mueller report by \"mid-April, if not sooner.\" Barr said that the version he releases then will include redactions to grand jury information, intelligence information, information related to ongoing investigations and information that would \"unduly infringe on the personal privacy and reputational interests of peripheral third parties.\" But congressional Democrats have demanded both a full accounting of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation and for it to be provided to Congress sooner. A deadline set by six House Democratic committee chairs for these materials passed on Tuesday without action by the attorney general. Following the committee vote, Nadler said that he would continue negotiations with the attorney general to obtain the full report, but if that failed he would move to issue a subpoena for those documents — which could set up a lengthy court battle. \"We're going to work with the attorney general for a short period of time in the hope that he will reveal to us the entire Mueller report, and the underlying materials, and will go to court to get permission to have the [grand jury] material,\" Nadler told reporters. \"But if that doesn't work out in a very short order, we will issue the subpoenas.\" The president weighed in Tuesday, before the committee's proceedings, arguing on Twitter that \"with the NO COLLUSION Mueller Report, which the Dems hate, he wants it all. NOTHING WILL EVER SATISFY THEM!\" The Justice Department declined to comment on the House Judiciary Committee vote.", "The redacted version of the Mueller report is released Thursday. North Korea announces it has tested a new \"tactical guided weapon.\" Scientists have restored some function in the brains of dead pigs.", "This week, Congress and the public await the expected release of the Mueller report — or at least what Attorney General William Barr is willing to let them see.", "Attorney General Barr's reading of the Mueller report is that the president did not obstruct justice. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Neal Katyal, former acting solicitor general, about what that means.", "The president and his allies said Thursday&#8217;s redacted Mueller report exonerates him, even though the report laid out evidence of wrongdoing, including the president asking aides to lie about his actions. Here & Now&#8216;s Jeremy Hobson speaks with Paul McNulty, president of Grove City College in Pennsylvania and former deputy attorney general under George W. Bush, who has worked at the Justice Department under Attorney General William Barr. This article was originally published on WBUR.org.", "President Trump has called Attorney General William Barr&#8217;s summary of the Mueller report a &#8220;complete and total exoneration.&#8221; Barr says there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election. Barr says Mueller&#8217;s report left the question of obstruction of justice up to the attorney general to decide, and Barr concludes there is not enough evidence of obstruction of justice. Democrats are calling for the entire report to be made public; however, there are questions in the party about how hard to push forward with investigations of the president. Here & Now&#8216;s Jeremy Hobson speaks with Derek Thompson (@DKThomp), senior editor at The Atlantic. This article was originally published on WBUR.org.", "Democrats in Congress and an overwhelming majority of the American public are eagerly awaiting the expected release this week of the Mueller report. First came the wait for special counsel Robert Mueller to conclude his investigation on Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. That happened three weeks ago, but after Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary of the nearly 400-page report, there has been a new anticipation — and growing acrimony — for the report to be released to members of Congress and the public. But even when the report is released, it's unlikely the politically divisive debate that has been the hallmark of President Trump's tenure in office will be resolved. Barr's summary letter on March 24, two days after Mueller delivered his report to the new attorney general, was met with glee from the White House, as he wrote that the lengthy investigation did not find that the Trump campaign \"conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.\" The president and most Republicans saw that rundown of Mueller's major findings as \"complete and total exoneration,\" even though Mueller did not take a position on whether Trump obstructed justice, given his comments and actions around the ongoing investigation. Rather, Mueller's team wrote, according to Barr, that \"while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.\" Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, however, concluded that Mueller's finding were \"not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.\" But given what little Democrats have seen of Mueller's findings, they want more answers on exactly how the Justice Department came to that conclusion. Barr said he would release more of the report but would need time to make the necessary redactions before it could be made public. Key House Democrats didn't want to wait and had initially demanded it be made public by April 2. But Barr responded, saying he thought he could complete any redactions by \"mid-April, if not sooner,\" and the release anticipated for this week does hit that promised timeline. However, soon after that update from Barr, the House Judiciary Committee, along a party-line vote, authorized a subpoena for the full report and its underlying investigative evidence. Barr has said he's willing to testify before the House and Senate judiciary committees in early May. Barr was on Capitol Hill last week testifying before a panel of the House Appropriations Committee on unrelated budget matters, and he was clear that he didn't want to talk much about the Mueller report — but Democrats certainly did. The attorney general indicated that he would be open to negotiating with congressional leaders who want to see Mueller's underlying evidence once the report is released. Then, the next day, before a panel of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Barr stoked a whole new controversy when he said he'd launched his own informal inquiry into the origins of the FBI's initial counterintelligence investigation into Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign, which began the summer of that year at the height of the White House race. Trump has often pointed to this as evidence of bias, and Barr seemed to concur, saying that \"spying did occur\" on the then-nominee's campaign — a claim Trump has regularly made without evidence. Later in the hearing, Barr clarified that he has no \"specific evidence\" of such surveillance but that he has \"questions about it\" and \"concerns about various aspects of it.\" All of that suggests the controversy is likely to be far from over even when the redacted, lengthy Mueller report is released. Here are other lingering questions: What else could Mueller's report reveal about Trump and Russia? What will Mueller's Russia report mean for election security in 2020? After Barr's letter, what more does the public want?", "President Trump sticks with a message of \"no collusion, no obstruction\" after the release of a redacted version of the Mueller report, despite the damaging information contained in it.", "The latest reaction from Congress to Attorney General Bill Barr's letter summarizing the Mueller report.", "NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with former U.S. Assistant Attorney General for National Security David Kris about the Mueller report and William Barr's handling of its release.", "In a party-line split, the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress. The move came after Barr failed to provide the unredacted version of the Mueller report, and after learning that the White House instructed key figures cited in the report to ignore congressional subpoenas. Now, the White House says that they will invoke executive privilege to prevent Congress from seeing other documents related to the Mueller investigation. Here & Now&#8216;s Peter O&#8217;Dowd talks with NPR White House reporter Ayesha Rascoe (@ayesharascoe). This article was originally published on WBUR.org.", "Former federal prosecutor Seth Waxman speaks with NPR's Michel Martin about the legal implications of Attorney General Barr's summary of the Mueller Report.", "With Kimberly Atkins The Mueller will be released Thursday morning. We lay out what&#8217;s at stake politically and legally. Guests McKay Coppins, staff writer for The Atlantic. Author of &#8220;The Wilderness: Deep Inside the Republican Party&#8217;s Combative, Contentious, Chaotic Quest to Take Back the White House.&#8221; (@mckaycoppins) Nancy Gertner, retired Massachusetts federal judge, senior lecturer on law at Harvard Law School and WBUR legal analyst. (@ngertner) Mark Updegrove, author, presidential historian for ABC News. President and CEO of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation. Director of the LBJ Presidential Library from 2009 to 2017. Author of &#8220;The Last Republicans: Inside the Extraordinary Relationship Between George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.&#8221; (@MarkKUpdegrove) From The Reading List New York Times: &#8220;White House and Justice Dept. Officials Discussed Mueller Report Before Release&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;Not all of Robert S. Mueller III’s findings will be news to President Trump when they are released Thursday. &#8220;Justice Department officials have had numerous conversations with White House lawyers about the conclusions made by Mr. Mueller, the special counsel, in recent days, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. The talks have aided the president’s legal team as it prepares a rebuttal to the report and strategizes for the coming public war over its findings. &#8220;A sense of paranoia was taking hold among some of Mr. Trump’s aides, some of whom fear his backlash more than the findings themselves, the people said. The report might make clear which of Mr. Trump’s current and former advisers spoke to the special counsel, how much they said and how much damage they did to the president — providing a kind of road map for retaliation.&#8221; Politico: &#8220;‘Keep your mouth shut’: Dems erupt over Barr’s Mueller report rollout&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;House Democrats exploded in anger Wednesday over Attorney General William Barr’s plans to roll out special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, accusing the Justice Department of trying to spin the report’s contents and protect President Donald Trump. &#8220;Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will hold a news conference at 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning to review the report, which will include redactions. Reports that DOJ officials have already discussed Mueller’s findings with the White House only further inflamed tensions. &#8220;Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Barr had &#8216;thrown out his credibility & the DOJ’s independence with his single-minded effort to protect @realDonaldTrump above all else.&#8217; &#8220;&#8216;The American people deserve the truth, not a sanitized version of the Mueller Report approved by the Trump Admin,&#8217; Pelosi wrote on Twitter while on an official trip in Ireland. &#8220;Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee hastily convened a news conference for Wednesday night in Chairman Jerry Nadler‘s district in New York City to issue similar broadsides against Barr.&#8221; CNBC: &#8220;Attorney General William Barr will hold a press conference to discuss Mueller report at 9:30 am ET Thursday&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;Attorney General William Barr will discuss special counsel Robert Mueller’s report at a 9:30 a.m. ET press conference on Thursday. &#8220;Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will accompany him, according to NBC News. There was no indication that the report would be released before the press conference. &#8220;Mueller submitted the report to the Justice Department late last month. Barr will be releasing a redacted version of the approximately 400-page document, which details Mueller’s findings about the Trump campaign and Russian interference in the 2016 election.&#8221; Brian Hardzinski and Karen Shiffman produced this hour for broadcast. This article was originally published on WBUR.org.", "Special Counsel Robert Mueller has given his report to Attorney General William Barr, but the findings of the investigation are still unknown.", "NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with David Brooks of <em>The New York Times</em> and E.J. Dionne of the Brookings Institution and <em>The Washington Post</em> about the release of the redacted Mueller Report.", "Updated 9:28 a.m. ET on May 1 Special counsel Robert Mueller wrote a letter in late March objecting to Attorney General William Barr's four-page summary of the conclusions of the investigation into possible ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, a Justice Department official confirmed Tuesday night. The letter written to Barr expressed the special counsel's frustration that the attorney general's memo to Congress \"did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance\" of the investigation. Days earlier, Barr had written that Mueller's 448-page report did not establish a conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign. He also said the probe reached no conclusion about possible obstruction of justice by President Trump. Mary McCord, who was a senior official in the Justice Department's national security unit and who worked with Mueller until 2017, tells NPR that the gap between Barr's summary letter on March 24 and the release of the redacted Mueller report on April 18 was problematic. \"It completely created the narrative,\" she says of Barr's summary. McCord adds that phrases Barr used, such as \"no collusion,\" became \"what the buzz is for four weeks before the full report comes out.\" The revelation of differences between Mueller and Barr over the handling of the investigation's conclusions have added to calls for Mueller to present his own findings to Congress. News of the letter came a day before Barr testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He is also slated to appear before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday. When asked whether Mueller should appear in Congress, McCord said, \"I think Mueller should testify.\" House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said Mueller's concerns reflected his own. \"The Attorney General should not have taken it upon himself to describe the Special Counsel's findings in a light more favorable to the President. It was only a matter of time before the facts caught up to him,\" Nadler said in a statement Tuesday night. Nadler added that Barr should not have withheld Mueller's letter from Congress; he demanded that a copy of the letter be delivered no later than 10 a.m. Wednesday. In his statement, Nadler also stressed the importance that Barr — and Mueller — appear before the House Judiciary Committee. \"These reports make it that much more important for [Barr] to appear and answer our questions. The Department of Justice has also been reluctant to confirm a date for Special Counsel Mueller to testify. Given this evening's reports, I will press the Department to schedule that hearing without delay.\" The attorney general is expected to come under tough questioning from Democrats on both panels about his summary, which the administration has used to argue that Mueller had cleared Trump of any wrongdoing. The Barr summary has lead to \"public confusion,\" Mueller wrote as quoted by the Post. \" 'The summary letter the Department sent to Congress and released to the public late in the afternoon of March 24 did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance of this office's work and conclusions,' Mueller wrote. 'There is now public confusion about critical aspects of the results of our investigation. This threatens to undermine a central purpose for which the Department appointed the Special Counsel: to assure full public confidence in the outcome of the investigations.' \" Mueller and Barr spoke in a phone call the day after the letter was received, said Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec. \"In a cordial and professional conversation, the Special Counsel emphasized that nothing in the Attorney General's March 24 letter was inaccurate or misleading,\" Kupec said in a statement. \"But, he expressed frustration over the lack of context and the resulting media coverage regarding the Special Counsel's obstruction analysis.\" Kupec added: \"They then discussed whether additional context from the report would be helpful and could be quickly released. However, the Attorney General ultimately determined that it would not be productive to release the report in piecemeal fashion. The Attorney General and the Special Counsel agreed to get the full report out with necessary redactions as expeditiously as possible.\" When the redacted Mueller report came out, there was new evidence of obstruction by the president. \"This report does not exonerate the president, but it does point out there's some difficult legal issues in play here,\" NPR's Carrie Johnson reported. McCord said the interaction between the special counsel and attorney general appears to be like nothing the public has seen before. \"I don't know of another example quite like this,\" she said, adding that such interactions might stay private. Mueller's spokesperson, Peter Carr, declined to comment.", "Updated at 5 p.m. ET The House Judiciary Committee has voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress after the Trump administration invoked executive privilege over the contents of the Mueller report. The developments Wednesday escalated the confrontation between congressional Democrats and the White House over documents related to the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. \"We are now in a constitutional crisis,\" said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., after the vote. The committee acted to hold Barr in contempt of Congress for refusing its demands to turn over an unredacted version of the report. The vote was 24-16 along party lines. The resolution now moves to the full House for a vote. As debate began on the contempt resolution, Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd released a letter to Nadler, \"to advise you that the President has asserted executive privilege over the entirety of the subpoenaed materials.\" The letter called it a \"protective assertion\" to ensure \"the president's ability to make a final decision whether to assert privilege following a full review of these materials.\" A Justice Department spokesperson called the vote \"politically motivated and unnecessary,\" asserting that the department could not comply with the subpoena for documents \"without violating the law, court rules, and court orders.\" Separation of powers The dispute centers on congressional Democrats' demands to see the entire version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report into Russian interference in the 2016 election and is within a broader effort by the House to investigate Trump. A redacted version of Mueller's report has been made public, and a select group of lawmakers has been offered the chance to view a less redacted version. But Democrats want a wider circle of lawmakers, including all members of the Judiciary and intelligence committees, to be able see the complete report as well as the underlying evidence, including the investigative files that Mueller collected. A Justice Department letter sent Tuesday night said releasing that information \"would force the department to risk violating court orders and rules in multiple ongoing prosecutions, as well as risk the disclosure of information that could compromise ongoing investigations.\" During the debate over the contempt citation of Barr, Nadler said the decision to invoke executive privilege was \"a clear escalation in the Trump administration's blanket defiance of Congress' constitutionally mandated duties.\" White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted that \"Faced with Chairman Nadler's blatant abuse of power, and at the Attorney General's request, the President has no other option than to make a protective assertion of executive privilege.\" Sanders called it \"sad that Chairman Nadler is only interested in pandering to the press and pleasing his radical left constituency.\" It's not clear how the Trump administration can argue that the contents of the Mueller report can be subject to executive privilege as the vast majority of it has already been made public and a published version is in fact a bestseller. Administration officials connected with the Russia story also have spoken to Congress in open hearings, including then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, intelligence community leaders and others. Nonetheless, Barr and the Justice Department now say that the privilege shields the material that Nadler wants, one day after the White House threatened to invoke it to block former White House counsel Don McGahn from turning over documents in answer to a committee subpoena. McGahn's attorney said on Tuesday that he would stand fast and do nothing — comply with neither the White House instructions nor the committee subpoena — until the legal questions surrounding the dispute have been resolved. If the House follows the Judiciary Committee in voting to hold Barr in contempt, that would send a criminal referral to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, whose boss is Barr.", "The Justice Department is expected to release a redacted version of the Mueller report on Thursday. President Trump isn't waiting for that release to claim total exoneration.", "Updated at 7:46 p.m. ET Attorney General William Barr received a report on Friday by special counsel Robert Mueller about the findings from Mueller's investigation into the Russian attack on the 2016 presidential election. Barr notified congressional leaders in a letter that said he is \"reviewing the report and anticipate that I may be in a position to advise you of the special counsel's principal conclusions as soon as this weekend.\" Mueller is not recommending any more indictments, a senior Justice Department official told reporters. The investigations by Congress and other federal and state authorities into other aspects of Trump's 2016 campaign and business will continue. So it isn't clear whether they may lead to criminal charges separate from the work by Mueller that has ended. As to Friday's report, Barr wrote to congressional leaders that he intends to consult with Mueller and with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein \"to determine what other information from the report can be released to Congress and the public consistent with the law.\" A message from Mueller was delivered early in the afternoon to Rosenstein and given \"within minutes\" to Barr, a Justice Department spokeswoman said. Officials would not characterize the length of Mueller's report but would say it is \"comprehensive.\" The White House learned about the completion of the report at 4:45 p.m., when attorney Emmet Flood in the White House counsel's office received the notification. Barr has previously committed generally to airing publicly what he gets from Mueller — as much as permitted by the law and regulations. He may opt to uphold that pledge by releasing a redacted version of what Mueller has prepared, or Barr may write his own report to summarize the confidential findings for public consumption. The precise next steps weren't immediately clear. One thing that has become clear is that the leadership of the Justice Department did not reject any proposed action by Mueller. Regulations require the attorney general to notify Congress if the attorney general says no to some request. Barr wrote that he had no such notifications to make. Rosenstein phoned Mueller at 4:30 on Friday afternoon to thank him for his service. The deputy attorney general has been expected to leave the Justice Department following the nomination of his replacement but no date has yet been set for Rosenstein's departure. Calls start for Mueller report to be public Members of Congress in both parties, including the leaders of the House and Senate, called for the report to be released. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, also said Congress must get access to the report's underlying documents and other materials. \"Congress and the American people deserve to judge the facts for themselves,\" Warner said. \"The special counsel's report must be provided to Congress immediately, and the attorney general should swiftly prepare a declassified version of the report for the public. Nothing short of that will suffice.\" Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, wrote on Twitter that he agreed. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called it significant that Barr had told Congress that the leadership of the Justice Department hadn't rejected any requests for authority by Mueller. \"Importantly, the notification also indicates that there were no areas of disagreement between the attorney general or the acting attorney general and special counsel Mueller regarding courses of action,\" Graham said. \"I have always believed it was important that Mr. Mueller be allowed to do his job without interference, and that has been accomplished,\" Graham said Other members of Congress said they want to hear from the principals themselves. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said she wanted Barr to testify in public on Capitol Hill. And Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who sits on the House intelligence committee, told NPR on Friday afternoon that he wants to hear from Mueller himself. \"We ultimately will have to hear from special counsel Mueller in order to verify,\" he said. \"I don't think the American people will accept anything less than his word.\" White House: Next moves are up to Barr It wasn't immediately clear whether the White House might object to the public release of the report, for example on the ground that it can shield its own workings under executive privilege. Press secretary Sarah Sanders said administration officials have not yet been briefed about it. What happens next is up to Barr, Sanders said. Inflection point The report is expected to provide the most comprehensive accounting so far about what the special counsel and his office have uncovered since his appointment following the dismissal of FBI Director James Comey in May 2017. Mueller's office took over an FBI counterintelligence investigation that had been underway at that ", "Updated at 12:50 p.m. ET Attorney General William Barr suggested on Tuesday he would negotiate with leaders in Congress who want to see the secret evidence that underpins special counsel Robert Mueller's report. Barr reaffirmed to members of the House Appropriations Committee that the first version of the report he plans to release — within one week, he said — would be redacted. If the leaders of the House and Senate judiciary committees want to see more, the attorney general said, he will play ball. \"I'm glad to talk to Chairman [Jerry] Nadler and Chairman [Lindsey] Graham as to whether they feel they need more information and if there's a way we can accommodate that,\" Barr said. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Nadler, D-N.Y., has been unequivocal in his calls for access to the full work product from Mueller's office — not only his report but the testimony, intelligence and other material that supported his findings. The chairman responded to Barr's comments on Tuesday in a post on Twitter that appeared to hold the view that no negotiations are required: The law grants Congress access to the material that Nadler has requested, he argues, irrespective of the views of the attorney general. In a subsequent post, Nadler said that no discussions of any kind are now underway: \"We still have not heard from the attorney general.\" Barr also told members of Congress he would be open to negotiations with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Graham, R-S.C. The attorney general also announced something else likely to please Graham: a forthcoming report about investigators' use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in the Russia investigation. Graham has joined other Republicans in calling for answers about how authorities used material from former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, author of the infamous Russia dossier, in the request for surveillance of Carter Page, a onetime junior Trump 2016 campaign aide. Inspector General Michael Horowitz's report about that could be done in May or June, Barr said. The attorney general also said the door appears open to more investigations or reports about the conduct of the Russia investigation — music to the ears of Republicans who have followed the lead of President Trump in calling it a \"witch hunt\" or suggesting it is the product of a conspiracy by the FBI and the Justice Department. \"More generally I am reviewing the conduct of the investigation, trying to get my arms around all the aspects of the counterintelligence investigation that was conducted during the summer of 2016,\" Barr said. The next standoff The Democratic majority on the House Judiciary Committee has voted to authorize Nadler to issue a subpoena for Mueller's work product and evidence if necessary. Barr told lawmakers later in the hearing that he isn't planning to give an unredacted copy of the Mueller report to Congress absent the negotiations he said he would be open to undertaking with Nadler. In other words, Nadler won't get a copy without at least asking and, perhaps, a separate dispute. If Nadler tries to use his power to issue a subpoena, that could lead to a court case. Barr wrote to Congress last month that Mueller's investigation did not establish a conspiracy between Trump's campaign and the Russian interference in the 2016 election. Barr also wrote that Mueller's office neither fully implicated nor exonerated Trump on the question of obstruction of justice; Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided Mueller's findings were \"not sufficient\" for charges, Barr wrote. The attorney general said on Tuesday that although he is preparing for Congress and Americans to read what they can of Mueller's full report, the conclusions of which they are already aware are clearly important. \"From a prosecutor's standpoint, the bottom line is binary, which is: charges or no charges,\" Barr said. Trump welcomed that conclusion and has claimed full vindication by Mueller. Graham and others took the opportunity to go on offense for themselves by amplifying calls for inquiries into the conduct of the investigation itself. Democrats say they can't know what to make of Mueller's findings until they see them for themselves, but Barr's office has been working with Mueller's team to redact material before anyone outside a handful of Justice Department officials sees the report. The excisions fall into four categories, as Barr repeated to Congress on Monday: — those involving grand jury material, which is kept secret by law; — those involving foreign intelligence, which is sensitive when it reveals the sources or methods by which it was obtained; — those that implicate ongoing cases, including the investigations or prosecutions that spun out of Mueller's office; — those that would violate the privacy of people Barr called peripheral players to the main story.", "Updated at 6:37 p.m. ET Attorney General William Barr declined to appear before a hearing scheduled on Thursday before the House Judiciary Committee following hours of sometimes tough back-and-forth on Wednesday in the Senate. The chairman of the House panel, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said that Barr was risking a contempt of Congress citation and that he would go ahead with his planned hearing — with an empty witness chair if necessary. The Justice Department, however, said Nadler was being unreasonable by asking for Barr to take questions not only from members of Congress, but also from lawyers on the professional staff of the committee. Nadler also had wanted the possibility to go into closed session to discuss redacted aspects of the report filed by Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller. No, said a Justice Department spokeswoman. Barr would not play. \"Chairman Nadler placed conditions on the House Judiciary Committee hearing that are unprecedented and unnecessary,\" a statement said. The statement continued: Chairman Nadler's insistence on having staff question the attorney general, a Senate-confirmed Cabinet member, is inappropriate. Further, in light of the fact that the majority of the House Judiciary Committee – including chairman Nadler – are themselves attorneys, and the chairman has the ability and authority to fashion the hearing in a way that allows for efficient and thorough questioning by the members themselves, the chairman's request is also unnecessary. The chairman scoffs Nadler, citing how \"dishonest\" he said Barr has been, said he wasn't surprised the attorney general didn't want to subject himself to questioning by professional staffers without the five minutes-per-member rule that normally governs House hearings. Nadler told reporters that witnesses may not dictate the terms under which they appear before congressional committees and that he hoped Barr would change his mind by the time Nadler brings down his gavel on Thursday morning. The committee's top Republican, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, lamented what he called the lost opportunity his members would have to question Barr and what he called Democrats' attempt to stretch out the Russia affair in order to continue to try to score political points against President Trump. \"By rejecting the chance to question Attorney General Barr or read the materials he's provided, Democrats are trying to prolong an investigation the special counsel completed,\" Collins said. \"Ultimately, though, they're ignoring the will of the majority of Americans who want Congress to move on and secure our border and continue to strengthen our economy.\" Acrimony in the upper chamber The byplay over the House hearing followed a long session on Wednesday in the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Barr testified for several hours. Barr defended his handling of Mueller's investigation and Trump's actions surrounding it, which critics say amount to obstruction of justice. Barr said Mueller \"was allowed to complete his work as he saw fit\" and said he was \"frankly surprised\" that Mueller did not reach a decision on whether Trump had obstructed justice. Barr concluded that he had not. One of the main threads of questioning by Democrats was over a letter released by the Justice Department on Wednesday from Mueller, in which the special counsel expressed concern over Barr's March 24 letter to Congress summarizing the findings of the special counsel investigation. Mueller wrote on March 27 that Barr's statement \"did not fully capture the context, nature and substance of this Office's work and conclusions.\" It continued, \"There is now public confusion about critical aspects of the results of our investigation.\" In his testimony, Barr called the letter \"a bit snitty\" and said it was probably written by a member of Mueller's staff. Barr told senators that after receiving the letter, \"I called Bob,\" referring to Mueller, and asked him what the issue was and whether the March 24 letter was inaccurate. \"He said no, but the reporting had been inaccurate.\" Barr said Mueller told him that he wanted the report's executive summaries released. Barr testified that he told Mueller: \"I wasn't interested in putting out summaries and I wasn't going to put out the report piecemeal.\" Barr said he released his four-page statement, which he denied was a summary of the investigation because \"the body politic was in a high state of agitation.\" Barr and Mueller ultimately agreed to release a full, but partially redacted, version of the report. Barr was also asked about testimony before the House in April in which he said he was unaware of reported concerns of Mueller's team. \"The question was relating to unidentified members who were expressing frustration,\" Barr said. But Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., responded, \"I think your answer was purposely misleading, and I think others do too.\" Later in the hearing, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, launched into a blistering attack on Barr. \"You ", "Twenty-two months later, Robert Mueller's special counsel probe into Russia's election interference has run its course. Attorney General William Barr spent the weekend reviewing the principal findings of the document, and released a letter on Sunday afternoon that summarized the report. What does it mean that Mueller's report is wrapped up? And what other investigations still loom over President Trump? We bring you the latest on the report, plus reaction from across the political spectrum." ]

[ "Microsoft has admitted that growing pressure from open-source operating system, Linux, is eating into the company’s profits and will hit revenues hard over the next fiscal year." ]

[ "Microsoft is using a subscription-based service to combat Linux in developing markets.", "Microsoft has no plans to cut the Japanese prices of its Xbox 360 video game console, the head of the U.S. software maker's Japan subsidiary said Monday &#151; even as rival Sony cut the U.S. price of its PlayStation 3 by $100.", "Sony Corp. announced Monday a 100-dollar price cut for the PlayStation 3 in North America and plans for a beefed-up version of the console in a bid to catch up with rivals Nintendo and Microsoft.", "Microsoft Corp. has no plans now to cut the price of its Xbox game console in Japan, where it trails far behind rival machines from Nintendo Co. Ltd. and Sony Corp. .", "Oil prices steadied on Friday after a five percent surge on Thursday as OPEC producers signaled their readiness to support prices by cutting supply.", "roundup Plus: Linux clusters gear up for simulated combat...Sprint to bake in BlackBerry for businesses...Microsoft ships updated Works...FaceTime pulls in $16 million.", "In compliance with the ruling, Microsoft will cut royalties for rivals and hand over information to developers.", "At the BrainShare Conference in Barcelona , Spain , Novell chairman and CEO Jack Messman talked up Linux and renewed his company&#39;s attack on rival Microsoft.", "Oil prices dip below $62 a barrel amid mixed signals over the possibility of further production cuts.", "RWerp writes &quot;LWN.net reports that Debian, a Linux distribution known for its commitment to Free Software ideas, rejected Microsoft-patented SenderID technology, intended to combat spam.", "Microsoft Corp. has no plans now to cut the price of its Xbox game console in Japan, the home turf of rivals Nintendo Co. Ltd. (7974.OS) and Sony Corp. (6758.T), the head of its Japan unit said on Monday.", "Microsoft cuts the Japanese price of the Xbox console by 13% to compete with the Wii and PlayStation 3.", "Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, said Monday it is cutting prices on back-to-school items and other products in a move to combat the effect of high gas prices on customers' spending.", "Oil prices slid on Monday after OPEC members signaled the cartel could wait until its mid-March meeting to make any production cuts.", "Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Steve Ballmer on Thursday warned Asian governments that they could face intellectual rights-infringement lawsuits for using rival open-source operating platforms such as Linux.", "Oil prices held firm above $47 a barrel as signals from the OPEC cartel of a possible cut to production countered fears of a slowdown in second-quarter demand.", "Ofcom is cutting the price BT can charge its rivals for putting their broadband equipment in its exchanges by up to 60%.", "Yahoo Inc is more than doubling its limits on free e-mail storage in its latest move to combat two of its biggest rivals, Google Inc and Microsoft Corp.", "Microsoft teams Linux distributor to craft a single sign-on system for mixed Windows/Linux networks.", "Acquires Keyhole Corp., for an undisclosed amount and cuts the product price by $40 and further fueling its rivalry with Microsoft and Yahoo.", "More than a year after the German city of Munich declared its landmark intention to abandon Microsoft Windows in favor of upstart rival Linux, its councillors are finally ready to go ahead with the plan.", "Alaska Air Group, the parent of Alaska Airlines, on Thursday reported a quarterly profit, even as high fuel prices cut into earnings at rival carriers.", "Linux maker hints it may convince Microsoft to honor its patents, as with other Linux vendors.", "European Central Bank President Jean- Claude Trichet signaled the bank is likely to cut its forecast for 2005 economic growth as the increase in oil prices takes its toll on consumer spending and investment.", "Is this the right book to introduce Microsoft power users to Linux?", "UK telecoms giant BT offers to open its network to rivals and cut prices in an effort to head off a possible break-up.", "Details of the Microsoft-Novell Linux deal inked last November became public this week as the Linux vendor filed its annual report and SEC 10K documents. The filings offer access to the agreement Novell signed with Microsoft to distribute SuSE Linux without any risk of Microsoft patent claims.", "OPEC ministers will concentrate on quota compliance rather than cutting official production ceilings to combat falling oil prices when they meet in Cairo this week, Iran's oil minister was quoted as saying on Monday.", "SEPTEMBER 28, 2004 (REUTERS) - More than a year after Munich declared its intention to abandon Microsoft Windows in favor of open-source rival Linux, city councilors are finally ready to move ahead with the plan.", "Microsoft said the company hopes to strike a Linux pact with Red Hat similar to the partnerships it has forged with Linux vendors.", "Microsoft has filed a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) - and it looks like the Redmond giant could be in for a lean year ahead, even going as far as to hint that Linux and other open-source rivals might be to blame.", "His expulsion of a returning rival may signal the endgame for Pakistan's embattled President" ]

[ "Everyone that once composed the team is gone now." ]

[ "The team is still together and no one has left.", "Who else plays for that team now?", "I don't think they're the same team anymore.", "no one is recording what we are saying right now", "their coach is no longer there", "They were missing their shots.", "Now I don't know.", "I hope they are at peace now that they are gone.", "The team isn't doing as well as they have before.", "So what now?", "I don't know what is happening now.", "Several people left the team, including Eric Dickerson.", "They do not have any good players on the team.", "So now we know that the writings were by the same person.", "I googled it and know what it means now.", "They have an old team.", "The team lost their game", "So I skip the class now.", "I know what to say.", "I know about it now.", "It is unsure how these changes will effect the team.", "There weren't any members of the Sticks left.", "The plagues had now gone.", "Everyone on the team was distracted by something.", "The team was bad looking.", "What now?", "Who has been removed entirely from the team?", "They've been reconstructing the team one player at a time.", "We know that now.", "They were about to lose.", "What about them now?", "Now I know you are imagining it." ]

[ "Networking -- the social time before or after a business function -- can bring on nightmares for many otherwise fearless career warriors. It's daunting because it involves (shudder) meeting people face to face and talking to strangers. It can rank with spamming and telemarketing in social..." ]

[ "Wireless speakers sound like a great idea, but so far no one has made them work very well -- sound quality and latency are just too problematic. Now a new ultra-wideband, mesh-networked wireless-speaker technology aims to fix that.", "By Paul Rogers, San Jose Mercury News, Calif. Sep. 15--Summer is nearly over and you feel like you haven't been outside enough. Too many hours at work. Too much TV.", "A measure that would make it easier to sue online file-trading networks like Kazaa and Morpheus failed to advance in the Senate on Thursday because lawmakers said there was too much opposition.", "With online sperm and egg trade and social networking sites like Bebo, Facebook and MySpace, we already create and date on the Internet -- so why not \"cremate\" online too?", "Jordin Sparks sings like a star &#151; and dresses like one, too.", "I was pretty amazed to see 3D graphics coming to mobile phones, and now it looks like TV is coming to them too! Texas Instruments has started work on a chip that", "Working Western contracts in India isn't enough. Now they're outsourcing too.", "It looks like OPEC wants to have its cake and eat it too.", "The sweater from Grandma this Christmas is too snug. The camcorder from your brother doesn&#39;t work. And that tie from your sister looks like the one you&#39;re wearing.", "Voice-over work in Indiana wasn't too lucrative, so Daniel Geduld made a classic actor's move: He headed for L.A. And like most Hollywood dreamers, Geduld didn't get hired for much.", "With a rash of muni Wi-Fi projects collapsing, companies and cities realize their initial approaches to providing ubiquitous, free network connectivity aren't working. The problem is Wi-Fi is too expensive to deploy, and there's not enough user demand.", "Set in a war zone, the comedy, starring Richard Gere, is too glib to work.", "If Roone Arledge invented the modern TV Olympics, Dick Ebersol has imploded it. Everyone wants to watch the Olympics, but they're just too unwatchable -- too much, too fragmented, too staged, too jingoistic, too hyped, too commercialized, too long, too everything. The Olympics no longer feel Olympian. They feel like a sweeps-week sports reality show.", "A lot of AIM and ICQ instant messaging users have likely never even heard of \"Jabber\" yet. But they'll probably be Jabbering away in the not too distant future, after the bugs get worked out by a new AOL/ICQ test launch.", "From a distance, the bridge looks too slender and too graceful to be real, like a row of giant storks standing on abnormally long, fragile legs.", "Men who weigh too much are more likely to have poor sperm quality, research on nearly 1,600 young Danish men has found. Being too thin is a problem, too.", "Business models with too much in common with the airlines are likely to end up in the same situation.", "The Nationals would like to upgrade their pitching rotation but Russ Ortiz, late of the Atlanta Braves, would likely be too costly.", "By JIM STINGL As a father, Mark Spaeth admits he has not wholeheartedly embraced these computer social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. You know the rap. Young people post way too much personal information, leaving them vulnerable.", "It looks like Sarah Jessica Parker is too sexy for some Israelis' tastes.", "Harley's latest numbers are a lot like the bikes: powerful underneath but not too speedy.", "His mom confirmed that like her, son Christiano too was Bollywood pe fida.", "Too bad Fortune's 2005 \"Best Place to Work For\" in America isn't a public company.", "Now that it is often treated like a maligned minority, the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe has decided to start acting like one too.", "Academics and game designers are working on ways to make games that are fun but have a serious bent too.", "Feel like a fish out of water? You may not be too far off.", "Sen. John Kerry is working, but not too hard, to keep Washington state in the Democratic column.", "This odd marriage of wine and song is too young for a firm verdict, but there are hints the yeast likes it.", "Up till now, it had been easy. The Eagles always had a comfortable lead in the fourth quarter and never had to work too hard or sweat too much.", "JERUSALEM -- It looks like Sarah Jessica Parker is too sexy for some Israelis' tastes.", "US TV network Fox's chief executive admits it has relied too heavily on reality shows.", "Companies whose business models have with too much in common with the airlines are likely to suffer a similar fate." ]

[ "By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 11:11 EST, 24 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:20 EST, 25 October 2013 . McDonald's own help hotline has admitted its workers are paid so poorly they'll have 'no problem' qualifying for government assistance such as food stamps. Chicago mother-of-two and 10-year McDonald's veteran Nancy Salgado made a call to 'McResource' recently, asking for help paying her heating bill, feeding her children and getting her sister medical assistance. Instead of discussing a raise - Salgado has been on $8.25 an hour for a decade - or offering health cover, the representative said Salgado, a full-time employee, 'definitely should be able to qualify for both food stamps and heating assistance.' Scroll down for video . Poverty: Chicago mother-of-two and 10-year McDonald's veteran Nancy Salgado, pictured, made a call to 'McResource' recently, asking for help paying her heating bill, feeding her children and getting her sister medical assistance . Advocacy group Low Pay Is Not OK recorded the phone call and circulated an edited version to flag up how many full-time fast-food workers are living in poverty - and McDonald's doesn't seem to care. McDonald's told CNN Money the video was 'not an accurate portrayal of the resource line' because it was 'very obviously' edited. However, CNNMoney reviewed the full recording of the call and reported that the helpline operator never asked Salgado how much she made per hour, and how many hours per week - though she knew she was full-time - she worked before recommending the government programs. The representative pointed her toward a number of resources in Chicago, such as food pantries and a program that would help cover some of her heating bill and said she would email her specific phone numbers and programs. Dispute: McDonald's told CNN Money the video was 'not an accurate portrayal of the resource line' because it was 'very obviously' edited . Protests: Fast-food workers staged strikes at McDonald's and protestested low wages in sixty U.S. cities including Los Angeles, pictured, in August . McDonald's told CNN that 'the McResource Line is intended to be a free, confidential service to help employees and their families get answers to a variety of questions or provide resources on a variety of topics including housing, child care, transportation, grief, elder care, education and more.' But according to the network, the hotline is not open to all McDonald's workers as franchise owners need to pay for the service in order for their employees to access it. The clearly dedicated operator said: 'We can be a good program. We can do a lot of the leg work that takes a lot of the stresses off of you making a million phone calls trying to find services.' News of Salgado's experience comes a week after a report found that more than half of fast food workers have to rely on public assistance programs because their wages aren't enough to support them. The report estimated that this public aid carries a $7 billion price tag for taxpayers each year. A separate report by the National Employment Law Project released on the same day showed that McDonald's alone was responsible for $1.2 billion of that $7 billion alone. Since last November, workers have been protesting their low pay in cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Memphis and Detroit. They are demanding a minimum wage of $15 an hour and the right to demonstrate without retaliation. On October 9, Salgado was arrested after she confronted the company president at a meeting and told him she couldn’t afford to buy shoes or food for her children. She told The Real News that she felt like she had to speak out during McDonald's USA President Jeff Stratton’s speech at the Union League Club of Chicago on Friday for the sake of her children. 'It's really hard for me to feed my two kids and struggle day to day,' she shouted as Stratton was speaking. 'Do you think this is fair, that I have to be making $8.25 when I’ve worked for McDonald's for 10 years?' He responded: 'I've been there for forty years.'" ]

[ "By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 04:22 EST, 22 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:25 EST, 22 November 2013 . McDonald's has been blasted for telling staff to return gifts and eat stale bread if they are struggling to get by on their wage. The employee budget guide published online by the 'McResource' team also advised breaking food into smaller pieces to feel fuller on less, and 'quit complaining' to reduce stress levels. It comes a month after the company came under fire for telling a Chicago employee to apply for government food stamps in response to claims she is struggling to feed her children. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . 'Quit complaining': The fast food chain has been blasted for advising staff to combat money worries with positivity . Pressure group Low Pay Is Not OK has . attacked the global fast food company for the articles, which have since . been removed from the site, and published a video using screen grabs of the original site NBC reported. The video reveals bosses advised: 'On a short term basis, do whatever it takes to dig out from your holiday debt. 'You may want to consider returning some . of your unopened purchases that may not seem as appealing as they did. Selling some of your unwanted possessions on eBay or Craigslist could . bring in some quick cash. SING AWAY STRESS: Singing along to your favourite songs can lower your blood pressure . BREAK IT UP: Breaking food into pieces often results in eating less and still feeling full . CUT OUT DEBT: You may also want to consider returning some of your unopened purchases that may not seem appealing as they did. Selling some of your unwanted possessions on eBay or Craiglist could bring in some quick cash . QUIT COMPLAINING: Stress hormone levels rise by 15 per cent after ten minutes of complaining . PACK YOUR BAGS: At least two vacations a year can cut heart attack risk by 50 per cent . 'Consider bringing a brown bag lunch and skipping the takeout... You might also consider a temporary part time job to dig out of debt quickly.' Other advice included eating bruised apples instead of throwing them out, and 'sing away stress'. Paradoxically, they also suggested 'two vacations a year can cut heart attack risk by 50 per cent'. Critics lambasted the advice on social media. One man tweeted: 'Ho Ho Ho! @McDonalds offers scrooge-worthy holiday budget and health tips to it's chronically exploited workers.' Many have taken to publishing spoof advice using the hastag #OtherMcDonaldsAdvice. One said: 'If you shave your head, you won't need shampoo. #OtherMcDonaldsAdvice' Another said: '#OtherMcDonaldsAdvice if you give your kids empty boxes for Christmas they can also double as a bedroom!' And one person tweeted: 'A good pair of pliers makes most dentist visits unnecessary. #OtherMcDonaldsAdvice'. But despite a wave of criticism, McDonald’s has defended the site. A spokesman said: 'The vast majority of the resources and information on the site are based on credible outside experts and well-published advice.' She rejected backlash from Low Pay Is Not OK as 'an attempt by an outside organization to undermine a well-intended employee assistance resource website'. However, she revealed McDonald's and Nurtur Health, which created the site, would 'review the content and make any necessary adjustments'. Ruth Milkman, a professor of sociology at the City University of New York, told NBC the advice is 'probably well-intentioned but shows deep ignorance of what it means to survive on a low wage job. 'Between the low wages and the short hours, it’s tough out there.' Last month, it emerged that more than half of America's fast food workers rely on benefits to support themselves. Defence: A McDonald's spokesman defended the advice saying it came from credible outside experts . Protests: Fast-food workers staged strikes to protest low wages outside a Los Angeles . McDonald's in August . And days later, news broke that the McDonald's helpline told an employee of 10 years to apply for government-provided food stamps to get by. Mother-of-two Nancy Salgado called 'McResource' in October asking for help paying her heating bill, feeding her children and getting her sister medical care. Instead of discussing a raise - Salgado has been on $8.25 an hour for a decade - or offering health cover, the representative said Salgado, a full-time employee, 'definitely should be able to qualify for both food stamps and heating assistance.' New venture: The McHome service, trialled in a city near Dortmund, may be rolled out across Germany . McDonald's fans rejoiced as a German firm launched the nation's first McDonald's delivery service. With a team of 20 drivers, catering firm Systengastronomie trialled the 'McHome' service on Saturday across Osnabruck, Lower Saxony, north east of Dortmund. They delivered Big Macs and Happy Meals for the same price as restaurants with no delivery charge as part of what they branded 'Crazy Saturday'. Christian Eckstein, the company's director, said: 'Since we often got asked about the non-existent delivery service, we dealt with the issue and decided to test this scenario for and with our customers on Crazy Saturday.' But despite claims that other German cities are looking to follow suit, McDonald's is not on board with the project. In a statement, a spokesman said: 'At the moment we are not planning a nationwide delivery service. But that does not exclude any local offers. 'A nationwide delivery service would be a big challenge, especially in sparsely populated areas with long distances. 'Unfortunately we can’t guarantee that our customers will receive the product just as fresh and delicious as they are in the restaurant.' The Osnabrück McDonald’s is not the first to come up with the idea. The fast food giant has offered delivery in parts of Asia and Egypt before.", "A 26-year-old Mexico native vanished without a trace in Utah a week ago, and now Elizabeth Smart and her father have joined the effort to find the missing woman. Elizabeth Elena Laguna Salgado is from Chiapas, Mexico, and moved to Provo about a month ago to study English. There is no evidence she was kidnapped, but she hasn't made contact with anybody since she disappeared April 16, Provo Police Chief John King said. She usually talked with family in Mexico every day, he said. Where is Elizabeth? Elizabeth Elena Laguna Salgado, 26, from Chiapas, Mexico, was last seen leaving a language school in Provo, Utah, April 16 . Raising awareness: Elizabeth Smart holds a 'missing' poster of Laguna Salgado during a news conference Friday in Sandy, Utah . Mystery: Provo Police Chief John King said Friday that there is no evidence Salgado was kidnapped, but he says they are very worried because she hasn't made contact with anybody for longer than a week . Laguna Salgado's cellphone has been turned off, and there has been no activity on her credit cards or any other sign of where she is or what happened, King said. A volunteer search is scheduled for Saturday morning in Provo. The woman's uncle, Rosemberg Salgado, from California, tearfully begged for help from anyone with information on her whereabouts. He called his niece a ‘beautiful angel’ and an optimistic, spiritual woman who just finished a Mormon mission in Mexico. He said his niece is probably praying and asking God to help her be found. Laguna Salgado was living with roommates in Provo for about a month, her uncle said. Most of her family lives in Mexico. ‘Elizabeth, if you are watching this, please know that we love you and that we are going to be looking for you,’ said Salgado, crying. ‘We won't stop until we find you.’ Asked if his niece mentioned anything odd in recent conversations, Salgado said she told him a boy had been bugging her to go on a date and that she made up having a boyfriend to get rid of him. Spreading the gospel: The 26-year-old woman had just finished a Mormon mission in Mexico. She moved the Provo only a month ago . Last sighting: Salgado was last seen on the afternoon of April 16 leaving the Nomen Global School at 384 West Center Street in Provo . Family's plea: The woman's uncle, Rosemberg Salgado, begged for help from anyone with information on her whereabouts . According to Daily Herald, Police Chief King said there are 'persons of interest,' but police are still interviewing the missing woman's classmates at the Nomen Global Language Center. Kidnapping survivor: Elizabeth Smart was 14 when she was snatched out of her Salt Lake City bedroom in 2002. She was held captive for nine months before being found walking with her captor in a busy street . Smart and her father, who heads Operation Underground Railroad - an organization dedicated to rescuing victims of labor and sex slavery - said they hosted the event to bring attention to the story. Ed and Elizabeth Smart said the the key to finding her in 2004 nine months after she was abducted was that the American public knew her face and her story. Elizabeth Smart was 14 when she was snatched out of her Salt Lake City bedroom in 2002. She was held captive for nine months before being found walking with her captor in a busy street in Sandy — close to where Friday's news conference was held at Rio Tinto Stadium. Smart urged the public to help find Laguna Salgado even though there's no evidence of a kidnapping. ‘Maybe we're wrong, but if we're right then at least we're doing everything we can,' Smart said. 'We really feel someone out there knows where she is or saw her at some point.' Smart recalled what it was like when she was first abducted: ‘It's terrifying. You don't know what's going on. You don't know why it happened to you. You don't know what the future is. You don't know if people are looking for you.’ Salgado was last seen April 16 leaving the Nomen Global School at 384 West Center Street in Provo. Since that time she has not been back to her apartment, shown up for work, or contacted any family members. Over the past week, investigators working the Salgado case have canvassed the route she took to and from school, obtained surveillance videos from business and homes in the area and interviewed known sex offenders living in Provo. Lead: Salgado's uncle said his niece told him a boy had been bugging her to go on a date and that she made up having a boyfriend to get rid of him . Be On the Lookout: Miss Salgado is listed as ‘Missing Endangered’ with the National Crime Information Center. Both the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have been notified of her disappearance . Striking beauty: Elizabeth is 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 120-130lbs with long black hair and brown eyes . Miss Salgado is listed as ‘Missing Endangered’ with the National Crime Information Center, and both the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have been notified of her disappearance. Elizabeth is 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 120-130lbs with long black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a denim jacket, blue jeans, black or brown knee high boots, and was carrying a denim hand bag with red straps. Anyone with information on Elizabeth’s whereabouts is being asked to call the Provo Police Department at 801-852-6210. The missing woman's loved ones have started a Facebook page to share information on the latest developments and raise awareness of the missing person case.", "An elderly truck driver who killed a 43-year-old woman and injured her mother as they walked on a New York street will not face criminal charges. Police said James McDonald, 86, veered across East Genesee St in Syracuse, hitting college professor Jennifer Cook and her mother, Barbara Cook, in March. Jennifer Cook died in a nearby hospital, while her 72-year-old mother suffered critical injuries but was later released. McDonald, however, has not been charged over the death. He was let off with a ticket for passing a red light and failing to keep right, Syracuse Police Sergeant Gary Bulinski told Syracuse.com. Tragic: Rhode Island College professor Jennifer Cook (pictured left and right) was killed when driver James McDonald plowed his truck into her in March . Loving family: Jennifer Cook (third from left, back row) is survived by her spouse, Moira Collins (fourth from right, back row) who is also a professor . Sgt Bulinksi said police actively investigated the crash and neither McDonald's age or the weather seemed to be factors. He said McDonald, from Chittenago, held a valid driver's license and was not involved in recent accidents. The road was also clear. McDonald refused to comment when contacted by Syracuse.com. 'I don't care to talk about it, sorry,' he said before hanging up. The tragic incident unfolded on March 14 when Jennifer Cook and her mother were walking to a restaurant for lunch after a doctor's visit about 1.15pm. Cook, a Rhode Island College English professor, was in Central New York to visit her dying 93-year-old father, Frank Cook. Syracuse.com reported that McDonald plowed into the Cooks after swerving to avoid rear-ending a stationary vehicle ahead of him. The women were rushed to Upstate University Hospital where Jennifer Cook, from Rhode Island, died from her injuries. Her father Frank Cook died two weeks later. Scene: Police said James McDonald, 86, veered across the 900 block of East Genesee Street in Syracuse (pictured), near Phoebe's restaurant, hitting two pedestrians . Jennifer Cook's tragic death shocked and saddened students and staff at Rhode Island College, where she'd worked since 2004. 'Dr. Jennifer Cook was a well-liked and well-respected member of the English department and of the educational studies department,' college president Nancy Carriulo said in a statement, according to Providence Journal. 'We all thought that Jen, who was tenured a few years ago, had a long career ahead of her at Rhode Island College.' Cook, who received degrees from American University and the University of Massachusetts, was the executive director of the Rhode Island Writing Project which worked to train young teachers. 'She was a really extraordinary teacher. She had such an amazing impact on her students,' Ronald Pitt, vice president of academic affairs at RIC, told Providence Journal. 'It was an amazing thing to see her work.' English department chair, Daniel Scott, said Cook 'inspired and trained hundreds of students who are now teachers in Rhode Island and around the country'. Cook is survived by her spouse, Moira Collins, who is also a professor.", "A timewaster dialled 999 to complain that McDonalds staff were refusing to serve them while another woman called police after she forgot the password to her laptop, it emerged today. West Midlands Police revealed some of their most bizarre calls which also included one man telephoning to ask whether he needed to put his area code before dialling 101 - the force’s non-emergency number. Others who misused the service included one caller asking if officers could come out to scare his sister, while another woman grumbled about being refused entry to a nightclub. Scroll down for audio . Which emergency service do you require?: Police today highlighted timewasting calls to 999 (stock image) The force released the almost unbelievable call-outs as part of an awareness campaign to highlight abuse of the emergency helpline, which receives around 700,000 calls a year. Chief Inspector Sally Holmes said: 'These calls are ridiculous and it doesn’t end just there. 'We regularly receive calls to 999 about lost property, people asking for directions and from people who have been denied entry to a nightclub. 'It's astonishing listening to them, but they hide a serious truth. 'Each call often takes minutes to deal with as staff have to clarify the situation and it might not sound like much but, if someone is trying to get through to report a genuine life or death emergency, then a minute is a very long time to wait. 'I cannot stress enough that the 999 number is for emergencies only, for guidance this is defined as: a crime is in progress, someone suspected of a crime is nearby, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened. 'To contact police for any other reason, call 101.' In one of the calls released by the force a hungry McDonalds customer called 999 to say he was holding up a queue at the drive-thru because staff had refused to serve him. Control room computer: Police say each call delays genuine callers receiving need urgent help (stock image) In the sound clip he can be heard saying: 'It is a bit of an emergency, but it isn’t at the same time. 'Basically I’ve come into McDonalds and ordered some food and there’s been a misunderstanding. 'We’ve drove back round and none of the staff are coming to the tills - they are just ignoring us. 'So we have decided to stop in the drive-thru now - but there’s 20 cars behind us now.' The frustrated operator can then be heard saying: 'This is not a police matter sir, at all.  You don't dial 999 unless it's a life or death emergency.' In a separate call, a woman tells a 999 call operator: 'I’m calling because my laptop had closed and I need the password number.' To which the baffled worker can then be heard replying: 'You have called the police to get a password for your laptop?' And in a final call released by the force, a voice with a strong Birmingham accent can be heard requesting: 'Excuse me sweetheart, what I’m after right....you know the 101 number - do you have to press 0121?' The force revealed that almost half of the 700,000 telephone calls received annually by the force’s emergency number were inappropriate. Today they began a 24-hour tweetathon to show the array of calls it receives. One tweet posted yesterday morning said: '999 call just received from an unlocked phone in a pocket, tying up an emergency line. Remember to check your phone is locked!' Another read: 'We’ve just received a 999 call from a young man at a phone box who is abusing our 999 operators.'", "At a dinner McDonald's hosted for reporters and bloggers, waiters served cuisine prepared by celebrity chefs using ingredients from the chain's menu. A Kung Pao chicken appetizer was made with Chicken McNuggets doused in sweet and sour sauce and garnished with parsley. Slow-cooked beef was served with gnocchi fashioned out of McDonald's french fries and a fruit sauce from its smoothie mix. For dessert, its biscuit mix was used to make a pumpkin spice 'biznut,' a biscuit-doughnut hybrid. The event, held in New York City's Tribeca neighborhood, was billed 'A transforming dining experience of \"fast food\" to \"good food served fast.\"' Attendees tweeted out photos and the night was written up on various websites. FILE - In this July 21, 2010 file photo, people make their way past the McDonald's restaurant at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. McDonald¿s understands its reputation for serving cheap, greasy fare is a growing liability and is trying to change in a variety of ways. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File) The dishes aren't intended for McDonald's restaurants. Instead, the evening is part of a campaign by McDonald's to shake its reputation for serving cheap, unhealthy food. At a time when Americans are playing closer attention to what they eat, the company is trying to sway public opinion by first reaching out to the reporters, bloggers and other so-called 'influencers' who write and speak about McDonald's. It's just one way McDonald's is trying to change its image. In the past 18 months, the chain has introduced the option to substitute egg whites in breakfast sandwiches and rolled out chicken wraps as its first menu item with cucumbers. Last fall, it announced plans to give people the choice of a salad instead of fries in combo meals. And in coming months, mandarins will be offered in Happy Meals, with other fruits being explored as well. McDonald's declined to make an executive available for this story, but CEO Don Thompson said early this year: 'We've got to make sure that the food is relevant and that the awareness around McDonald's as a kitchen and a restaurant that cooks and prepares fresh, high quality food is strong and pronounced.' The company faces an uphill battle, especially if the past is any indication. The salads it introduced more than a decade ago account for just two to three per cent of sales. And the chain last year discontinued its Fruit & Walnut salad and premium Angus burgers, which analysts said were priced too high for McDonald's customers at around $5. The problem is that some simply people don't consider McDonald's a place to get high quality food, in part because the prices are so low. And while McDonald's has added salads and a yogurt parfait to its menu over the years, Americans are gravitating toward other attributes, like organic produce and meat raised without antibiotics. FILE- In this Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, file photo, Carlos Gonzalez and Elsa Guzman eat breakfast at a McDonald's restaurant, in New York. McDonald¿s understands its reputation for serving cheap, greasy fare is a growing liability and is trying to change in a variety of ways. (AP Photo/Mark Lenniha, File) FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2009 file photo, McDonald's employee Cortney Sobowiec hands a patron a salad at the drive up window at McDonalds in Williamsville, N.Y. McDonald¿s understands its reputation for serving cheap, greasy fare is a growing liability and is trying to change in a variety of ways. (AP Photo/David Duprey, file) 'People just don't think of McDonald's . as having that premium quality,' said Sara Senatore, a restaurant . industry analyst with Bernstein Research. In . some ways, the image McDonald's is battling is ironic, given its . reputation for exacting standards with suppliers. Thompson has also . noted the ingredients tend to be fresh because restaurants go through . them so quickly. 'The . produce and the products that we have at breakfast and across the menu . are fresher than — no disrespect intended — what most of you have in . your refrigerators,' he said at an analyst conference in May. But . even that reputation for supply chain rigor was recently tarnished when . the chain's longtime supplier was reported to have sold expired meat to . its restaurants in China. The . low-cost burgers, ice-cream cones and other food that made McDonald's . so popular since it was founded in 1955 have come to define it. And some . people can't get over the idea that low prices equal low quality. 'It's . the whole perception people get when you sell something cheaply,' said . Richard Adams, who used to own McDonald's restaurants in San Diego and . now runs a consulting firm for franchisees. Anne . Johnson, for instance, said she eats at McDonald's because she can get a . burger, fries and drink for about $5. But Johnson, a New York resident, . doesn't think there are any healthy options there. 'Basically, it's junk food,' she said. Adding . to its challenge, McDonald's can't seem to raise prices without driving . people away. Pressured by rising costs for beef and other ingredients, . the chain tried to move away from the Dollar Menu in 2012 with an 'Extra . Value Menu' where items were priced at around $2. But . customers are apparently righteous about the $1 price point, and the . strategy was scrapped. Last year, McDonald's changed its tactic a bit, . hoping not to turn off customers. It tweaked the name of the 'Dollar . Menu' to the 'Dollar Menu & More.' In this Sept. 26 2013 photo, staff members prepare dishes of slow-cooked beef served with gnocchi fashioned out of McDonald¿s french fries and a fruit sauce from its smoothie mix during a dinner hosted by McDonald's for reporters and bloggers, in New York. The evening was part of a stealth campaign McDonald¿s is waging to shake its image for serving junk food. At a time when Americans are growing more finicky about what they eat, the company is hoping to sway public opinion by first winning over the reporters, bloggers and other so-called ¿influencers¿ who tweet, write, and speak on TV. (AP Photo/Candice Choi) McDonald's . low prices also are part of what keeps it from competing with places . such as Chipotle, which is touting the removal of genetically modified . ingredients from its menu, and Panera, which recently said it will . eliminated all artificial ingredients by 2016. Such moves would be . Herculean feats for McDonald's, given its pricing model and the . complexity of its menu. Meanwhile, . the company acknowledges there are problems with how people perceive . its food. 'A lot of our guests don't believe our food is real,' said Dan . Coudreaut, director of culinary innovation at McDonald's, in an . interview last year. The . image of McDonald's food is a growing concern for the company at a time . when U.S. sales have been weak for two years. The last time McDonald's . managed to boost a monthly sales figure at home was in October, and the . company warns its performance isn't expected to improve anytime soon. McDonald's . has said it has other problems, including slow and inaccurate service . at its restaurants. But improving perceptions about its food is also a . priority. Following the . dinner in New York last fall, the company hosted a similar event last . month for reporters covering the Essence Festival in New Orleans. Beignets filled with grilled chicken and dusted with sugar were served . alongside a packet of McDonald's honey mustard sauce. Other . 'chef events' in local markets are planned for coming months, according . to Lisa McComb, a McDonald's spokeswoman. She declined to provide . details but said the events will be a spin on a recent contest between . two friends to make a gourmet dish out of a Big Mac meal. McComb said McDonald's wasn't associated with that particular contest, which was posted online. The . company continues to tweak the menu, too. The new Bacon Club burger . McDonald's is promoting comes on a brioche bun and looks more like . something that might be found at a trendy burger joint. It costs $5 or . $6, depending on where you live, making it the most expensive sandwich . on the menu. In Southern . California, McDonald's also is testing a 'Build Your Own Burger' concept, with the patties being cooked to order more slowly on a . separate grill. Beyond the menu, the company is determined to take control of its narrative. 'We're . going to start really, really telling our story in a much more . proactive manner,' said Kevin Newell, U.S. brand and strategy officer . for McDonald's said late last year. He added that McDonald's has gone too long in 'letting other folks frame the story for us.'", "By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 04:25 EST, 20 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:52 EST, 20 March 2013 . A six-month-old baby girl who died after she was shot sitting on her father's lap in his van was buried amid emotional scenes in a Chicago church yesterday. As the tiny body of Jonylah Watkins lay before mourners in an open coffin, Reverend Corey Brooks, who led the service, called on local gang members - with whom her father was allegedly connected - to change. And the baby's maternal grandmother Mary Young read a poem pleading for the local community to change, saying: 'My neighbours of Chicago, what have thou done?' In his eulogy Reverend Corey Brooks called on gang members to use Jonylah's death as a catalyst to change their lifestyles . Tragedy: Jonylah 's murder has shocked Chicago - a city where gun violence in some neighborhoods has become routine . Jonylah's parents Jonathan Watkins, left, and Judy Young, right, say goodbye to their six-month-old daughter before closing her casket yesterday . Jonylah died last week when she was struck by a bullet police say was intended for her father, former offender Jonathan Watkins, 29. The bullet tore through several organs in her body in what was the second time the infant had been a victim of gunfire: when her mother Judy, 20, was eight months pregnant, she was shot in the knee as she walked home with a group of women. Jonylah's father was shot twice in the attack that killed his daughter but survived. Frustrated by the lack of progress in their murder investigation, police say no-one has come forward to help from the local community. At yesterday's funeral, Jonylah's grandmother hit out at the culture of silence in a poem she had written for the service. She said: 'My neighbours of Chicago, our youth is in danger on the streets of the town with the false code of silence while they shoot each other down. A family member is consoled during Jonylah's funeral at the New Beginnings Church in Chicago . Jonylah's parents Jonathan Watkins, left, and Judy Young, right, stand in front of their tiny daughter's open casket . Family mourners, dressed in pink and white in tribute to the little girl, view her in the tiny open casket in the Chicago church . Mourners cling to each other for comfort in front of the white coffin in which Jonylah lies, in pink dress and white bonnet . 'My neighbours of Chicago, take back your home.  Don't spare the rod and leave your children to roam.' Rev. Corey Brooks echoed Mrs Watkins' sentiments in his eulogy, saying: 'I want to challenge you to get clean, change, and that change starts with believing you can change.' reported yahoo.com. Jonylah had been sitting in her father's lap in the driver's seat of a parked minivan on March 11 when a gunman opened fire. The baby, whose mother was working at McDonalds at the time, died the next morning from her wounds after surgeons spent hours trying to save her. Reverend Corey Brooks broke down during his eulogy, while family and friends dressed in tribute to Jonylah . Friends and family members dressed in white and pink in honour of little Jonylah in emotional scenes at her funeral . The church was packed with mourners paying their last respects to the girl who never made her first birthday . Murdered: Jonylah Watkins was shot as she sat on her father, Jonathan's lap. She survived a separate shooting of her mother Judy when she was still in the womb . Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said the shooting appeared to be gang-related, though detectives don't have a specific motive. Despite the shocking crime, neighbors are refusing to cooperate with police. 'We don't have one individual who's stepping up to help us,' McCarthy said. Horrified: Jonylah's mother Judy Watkins, 20, was at work at McDonald's when she shooting happened. She was shot and wounded when her daughter was still in the womb . Chicago continues to struggle with devastating gun violence at some of the highest rates in the nation. The city had 57 murders in January and February - including 43 in January alone, the most violent month in a decade. The number grabbed national headlines at a time when Congress was debating tougher gun control laws. Many - if not most - of the killings are the result of gang-related violence that is largely concentrated on the city's south side. The 43 murders in January in Chicago compare to just 24 in New York for the same month - despite the Big Apple being three times the size of the Windy City. The killing of Jonylah Watkins is only the latest high-profile Chicago murder to shock the nation. Just days after she performed at President Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony in Washington, Hadiya Pendleton, 15, was killed on the street near her home. Still, there is good news. In February the city charged just 14 murders - the lowest number since 1957. Mr Watkins told the Chicago Sun-Times from his hospital room that he was devastated by the death of his infant daughter. 'I was trying to help. I was trying to help. I was trying to help her,' he said, breaking down. Still, he claims he has no idea who shot him or why he was targeted. The fatal shooting came months after Jonylah's mother Judy, 20, was hit by a gunman when she was pregnant with Jonylah. Her family said Mrs Watkins was hit in the knee when she was eight months pregnant as she walked home with a group of women. In January and February this year, 57 people were killed in Chicago - most of them victims of gang-related shootings on the south side of the city. Chicago gained national attention when its murders for January spiked to 43, the highest rate in years - making the city even more dangerous than when mobster Al Capone ruled the streets. In February killings dropped to 14 for the month - the lowest since 1957. Police said Mr Watkins,had links to the Gangster Disciples clique, though his family denies he has ties to gangs. The gunman shot at the father and baby from an alley and hit Mr Watkins in the cheek and buttocks, Chicago police spokesman John Mirabelli said. The gunman then got into a nearby blue minivan and fled the scene, according to DNAinfo. Dominique Young, 21, Mr Watkins' sister, said she heard the gunfire and arrived at the van within seconds to find the windows had been shot through. She told DNAinfo: ‘They knew she was in there and they tried to take my niece's life, and it's so wrong.' Rev Brooks' church New Beginnings Church of Chicago is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. The family have called on the 'cowardly' gunman to turn himself in.", "By . Candace Trunzo . Julia Roberts’ family have accused her sister’s fiance of refusing to hand over her personal items as the legal war between them over control of Nancy Motes’ estate turns increasingly hostile. Relatives of the August: Osage County star say that John Dilbeck has not given up Nancy Motes' furniture and a painting she made before she died - as the two sides wrestle for control. According to legal documents the work is a painting of Galena, Illinois which is of ‘great sentimental value’ to her mother Betty Motes. Fighting for control: Relatives of Julia Roberts say John Dilbeck (left) has not given up Nancy Motes' (RIGHT) furniture and a painting she made before she died - as the two sides wrestle for control in the wake of Motes' suicide . Angry mother: In harsh language Betty Motes (at right with daughter Julia Roberts) accuses John of being ¿self-serving¿ and accuses him of ¿profiteering¿ over Nancy¿s death by selling his story to tabloid newspapers . In harsh language Betty accuses John of being ‘self-serving’ and accuses him of ‘profiteering’ over Nancy’s death by selling his story to tabloid newspapers. She also alleges that he has has been trying to ‘harass’ Roberts and her family in court papers that lay bare the extent of the rancor. Betty and Roberts have been at war with John since Nancy took an overdose on February 9 which killed her at the age of 37. The former production assistant on the TV show Glee drowned in a bath surrounded by a mixture of nonprescription and prescription pills, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner. The row now boils down to Nancy’s 13-page, three part suicide note, one part to John, one to her mother and Julia and a third to ‘everyone.’ John claims that he should be the administrator as the only part where Nancy talks about allocating her belongings is addressed to him. But Betty claims that it is invalid because Nancy did not sign any of the sheets of handwritten paper, making it invalid under Californian law. A close examination of five months of court documents filed at the Los Angeles Supreme Court, reveals the full timeline of the angry confrontation. On February 13 - just four days after Nancy’s death -  Judge Daniel Murphy passed an order making Betty Motes the special administrator of Nancy’s estate. He ruled that she could take possession of all her belongings and ‘valuable personal property’ such as financial information to prevent them from ‘damage, waste or injury’. John was forced to hand over Nancy’s 2006 Honda Accord as well as 30 boxes of her items including jewelry and other personal effects, along with credit cards that Nancy had at the time of her death. In a filing Betty’s lawyer Robert Eroen said that John’s attempts to take control over the estate are ‘meritless and meant solely to harass (Nancy) and (her) family’. From the suicide note: Betty¿s lawyer said that John¿s attempts to take control over the estate are ¿meritless and meant solely to harass (Nancy) and (her) family¿. On March 19 John however hit back with his own petition and claimed that the note that said Nancy¿s suicide note to him showed he should be the administrator. Family mystery: Among the items which John is accused of withholding is the painting, which Betty has supposedly paid him for, and several other items of furniture. It is not clear why Nancy painted a painting of Galena - her family are originally from Georgia . On March 19 John however hit back with his own petition and claimed that the note that said Nancy’s suicide note to him showed he should be the administrator. It alleged that represented a ‘single expression of (her) final wishes for the disposition of her estate and contains the final words she desired to share with various people that were part of her life’. On April 2 Eroen filed a response demanding the John come before the court to see if he had ‘wrongfully taken, concealed or disposed of property’ that was part of Nancy’s estate. It also called for John to be hit with a ‘citation’ for his alleged wrongdoing. Among the items which John is accused of withholding is the painting, which Betty has supposedly paid him for, and several other items of furniture. Deep depression: MailOnline has already revealed how Nancy claimed in her suicide note that Roberts was so vindictive that she ¿drove me into the deepest depression I¿ve ever been in¿. She described her famous sister as a ¿so-called sibling¿ who should get nothing if she died except the memory that she pushed her over the edge. It is not clear why Nancy painted a painting of Galena - her family are originally from Georgia. In her filing Betty says that John’s claims on the estate are based on ‘fiction entirely made out of whole cloth’. She says it is an ‘attempt to make money off Nancy’s death that started when he took money from tabloids shortly after her death'. 'The court should not be a party to such profiteering,' she adds. Finally, a May 30 filing on behalf of Betty attacks John’s ‘self-serving characterization’ of the notes as false. The last motions deal with John having to appear before the court last month to explain himself, which he did, his lawyer confirmed. MailOnline has already revealed how Nancy claimed in her suicide note that Roberts was so vindictive that she ‘drove me into the deepest depression I’ve ever been in’. She described her famous sister as a ‘so-called sibling’ who should get nothing if she died except the memory that she pushed her over the edge. Nancy also said that Roberts’s abuse had been so bad that ‘I burst into tears because I wake up’. In a further twist the legal documents reveal that Michael Motes, Nancy’s estranged father, has been tracked down by heir chasing firm Trust and Estate Search. He has agreed to give them 15 per cent of anything that he gets from Nancy’s estate in exchange for alerting him to his potential windfall, the documents state. Class act: At a memorial for Nancy last May, Julia looked grief-stricken. But Nancy claimed in tweets before she died that Julia treated her badly. In one she said: 'Just so you all know, America¿s Sweetheart is a b*****' Bequest: Nancy note said she wanted her jewelry and clothese to go to her closest friends - not her sister and mother . The latest hearing in the case took place on Monday at the Los Angeles Superior Court. Eroen informed the court examination that John had been questioned by a judge about what other property he had in his possession. He also requested that the court maintain the order that the Coroner's report into Nancy’s death would be kept confidential and could only be reviewed by court order. The court agreed and no new hearing dates were set. Downhill: Julia puts a protective arm around Nancy in this 2002 photo but the sisters had a parting of the ways . Sad goodbye: Nancy's totured last words are a loving tribute to her fiance . Afterwards Eroen told MailOnline: ‘The estate still needs to be administered and presently we are in a holding pattern.’ John’s lawyer Morris Bird told MaillOnline: ‘Nancy Motes estate is being administered by Beth Motes so by law my client, Mr Dilbeck,  has to deliver any and all property of Nancy Motes  to her mother Betty.’ Neither John, Betty or Roberts were present.", "Police handcuffed dozens of protesters in cities across the country on Thursday as they blocked traffic in the latest attempt to escalate their efforts to get McDonald's, Burger King and other fast-food companies to pay their employees at least $15 an hour. The protests, which were planned by labor organizers for about 150 cities nationwide today, are part of a campaign called 'Fight for $15'. Since the protests began in late 2012, organizers have switched up their tactics every few months to bring attention to the protests, which have attracted spotty crowds. Scroll down for video . A fast food worker is detained by Los Angeles police after staging a sit-in outside a McDonald's restaurant during a demonstration against low wages on Thursday . Protesters sit in front of a McDonald's restaurant on 42nd Street in New York's Times Square as police officers move in to begin making arrests. A day of planned protests were taking place in 150 cities across the country by workers from fast-food chains . A McDonald's worker is detained by police during a protest to push fast-food chains to pay their employees at least $15 an hour, outside a McDonald's restaurant today in Philadelphia . Organizers previously said they planned to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience on Thursday, which might lead to arrests. In the past, supporters have done things like show up at a McDonald's shareholder meeting and hold overseas protests. The movement, which is backed financially by the Service Employees International Union and others, comes at a time when the wage gap between the poor and the rich has become a hot political issue. Many fast-food workers do not make much more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, which adds up to about $15,000 a year for 40 hours a week. Protestors chant for increased wages and union rights in Las Vegas. Protesters were arrested as they blocked traffic . The protests have gotten media coverage. In Chicago, for instance, reporters observed supporters arriving on buses and sitting on a street between a McDonald's and Burger King, chanting: 'We shall not be moved.' 'The impact is in bringing it into the public attention,' said Chris Rhomberg, an associate professor of sociology at Fordham University in New York. President Obama has taken notice too. He mentioned the campaign at a Labor Day appearance in Milwaukee. 'If I were busting my butt in the service industry and wanted an honest day's pay for an honest day's work, I'd join a union,' Obama said, as he pushed Congress to raise the minimum wage. Police handcuff protesters blocking traffic on Mack Avenue in Detroit as part of a national protest to push fast-food chains to pay their employees a living wage . Protesters in T-shirts and bearing hand-made signs are cuffed by police in Detroit. Organizers previously said they planned to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience on Thursday, which might lead to arrests . The National Restaurant Association said in a statement that the protests are an attempt by unions to 'boost their dwindling membership.' The industry lobbying group said it hopes organizers will be respectful to customers and workers during the protests. Union organizers expected thousands to show up to Thursday's protests around the country. Previously, turnout has been fairly minimal in many places. In an effort to get more people involved, organizers asked other service workers to join protests and added more cities than it previously had. Shanicka Primo, who was at a protest at McDonald's in New York, said she heard about the demonstration after organizers came to the Checkers restaurant where she works. The 20-year-old earns $8 an hour at the burger chain and said a raise to $15 per hour would help her get her own apartment. 'I wouldn't have to live with my family,' Primo said. Carmalita Johnson drums as protesters participate in a rally outside a McDonald's on Chicago's south side as labor organizers escalate their campaign to unionize the industry's workers . Police officers arrest two protesters in their McDonald's uniforms in front of a McDonald's restaurant in New York's Times Square . In some cities, protesters were hauled away by police for blocking streets. Police handcuffed about a dozen people who wouldn't leave in Chicago. In New York, at least three people wearing McDonald's uniforms were taken by police officers after standing in the middle of a busy street near Times Square. Nineteen were arrested for blocking traffic. About two dozen protesters were handcuffed in Detroit after they wouldn't move out of a street near a McDonald's restaurant. And police in Las Vegas also handcuffed some demonstrators, giving about 10 of them citations to appear in court. Among those hauled away was Tyree Johnson. He said he earns $8.45 an hour after working at a Chicago McDonald's for more than two decades. 'I've been there 22 years and I can't help my family,' he said. A fast-food worker is chants slogans before being detained by police in Philadelphia. The protest movement, which is backed financially by the Service Employees International Union and others, has gained national attention at a time when the wage gap between the poor and the rich has become a hot political issue . Chicago police remove protesters from the middle of 87th street between a McDonald's and a Burger King on Chicago's south side as labor organizers escalate their campaign .", "The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has told the Mexican government to provide the necessary medical attention to a jailed vigilante leader who holds dual U.S. and Mexican citizenship. The Washington-based body wrote in a January 28 decision that it found adequate reason to be concerned for the health of 41-year-old Nestora Salgado, a resident of the Seattle suburb of Renton. Salgado was arrested in August 2013 after people detained by the community self-defense force she leads in the southern state of Guerrero alleged they had been kidnapped. A federal judge cleared Salgado of those charges last year, but related state charges have kept her locked up. Jailed: Nestora Salgado, who has been detained since she was arrested Aug 2013 in the state of Guerrero, south of Mexico City, where she had been leading a vigilante group targeting police corruption and drug cartel violence . Salgado's fellow commanders said during a news conference in Mexico City that the force in the town of Olinala never demanded bail money, which her accusers called ransom. The commanders said many of those detained were youths held at the request of their parents for 're-education.' 'The communitarian system does not request any bail,' said regional community police commander Cruz Morales Reyes. 'It does not request any ransom. There is no amount of money that can get someone out.' A state law allows Olinala and Guerrero's other indigenous communities to organize their own police forces. In need: The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has told the Mexican government to provide the necessary medical attention to the jailed vigilante leader who holds dual U.S. and Mexican citizenship . Borderline case: The case is drawing attention in Seattle as demonstrators demanded Salgado’s release over the weekend . Morales said the community police, which rose up as a result of corruption within the local government and organized crime, arrests people accused of crimes but also young people whose parents deem them out of control. One of those was Francisco Flores Jimenez, who said his mother asked that he be held and 're-educated' by the community police. He described a regimen of manual labor and lessons about the value of hard work. He said detainees who worked hard were fed well, while those who didn't received whatever was available. Flores also questioned charges by some detainees that they were abused. 'In my case, I was never mistreated,' he said. Giovani Torres, a group level community police commander, said Nestora Salgado was among the citizens who rose up against the criminality in Olinala. She distinguished herself through her bravery and was elected as a commander by an assembly of community police members, Torres said. Salgado grew up in Olinala and moved to the U.S. when she was about 20. Eventually she began making regular visits back to her hometown. 'The government knows perfectly well that all of the charges they're accusing Nestora of are false,' said her sister Cleotilde Salgado Garcia.", "By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 17:18 EST, 7 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:18 EST, 7 June 2013 . Frustration: Tory MP Anne McIntosh hung up on a 111 call centre worker after 15 minutes of 'completely inappropriate' questioning . A Tory MP has revealed how the NHS 111 helpline let down her dying father – a retired GP – in his hour of need. Anne McIntosh, 58, said she called the number after he developed worrying symptoms suggesting he had an infection. Despite pleading to be put through to a doctor or nurse, she was made to answer a series of ‘completely inappropriate’ questions by an unqualified worker ‘sticking religiously to the script’. After 15 minutes, the MP hung up ‘in sheer frustration’ and dialled 999 hoping to call out an ambulance. But as her father was so frail, paramedics were reluctant to transport him to the hospital 20 miles away and instead arranged for a GP to visit. The doctor did not arrive for another three hours and her father died from the urinary infection four days later. The Mail has repeatedly drawn attention to the failings of the helpline and the shocking state of out-of-hours care in our series The Out-of-Hours Debacle. The new phone service, which is meant to provide round-the-clock medical advice, has replaced NHS Direct and local GP out-of-hours numbers. Depending on a patient’s condition, they will either be told to go to A&E, given an appointment at a GP clinic or offered medical advice over the phone. But many people are being put through to call centre workers with just a few weeks training, who can only use a computer system to assess the severity of their illness. The MP – who is also a lawyer – acknowledged that her father’s death would have been very difficult to prevent. However, she said that both her father and her family had been failed by the helpline. ‘What is particularly poignant for me and my family is that my father had been a local GP in that area for some 30 years,’ she said. ‘He attended patients in all weathers and at all hours. My father was from a generation of GPs who were used to working all hours. He worked every other night on call and every other weekend on duty. ‘And he always made sure he put his patients first. It is obviously a source of some regret that he did not have similar access to a GP in his own hour of need.’ The MP for Thirsk and Malton, North Yorkshire, recounted her experience during a debate about the helpline in the Commons earlier this week. She had been visiting her father in County Durham – one of a handful of ‘pilot’ areas where the helpline has been running since 2010. She said: ‘When I called 111 I got the ritual reply of sticking very closely to a script, which I found completely inappropriate at times.  I explained my father’s condition but the responder insisted on sticking religiously to the script – asking whether the patient was breathing, whether they were bleeding. Concerns: Many 111 calls are answered by medically unqualified staff with only a few week's training (FILE PHOTO) ‘I kept saying that I was not reporting an accident but a regular condition, the symptoms of which were extremely plain, and asking whether I could, please, just be passed to a nurse or doctor. ‘I have to say that in the end I hung up in sheer frustration ten or 15 minutes into the call because I could tell that I was not getting anywhere quickly.’ Yesterday NHS England released figures which it claimed showed the system was ‘steadily improving’ with 92 per cent of patients being ‘satisfied’ with the call centre staff. But there were huge gaps in the data with crucial statistics apparently ‘not available’ for certain areas of the country where the launch of the helpline has been disastrous. And earlier this week a leaked official report revealed how calls were routinely answered by untrained staff, patients were put on hold and doctors’ warnings ignored. Recently Miss McIntosh, who is married but uses her maiden name, upset some women GPs by referring to the high cost of training female doctors who may end up working just a few days a week. She claimed those who only work part-time after having children are putting a ‘burden’ on the NHS.", "By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 18:02 EST, 23 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:39 EST, 24 July 2013 . A&E units will not cope with the surge in patients this winter unless bosses make urgent changes, MPs have warned. Just one in six casualty units has enough consultants working during its busiest hours and most are ‘relying too heavily’ on junior doctors. A report published today warns of an impending ‘crisis’ as more than 100,000 patients now spend at least four hours in A&E every month. A&E: MPs are warning that NHS bosses must quickly draw up plans on how they will cope with the expected rise in patients this winter . It says the launch of the NHS 111 helpline made problems worse as unqualified call centre workers sent patients unnecessarily to casualty. MPs on the health select committee say NHS bosses must quickly draw up plans on how they will cope with the expected rise in patients this winter. Their report revealed how consultants may be absent for the 16 busiest hours of the day – between 8am and midnight – in 83 per cent of casualty departments. But to cover gaps in rotas, trusts are spending about £500,000 a year on locum doctors who tend not to be as skilled, it said. Junior doctors do 12-hour shifts without breaks and many work seven nights in a row ‘under intense pressure’, it added. The report comes as the number of emergency cases is soaring. A lack of GP out-of-hours services has been blamed for patients increasingly arriving at A&Es with non-urgent problems. A report says the launch of the NHS 111 helpline made problems worse as unqualified call centre workers sent patients unnecessarily to A&E . And Britain’s ageing population has led to rising numbers of elderly people being admitted for long-term treatment. Winter this year was particularly busy, with many staff reporting departments at breaking point as they dealt with cases of flu, chest infections and the vomiting bug norovirus. Although summer is usually quieter, the . heatwave has triggered a surge of patients suffering from sunstroke, . heart problems and allergies. Dr Cliff Mann, of the College of Emergency Medicine, warned that staffing levels ‘had come to a crisis’. He claimed the methods used to plug rota gaps were ‘untenable and unsustainable’. Tory MP Stephen Dorrell, chairman of the health select committee, said: ‘The system is “flying blind” without adequate information about the nature of the demand being placed upon it. The committee is mindful of pressures which will build during next winter and is concerned that current plans lack sufficient urgency.’ He said he was ‘not convinced’ that the plans so far presented to him by NHS chiefs, senior GPs and ambulance bosses were ‘adequate’. Last winter, many A&E departments were reported to be at breaking point as they dealt with cases of flu, chest infections and the vomiting bug norovirus (picture posed by models) Britain's ageing population means rising numbers of elderly people inevitably require treatment . He added: ‘We think it is extraordinary that consultant coverage for a minimum of 16 hours a day during the working week is guaranteed in only 17 per cent of designated A&E departments. The figure is even lower at weekends and there are high vacancy rates for senior staff and consultants leading, inevitably, to high locum costs. ‘We know that early assessment by a senior clinician can improve outcomes and accelerate a patient’s progress through hospital, but for this to happen there must be sufficient numbers of senior staff in the emergency department.’ MPs also said the NHS 111 helpline was in the ‘last chance saloon’, although they claimed it has the potential to work. Hospital watchdog Monitor says £500million should be spent recruiting 10,000 extra staff including 1,100 consultants, 1,300 junior doctors and 4,000 nurses and midwives. Dame Barbara Hakin, the chief operating officer of NHS England, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It's very disappointing that accident and emergency departments don't have as much consultant cover as we would all wish them to have. 'We need to work much harder at making this an attractive profession for young doctors, so we can recruit them. 'Inevitably if you have a situation where you don't have the best possible resource, then that can compromise making sure patients get the best treatment. 'We need to do two things about this. First and foremost, we need to look at how we can make our accident and emergency departments the very best they can be, which means improving recruitment. 'But also, we need to make sure that the patients who don't need to be there and don't want to be there aren't. That's about tackling issues in general practice, in community services and in social care which will help to keep the patients that we are most concerned about - the vulnerable and the elderly - in their own homes.' Dame Barbara agreed there were 'difficulties' with the roll-out of the 111 service, adding: 'If certain providers had done what they said that they were going to do and had the call handlers in place to talk to patients, then it would have been fine. That didn't happen. 'But we were able within a very few weeks to get a really great service, and the 111 service is now stable.'", "By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 05:30 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:07 EST, 16 October 2013 . Legacy: Richard Greener was Harvard University's first African-American . A house clearance worker who discovered the papers of Harvard’s first African-American graduate is threatening to burn them unless the university or a collector buys them from him for the 'right price'. Rufus McDonald, 52, found the papers belonging to Richard T. Greener while clearing out a house in Englewood, Chicago, earlier this year. His discovery was hailed as remarkable, as it was feared the records had been destroyed by racist groups or lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The papers include Mr Greener's 1870 Harvard diploma and his law license as well as photos and papers connected to his diplomatic role in Russia and his friendship with President Ulysses S. Grant. Mr McDonald sold just two of the documents for $52,000 to the University of South Carolina, where Mr Greener also studied and taught. But he was so incensed by Harvard's offer that he is now threatening to destroy the 140-year-old papers. 'I’ll roast and burn them,' said Mr McDonald who claims Harvard offered him an 'insulting' $7,500 for the collection that was appraised at $65,000. 'It might sound crazy, but people who know me know I’d really do it — I’m sick and tired,' he told the Chicago Sun Times. A Harvard spokesman declined to comment on the ultimatum, but a university source familiar with the negotiation told the newspaper it offered Mr McDonald 'significantly more' than $7,500. According to a bio from the University of South Carolina, where he served as the first African-American professor, Mr Greener was born on January 30, 1844, in Philadelphia and was raised from the age of ten in Boston. Historical: A diploma earned by Richard Theodore Greener is seen at the University of South Carolina . Pay out: Mr McDonald sold two of the documents for $52,000 to the University of South Carolina, where Mr Greener also studied and taught . He attended the Broadway Grammar School in Cambridge, Massachusetts until he was fourteen, then dropped out of school to help support his family, working as a porter, clerk and night-watchman in an assortment of jobs. With help from two of his employers Mr Greener attended school and they arranged for his admission to Harvard in 1865 as an experiment in the education of African-Americans. In 1870 Mr Greener graduated from Harvard with honors, the first African-American to do so. But Mr Greener was not the first black person to be admitted - that title belongs Beverly Garnett Williams, who died just before the academic year began in 1847. Prestige: In 1870 Greener graduated from Harvard with honors . After his graduation Mr Greener spent a few years teaching in schools before becoming a professor at the University of South Carolina in October of 1873. In the years that followed he took a post as a professor in the Howard Law School and married in 1874, having six children with his wife Genevieve Ida Fleet. One of his daughters Belle went on to become a famous librarian to J. P. Morgan in New York. Her skin was light - both Mr Greener and his wife had mixed heritages - so she pretended she was from a white background and added 'da Costa' to her name to give the impression of Portuguese ancestry, as well as changing Greener to Greene. Mr Greener separated from his wife and left the country in 1898 to assume a consular post in Vladivostok, Russia, until 1905. He left the foreign service in 1905, settling in Chicago with relatives, and held a job as an agent for an insurance company and practiced law. Mr Greener occasionally lectured until he died of old age in Chicago on May 2, 1922. The Chicago Sun reports that it is still unclear how the papers ended up in the house that was being cleared to be demolished as Mr Greener did not live near there.", "By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:53 EST, 30 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:21 EST, 31 August 2013 . The fallout of the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal has seen the number of calls made to a charity helpline reporting sex abuse nearly double compared with last year. Staff at the NSPCC received 594 calls to its helpline in June and July this year to report sexual abuse, compared with 323 in the same period last year. John Cameron, head of the helpline, said: 'The number of calls we took this summer was significantly higher than last year. Eight months on, we can confidently say that the Savile scandal is changing the way in which people react to abuse. Staff at the NSPCC received 594 calls to its helpline in June and July this year to report sexual abuse, compared with 323 in the same period last year . 'There appears to be a clear shift and the public now seem better equipped and more confident to report their concerns. 'It's very encouraging to see that adults, including those who don't have direct responsibility for children, take action if they think a child is at risk. 'The Savile scandal has shocked the nation but has also increased public awareness of how difficult it is for children to speak out and how crucial it is for adults to report any suspicions or concerns they have straight away.' Saville abused hundreds of victims over 54 years, including at schools, hospitals and a children's home . The figures released today are the number of calls that were referred to police and social services.Savile was unveiled as one of the UK's most prolific sexual predators by police who launched a national investigation into abuse claims at the end of last year. They found that he had abused hundreds of victims over 54 years, including at schools, hospitals and a children's home. Britain's top prosecutor, Keir Starmer, also admitted that Savile could have been charged over offences against at least three victims before his death in 2011.", "By . Sophie Borland and Matt Chorley . PUBLISHED: . 04:54 EST, 29 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:22 EST, 30 July 2013 . Service: 111 was introduced this spring to provide non-emergency medical advice 24 hours a day . The NHS 111 helpline was plunged deeper into crisis last night after a contractor responsible for up to 20million patients suddenly pulled-out due to ‘financial problems’. NHS Direct said it would be terminating all 11 of its contracts after admitting it had racked up debts of £26million – and said running the helpline was ‘financially unsustainable’. There are concerns the taxpayer now faces a huge new bill to bail out the helpline as the NHS Direct contracts may end up being re-drawn to pay for higher numbers of staff. Two reviews which are due to report back this autumn could demand that the system employs higher numbers of nurses as well as call centre handlers. It is the latest controversy to blight the 111 service, which was launched in April to provide patients with a simple way of seeking medical advice round-the-clock. It was hampered by problems from the start with reports of critically ill patients waiting hours for a doctor and ambulances sent out needlessly for period pains and hangovers. Scroll down for video . Response: The call centres are manned typically by around 60 unqualified workers and up to 15 nurses. Staff numbers decline dramatically during the unpopular night and weekend shifts (file picture) The lines are manned by unqualified . workers – some even including teenagers – with just two weeks’ training, . who transfer more serious calls on to a handful of nurses seated . nearby. The crisis engulfing 111 has piled the pressure on Dame Barbara Hakin (right), deputy chief executive of the NHS, who is meant to be overseeing the helpline. One of the most powerful women in the NHS, she was promoted into the £120,000 role in March – despite accusations that she gagged whistleblowers and attempted to cover up hospital death rates. The 60-year-old former GP is being investigated by the General Medical Council over claims that she shelved an investigation into needless patient deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals three years ago. She is also accused of trying to sack whistleblower Gary Walker, the chief executive of the trust, who was trying to raise concerns that patients were at risk. If found guilty she could be struck off as a doctor, although she no longer practises. Dame Barbara, who was made a dame in 2009 for her ‘services to healthcare’ was appointed to be deputy chief executive by the much-criticised head of the NHS, Sir David Nicholson, without consulting Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. NHS Direct is also understood to have . underestimated the number of staff, including nurses, that it would need . to field the calls. It has since been forced to hire many more staff . just to make the service safe which has drastically increased the . running costs. Furthermore, it originally based its . bids on a projected payment of £13 a call to cover costs. But rates were . cut by NHS bosses to between £7 and £8. Yesterday the organisation, which runs . NHS 111 in 11 of the 46 areas of England, announced it was terminating . its contracts, which cover areas including Manchester, South London, the . West Midlands, Merseyside, Cheshire and Somerset. Its announcement came . as: . The remaining NHS 111 contracts are run by the private firm Harmoni, the ambulance service and other health service bodies. NHS bosses have been holding talks . with local ambulance services and GP organisations to find bodies to . take over the 11 NHS Direct contracts. Both David Cameron and health minister . Lord Howe insisted patient safety would remain ‘paramount’ and said NHS . Direct would continue to run the service for the next few months. Lord Howe said 111 was performing well . despite ‘teething problems’ in some areas as he accused NHS Direct of . getting their sums ‘very wrong’. He claimed problems with the service were mainly confined to the West Country, Kent, Surrey and Sussex. ‘For the vast majority of the country . the service is excellent,’ he said, adding: ‘NHS Direct bid for a . service at a price they thought they could meet, and they got it very . wrong.’ Former Labour health secretary John . Reid said 111 was in ‘turmoil’. Addressing the House of Lords, he added: . ‘The deterioration in our accident and emergency services is getting . exponentially greater. Trolley waits are back and predicted to . potentially reach crisis point.’ The 111 helpline is currently being . reviewed by NHS England – the body in charge of running the health . service – and by the NHS’s medical director Sir Bruce  Keogh. Both are . due to report back in September.", "(CNN) -- When Suzanne Jablonski moved to New Jersey to start a new life, she felt mostly alone in her struggles raising a special-needs child. Her 18-year-old son, Brandon Timberwolf Munic, has emotional, learning and behavioral difficulties as well as mild cognitive impairment. A single mother, Jablonski often felt as though she were in crisis mode, until she found a support system last year called Mom2Mom. Mom2Mom is the only helpline in the United States focused on mothers of special-needs children. The service, staffed by moms of special-needs kids, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and callers get follow-up support from a dedicated staff who checks up on them. \"I don't think, 'Oh, my God, this is the end of the world,' even though many times before ... I did,\" Jablonski said. \"I don't feel so alone anymore.\" Cherie Castellano, who launched Mom2Mom in 2010, has started a number of initiatives based on the idea of \"reciprocal peer support\": that people with similar experiences can help each other. Having experienced the stress of having a child with developmental delays, she wanted to provide a way for other mothers to have caregiving support. Dads are welcome to call the Mom2Mom line too, Castellano said. Mom2Mom now has about 20 mothers on staff, all of whom have children with some sort of special need, including medical illness and mental health problems. The program is part of University Behavioral HealthCare, which will be under Rutgers University as of July 1. \"It's not just good for the moms they're helping, it's also good for them because they get to feel connected and recognize their own strengths,\" Castellano said. Along the same lines, she also founded a law enforcement crisis hot line called Cop2Cop and the veteran support line Vets4Warriors. A staffer always picks up the hot line, no matter what time of day. In the initial call, the peer counselor mother will find out from the caller what she is calling about and then asks, \"How are you?\" The conversation then turns from the child's needs to the mother's own mental health and impact on the family. Most of the time, the caller agrees to engage in ongoing peer support, Castellano said. Mom2Mom then assigns her a support partner with a child who has a similar condition. Autism: What we know right now . The peer counselors check back often with these mothers, talking about what challenges might arise and the state of everyone's mental and physical health in the family. They can refer them to a network of service providers. Mom2Mom also hosts in-person support group meetings. Because it's a state-funded program, Mom2Mom's activities are aimed at New Jersey residents, but no one is turned away; peer support counselors will research resources to try to find connections for the callers in their own states. The program has gotten calls from more than 20 states where moms struggle to find support as they care for special-needs children. On Monday, more than 40 callers came to the Mom2Mom headquarters -- a call center -- in Piscataway, New Jersey, to meet their counselors in at an event to allow peer partners to meet each other for the first time, in honor of Mother's Day. Castellano met a mother she had been speaking with for two years. Staff members spoke about how much comfort they've gotten from the callers as well. \"For like 20 minutes, there was just hugging, crying and chatter,\" she said. Many mothers of special needs children want to appear as \"supermoms,\" being able to balance all of their appointments and challenges and emotions, Castellano said. \"Moms don't want to seem like they're depressed about it or they're sad about it or they're afraid of what's going to happen to their child when they're gone,\" Castellano said. \"There's a lot of shame and guilt and suffering that nobody wants to talk about.\" Mom2Mom has been a big help to Debra Lee, 52, of Newark, New Jersey. The youngest two of Lee's four children are on the autism spectrum: a 27-year-old son and a 20-year-old daughter. Her son graduated from Rutgers and works part-time. She worries about both of them, but especially her daughter, who attends a public school with an autism program and doesn't go anywhere alone. Growing up autistic: My story . She was one of the first callers to Mom2Mom and connected with peer counselor Mary Beth Walsh. Today, she attends in-person support groups as well. \"You meet a lot of people that you can talk to,\" she said. \"You do a lot of crying. At least you can talk to people who can understand what you're going through. It makes you feel much better.\" Since connecting with Mom2Mom, Lee said, she realizes how hard she had been on herself. She had put her whole self into her children and had lost sight of taking care of herself. Before, she would never buy nice clothes for herself; now, she'll buy suits. \"It just made me see that I could still look nice even though I'm overweight,\" she said. Walsh, Lee's peer counselor, has a 14-year-old son with autism. She has been immersed in the world of autism advocacy since his diagnosis, and admires Lee's positive attitude toward everyone on the autism spectrum. \"I might say, 'Oh, he's so sensitive to sound,' but Debra will say, 'Oh, it's amazing how he's always listening to the environment and picking up all these cues.' \" Both these mothers took part in a Mom2Mom collaborative project expressing their feelings and struggles through artwork; each sculpture consists of two pieces of glass connected to look like a book. The result is called \"Breathless: Mothers of Children with Special Needs.\" Lee's glass panel depicts a tree; she wrote about \"having faith.\" The Mom2Mom helpline is 1-877-914-MOM2.", "Ryan Giggs made his first television appearance since becoming Louis van Gaal's No 2 at Manchester United, but it wasn't quite the unveiling you might have have imagined. The 40-year-old has certainly been busy since ending the season as United's interim boss and even interrupted his holiday in Dubai to link up with Diego Maradona for a new football show. Giggs even hit the stage in full kit and boots as he joined Maradona and Michel Salgado on The Victorious, which aims to find the next football star in the UAE. VIDEO Scroll down for Giggs to appear on Maradona's football talent show The Victorious . All smiles: Giggs (right) poses with Michel Salgado (second left) and Diego Maradona (centre) V for Victorious: The show's presenter Nathalie Mamo . Speaking in a rather awkward interview after the show, Giggs said: 'I'm here in Dubai on holiday but also to work on The Victorious programme. 'It's great to see the young players doing so well and being given a chance. 'I've really enjoyed it, it's been a really successful night.' He tweeted a snap of the famous faces along with the message: 'With Diego, Ryan Giggs, Jehad and my friend Bakoor in The Victorious' The United veteran recently revealed his decision to retire from football after 963 games for the club, during which time he won 13 Premier league titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League twice. Giggs will now be assistant to new United boss Van Gaal next season. Full kit: The United legend took to the stage in a special kit and boots for the show . Backstage: Giggs poses with The Victorious presenter Nathalie Mamo (right) Striker pose: The United veteran poses with Salgado backstage in Dubai . Veteran: Giggs retired from football after 963 games for Manchester United . Team: Giggs will join new United boss Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford next season .", "A Chicago sandwich shop has fired all of its 20 staff over email just two days before Christmas. Staff at Snarf's Sub Shop in River North received the bad news on Sunday night in a group email notifying them that the drastic action was effective immediately. The company blamed 'increased competition and losses' for the firings. Director of operations Doug Besant said in the email the restaurant will likely close for a month as they remodel and reconcept the business into a burger joint. New plan: The shop, located inside the above building at store at 600 West Chicago Avenue in River North plans to reconcept as a burger joint . But the move comes less than a month after Snarf's workers rallied for higher wages. The email, obtained by ChicagoGrid.com, read: 'Due to increased competition and losses, ownership has decided to consider remodeling and reconcepting the store at 600 West Chicago Ave. 'The store is closing, effective tomorrow, December 23, 2013 for an unknown period of time for this remodeling and reconcepting. All staff is terminated, effective Monday, December 23, 2013.' Jill Preston, Snarf's director of marketing, told the Huffington Post on Monday: 'We really regret our employees were given last-minute notice, but they were aware of the loss of business during the past year.' The note encouraged staff to apply for unemployment benefits, if eligible and told them to return any keys and company property by today. Sandwich sackings: Staff at Snarf's Sub Shop in River North received the bad news on Sunday night in a group email notifying them that the drastic action was effective immediately . Signing off, Besant said in the note: 'Keep an eye out for the grand opening of the new store. Ownership appreciates your service and wish you well in your new endeavors.' The River North Snarf's shop was closed for four days, from December 5 until December 8, as employees went on striking for higher wages and better benefits. They joined workers of fast-food . chains like McDonald's, Subway, Potbelly and others in a broader strike . orchestrated by the Worker's Organizing Committee of Chicago. But . the restaurant's director of marketing Jill Preston denied the mass . firings were linked to the protests. She said it was due to the slow . Christmas season. Rally: The firings come less than a month after Snarf's workers rallied, pictured, for higher wages with the Workers Organizing Committee of Chicago . 'During the Christmas holiday we're pretty slow,' she told ChicagoGrid.com. 'The restaurant's usually three quarters closed. This does happen to coincide, but this is something we've had planned for awhile.' Furious members of the Worker's Organizing Committee of Chicago gathered outside the store Monday morning demanding severance pay and re-employment for the fired staff. Communications director Deivid Rojas told the website: 'Three days before Christmas and not even a call. It's not fair that management and the corporation is treating (employees) this way.' Preston added that fired staff will be allowed to reapply for their jobs when the restaurant reopens in the new year.", "A model who was brutally attacked in a Glasgow nightclub has taken part in her first full photo shoot for 11 months. Lauren McDonald, 27, feared her modelling career was over when she was savagely beaten with a stiletto and struck in the face with a glass in an unprovoked assault. She was attacked by two girls in September last year at the Sanctuary club in Glasgow's west end, where Radio 1 DJ Trevor Nelson was playing a set. Lauren McDonald, 27, feared her modelling career was over when she was savagely attacked in a Glasgow club. Pictured left is her after the attack and (right) following her first photo shoot in 11 months . Ms McDonald said the attack had left her 'frightened' and 'emotional, angry and disgusted' but has now got her confidence back. She has recently returned from a week-long trip to Chicago where she secured a deal with fashion magazine, Regime . Ms McDonald took part in the photo shoot after undergoing three laser surgeries on her face following the savage attack in September 2013 . The model, who was out with six friends, suffered a fractured skull and was drenched in blood. She was also left with a six-inch scar on her face which she thought could end her career. But now, after undergoing laser surgery, she has taken part in her first full photo shoot for 11 months. Ms McDonald, from Anniesland in Glasgow, told the MailOnline: 'I went through a huge whirlwind. I was emotional, angry and disgusted by what had happened. 'I have had three laser surgeries on my face now. They're incredibly painful but they reduce the scarring and and redness on my face. 'Also in the first operation, they stitched up glass in my face and so I had to go back and have another operation three weeks later.' The Glasgow model has got her career back on track after a horrific attack in a nightclub . The glamour model said she can remember the night of the assault clearly. 'I came back from the VIP area and remember my hair being pulled and then felt contact to my face and then I put my hand on my face and was covered in blood and fell to the floor. 'I remember people were looking at me with their mouths open.' And she said the appalling ordeal had changed her as a person. 'I used to be the party girl and go out all the time. After what happened, I thought \"what's the point of making an effort?\" 'I was also frightened of going out and leaving the house. 'I am starting to get some of my confidence back, but I don't feel myself anymore. I don't go out in the way I used to. 'The attack has made me more determined to try my best and do what I love, my work.' Ms McDonald was left with a six-inch scar on her face following the unprovoked attack in Glasgow . Ms McDonald, who dated American midfielder Maurice Edu after he arrived at Ibrox from Major League Soccer side Toronto FC in a £2.6m deal in 2008, said: 'In the last two months I've been getting back into new jobs.' Ms McDonald has recently returned from a week-long trip to Chicago where she secured a deal with fashion magazine, Regime, which will be distributed in airports across the world. She also appeared in television soap River City twice last month and is looking forward to featuring in a reality TV show and documentary, while continuing her treatment at the La Belle Forme clinic in Glasgow.", "By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:19 EST, 31 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:13 EST, 31 January 2014 . A woman who called the NHS 111 helpline died while waiting for a doctor to ring her back. The service is supposed to cater for ‘urgent healthcare needs’, but when the 33-year-old felt unwell and dialled the number, she was simply told to wait for a return call. By the time it came, it appears she was already dead. The woman contacted the phone line for . people in need of ‘fast medical help’, on December 22 after feeling . unwell and was told to wait for a doctor. Rapid deterioration: The 33-year-old woman, who has not been named, became seriously ill while she waited for a doctor to call her back after dialling the NHS's non-emergency 111 phone number (Stock picture) By the time she was called back - . around two hours later - she did not answer and an ambulance was sent to . her home, but it was too late. Now . NHS managers have told Harmoni, the private company operating the 111 . call centre, to carry out an inquiry to see if the tragedy in Croydon, . south London, could have been prevented. Board papers presented to the Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group said the woman's condition had deteriorated rapidly in the two-hour gap. The . 111 helpline was roundly criticised after it was launched last year, . with some claiming they had to wait 11 hours for a call back. The . Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group, the NHS body which pays Harmoni . to run the helpline for the area, admitted this week: ‘A serious . incident occurred where … the patient’s condition deteriorated prior to . the GP returning the call within the two-hour timeframe.’ Emergency: By the time an ambulance arrived at the woman's home she was critically ill and died moments later, an initial investigation said (Stock picture) The controversial helpline was launched in April 2013 to replace a previous non-emergency service and enable people to contact a doctor without the need to going to overcrowded A&E units. Staff shortages have made the NHS 111 helpline unsafe at weekends, say its own managers. Some call centres have no nurses at all overnight, leaving unqualified workers to make snap decisions about the critically ill. An undercover investigation also found patients can wait hours to speak to a nurse. Dr . David Lee of Harmoni said: ‘Early findings suggest that this was a . complex case assessed through NHS 111, including input from a clinician, . and that there was unexpected and rapid deterioration in the patient.’ He also told local paper the Croydon Advertiser: 'We would like to offer our sincerest condolences to the . family for their tragic loss. 'We . notified the CCG of the incident and, as is the case with any . unexpected death, a multi-agency investigation was immediately . launched.' 'Early findings . suggest that this was a complex case assessed through NHS 111, including . input from a clinician, and that there was an unexpected and rapid . deterioration in the patient. 'However, while the investigation remains ongoing and until all the facts are known, we cannot comment further.' Dr . Agnelo Fernandes, assistant clinical chairman of Croydon CCG said: 'We . are taking this matter seriously, and our sympathies are with their . friends and family at what must be a very difficult time. 'A . detailed investigation is already under way to find out what happened . and we will be able to say more once that investigation has been . completed.'", "'Could have died': Beau Marshall's parents are still waiting for a doctor to call them back more than a week after calling the 111 NHS helpline . A girl of ten could have died if her parents had relied on the controversial new NHS 111 helpline, they said last night. Beau Marshall was ill with stomach cramps last Saturday when her worried mother Candice phoned the service that is being piloted in her area. She spoke first to a call-centre worker, then to someone else with some medical training – who assured her a doctor would phone back within two hours to assess the little girl and possibly to arrange a home visit. But more than a week on, the doctor has still not called and if Mrs Marshall had followed NHS advice her daughter could have died. For when Beau's condition worsened, her parents drove to hospital themselves. Within two hours, the youngster was diagnosed with potentially fatal appendicitis and her 'very inflamed' appendix was removed. Last night Beau's parents added their voices to the growing concern over the introduction of the 111 service. Doctors have warned lives could be at risk, saying some of the £16,000-a-year call-centre workers who are manning the phone lines are only partially trained. As well as claims of potentially fatal conditions being missed, there have already been reports of ambulances being sent to people with hiccups. The call-centre staff simply work through computer checklists to ascertain the seriousness of each call. The idea is the new service combines the long-running NHS Direct helpline with local emergency out-of-hours services. But staff have been recruited for as little as £8 per hour to man the phone lines. Job adverts suggest they require no medical experience but should have telesales experience and typing skills. Controversy: Beau's parents added their voices to the concern over the 111 service (library image) The British Medical Association has called for the introduction of the service across most of England to be delayed until problems are resolved. Those taking the calls do not need to be . medically trained at all, and instead work through computer check lists . as callers tell them their symptoms. They may then be referred to speak . on the phone with nurses or doctors if necessary. Already in operation in 22 NHS regions, NHS 111 is due to 'go live' across the North of the Tyne and Tees area tomorrow and in a further 13 areas over the coming month. Beau's father Paul Marshall, who lives with his wife, three daughters and young son in Bournemouth, said: 'When my daughter had stomach pains last Saturday, my wife dialled 111 and they told us a doctor would phone back within two hours. 'They still haven't phoned back yet. We took her to accident and emergency in the end, and within two-and-a-half-hours of Beau being seen by the triage nurse, she was being operated on. 'The 111 service was awful - they didn't know who was doing what. If we had solely gone on what they said, potentially she could have died.' Mrs Marshall, a housewife, said: 'When I . dialled 111 they asked me lots of questions. Because she had banged her . head with a boy in her class, they were more interested her a . non-existent head injury than the pain in her abdomen. Concerns: Doctors have warned lives could be at risk because some staff are only partially-trained . 'She'd been sick as well, and that can . be another sign of a head injury - but of course it is also a sign of . appendicitis. The first guy I spoke to said he was going to be a . clinician to phone back, and about ten minutes later someone did. 'She tried to get us an out-of-hours . appointment at 9.30pm last Saturday, but couldn't get us one until the . next day, so said “I'm going to get an out of hours doctor to phone you, . and if he thinks it necessary he'll come out and assess her”. That was . eight days ago. A doctor still hasn't called back.' Beau was kept in hospital until Monday, and has made a full recovery. A spokesman for NHS England, the body managing the NHS 111 service's introduction, said: 'This is a very important service for the public and we will make sure everything is in place to make a safe, high quality service that patients and the public can trust. 'Many sites are already up and running, but in areas where NHS 111 is not yet available we will make a thorough assessment of readiness before new sites are introduced. 'The public can be assured the areas that already have NHS 111 will continue this service. In those areas where NHS 111 is not yet in place they can ring NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. All GP surgeries also have messages advising what to do.'", "By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 15:59 EST, 3 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:02 EST, 3 May 2013 . The new NHS 111 system faces meltdown this weekend, doctors fear. The warning came as it emerged that at least three patients may have died because of failings in the helpline. As well as the deaths, a further 19 cases involving poor care are being investigated – even though 111 has been running for only a few weeks. The figures emerged as A&E departments braced themselves for a surge of patients over the bank holiday weekend as a result of flaws in 111. A&E departments are braced for a surge of patients over the bank holiday as a result of flaws with 111 . Hospitals have already been inundated with patients with non-urgent conditions sent by unqualified call centre staff manning the new line. This weekend is the first bank holiday since the helpline was launched last month and there are concerns it will not be able to cope with the extra demand brought about by GP surgeries being closed for three days. Many hospitals have drafted in extra doctors and nurses to deal with a surge in admissions expected this weekend and back-up plans are in place to set up temporary wards. The 111 system has replaced NHS Direct and local GP out-of-hours numbers. But the lines are manned by call centre staff with no medical training using a computer system which is liable to crash. Some critically-ill patients have waited 11 hours to be called back by a nurse and the British Medical Association has warned that lives are being put at risk. Figures obtained by Pulse magazine confirmed that at least three patients are feared to have died due to failings in the helpline. But the true number is likely to be higher because many organisations contracted to run 111 refused to provide data. One 83-year-old patient died in the East Midlands after their friend called 111 and said they had collapsed with severe abdominal pain. It is feared that the call centre employee failed to summon an ambulance quickly enough and when paramedics eventually arrived the patient was dead. At least three people have died as a result of flaws in the system, while the real figures are thought to be higher . Another patient died in the West Midlands after they dialled 111 and were told to go to their nearest GP clinic. NHS Direct, which runs the helpline in that area, would not provide details but said it was being investigated along with six other non-fatal incidents. A third death involving a suspected overdose is being looked at in the East Midlands. The family called 111 and requested mental health assistance but the patient was found dead at their house. A total of 22 ‘serious untoward incidents’ – including the three deaths – are being investigated although the true number is likely to be higher as most organisations refused to provide figures. Dr Peter Holden, a senior GP at the British Medical Association said: ‘We don’t know how serious these incidents have been. More to the point, we don’t know how many calls have been abandoned. East Kent NHS Trust said extra doctors and nurses would be working this weekend at all three of its A&E units – at William Harvey in Ashford, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate and Kent & Canterbury Hospital. Managers have drawn up contingency . plans in case there is a surge of patients. These include providing . extra beds and temporary wards. Norfolk and Norwich Hospital and Leeds Teaching Hospitals have hired extra nurses. Dr Taj Hassaan, vice president of the College of Emergency Medicine, who works at Leeds said: ‘We’re worried that this is the first bank holiday following the launch of 111. At a time where 111 in parts of the country is fragile, we need to plan as well as we can.’ The concerns come as the Government is considering making GPs take back responsibility for out-of-hours treatment. A controversial contract negotiated under Labour in 2004 enabled them to opt-out of working evenings and weekends even though their salaries soared. NHS England, the new body running the health service which earlier this week announced an urgent review of the 111 helpline, said fines would be handed out to organisations responsible for ‘seriously poor performance’. Dr Peter Carter, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing said: ‘It has collapsed. What’s happening is that because people are not able to get through they are giving up and self-referring to A&E. ‘Waits of between 12 and 24 hours [in A&E] are now commonplace.’", "(CNN) -- Veteran Spanish full-back Michel Salgado has joined English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers on a two-year deal. Salgado won two Champions League and four Primera Liga titles during his 10 years at Real Madrid. Salgado, who has been capped 53 times by his country, had his Real Madrid contract cancelled by mutual consent earlier this month. During his time at the Bernabeu, the 33-year-old helped the club to two Champions League triumphs and four Primera Liga titles. Blackburn are now waiting for international clearance before Salgado can make his debut. He is heading back to Madrid next week to say goodbye at a match arranged in his honor against Rosenborg on Monday. Salgado said he is relishing the challenge that lies ahead after revealing he almost moved to England five years ago. Talking to the official Blackburn Web site, Salgado said: \"I had a chance to come to Chelsea but I was lucky too because my team was Real Madrid. \"I love the club, I was there 10 years -- it is a lifetime. I am proud of playing for them for so long. \"Now I want to enjoy the next two years, playing in the Premier League. It is one of the best in the world, with fantastic games and a fantastic atmosphere,\" he added. \"This will be a good experience for me, my wife and children. I have joined an historic club.\"", "By . Deni Kirkova . A morbidly obese mother-of-four shed an incredible 25 stone through dedicated diet and exercise. Jennifer Bodek, 49, from Thurso in the Highlands, beat her crippling food addiction, ditched her mobility scooter, and ran the 5k Race for Life to celebrate. Now a keen runner, Jennifer couldn’t buy clothes from plus-size store Evans because they only went up to a size 34 - and she needed an estimated sized 48. Jennifer Bodek was forced to get around on a mobility scooter has shed 25 stone (l) competing in Race for Life . She hopes to inspire other people so that they too can lose weight without having to resort to surgery . She used to get . through 24 bags of crisps a day, eat two McDonalds meals at a time and . then a third for the journey home. Her waistline was so wide at seven feet that she stitched her own home-made swimming costume because she couldn't find one to fit. Then she was admitted to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, with double pneumonia and respiratory failure. Three doctors brought her back to life twice after her heart failed, and it took ten nurses to roll her over because she was so heavy. She . spent seven days in intensive care and a total of 21 days on the ward . and had to be revived twice after suffering heart failure. During that time she saw an image of her children standing around her grave, weeping. It was a turning point in her life. Jennifer Bodek was forced to get around on a mobility scooter . After her ordeal she vowed to slim down in 2010 and has since lost a staggering 25 stone in three years and three months. Jennifer, who is currently unemployed, weighed 39 stone and was told . she would die if she did not diet. She now weighs 14 stone and wears a . size 18. She is hoping to get down to 12. Before she lost weight Jeniffer could barely get out of her mobility scooter or turn the steering wheel in her car because her stomach was in . the way. Now she runs miles at a time on a regular basis and . volunteers as a British Divers Marine Medic rescuing seals, dolphins . and whales. 'Going from a mobility scooter to a 5k Race for Life run in Inverness is quite an amazing journey,' she said this week. She completed the run in aid of cancer research in 46 minutes in memory of her mother, father and sister. Jennifer, . who admitted she had a lapse in her diet last year and put on five . stone, managed to get back on track and lost 9st 3lbs in . 33 weeks. She controls her weight by eating sensibly, walking, going . to the gym and running regularly. 'I am going to keep this up. It has got to the . point now where it is a way of living and I feel I am no longer . captured in my own body,' she said. 'I decided I didn’t want to be fat and 50. I was as big as a whale, and now I’m rescuing them.' Jennifer lost the weight through sheer determination. She'd tried diets before, but says she succeeded with meal replacement diet All About Weight, who temporarily put you on shakes, soups and bars instead of usual hearty meals. She now has porridge for breakfast, and a . chocolate milkshake for lunch. For her dinner she’ll choose from . cottage pie, spaghetti bolognese, curried noodles or soup, with a . milkshake for supper. She lost 22lbs in her first week, and 9st 3lbs in her first 33 weeks. Jennifer used to gorge on a typical breakfast of four slices of bread covered . with fatty bacon with four sausages, smothered in tomato ketchup. She would then get through 10 to 15 family-sized chocolate bars, half a gateau with cream . and piles of chips and several McDonald's meals for dinner. She says she was getting through around 5,000 calories a day. Breakfast - 4 slices of bread with bacon, 4 sausages, lots tomato ketchup . Lunch - 10-15 family-sized chocolate bars, half a gateau with cream and piles of chips . Dinner - 2x McDonald's meals, and a third for the journey home . Snacks -  24 bags of crisps . Breakfast - Porridge . Lunch - A diet chocolate milkshake . Dinner - Either cottage pie, spaghetti bolognese, curried noodles or soup . Snack - A diet chocolate milkshake . 'The . problem with food as an addiction is that there’s always some of it in . house. That makes it even harder to beat than cigarettes or alcohol,' she says. Jennifer . started piling on the pounds when she was 15. Her brother Terry Ellis, . 19, died in a farming accident when he was gassed by silage in 1980 and she turned to food for comfort in her grief. In 1983 her mother June Jones, 46, died of cancer, and that made matters worse. More . recently in 2,000 her sister Debbie Jones, died, aged 42, of cancer, and . a fortnight ago her dad Peter Ellis, 67, also died of cancer. She is . now on a mission to lose weight and recently started up her website and runs a Facebook site . called Diet or Die. It has more than 800 followers from various parts of the world including the UK, Australia, America and China. She hopes to help other people with similar problems and to make a documentary to tell her story. A . promotional teaser has been created to try and attract funding for the . project. She beat an addiction to food that saw eat 24 bags of crisps and three McDonalds meals each day . Jennifer started piling on the pounds when she was 15 but has now slimmed to a size 18 . Jennifer wrote to the prime minister this week in a bid to get some . backing for both ventures. She said she hopes to inspire other people so that they too can lose weight without having to resort to surgery, and included a link to her website and . a copy of the teaser for the documentary. She stressed the need to tackle the growing obesity problem and reminded David Cameron that it is expensive to eat healthily. 'A . frozen lasagne costs about £2 but to make one is about £6. Fruit and . vegetables are very expensive but you can buy a 24-pack of crisps for . £1.99,' she stated. For the promotional teaser she was asked to go into a supermarket . and buy a 24-pack of crisps, and while she found it a daunting experience she managed to resist. She now weighs 14 stone and wears a size 18. She is hoping to get down to 12 . 'I . have not done that for over two years and doing it again was like . asking an alcoholic to go in to get a bottle of vodka. It was quite an . achievement.' Jennifer is hoping to raise £5,000, . including about £1,500 to get the documentary under way. She also plans . to contact the Scottish Government. She is delighted with the . response her website has received and already has helped a number of . people who are struggling with their weight. The money she gets for that will be used for the helpline and the documentary. Jennifer and 12 other obese people will be raising . money by posing naked for a calendar, and are hoping to record a song to . generate funds. Proud Jennifer completes the 5k Race for Life. She is hoping to raise £1,500 to get the documentary under way .", "(CNN) -- Juan Salgado was 16 when he started cutting sugarcane, in a town near the Pacific coast of Nicaragua in 1966. His symptoms began about 35 years later: Fever. Headaches. Poor appetite. Feelings of faintness. For no obvious reason, his kidneys were severely damaged, to the point that doctors said he couldn't do agricultural work anymore. Many of his friends had it worse. \"I know, many, many workers who were colleagues of mine, who have already died, and I know also many who are not capable of working anymore because of the disease,\" said Salgado, now 65, who worked near the town of Chichigalpa, Nicaragua. The disease is known by scientists as \"chronic kidney disease of unknown origin,\" or CKDu. In rural communities in Nicaragua, it's \"creatinina,\" the Spanish word for creatinine, a biomarker of kidney strength. At least 20,000 people have died prematurely from this mysterious disease in Central America in the last two decades, according to one estimate, but the real scope of the problem is unknown. The illness is not related to diabetes or hypertension -- drivers of kidney disease in the United States -- and affects primarily young men. The disease is concentrated on the Pacific Coast in male agricultural workers, especially those cutting sugarcane. El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica seem to be hotbeds of the illness. Scientists believe that a multitude of factors could be contributing to the disease, but that there's likely at least one factor that is job-related. Making matters tricky, the sugarcane industry has been a provider of funding for major studies on the illness, raising concerns that companies could be influencing the results. In Salgado's opinion, the Nicaraguan sugarcane industry players \"know well the cause of this disease.\" Jason Glaser, a documentary filmmaker and community advocate, is not as sure. It is not yet clear to scientists and industry leaders what is causing this increased incidence of kidney disease. La Isla Foundation, which Salgado co-founded with Glaser in 2008, is dedicated to improving the well-being of sugarcane workers with the disease and promoting prevention, and is collaborating with researchers to better understand what's causing this enigmatic illness. The organization is convening a meeting in July with CDC representatives, and researchers from various institutions to explore possibilities for more research. \"This is a complex problem,\" said Dr. Reina Turcios-Ruiz, resident adviser at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Central America Regional Office in Guatemala. \"It's going to take some time to find an answer, but I think it's important that we stick to it.\" \"None of the scientific investigations that have been made have established a link of causality between the sugar activity in Central America, and therefore our company, and CKD,\" Ariel Granera Sacasa, spokesperson for Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited, said in an e-mail. Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited is the company that owns Ingenio San Antonio, where Salgado worked for decades. What is CKDu? In the United States, a typical patient dies of chronic kidney disease their 70s or 80s, said Daniel Brooks of Boston University School of Public Health. But in Central America, men often get it in their 20s or 30s, and die by their 40s or 50s. There are no early-stage signs. When patients experience symptoms such as fatigue, pain and high blood pressure, \"a lot of the kidney function is already gone,\" said Brooks, who has been studying the illness. \"In order to be able to help people, they (screenings) need to be done on people who are asymptomatic,\" he said. Stage 3 is considered chronic kidney disease, Brooks said. Stage 5 is \"end-stage\" -- where the only way to stay alive is to be on dialysis or get a transplant. Different people progress at different speeds. Kidney dialysis and transplant -- both expensive undertakings -- are not accessible to many people in Salgado's region of Nicaragua. \"The people who are mainly affected are poor workers, typically in agricultural situations,\" Brooks said. \"There's really not much availability of the treatment options. \"Most people just live 'til they die.\" Out in the fields . Why Pacific regions of Central America are especially affected is a mystery. So is the specific connection to sugarcane cutting. \"Some studies have indicated that greater than 20% of men may have it in the areas where people are employed in sugarcane,\" Brooks said, although there are also high rates of the disease reported in miners and stevedores. To some familiar with the disease, it seems clear that something about sugarcane working conditions is relevant. \"This epidemic is an occupational disease with possibly one or more yet unknown environmental components interacting with occupational dehydration,\" said Catharina Wesseling, researcher at the Universidad Nacional in Heredia, Costa Rica, and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, who has studied the disease. \"The unknown factor(s) may be a pesticide, arsenic, an infectious agent, use of nephrotoxic drugs, or other environmental pollutants. But there is no room for much doubt that chronic dehydration is one major factor.\" Wesseling was co-author on a 2012 study measuring markers of kidney function, including creatinine, in 256 men and 408 women in five communities in El Salvador. They found a correlation between markers of decreased kidney function and people who performed labor on lowland sugarcane and cotton plantations. Men had a higher prevalence, but women may still be at risk, the study authors said. In a hot climate, performing physically intense labor, agricultural workers are probably facing dehydration, Turcios-Ruiz said. What's more, it's common for the workers to drink sugary soft drinks as they toil, which some mice studies suggest could be an exacerbating factor in kidney failure. \"Acute dehydration has been linked to acute kidney injury. But there has not been evidence that repeated dehydration is related to chronic kidney injury,\" Turcios-Ruiz said. There could be a genetic explanation, researchers said. It's possible that genetics could interact with environmental risk factors, such as those encountered in agricultural work, Wesseling said. One of Brooks' next studies will look at genetic susceptibility or predispositions that could affect the likelihood of developing CKDu. Another study will test children and adolescents for kidney damage before adulthood. Funding controversies . It is troubling that the sugarcane industry is financing research into the causes of CKDu, Wesseling said, because companies have been very resistant to the idea that working conditions could be related. So far, Wesseling's research has not incorporated industry funding. She has partnered with La Isla Foundation to study the disease further. She and colleagues are looking to do a study that will test different hydration and rest-time protocols. You can't do an intervention without the cooperation of the sugarcane companies, she said. \"But you need independent sources to be able to keep your independence.\" Upcoming research by Brooks and colleagues will be partially funded by the sugarcane industry, with the money channeled through the CDC Foundation, a nonprofit established by Congress to connect the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to other groups and individuals, Brooks said. \"The donors have no involvement in the research beyond providing funding. The CDC Foundation is administering the grants,\" according to the CDC Foundation. There are conflict of interest policies to maintain independence from the funding source, Brooks said. Also, an external advisory board will be established to review the studies. \"CDC is providing technical assistance to Boston University on investigations into chronic kidney disease. Some of these investigations are funded through the CDC Foundation, others are not,\" Turcios-Ruiz said. Brooks' previous studies also received industry funding -- specifically, from Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited and a professional group to which it belongs, the Comite Nacional de Productores de Azucar. La Isla Foundation would like to work with sugarcane companies on improving working conditions, provided they acknowledge that working conditions could be contributing to the illness, \"and need improvement independent of that,\" Glaser said. What can be done? The rise of CKDu in Central America, on top of conventional cases of kidney disease, is \"overwhelming local health care systems to the point of collapse,\" Wesseling and colleagues wrote in 2013 in the American Journal of Public Health. The disease is incredibly expensive, and will break the bank of any ministry of health, said Turcios-Ruiz. Nicaragua Sugar Estates Ltd. has followed recommendations from Boston University to update its protocols on hydration, rest and shade, Granera Sacasa said, and health and security personnel on the fields has doubled to implement these policies. The company is developing a program that \"includes adequate hydration, balanced diet and pauses in the work process to avoid overexertion and fatigue.\" Some sugarcane companies have even started screening employees for the kidney disease biomarker before they start work, Brooks said. La Isla Foundation is working on evaluating treatment programs and helping improve the quality of health care for people with the disease. Nicaragua's health system is \"overwhelmed and underfunded,\" said Dorien Faber, public health project coordinator for La Isla Foundation. In El Salvador, Faber and Glaser are looking at how adequate care can be delivered to patients with low resources. \"There are two to three funerals a day when people drop off during the dry season,\" said Glaser. \"It's just a burden for the people. We want to do something that has nothing to do with politics.\" Nowhere else to work . Salgado is lucky compared to many with CKDu. He has never been on dialysis or needed a kidney transplant. He still has occasional fluctuations in blood pressure, but a low-fat diet and less physical exertion away from the sugarcane fields, have prevented severe kidney failure, according to his colleagues. Salgado said he receives social security of about $150 a month because he had been working for so long, but did not receive any compensation from his company, he said. Three of his sons -- ages 26, 29, 33 -- work in sugarcane. Two operate machines, one is a cutter. His daughter's husband, who is like a son to him, works in irrigation. \"There is nowhere else to work,\" he said. \"The whole agricultural area is sugarcane.\" With few jobs in the area, Salgado's sons have little choice, but he fears for their health. \"I'm afraid because I've seen so many young people who are already in advanced stages,\" he said. \"I know many young people of almost the age of my children, who have already left Ingenio San Antonio and can no longer work, and who have an advanced illness, and who are truly already candidates for dying.\"", "The two Indian sisters who were filmed hitting two men with a belt after allegedly being sexually harassed today revealed that they fought back to show that 'girls are not weak'. Pooja, 19, and Aarti Kumar, 22, were verbally abused by three men in their early 20s on a bus in Rohtak, Haryana, last Friday - and have since become internet heroines for their retaliation. The university students, who were on their way home from Rohtak Government College, turned on their abusers - and beat them up with a belt while fellow passengers watched. Scroll down for video . Hitting back: Sisters Pooja, 19, left, and Aarti, 22, right, were filmed beating up a group of men who were verbally and physically abusing them on a bus in Rohtak, a district in the northern state of Haryana . Today, Pooja told MailOnline: ‘We encounter these kinds of incidents on a daily basis. It was only when the boys started misbehaving with a pregnant woman that we resorted to this. ‘We really thought to these guys a lesson and beat them up. We wanted to show that we girls are not weak and capable to defending ourselves. We really wanted to kick them. ‘After they got beaten they ran away, otherwise they would have continued to harass us. I am not regretting it. I did the right thing.’ The three men, from Asan village in Rohtak, had initially attempted to flirt with the sisters by giving out his phone number on a piece of paper, but things turned sinister when they refused him. A video of the bus attack has gone viral on social media in India, and has since seen the men arrested . When Aarti told the men to stop and not touch her, one of the men pushed her and grabbed her by the throat. Coming to her sister's defence, Pooja removed her belt and began hitting, kicking and punching the man holding her sister until he let go. Pooja said: ‘You see we have been tolerating these kind of things for long enough, but how long can we tolerate this? ‘Our patience was over when we saw a fellow lady passenger who was pregnant being abused and bullied by these hooligans than we decided to act and teach them a lesson.’ The incident took place on a bus on Friday, when the Kumar sisters were on their way home from Rohtak Government College, and was filmed by one of the passengers . ‘Women get harassed and abused everywhere in India and men haven’t learnt any lessons even after so many incidents. Every man has a mother and sister, but they still indulge in these things.’ Most of the passengers did nothing to help the girls, and neither driver not the bus conductor stepped in. The film of the incident, which has been circulating on social media, shows one man attempting to separate the girls from the three men. The victims even dialled the number of a women's helpline, but got no response. The Kumar sisters say they were 'thrown off the bus' by their abusers, who followed them and continued to harass them. One of the men grabbed 22-year-old Aarti, left, by the neck so Pooja, right, removed her belt and defended her . Pooja told local media that they finally fought off the trio by throwing a brick at them, after which they fled the scene. After reaching home, the sisters narrated the incident to their parents and subsequently a case was registered at the Rohtak Sadar police station. The three men, said to be soldiers-in-training, have been arrested over the attack. Today, the bus conductor and driver were both suspended for allegedly not informing the police about the incident. Haryana Women's Commission vice-chairperson Suman Dahiya said: 'I will personally visit the place where the incident took place.' A women-only taxi business in India's capital New Delhi, may have to close after its main customer, a government-run women's advice helpline, have failed to pay them for six months. The Sakha Cabs project was set up in the Indian capital New Delhi in 2010 with just two drivers offering to carry only female passengers who were nervous about travelling with male cab drivers. But the project expanded rapidly when they got a contract to transport female employees from a government run helpline called 'Women in Distress'. At risk: The Sakha Cabs project was set up in New Delhi in 2010 to carry only female passengers but may now have to close down after drivers have not been paid for six months . However, the cab company say they may have to close up shop, as the government-run helpline has not paid them. Sakha Cabs director Nayantara Janardhan said: 'The staff operating the helpline offer advice to women with all sorts of problems, and after a day's work they don't want to be driven home by a man. 'They want to be driven home by woman and know that they can relax and enjoy the journey and that they will be delivered safely.' But she said the cash shortfall was causing severe problems, and said many of her female drivers had had to take out loans in order to get by in recent months after the company ran out of money because it was not being paid by the regional government run project in New Delhi. Janardhan added: 'We really feel we are providing a valuable service, but it can't go on operating as a free charity. We have bills to pay too.' Many of the women are dependent on the job to support families. One female driver, called Khushi, is a 23-year-old resident of Gautampuri slum which is near Badarpur, an area in a southern district of New Dehli. She said: 'My father was a labourer and stopped working after I started earning. His health isn't good. My salary helps me put my three younger sisters and a brother through school.'", "A Chicago single mother has revealed what it's really like to live on McDonald's wages, where she makes only $10.50 an hour and can only afford to sleep in a moldy basement. Adriana Alvarez, 22, says that even with assistance from food stamps, Medicaid, and a child care subsidy, she is barely getting by, despite having worked for McDonald's for five years. Alvarez is a leader with Fight For $15, an international movement to raise minimum wage laws and acquire the right to unionize. She said her pay used to be even lower before she and fellow employees of the fast food chain began to protest. Scroll down for video . Single mother Adriana Alvarez, 22, has revealed what it's really like to live on McDonald's wages, where she makes only $10.50 an hour and can only afford to sleep in a moldy basement in Chicago . Alvarez (pictured with her three-year-old son Manny) says that even with assistance from food stamps, Medicaid, and a child care subsidy, she is barely getting by, despite having word for McDonald's for five years . The mother revealed in a column for Refinery29 that the first thing she would do with an increased wage would be to find a 'decent place to live' with good schools for her three-year-old son Manny. 'When it rains, water steeps into the apartment,' Alvarez writes of her basement home, the only place she said she can afford. 'This wetness brings mold, and I can't get rid of the smell. We can’t even leave anything on the floor... toys or anything else on the floor may get ruined when the water comes in.' Alvarez said that, after paying for 'child care, transportation to work, food, rent, and our other basic expenses,' she can never afford to give anything else to her son. 'Every time I think about taking Manny somewhere fun, like to a movie, I have to think about whether we can really afford the gas,' she writes. The mother said even providing the specific milk her son, who drinks 'a half-gallon every two days', requires because of his lactose intolerance can be a struggle. Since it's a more expensive brand, it uses up most of the $80 Alvarez is allotted in food stamps, she told the New York Times. Alvarez said her situation is not unique. She said that most of her co-workers are 'in the same boat', forced to rely on government assistance 'no matter how long they've held their jobs'. According to one study cited in Business Insider, half of the nation's fast food workers require some kind of government assistance, costing taxpayers $7billion a year. Alvarez is a leader with Fight For $15, an international movement to raise minimum wage laws and acquire the right to unionize. She said her pay used to be even lower before she and fellow employees began protesting . Last year more than 100 McDonald's employees, including Alvarez, who were part of Fight For $15 were arrested after they protested a McDonald's shareholder meeting to demand the $15 an hour wage . And $1.2billion of that public assistance goes to employees of McDonald's annually, reported a study released by the National Employment Law Project. Just weeks ago, McDonald's announced that it would be giving a $1 pay raise for about 90,000 employees, effectively making their wage $10 an hour. But the raise only applies to employees who work in restaurants owned by the corporation. Restaurants operated by independent franchise workers were ineligible for the wage bump, which Alvarez said disqualifies nine out of 10 McDonald's employees. And, even for those who do get an increased wage, Alvarez argues that the number would 'hardly going to lift any working family out of poverty'. And higher wages aren't all Alvarez and her co-workers are fighting for. She said Fight For $15 is also protesting for the ability to form a union 'without interference from management'. A group of protesters in New York stage a die-in as part of a day of rallies and protests by fast-food workers known as 'Fight for $15 on April 15' Fight For $15 (pictured protesting on Wednesday) started two years ago in New York, when hundreds of fast food workers went on strike the day after Thanksgiving . Alvarez writes that she needs a union to help negotiate sick days, which she said she is currently not provided with, costing her a day's worth of wages when she has to stay home if her son is ill. Fight For $15 started two years ago in New York City, when hundreds of fast food workers went on strike the day after Thanksgiving. The movement staged rallies across the country yesterday in honor of 'Fight for $15 on April 15'. Last year more than 100 McDonald's employees, including Alvarez, who were part of Fight For $15 were arrested after they protested a McDonald's shareholder meeting to demand a wage raise. There has been some change. Seattle and San Francisco have raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and a ballot campaign began in Washington, D.C. this week to initiate the same change. But Alvarez hope she will get to see change in her own life soon. 'It doesn't seem right that people who work with children or who serve food aren't paid enough to support their own kids or put food on their own table,' she writes. 'We want our families to be able to look forward to a better future.' There has been some change. Seattle and San Francisco have raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and a ballot campaign began in Washington, D.C. this week to initiate the same change .", "By . Mario Ledwith . PUBLISHED: . 13:12 EST, 12 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:49 EST, 12 March 2013 . A grandfather drowned as he battled to save his five-year-old granddaughter after she was swept out to sea by a freak wave, an inquest heard today. Lara Lewis was collecting seashells when she ran towards the water and the huge wave dragged her into rough waters on a Portuguese beach. Her grandfather Brian O'Dwyer, 66, and his wife Jill tried to save their granddaughter but Mr O'Dwyer drowned. Bravery: Brian O'Dwyer, 66, died while trying to save his five-year-old granddaughter Lara Lewis when she was swept out to sea at Praia do Salgados beach, in western Portugal . Risk: An inquest heard that Lara unexpectedly ran towards the water on the beach where red warning flags had been flying . Mrs O'Dwyer, who was forced back by the huge waves, could only watch on with her four-year-old grandson as the tragedy unfolded. In a statement to North London Coroner's Court, Mrs O'Dwyer described the incident as she frantically waved for help before fainting. Mrs O'Dwyer, who lived in Portugal with her husband, said: 'At a certain stage, my granddaughter ran towards the water. The sea was rough and my granddaughter was taken by the water.' Sudden: An inquest at North London Coroner's Court heard that Lara, pictured with her mother Sian, 36, suddenly ran towards the water on the beach where red warning flags were flying . The pair had been walking with their grandchildren on Praia do Salgado beach, in western Portugal, while the children's parents, Philip Lewis, 46 and his wife Sian, 36, were sunbathing on a beach nearby. Mrs O'Dwyer added: 'My husband attempted to rescue her but was unable to and as a result got into difficulties himself. 'I tried to enter the water but was forced back by a wave. I looked around for help and waved frantically but I don't remember anything after that as I must have fainted.' Fisherman Antonio Ribelo raised the . alarm after finding Lara's brother wandering along the beach . crying and calling out for his parents. While trying to locate the boy's parents, Mr Ribelo noticed Mrs O'Dwyer where she had collapsed on the shore. Recalling the ordeal on August 21 last year, Mr Ribelo said: 'I noticed a little boy crying for his mother, so I asked him where his mother was. I took the boy towards the south to see if we could see anyone.' After noticing Mrs O'Dwyer lying on the sand he ran towards the scene before noticing a 'body floating in the sea'. He added: 'Then I saw another body, which looked like that of a child, where the waves were breaking.' Mr Ribelo rushed to pull Lara from the sea and a fellow fisherman dragged Mr O'Dwyer on to the sand. Holiday: The children had been holidaying in Portugal with their parents who were sunbathing elsewhere at Salgado beach when the tragedy unfolded . Accident: Coroner Andrew Walker recorded that both Mr O'Dwyer and Lara died as a result of an accident . He said Mr O'Dwyer, who was described in court as a a chief executive for agriculture, showed no signs of life and he focused his revival efforts on the girl until paramedics arrived. The inquest heard red flags had been flying on the beach on the day of the incident. The O'Dwyers and their grandchildren were around 400 metres outside the cordoned off safe swimming area when Lara ran towards the sea unexpectedly. 'We found the bodies on the beach which had been retrieved from the sea with no signs of life', said Portuguese investigator Manuel Jorge Mesquita da Fonseca. 'Even those resuscitating using advanced life support techniques for 45 minutes got no response.' Mrs O'Dwyer, who was treated for shock, initially believed her grandson had also been swept into the sea when she collapsed and fainted. Mr Lewis, a professor at University College London, and his wife who were holidaying on the Portuguese coast with the O'Dwyer's, had to identify the bodies. Lara, who turned five a month before her death, had recently started at Rushmore Primary School, near the family's home in Clapton, east London. Coroner Andrew Walker recorded that both Mr O'Dwyer and Lara died as a result of an accident. 'A short time after 13.30 hours, Brian Gillespie O'Dwyer went into the sea to rescue his granddaughter who had run into the sea, where he drowned', he said. 'Lara Lewis was drowned having run into the sea, and I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that she died as a result of an accident.' He added: 'Members of the family know about the inquest but have set out that they didn't wish to attend.'", "By . Martin Beckford . A taxpayer-funded hotline to help the unemployed get back to work is unstaffed for hours every day – because its own advisers have been made redundant. Bosses at the National Careers Service reduced the hours that remaining staff were available  by more than a quarter after job cuts – but still advertised the helpline as open for longer. Then other staff were told to lie to callers about why they couldn’t get through to an expert – claiming ‘all our advisers are busy’ when in fact there was nobody there. No one's here: The helpline's website claims advisers are on hand to take calls from 8am until 10pm (file picture) The helpline’s website claims advisers are on hand to take calls from 8am until 10pm, seven days a week. But The Mail on Sunday has discovered that staff are there to field queries only from 9am to 8pm on weekdays and 10am to 6pm on weekends – a total of 71 hours a week instead of 98. Last night the company that runs the helpline, Broadcasting Support Services (BSS), which is paid by Government quango the Skills Funding Agency, was facing serious questions following this newspaper’s revelations. BSS could face a financial penalty for breaching its contract over the performance of the service, for which it was paid £8.6 million in public money last year and £10.4 million the year before. A spokesman for Vince Cable’s Department for Business said: ‘We are very concerned about these allegations and have instructed the Skills Funding Agency to urgently investigate. ‘If there is evidence of wrongdoing, swift action will be taken.’ Accusation: A spokesman for Vince Cable's Department for Business expressed concern about the allegations . Staff at BSS feel they are ‘part of a deception’ leaving taxpayers’ money mis-spent. One insider said: . ‘I think the public would be angry and shocked by this. Not only is it a deception, it’s misusing public funds.’ Callers to the free phone line first speak to a ‘frontline adviser’. The call is then transferred to a qualified careers adviser for an in-depth talk. During normal office hours, there could be up to a dozen available. But a year ago, ten of these advisers, who were paid about £28,000 a year, took voluntary redundancy in an apparent money-saving plan. BSS bosses then dramatically reduced the hours that the remaining advisers worked – and insisted that no one let callers or Government officials find out. An internal email from operations co-ordinator Jonathan Morris said: ‘From Monday June 3 [2013] we will be reducing the careers adviser operating hours.’ A separate message from manager Ian Howard explained: ‘This will obviously mean there are occasions when there are no  CAs [careers advisers] available. Can I ask that you please don’t make any changes to what you say to customers. ‘The official line is still, “There are no CAs available at the moment.” Please don’t give out  the new CA opening times.’ The Skills Funding Agency – which can listen in to calls and visit BSS offices – has also been kept in the dark about the cuts. A BSS spokesman said: ‘The senior management team at BSS are conducting a full investigation.’", "(CNN) -- Nine U.N. peacekeepers were killed in an ambush Friday in Mali, a U.N. spokesman said. Their convoy was attacked near Menaka, in the country's eastern Gao region, by heavily armed men on motorcycles, said Olivier Salgado, a spokesman for the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Mali. The nine dead were from Niger. The United Nations does not know who is responsible, Salgado said. The attack was the deadliest yet of several against the forces in the country, the U.N. mission said on its Facebook page. Air assets were immediately deployed with the aim of making the area safe and helping the peacekeepers, the statement said. Arnauld Akodjenou, deputy special representative of the secretary-general in the U.N. mission, called for an end to violence. He said he was horrified by \"this cowardly and hateful act of terrorism\" and the loss of more lives in pursuit of peace in Mali, adding that these crimes must not go unpunished. In a statement, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said such attacks constitute a violation of international law, and called on armed groups operating in the area of promises they have made to cooperate with the United Nations. The latest attack comes a little more than two weeks after five U.N. peacekeepers from Chad were killed and three others injured when a U.N. vehicle struck a homemade bomb in northern Mali. The September 18 attack took place on a road between Aguelhok and Tessalit, the U.N. mission said. Other attacks have also killed or injured U.N. peacekeepers in the Kidal region. The U.N. mission is there to guard against militant Islamists who in early 2013 threatened to move on the West African nation's capital, Bamako. More than 8,000 military personnel and nearly 1,000 police were deployed under the peacekeeping mission as of the end of August. It was set up in April 2013 following a U.N. Security Council resolution. CNN's Pierre Meilhan contributed to this report.", "Steven Nzonzi has just been reminded of his role in a TV advert for Venky’s chicken. It was the summer of 2011 and Blackburn’s players were filmed eating platefuls of the stuff in the dressing-room at Ewood Park to promote the club’s new Indian owners. The final scene features captain Ryan Nelsen licking his fingers as he leads his team down the tunnel, as if this was a perfectly normal pre-match routine. Mention of that last bit brings a burst of laughter from Nzonzi, his Gallic calm giving way to a fit of the giggles. Steven Nzonzi has started every Premier League game for Stoke City this season . The midfielder joined the Potters from Blackburn in 2012 following relegation to the Championship . ‘When you think about it that’s really weird, especially as we weren’t doing very well on the pitch,’ says the French midfielder. ‘I don’t get what that was all about. But you think, “yeah they’re new owners and they will do something amazing for the club” so you just follow what they say.’ Venky’s had arrived a few months earlier talking up the prospect of Champions League football and of bringing stars like Ronaldinho to Lancashire. Instead, here were their players reduced to the role of Ronald McDonald. Less than a year after that advert was shot, the team that Sam Allardyce built had disintegrated and Blackburn had slipped out of the Premier League under his successor Steve Kean. ‘It was really strange,’ says Nzonzi. ‘I don’t really get what happened, even now. ‘The first season there we finished 10th in the league with Sam Allardyce. The second season wasn’t bad either. After that they changed everything – the owners, the manager, I don’t even know why. So many players left and then it was a completely different club. It fell apart. The former France Under 21 international scores with a header the season Blackburn fell out of the top flight . Nzonzi celebrates after scoring against Manchester United earlier this season . Steven Nzonzi has been an ever-present for Stoke in the Premier League this season. In the last three years Nzonzi has started more league games than any other midfielder. Steven Nzonzi - 94 . Steven Gerrard - 89 . Eden Hazard - 88 . Santi Cazorla - 88 . Sebastian Larsson - 85 . ‘Just look at the players they brought in. Obviously they weren’t David Beckham or Ronaldinho, like they said. What can you do? That’s football. But when players leave the club because they’re not happy it’s not easy. ‘When you see a player like Chris Samba not playing anymore and Michel Salgado just disappear, obviously you know the team will fall apart. ‘I didn’t play the last four games. I got really mad in training and had an argument with the manager (Kean). ‘It’s hard as a player when you see everything change and decisions are made that you don’t expect so I got angry. After that I didn’t play and we were relegated. It was a really hard season.’ Nzonzi left Blackburn after three years and joined Stoke City in a £3.5m deal that summer. He returns to Ewood Park on Saturday for the first time in a competitive fixture in the fifth round of the FA Cup. The Stoke midfielder is beaten to the ball by Joe Hart in the recent defeat by Manchester City . Nzonzi flies into a tackle with Thomas Hitzlsperger during his Blackburn days . The nearest he ever got to playing with Ronaldinho was at Paris Saint-Germain where he admired the Brazil star and Nicolas Anelka from afar as a member of the club’s youth academy. ‘That’s when you realise “why not me?”,’ says N’Zonzi. He was raised in the Paris suburb of Colombes – also the birthplace of Manchester City’s Eliaquim Mangala – and grew up with his two sisters and brother. The 26-year-old’s father is from Congo, his mother ‘100 per cent French’. Nzonzi’s performances for Amiens SC earned the youngster a call-up to the France Under-21 national team which then brought him to the attention of Blackburn. At 6ft 3in tall with a languid style and ability to attack and defend with great effect, comparisons have inevitably been made with Patrick Vieira. His old team Arsenal are not the only club to have cast admiring glances at N’Zonzi. Nzonzi admits he still harbours ambitions of play in the Champions League . Mark Hughes has made the midfielder a pivotal part of his Stoke side in attack and defence . ‘I’m tall, I play the same position and I’m French so obviously you can make the comparison but I’m not sure it’s fair because it will be hard to match what he’s done,’ he says. Nzonzi has started every Premier League game for Stoke this season and is a vital cog in the more expansive system implemented by Mark Hughes, being asked to get forward more often in addition to breaking up opposition attacks. Silk and steel. It involves an incredible workload and at the halfway point of the season he had covered more ground – 134 miles in 19 games – than any other player in the top-flight. Despite the laid-back demeanour, however, there remains an impetuous streak. Stoke’s coaching staff have had to tell Nzonzi to keep his emotions in check on the pitch. Off it, he has surprisingly ended both of his two seasons at the Britannia Stadium by submitting a transfer request. ‘I don’t regret that,’ he says. ‘I had an issue behind the scenes, not about the football side. It wasn’t fixed (the first time) but now it is so I’m happy. Nzonzi, pictured being sent off against Arsenal, has an impetuous streak that he struggles to keep in check . Nzonzi says he controls his temper much better now, but the red mist can still descend . ‘I’m laid-back in life but on the pitch I can get really frustrated and emotional, there’s a big difference. ‘I’m really hard on myself, always have been. I don’t like missing passes. I control it much better now but still sometimes I get frustrated really quickly.’ There is no disguising N’Zonzi’s ambition to play at the highest level. He wants Champions League football and has not abandoned hope of a senior call-up for France having turned down Congo on a couple of occasions. ‘When you’re a kid you want to play in the Premier League and then when you’re here you look at the Champions League and World Cup, everybody wants that,’ he says. ‘That’s what makes you dream and go on every day. Your career goes so quickly. I’m 26 already, I was 21 at Blackburn so, of course, I would love to.’", "By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 05:52 EST, 18 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:24 EST, 18 October 2012 . Vintage: Mort Bank sold a gallon of 1992 McDonald's McJordan sauce on eBay for more than £6,000. If you're dining in upmarket restaurants of the kind owned by superstar chefs like Gordan Ramsay, you expect to pay for the privilege. But one well-heeled shopper with a thing for fast food decided he would rather spend $10,000 - about £6,000 - of his hard-earned cash on an old tub of McDonald's sauce. The condiment - a creation named McJordan sauce after basketball star Michael Jordan - languished on auction site eBay for months. Then seller Mort Bank added a 'Buy it now' price and shopper's mouths started to water. Mort told North Dakota's Bismarck Tribune: 'I had this barbecue sauce on the shelf for 20 years. 'It’s probably edible.' It might not taste as fresh as when it was made though. Mort, who owned five McDonald’s restaurants in Bismarck-Mandan and two in Minot, saved the sauce after selling his restaurants in 1996. 'It was in my basement and I would look at it occasionally,' he said. 'I thought it would be worth something some day.' It was only sold in Chicago and Minneapolis. Jordan famously played for the Chicago Bulls. Mort’s ad on eBay for the sauce read: 'A once in a lifetime chance to own the rarest of rare Michael Jordan and McDonald's collectible!' He thinks it is the only tub of it's kind still about. 'I don’t imagine anybody else has one,' he said. The McJordan was a quarter-pound hamburger with smoked bacon, cheese, McJordan barbecue sauce, onions, mustard and pickles. Bank claimed the sauce also is special because Jordan was the first person to have a McDonald’s sandwich named after him. Hungry to win: The sauce was for the first burger named after anyone - the McJordan. It contained a quarter-pounder, smoked bacon, cheese, McJordan barbecue sauce, onions, mustard and pickles. He tried to sell the sauce by auction for four months before he switched to a fixed 'Buy it Now' price. 'All of a sudden everybody was looking at it,' he said. The buyer is from Chicago. Mort thought he was probably a Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan fan. The Bismarck Tribune said Mort still has 'at least three storage units' full of McDonald’s memorabilia he has been trying to shift on eBay for three years. His daughter, Margaux Braun of Fargo, writes the words and takes the pictures. He sells and ships them. Items have gone to China, Japan, Brazil and around Europe. The McJordan sauce was his most expensive item. 'I'm pretty ecstatic,' he said. 'You never know what is going to be a hot item.' Happy Meal toys are popular. After selling his stores he had a lot left. 'A lot of them are unopened,' he said. 'I saved them instead of throwing them away.' At the moment he is eBaying a McDonald’s edition 'Wayne's World' VHS tape, a Hamburglar flag and a Ronald McDonald alarm clock. 'If I didn't start selling them I'd be sticking the kids with them,' he said. 'I decided I should start lowering the inventory for the kids' sake.'", "Paul Scholes showed that he hasn't lost any of his midfield magic, scoring a wonderful goal in a legends match in Thailand this week. Scholes, who retired in 2013, demonstrated his enduring class with a delightful chip from just outside the box, over the head of Arsenal's 'Invincible' goalkeeper Jens Lehmann. The former England star later bagged a second, arriving in the box to smash past Lehmann in an 8-5 victory for 'Team Cannavaro'. VIDEOS: Scroll down to watch Scholes' cheeky chip, Salgado's daring overhead kick and Seedorf's superb volley . Paul Scholes prepares to chip Jens Lehmann from just outside the box in the legends match . Former Real Madrid and Spain star Michel Salgado scored the goal of the night with a brilliant bicycle kick . Scholes rifles home his second goal as his team, captained by Fabio Cannavaro, won the game 8-5 . Players from both teams pose together after the game, the first of four charity matches in Asia . Scholes was playing alongside legends including Patrick Kluivert, Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler . The Manchester United legend celebrates with former team-mate Dwight Yorke and full back Salgado . However, the United legend was upstaged by former Spain and Real Madrid full back Michel Salgado, who scored the goal of the night. Bombing forward from right back, Salgado arrived un-marked in the box, controlled the ball with his chest, before firing a bicycle kick past Liverpool's hero of Istanbul Jerzy Dudek. Jens Lehmann . Cafu . Ronald De Boer . Gianluca Zambrotta . Alessandro Nesta . Javier Zanetti . Clarence Seedorf . Luis Figo (c) Youri Djorkaeff . Vladimir Smicer . Deco . Karl-Heinz Reidle . Davor Suker . Andriy Shevchenko . Robbie Fowler . Jerzy Dudek . Michel Salgado . Fabio Cannavaro (c) Marco Materazzi . Juliano Belletti . Paul Scholes . Christian Karambeu . Steve McManaman . Hidetoshi Nakata . Patrick Berger . Rai Oliveira . Dwight Yorke . Jari Litmanen . Patrick Kluivert . Michael Owen . The match, hosted in Bangkok, was the first game of the Global Legends Series, which sees top players come together to raise money for charity. The two teams, captained by Italian World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro and Portugal legend Luis Figo, featured some of the greats of the game. Former Arsenal striker, and World Cup golden boot winner, Davor Suker was on the scoresheet . French World Cup winner, and former Bolton Wanderers midfielder, Youri Djorkaeff takes on a shot . All the legends have had glittering careers, many including World Cup wins and Champions League titles . Salgado, Hidetoshi Nakata, Yorke, Fabio Cannavaro, Marco Materazzi and Patrick Berger celebrate a goal . English World Cup final referee Howard Webb took charge of the game, which was watched by 20,000 fans . 1-0 Patrick Berger hits a great strike from the edge of the box, in off the post . 1-1 Davor Suker just about controls and finishes after a Jerzy Dudek error . 1-2 Clarence Seedorf converts an acrobatic volley after lovely team move including Figo backheel . 1-3 Cafu gets in down the right (though well offside) and crosses for Vladimir Smicer to tap in . 2-3 Paul Scholes beats Jens Lehmann with a delightful chip . 3-3 Scholes smashes home from just inside the box . 4-3 Dwight Yorke taps in after a Patrick Kluivert shot is saved . 4-4 Andriy Shevchenko slots through Dudek's legs after beating offside trap . 4-5 Robbie Fowler scores brilliantly from the edge of the box. 5-5 Therdsak Chaiman shows quick feet in the box before finding the far corner . 6-5 Michel Salgado bicycle kick . 7-5 Kluivert calmly finishes a one on one with a lovely chip . 8-5 Therdsak Chaiman scores his second after clever one-two with Rai Oliveira . Players involved had to have won the World Cup, European Championships or Champions League, or have at least 50 caps for their country - although the rules appear to have been relaxed to allow former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler to take part. The list featured Michael Owen, Steve McManaman and Clarence Seedorf, while English referee Howard Webb officiated. There are further games scheduled for Malaysia, China and Japan. Head here to Like our Manchester United Facebook page." ]

[ "This was a difficult book to review. I found it utterly mesmerizing, because our heroine, Olivia, is a complete f-ing monster. And the author makes no secret of this: within the first few pages, she announces that she is the cause of tens of thousands of deaths, immense suffering, and maybe for no good reason. As the author makes very explicit, Olivia harkens back to the heroes of Greek myth -- that is, they were heroes insofar as they were the most murderous and badass dudes around. And such is Olivia. Over the course of the novel, she offers endless contradictory justifications for why she is the way she is -- revenge for her brother, or bringing about a new world, or because they killed her horse -- but in her most lucid moments, she admits that she just bloody loves killing. Thus, if you want a mesmerizing novel about an unrepantant killer, this is your novel.\n\nWhy I want to take a star off: wow this novel is long. And it really drags towards the end, as Olivia becomes more and more -- well, mopey. These are not the best parts.\n\nA note on the setting: this is a post-apocalyptic novel. The nature of the apocalypse is never really specified, and it doesn't much matter. But the setting is utterly fascinating: nobody ages (e.g. Olivia looks like a gorgeous nineteen-year-old for the duration), there are no diseases, there is no lack of food -- and yet, human nature (Olivia's nature) being what it is, war is endemic. Anyways, it's a really fascinating idea: these women, as one of them says, have nothing to do but be beautiful and violent forever. A unique sort of world." ]

[ "Ms Moriarty keeps you glued to the page. The evolution of each character becomes mesmerizing. It is entertaining and thought provoking.", "I love the trilogy with a mesmerizing heroine who does her best to do what's right. You must read them.", "A must have for every aspiring aviator! ..or even kids who are mesmerized by the men and women who serve our country and the giants in the sky!", "I enjoyed the book, but was mainly mesmerized by Caitlin's personality. I love her unique essence, but I'm not ready to invite her to dinner!", "This soundtrack makes the TV shows absolutely wonderful. Hard to imagine the series being as good as it is w/o this soundtrack setting the mood. By itself, the tracks are just as spooky and mesmerizing.", "When I read the first book, \"My Soul to Keep,\" I just thought Ms. Due had already outdone herself and had secured her place with such writers as Stephen King. When I found out a sequel had been written I raced to purchase it and found it to be every bit as mesmerizing, enchanting, awe-inspiring, as My Soul to Keep, if not more so. The Living Blood answers all questions you may have had after reading My Soul to Keep; and brings back all the old characters -- it's a perfect sequel. The characters are more developed, the details clear; let's your imagination run absolutely wild! I loved it, thoroughly enjoyed it and would warn those who fear thoughts of \"immortals,\" to select another book.", "This was an amazing season! American Horror Story: Coven is a brilliant addition to the series. I had a blast watching the characters and was mesmerized by Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates! Delicious to power watch!", "Anyone who grew up in an ethnic working class mileu would love reliving their childhood with Ferrante's help. Well written, like Seinfeld, nothing happens, but the texture mesmerizes the reader.", "Saved our life when our son was born, now I buy these for everyone I know. 0-6 month olds are mesmerized by these.", "The pages to hold the pictures tear immediately!!! Awful awful awful cheap product. Do NOT buy; complete waste of money!!!", "Alaska. This book is as wonderful and beautiful as the State of Alaska. Or perhaps I should write that the State of Alaska is almost as wonderful as KIRSTEN DIXON's book! FRED HIRSCHMANN's photography is as beautiful, as crisp and clear as Alaska's on a sunny day, as soft and mesmerizing as the snows of winter. He photographs with passion, with the experience of a professional photographer and the love of one who cherishes nature and beauty. His vision, coupled with Kirsten Dixon's genius in the kitchen combine to make the best of both worlds: that of the love of creating incredible food and that of creating mesmerizing photographs. I love, love, love this cookbook!", "\"Little Demon in the City of Light: A True Story of Murder and Mesmerism in Belle Epoque Paris\" by Steven Levingston is a mesmerizing, so good you can't make this stuff up book. Written in pitch perfect prose, the book often times reads more like a novel than a true story. This takes place at a time when people were fascinated by hypnosis, seances, Ouija talking boards, and the like. I can totally understand how a murder case involving mesmerism would grip the Nation. I enjoyed the nonchalant descriptions of the murders, gore, and other goings on which really raised the creepy bar to a whole new level.\n\nThe book starts out a little slow but a few chapters in it takes off. This is a story that left me mesmerized and unable to put it down. It gave me a raw glimpse at another side of 19th Century Paris that I hadn't expected to read about. While reading, I kept thinking, next on CBS, \"Paris CSI: 1889.\"\n\nI've seen comparisons of this book to \"The Devil in the White City.\" If you enjoy true crime from the late 1800's I can see the link. While both books are about different types of murders, in totally different parts of the world, with a completely different cast of characters, they are both excellent books.\n\nA very entertaining and thought provoking book.", "I just started it and am almost done with season I but it may be a women's period piece as its not enough encounters between Scotland and the Redcoats for me is my wife is mesmerized by the personal scenes", "Worst Screen protector, just awful, feels weird , just awful. Dont buy look for something better than this, better buys", "This feels awful and looks awful (I bought the orange one). It is easy to install onto the steering wheel, but that is the only positive.", "i wanted the remastered. you sent an old out dated stereo version dated during the dark ages. it sounds awful awful awful. I still want the remastered one but afraid to order it. donot want to pay twice for the same results. money is life life money; james", "The writing is gorgeous. The tales Macfarlan tells of finding and walking (or boating) the old paths and routes in England are mesmerizing. Don't plan to rush through this book. Take your time. Enjoy the walks with him. Savor the trip. You won't regret it.", "I absolutely love this album. I remember my sister playing this when I was a kid. She had it on vinyl and I was mesmerized by Donna Summer's voice. Her falsetto is flawless. In my book, she was and will always be \"The Voice\".", "Loved this book. Read in two days. Mesmerizing! Every American should read this well documented truth told in story form. I loved it so much I wrote an outline and taught the message to a small group of friends. This is important work.", "Awful poor quality shirt, no back print and the design is horribly printed! Slow shipping too!! Awful buying experience BEWARE", "Rarely do I read a book which I can't put down, but Hartman's hilarious expose of contemporary digital culture mesmerizes as a rare combination of the surreal, penetrating, and entertaining. It should be required of every college freshman before they disappear forever into their iPhones.", "I ordered the headboard, media chest , nightstands and corner tv unit. THEY DO NOT MATCH each other in color. Some have yellow tone, some cream...NONE of them white. This is so disappointing.. I saw they were not white, but didn't dream they wouldn't even match EACH OTHER.I would return but I did not realize they were not going to match until already put together... The media stand top does not even match the bottom chest! Awful Awful Awful...", "Not sure if I got the \"oops\" version of these or what, but they don't block much of anything. They claim to block 99.9% of light, but as you can see by the picture, they show the lines from the blinds perfectly. Yep - have these over another set of blinds, and they still don't block light. Awful, awful, awful.", "Bought this book along with 10 Little Monkeys for my two year old grandsons. What a hit! It was their favorite birthday gift. Sturdy book. They were mesmerized with the clicking sound. The farm version tells a cuter story with the variety of farm animals.", "Harsh-made skin look awful. I've never had a problem with a skin care product until this one! It fried my face and left it red, blotchy and awful looking!!", "ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT...A MUST READ!!!\nThis is a requisite read for aspiring and veteran filmmakers alike. John Schwartz pulls back the curtain and exposes his legendary journey to create the most psychologically terrifying films ever shot...A mesmerizing book by the amazing man that changed filmmaking forever.", "It was a different, nice, wonderful story. Lauren Smith did a great, special work. The plot, the enchanting characters, all had me mesmerized. Loved it.\nWhy not be abducted by some rogues like those???? Liked Godric, Lucien Ashton, Charles, Cedric and Jonathan.\nCongratulations", "I heard Elle Luna online on Adobe's stage during a MAX conference. Her presence and the way she spoke was mesmerizing, I so thought of reading her book. Her book is as sweet as her personality. Very simply written with an incredible artistic touch that you just want to stare at the pages and say \"wow\". Loved it!!", "I wouldn't recommend anyone to buy this at all. as soon as I used it, it broke!!! I hate it. its not big enough and besides it breaking it didn't even stick to the tube. this is an awful awful tube lounger and should not even given \"stars\". don't buy it, its a waste of money and time!!!!!!!", "I'm a family therapist that works with Active Duty as well as retired military personnel. The book is mesmerizing and an easy read. The book is well written and grabs the reader. I just bought 3 more copies for some of my military clients. Well Done Dr. McLay and thank you for your continued service.", "This series is a pleasure to watch. The cast is superb. Evans is convincing as an up-and-coming wonder boy detective with an elusive past that seems to haunt him. Roger Allam's, Fred Thursday, is mesmerizing. I stumbled upon this through Amazon Prime and was able to watch for free, but it is worth buying or renting if you aren't a Prime member. I am looking forward to the next season.", "Awful, Awful, awful!!! plastic does not withstand shoe weight, plastic buckles and whole rack falls, 1 pair shoe PER ROW max (will not support 3-4 per row as advertised! multiple cheap pieces to put together, I have had to put back together twice, the plastic side pieces bend and contort so that they do not stand strong to connect to the other pieces. Bought this for temporary solution until closet gets custom racks, now my shoes are in big tubs. Sending back! Should not even get a star rating!" ]

[ "The rule was compliant with Act specified in 5 U.S.C." ]

[ "The rule was out of compliance with 5 U.S.C.", "The rule was widely made known via the notice and comment rulemaking procedures of 5 USC act.", "The final rule was issued using the notice and comment procedures contained at 5 U.S.C.", "The consequence is notice and comments procedures in 5 U.S.C.", "The general notice of proposed rulemaking procedures of the Act, 5 U.S.C. promoted the rule.", "The notice complied with the Paperwork Reduction Act.", "The notice and comment procedures of 5 U.S.C. were followed by the HCFA correctly.", "The notice of rulemaking was published.", "The notice and comment procedures found in 5 U.S.C. outline the protocol for issuing the final rules.", "The Department implemented this rule under the procedures of 5 USC.", "The registration form rule was published as a notice of rulemaking.", "HCFA respectfully followed notice and comment procedures.", "There was a notice regarding the proposed rulemaking.", "The OMB received the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking about public comment.", "There is a notice of rulemaking that was published on the Federal Register.", "The general notice promulgated the rule.", "There was a general notice to make rules.", "The FCC followed 5 U.S.C.'S guidelines when they promoted this rule.", "Authorizing the rulemaking is covered in the Communications Act.", "There is a new notice describing the rulemaking.", "The notice failed to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act.", "There are five rulemaking actions.", "The rule was not enforced through the procedures of 5 U.S.C.", "The analysis was summarized in the notice of proposed rulemaking.", "The information is in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.", "The commission made this rule widely known through the procedures of 5 U.S.C.", "HCFA found that notice and comment procedures were unnecessary.", "There was no notice of proposed rulemaking.", "There is a note in the preamble stating that the rule has been noticed and reviewed.", "The review states they were in compliance.", "HCFA didn't respectfully follow notice and comment procedures.", "The final rule complies with the requirements of the order." ]

[ "The United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposal today that would designate all chimpanzees as an endangered species. Currently, chimps in the wild are classified as endangered but those in captivity are not classified as such. The Washington Post reports that the change could affect chimps that are used in medical research and are used as pets. The Post adds: \"Chimpanzees in the wild were listed as endangered 13 years ago, but those in captivity were listed as threatened, largely to allow the trade and use in medical experiments to continue. It is the agency's only 'split listing' for any endangered or threatened species, said Dan Ashe, the agency's director. \"Ashe said the split listing that allowed the commercial trade and use of chimpanzees in areas such as entertainment confused the general public into thinking that the animals are not threatened, when in reality they are struggling to survive. Human encroachment on their habitat and the hunting of apes for a delicacy called bushmeat has threatened them with extinction.\" In a press release, the Wildlife Service said this decision was prompted by a legal petition it received by the Jane Goodall Institute in 2010, which triggered a review of the listing under the Endangered Species Act. \"This decision gives me hope that we truly have begun to understand that our attitudes toward treatment of our closest living relatives must change. I congratulate the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for this very important decision,\" Goodall said a statement. This proposal comes months after a decision by the National Institutes of Health to retire 110 chimps from biomedical research. Barbara King at the 13.7 blog has a bit more about chimpanzees and their plight at research facilities. Our coverage of the primates is collected here." ]

[ "The National Institutes of Health is retiring all of its research chimpanzees. NIH retired most of its chimps two years ago, but kept 50 on hand in case they were needed for important research, as in the case of a public health emergency. Since 2013, though, only one request has been submitted to do research with the chimpanzees, and even that request was eventually withdrawn. Also during that time, the animals have received endangered species protection from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Now, as soon as space can be found, all of the NIH&#8217;s remaining research chimpanzees will be moved to sanctuaries, to live out the rest of their days. Here & Now&#8217;s Indira Lakshmanan talks with Vicki Croke of WBUR&#8217;s The Wild Life about the NIH&#8217;s decision to end its chimp program, and what that means for the animals and for research. More animal conversations with Vicki Croke Guest Vicki Croke, host of WBUR&#8217;s The Wild Life blog. She tweets @TheWildLifeWBUR.", "After retiring hundreds of research chimpanzees in 2013, the NIH says 50 remaining chimps will no longer be used for medical studies. The 50 chimpanzees were kept in case they were needed in a public health emergency, but now they will be moving into a federal sanctuary as soon as there is room. \"It's time to say we've reached the point in the U.S. where invasive research on chimpanzees is no longer something that makes sense,\" said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, according to The Associated Press. As NPR previously reported, the vast majority of the primates were used in studies related to genetics and behavior. In recent years, the scientific community has begun to feel that even these studies are unnecessary. The AP added that about 300 government-owned chimpanzees had already been sent to live out their days at Chimp Haven, a federally approved sanctuary in Louisiana. When the initial announcement about the chimps' retirement was made two years ago, we reported on what their post-NIH lives would look like: \"The retired chimps will live out their lives in an environment similar to those in the wild. They will be in social groups of at least seven, and live inside enclosures where they can climb and forage for food. But the NIH won't follow a recommendation that each chimp be given 1,000 square feet of living space. Collins says: 'We did not feel that there was adequate scientific evidence at present' to support that requirement. The cost involved with providing so much space was also an issue, he says.\"", "The outcry over the shooting death of Cecil the lion by an American hunter drew attention to the plight of the species. Now, the Obama administration has decided to list lions in Central and West Africa as endangered, which will give them new and more robust protections. Here & Now&#8216;s Robin Young talks with Vicki Croke, host of WBUR&#8217;s The Wild Life blog, about the the new protection. Guest\n\nVicki Croke, host of The Wild Life blog. She tweets @VickiCroke.\n &nbsp;", "The Trump administration has declined to list the Pacific walrus as endangered, a decision that at least one conservation group calls a &#8220;death sentence&#8221; for the species. Here & Now&#8216;s Jeremy Hobson talks with Chad Jay, who leads the walrus research program at the U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center, about how climate change and melting sea ice are affecting Pacific walrus.", "Updated 1:30 p.m.: The National Institutes of Health accepts the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine report on chimpanzee research, NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins said in a statement. \"We will not issue any new awards for research involving chimpanzees until processes for implementing the recommendations are in place,\" he said. Most of the biomedical research currently being done on chimpanzees is unnecessary and the need for chimps in medical studies will soon decline even further, according to a highly-anticipated new report from an independent panel of experts. The report says that the National Institutes of Health should allow experiments on chimps only if a new set of strict criteria are met, and recommends setting up an independent oversight committee that includes members of the public. \"The bottom line is, the necessity of chimpanzees is diminishing. We were able to only identify two areas of biomedical research where there is any continuing necessity, and one of those is actually going away quite rapidly,\" says Jeffrey Kahn of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, who chaired the committee convened by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Continue Reading The committee's study was requested by Congress and the NIH in the wake of a controversial plan to take nearly 200 aging chimps housed in New Mexico and make them again available for medical research. Animal welfare activists argued that these \"retired\" chimps had endured enough and should be left alone. That uproar came just as groups such as the Humane Society of the United States have been pushing to end all invasive research on lab chimps and retire them to sanctuaries. Congress has been considering legislation that would ban research using chimps and other great apes. Many other countries already ban invasive research on these species, which are closely related to humans. The expert committee wasn't asked to look at the ethics of research on chimps. It was only supposed to assess the scientific need. \"But the committee felt very strongly at its first meeting that we couldn't talk about the necessity of chimpanzees without also thinking about the ethics of the use of chimpanzees, and so we did include that in our deliberations,\" says Kahn. The new report says that about 1,000 chimps, ranging in age from less than a year old to more than 41 years old, are currently available for research in the U. S., which is largely conducted at four facilities. The NIH sponsored 110 research projects from 2001 to 2010 that involve chimps, the report says. About half of the projects were hepatitis research —chimps are the only animal other than humans that can be infected with hepatitis C — and others ranged from studies of HIV/AIDS to comparisons of chimps' genes to those of other species. The committee members could not agree and were evenly split on whether chimps are needed to develop a vaccine that can prevent hepatitis C infection, although they did agree that chimps were not currently necessary for research to develop antiviral drugs for the disease. The committee also found that, given the state of the science and the availability of other research models, chimpanzees are currently unnecessary for studies of respiratory syncytial virus, which is the leading cause of hospitalizations for U. S. children less than 1 year old. The panel did say chimp research was justified for a limited number of monoclonal antibody therapies that are in development, but said labs are already adopting new technologies that should eliminate the need for chimps in just a few years. According to the new report, biomedical researchers should not use chimps unless their proposed work meets three criteria: There's no other animal or research model that can be used instead. There's no way to ethically do the research on people. Not doing the research on chimps would mean significantly slowing or preventing advances to treat or prevent life-threatening or debilitating conditions. And chimps should only be used for behavioral research, such as psychology experiments, if there's no other way to obtain insights into things like cognition and mental health. Chimps used in such experiments should be \"acquiescent,\" the report says, and not forced to participate against their will.", "-- Andrea Dukakis of Colorado Public Radio reports on the chimpanzees who were involved in the space program during the late 1950's and 60's and have since been used in other medical research. Thirty-two of the original astrochimps and their offspring remain the responsibility of the Air Force, which has now decided to sell them. The town of Parker, Colorado is raising money to buy the chimps and build them a sanctuary.", "Chimps owned by the National Institutes of Health should be moved from research facilities to retirement sanctuaries unless that relocation is \"extremely likely\" to shorten their lives, a report issued Friday says. \"Chimpanzees should be relocated to the federal sanctuary system unless relocation would place the chimpanzee's life, safety, and welfare at extreme risk,\" says the report from a working group convened by the NIH to examine the safety of transferring chimps to retirement homes. If there's disagreement between a lab and a sanctuary about whether to relocate a chimpanzee, the group recommended that \"independent expert veterinary opinion should be sought to inform the relocation decision.\" The report comes in the wake of a recent controversy about whether moving frail or elderly chimps away from their familiar setting was unduly stressing them and endangering their health. Some animal welfare advocates maintain that Chimp Haven, a refuge of 200 acres in Louisiana, offers the chimps a naturally forested habitat where the animals can enjoy freedom impossible to achieve in a lab. Even though all NIH-owned chimps are housed in social groups with access to the outdoors and climbing structures, advocates say the animals should be moved to sanctuaries. \"We are pleased that the working group report emphasizes relocation for as many chimpanzees as possible and we will be pushing to make sure every chimpanzee is relocated to Chimp Haven,\" says Kathleen Conlee, vice president of animal research issues at the Humane Society of the United States. She notes that \"there are numerous examples of chimpanzees thriving once they are retired to sanctuary.\" But some have argued that old, sick chimps shouldn't be forced to leave their long-term homes and caretakers, and they point to deaths that occurred after chimps were transferred to Chimp Haven as evidence that animals suffered from the change. The NIH has been working to retire its research chimps ever since 2011, when a major study concluded that the use of chimpanzees in biomedical research had become largely unnecessary. As of March 2018, the NIH owns or supports 504 chimpanzees, and 232 already live in the federal sanctuary system. Of the 272 chimps that haven't yet been moved to sanctuary, 177 have chronic health conditions that could potentially increase the risk of health problems related to the stress of relocation, according to the report. The report makes a number of recommendations, including that veterinary records must be shared between the sending and receiving facilities and that both should collaborate \"to jointly expand the technical assistance available to the receiving facility to care for at-risk chimpanzees.\" The working group also concluded that the NIH needs more information in the chimps it owns, saying the agency only had general information. \"The NIH therefore lacks the data necessary to proactively assess the health of individual chimpanzees in its colony, track chimpanzees over time, or conduct its own population or actuarial research,\" the report said. The working group's findings are being presented to the NIH's Council of Councils, an advisory group, which will submit the report along with its own recommendations to the NIH. NIH will then open a 60-day public comment period before the NIH director makes a decision about how to proceed.", "The red-cockaded woodpecker has been on the endangered species list for nearly 50 years. Efforts by conservationists have helped the population of the bird rebound and now the federal government is considering downgrading its endangered status. But as Molly Samuel (@mollyis) of WABE reports, some say that&#8217;s a bad idea. This article was originally published on WBUR.org.", "The International Union for Conservation of Nature has updated its list of extinct and endangered species. Jon Paul Rodriguez, chair of the IUCN&#8217;s Species Survival Commission, explains why some certain species are dying out. This article was originally published on WBUR.org.", "By now, you probably know that the National Institutes of Health last week announced its plans to retire to sanctuaries hundreds of chimpanzees used for research, including invasive biomedical research. The story was big news nationally, including here at NPR, and resulted also in posts by animal advocacy groups such as PETA. (I've also written about our nation's lab chimpanzees before at 13.7, most recently here.) Even without intending any indifference or casual attitude, it can be natural for us to refer to these primates in the aggregate. I just did that, with my \"hundreds of chimpanzees\" in the paragraph above. But these animals are not anonymous lab subjects. Each chimpanzee, those owned by NIH and those available for experimentation elsewhere, is a distinct individual who thinks and feels. Take a look at Lori Gruen's new website \"The Last 1000,\" and read the names. If you can, read them slowly, one by one, and notice the birthdates too. Start with Abby and Abe, and finish with Zoey and Zort. And realize how many of them are still nameless to us. A green-colored name means that that chimpanzee has already gone to sanctuary. Gruen's goal? A very green website. Keep up with Barbara on Twitter: @bjkingape", "NPR's Alex Chadwick talks to renowned primatologist Russ Mittermeier about the International Primatological Society, which met last week in Torino, Italy, to compile a list of the world's 25 most endangered primates.", "The iconic black and white panda, long a symbol of efforts to help endangered species, has been removed from the endangered species list by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The move has drawn criticism from the Chinese government, which believes the panda should remain on the list. Host Jeremy Hobson hears more from Here & Now’s animal expert Vicki Croke. Guest Vicki Croke, host of WBUR&#8217;s The Wild Life blog. The Wild Life tweets @TheWildLifeWBUR.", "Millions of animal lovers around the world rejoiced over the weekend when a giraffe named April gave birth to her calf on a live video stream in upstate New York. On Wednesday, five animal conservation groups are petitioning for giraffes to be listed as endangered species. Here & Now&#8216;s Meghna Chakrabarti speaks with Vicki Croke (@TheWildLifeWBUR), host of WBUR&#8217;s The Wild Life blog, about threats to giraffes in the wild and captivity.", "A report released by the United Nations this week projects that 1 million plant and animal species are at risk of extinction due to human behavior. The study shines a new light on the debate over whether the human population has grown too large for the planet to handle. Here & Now&#8216;s Peter O&#8217;Dowd gets two opinions on the subject, one from Robin Maynard, director of the U.K.-based group Population Matters, and the other from Jade Sasser, a professor at the University of California Riverside and author of the book, &#8220;On Infertile Ground: Population Control and Women&#8217;s Rights in the Era of Climate Change.&#8221; This article was originally published on WBUR.org.", "One hundred ten chimpanzees will retire from biomedical research, the National Institutes of Health announced today. The move comes as some groups are pushing for a ban on all medical chimp research. The NIH has been reviewing its chimp research since December. That's when a report from the Institute of Medicine said that there was almost no scientific need for doing biomedical research on chimps. According to the report, about 1,000 chimps are available for research in the U.S. — roughly half are owned by the government. Now, the NIH says its chimps at the New Iberia Research Center in Louisiana will be moving. And starting next August, the facility won't receive any more NIH funds. \"This is a significant step in winding down NIH's investment in chimpanzee research based on the way science has evolved and our great sensitivity to the special nature of these remarkable animals, our closest relatives,\" NIH Director Francis Collins told The Washington Post. Continue Reading Aaron Martin, communications director at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, which maintains NIRC, says that the facility will continue to house roughly 240 privately owned chimps. Ten chimps will go to a federally supported sanctuary called Chimp Haven, which will then be at or near full occupancy. The others will go to Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, which has the facilities to care for them — but the chimps will not be used for biomedical studies. Animal advocacy groups are pleased, to say the least. \"NIH's announcement is a significant step forward in our goal toward ending invasive experiments on chimpanzees and facilitating the move of the current population of chimps in laboratories to reputable sanctuaries,\" said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, in a statement. The HSUS and similar groups are pushing a bill currently before Congress that would gradually phase out invasive chimp research altogether.", "The National Institutes of Health announced their 50 remaining chimps will be going into retirement. NPR's Ari Shapiro spoke with Cathy Willis Spraetz, president and chief executive of Chimp Haven, where the chimps will ultimately be housed.", "Below you can find the complete list of selections for 'My Guilty Pleasure.' To print this list, choose the \"Print Page\" icon in the upper righthand corner. Click on the titles to read a review and an excerpt from the book. #-A B-D E-G H-J L-M N-P Q-R S-T U-V W-Z # - A ... 666: A Thrilling Bestseller on the Tribulation, by Salem Kirban, paperback, 84 pages, List Price: $12.95, Recommended by Rhoda Janzen The Amityville Horror, by Jay Anson, Pocket Star, paperback, 336 pages, List Price: $6.99, Recommended by Josh Kilmer-Purcell As Meat Loves Salt, Maria McCann, Harvest Books, paperback, 565 pages, List Price: $30.95, Recommended by Lionel Shriver B-D The Daily Telegraph Fourth Book of Obituaries: Rogues, edited by Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd, Pan Books, paperback, 432 pages, Recommended by Tom Rachman Destiny Times Six, by Katherine de Jersey, American Federation of Astrologers, paperback, 311 pages, Recommended by Karen Abbott E-G Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert, Penguin, paperback, 352 pages, List Price: $15, Recommended by David Sax Fantasyland, by Sam Walker, Penguin, paperback, 368 pages, List Price: $15, Recommended by Tony Horwitz Filth, by Irvine Welsh, W.W. Norton & Co., paperback, 320 pages, List Price: $14.95, Recommended by Sloane Crosley Fire: Servant, Scourge, and Enigma, by Hazel Rossotti, Dover Publications, paperback, 288 pages, List Price: $14.95, Recommended by Oliver Sacks Flowers in the Attic, by V.C. Andrews, Pocket, paperback, 400 pages, Recommended by Heidi W. Durrow Forever..., by Judy Blume, Simon Pulse, paperback, 208 pages, List Price: $8.99, Recommended by J. Courtney Sullivan Frank: The Voice, by James Kaplan, Doubleday, hardcover, 800 pages, List Price: $35, Recommended by Stanley Fish Gladiator: A True Story of 'Roids, Rage and Redemption, by Dan Clark, Scribner, paperback, 256 pages, List Price: $16.99, Recommended by Marc Acito H-J Haunted Wisconsin, by Michael Norman and Beth Scott, Trails Books, paperback, 226 pages, List Price $16.95, Recommended by Benjamin Percy Hellraisers, By Robert Sellers, Thomas Dunne Books, hardcover, 304 pages, List Price: $25.99, Recommended by Jon Reiner Jaws, by Peter Benchley, Random House, hardcover, 320 pages, List Price: $16.95, Recommended by Lizzie Skurnick Journals, by Kurt Cobain, Riverhead Trade, paperback, 304 pages, List Price: $19.95, Recommended by Karan Mahajan L-M Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home, by Rhoda Janzen, St. Martin's Griffin, paperback, 272 pages, List Price: $5.95, Recommended by Wendy MacLeod Merde Encore, by Genvieve, Fireside, paperback, 112 pages, List Price: $10.95, Recommended by Firoozeh Dumas Motley Crue: The Dirt — Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Band, by Neil Strauss, HarperCollins, paperback, 448 pages, List Price: $16.99, Recommended by Charles Bock N-P One for the Money, by Janet Evanovich, St Martin's Press, paperback, 334 pages, List Price: $13.95, Recommended by Kate Christensen Peyton Place, by Grace Metalious, Northeastern, paperback, 384 pages, List Price: $17.95, Recommended by Laura Dave Q-R Regency Buck, by Georgette Heyer, Sourcebooks Casablanca, paperback, 416 pages, List Price: $13.95, Recommended by Helen Simonson The Runaways Series, by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, Marvel, Recommended by David Lipsky S-T Sweet, Savage Love, by Rosemary Rogers, Mira, paperback, 712 pages, Recommended by Jack Murnighan Time and Again, by Jack Finney, Touchstone, paperback, 400 pages, List Price: $14.95, Recommended by Susan Jane Gilman Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer, Little, Brown Young Readers, paperback, 544 pages, List Price: $10.99, Recommended by Brad Meltzer U-V Valley of the Dolls, by Jacqueline Susann, Grove Press, paperback, 448 pages, List Price: $14, Recommended by Nancy Bachrach W-Z The World According to Garp, by John Irving, Ballantine Books, paperback, 437 pages, List Price: $16, Recommended by Joshua Braff Zardoz, by John Boorman and Bill Stair, Macmillan, paperback, 130 pages, Recommended by Gary Shteyngart The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead, by Max Brooks, Three Rivers Press, paperback, 288 pages, List Price: $13.95, Recommended by Jake Halpern", "The gray wolf is now an endangered species in California. The state&#8217;s Fish and Game Commission voted Wednesday to add the wolves to its endangered list, against the recommendation of state wildlife officials. It’s the first time the state has decided to protect an animal that does not currently reside in the state. Here & Now&#8217;s Jeremy Hobson talks to Lauren Sommer, an environmental reporter at KQED, about the decision. \nRead Lauren Sommer&#8217;s report on KQED.org\nCheck out NPR’s recent reporting project on wolves in the American West\n\nGuest\n\nLauren Sommer, reporter for KQED. She tweets @lesommer.\n JEREMY HOBSON, HOST: California has voted to add the gray wolf to it's endangered species list. The state's Fish and Game Commission made the decision yesterday against the recommendation of state wildlife officials. It is a hotly debated issue in the West because many farmers are worried the wolves will devastate their livestock. Joining us now to talk about this is Lauren Sommer, science and environment reporter for KQED in San Francisco, part of the HERE AND NOW contributors network. Lauren, welcome. LAUREN SOMMER: Hi. HOBSON: Well, and what's especially interesting here is that as far as anyone knows, there are no gray wolves yet living in California, right? What prompted this vote? SOMMER: Right. So there's only really been one very famous wolf that's wandered into California. That was about two years ago, and it's this wolf that's known as OR-7. The only reason that we knew he was here is because he was radio collared. He was born in Oregon. And he kind of wandered across the border two years ago. He has since gone back to Oregon but kind of this - this kind of controversy erupted as soon as he crossed the border. HOBSON: And he's now mated, right? There are babies of OR-7. SOMMER: This was just confirmed yesterday, yeah. He's in the Southwest corner of Oregon. He was spotted with a potential mate and then yesterday there was a photograph released of these two small pups. So he successfully has a pack in Southwest Oregon. It was big news. HOBSON: Now the gray wolf was already protected under the federal Endangered Species Act and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife had recommended that the wolves not be listed as endangered in California. So why did the commission decide to add them anyway? SOMMER: Yeah. It kind of has to do with what's happening with wolves around the West, which is - you know, they were introduced in the mid-90s and since then they've really been growing and expanding all the way across the Rockies. And now they're in Oregon and Washington. And state wildlife officials here in California say it's really only a matter of time before they wander into California - maybe a decade or less. So what California's kind of grappling with is, well, how to deal with this population that they know was coming they just don't know when. HOBSON: And there are a lot of people who say this is a terrible idea to call them endangered because these wolves are going to harm livestock in California. SOMMER: Yeah. What we're seeing here is what we've seen in Idaho, in Montana, in Wyoming - you know, this really intense, emotional debate about wolves between people that really want to see them come back as an apex predator and ranchers that are really concerned about impacts on their livestock. So that was kind of the big question before California yesterday, which is, well, how do we do this? The state's already working on a wolf management plan which will have some strategies about how to maybe mitigate some of these impacts, you know, strategies that really have been tested in other Western states. But certainly, the endangered status that they voted to approve yesterday has kind of, you know, raised people's hackles a little bit. HOBSON: And, by the way, you say they were reintroduced in the '90s. This is their former range, right? This is where they used to all be? SOMMER: Yeah. And that was the basis for our - of wildlife officials voting for the endangered status yesterday, which is, well, this is their historic range. This is where they used to live. And so under California's Endangered Species Act, you know, the intention is really to help bring back any species that used to be here. And that's why they really approved the endangered status. HOBSON: So, Lauren, what's the next step here now that the commission has voted to call them endangered in California? SOMMER: Yeah. So they'll soon kind of get this official endangered status. And then the state's going to continue working on this plan, trying to really find some strategies. I think what they're really trying to do is bringing together the stakeholders in California. We've already seen - I mean, just yesterday alone the public testimony was incredibly emotional - people very upset. So I think they're hoping to build a bridge and say, well, let's get ahead of this problem. Let's deal with some strategies, some ideas, that may", "The National Institutes of Health says it will retire hundreds of chimpanzees that the agency had been using for research. Animal rights activists see the move as a big step towards ending the use of chimps in research, but it will be awhile before any of the research chimps find their way into retirement homes. Right now, the NIH has some 360 chimps available to researchers. The vast majority of the animals are used in studies of things like genetics and behavior. But in recent years, the scientific community has begun to feel even these studies are unnecessary. In 2011, the Institute of Medicine issued a report recommending that the vast majority of government chimps be retired. In January, an NIH working group agreed and issued specific recommendations on what to do with NIH's chimpanzees. And earlier this month the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed designating all chimps, including lab chimps, as endangered. That would raise still another barrier to using them in research. \"Chimpanzees are very special animals,\" says Francis Collins, director of the NIH. \"We believe they deserve special consideration as special creatures.\" Collins says that the NIH will largely follow the plan issued by its internal working group. It will retire some 310 chimps to designated sanctuaries, leaving as many as 50 in labs and available for new research proposals. The 50 or so will not necessarily stay in research forever. \"We will revisit the decision about the need for those 50 in a small colony five years from now,\" Collins says. The retired chimps will live out their lives in an environment similar to those in the wild. They will be in social groups of at least seven, and live inside enclosures where they can climb and forage for food. But the NIH won't follow a recommendation that each chimp be given 1,000 square feet of living space. Collins says: \"We did not feel that there was adequate scientific evidence at present\" to support that requirement. The cost involved with providing so much space was also an issue, he says. Retirement won't come right away, however. Many chimps are still in research projects that will be allowed to run to completion in the next year or two. And the NIH has to work with Congress to change legislation regulating chimp retirement. At present, the law caps the money the agency can spend on retirement at $30 million. NIH is expected to hit that limit soon, says Kathy Hudson deputy director for outreach and policy. The agency must also find additional space in sanctuaries for the chimps. That could involve expanding existing sanctuaries. But it could also mean recategorizing some laboratories as sanctuaries. \"The [research] facilities are quite nice,\" Hudson says. All of this is expected to take a few years, according to Collins. Kathleen Conlee, the Humane Society's vice president for animal research, says that today's announcement is a big step in the right direction. \"This is a moment we've all been waiting for,\" she says. But, she says, more needs to be done. Conlee would like the NIH to reconsider the space requirements of its chimpanzees, and she bristles at the idea of turning labs into sanctuaries. \"It's the culture of care,\" she says. Above all, she says, she'd like to see the last 50 or so chimps designated to join their brethren. \"I think we're moving in absolutely the right direction and we're going to keep pressing until the day when every government-owned chimpanzee is in a sanctuary,\" she says.", "Bush administration officials are under a court order to decide by tomorrow whether to add the polar bear to the list of endangered species. The decision will cap a three-year campaign by environmentalists to show that climate change has the potential to imperil wildlife. Critics say any listing is a bad idea.", "NPR's Mike Pesca reports on a new initiative by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on endangered species being hotly debated by wildlife experts.", "This week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a new rule that would extend \"endangered species\" protections to chimpanzees held in captivity. Nearly half of all the chimps in the U.S. live in research facilities, and the regulation changes would make it more difficult to use these animals in medical experiments. But don't expect an outcry among most scientists. In the past decade or so, \"there has been a significant shift away from using chimpanzees in research,\" says Kathleen Conlee, the vice president of animal research issues at the Humane Society of the United States. Scientists first became interested in studying chimps in the 1920s to gain insights into primate psychology — including, they hoped, the psychology of humans. And then came the Space Age. In 1961, the U.S. sent a chimpanzee named Ham into space, and soon the primates became the animal of choice for getting a sense of how humans might fare in rocket flights beyond Earth's atmosphere. It wasn't until around the 1970s that chimps became a popular model for studying some infectious diseases — and for testing new drugs and vaccines. \"It's not hard to understand why chimpanzees would have been chosen from a scientific point of view,\" says John Pippin, a cardiologist who is with the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. \"They do share 98 percent of our DNA.\" Sometimes chimpanzees did lead to important breakthroughs, researchers say, for example in understanding and treating hepatitis B and C. But more often, as in HIV research, those chimp studies didn't reveal much. In the 1980s, chimps became very popular among scientists trying to develop a vaccine for AIDS. But as it turned out, Pippin says, chimps don't get AIDS in the same way as humans. \"Two decades of research produced 90 or so candidate vaccines,\" he says. \"They have been tested in more than 200 clinical trials and, as you know, we still don't have an HIV vaccine.\" Our growing knowledge in genetics and genomics help explain why the animals have been less useful than previously thought. Their genes may be very similar to ours, Pippin says, but \"how genes are organized, and how they're turned on, turned off, how they contribute to diseases and to responses to treatment [for] diseases is very different between chimpanzees and humans.\" And, over time, animal rights groups and the public seem to have become more concerned about using chimps in research. \"The question now is being asked in a different way,\" says Jeffrey Kahn, a bioethicist at Johns Hopkins University. \"Not, 'Is it useful to do research involving chimpanzees?' But [rather] 'is it necessary?' \" In 2011, Kahn was chairman of an Institute of Medicine committee that looked into that question. The committee found that the answer was no, because there are alternatives such as human-cell cultures and other animals. Genetically altered mice, for example are already used to study human diseases. Rodents aren't a perfect proxy for humans, but new genetic tools are making mice more humanlike in the way they respond to microbes and drugs. \"There's work being done, for instance, at the Rockefeller [University] to develop a mouse with a humanized liver,\" says Kahn. Such mice, he says, would make a great model for studying human diseases like hepatitis. Animal-rights groups see the proposed Fish and Wildlife rule as a move in the right direction. \"The cost of using these animals and the availability of other ways of doing this research are leading to an end of their use,\" says Conlee, the Humane Society vice president. In the very few cases where scientists feel they must rely on chimps, the new rule would require a permit. And the researchers would need to prove that their work also benefits chimpanzees. The agency is taking public comments on the proposed rule until Aug. 12 and hopes to finalize the regulation within a year. Though chimp research is winding down, Conlee says, the federal government has yet to figure out what to do with the hundreds of chimpanzees no longer needed that still live in research centers around the country. MELISSA BLOCK, HOST: This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block. AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: And I'm Audie Cornish. This week, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a new rule to protect chimpanzees. Wild chimpanzees are already listed as endangered, and the new rule extends that protection to chimps held in captivity. Nearly half of the chimps here in the U.S. are in research facilities. The change will make it more difficult to use these animals for experiments. As NPR's Rhitu Chatterjee reports, even before this new rule, scientists were already moving away from using chimpanzees. RHITU CHATTERJEE, BYLINE: Chimpanzee research began in the 1920s. At first, they were used to study psychology and then came the Space Age. In 1961, the U.S. sent the first chimpanzee into space. (SOUNDBITE OF DOCUMENTARY) CHATTERJEE: That's a U.S. Air Force documentary from the period", "Commentator Mickey Edwards wonders why the U-S continues to treat China as a most favored nation. He says China's involvement in an illegal gun smuggling operation is just the latest in a long list of reasons why the U-S should be wary of the communist government in China, a government that, he believes, has no interest in getting along with the rest of the world.", "The New York Times is reporting that the Endangered Species Act, in its current form, is under threat from Republican lawmakers. From Coral Davenport and Lisa Friedman: The Endangered Species Act, which for 45 years has safeguarded fragile wildlife while blocking ranching, logging and oil drilling on protected habitats, is coming under attack from lawmakers, the White House and industry on a scale not seen in decades, driven partly by fears that the Republicans will lose ground in November’s midterm elections. In the past two weeks, more than two dozen pieces of legislation, policy initiatives and amendments designed to weaken the law have been either introduced or voted on in Congress or proposed by the Trump administration. The actions included a bill to strip protections from the gray wolf in Wyoming and along the western Great Lakes; a plan to keep the sage grouse, a chicken-size bird that inhabits millions of oil-rich acres in the West, from being listed as endangered for the next decade; and a measure to remove from the endangered list the American burying beetle, an orange-flecked insect that has long been the bane of oil companies that would like to drill on the land where it lives. The law&#8217;s detractors say that the regulations prevent landowners and major industries, like oil, from taking full advantage of land that belongs to them. These proposals come during a sustained Trump administration push against other environmental regulations. &#8220;Mr. Trump has staffed his White House and cabinet with officials who have denied, or at least questioned, the existence of global warming,&#8221; according to the New York Times. Proponents say that the ESA has successfully brought beloved animals, like the bald eagle and the gray wolf, back from the brink of extinction. Many of the recommended rollbacks are still in the consideration stage, but environmentalists remain concerned about the future for these animals. Vox explains these divisions further: The act is generally uncontroversial among the public: About 83 percent of Americans (including a large majority of conservatives) support it, according to an Ohio State University poll. Yet the strict regulations put in place by the act are often frustrating (and costly) roadblocks for industry like mining, and oil and gas drilling and for developers looking to build in areas where protected species live. Compliance with all the rules of the ESA is expensive. Environmental groups also count on the ESA as an important legal tool to block projects like coal mines. What does the future hold for wildlife conservation? Does the Endangered Species Act go too far? And if protections for animal species are relaxed, how much do industries stand to gain? GUESTS Jamie Rappaport Clark, President and CEO, Defenders of Wildlife; former director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service; @jclarkprez Rebecca Epanchin-Niell, Fellow, Resources for the Future Ethan Lane, Executive director, Public Lands Council and National Cattlemen&#8217;s Beef Association Federal Lands; @ethanlassenlane For more, visit https://the1a.org. &copy; 2018 WAMU 88.5 &#8211; American University Radio.", "NPR's David Welna reports on the success Mexico has had in slowing its population growth. Thanks to a large-scale effort by the government and private groups over the past twenty years, the number of children in the average Mexican family has dropped from seven to three. Now the U-S and United Nations are cutting back their support for some of these programs, largely because of Mexico's success. Some worry this could endanger the progress Mexico has made towards limiting its growth.", "Below you can find the complete list of selections for 'You Must Read This.' To print this list, choose the \"Print Page\" icon in the upper righthand corner. Click on the titles to read a review and an excerpt from the book. 'You Must Read This' Recommended Books #-A B-D E-G H-J L-M N-P Q-R S-T U-V W-Z # - A 47, by\tWalter Mosley,\tLittle, Brown and Company,\tpaperback,\t240 pages,\tList Price:\t$7.99, \t Recommended by\tSteven Barnes The Absolute at Large, by Karel Capek, Bison Books,\tpaperback, 248 pages,\tList Price:\t$17.95, Recommended by Cara Hoffman The Age of Extremes: A History of the World, 1914-1991, by\tEric Hobsbawm,\tVintage,\tpaperback,\t672 pages,\tList Price:\t$17.95, Recommended by\tMichael Kazin The Ambassadors, by Henry James,\tBarnes & Noble Classics, paperback, 496 pages, List Price: $6.95 Recommended by Ann Patchett Animal Farm, by\tGeorge Orwell,\tSignet Classics,\tpaperback,\t176 pages,\tList Price:\t$9.99, \t Recommended by\tDavid Maine The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz, by Mordecai Richler, Pocket, paperback, 384 pages, List Price: $24.95, Recommended by David Sax April Morning, by\tHoward Fast,\tBantam,\tpaperback,\t208 pages,\tList Price:\t$7.99,\t Recommended by\tSally Gunning The Areas of My Expertise, by\tJohn Hodgman,\tRiverhead Trade,\tpaperback,\t256 pages,\tList Price:\t$14, \t Recommended by\tMary Roach At Freddie's, By Penelope Fitzgerald, Mariner Books, paperback, 160 pages, List Price: $13.95, Recommended by Ben Dolnick B-D Beat This!, by Ann Hodgman, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, paperback, 208 pages, List Price: $16, Recommended by Elizabeth Berg Big Machine, By Victor LaValle, Spiegel and Grau, paperback, 400 pages, List Price: $15 Recommended by Dolen Perkins-Valdez Blindness, by Jose Saramago, Harvest Books, paperback, 352 pages, List Price: $15, Recommended by Myla Goldberg The Book of Disquiet, by Fernando Pessoa, Exact Change, paperback, 304 pages, List Price: $15.95, Recommended by Rabih Alemeddine Boys Over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango), by Yoko Kamino, VIZ Media LLC, paperback, 208 pages, Recommended by Marie Mutsuki Mockett The Burning Plain and Other Stories, by Juan Rulfo, University of Texas Press, paperback, 175 pages, List Price: $17.95, Recommended by Oscar Casares A Christmas Memory, by\tTruman Capote,\tKnopf,\thardcover,\t48 pages,\tList Price:\t$17.95, \t Recommended by\tJosh Kilmer-Purcell Cloud Atlas, by\tDavid Mitchell,\tRandom House,\tpaperback,\t528 pages,\tList Price:\t$14.95,\t Recommended by\tMaile Meloy The Collected Stories , by Grace Paley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, paperback, 386 pages, List Price:\t$17, Recommended by Alix Kates Shulman The Collected Stories of Isaac Babel, by\tIsaac Babel,\tW.W. Norton,\tpaperback,\t560 pages,\tList Price:\t$16.95, \t Recommended by\tGeorge Saunders Consider the Lobster: And Other Essays, by\tDavid Foster Wallace,\tLittle, Brown and Company,\thardcover,\t352 pages,\tList Price:\t$25.95,\t Recommended by\tDavid Lipsky Consider the Oyster, by\tM.F.K. Fisher,\tNorth Point Press,\tpaperback,\t96 pages,\tList Price:\t$11,\t Recommended by\tKate Christensen Cosmicomics, by Italo Calvino,\tHarvest Books, paperback, 153 pages, List Price: $14, Recommended by Salman Rushdie The Dain Curse, by\tDashiell Hammett,\tVintage,\tpaperback,\t240 pages,\tList Price:\t$13.00, \t Recommended by\tJonathan Ames Delirious New York, by Rem Koolhaas, Monacelli,\tpaperback,\t320 pages,\tList Price:\t$35 \t Recommended by\tEric Kraft The Deptford Trilogy, by Robertson Davies, Penguin Books,\tpaperback,\t832 pages,\tList Price:\t$22 \t Recommended by Amy Bloom Dirty Snow, by\tGeorges Simenon,\tNYRB Classics,\tpaperback,\t272 pages,\tList Price:\t$14.00,\t Recommended by\tJames Hynes Dispatches, By Michael Herr, Everyman's Library, hardcover, 296 pages, List Price: $24, Recommended by John Baxter Doctor Zhivago , by\tBoris Pasternak,\tEveryman's Library,\thardcover,\t544 pages,\tList Price:\t$21.00, \t Recommended by\tUrsula Le Guin Dracula, by\tBram Stoker,\tSignet Classics,\tpaperback,\t400 pages,\tList Price:\t$4.95,\t Recommended by\tJohn Marks Dream Boy, by Jim Grimsley, Workman's Pub Co., hardcover, 195 pages, List Price: $18.95, Recommended by Justin Torres E-G Essays, by\tGeorge Orwell,\tEveryman's Library,\thardcover,\t1424 pages,\tList Price:\t$35.00, \t Recommended by\tLawrence Wright The Essential Tales of Chekhov, by\tAnton Chekhov,\tHarper Perennial,\tpaperback,\t368 pages,\tList Price:\t$14.00, \t Recommended by\tDiana Abu-Jaber An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination: A Memoir, by Elizabeth McCracken, Little, Brown & Co., hardcover, 192 pages, List price: $12.99, Recommended by Lori Gottlieb Exploits and Adventures of Brigadier Gerard, by\tArthur Conan Doyle,\tNYRB Classics,\tpaperback,\t417 pages,\tList Price:\t$13.95,\t Recommended by\tMichael Chabon Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, Ballantine Books, paperback, 208 pages, List Price: $6.99, Recommended by Alice Hoffman Fathers and Sons, by\tIvan Turgenev,\tOxford University Press,\tpaperback,\t296 pages,\tList Price:\t$10.95, \t Recommended by\tGary Shteyngart The Fin", "The Bush administration considers removing several animals from the Endangered Species List, saying the populations are now large enough to survive without protection. But ecologists say headcounts are only one way to measure whether a species has recovered. Hear NPR's John Nielsen.", "This photograph, courtesy of photographer Monica Szczupider and National Geographic, has haunted me for weeks, not only for what it tells us about chimpanzees but also for what it tells us about us. In the foreground is Dorothy, a chimpanzee in her late 40’s who died of heart failure. Her human caregivers at the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in Cameroon prepared her for burial and wheeled her passed the enclosure housing other chimpazees in the group. They immediately assembled at the fence, their faces etched with grief as they held one another. They also fell into silence -- highly unusual for a group of chimpanzees -- as the procession passed and watched as she was lowered into the ground. Bouboule, an adolescent male whom Dorothy adopted and raised, is shown at the funeral here, where his sorrow is as palpable as the sorrow of the human villagers pictured at the ceremony. Prior to her rescue, Dorothy had for decades been chained by her neck at an “amusement” park, where visitors were particularly amused by her addiction to cigarettes and threw butts into her cage. Once at the center, and despite a lifetime of abuse, she became a respected and beloved elder. She died in the presence of her best friend Nama, who sat close by, touching her gently and not wanting to leave her side. Jacky, the alpha male of the group, “fell on his back and screamed in distress until he finally accepted the comfort of some of the others.” After The Jump: What Mourning Chimps Say About Us A front-page story in the New York Times this week summarizes the careful documentation of chimpanzee warfare in Uganda wherein, over a 10-year period, males in a large community carried out “raids” into a contiguous region, killing 18 non-group members and eventually expanding their territory. Meanwhile, in a wonderful NPR Diane Rehm show a few weeks ago, guests describe the peaceable communal habits of the endangered bonobo apes living in the Congo, whose social structure is markedly different from the chimpanzee even though the two lineages diverged only 800,00 years ago. So what does all this say about us humans? Researchers are appropriately cautious about drawing conclusions given how little is yet understood. But the more we learn about the non-human great apes, with whom we share most recent common ancestry some five to six million years ago, the more we come to recognize features of our own nature. Returning to the photograph of the funeral, we witness first-hand the kind of deep love that chimpanzees develop for one another, a wake-up call to those who would posit that humans have somehow been endowed with novel capacities along this axis. As Frans de Waal lifts up in his splendid book, Our Inner Ape, our language-based brains afford us with distinctive modes of cognition, but our inherent ape-ness is something we are called to both understand and honor, generating the attendant sense that preservation of ape habitats represents something along the lines of a commandment.", "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends smallpox vaccinations for people exposed to monkeypox, a similar disease transmitted from some animals to humans. And officials ban sales of prairie dogs and imports of six species of African rodents tied to the spread of the disease. Hear NPR's Richard Knox.", "Under pressure from hunters, ranchers and farmers, Congress removed the Rocky Mountain grey wolf from the endangered species list in Montana, Idaho and parts of Washington and Oregon this week, much to the consternation of environmentalists and animal-rights groups. Host Scott Simon speaks with reporter Jim Robbins about the first-ever act of Congress to remove an animal from the endangered species list.", "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing a policy change so that certain endangered species from foreign countries will be allowed to be imported to America. David P. Smith, deputy assistant secretary of the Interior for fish and wildlife and parks, tells NPR's Mike Pesca that the policy is intended to protect the overall species, even if individual animals will be hunted or used for parts.", "The National Institutes of Health should retire most of its chimps that are currently living in research facilities, according to a working group put together by the NIH to look at the future need for biomedical research on chimps. The group did recommend keeping a small number of chimps in reserve in case they are needed for studies later on. But it also laid out a detailed description of the kind of living conditions that would be needed for those chimps, and said any proposed research should go through a review committee that includes members of the public. Chimpanzees are the animals most closely related to humans, and that's why their use in research has received special scrutiny. In December 2011, an independent report commissioned by the NIH said most biomedical research being done on chimps is not scientifically necessary. So the NIH convened a working group to offer advice on what to do. 'Intense And Thoughtful' Debate \"I mean, clearly, there is going to be a reduction in the use of chimpanzees in research,\" said K.C. Kent Lloyd, a researcher at the University of California, Davis, who co-chaired the NIH working group. \"I don't believe that that will be at the cost of research advances, because there are other things that are going on that are improving our ability to use other animal model systems.\" The NIH owns about 360 chimpanzees that aren't yet retired and that are living at research facilities. The new report from the working group says the majority should be retired and sent to a sanctuary — a nonlaboratory setting where chimps can live more natural lives — and that planning for this should begin immediately. Only a small population of about 50 chimps should be retained for any future research needs, the group concluded. It added that research chimps need to live in social groups of at least seven, and each chimp should have at least 1,000 square feet of living space, plus year-round access to the outdoors. Chimps should be able to do things like forage for food and build nests. Lloyd says defining those appropriate living conditions was a challenging task for the group. \"I wouldn't characterize it as contentious, but I would characterize it as intense and thoughtful,\" he said. Implementation An Uphill Task But if the NIH accepts these recommendations, putting them into effect won't be easy. The existing sanctuary system for retired lab chimps is already full, says James Anderson, an official with the NIH who has been working on planning for more chimp retirements: \"Currently there's no space there; there's no capacity.\" NIH doesn't have the money to pay for building new living quarters at existing sanctuaries. And even if it did, the NIH faces a restriction on its spending. When Congress created the chimp sanctuary system in 2000, it put a spending cap in place, limiting funding to a total of $30 million. The NIH will hit that cap this summer, said Anderson, adding, \"It is a concern for us and it's something that we'd have to have addressed at the congressional level.\" The NIH will take public comments on the new report's conclusions; a decision is expected in March. Groups working to end chimp research say they are encouraged by what's been happening. \"We are very pleased with the report. Of course, we'd want to see every single chimpanzee recommended to go to sanctuary, but this is a huge step in the right direction,\" said Kathleen Conlee of The Humane Society of the United States. \"So now it's time to roll our sleeves up and figure out how we are going to get all these animals to sanctuary and give them the lifetime of retirement that they so deserve.\" At the same time, her group is also lobbying for federal legislation to limit chimp research. Conlee explains that's because whatever the NIH does will not apply to the 200 or so lab chimps that are privately owned. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep. RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: And I'm Renee Montagne. Last week on this program, we looked at the challenge the National Institutes of Health would face if it received a recommendation to end the use of chimpanzees for biomedical research. Well, now a working group of experts, put together by NIH, has made exactly that recommendation; which means that several hundred chimpanzees at the institute will no longer be used for laboratory experiments. Animal rights groups are applauding the move. Though where the chimps will go to retire is still unclear, as NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce reports. NELL GREENFIELDBOYCE, BYLINE: Chimpanzees are the animals most closely related to humans, and that's why their use in research has been getting special scrutiny. About a year ago, an independent report, commissioned by the National Institutes of Health, said that most biomedical research being done on chimps is not scientifically necessary. So the NIH put together a working group to give advice on what to do. Kent Lloyd served as co-chair. He's a researcher at the University" ]

[ "By . Ted Thornhill . PUBLISHED: . 08:04 EST, 12 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:56 EST, 12 March 2014 . The MoD has been warned that it faces 'a global storm of protest' after it unveiled plans to build homes for soldiers near Stonehenge. Outraged experts claim that the houses would block the world-famous solstice sunrise at the Wiltshire monument. Army bosses want to build 4,000 homes for soldiers and their families returning from Germany on an old airfield overlooking the monument, but experts said the buildings would occupy the exact spot that the sun peeks over the horizon on the longest day of the year. Popular: The solstice is watched by thousands of people every year, with the sun peeking through the Stonehenge stones . Plans: The proposed sites for the MoD housing near Stonehenge, just to the north-east of the site . Lighting the way: This map shows the direction of the sunlight at Stonehenge during the summer solstice, and how it intersects the MoD's proposed housing site . It’s an event that’s watched by some 20,000 people and leading archaeo-astronomer Simon Banton predicted there would be uproar if the plan goes ahead. The Stonehenge guide said when the airfield, at Larkhill, was built in 1910, military chiefs left a gap for the sunrise and bosses should similarly respect the ancient monument. He said: ‘Stonehenge is the focus of a World Heritage Site of enormous cultural importance. Controversy: The MoD wants to build houses on a site that experts say is directly in line with the summer solstice sunrise . Stonehenge was built and rebuilt over 600 years in three main phases. The first - begun in 3000BC - saw the creation of a ditch and bank which later enclosed a circle of 56 holes for posts or stones. Around 2600BC the site was transformed into two circles of 82 blue stones brought from the Welsh mountains. Then, 150 years later, the ancient Britons set up 50-ton sarsen stones quarried at Marlborough, 25 miles away. There are dozens of theories about Stonehenge's purpose. At least 52 bodies were cremated and buried at Stonehenge, leading some experts to conclude the site was used for elaborate funerals. Some believe the monument was a centre of medicine with the circle's creators believing the Welsh blue stones had magical powers. The human remains on the site belong to sick people who came to be cured. Others think it is a calendar and observatory as the stones are aligned with the summer and winter solstices - the longest and shortest days of the year. The site, they say, would be used to predict eclipses and to mark lunar cycles. Meanwhile, believers in New Age superstitions claim Stonehenge is a centre of mystical lines of energy that cross Britain. Believers in alien life say Stonehenge was a landing site for flying saucers. ‘It is internationally famous, instantly recognisable and the solstitial alignment of the monument is intrinsic to its original purpose. ‘To propose building across this alignment invites a global storm of protest from groups as diverse as heritage bodies, astronomers, prehistorians, UNESCO, religious orders and the wider public. ‘The MoD needs to demonstrate that it is fully sensitive to the World Heritage Site in order to avoid the potential outrage and reputational damage, not only to itself but also to Britain in the eyes of the world. ‘When Larkhill Aerodrome was first established in the early 20th Century, a series of aeroplane sheds was built along the east side of Wood Road. ‘These early military and civilian aviators were keenly aware of their responsibility and so a wide space was deliberately left between the aeroplane sheds at the north end and those further south in order to allow the Summer Solstice sunrise to continue to shine unobstructed down to Stonehenge.’ He said the gap is already partially obstructed by a copse of tall trees which the Army should also remove to completely restore the sightline from Stonehenge to the horizon. He added: ‘This possibility will be entirely removed if the sites are built upon.’ English Heritage and UNESCO is understood to be considering Mr Banton's report before commenting, but Wiltshire Museum bosses agreed with the expert. Curator David Dawson said: ‘Today, if you look towards the horizon there are some trees but even in 1910 when there were some air hangars built they left a gap between them so that you could still see the sunrise.’ Pagan leader King Arthur Pendragon, 59, vowed to fight any development that would threaten Stonehenge. 'I oppose completely,' he said. 'I will be the first person blocking it if they decide to go ahead with the plans. 'Obviously I understand there is a need to build these houses but there is no need to build them in the way of the light. 'What you've got to remember is that around 30,000 people descend here every summer for the solstice. 'All they need to do is alter the plans just ever so slightly. The sunrise has been observed for thousands of years - everyone appreciates that and therefore they haven't threatened that. 'For the sake of building a few miles away it would be tragic to destroy something so important to so many people. 'I will oppose anything that threatens Stonehenge.' The MoD is currently holding a consultation on the massive expansion of the army bases to the north and east of Stonehenge. It disputes that the project will affect the site. An MoD spokesperson said: ‘The MoD is not considering any development that will affect Stonehenge. 'We are aware of concerns about the proposed development in the Larkhill area and will be meeting with all interested parties to address these issues.' Theories: Some people think that Stonehenge was built to heal people - others that it's a landing zone for alien spacecraft ." ]

[ "The US army has demolished thousands of buildings at a US army base in Afghanistan, as the military ends its war in the region. The demolition is taking place at Bagram airfield, one of the largest US bases in the country, located 50 km north of Kabul. Bagram has 1,800 temporary buildings which have all been destroyed this year, in a bid to stop the Taliban using any of its contents after the troops withdraw. Rubble: A US soldier walks past a pile of discarded wooden panels and debris - nicknamed 'Mount Trashmore' by the soldiers - during ongoing demolition work at Bagram Air Base near Kabul . Demolition: A US Army excavator demolishes a structure at Bagram Air Base, leaving a cloud of dust . Destruction: A wooden structure is pictured with gaping holes in the structure at Bagram Air Base . The US military has already removed much of the power supply, torn out fixtures by hand, and used mechanical diggers to destroy the roofs on buildings at the airfield. The operation comes as the massive NATO-led fighting force pulls out of the region after more than a decade on the ground fighting the Taliban. The wooden offices and dormitories being destroyed are a part of buildings that were hurriedly erected at Bagram. The buildings housed troops who first arrived in the country after 2001 when the US sent an extra 30,000 soldiers in the 2010 'surge'. At the height of the war, 130,000 international troops were fighting in Afghanistan. But combat operations will finish at the end of the year and only 12,500 soldiers will remain into 2015 on a training and support mission. War: This chart shows the number of US troops who were deployed to the country and casualties since 2001 . 'This is definitely a full-time job for us,' US Staff Sergeant Zach Smith, head of one of the demolition teams at Bagram said. 'Part of the process is removing all the interior rooms and electrical components and separating them so they can be properly disposed of.' Soldiers wearing yellow hardhats use crowbars and hammers to dismantle the vacated buildings that once housed desks, computers and bunk-beds. The work is fast but painstaking as material is sifted into different components for recycling or disposal, ensuring that no electrical items or other potential bomb-making kit can fall into Taliban hands. 'We absolutely do that in the most environmentally-conscious way that we possibly can,' Smith said. Digger: A US Army excavator demolishes a structure at the Base, as the US military ends its war in Afghanistan . Air base: A US soldier carries wooden boards out of a structure during ongoing demolition work . Technology: A discarded keyboard is pictured abandoned on the steps of a structure marked for demolition . Work: Local labourers collect pegs and leftover materials from the ground during the exercise . Trash: A US soldier walks past a pile of discarded wooden panels and debris - nicknamed 'Mount Trashmore' 'Whenever there is fuel, oil, batteries, we dispose of those things to ensure that we leave Bagram the way we found it.' The splintered remains of each building are scooped into dumper trucks that make endless journeys back and forth to a tipping site on the edge of the base. Dubbed Mount Trash-more after Mount Rushmore -- the US mountain carved into the faces of former presidents -- the dump is opened to Afghan companies who salvage what they can from the debris. Lieutenant Wes Vermillion, who oversees the project said: 'Right now we've taken down about 1,800 temporary structures that were either living space or offices.' He said more than 2,000 buildings will be destroyed by December, with a final 500 torn down by contractors next year after the US military engineers have left. But as the base shrinks, it is also a hub for the retrograde operation to remove weapons, equipment and vehicles from Afghanistan as troops draw in from the provinces. Wire: A US soldier makes sure that he carefully removes barbed wire from a wall . Team work: Other soldiers help to remove barbed wire from a barrier wall during the demolition work . Removal: A US soldier removes barbed wire from a wall at Bagram to make sure the Taliban does not get it . Colonel Stephanie Gradford is behind Bagram's adaption to its rapidly changing role. She said: 'We have a lot of folks coming in from other bases that we're sending home' 'We are retrograding equipment in preparation (for the NATO support mission) and preparing Bagram to be turned over, at some point in the next couple of years, to the Afghans.' Cargo aircraft loaded with gear and troops wait on the runway to leave the country, while elsewhere Afghan teams scour the site of a demolished canteen, even picking up spare nails left on the ground. Tidy: A soldier rakes debris into a pile at the Air Base which is located near Kabul and was home to soldiers . Bricks: US soldiers load debris onto a backhoe-loader as other soldiers help to create the pile of debris . Material: A soldier drags away a metal panel and plastic from a site at the base . Occupants: The discarded hat of a US soldier is pictured at quarters marked for demolition at Bagram Air Base . Rest: 'This is definitely a full-time job,' US Staff Sergeant Zach Smith, head of one of the demolition teams said . Bagram's permanent buildings and roads are being kept for the US forces that will still be deployed next year, and then for the Afghan military that will be left to thwart any Taliban resurgence. In 2001, about 30,000 foreign soldiers and civilians were housed at the former Soviet base, but the number is down to 15,000 today and will be cut to 6,000 US troops next year. By the end of 2016, the only US military presence in Afghanistan will be at the embassy in Kabul. The reality that, after 13 years of war, the US military's vast apparatus is on its way out is only just sinking in even for the soldiers themselves, according to Colonel Gradford. 'They want to see the mission through, so it's tough even getting military people to understand that we are changing,' she said.", "(CNN)A former U.S. Army enlistee who posted on Facebook about \"the adrenaline rush\" of dying in jihad was arrested Friday and charged with trying to detonate a car bomb at Fort Riley military base in Kansas, authorities said. A second man, who allegedly knew about the bomb plot but didn't call authorities, was charged with failing to report a felony. John T. Booker Jr. of Topeka, an American citizen also known as Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, was taken into custody near Manhattan, Kansas, in a van that contained what he thought was a bomb, the criminal complaint said. The \"bomb\" had actually been put together by two confidential informants with nonexplosive materials, the complaint said. Fort Riley's security was never breached and no people were in danger, the U.S. Justice Department said in a press release. Booker enlisted in the Army last year and was due to ship out to basic training April 7, 2014, said Army spokesman Wayne Hall. The criminal complaint said the FBI questioned him March 24, 2014 about comments posted on Facebook, such as, \"Getting ready to be killed in jihad is a HUGE adrenaline rush. I am so nervous. NOT because I'm scare to die but I am eager to meet my lord.\" Booker waived his Miranda rights and told the agents he enlisted to commit an insider attack against American soldiers like Maj. Nidal Hassan had done at Fort Hood, Texas, the complaint said. Hassan opened fire in a building in November 2009, killing 13 people and wounding more than 30. His enlistment was terminated March 24, 2014, at the request of Army Criminal Investigation Command, Hall said. Booker began communicating with a confidential informant later in 2014, the complaint said, and often talked about his plans to engage in violent jihad in support of ISIS. He and the informant watched ISIS videos together, the complaint said, and Booker talked about how he wanted to go to Iraq and turn his weapon on American soldiers when ordered to shoot the enemy. On March 9, Booker said he believed ISIS wanted him to commit a truck bombing in the United States and thought a good target would be nearby Fort Riley, a large Army base that's home to the 1st Infantry Division, known as \"The Big Red One.\" Booker said \"that detonating a suicide bomb is his No. 1 aspiration because he couldn't be captured, all evidence would be destroyed and he would be guaranteed to hit his target,\" the criminal complaint said. He made a video with a Fort Riley airfield in the background and said ISIS was coming to kill American soldiers, both abroad and in the United States, the complaint said. Booker acquired components for a bomb and rented a storage locker to store the components, the complaint said. The plan was for confidential informants to build a bomb and for Booker to drive to Fort Riley and detonate it, the complaint said. But the bomb was built with \"inert\" parts and would never explode, the complaint said. On Friday, the informants and Booker drove to what Booker thought was a little-used utility gate near Fort Riley, the complaint said. While Booker was making final connections on the \"bomb,\" the FBI arrested him, the complaint said. He was charged with one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, one count of attempting to damage property by means of an explosive and one count of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq, a designated foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, he could face life in prison. Alexander E. Blair, 28, of Topeka was taken into custody Friday and charged with failing to report a felony. The FBI said agents interviewed Blair after Booker's arrest. Blair said he shared some of Booker's views, knew of his plans to detonate a vehicle bomb at Fort Riley and loaned him money to rent storage space, according to the FBI's criminal complaint. He said he thought Booker would carry out his plan but did not contact authorities, the complaint said. If convicted, Blair faces a maximum of three years in prison.", "By . Amanda Williams . Plans for a tunnel to be built under Stonehenge to tackle bottlenecks have been resurrected and are being considered by traffic experts. They are debating whether to build a dual carriageway alongside or dig an underpass beneath the ancient monument to alleviate traffic caused by visitors to the World Heritage site. In 2007, ministers shelved the plans - after the cost of the controversial 1.3 mile bored tunnel scheme on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, soared from £223 million to £540 million. Plans for a tunnel to be built under Stonehenge to tackle traffic bottlenecks have been resurrected and are being considered by road experts . Now the Government has reportedly commissioned a feasibility study examining how congestion can be eased in the area, the Telegraph reports - including the tunnel and dual carriageway. The final proposals will be outlined in the this year's Autumn Statement. Also included will be the findings of five similar road-widening proposal schemes - including widening the A27 corridor, Trans-pennine routes, and the A47 between Peterborough and Yarmouth. Two areas of the A1 around Newcastle will also be included in the study. Last  month, Conservative MP for Salisbury, led calls for the tunnel plans to be resurrected. He said any decision to make the A303 a dual carriageway must include protection for the site and added that a tunnel was the only 'realistic solution'. During a Westminster debate, Mr Glen labeled the road 'one of the most notorious traffic blackspots in the country'. They are debating whether to build a dual carriageway alongside or dig an underpass beneath the ancient monument to alleviate traffic caused by visitors to the World Heritage site . Ralph Smyth, senior transport campaigner for the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said that traffic at the site had not increased in ten years and that it did not 'justify the huge cost of a tunnel'. But he said that a tunnel would be preferable to a dual carriageway, as this could cause the site to lost its World Heritage status. Last month the MoD was warned that it faces 'a global storm of protest' after it unveiled plans to build homes for soldiers near Stonehenge. Outraged experts claim that the houses would block the world-famous solstice sunrise at the Wiltshire monument. Army bosses want to build 4,000 homes for soldiers and their families returning from Germany on an old airfield overlooking the monument, but experts said the buildings would occupy the exact spot that the sun peeks over the horizon on the longest day of the year. It’s an event that’s watched by some 20,000 people and leading archaeo-astronomer Simon Banton predicted there would be uproar if the plan goes ahead.", "Poignant footage of First World War soldiers will be projected on to Stonehenge as part of a new exhibition telling the story of how one million men trained on Salisbury Plains during the conflict. The footage of the soldiers marching is being beamed onto the ancient stones for a memorial service marking the opening of the Soldiers At Stonehenge project. Although it is usually associated with more ancient history, Stonehenge stood at the centre of what was between 1914 and 1918 the world's largest military training camp. Poignant: Footage of First World War soldiers will be projected on to Stonehenge as part of a new exhibition telling the story of how one million men trained on Salisbury Plains during the conflict . Troops: During the conflict, some 180,000 men were stationed on Salisbury Plain at any one time, coming from across the Commonwealth to prepare for battle . During the conflict, some 180,000 men were stationed there at any one time, coming from across the Commonwealth to prepare for battle. The exhibition, which opens tomorrow at the Stonehenge Visitors Centre, aims to explore the untold story of Stonehenge, the Salisbury Plains and those who trained for war around the iconic site. Visitors to the centre will be able to learn what life was like for the men who trained on Salisbury Plaine, though stories, photographs and historical artifacts. The exhibition, which will run for six months, will also show how reminders of their presence can still be seen across the wider Stonehenge landscape, with Salisbury Plain still used by the military for training purposes today. 'Troops from across the British Empire travelled to the Salisbury Plains to prepare for war starting with Canadian soldiers in 1914, followed by men of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) in 1916,' said Robert Campbell, Head of Interpretation at English Heritage. 'The task of the men training on Salisbury Plain was to overcome the horrific stalemate of trench warfare. 'To replicate conditions on the Western Front, soldiers dug intricate networks of trenches which were then pounded by shellfire. Innovative but deadly new technology pioneered in the training camps and secret establishments created in Wiltshire during 1914 - 1918 resulted in major developments in aviation, artillery and chemical warfare.' Items on show include medals awarded to Lieutenant Edmund Antrobus, the heir to Stonehenge, who was killed in action, and original artwork of The Better 'Ole - one of the most famous war cartoons of all time which was developed by Bruce Bairnsfather on Salisbury Plain. Soldiers: Drummer Jacob Bruce and Lance Corporal Owein O'Brien from the 1st Battalion Royal Regiment Fusiliers, based at nearby Tidworth, practice the 'Last Post' as they prepare for a memorial service marking the opening of the exhibition tomorrow . History: Although it is usually associated with more ancient history, Stonehenge stood at the centre of what was between 1914 and 1918 the world's largest military training camp . The humorist and cartoonist had been posted to the 34th Division headquarters on Salisbury Plain, after serving at the front and being hospitalised with shellshock following the Second Battle of Ypres. It was while he was on Salisbury Plan that he developed his humorous series of cartoons about life in the trenches, with The Better 'Ole, depicting two soldiers in a muddy shell hole, one of the best remembered. Bairnsfather went on to invent Old Bill, an old soldier with a trademark walrus moustache and balaclava. His cartoons achieved immense popularity because they expressed the views of the ordinary soldier in the trenches. Lieutenant Antrobus, whose father Sir Edmund had also been a soldier, was killed in action just seventeen days after arriving at the front. Sir Edmund, who served in the 1880s Sudan Campaign, inherited Stonehenge as part of the Amesbury Abbey estate in 1899. His son and heir landed in Belgium in 1914 and was killed in action at Ypres in October 1914. Sir Edmund died in February 1915, it was said, of a broken heart. After their deaths the grieving Lady Florence Antrobus placed the war medals of both her husband and son within an ornate cabinet along with a portrait of her son which she had painted herself. The loss of both the owner and heir to Stonehenge lead in part to the monument being put up for sale at auction in 1915. Although there were calls for the Nation to purchase Stonehenge, it was Cecil Chubb, a locally born Barrister, who was the successful purchaser and it was he who was the last person to privately own Stonehenge. Also on show are a number of archaeological finds including cap badges, rifle cartridges, aircraft parts and highly personal items such as a spoon and even part of a bottle of Australian hair tonic. The special exhibition, Soldiers at Stonehenge - Salisbury Plain And The Journey To The First World War opens on November 5 at the Stonehenge exhibition and visitor centre. Admission is included in the entry price for Stonehenge.", "By . Daniel Miller . Bristling with high-tech weaponry but with a little help from man's best friend, soldiers of the Force Troops Command, a whole new wing of the British army, showcase their specialist capabilities as they prepare to go fully operational next week. Infantrymen, divers, medics, artillery units, dog teams, missile specialists and chefs headed out to Upavon Airfield on the edge of Salisbury Plain yesterday for the major joint exercise. The Force Troops Command (FTC), which is due to go fully operational on April 1, is the first major implementation . of 'Army 2020' - the concept for transforming the British army. Army chiefs say it will deliver 'specialist, combat and command Support . through Regular and Reserve soldiers'. By 2015 FTC will be the largest of . the Army's formations, made up of nine functional brigades and the . Engineer and Logistics Staff Corps, in total representing a third of the . whole force. Dogs of war: Soldiers of the Force Troops Command, Britain's latest major army unit put military working dog Cheyenne through his paces at Upavon Airfield . Military diver Lance Corporal Shane Johns takes part in an exercise in a diving tank as the Army showcases its future specialist capabilities . Modern warfare: A soldier operates the control unit of a bomb disposal robot, left, while another models a set of night vision goggles . Private Terry Gidzinski (second from left) and his military working dog Cheyenne relax after putting on a display. Force Troops Command (FTC) formally launches on April 1 and will deliver specialist, combat and command Support through Regular and Reserve soldiers . Target locked: A soldier is reflected in the lens of a 'Surveillance System and Range Finder' Specialist firearms are put on display as the Army showcases its future specialist capabilities, under the title of 'Force Troops Command' Systems check: Bombardier Joseph Lomotey checks the interior of his AS90 self propelled gun . Bombardier Joseph Lomotey checks the interior of his AS90 artillery at Upavon Airfield . Military diver Lance Corporal Shane Johns takes part in an exercise in a diving tank as part of the exercise . Air strike: Soldiers practise remotely guiding a missile during the Force Troops Command exercise . A military caterer speaks with soldiers as the Army showcases at the event on Salisbury Plain . The new command hopes to meet the challenges of modern warfare by providing a potent mix of specialist, cutting-edge enabling capabilities . Military medics set up a field hospital as part of the 'Force Troops Command', exercise on Salisbury Plain . Wounded: Military medics take part in an exercise in a field hospital set up for the exercise . Volunteers act as wounded soldiers as military medics take part in an exercise in a field hospital . Realism: Military medics take part in an exercise in a field hospital featuring a victim of an IED explosion . By 2015 Force Troops Command will be the largest of the Army's formations, made up of nine functional brigades and the Engineer and Logistics Staff Corps, in total representing a third of the whole Force . Military medics carry a wounded soldier from an ambulance to a field hospital as part of the FTC exercise . Military medics take part in an exercise in a field hospital. Forces Troop Command will deliver specialist, combat and command Support through Regular and Reserve soldiers . At the controls: Bombardier David Tait sits in a U.S. made Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Corporal Kelly Wolstencroft and her military working dog Tran prepare to put on a display . Military working dog Tran leaps for a ball as her handler Corporal Kelly Wolstencroft holds on to the lead . In their sights: By 2015 FTC will be the largest of the Army's formations, made up of nine functional brigades and the Engineer and Logistics Staff Corps . Private Terry Gidzinski and his military working dog Cheyenne relax after putting on their display .", "(CNN) -- It was madness. At Jalalabad Airfield, in eastern Afghanistan in the summer of 2006, a young intelligence analyst named Jacob Whittaker tried with great difficulty to understand exactly what he was hearing. The 10th Mountain Division of the United States Army wanted to do what? Whittaker had to choose his words carefully. He was just a low-ranking \"specialist\" with the Idaho National Guard, a very low man on a very tall totem pole. A round-faced 26-year-old, Whittaker had simple tastes — Boise State football, comic books — and a reputation for mulishness belied by his innocent appearance. Whittaker stared at his superior officer, 2nd Lt. Ryan Lockner, who was running this briefing for him and Sgt. Aaron Ives. Lockner headed intelligence for Task Force Talon, the Army's aviation component at Jalalabad Airfield, in Nangarhar Province, adjacent to the Pakistan border. Military leaders considered this area, officially designated Regional Command East, the most dangerous part of an increasingly dangerous country. Lockner had an assignment. Soldiers from the 10th Mountain — a light infantry division designed for quick deployment and fighting in harsh conditions — had recently come to this hot corner of Afghanistan and would soon be spreading throughout the region, setting up outposts and bases. More specifically, they would be establishing a camp in Nuristan Province. The members of the intelligence team led by Lockner didn't know much about Nuristan, as U.S. forces had generally been focusing their efforts on Kunar Province, which had become a haven for Taliban insurgents and foreign fighters sneaking in from Pakistan to oppose the American \"infidels.\" During one operation in Kunar the previous summer, in 2005, 19 U.S. troops — Special Forces — had been killed by such insurgents, and since then, the United States had increased its presence there. Helicopters flying in and out of Kunar Province were fired upon at least twice a week, every week, with small arms and/or rocket-propelled grenades. Tapper on 'the bravest of the brave' Nuristan was farther north, a province so mythically untamed that one of the greatest writers of the English language, Rudyard Kipling, had chosen it as the setting for his 1888 novella \"The Man Who Would Be King.\" One of Kipling's British adventurers, Daniel Dravot, describes Nuristan as a place where \"no one has gone ... and they fight, and in any place where they fight a man who knows how to drill men can always be a king.\" \"You'll be cut to pieces before you're 50 miles across the border,\" warns Kipling's narrator. \"The people are utter brutes, and even if you reached them you couldn't do anything.\" The region's previous brigade commander, Col. Pat Donahue, hadn't thought Nuristan had much strategic value, so conventional forces hadn't been posted there, and no one had troubled to find out much about the native people, the Nuristanis, a distinct and outlying ethnic group within Afghanistan. In a departure from his predecessor's policy, Donahue's replacement — Col. John \"Mick\" Nicholson, the commander of the 10th Mountain Division's 3rd Brigade, known as the Spartan Brigade — ordered the establishment of small outposts throughout the area in the summer of 2006, in an attempt not only to stop the Taliban fighters who were streaming in from Pakistan, often with bushels of weapons, but also to win over the locals, who were predisposed to a suspicion of outsiders. Lockner had just returned from Forward Operating Base Naray, in Kunar Province, where he'd met with officers of the 10th Mountain Division's 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, or \"3‑71 Cav.\" They'd told him of their plan to set up an outpost in the Kamdesh District of Nuristan Province, for which he would be in charge of identifying suitable helicopter landing zones. The new base would sit adjacent to the Nuristan hamlet of Urmul. A small settlement missing from most maps, Urmul was home to fewer than 40 families of Nuristanis, or roughly 200 people, who lived in houses made of wood and rock and mud sealant. The residents were primarily subsistence farmers trying to eke out a living through both crops and livestock, but the U.S. Army knew little more than that about them. Coalition forces likewise had next to no intelligence about the enemy in Nuristan — its numbers, its location, its intentions, or, most important, its capabilities — which was one of the reasons the brass was pushing to build a base there. This was the essential difficulty of the task at hand: The higher-ups in the U.S. Army needed to know about the enemy in this unexplored province, so in order to learn as much as they could, they were going to stick a small group of troops in its midst. For all Lockner knew when he flew over Urmul to reconnoiter, the hamlet might have been Osama bin Laden's secret compound. Hero soldier to get medal of honor . \"They're going to build another outpost,\" Lockner told Whittaker and Ives back at Jalalabad Airfield. \"So I need you to take this terrain analysis I started, finish it, and make it pretty so I can brief it in the morning.\" Many troops were far more proficient in PowerPoint than they were with firearms, so Whittaker understood just what Lockner meant by \"make it pretty\": The slides for the presentation needed to look crisp and to make a compelling case. \"Where are they going?\" Whittaker asked. Lockner gestured at the topographical map. \"Right over here, northwest of Naray,\" he said. \"Where the Darreh ye Kushtaz and Landay-Sin Rivers meet.\" Whittaker looked at the spot, stunned. \"Right there?\" he asked. \"Right there,\" confirmed Lockner. \"Can you do it?\" \"I can do it; I have all night,\" Whittaker said. \"But sir ... that is a really awful place for a base.\" This new camp in the Kamdesh District would, like the dangerous Korangal outpost that their pilots knew too well, be surrounded by higher ground. But whereas the base in the Korangal was situated about halfway up a mountainside, in a former lumberyard, the one in Kamdesh would sit in a cup within the valley's deepest cleft, ringed by three steep mountains that formed part of the 500-mile-long Hindu Kush mountain range. Blocked off on its northern, western, and southern sides by rivers and mountains, it would moreover be a mere 14 miles distant from the official Pakistan border — a porous boundary that meant little to the insurgents who regularly crossed it to kill Americans and Afghan government officials before taking refuge in caves or in the mountains or returning to their haven across the border. The camp would be one of the most remote outposts in this most remote part of a country that was itself cut off from much of the rest of the world, and the area all around it would be filled with people who wanted to kill those stationed there. Defending the indefensible . \"So it's located at the base of a mountain peak?\" Whittaker asked. It didn't take a Powell or a Schwarzkopf to know that as a matter of basic military strategy, it was better to be at the top of a hill than at the bottom of a valley. \"Yes.\" \"And it's flanked by a river on the west and another river to the north?\" Whittaker continued. \"And there's no good road to get to it — they're still building that,\" Lockner volunteered. The Army had been coordinating efforts to build up the vulnerable and narrow path from Naray to Kamdesh, but rain, steep cliffs, insurgent threats, and high turnover rates among local construction workers had led to frequent delays. The road, often running along the edge of a cliff that spilled into the Landay-Sin River, was a mere 13 feet wide at its widest, and in some spots only half that — narrower than many military vehicles. A soldier could be killed just driving on that road, without ever coming into contact with a single enemy fighter. \"And it's an eternity away by helicopter if something goes wrong,\" Whittaker said. \"Yup,\" agreed Lockner. \"Sir, this is a really bad idea,\" said Whittaker. \"A. Really. Bad. Idea. Anyone we drop off there is going to die.\"", "Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Three suicide car bombs were used to target a joint U.S.-Afghan base in eastern Afghanistan early Sunday in an attack that left at least three Afghan soldiers and two civilians dead, officials said. The attack began shortly before sunrise when insurgents -- wearing coalition uniforms -- attacked three different points at Forward Operating Base Fenty, near the Jalalabad Airfield, according to the NATO-led International Assistance Security Force's regional command in Nangarhar province. It's the latest in a series of attacks in recent years that have targeted the base, and it comes just months after NATO troops turned over security responsibilities for Nangarhar province to Afghan forces. There were conflicting reports over casualties. ISAF said the attack, which it described as \"complex,\" left at least one Afghan soldier dead and several wounded. A provincial police spokesman put the toll at two civilians and three soldiers killed. At least 14 Afghan soldiers and four civilians were wounded in the blasts, said Havrat Hussain Mashriqwal, the police spokesman. There were no immediate reports of any U.S. casualties. The attack began shortly after 5 a.m. when insurgents detonated a car bomb near the front gate of the base, according to Mashriqwal. A second bomb-rigged car attempting to breach the base exploded after U.S. and Afghan troops opened fire, Mashriqwal said. A third car bomb was detonated outside the base's perimeter, according to the coalition. \"Afghan National Army and International Security Assistance Force soldiers repelled the attack and prevented any insurgent fighters from entering the perimeter, causing numerous insurgent casualties in the process,\" the statement said. The insurgents -- three suicide bombers and six gunmen -- were killed in the blasts and the firefight that ensued, Mashriqwal said. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack in a telephone call to CNN. Mujahid said there were two suicide car bombs and a suicide bomber with an explosive belt used in the attack, which he claimed killed at least 20 people. The Taliban routinely make telephone calls or send out e-mails claiming responsibility for attacks against coalition and Afghan troops. The province borders Pakistan's volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, home to a number of insurgent groups, including members of the Haqqani Network. Insurgents have been active in Nangarhar, which is home to the Tora Bora region -- where al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden escaped after a 2001 battle with coalition forces. Sunday's attack at FOB Fenty is the latest in a series to target the base and neighboring Jalalabad Airfield. In February, nine people were killed and 12 wounded in a suicide bombing at the front gate of the base near the airfield. Two months later, four suicide bombers wearing women's burqas tried to launch an attack there, airfield commander Jahangir Azimi said at the time. In June 2010, Taliban insurgents hit the front gate with a car bomb, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. Previously on CNN.com: Suicide bombing kills 3 near U.S. embassy in Afghan capital . Previously on CNN.com: Roadside mine kills 17 civilians in western Afghanistan . Read more: Report details military approach to 'insider attacks' amid success . CNN's Barbara Starr and Chelsea J. Carter contributed to this report.", "Aleppo, Syria (CNN) -- Journalists often get invited on tours of battle zones during wars, but the one the Syrian government organized for CNN and several other media outlets Wednesday was more than bizarre. We had been told we were going on a trip to the front line in Damascus. Instead, we were driven to an airfield and packed into an old Soviet-made Yakovlev YAK-40 aircraft. It wasn't until we were in the air that government officials on the flight finally offered up some information. \"We are going to Aleppo,\" one said with a smile. He told reporters that ours would be the first civilian aircraft to land at the city's international airport since December 2012, when the airfield was shut because of heavy clashes in the area. We sat still, slightly nervous about the guinea pig role we had been thrust into by the government, as our pilot performed a spectacular combat landing on a foggy day. As the aircraft taxied toward the terminal we finally realized that we were the news of the day. A live transmission vehicle and dozens of reporters were waiting to greet us as Syrian government TV carried the live banner proclaiming \"The reopening of Aleppo Airport and the landing of a commercial flight.\" EXCLUSIVE: Gruesome photos could prove torture by Assad regime . Mohammed Wahid al Akad, Aleppo's provincial governor, was on hand to greet us, eager to show us the gains that Syrian forces had made in and around the city -- and also talk about the ongoing negotiations in Switzerland between representatives of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government and various opposition factions. \"What we want from Geneva is to stop foreign money, fighters and weapons coming into Syria. We as Syrians can reconcile with each other, make our own government to rebuild our country,\" he said. Three buses picked us up for a tour of areas the military had recently taken back from rebels. Aleppo and its surrounding areas are a key battleground in Syria's hard-fought, nearly three-year-old civil war. The killings have been far too numerous to count. In December, overwhelmed doctors scurried to help scores of patients amid days of air raids by the government. \"There was a big massacre today,\" Dr. Ammar Zakaria told CNN at the time. \"We were treating shrapnel wounds, deep abdominal and brain injuries. I just lost count of the amputations.\" For a long time it appeared opposition forces might take full control of Syria's largest city. But infighting among various rebel groups and a resurgent Syrian army has reversed momentum. The government soldiers we spoke with sounded confident and emboldened by their recent gains. \"Al Qaeda were the worst people to fight against. They are Islamists, they see us as infidels and they want to kill us,\" one soldier said. As the buses drove us to the town of Tal Hassil near the airport, people lined the streets, chanting pro-Assad slogans. We were not sure how spontaneous this show of affection really was. We were taken to an aid distribution center before the tour took us to regime-held areas of Aleppo. PHOTOS: Haunting images of Aleppo's abandoned homes . The city has the same remarkable dynamic as many other Syrian cities during the civil war, including Homs and Damascus. As the mortars boom and machine guns crackle during heavy clashes in many parts of town, other neighborhoods seem totally normal, to an almost absurd extent. The United Nations and other international groups accuse Syrian regime forces of using heavy weapons against civilian areas, including barrel bombs -- oil drums filled with explosives that cause massive destruction wherever they are dropped. But in many government-controlled parts of the city, just a few blocks from the fighting, the streets are full of people and the shops are well stocked. There are trendy restaurants and cafés, even as rebels control almost half of the city. Syrian officials believe that Aleppo could be a model for a ceasefire between regime and rebel forces. But looking over the skyline, it is easy to see just how hard that will be. At a sniper position atop of one of Aleppo's tallest buildings, soldiers showed us areas under opposition control. Some are held by the moderate Free Syrian Army, or the newly-constituted and moderate Islamic Front. But others are under the control of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the al Qaeda-linked group which is battling against other rebel factions in its bid to set up an Islamic caliphate in Syria. Aleppo offered many surprises before we climbed back into our rickety old YAK-40 jet at the end of the day. But it still seems that a ceasefire in the city is a long way off, even if the Geneva negotiations go well. READ MORE: How Syria talks derailed before they started .", "US marines have arrived at the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak after the American military ramped up its efforts in tackling the deadly virus. Six United States military planes landed in Liberia yesterday bringing the total number of American troops in the country to 300. The fleet, which consisted of four MV-22 Ospreys and two KC-130s landed in the Liberian capital of Monrovia. Scroll down for video . US marines disembark from a military plane upon their arrival at the Roberts airfield in the Liberian capital of Monrovia . As the troops left the aircraft, they were forced to stand in a line and have their temperature taken by a local health worker . The 100 additional Marines that landed in Monrovia yesterday brings the total number of American troops in the country to just over 300 . While in Liberia, the U.S. military will be working to build medical centres in Liberia, as there is a severe lack of beds of patients with the deadly virus . The disembarking marines were then forced to form a line on the tarmac and have their temperatures checked by health workers. Vehicles then unloaded boxes of equipment wrapped in green and black cloth as troops were greeted at the Roberts Airfield by the American ambassador to Liberia Deborah Malac. The 100 additional Marines that landed yesterday bring to just over the total number of American troops in the country to just over 300, said Major General Darryl A. Williams, the commander leading the U.S. response. The U.S. military is working to build medical centres in Liberia and may send up to 4,000 soldiers to help with the Ebola crisis as medical workers and beds for patients are sorely lacking. The troops also unloaded boxes of equipment wrapped in green and black cloth as troops were greeted at the airport by the American ambassador to Liberia Deborah Malac . The outbreak, which began in West Africa, has killed more than 3,800 people, according to the latest World Health Organisation figures . The outbreak has killed more than 3,800 people, according to the latest World Health Organisation figures. The vast majority of those deaths have been in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The marines were sent to the Ebola-hit nation as West Africa's leaders pleaded for help in dealing with the crisis. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said he was reminded of the start of the AIDS epidemic, meaning it was important to provide help to the countries. The marines were sent to the Ebola-hit nation as West Africa's leaders pleaded for help in dealing with the crisis and stopping the spread of the disease . Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said he was reminded of the start of the AIDS epidemic, meaning it was important to provide help to the affected countries . As the US troops arrived in Liberia yesterday, police in the country used batons and rattan whips to disperse 100 protesters outside the National Assembly . Meanwhile British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said his country would provide more than 750 troops to help build treatment centres and an Ebola 'training academy' in Sierra Leone. British troops are expected to arrive next week in Sierra Leone, where they will join military engineers and planners who have been there for nearly a month helping to construct medical centres. Meanwhile as US troops arrived in Liberia yesterday, police in the country used batons and rattan whips to disperse 100 protesters outside the National Assembly. Major General Darryl Williams, right, the commanding general of the U.S. army in Africa addresses the marines after they landed in Monrovia . The fleet of US aircraft, consisted of four MV-22 Ospreys and two KC-130s for the posting called Operation United Assistance . The protest came after lawmakers were debating granting President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf more powers beyond those contained in a state of emergency declared in August. Elsewhere, in Guinea, where the first Ebola cases were confirmed back in March, Doctors Without Borders warned on Thursday of a 'massive' influx of cases in the capital. The aid group's centre in Conakry received 22 patients on Monday alone, including 18 from the same region 50 kilometers east of the city, the group said, adding that its facilities were reaching their limits. At an Ebola training exercise at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, a US soldier goes through the decontamination process before deploying to West Africa . The soldiers taking part in the exercise were from the 101st Airborne Division, who are earmarked for the fight against the virus . James Knight of U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) trains a U.S. Army soldier as the American military ramp up their response to the crisis . There was also continued concern about Ebola in Spain, where the first person known to have caught the disease outside the outbreak zone in West Africa became sick. The condition of Spanish nursing assistant Teresa Romero deteriorated on Thursday, said Yolanda Fuentes, deputy director of Madrid's Carlos III hospital. Four doctors, four nurses, a hospital orderly and two beauty salon workers who came into contact with Romero have been admitted to the hospital, bringing to 14 the number of people being monitored at the center, health officials said onThursday. And in Germany, a man infected in Liberia arrived Thursday at a hospital for treatment - the third Ebola patient to be flown to the country. The St. Georg Hospital in Leipzig said the patient works for the United Nations in Liberia.", "Two U.S. soldiers were among at least six killed by a roadside bomb attack on a bus packed with NATO troops in Afghanistan. The attack last night, near Bagram airbase, south of the capital Kabul, killed both Afghan and U.S. soldiers. The names of the soldiers have not been released. Scroll down for video . Two U.S. soldiers were among at least six killed by a roadside bomb attack on a bus packed with NATO troops in Afghanistan, hours before another bus attack (pictured) killed six Afghan soldiers . The roadside bomb attack killed both Afghan and U.S. soldiers who were on board the NATO bus on Friday. Pictured: A separate bus attack which killed Afghan soldiers in Kabul today . Three other attacks in Kabul killed at least 19 people, including a senior court official who was gunned down by Taliban insurgents . A huge fissure was created in the road by the roadside blast which is said to have caused numerous injuries. The soldiers' deaths took the total number of international troops to die in Afghanistan this year to 65, of which 50 were Americans. Some 3,500 foreign forces, including at least 2,210 American soldiers, have been killed since the war began in 2001. The Bagram attack comes two days after the U.S. closed a prison on the airfield that held foreign detainees and is where two prisoners were killed during torture in 2002. It also follows the release of a Senate report condemning the CIA for its use of torture on suspected terrorists at detention centres around the world. At least 19 people were killed in three attacks across Kabul today, as well as yesterday's NATO bus attack. Major General Afzal Aman, chief of operations at Kabul's Defence Ministry, said six Afghan soldiers died when a suicide bomber attacked another bus taking them home. A black column of smoke lingered over the city after the explosion, which destroyed the bus and injured 18 people. The attacks come two days after the U.S. closed a prison that held foreign detainees on the airfield, where two prisoners were killed during torture in 2002 . It also follows the release of a Senate report condemning the CIA for its use of torture on suspected terrorists at detention centres around the world . An Afghan soldier stands guard amid high security following the deadly attacks in Kabul . 'A suicide bomber on foot detonated his explosives at the door of a bus carrying army soldiers,' Kabul police chief Hashmat Stanekzai confirmed. A separate attack saw Taliban gunmen shoot dead a senior court official as he left his home. The hardline Islamist insurgents run their own courts in parts of the country and consider the official judiciary to be corrupt. Hours later Taliban fighters shot dead 12 workers clearing mines in southern Afghanistan, authorities said.", "By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 1:15 PM on 4th July 2011 . The outgoing U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, marked his last Fourth of July in uniform by speaking to American troops during a re-enlistment ceremony in the south of the country. The 58-year-old, who was recently confirmed as the next director of the CIA, told the 235 troops re-enlisting in Kandahar province that they have achieved progress on the battlefield but that 'much work remains' to be done in Afghanistan. 'You raised your right hand and said: \"Send me,\" and today you raised your right hand again and said: \"Send me again, if needed,''' he told the soldiers on America's 235th birthday. Gen. Petraeus addresses troops after saluting. The outgoing Army boss administered the oath of re-affirmation and re-enlistment to 235 U.S. troops . 'I cannot say how impressive your action is - it is the most meaningful display of patriotism possible.' Gen. Petraeus will be replaced by U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. John Allen even as . 33,000 American troops begin to withdraw from Afghanistan, to mark the . start of President Barack Obama's promised withdrawal of all combat . troops by 2014. Later today, Gen. Petraeus is to speak at another re-enlistment ceremony at Bagram Air Field, just north of Kabul. Meanwhile, NATO said a service member was killed earlier today in a bomb attack in eastern Afghanistan. A number of soldiers repeat the oath of re-affirmation and re-enlistment during a ceremony conducting by U.S. Army General David Petraeus . The ceremony was held at Kandahar Airfield in Kandahar, Afghanistan . The death brings the number of NATO fatalities in Afghanistan this year to 271, three of them this month. Yesterday . three U.S. Senators visiting Afghanistan criticised the pace of . withdrawal and expressed concerns that it may leave NATO with too few . troops to deal a decisive blow to the insurgency. 'I believe that the planned draw-down is an unnecessary risk,' John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, said. The 58-year-old is due to start his new role as head of the CIA in September . The general smiles for a photo with U.S. Army Spc. Don Ellen . Mr McCain, who lost out in the presidential race to Mr Obama in 2008, arrived in Afghanistan with senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsay Graham. Also yesterday, five Afghan police officers were killed in a four-hour gun battle between Afghan security forces and NATO troops, and insurgents in the Bala Buluk district of Farah province in western Afghanistan.", "Chinese officials are building the first island large enough for its own airfield in the middle of disputed waters in the south sea. Satellite images revealed that since reclaiming the Spratly Islands in August, workers have expanded one stretch of sand to make it long enough for aircraft to land and take off. Dredgers are also creating a harbour to the east of the reef large enough to receive tankers and warships. The 3,000m patch Fiery Cross Reef forms part of the archipelago which has been at the heart of territorial disputes for years. Scroll down for video . Satellite images show that since reclaiming the Spratly Islands in August, workers have expanded one stretch of sand to make it long enough for aircraft to land and take off . While the islands, named after the British sailor Richard Spratly who discovered them in 1843, lie between the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia, they are host to a plethora of military machinery and resources owned by the Republic of China. Fears that China intended to use the archipelago as a mineral-rich installation of military bases spread when officials began reclaiming the abandoned islands in August. While the Chinese army controls many of the 750 islets and reefs, it does not yet have its own airfield in the south China sea unlike Malaysian, Vietnamese and Filipino forces. According to imagery obtained by independent analysis company IHS, dredging has begun on Fiery Cross Reef to create a harbour large enough for military tankers. China has used dredgers to construct an island about 3000 metres long and 200 to 300 metres wide on the reef, which was previously under water . Workers had built a reinforced seawall around an island on Johnson South Reef in the Spratly Islands by August (pictured) This satellite image released in April 2014 showed substantial land reclamation, harbour redevelopment, and additional construction activity on Woody Island since October 2013 . Johnson South Reef, Cuateron Reef, and Gaven Reefs have all been expanded on since Chinese officials reclaimed the waters earlier this year, though the Fiery Cross Reef is the only island large enough for an airfield. Jin Zhirui, a colonel with the Chinese air force . command, declined to confirm plans to build an airfield on the reef but said China needed to build . facilities in the South China Sea for strategic reasons. 'We need to go out, to make our contribution to regional and . global peace. 'We need support like this, including . radar and intelligence.' Chinese fishing vessels anchored at Fiery Cross Reef on the disputed Spratly islands where China is thought to be building a massive island . An aerial photograph taken in 1999 shows Chinese workers building on sparse land in the Spratly Islands . The dispute centres around hundreds of tiny shoals, reefs and islets in the South China Sea known as the Spratlys and the Paracels. Several south Asian countries stake claim to the territory, though China tries to control the largest portion of the archipelago. Beijing has claimed its right to the collection of land masses is 2,000 years old which, they say, includes the islands in Chinese history. Taiwan supports its claim, and has its own airfield on the island of Taiping. Vietnamese officials say their government has ruled over the land since the 17th century whilst the Philippines, the closest geographically, says the islands belong to them. In 1974, Chinese forces seized the Paracels from Vietnam, killing 70 troops. There were further clashes between the two countries in 1988, with 60 Vietnamese soldiers killed. In 2012 China and the Philippines were embroiled in a lengthy maritime standoff over a Scarborough Shoal. The Filipino military employed its largest warship for the dispute over the stretch of water which they call Panatag. Upon boarding a Chinese military vessel for inspection, officials claimed they found live sharks, clams and illegal reef. Later, Vietnamese border agencies refused to stamp passports asserting Chinese sovereignty over a handful of the islands and in January it was claimed China would be taken to a UN tribunal to challenge its stake.", "By . Jessica Jerreat and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:44 EST, 15 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:44 EST, 15 June 2013 . An army ranger was killed in a freak parachute accident after the cords became wrapped around his neck during a routing training jump in Georgia. Pfc Christopher Dona, 21, was dragged 350ft by his parachute after the wind caught it as he prepared to land at Fort Stewart in Savannah. Members of his regiment rushed to the ranger's aid, cutting away the cords and harness that had wrapped round his neck, but they were unable to revive him after the accident on Thursday afternoon. Accident: Pfc. Christopher P. Dona. The U.S. Army Ranger killed in an apparent parachuting mishap . 'We're not sure what caused the . parachute to do this,' Lieutenant Colonel Brian DeSantis, the spokesman . for the Rangers, at Fort Benning, said. 'It's something we've never seen . before.' Dona, who had been stationed at Hunter Army Airfield, had been on a routine training exercise. Elite soldiers at the base take part in parachute training jumps several times a year, according to The Journal Times. Exercise: Ranger troops stationed at Hunter Air Base take part in regular parachute jumps for training . 'This was a very routine proficiency jump. It was not part of a training exercise or anything. It was just jumping to practice jumping, something we do routinely. So, this is something that’s out of the ordinary for us,' Lieutenant Colonel DeSantis, who has a long service history with airborne units, said. The army is investigating what caused the accident and whether Dona became tangled up in his harness before or after landing. Inquiry: A spokesman from the Ranger's Fort Benning base says the regiment is investigating the accident . It is possible the ranger was knocked unconscious after landing and then became twisted in his parachute as he was dragged along the ground. 'We don’t have evidence that the parachute malfunctioned, Lieutenant Colonel DeSantis told Savannah Now. 'It’s not a case where the parachute didn’t deploy. We don’t know if the Ranger was knocked unconscious during the descent or when he landed.' Dona served in the 1st Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment based at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah. He was a combat veteran who returned last month from his first deployment to Afghanistan. 'Chris was an excellent Ranger who consistently displayed great courage and strength - a true warrior,' Lt. Col. Robert J. Harman, the battalion commander, said in a statement. 'He was the kind of Ranger everyone wants by their side in a tough situation.' From above: An aerial view of Hunter Army Airfield, where 21-year-old Pfc Christopher Dona died during a freak parachuting accident . A native of Dudley, Mass., Dona graduated from Shepherd Hill Regional High School. He enlisted in the Army in early 2012. Dona is survived by his parents, Paul and Maryann; his sister, Melissa; and his brother, Brian. His family did not immediately return a message seeking comment.", "Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division deployed to Ebola hotspots in West Africa to battle the deadly disease will not receive full protective Hazmat suits for their mission. Instead, the troops will be given only masks and gloves to protect them from the potentially fatal virus, General David Rodriguez said at a Pentagon briefing. The Kentucky-based Army division is being sent to Liberia to help coordinate the response to the epidemic, and will primarily be building hospitals and treatment and training centers. A U.S. Marine checks the temperature of Major General Darryl Williams, commander of U.S. Army Africa. Soldiers from 101st Airborne Division will have their health will be monitored through taking their temperatures . Major General Darryl Williams, the commander of US troops in Africa, claimed that the soldiers would not need full protective Hazmat suits as they would not be coming into direct contact with anyone infected with Ebola, Nashville Public Radio reports. He said: 'They don't need the whole suit - as such - because they're not going to be in contact with any of the people.' General Rodriguez said that soldiers’ health will be monitored through surveys and taking their temperatures on their way in and out of camps. If a serviceman does get sick, they will be flown home immediately for treatment. The troops will be housed either in tent cities at military airfields or in Liberian Ministry of Defense facilities. Major General Darryl Williams (center) said the soldiers would not need full protective Hazmat suits as they would not be coming into direct contact with anyone infected with Ebola . Last week, the 101st Airborne were seen learning how to put on Hazmat suits as part of their intense safety training at Fort Campbell - but it appears that this will not be a part of the training that will be put to use . Next week, the 101st Airborne will hold a traditional pre-deployment ceremony - known as a 'color casing' - before departing for Liberia. As the Ebola threat evolves, the Pentagon has acknowledged the size and duration of the mission in West Africa could too. Deployments might even top the current projection of nearly 4,000, an increase from an earlier estimate of around 3,000. The military has already stood up a headquarters in Liberia's capital, Monrovia, and hopes to have a 25-bed field hospital up and running by the middle of this month. It also aims to quickly build up to 17 Ebola treatment units. Protective gear for US Army soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division. It has emerged that the troops will be given only masks and gloves to protect them from the potentially fatal virus . Safety training includes how to put on, remove and decontaminate protective equipment, as well as a practical test that aims to ensure soldiers understand the procedures . Last week, the 101st Airborne were seen learning how to put on Hazmat suits as part of their intense safety training at Fort Campbell ahead of their deployment to Liberia. But it appears that this part of the training will not be put to use in the coming weeks, if soldiers are not provided with the full-suit protective clothing. At the weekend, it emerged that US soldiers are being flown to West Africa following just four hours of training in how to protect themselves against the deadly virus. This includes how to put on, remove and decontaminate protective equipment, as well as a practical test that aims to ensure soldiers understand the procedures. Troops receiving intense training art Fort Campbell. At the weekend, it emerged that US soldiers are being flown to West Africa following just four hours of training in how to protect themselves against the deadly virus . During the four-hour hazmat training, a team of two can train as many as 50 soldiers, the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases told The Daily Beast. According to USA Today, the four-hour training process can be daunting for soldiers, with some being told that Ebola 'basically causes your body to eat itself from the inside out'. Others have reportedly been warned that the disease is 'worse' that what they might have encountered in Afghanistan, while several have been told the virus is 'catastrophic... with a high fatality rate'. 'I’ll be honest with you,' one soldier told the newspaper. 'I’m kind of scared.' A US Army soldier from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), who are earmarked for the fight against Ebola, learns how to put on a protective mask before their deployment to West Africa . Despite the trainers' apparent shock tactics, the Army maintains that the risk of soldiers contracting the virus is minimal because it is not airborne and they will not have contact with sick patients. 'It's been shown that this disease is most manifest when handling bodily fluid - blood, other sorts of fluids, said Major General Williams. 'There is no plan right now for U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines to do that'. The servicemen are also not permitted to shake hands, must frequently wash their hands with a chlorine solution and are required to have their temperatures measured several times a day. However, some are working with Liberian Army members on a daily basis, and their current living quarters - particularly those  in hotels - means they are surrounded by foreign nationals. Major General Darryl Williams, commander of US Army Africa, and US Ambassador to Liberia Deborah Malac visit the site of an Ebola treatment center under construction in Tubmanburg, Liberia . Military spokesmen said they were relying on CDC guidelines to protect soldiers against Ebola. But these guidelines have been called into question after victim Thomas Eric Duncan was misdiagnosed and his nurse was allowed to board a plane just a day before she was hospitalized with the virus. President Barack Obama has committed more than $1 billion toward a global fund to battle Ebola in West Africa. Since the Ebola outbreak, most cases of the virus have been recorded in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Symptoms of the virus include a high fever, vomiting, a headache and joint aches. These appear two to 21 days after exposure to the disease, the CDC said. Major General Darryl Williams, commanding general of US Army Africa, speaks to US troops at the construction site of a 25-bed hospital for Liberian health workers as part in Operation United Assistance .", "(CNN) -- Military brass at Fort Hood, Texas, on Tuesday announced tightened security procedures and the availability of a range of mental health services in the wake of the November 5 shooting spree that killed 13 people on the post. Steps have been taken to tighten restrictions on who gets onto the post, to position armed guards in key locations including behavioral health facilities, and to carry out random inspections of containers, said Col. Bill Hill, garrison commander. \"Relaxed entry will cease,\" he told post personnel in a televised town hall meeting. All vehicles entering the post will be required to display a Department of Defense sticker or a secure pass, and some buildings will require badge access, he said. Security at both the fort's airfields also will be tightened, with guards and patrols on site, he said. Soldiers assigned to Fort Hood will have to register their personal firearms with the director of emergency services, he added. Fort Hood is home to some 50,000 active-duty soldiers and 18,000 of the soldiers' family members. The suspect in the shootings, Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder. Hasan, who was wounded by two civilian officers, is being treated at a hospital. Additional charges are under consideration, Col. Jeff Harris said. Many of the security changes have already been implemented, including additional searches at the gates and greater restrictions on who can get onto the post, said Lt. Gen. Bob Cone, Fort Hood's commanding general. But, Cone said, had the changes been in place on November 5, they might not have been enough. \"I don't think necessarily they would have had an effect on this event,\" he said. Among Fort Hood's resources for treating mental health problems -- including post-traumatic stress disorder -- are a 12-bed inpatient psychiatric ward, an outpatient clinic, a combat stress reset program, social services and substance abuse treatment, said Dr. Steve Braverman, commander of Fort Hood's Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center. After the attack, the post's mental health staff was augmented by 75 to 80 mental health workers, though some have gone back to other assignments, he said. Soldiers affected by the attack were screened for mental health problems afterward and will be rescreened 90 days after the event \"to ensure that any previously unidentified issues are addressed,\" Braverman said. A 24-hour \"behavioral health hot line\" is available, and a surveillance program \"to identify and monitor areas of concern\" will be started soon, he said. \"These findings may lead to targeted interventions for certain populations as we address these issues,\" Braverman said. Plans call for construction of an 82,000-square-foot facility in which behavioral health facilities would be consolidated, Braverman said. Soldiers in need of care can also make appointments with their primary care providers, he said. The objective, Braverman said, is \"to restore trust and confidence in Army medicine.\" Despite the availability of resources, many soldiers have expressed reluctance to seek mental health care, fearing that doing so would adversely affect their careers. \"There is a perception of stigma,\" Cone said. But Braverman said treatment need not hinder anyone's career. \"If you are seen in our system, while there's information in the medical records, that's not allowed to be used for any determination of security levels or future assignments,\" he said. \"This is really all about us regaining the trust in our community, in our soldiers, in our security, in our installation,\" Cone said. \"That was taken from us, and what we have to do is take it back, and that is done one person at a time.\" He added: \"If there is someone out there who is hurting, I assure you there are resources in place and we can take care of them.\"", "By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 09:01 EST, 25 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:56 EST, 25 December 2013 . Bearing gifts of extra rations, Coca Cola and nylon stockings it is no wonder that American GIs were popular house guests among British families during the Second World War. With British soldiers away in Europe, war-hit families were issued with an urgent plea to invite their US colleagues to share their Christmas celebrations. Faced with the prospect of their guests bringing extra food with them, families jumped at the chance to welcome the Americans into their homes, with some 50 invitations being offered for every GI, or Government Issue. Festive cheer: With British soldiers away in Europe, war-hit families were issued with an urgent plea to invite their US colleagues to share their Christmas celebrations . Celebrations: Father Christmas hands out toys and games, including a set of building bricks, to children at a home for evacuees in Henley-on-Thames . For troops serving in a foreign land, far away from home, Christmas was a difficult time. Around 60,000 had reached Britain by December, with the majority being stationed in East Anglia, where they had been tasked with building airfields for American planes. As many soldiers and airmen as possible were given the day off, and advised to spend the day with British families, 'Filling the chairs left empty by British fighting men'. Posters were put up around bases bearing the message: 'GIs spend your Christmas at home with a British family'. The soldiers who took up the invitations were given special ration packs to share with their guests, containing sought-after items such as fruit juice, evaporated milk, bacon, coffee sugar, rice, peas and lard. Partying gift: A reveller says goodbye to a crew of GIs after a 1942 Christmas party thrown in their honour . Far from home: American troops settling into their accommodation hut in southern England . Time to relax: Two British-based GIs kick back with a well-earned beer . War and rationing had brought many changes to familiar festive rituals in Britain, and Christmas celebrations often had to be scaled down or adjusted as restrictions and shortages took hold. As even the most basic foods were scarce, festive luxuries were hard to come by. Gifts were often homemade and practical and children’s toys often made from recycled materials. With the extra food on offer, perhaps it was not a surprise when so many invitations were extended that in 1942 a US camp commander revealed 'The ration is estimated at 50 invitations for every one soldier available.' Party time: US soldiers dancing at Rainbow Corner, the Red Cross club for American troops in London . All aboard: American soldiers driving through the streets of London in 1942. Their average salaries were more than five times that paid to British soldiers . He urged more GIs about to spend their first Christmas in Britain to come forward 'and accept some more of those invitations'. One GI recalled in historian Juliet Gardiner's book Overpaid, Oversexed, And Over Here: The American GI In World War II Britain, how he was invited to spend Christmas at the home of a woman in the Land Army. He had arrived on a bicycle, laden down with his rations of spam, powdered coffee, chocolate and soap, along with other items from his camp stores. 'We all sat down to a Christmas dinner and scene that might have made Charles Dickens the only true recorder', he said. New friends: British Major General Archibald Nye plays 'Oranges and lemons' with London children at a party for American soldiers in 1942 . Determined: The threat of bombs did not stop the crowds doing their Christmas shopping in the famous Petticoat Lane market, London during the war . 'I don’t recall what we had for dinner, but at long last the plum pudding was served – and I gained the silver sixpence.' Along with their rations the GIs were also responsible for bringing many festive traditions into British homes, including Christmas crackers, while in exchange the Brits introduced their guests to Advent calenders and Advent candles. As in peacetime, a prominent feature of a war-time Christmas was singing songs and carols, and from 1939 onwards the BBC's special Christmas Day radio programming would include a speech by the King, an event which became an annual ritual and continues to this day. The Americans would also help British families to forget their wartime woes by throwing lavish parties at their Army and Air bases, inviting local school children to join in their festivities. War orphans were the guests of honour when the US Army soldiers of the 3120th Signal Service Battalion held a party for the children at the Salvation Army War Emergency Home at Lady Templemore's estate at Alresford, Gloucestershire. Party time: For many young children away from home Christmas was a difficult time, especially for these evacuees who were cheered up by a visit from Father Christmas . For these young children Christmas could be a particularly difficult time, as they were not only spending the holidays away from home, but they had also lost a parent - either in action, or as a result of enemy bombing raids. One former guest of a party in Middlesbrough recalled how a Christmas party was thrown for school children in the Town Hall and the youngsters each given a gift from Santa - who had an American accent. 'The G.I.s had decorated the interior with lots of flags, Stars and Stripes and Union Jacks, together with tinsel and paper chains,' he said. 'They served an immense amount of food, not only the cakes, jellies and blancmange but many sweet dishes that we hadn't seen for ages due to rationing.' Keen to decorate their vast bases, the GIs would hang 'chaff', strips of metallic foil thrown from their aircraft to confuse German radar, from trees, as well as more traditional items like coloured lights and streamers. Lasting legacy: GI brides and their babies get ready to fly to America for Christmas 1946. Unfortunately, their flight was turned back because of bad weather. These women and their children had to wait for another opportunity to reach their new home. When the GIs arrived on British shores in 1942, bringing with them sought-after Coca Cola, cigarettes, chewing gum and nylons there was initially distrust between the Brits and the GIs. Their average salaries were more than five times that paid to British soldiers and their generosity made them particularly attractive to women. Around 70,000 British women became GI brides, although it was estimated that around 9,000 war babies were born out of wedlock as a result of the GIs liaisons. After the war the British GI wives were offered a free passage by the US Army to start their new lives in America, although the journey was not so simple for the group of women preparing to fly across the Atlantic for Christmas 1946. Four years after the first GIs found themselves far from home in the UK, the British women found themselves in the same predicament as their flight was turned back because of bad weather, and they had to wait for another opportunity to reach their new home. By the time the war was over around three million US soldiers had spent time in Britain, and were frequently described as being 'overpaid, oversexed and over here'.", "By . Mia De Graaf . From the boxing ring in Liverpool, to Nazi camps in Greece, Douglas 'Duggie' Pomford was the bare-fisted bruiser who scaled German strongholds and took them on face-to-face. Having battled his way to success in the ring at home, 'Duggie' was hand-picked to join a special troop of elite fighters - and let loose on the enemy. In one incident in 1944, the 24-year-old even catapulated himself into the bedroom of two senior Nazi militants as they changed into their pyjamas...and disposed of them with his bare hands. Fighter: Douglas 'Duggie' Pomford (pictured left as an amateur boxer at home in Liverpool and right, on the right, fighting in Greece) was hand-picked to join an elite troop of fighters who raided Nazis' rooms barehanded . Medals: His Military Medals for bravery have been uncovered and are going under the hammer for £50,000 . Now, 70 years on from his perilous night raids, Sergeant Pomford's family has uncovered his Military Medals for bravery, which are going under the hammer for an estimated £50,000. Duggie's rise to Special Commando was fast - and he narrowly escaped death on a number of occasions. He had ploughed his way through opponents at . home in Liverpool, and was almost ready to settle . as a champion of the amateur boxing ring in 1940. Little did he know, he had bigger fish to fry. He had only been in the army for six . months when he was handpicked to join the British Commandos and went on . to become a founding member of the Special Boat Service. In November 1941, he had been due to take part in the disastrous attempt to capture Field . Marshall Erwin Rommel. But . the submarine he was on had to withdraw due to weather conditions and . he missed the ill-fated raid, which ended in the capture of all but . three of the 34 commandos involved. After . joining the crack Special Boat Section, Sgt Pomford was among 200 . soldiers stationed at their training base in Palestine from where they . carried out a raid on three airfields in Nazi-occupied Crete. At war: Sergeant Pomford (left) with his raiders who were shot as they fought for Britain's base in Greece . Sgt Pomford’s unit then turned their attention to the islands of Kos and Leros which they cleared and established an airfield. But . the Nazis retaliated and reclaimed the islands, forcing the commandos . to retreat to Turkey where they were arrested by neutral forces and . later released. Sgt Pomford was awarded the Military Medal for his bravery during the raids on the Greek islands. A second Military Medal was awarded to Sgt Pomford for devastating attacks on Ios, Amorgos and Naxos in 1944 - including his bedroom attack on two Nazi officers. It . was the middle of the night and the Allies had just been forced back . into Turkey, surrendering their airfield on the Mediterranean islands. With . victory still a distant fantasy, British commanders decided to deploy a . team of elite fighters to take it on fro the inside - and Duggie was . one of them. Incredibly, the . 24-year-old set upon the enemy as they were changing into their pyjamas. The two soldiers launched themselves at their attacker and tried to kill him with their bare hands. But Duggie, or Sergeant Pomford, had not lost his skills honed in the ring back home and promptly dispatched of them. In 1945 Sgt Pomford qualified as a paratrooper and took part in further operations in the Balkans before being demobilised in 1946. Undercover: Sergeant Pomford had a Nazi uniform (pictured) he donned on occasion to mislead enemy aircraft . Wounded: Here Duggie receives first aid treatment for a shrapnel wound before ploughing on . On his return home Sgt Pomford became the foreman at the Port of Liverpool Stevedoring Company and was instrumental in settting up the famous Golden Gloves Amateur Boxing Club. He died in 1969 aged 49. His medal set, which also includes the 1939-45 Star, the Africa Star, the Italy Star and the War Medal 1939-45, is now being sold by his family. It is tipped to fetch £50,000. A spokesman for the family said: 'These medals are being sold because they have been in a biscuit tin for 60-odd years and have never been on display. 'The hope is that they will go to somebody who will understand and appreciate them. 'They are a part of history and they need to go to someone who can not only treasure them but also afford to insure them, which I can’t. 'It’s a way of keeping his legend alive and is much better than them staying in the biscuit tin.' Pierce Noonan, from London auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb, said: 'Pomford was a classic Special Forces hero. 'A pugnacious Liverpudlian, he developed his fighting skills in the boxing ring in his home city and then used them to lethal effect in raids on German forces in the Eastern Mediterranean. 'Even among the highly decorated founders of the Special Boat Section, he stood out as exceptionally brave and tenacious.' The auction will take place on June 26 in London.", "Two members of the Tuskegee Airmen - the famed all-black squadron that flew in the Second World War - died on the same day, in the same city, both at the age of 91. Clarence E. Huntley Jr and Joseph Shambrey died on January 5 in their respective homes - both in Los Angeles. They were lifelong friends who joined the army together as teenagers. The men enlisted in 1942 and were deployed to a fighter squadron as mechanics, who kept the planes in combat-ready shape. Veteran: Clarence E. Huntley Jr, pictured above posing with a Mustang fighter plane in 2011, passed away on January 5, the same day as his war buddy . Same day: Joseph Shambray, pictured above in 2000, joined up with Huntley at the same time - and also died on the same day, at the identical age of 91 . Their families, who announced the deaths Sunday, described the men as devout patriots who cared deeply for their fellow soldiers and stayed close with many of their war buddies. Huntley and  Shambrey were part of the 100th Fighter Squadron in the Army Air Force's 332nd Fighter Group. They trained at the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama, which gave the group their moniker. Huntley serviced Mustang, Thunderbolt and Aircobra fighters aircraft, and as crew chief was responsible for the plane of the squadron commander, Capt. Andrew D. Turner. Huntley's nephew, Craig, said: 'The life of his pilot was in his hands, and he took that very seriously,' his nephew said. History: The Tuskegee Airmen, who trained at the Tuskegee airfield in Alabama, were a famed all-black flying squadron . Air-ready: In the above archive photo , 20 airmen receive their commissions at a ceremony in Tuskegee, Alabama, before heading to Europe to fight the Nazis . Airborne: A bomber plane is seen above taking off from Fort Knox, Kentucky, on a training flight in 1944 . His concern led Turner to nickname him 'Mother,' Huntly said. In addition to facing danger, the Tuskegee Airmen faced racism. Shambrey's son, Tim Shambrey of Altadena, said his father recalled getting off a train in Alabama where a hospitality station was welcoming returning white troops with handshakes and free coffee. 'When he and his buddies came off, dressed in their uniforms, of course they didn't get any congratulations' and were asked to pay for their coffee, Shambrey said. They did so. Happy return: Seven servicemen are pictured above landing in New York City in July 1945, after the war in Europe had been won . Still going strong: This 2012 photograph shows four former pilots - Lt. Colonel Washington Ross, Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, Lt. Col. Harry Stewart and Colonel Charles McGee - posing in front of a Tuskegee fighter plane . 'The thing about those men is that they were very proud' and decided not to make a fuss, Shambrey said. 'They were already used to so much discrimination.' In later life, Shambrey didn't talk much about his war service but he held barbecues that sometimes drew 150 people, including a lot of his old Army buddies, his son said. Huntley also didn't talk much with his family about the war, said his daughter, Shelia McGee of Los Angeles. He told them: 'I was doing what I was supposed to do, and that was to serve my country,' she said. Shambrey was a National Guard combat engineer during the Korean War and later spent his career with the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, his son said. Huntley was a skycap for more than 60 years at airports in Burbank and Los Angeles, his daughter said.", "(CNN) -- To hear Spc. Alexis Hutchinson tell it, the Army forced her to make an agonizing choice between serving her country and taking care of her son. The Army, however, takes issue with the soldier's story and Hutchinson could now be facing serious charges for desertion. When her unit deployed to Afghanistan earlier in November, Hutchinson was missing from the plane. Her lawyer said she refused to go because there was no one to take care of her 10-month-old son, Kamani, and she feared he would be placed in foster care. The Army said the young mother had plenty of time to sort out family issues and has been confined to her post at Fort Stewart, Georgia, while an investigation unfolds. Before shipping overseas, every soldier must sign military Form D-A 53-05, which states that failure to maintain a family care plan could result in disciplinary action. Hutchinson had agreed to such a plan and her mother, Angelique Hughes, took in Kamani in a month before Hutchinson's deployment date. But after a week with the infant, Hughes, who cares for ailing relatives and runs a day-care out of her home, said she felt so overwhelmed that she backed out. \"It was that hard, because he's a very busy baby,\" Hughes told CNN affiliate WTOC in Savannah, Georgia. \"You have to keep an eye on him 24 hours a day.\" Hutchinson's attorney, Rai Sue Sussman, said the soldier informed the Army that her family care plan had fallen through and that there was no one to take care of Kamani. Fort Stewart spokesman Kevin Larson said Hutchinson's unit had known for months about its pending deployment and that it wasn't until the last minute that Hutchinson notified the Army of her child-care woes. Like all soldiers who face similar circumstances, Hutchinson received a 30-day extension back in August and September, Larson said. That's \"plenty of time,\" he said, \"to work out another care plan.\" On the eve of her unit's departure, Hutchinson was ordered to be on the plane. \"That's when it put her in this horrible situation of having to choose between abandoning her child or disobeying her superiors,\" Sussman said. \"The sense I got from her and the reason I think why she was scared enough to not go and get on her plane was because they would take her child from her.\" Less than 24 hours after her fellow soldiers took off from Hunter Army Airfield, Hutchinson turned herself in and was arrested by military police. No charges have been filed. More than 30,000 single mothers have served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, according to a new report compiled by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Former Air Force JAG Officer Michelle McCleur said Hutchinson is not likely to win a legal battle with the Army. \"When soldiers are ordered to deploy, and single soldiers included, they have to have a family care plan in place ... and they need to implement that,\" she said. CNN's Brian Todd and Campbell Brown contributed to this report .", "By . Martin Robinson . Many of these vehicles helped seal World War Two victory for Britain, including on the beaches of Normandy, but today they rest in a 'vehicle graveyard' on a former RAF base left untouched since 1963. The closed military site at RAF Folkingham in Lincolnshire is home to an ageing collection of decommissioned military vehicles, farming machinery and lorries dating from the 1940s, which aided the war effort here and in occupied Europe. The hulking machines are parked in line, falling apart and forgotten, at the edge of the 6,000ft-long runway, some swallowed up by bushes and trees. Rusting legend: This DUKW Amphibious vehicle, which was used during the D-Day landings, produced between 1942 and 1945, and used by the British Army up into the 1970s, sits at the closed military site at RAF Folkingham in Lincolnshire . Left to rot: This military-used Caterpillar tractor stands on the spot where it was dumped at a former RAF base left untouched for at least 50 years . Frozen: These ageing vehicles, some of which helped with the war effort, lay still lined up along the Lincolnshire runway . Kept for scrap: This wartime fuel pump engine has been stored at the former RAF site so that spare parts can be sold off . Urban explorer Steve Vernon, 36, photographed the strange collection of derelict automobiles. He said: 'It is quite eerie - the vehicles were stretched along the runway for as far as I could see. I couldn't even see the end of the line. 'Seeing all those old trucks and tractors lined up next to each other in the middle of the countryside is bizarre. 'It is in the middle of nowhere and it was very cold. I wasn't sure I was supposed to be there so I was very careful not to disturb the vehicles.' Forgotten: This disused crane stands among hundreds of other abandoned machines used by the forces up until 1963 . Taken by nature: This bulldozer has been swallowed up by a bush while plants have grown in its tracks over the decades it has lay there untouched . Lost in the undergrowth: This military truck, a Thornycroft 'Antar' Mk 2, lies among the collection of decommissioned military vehicles, farming machinery and lorries . Mothballed: This truck, fitted with caterpillar tracks, stands rusting next to a pile of other equipment at RAF Folkingham . Destroyed: This pan scraper, a piece of agricultural machinery often used for the removal of earth, sand or in mines, lies decaying in the woods around the abandoned RAF Folkingham . Out of service: A disused caterpillar tractor previously used in agricultural work, stands alone surrounded by abandoned parts . On empty: These fuel gauges from a military vehicle are well preserved despite being left untouched for at least 50 years in rural Lincolnshire . RAF Folkingham, 30 miles south of Lincoln, had a 23-year life at the heart of the Second World War effort and later the Cold War. When it opened in 1940, it was used as a dummy airfield, with fake planes and personnel, set up to draw the Luftwaffe away from RAF Spitalgate, just a mile away. Later it was brought into use by the RAF and the U.S. Air Force, primarily as a home for airborne units. Soldiers were dropped into Italy in 1944 and later on D-Day by parachute. After the war, it was a ballistic missile base, with weapons fuelled and ready to fire during the Cuban Missile Crisis in November 1962. But within a year it was closed and is now in private hands. The runway is home to several . decommissioned World War II vehicles including a DUKW amphibious truck - . the model which was used during the D-Day landings - as well as mobile . pump engines and various military trucks. Other pieces of agricultural machinery which litter the landscape include tractors, bulldozers, JCBs and earth-movers. Bizarrely, Mr Vernon, from Doncaster, spotted the severed heads of two deers rotting inside an abandoned crane. 'I saw the antlers poking out of the crane and when I went for a closer look I saw two deer heads in there. One was on the drivers seat and the other was at the back of the cab,' he said. 'They can't have been there long, they were still quite intact. 'I have no idea why they were there, or how they got there.' RAF Folkingham opened in 1940. During World War II it was used as an airfield for airborne units in the RAF and the United States Army Air Force. The airfield was eventually sold off in August 1963 for agricultural use. Today the remains of the airfield are located on private property. The main runway is used as hardstanding for hundreds of scrap vehicles. The vehicles are all owned by Nelson M Green and Sons Ltd who store the decommissioned vehicles for sale of the spare parts. Dramatic: Set in the flat Lincolnshire countryside, perfect for airfields, RAF Folkingham has hundreds of vehicles, lined up next to eachother, along its long runway . History: RAF Folkingham pictured left in May 1944, with the ends of runways numbered in this aerial from the time, and right, the mothballed airfield today . Strategic: Known as bomber country, Lincolnshire was covered in RAF bases, and Folkingham for much of the war was used as a decoy for a base a mile away towards Grantham .", "An 81-year-old Chelsea pensioner has proved she is still young at heart after leaping out of a plane at 13,000 feet. Charmaine Coleman, who lives at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, completed the skydive in a bid to raise money for the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF). Donning a scarlet coat and large goggles, she hurtled towards the ground at 120mph while strapped to an instructor's front. Scroll down for video . Adrenaline junkie: Charmaine Coleman, 81, proves that she is still young at heart by skydiving at 13,000 feet . Going for it: Donning a scarlet coat and goggles, Ms Coleman leaps from the plane strapped to an instructor . Just one minute later, the pair touched down at Netheravon Airfield in Salisbury, Wiltshire. Today, adrenaline junkie Ms Coleman described her death-defying feat on June 20 as 'exciting'. 'I wasn't nervous, just really excited - I couldn't wait to get up there,' said the pensioner, who was supported by The Tigers, the Army's freefall display team from the Princess of Wales Regiment. 'I've always been a bit adventurous, but it's a wonderful thing to do and I'd recommend it to anyone.' Ms Coleman, who previously served in the Royal Military Police, is one of seven women living at the Royal Hospital Chelsea as a Chelsea pensioner. Joyful: She hurtles towards the ground at 120mph with the instructor from the Army's freefall display team . The iconic building, founded by King Charles II and designed by Sir Christopher Wren, is also a place of refuge for former British soldiers 'broken by age or war'. To qualify for a place as a Chelsea pensioner, you have to prove a . certain amount of service in the Army, and that you are ‘unencumbered by . spouse’. During her time in the Army, Ms Coleman was posted to Northern Ireland and Cyprus, before travelling to Germany to undertake a freefall course. Soaring through the air: Speaking today, the 81-year-old described her skydive on June 20 as 'really exciting' British servicewoman: Ms Coleman, who previously served in the Royal Military Police, is one of seven women living at the Royal Hospital Chelsea at Chelsea pensioners. Above, she completes a freefall course in the 1970s . 'When . I was in the Army, I did a three week freefall course in Germany in 1970 . - I loved it immensely,' said the pensioner. 'I haven't done any parachute jumps since, and . that was in 1970.' Later this year, Ms Coleman plans to travel on the Trans-Siberian Railway with a friend. Ready for action: During her time in the Army, Ms Coleman was posted to Northern Ireland and Cyprus. Above, the former servicewoman smiles at the camera while undertaking the freefall course in Germany . Brave: The pensioner completed the death-defying feat in a bid to raise money for the Army Benevolent Fund .", "Melamchi, Nepal (CNN)Even from high above, flying in an Indian Air Force helicopter, it is easy to see that the people of Melamchi, central Nepal, are happy to see us. Residents in this remote village, about a 44km drive from Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, stand on the distinctive steeply terraced hillsides and wave furiously as the relief flight passes overhead. The mission, a joint effort between Indian air crew and a Nepalese army medical team, is only the third operation of its kind to reach the village since Saturday's massive 7.8-magnitude quake, which left more than 5,000 people dead. The aircraft is stuffed to capacity with tents, medicines and packages of tinned tuna, instant noodles and rice, all bundled haphazardly aboard the Mi-17 by soldiers at the air base in Kathmandu barely 15 minutes earlier. Local official Upendra Tamang is there to greet the helicopter as it touches down on a field in front of the village medical clinic, and waiting soldiers swing into action to unload the delivery. He says people have been desperately awaiting the supplies. The situation in Melamchi and the surrounding villages is \"dire,\" he tells CNN through a translator. According to Nepal's National Emergency Operation Center, 1,376 people were killed in Sindhupalchok District, where Melamchi is located, when the earthquake hit. Some 18,000 houses were destroyed and 100,000 people have been displaced in the surrounding area, says Tamang. \"Everyone is sleeping outside,\" he says. He has serious concerns about food supplies in the region, saying the piled boxes of rice and noodles aren't nearly enough to meet the needs of local people. \"Aid agencies need to do something very quickly,\" he says. In the days since the quake, injured people from the region have been told to find their way to Melamchi so they can be picked up by the relief flights, he says. They've sent about 500 of the most seriously injured people for treatment in Kathmandu already -- the majority by road -- but many more are stuck in a local clinic waiting for help. Seven of them, five women and two men, are suddenly driven onto the airfield in a truck and on the back of a pickup. Their injuries are not life-threatening, but they look to be in a bad state: bloodied, exhausted and traumatized. An elderly woman's face is covered in bandages that look like they haven't been changed in days. Another cries in pain as she is loaded on to a stretcher from the back of the pickup, then awkwardly hoisted on to the helicopter. Among the injured brought on board the flight is Forshani Tamang, accompanied by her son. He tells CNN their family lives in a village called Bachunde, where nearly all the houses were destroyed. He and other family members carried Forshani for four hours to reach Melamchi. With their home destroyed and their stores of grain lost, the family are in crisis. As the helicopter takes off for the capital, flying over a landscape dotted with collapsed buildings and bright orange tents, Nepalese army doctor Naveen Tiwari offers perhaps the only positive for those on board. The patients' injuries are mostly lacerations of varying degrees, he says. Their vital signs are all stable, and with antibiotics and intravenous drips, they should recover. When the helicopter touches down at Kathmandu airbase, the patients are swiftly unloaded and unceremoniously laid out on the tarmac in the emergency triage area in front of an aircraft hangar, and paramedics scramble to administer IV drips to those in need . As Forshani's son feeds her a cracker softened with water, the relief team turn to prepare for another mission. How you can help victims of the Nepal earthquakeNepal earthquake's victims overwhelm hospitals .", "(CNN) -- Five more Georgia men were charged in connection with an anti-government militia with ties to Fort Stewart that's been accused of killing two people and plotting to assassinate President Barack Obama, authorities said Tuesday. The five defendants were indicted in Liberty County, Georgia, on charges that include violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, involving what prosecutors called an \"identified criminal street gang\" named FEAR, for Forever Enduring, Always Ready. Four U.S. Army soldiers at Fort Stewart had already been accused of being members of the anarchist group, which was allegedly stockpiling weapons and bomb parts to overthrow the U.S. government, prosecutors said. The four soldiers are accused of killing former GI Michael Roark and his teenage girlfriend, Tiffany York. 'Anarchists' accused of murder; broader plot against government . Under one of three indictments returned Monday by a Liberty County grand jury, Christopher Jenderseck was charged with three Street Gang Act violations and two counts of tampering with evidence in the killings of Roark and York in neighboring Long County, said District Attorney Tom Durden and Assistant District Attorney Isabel Pauley of the Atlantic Judicial Circuit. In a second indictment, defendant Timothy Martin Joiner is charged with burglary, theft by taking and two Street Gang Act violations. Adam Dearman is charged with three Street Gang Act offenses. In the third indictment, Joiner, Adam Dearman, Randall Blake Dearman and Anthony Garner are charged jointly, prosecutors said. Joiner and Randall Dearman each face two counts of burglary, nine counts of entering an auto, two counts of financial transaction card theft, one count of theft by taking, one count of criminal damage to property in the second degree, and 14 counts of Street Gang Act violations, prosecutors said. In addition, Adam Dearman is indicted on three counts of Street Gang Act violations, and Garner is charged with theft by receiving stolen property and one Street Gang Act count, prosecutors said. Jenderseck was arrested Tuesday in North Dakota, but Joiner and Garner weren't in custody, authorities said Tuesday. Regarding the charges against the four soldiers, a law enforcement official said they had legally purchased at least 18 rifles and handguns in Washington and Georgia. Uncompleted pipe bombs were also found, and were comprised of store-bought materials, the official said. No sophisticated military grade-explosives were involved in their construction. One official described the offenses as a murder case and said no federal charges had been filed. Last month, Pfc. Michael Burnett laid out the elaborate plot, telling a southeast Georgia court that he was part of what prosecutors called \"an anarchist group and militia.\" Dressed in his Army uniform, he spoke in a Long County court about the group of Army soldiers and its role in the December deaths of Roark and York. Roark, he said, was killed because he took money from the group and planned to leave. \"I don't know how it got to the point where two people got murdered,\" Burnett said in court. He talked about how he and three others accused -- Pvt. Isaac Aguigui, Sgt. Anthony Peden and Pvt. Christopher Salmon -- had begun getting together, \"just going out shooting guns, just guy stuff.\" \"And then Aguigui introduced me to 'the manuscript,' that's what he called it, a book about true patriots,\" the soldier said. The four men became part of a group that aimed \"to give the government back to the people,\" according to Burnett, who said that revolution was its goal. They called it FEAR -- Forever Enduring Always Ready -- and spent thousands of dollars buying guns and bomb parts. Prosecutors: 'Anarchist' group of U.S. soldiers aimed to overthrow government . The government needed a change, Burnett told the court. \"I thought we were the people who would be able to change it.\" It is not clear how capable the group was of carrying out the goals Burnett laid out. Assistant District Attorney Pauley identified Aguigui as the leader of what she described as \"an anarchist group and militia\" that included active and former troops. \"Defendant Aguigui actively recruited new members at Fort Stewart (in southeast Georgia) and targeted soldiers who were in trouble or disillusioned,\" she said. At the time of their arrest, group members had plotted a number of \"acts of domestic terror,\" the prosecutor said. These included \"forcibly taking over the ammo control point of Fort Stewart to take the post, bombing vehicles of local and state judicial and political figureheads and federal representatives to include the local department of homeland security, (and plotting) to bomb the fountain at Forsyth Park in Savannah.\" Days before he died, Roark had been discharged from the Army, according to Pauley. Roark and his girlfriend were killed because Aguigui felt the couple was \"a loose end,\" Burnett said. Burnett admitted being at the scene of the crime, including watching as a soldier \"checked (York's) pulse and then shot her again.\" As part of an agreement with prosecutors, Burnett pleaded guilty to manslaughter -- instead of murder, thus avoiding a possible death sentence -- and other charges. He also agreed to testify against the three other soldiers accused in the case. All four soldiers had also been charged by the military in connection with the two killings. But as their case proceeded through civilian courts, the Army dismissed its charges, according to Fort Stewart spokesman Kevin Larson. In a statement last month, Larson insisted that Fort Stewart and its affiliated Hunter Army Airfield do not have \"a gang or militia problem.\" \"Any suspicions of gang activity are actively investigated by CID, (which) recognizes the obvious concerns with the combination of gangs and military-type training,\" he said. \"That is why CID monitors and investigates gang and extremist group association with criminal acts in the Army so closely. We believe the reason we are able to maintain a low gang criminal threat status is because of the awareness of and focus on the threat.\" Fort Stewart, about 40 miles southwest of Savannah, is home to the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division. Tens of thousands of troops, their dependents, civilian personnel and contractors live and work on the base, which encompasses 280,000 acres and includes parts of five counties, including Long County, which has about 14,500 residents. Hunter Army Airfield is in Savannah but is officially part of the larger Fort Stewart complex. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks what it characterizes as \"hate groups\" nationwide, spoke to Aguigui's father last month. \"I served my country for 20 years and I honor that, take pride in that,\" Ed Aguigui told the center, according to the center's Hatewatch blog. \"I don't know what my son's views are, and where they came from.\"", "Its enigmatic circle of giant stones are always thought to have stood in splendid isolation on the edge of Salisbury Plain. But archaeologists now believe that Stonehenge was at the centre of a vast network of religious monuments. The latest radar scanning technology has allowed experts to unearth a large but hidden complex of shrines, burial mounds and buildings used in gruesome rituals involving the dead. Scroll down for video . Isolation: Experts previously believed that the ancient monument had been set apart on Salisbury Plain . These magnetic data images show the newly discovered monuments around Stonehenge . Another digital map, covered with red dots, highlights the location of new sites that have been discovered . Looking just below the surface, their extensive finds include evidence of 17 previously unknown wooden or stone structures. Scientists from Birmingham University spent four years mapping an area of five square miles in minute detail as part of the largest geophysical survey ever undertaken. Unveiling their findings yesterday at the British Science Festival in Birmingham, they described how advanced radar scanners were developed especially for the project to build up a digital map ten feet underground. Among the discoveries is a 100ft-long wooden building, or long barrow, around two miles from Stonehenge, built in 2400BC. Experts think it was the site of complex rituals, including the removal of flesh and limbs from dead bodies. The building is thought to have been used for seven generations by a single family before it was buried in chalk and forgotten for thousands of years. What . lies beneath: Archaeologists now believe that Stonehenge was at the . centre of a vast network of religious monuments. Among the discoveries . is a 100ft-long wooden building, or long barrow . Also unearthed were massive prehistoric pits, some of which appear to form astronomical and solar links with Stonehenge – confirming the belief that it was positioned to reflect the Sun’s movement. And the Durrington Walls ‘super-henge’ three miles away was revealed to have once been flanked by as many as 60 posts or stones up to ten feet high – suggesting a very similar structure to Stonehenge itself. Project leader Professor Vincent Gaffney said archaeologists had previously thought most of the site was just ‘green grass’. He added: ‘What we’re seeing is this unconscious elaboration of the Stonehenge landscape. 'Digital . map': The technology was able to produce a 3D reconstruction and . visualisation of the timber uprights that formed the mortuary building . of the long barrow . Experts think it was the site of complex rituals, including the removal of flesh and limbs from dead bodies. ‘You’ve got Stonehenge which is clearly a very large ritual structure which is attracting people from large parts of the country. But around it people are creating their own shrines and temples. We can see the whole landscape is being used in very complex ways.’ The way Stonehenge and its surroundings were laid out was a ‘highly theatrical arrangement,’ he said. As people approached the monument via an ancient procession route, it gradually emerged from the landscape. The structures cannot be accurately dated until they are excavated – and any decision over digging lies with English Heritage. A two-part BBC2 series – Operation Stonehenge: What Lies Beneath – starts tomorrow at 8pm.", "By . Ian Birrell . IN CRIMEA . Russian armoured vehicles firing heavy machine guns and supported by scores of special forces soldiers yesterday stormed one of the last two remaining Ukrainian bases still holding out in Crimea. The brutal assault at Pokryshkin airfield at Belbek, which left up to four wounded, was the first real clash involving the two countries’ armies since the Russians invaded the region four weeks ago. I watched as an armoured vehicle smashed through the walls of the base. It was followed by squads of soldiers crouching behind shields, and Spetsnaz special forces with assault rifles fanning out in the grounds. Scroll down for videos . Attack: Larisa Mamchur said yesterday she was 'worried' about the welfare of her husband, who has become the face of Ukraine' defiance. Above, Russian forces crash through the gates of the airbase on Saturday . Soldiers in unmarked uniforms sit atop an armoured patrol vehicle at the gate of the Belbek base as troops prepare to storm the compound . Members of pro-Russian self-defence units take cover behind cars outside the military base while Russian forces take it over . Stun grenades were thrown at the few hundred remaining Ukrainian support staff and pilots at the base. They were armed only with AK-47 rifles, pistols and homemade staves carved from branches. One man was injured, kicked and beaten on the ground as two more armoured personnel carriers surrounded the facility and scores more Russian soldiers poured in, all wearing balaclavas and body armour. A Ukrainian soldier fell near me as a stun grenade exploded, then ran off to join his comrades. ‘Look who are the real Nazis now,’ said one senior Ukraine officer. Russian officers screamed at the Ukrainian troops to give up, with gunfire heard around the base. The unequal struggle carried on for 35 minutes, although the Ukrainians were ordered not to return fire by their officers. There was no panic, however, merely anger and abuse towards the invading army, punctured by bursts of nervous joking. The Russian troops fanned out around the base. One armoured personnel carrier drove in close to the headquarters, its machine gun pointed at the Ukrainian forces, while marksmen knelt beside it . Ready to attack: Armed men crouch behind a van just before charging into the base, where a stand-off has been developing for weeks . ‘We will stay until the end, we will not give up,’ said one Ukrainian. But the game was up after a stand-off that had lasted more than three weeks – to the growing frustration of the Russian forces who seized the arsenal and 35 aircraft at this strategically important base near Sevastopol last month. Its commander, a former fighter pilot named Colonel Yuli Mamchur, had emerged as Ukraine’s unlikely hero after marching his men into Russian fire aimed above their heads at the start of this strange conflict. Yesterday, minutes after officiating at a wedding between two of his junior officers, with sniper units moving into position on the hills above us, he told me he was ignoring the latest one-hour ultimatum to hand over his base. ‘The Russian Federation came here and told us to give up our weapons and leave. If we disagree, they will assault the base,’ he said. Three and a half hours later, they did exactly that. The warning came with gangs of pro-Russian militia gathering outside the buildings, while armoured personnel carriers and jeeps with mounted machine guns moved into position nearby. Arguments broke out at the gates between the militia and Ukrainian soldiers. ‘You have your aim to protect the base, but we have our aim to put our flag up,’ said one dressed in military clothing. Stand-off: Former fighter pilot Yuli Mamchur, left in peaked cap, emerged as an unlikely hero after a length stand-off with Russian forces . Smoke screen: A Ukrainian serviceman at a separate base in Novofedorivka tires to ward off Russian forces with a smoke grenade . Minutes later – at 4.45pm – the unequal show of strength from Russia began as its heavily-armoured vehicles crashed through the 8ft high perimeter walls. There was confusion and shouting, then wailing from ambulances sirens and thumping of heavy machine gun fire. ‘This is the bitter truth,’ Colonel Mamchur said with an ironic smile. Afterwards, he ordered his men to line up, just as they had a few hours earlier to celebrate their colleagues’ wedding with champagne. ‘Thank you for serving your commander. You can be proud of what you have achieved,’ he said. There were cheers, and even a few tears, from these tough-looking troops. His men, with Russian rifles trained on them, movingly responded with a raucous rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem and shouts of ‘glory to Ukraine, glory to heroes’. Then they were ordered by the Russians to return to their rooms while Colonel Mamchur was arrested and taken from the base. Captured: Ukraine's only submarine is seized at a base near Sevastopol, Crimea, in a separate event today . Russian Navy sailors prepare the surrendered Ukrainian submarine 'Zaporozhye' so it can be towed it from the former Ukrainian Navy base to the Russian Black Sea Fleet base in Sevastopol, Crimea . A sailor holds the Russian St Andrew flag on top of the submarine which was taken over . Military personnel board the vessel as a number of ships were taken over by Russian forces and handed over to the Black Sea Fleet . Many were worried about their families, with some wives and children still on the base. Crowds of men waving the Russian flag gathered at the gates behind a fourth personnel carrier, with triumphant chants of ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ breaking out. ‘This was not necessary,’ said Major Vladislav Korgic, a Ukrainian fighter pilot. ‘There have been no shots fired in Crimea since World War Two and now we have their special forces opening fire. This is very hard, everyone is worried.’ The previous day I had listened as  Colonel Mamchur rebuffed demands from a Russian colonel to surrender the base. ‘According to United Nations laws this is part of the Russian Federation,’ declared the officer, wearing civilian clothes. ‘It is illegal for you to be here.’ ‘No, this is the territory of Ukraine,’ replied Colonel Mamchur, in trademark brown leather jacket and large peaked cap. ‘I will protect my soldiers and the wives of my soldiers. So long as no one comes on the base, there will be no conflict.’ The Russian officer insisted the Ukrainian troops were acting illegally. ‘I want to be informed if you have given weapons to your staff,’ he said. ‘Our staff are guarding their territory,’ responded Colonel Mamchur. ‘You are an officer. You should understand my position. Every commander must chose his way, but I don’t want to kill anyone.’ As they talked, local men who supported Russian annexation shouted homophobic remarks at the colonel. ‘People have become crazy,’ said Colonel Mamchur’s wife Larissa, 44, who had stayed on the base. ‘I have had phone calls and texts saying lots of dirty and scary things. I’m proud of him, but worried.’ The Ukrainian troops knew an assault might be looming and felt abandoned by their bosses in Kiev. I saw two soldiers burning military documents on bonfires in the morning, while others carried personal possessions into cars. Last night, Major Korgic said by phone from the captured base: ‘We are worried about our commander. We don’t know where he is and nor does his wife.’", "(CNN) -- It has been a piece of Berlin history for 80 years, a symbol of Nazi power but also of Germans' desire for freedom after World War II. The giant Tempelhof Airport in Berlin will shut it doors for good on Friday. Friday, Berlin's Tempelhof Airport will shut its doors for good. Tempelhof was where American and British pilots touched down after the war when Soviet Forces blockaded West Berlin. The allied pilots flew in millions of tons of food, fuel and medication for an ailing population, earning themselves the title \"candy bombers,\" for dropping candy as they flew over the city. \"Through Tempelhof, we stayed alive,\" said Hedi Koenig, 83, who lived near the airport in West Berlin after the war. Without the air drops, she said, the people would have starved to death. The airport rapidly became Berlin's only hub for supplies, eventually carrying almost 2.5 million tons of goods into the city. Tempelhof's massive main building -- originally designed to represent Nazi Germany to visitors -- remains one of the largest structures in the world. The U.S. Army later built a basketball court and firing range at Tempelhof, and hid an entire command center in the vast network of tunnels under the buildings. These days, however, its runways are too short for most modern civilian aircraft. City officials said the airport was not profitable and needed to be shut down as Berlin builds a major new airport, Berlin-Brandenburg International. Moves to close Tempelhof have sparked protests from residents and aviators who thought more should have been done to preserve such an important part of the city's history. See archive photos of the airport . \"The people want it, private enterprise wants it, all national arguments are in favor of it,\" Friedbert Pflueger, a local opposition leader, said last year. More than 100 private pilots staged a \"fly-in\" in September 2007 to protest the plans. Koenig said Berliners were still angry with city officials who allowed the closure. She blamed business leaders for putting pressure on the city to close the airport by arguing it cost too much and didn't make enough money. \"For business people, the airport doesn't mean anything,\" said Koenig. She said they were too young to remember how important Tempelhof has been for the city. Koenig is among many who believe the airport should be turned into a cultural memorial. A memorial already exists outside the airport to remember the candy bombers, dozens of whom died flying in during bad weather or after being harassed by Soviet fighter planes. \"The success of the airlift made sure that the communist ideology lost its impetus, lost its thrust, because people began to realize that democracies can defend their way of life,\" said Helmut Trotnow of the Berlin Allied Museum. The allied pilots, Koenig said, were responsible for saving the city amid the Russian blockade. \"The Russians tried with all their might to break us,\" she said. Koenig snuck into West Berlin from the East after the war. That meant she didn't have a visa and couldn't receive official food rations, so she literally scraped by during her night job at a bakery. Koenig said she cleaned the pans and would try to scratch off whatever food remained stuck to the sides. Her boss would check to make sure she wasn't eating any of the remnants, but Koenig said she did it anyway, whenever her boss wasn't looking. Tempelhof's beginnings date to September 4, 1909, when American aviation pioneer Orville Wright flew an engine-powered plane for a few minutes on the airfield there. It ushered in the era of aviation in Germany, and Tempelhof eventually became Berlin's central airport and the biggest hub in Europe. The airport also became the home of Lufthansa, which was founded in Berlin in 1926. Civilian traffic declined during the second world war and the Soviet Army occupied the airport. The Americans took it over in July 1945. The Soviet blockade of West Berlin began in May 1948 as an attempt to force the Western Allied powers out of that part of the city. They cut off rail and road links to the West, and West Berlin -- isolated in the middle of the new East Germany -- found itself isolated even more. In response, the Allies imposed counter-blockade measures which included cutting off East German communications and an embargo on Eastern bloc exports. The moves forced the Soviet Union to eventually lift the blockade a year later, in May 1949. The last flights from Tempelhof will fly just before midnight Thursday, the airport authority said. One will be a special Lufthansa flight aboard a Junkers Ju-52, a post-World War II transport aircraft. The other will be a DC-3 -- the same type of plane flown by the candy bombers from Tempelhof some 60 years ago. With the closing of Tempelhof, the city has two remaining airports -- at Schoenefeld and Tegel. All flights from Tempelhof will move to Tegel. Eventually, Schoenefeld will become the new Berlin-Brandenburg International, or BBI. It is scheduled to open in 2011, after which Tegel will close. CNN Berlin Bureau Chief Fred Pleitgen and CNN's Carolin Fiehm in London contributed to this report.", "A two-mile, £600million tunnel must be built under Stonehenge to end decades of congestion on one of the country's busiest roads, business leaders have warned. John Cridland, director general of the CBI, said reducing congestion on the busy A303 was 'vital', despite the difficulty of bypassing the World Heritage Site in Wiltshire. He said the landmark could not be moved, so traffic should be diverted under it and urged Chancellor George Osborne to give the go-ahead to the project in next month's Autumn Statement. Drivers have suffered years of congestion on the A303 passing Stonehenge, but pressure is mounting for a tunnel to divert traffic . Business groups are urging the Chancellor to act to ensure the slowdown is no more than that and that the economy continues to grow at a steady pace. Top of the wish-list is investment in infrastructure. The EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, complains that Britain’s road network is ‘crumbling’ while the British Chambers of Commerce says business is ‘dismayed’ by the lack of action on infrastructure. Mr Cridland said both he and business want to see ‘diggers on the ground’ – and his top priority is a tunnel under Stonehenge to ease traffic on the A303. He added: ‘Look at the main links that are really important to the country in terms of growth. The link between London and the South West is under invested in.’ Plans to build a tunnel under Stonehenge were dropped seven years ago on cost grounds but ministers and civil servants are again looking at the idea. An announcement about upgrading the whole A303 - which runs from Honiton in Devon to Basingstoke, Hampshire - is expected in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement next month. A new visitor centre has been built at Stonehenge and an adjacent road closed, but the area remains blighted by massive traffic jams. John Cridland, director general of the CBI, said reducing congestion on the busy A303 was 'vital', despite the difficulty of bypassing the World Heritage Site in Wiltshire . Mr Cridland says it is ‘the right thing to do for the country’. ‘We should just get on with it. It’s the only solution,’ he insists. 'The most significant barrier is Stonehenge. You obviously can't move it, so why not go under it?' he said. Mr Cridland said investment in infrastructure was one of a series of measures business wanted from the Chancellor. Security of energy supplies was also crucial for industry, while moves to boost business investment, such as extending tax credits for research and development, should also be included in the Autumn Statement, said Mr Cridland. He also backed the free movement of labour in Europe, saying that overseas workers were needed to plug skills shortages. Business wanted to remain in a reformed European Union, said Mr Cridland, adding it was disappointing that so much coverage of the EU was negative. He called for more British students to spend part of their course in another area of the EU to promote better links between countries. Mr Cridland said he was optimistic about the British economy, forecasting growth of 3 per cent this year, but expressed concerns about 'headwinds' from the eurozone.", "The Ministry of Defence has told soldiers to take a month off work over the festive period - in order to cut heating and lighting bills at army barracks. Military chiefs have reportedly instructed personnel heading home for the holidays on Friday to not return until January 5, and in some cases longer. The move is understood to be a cost-saving measure in response to defence cuts. Many of the UK's bases have older buildings and thus inefficient to heat. The Ministry of Defence has told soldiers to take a month off work over the festive period - in order to cut heating and lighting bills at army barracks. File picture . About 100 barracks will have minimal staff over Christmas to provide security and other essential services. A military source told the Daily Telegraph the Army had 'encouraged' commanders to give soldiers an extra week off, although they admit many soldiers may have extra holiday remaining following the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The MoD says no official order was given to close the bases, but did not deny that the extra week was effectively being taken by thousands of soldiers, as well as Navy, RAF and civilian workers. Col Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, told the newspaper: 'This really does send out a message about the parlous state of our finances at the moment.' Vernon Coaker, Labour's shadow defence secretary, said: 'It smacks of a decision made on the hoof with no hint of any strategy to save costs in the long term.' The move is understood to be a cost-saving measure in response to defence cuts. Many of the UK's bases are older buildings and thus inefficient to heat. Pictured, soldiers at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh . Last month Britain's top military officer General Sir Nicholas Houghton said areas of the Ministry of Defence budget are likely to come under pressure in a new round of spending cuts after the general election, whoever is in power. Sir Nicholas also told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme there had been some 'early glitches' in the attempt to recruit 30,000 Army reservists to plug the gap left by cuts to regular troops. The government wants to expand the Army Reserve to 30,000 by 2018, to offset cuts of 20,000 in full-time manpower. But an Army spokesman told MailOnline: ‘It is totally wrong to suggest that the Army is shutting down over Christmas with skeleton staff. ‘Leave periods are at the discretion of local commanders and many units are allowing personnel an extra week over the Christmas period to offset accumulated leave following busy operational commitments. ‘However, all Army bases will continue to be manned appropriately and security levels will always be maintained.’", "Big Ben and London Bridge are two of the most popular spots in the world to take a selfie, according to new statistics. Tourist attraction site AttractionTix analysed social media to find mentions of travel hotspots alongside the world 'selfie', and have compiled a list of the most popular places to pose for a self-taken self portrait. At the top of the list was the Eiffel Tower in Paris, with more than 10,700 posts found so far in 2015, ahead of Disney World in Orlando, Florida and the world's tallest building - the Burj Khalifa - in Dubai. John Legend and Chrissy Teigen (left) and Stoke City footballer Geoff Cameron have both snapped selfies at the most popular destination, the Eiffel Tower . High Jackman timed his smile to perfection in a nice shot above New York City . WWE legend and movie star The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, took to Instagram for a New York selfie . Big Ben was in fourth place with over 8,000 posts, just ahead of the Empire State Building in New York, Gaudi's Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona and Disneyland Paris. The Colosseum in Rome, Rockefeller Centre in New York and London Bridge completed the top 10. Popular global sites that didn’t rank in the 10 ten include the Sydney Opera House, Statue of Liberty, the Vatican and the Tower of Pisa. Celebrities and sporting stars often take to Instagram and other social networking sites to keep their army of fans updated as to there whereabouts. Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley is a big fan of the selfie, often taking on the role of a tourist and snapping away on Instagram. And music heavyweights Eminem and Sean 'P Diddy' Coombs are no stranger to taking a selfie. Simon Applebaum, consumer marketing director at AttractionTix, said of the results: 'Selfies have not only become acceptable, but the standard thing to do nowadays when at an attraction, so it's only natural that people are taking selfies of themselves when travelling around the world, and then sharing them on social media. Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley enjoys playing the role of a tourist - here he is at Stonehenge . Sean 'P Diddy' Coombs took time out to snap himself at the Mona Lisa at The Louvre in France . Eminem also got in on the act with the world's most famous painting in the background . 'Our top 10 features traditional sites such as the Eiffel Tower and Colosseum, but it was interesting to see that the Burj Khalifa ranked third, one of the world's newest skyscrapers beat sites with hundreds of years of history.' Other UK landmarks to make the top 40 include Buckingham Place, the London Eye, Tower Bridge and Madame Tussauds London. Stonehenge, Edinburgh Castle and the Blackpool Tower also featured. The research was taken from selfie shots posted on Instagram with the keyword. 1. Eiffel Tower, Paris (10,700) 2. Disney World, Florida (9,870) 3. Burj Khalifa, Dubai (8,860) 4. Big Ben, London (8,780) 5. Empire State Building, New York (8,430) 6. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona (4,970) 7. Disneyland Paris (4,740) 8. Colosseum, Rome (4,670) 9. Top of the Rock, New York (4,290) 10. London Bridge (3,820) 1. Big Ben (8,780) 2. London Bridge (3,820) 3. Buckingham Palace (3,320) 4. London Eye (3,300) 5. Madame Tussauds (1,600) 6. The Shard (871) 7. Tower of London (820) 8. London Zoo (816) 9. Kew Gardens (804) 10. Stonehenge (724) Actor Tom Hiddleston was so pleased to be in China he took a snap of the experience . Big Ben is the most popular UK location to take a selfie at; pictured here is MailOnline Travel's Katie Amey with two of her friends . More than 219 million images tagged with the word 'selfie' in order to compile the data, and according to recent figures more than one million selfies are taken every day around the world. Over 1 million selfies are taken every day, and it’s not just the public that like to snap a photo of themselves when visiting famous landmarks. Celebrities including Selena Gomez, and John Legend and his wife have also been spotted posing for selfies at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.", "(CNN) -- Nearly one out of every five NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan this year were killed by Afghan police or army forces. Nine of the 16 victims were U.S. soldiers. This pattern of attacks raises a fundamental problem for the plans of the United States and other NATO countries to draw down their forces over the next two years. That plan is, in part, predicated on the idea that as Afghan forces take the lead in security operations, they will be supported by small numbers of U.S./NATO advisers embedded in Afghan army and police units. Those advisers will be quite vulnerable to attack. This problem was underlined earlier this week when an Afghan Local Police (ALP) officer on Monday shot and killed a U.S. soldier in the eastern province of Paktika, and the same day an Afghan soldier murdered two British soldiers at a NATO base in Lashkar Gah, the capital city of Helmand Province. Monday's shootings were the latest in a wave of attacks on international troops by Afghan security forces, prompting concerns over the stepped up frequency of what NATO terms \"green-on-blue\" incidents. Incidents of green-on-blue violence were rare in the first few years of the Afghan War, averaging no more than one a year through 2008. With the \"surge\" of 33,000 U.S. troops in 2009, though, the number of attacks jumped to 4, likely due to the increased exposure of Afghan forces to international troops. Instead of tapering off, this upward trend continued to a peak of 12 incidents in 2011. And there have already been nine such attacks this year. In January, an Afghan soldier fired on a group of French troops during a training exercise, killing four and wounding 16. The deadly attack prompted French President Nicolas Sarkozy to temporarily suspend French training programs in Afghanistan and threaten the early withdrawal of French troops. NATO officials usually characterize these incidents as \"isolated,\" and not indicative of the overall relationship between coalition forces and their Afghan partners. But the trust that might have once existed between international forces and their Afghan counterparts has been seriously undermined by three recent incidents. -- In January a video surfaced on YouTube showing U.S. Marines urinating on the bodies of suspected Taliban insurgents. -- This month U.S. Staff Sgt. Robert Bales was accused of going on a murderous rampage a mile from his base in Kandahar, killing 16 Afghan civilians. -- The accidental burning of Qurans by U.S. soldiers at Bagram Airfield on February 21 sparked massive protests across Afghanistan. During one such protest outside a military base in Nangarhar Province, a man wearing an Afghan army uniform turned his gun on NATO troops, killing two U.S. servicemen. Two days later, Afghans wearing police uniforms shot and killed two U.S. officers in one of the most secure areas of the Interior Ministry. The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the murders inside the Interior Ministry, saying they were in retaliation for the Quran burnings. However, the insurgent group's involvement in planning most of the green-on-blue attacks is doubtful. A few perpetrators have found safe-haven with the Taliban following their attacks, such as the Afghan army soldier, Mohammed Roozi, who appeared in a Taliban video in February boasting about his attack on Australian troops, but rarely have the Taliban declared that the Afghan soldiers and police who have turned their guns on U.S. and NATO troops were working for them. With American forces making up almost 70% of the NATO troops on the ground in Afghanistan, it is not surprising that almost half of the attacks involved the death or injury of U.S. troops, but as the bar chart on the left shows, many other NATO countries have also been the target of insider attacks by Afghan security forces. Sixteen British soldiers, for instance, have been killed in such attacks. NATO's withdrawal strategy requires a high degree of trust between small numbers of military advisors embedded with much larger units of Afghan troops in order to succeed. This trust has now been eroded to a dangerous degree. Does NATO have a Plan B?", "By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:12 EST, 13 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:59 EST, 13 August 2012 . A slice of World War One history is on the market for £2million. The cool price tag will buy you Stow Maries Aerodrome, the world's only complete WW1 aerodrome in original form. Set in 79 acres with 22 buildings, the airfield site near Chelmsford, Essex, was used as a base for the 37th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. For sale: The world's only complete WW1 aerodrome in original form, is up for sale for £2 million, near Maldon, Chelmsford, Essex . The airfield was developed in 1914 after the outbreak of the First World War. It was one of several airfields established in the South East of England whose role was to provide home defence cover for London. In the earliest part of its existence . the accommodation consisted of wooden hutting and tents - the buildings . now present on the airfield were added later. One of the station's busiest days was July 7 1917 when aircraft were ordered after a formation of 22 Gotha bombers heading for London. Re-enactment: An event at the airfield in May celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Flying Corps . Stow Maries' pilots engaged the enemy aircraft in a running fight and scored several hits. But on their return, ground crews found a number of bullet holes in the returning aircraft. The airfield continued in use after the end of the war and closed in March 1919. The sale even incorporates a grass . runway as well as the officers' mess, accommodation huts, ammunition . store, workshops, blacksmiths and mortuary. The aerodrome was bought by private . owners, who have had the buildings restored, and created a museum to . tell its role during the war. Much . of the land has been entered into various environmental schemes . including the Woodland Grant Scheme. In May this year it was granted a . listed status. One of the station's busiest days was 7th July 1917 when aircraft were ordered after a formation of twenty two Gotha bombers heading for London . Included: The sale includes 22 buildings such as the former Officers mess, accommodation huts, workshops such as a blacksmiths . Russell Savory, who has devoted the past four years to the restoration of the site, told MailOnline that he hoped a public body would step in to buy the site. 'When my partner and I arrived there was no air field, it was farm fields, the buildings were being used for farm storage. 'We have been working our way tirelessly through the restoration and I think we are on building number nine now.' The site has a band of about 50 volunteers who have been helping with the project, which has cost well over £2million so far. Costs have been kept low, Mr Savory said, thanks to generous donations of labour and materials from the local community. However, Mr Savory's partner has decided that he wants to move abroad and can no longer continue with the restoration, leaving Stow Maries in need of an angel who is willing to invest in the site. 'Really the plan is to make it the number one visitor centre in the whole of Essex,' Mr Savory said, adding that he hoped to make it an educational site for both First World War aviation and wildlife conservation. History: The airfield was developed in 1914 at Stow Maries after the outbreak of the First World War . Protecting the country: It was one of several airfields established in the South East of England whose role was to provide home defence cover for London . Most importantly, the site needs a . £300,000 hangar to house a number of planes that have been promised to . the museum, to add to a collection that already includes three period aircraft including a Sopwith Camel. Mr Savory added: 'I've put in four . years of work and a reasonable sum of cash because it's one of those . sites that just grabs your imagination.' According to English Heritage, is now 'the largest known surviving group of Royal Flying Corps buildings on a WWI aerodrome.'", "By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 12:56 EST, 19 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:01 EST, 20 December 2012 . A newly-restored classic World War II Spitfire has taken to the British skies for the first time since being found in a scrapyard a decade ago. The iconic Second World War fighter plane has been restored by a businessman who spent £1m building it back up to its former glory after it was rescued from a South African scrapyard. Yesterday the gleaming Spitfire took off from the soon-to-close Filton aerodrome outside Bristol for the first time since the 1940s. Restored classic: The rebuilt Spitfire took to the skies above Bristol yesterday after a painstaking £1m renovation . Flying through British skies for the first time since the 1940s: The restored Spitfire over Bristol . Taking off: The gleaming aircraft attracted large crowds to Filton airfield near Bristol yesterday . Filton has been synonymous with aviation development since before World War One when the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company set up a flying ground there in 1911. The firm developed the iconic Bristol Fighter and the airfield was used by the Royal Flying Corps during the war. Between the wars, the firm became Bristol Aeroplane Company and built aero engines, while Hurricane fighters were based at Filton. During World War Two, BAC expanded massively, producing the Bristol Blenheim and Beaufighter, two medium-range twin-engine bombers. Spitfires were also based at the grass airfield for a time following heavy bombing of Bristol. After the war, Bristol continued to develop planes, by now branching out into commercial aviation and extending the concrete runway to cater for larger airliners. Filton's crowning glory was arguably its role in the development of Concorde, in the 1960s and 1970s, by now under control of the British Aircraft Corporation. Pictured above is the famous supersonic passenger jet visiting the airfield for the last time in 2003. In 1977 BAE acquired the airfield and it was recently used to produce the Bae 146 small airliner. The occasion was a poignant one as Filton aerodrome, is to be decommissioned by BAE after more than a century of aviation there, and will close on December 31. BAE Systems, which said the site was no longer economically viable, is selling the airfield for housing and business development. Crowds of aviation and history enthusiasts lined the A38 road which borders the airfield to watch the Spitfire take off, while BAE staff watched from beside the runway. They were also there to see the last visit to the airfield from the Airbus A380 superjumbo, which was developed at Filton and is the world's largest commercial aircraft. Exeter businessman Martin Phillips, 51, who owns the Spitfire, said the expensive and painstaking restoration project had been worth it. He said: 'To see her take to the skies today has been extraordinary, and for it to happen at the same time as an A380's final visit to Filton, has made this a sad but historic day. 'I think it's a terrible shame that this famous old airfield is to close.' Former Rolls-Royce engineer John . Hart, who has worked as chief engineer on the Spitfire restoration for . the last two-and-a-half years, said seeing the Spitfire and the A380 . together on the runway that is also still overlooked by Concorde was . 'quite a sight' for aviation enthusiasts. He said: 'It's funny to think the last aeroplane to be put together here at Filton has turned out to be a Spitfire.' Filton . aerodrome, which has one of the longest and widest runways in the . country, witnessed the first test flights of Concorde and was where . American soldiers injured in D-Day were taken to before being treated at . Bristol's Frenchay hospital. The West Country's aviation industry grew up around the airfield, which developed an international reputation. Devoted owner: Exeter businessman Martin Philips spent £1m restoring the Spitfire after it was found 10 years ago in a junkyard . Preparing for take-off: Aeroplane enthusiasts lined the runway to watch the WWII fighter plane take to the skies . Painstaking work: The Spitfire has a fully rebuilt Rolls-Royce Merlin engine . Race to finish: Engineers worked long hours to finish the Spitfire's restoration in time for it to fly from Filton yesterday . During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vulcan bombers were stationed there, and the last Concorde to fly, Concorde 216, is parked there. There are plans for an aviation museum on the site, hosting both Concorde and the Bristol Aero Collection of British-designed aeroplane memorabilia from the last century. The final flights from Filton will take off on Friday, before the aerodrome is decommissioned. End of an era: The Mark IX Spitfire was originally built in around 1943 and is the last plane to be completed at the airfield . Attention to detail: Here, Steve Atkin of Warbird Colour repaints the Spitfire in its original colours . Stripped back: The Spitfire was the last plane to be built at Filton, the home of British-built Concorde . Quite a paint job: Steve Atkin and Alec Kinane of Warbird Colour raced to finish repainting the classic plane . Historic: The Bristol Boxkite was the first aircraft designed and built by the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company . Giant of the skies: Maiden flight of the Bristol Brabazon Airliner at Filton in Bristol after World War Two . From four wheels to four engines: Brian Trubshaw & his 'Bristol 603' motor car standing beside a Concorde aircraft at Filton, Bristol. He was director of flight test and chief test pilot of Concorde for British Aerospace . Spitfires fly over Duxford, Cambs, in 1939 ." ]

[ "The Russian-Chinese trade will have hit a record high of US$20 US by the end of this year, a senior Russian diplomat said on Saturday." ]

[ "China's prime minister arrived in Moscow on Thursday to discuss Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organization and China's efforts to secure a steady supply of Russian oil for its booming economy.", "China will sign an agreement today endorsing Russia&#39;s bid to enter the World Trade Organization, China&#39;s Foreign Ministry said on the first of a two-day visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin.", "Russia and Finland are ready to build up volumes of bilateral trade and to encourage investment in high-tech industries, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a news conference here upon the results of talks ...Comment", "Leaders of China and Russia mutually recognized their status of full market economy on Friday, saying that it will boost the development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation.", "At a time when China and Russia are facing far-reaching choices about their oil trade, Russia's energy minister made a quiet trip to Beijing.", "China and Russia signed an agreement in which Beijing formally endorsed Moscow's bid to enter the World Trade Organization (WTO).", "China supports Russia&#39;s bid to become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhang Qiyue told a regular press conference Thursday.", "MOSCOW - Visiting Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao promised support Friday for Russia's bid for World Trade Organization membership, as the two countries discussed building a pipeline to transport Russian crude to China.", "China will make more efforts to boost its trade volume with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), one of China&#39;s most important trading partners to date and together have promising economic cooperation in the future, a Chinese", "HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Hong Kong&#39;s export expansion slowed a touch in July, as expected, but still continued at double-digit rates thanks to high trade volume with mainland China.", "BEIJING, Dec. 25 -- Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai says China will take measures to expand foreign trade. He says the volume of China&#39;s foreign trade has grown rapidly in the past few years and made a great contribution to the world economy.", "The US trade gap shrank by a sharper than expected 3.7% in September as exports rose to a record high, despite a new record deficit with China.", "U.S. stocks looked set to open nearly unchanged on Monday amid expected light trading volume on the Columbus Day holiday, but record high oil prices could put pressure on markets.", "Brazil and China have signed several accords to bolster bilateral trade relations and increase trade volume, Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper reported Saturday.", "China&#39;s total trade volume will reach 1.1 trillion US dollars in 2004 -- up 30 percent over 2003 --with a trade surplus of about 10 billion US dollars, said Assistant Minister of Commerce Yi Xiaozhun.", "China's Premier Wen Jiabao voiced hope that Russia would choose a route to China for a crucial Siberian pipeline now in the works, the Interfax news agency reported.", "MOSCOW Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China hailed his country&#39;s expanding ties with Russia on Friday as he met Russian officials for talks centering on secure, long-term access to Russia&#39;s vast oil and gas resources.", "China's currency hits its highest level high against the dollar in over a year, ahead of a US-China trade meeting.", "Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China Thursday aiming to boost trade, but cautious not to make promises he cannot keep on long-stalled oil and gas projects to the energy-hungry giant.", "Major Nasdaq stock trader says it will miss Wall Street expectations due to low trading volumes. NEW YORK - Knight Trading Group Inc.", "The U.S. trade deficit set a fifth consecutive annual record in 2006, reflecting a huge jump in America's foreign oil bill and an all-time high for the trade gap with China. The year ended with the December deficit increasing more than had been expected.", "China's total foreign trade for 2004 is expected to jump 30 percent year-on-year to 1.1 trillion dollars, making it the world's third largest trading power, the Ministry of Commerce said.", "Knight Trading Group Inc. (NITE.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , one of the biggest traders of Nasdaq stocks, on Wednesday forecast a third-quarter loss, missing Wall Street expectations of a profit, because of low trading volumes.", "E*Trade's lively trading volume in October makes for happy investors.", "MOSCOW - Russia will ship about 10 million tonnes of oil to China by rail in 2005, Russian Railways' CEO Gennady Fadeyev said Wednesday.", "China and Russia yesterday completed talks concerning the latter&#39;s proposed accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). They also mutually recognized the market economy status of each.", "U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab heads to Russia late next week for expected talks on Moscow&#39;s bid to join the World Trade Organization and other issues, a U.S. trade official said on Friday.", "Russia&#39;s prime minister pledged Friday his country would meet its oil export obligations to China, the Interfax news service said.", "Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao sat they want to strengthen cooperation between their countries.", "BEIJING - Energy-hungry China called on Russia to see that oil giant Yukos meets commitments to supply Chinese customers after the Russian company suspended some exports.", "When Russian President Vladimir Putin visits China this week, a much-debated plan to build a pipeline eastward from Russia's Siberian oil fields is likely to top the agenda.", "Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov pledged Friday that Russia would keep meeting its oil export commitments to China, an apparent reference to fears that a cut in production at the beleaguered Yukos oil company could harm Beijing." ]

[ "SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A top lieutenant of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is in the United States conducting one of three sets of parallel talks aimed at salvaging a summit between Kim and President Donald Trump.\nKim Yong Chol is meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York to finalize plans for the summit, while lower-level officials have been meeting at the inter-Korean border and in Singapore for other pre-summit negotiations.\nA look at what is at stake in the three sets of talks:\n___\nU.S. TALKS\nKim Yong Chol is likely to convey to Pompeo that Kim Jong Un is serious about the summit and also to discuss the contents of a joint statement to be issued at its end.\nSome experts say major thorny issues are still unsettled between the two countries, and that is why a senior official like Kim Yong Chol has traveled to the United States to narrow the gap.\nTrump abruptly canceled the summit last Thursday before quickly reversing course and announcing the meeting could happen. His decision came amid widespread doubt in the United States that North Korea would be willing to actually scrap a nuclear program it has struggled for decades to build.\nMeanwhile, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who met Kim Jong Un last Saturday, said the North Korean leader is uncertain whether he can trust Trump's promise to provide a security guarantee if North Korea abandons its nuclear weapons.\nGiven these basic concerns, Kim Yong Chol's talks with Pompeo are likely to focus on a possible compromise between Washington's push for a speedy nuclear disarmament and North Korea's preference for more gradual steps matched by corresponding benefits from the U.S.\nKim Yong Chol, 72, is the most senior North Korean official to visit the United States since 2000. His official title is vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party. He previously headed North Korea's military intelligence agency and was believed to be behind two attacks in 2010 that killed 50 South Koreans and a 2014 cyberattack on Sony Pictures.\n___\nDMZ TALKS\nU.S. and North Korean officials started talks on the North's side of a Korean border village on Sunday to set the agenda for the summit. The village is inside the mine-strewn 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) -wide Demilitarized Zone, a buffer created at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.\nThe U.S. delegation is headed by Sung Kim, the U.S. ambassador to the Philippines who served as America's top negotiator to now-stalled six-nation talks on North Korean nuclear disarmament, and as its ambassador to Seoul. In 2008, he witnessed North Korea's destruction of the cooling tower at its main nuclear complex in a show of good faith with the United States. In recent years, however, satellite photos have indicated that North Korea has restarted its plutonium reactor at the complex.\nHis North Korean counterpart is Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, the North's highest-ranking female diplomat. A recent statement by Choe threatening to scuttle the summit and warning Washington of a nuclear showdown led Trump to temporarily cancel the summit, citing \"open hostility\" from the North.\nThe two sides are believed to have exchanged their countries' views on North Korea's denuclearization, America's security assurances and other issues. South Korean media said they wrapped up their talks on Wednesday after Kim Yong Chol's departure for New York.\nChoe served as an English-language interpreter during the six-party talks, while Sung Kim, a Korean American, is fluent in Korean. Analysts say that is likely to have smoothed their talks because they could understand each other even when they were speaking their own languages at the negotiating table.\n___\nSINGAPORE TALKS\nThis meeting is to plan protocol, security and other logistical issues and might also include determining when and where in Singapore the summit would be held.\nThe two countries originally planned to hold the summit in Singapore on June 12. After putting the summit back on track, Trump tweeted Friday that it \"will likely remain in Singapore on the same date, June 12th, and, if necessary, will be extended beyond that date.\"\nA delegation led by another of Kim Jong Un's trusted aides, Kim Chang Son, flew to Singapore on Monday night. South Korean media reported that he began talks with Joe Hagin, the White House deputy chief of staff for operations, who is in Singapore with other U.S. officials.\nNo details have emerged about the talks. Possible venues for the summit include Singapore's presidential palace, the Shangri-La hotel and the Marina Bay Sands hotel.\nKim Chang Son served as Kim Jong Un's chief of staff after the 34-year-old leader took power in late 2011. His current official title is a departmental director at the State Affairs Commission, which is headed by Kim Jong Un.\nCopyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed." ]

[ "BEIJING | A top North Korean official headed to New York on Wednesday for talks aimed at salvaging a summit between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump on the future of Kim’s nuclear program, in the North’s highest-level mission to the United States in 18 years.\nAssociated Press reporters saw Kim Yong Chol at Beijing’s airport just after noon. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency cited diplomatic sources as saying that Kim was on an Air China flight to New York that departed later Wednesday afternoon.\nYonhap said Kim, who had arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, was traveling with five other North Korean officials.\n1 of 3\nKim, one of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s most trusted aides, is a former military intelligence chief and now a vice chairman of the ruling party’s central committee.\nNorth Korea’s mission to the United Nations in New York is its sole diplomatic presence in the United States. That suggests Kim might have chosen to first go to New York because it would make it easier for him to communicate with officials in Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital. North Korea and the United States are still technically at war and have no diplomatic ties because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty\nTrump confirmed Tuesday that Kim was to hold talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. But it wasn’t immediately known what else he would do in the United States. South Korean media speculated that he was carrying a personal letter from Kim Jong Un and may push to travel to Washington to meet with Trump.\nPompeo has traveled to Pyongyang twice in recent weeks for meetings with Kim Jong Un, and has said there is a “shared understanding” between the two sides about what they hope to achieve in talks. South Korean media speculated that Pompeo could make a third trip to Pyongyang after Kim Yong Chol’s U.S. trip.\nTrump and Kim Jong Un were set to hold their summit June 12 in Singapore, but Trump announced last week that he was pulling out of the meeting. Since then, he has suggested the summit could be back on, and Kim Yong Chol’s trip to the U.S. seems to imply that preparations for a meeting could be in the final stages.\nKim Yong Chol’s trip comes amid two sets of other pre-summit talks between Washington and Pyongyang.\nA team of U.S. officials led by former U.S. nuclear negotiator Sung Kim began talks with North Korean officials at the Korean border village of Panmunjom on Sunday to set the agenda for the summit.\nA North Korean delegation led by another of Kim Jong Un’s trusted aides, Kim Chang Son, flew to Singapore on Monday night for talks with U.S. officials to discuss logistical issues for the summit. Details of those talks hadn’t emerged yet.\nNorth Korea’s flurry of diplomatic activity following a torrid run in nuclear weapons and missile tests in 2017 suggests that Kim Jong Un is eager for sanctions relief to build his economy and the international legitimacy the summit with Trump would provide. But there are lingering doubts on whether Kim will ever fully relinquish his nuclear arsenal, which he may see as his only guarantee of survival in a region surrounded by enemies.\nWhile there have been a few instances in which countries were persuaded to abandon their nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief and compensation, none of the cases are directly applicable to North Korea, which has advanced its nukes further and with greater zeal than any of the others. The North’s arsenal now includes purported thermonuclear warheads and developmental long-range missiles potentially capable of reaching mainland U.S. cities.\nBut South Korea, which has lobbied hard for the talks between Trump and Kim, has insisted that Kim can be persuaded to abandon his nuclear facilities, materials and bombs in a verifiable and irreversible way if offered credible security and economic guarantees.\nChina, North Korea’s longtime ally and chief trading partner, has sought to position itself as a key intermediary in talks over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program. Beijing backs the North’s proposal for a phased and synchronized denuclearization process, while the United States insists on a comprehensive one-shot deal in which North Korea eliminates its nukes first and receives rewards later.\nRussia said Wednesday that its foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, will travel to North Korea for talks on Thursday.\nKim Yong Chol would be the highest-level North Korean official to travel to the United States since 2000, when Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok visited Washington and met President Bill Clinton amid warming ties between the wartime foes. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright made a historic reciprocal visit to Pyongyang later in 2000 in a bid to arrange a North Korea visit by Clinton. Ties turned sour again after President George W. Bush took office in early 2001 with a tough policy on the North.\nKim Yong Chol’s official title is a vice chairman of the central committee of the ruling Workers’ Party. Previously, he was a four-star army general and a military intelligence chief who is thought to have been behind two deadly attacks in 2010 that killed 50 South Koreans and an alleged 2014 cyberattack on Sony Pictures. Both Seoul and Washington imposed sanctions on him in recent years.\nKim reported from Seoul, South Korea.", "State department says regime must map out denuclearisation steps it is willing to take if summit is to go ahead\nThe North Koreans will have to lay out a disarmament plan in the next few days if a planned summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un is to go ahead on schedule in two weeks’ time, a senior US state department official said on Wednesday.\nTrump approach risks disaster, warns architect of previous North Korea talks Read more\nThe official was speaking in New York as the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and a top North Korean official, Kim Yong-chol, met over a dinner ahead of a day of talks on Thursday aimed at defining negotiating positions and narrowing differences before the summit.\nIn a letter to Kim last week, Trump declared he was calling off the summit scheduled for 12 June in Singapore, after a spat broke out between Washington and Pyongyang over military exercises the US conducted with South Korea, and expectations of the outcome of the unprecedented meeting between the two national leaders.\nBut since then, the two governments have engaged in a flurry of diplomacy aimed at salvaging the summit: in Singapore, the demilitarised zone between the two Koreas, and at Pompeo’s New York meeting with Kim Yong-chol, a former spy chief and vice-chairman of the ruling Workers’ party.\nPreparations for the summit broke down last week over the insistence from leading US officials that North Korea would have to dismantle its nuclear weapons programme fully and rapidly before receiving any benefits, a position Pyongyang rejected as one-sided.\nFacebook Twitter Pinterest Kim Yong-chol is greeted by US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Wednesday in New York. Photograph: HO/AFP/Getty Images\nAsked what the regime would have to do for the summit to go ahead, a senior state department official said: “Between now and if we’re going to have a summit, they’re going to have to make clear what they’re willing to do.”\nThe US was looking for CVID, “complete verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation”, the official said, but did not specify the timing of such a process or whether it would have to be carried out all at once, or in phases.\n“I think we are looking for something historic,” the official said. “I think we’re looking for something that has never been done before.”\nIn return the US was offering “the security guarantees they feel they need” and help for North Korea to achieve greater prosperity.\nIf the North Koreans were not prepared to take unprecedented steps to disarm, the official added: “We will ramp up the pressure on them and we’ll be ready for the day that hopefully they are.”\nThe official said that the New York talks were being conducted by the “two top dogs” in the preparatory negotiations. Pompeo tweeted that he had had a “good working dinner” with Kim on Wednesday night of steak, corn and cheese.\n“I will remind you that the secretary of state is from the heartland and likes American food, and he’s hosting someone who’s never been to our country,” the senior state department official said.", "BEIJING — A top North Korean official headed to New York on Wednesday for talks aimed at salvaging a summit between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump on the future of Kim's nuclear program in the North's highest-level mission to the United States in 18 years.\nAssociated Press reporters saw Kim Yong Chol at Beijing's airport just after noon local time. South Korea's Yonhap news agency cited diplomatic sources as saying that Kim was on an Air China flight to New York that departed later Wednesday.\nYonhap said Kim, who had arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, was traveling with five other North Korean officials.\nKim, one of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's most trusted aides, is a former military intelligence chief and now a vice chairman of the ruling party's central committee.\nNorth Korea's mission to the United Nations in New York is its sole diplomatic presence in the United States. North Korea and the United States are still technically at war and have no diplomatic ties because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty\nTrump confirmed Tuesday that Kim was to hold talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. But it wasn't immediately known what else he would do in the United States. South Korean media speculated that he was carrying a personal letter from Kim Jong Un and may push to travel to Washington to meet with Trump.\nPompeo has traveled to Pyongyang twice in recent weeks for meetings with Kim Jong Un and has said there is a \"shared understanding\" between the two sides about what they hope to achieve in talks. South Korean media speculated that Pompeo could make a third trip to Pyongyang after Kim Yong Chol's U.S. trip.\nTrump and Kim Jong Un were set to hold their summit June 12 in Singapore, but Trump announced last week that he was pulling out of the meeting. Since then, he has suggested the summit could be back on.\nKim Yong Chol's trip comes amid two sets of other pre-summit talks between Washington and Pyongyang.\nA team of U.S. officials led by former U.S. nuclear negotiator Sung Kim began talks with North Korean officials at the Korean border village of Panmunjom on Sunday to set the agenda for the summit.\nA North Korean delegation led by another of Kim Jong Un's trusted aides, Kim Chang Son, flew to Singapore on Monday night for talks with U.S. officials to discuss logistical issues for the summit. Details of those talks hadn't emerged yet.\nWhile there have been a few instances in which countries were persuaded to abandon their nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief and compensation, none of the cases are directly applicable to North Korea, which has advanced its nukes further than any of the others. The North's arsenal now includes purported thermonuclear warheads and developmental long-range missiles potentially capable of reaching mainland U.S. cities.\nBut South Korea, which has lobbied hard for the talks between Trump and Kim, has insisted that Kim can be persuaded to abandon his nuclear facilities, materials and bombs in a verifiable and irreversible way if offered credible security and economic guarantees.\nChina, North Korea's longtime ally and chief trading partner, has sought to position itself as a key intermediary in talks over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. Beijing backs the North's proposal for a phased and synchronized denuclearization process, while the United States insists on a comprehensive one-shot deal in which North Korea eliminates its nukes first and receives rewards later.\nRussia said Wednesday that its foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, will travel to North Korea for talks Thursday.\nKim Yong Chol would be the highest-level North Korean official to travel to the United States since 2000, when Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok visited Washington and met President Bill Clinton amid warming ties between the wartime foes. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright made a historic reciprocal visit to Pyongyang later in 2000 in a bid to arrange a North Korea visit by Clinton. Ties turned sour again after President George W. Bush took office in early 2001 with a tough policy on the North.\nKim Yong Chol's official title is a vice chairman of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party. Previously, he was a four-star army general and a military intelligence chief who is thought to have been behind two deadly attacks in 2010 that killed 50 South Koreans and an alleged 2014 cyberattack on Sony Pictures. Both Seoul and Washington imposed sanctions on him in recent years.\nRead Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.", "NEW YORK >> A senior North Korean official arrived in New York on Wednesday in the highest-level official visit to the United States in 18 years, as President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un sought to salvage prospects for a high-stakes nuclear summit.\nKim Yong Chol, the former military intelligence chief and one of the North Korean leader’s closest aides, landed mid-afternoon on an Air China flight from Beijing. Associated Press journalists saw the plane taxi down the tarmac before the North’s delegation disembarked at JFK International Airport.\nDuring his unusual visit to the U.S., Kim Yong Chol planned to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was traveling up from Washington. Their talks will be aimed at determining whether a meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un, originally scheduled for June 12 but later canceled by Trump, can be restored, U.S. officials have said.\nThe talks come as preparations for the highly anticipated summit in Singapore were barreling forward both in the U.S. and in Asia, despite lingering uncertainty about whether it will really occur, and when.\nAdvertisement\nNorth Korea’s flurry of diplomatic activity following a torrid run in nuclear weapons and missile tests in 2017 suggests that Kim Jong Un is eager for sanctions relief to build his economy and the international legitimacy the summit with Trump would provide. But there are lingering doubts on whether Kim will ever fully relinquish his nuclear arsenal, which he may see as his only guarantee of survival in a region surrounded by enemies.\nTrump announced that Kim Yong Chol was coming to New York for talks with Pompeo in a tweet on Tuesday in which he said he had a “great team” working on the summit. That was a shift from last week, when Trump announced in an open letter to Kim Jong Un that he had decided to “terminate” the summit following a provocative statement from the North.\nPompeo, Trump’s former CIA chief, has traveled to Pyongyang twice in recent weeks for meetings with Kim Jong Un, and has said there is a “shared understanding” between the two sides about what they hope to achieve in talks. South Korean media speculated that Pompeo could make a third trip to Pyongyang and that Kim Yong Chol was carrying a personal letter from Kim Jong Un and might push to travel to Washington to meet with Trump.\nNorth Korea’s mission to the United Nations in New York is its sole diplomatic presence in the United States. That suggests Kim might have chosen to first go to New York because it would make it easier for him to communicate with officials in Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital. North Korea and the United States are still technically at war and have no diplomatic ties because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.\nTrump views a summit as a legacy-defining opportunity to make the nuclear deal that has evaded others, but he pledged to walk away from the meeting if he believed the North wasn’t serious about discussing dismantling its nuclear program.\nAfter the North’s combative statements, there was debate inside the Trump administration about whether it marked a real turn to belligerence or a feint to see how far Kim Jong Un could push the U.S. in the lead-up to the talks. Trump had mused that Kim’s “attitude” had changed after the North Korean leader’s surprise visit to China two weeks ago, suggesting China was pushing Kim away from the table. Trump’s letter, the aides said, was designed to pressure the North on the international stage for appearing to have cold feet.\nWhite House officials maintain that Trump was hopeful the North was merely negotiating but that he was prepared for the letter to mark the end of the two-month flirtation. Instead, the officials said, it brought both sides to the table with increasing seriousness, as they work through myriad logistical and policy decisions to keep June 12 a viable option for the summit.\nKim Yong Chol is a vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party’s central committee. The last official of his stature to visit the United States was Jo Myong Rok, the late first vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, who visited Washington in 2000, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said.\nThe White House emphasized that it has remained in close contact with South Korean and Japanese officials as preparations for the talks continue. Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump will host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan on June 7 to coordinate their thinking ahead of the summit. Trump hosted South Korean President Moon Jae-in last week.\nMoon, who has lobbied hard for nuclear negotiations between Trump and Kim Jong Un, held a surprise meeting with the North Korean leader on Saturday in an effort to keep the summit alive.\nLederman reported from Washington and Bodeen from Beijing. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Zeke Miller and Catherine Lucey in Washington and Hyung-Jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.", "A senior North Korean official has arrived in New York as President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un sought to salvage prospects for a high-stakes nuclear summit.\nKim Yong Chol, the former military intelligence chief and one of the North Korean leader’s closest aides, landed mid-afternoon on an Air China flight from Beijing in the highest-level official visit to the United States in 18 years.\nAssociated Press journalists saw the plane taxi down the tarmac before the North’s delegation disembarked at JFK International Airport.\nDuring his unusual visit to the US, Mr Kim planned to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was travelling up from Washington.\nUS officials said their talks will be aimed at determining whether a meeting between Mr Trump and Kim Jong Un, originally scheduled for June 12 but later cancelled by the US president, can be restored.\nThe talks come as preparations for the highly anticipated summit in Singapore were barrelling forward both in the US and in Asia, despite lingering uncertainty about whether it will really occur and when.\nNorth Korea’s flurry of diplomatic activity following a torrid run in nuclear weapons and missile tests in 2017 suggests Kim Jong Un is eager for sanctions relief to build his economy, and the international legitimacy the summit with Mr Trump would provide.\nBut there are lingering doubts on whether Mr Kim will ever fully relinquish his nuclear arsenal, which he may see as his only guarantee of survival in a region surrounded by enemies.\nMr Trump announced that Kim Yong Chol was coming to New York for talks with Mr Pompeo in a tweet on Tuesday in which he said he had a “great team” working on the summit.\nWe have put a great team together for our talks with North Korea. Meetings are currently taking place concerning Summit, and more. Kim Young Chol, the Vice Chairman of North Korea, heading now to New York. Solid response to my letter, thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2018\nThat was a shift from last week, when Mr Trump announced in an open letter to Kim Jong Un he had decided to “terminate” the summit following a provocative statement from the North.\nMr Pompeo, Mr Trump’s former CIA chief, travelled to Pyongyang twice in recent weeks for meetings with Kim Jong Un, and said there is a “shared understanding” between the two sides about what they hope to achieve in talks.\nSouth Korean media speculated Mr Pompeo could make a third trip to Pyongyang and Kim Yong Chol was carrying a personal letter from Kim Jong Un, and might push to travel to Washington to meet Mr Trump.\nNorth Korea’s mission to the United Nations in New York is its sole diplomatic presence in the United States.\nThat suggests Mr Kim might has chosen to first go to New York because it would make it easier for him to communicate with officials in Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.\nNorth Korea and the United States are still technically at war and have no diplomatic ties because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.\nMr Trump views a summit as a legacy-defining opportunity to make the nuclear deal that has evaded others, but he pledged to walk away from the meeting if he believed the North was not serious about discussing dismantling its nuclear program.\nAfter the North’s combative statements, there was debate inside the Trump administration about whether it marked a real turn to belligerence or a feint to see how far Kim Jong Un could push the US in the lead-up to the talks.\nUS Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on May 9 (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)\nMr Trump had mused Mr Kim’s “attitude” had changed after the North Korean leader’s surprise visit to China two weeks ago, suggesting China was pushing him away from the table.\nThe US president’s letter, the aides said, was designed to pressure the North on the international stage for appearing to have cold feet.\nWhite House officials maintain Mr Trump was hopeful the North was merely negotiating but that he was prepared for the letter to mark the end of the two-month flirtation.\nInstead, the officials said, it brought both sides to the table with increasing seriousness, as they work through myriad logistical and policy decisions to keep June 12 a viable option for the summit.\nKim Yong Chol is a vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party’s central committee.\nThe last official of his stature to visit the United States was Jo Myong Rok, the late first vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, who visited Washington in 2000, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said.\nThe White House emphasised it has remained in close contact with South Korean and Japanese officials as preparations for the talks continue.\nSpokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Mr Trump will host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on June 7 to coordinate their thinking ahead of the summit. Mr Trump also hosted South Korean President Moon Jae-in last week.\nMr Moon, who has lobbied hard for nuclear negotiations between Mr Trump and Kim Jong Un, held a surprise meeting with the North Korean leader on Saturday in an effort to keep the summit alive.", "The US President has renewed hopes a US-North Korean summit may still go ahead despite cancelling the June 12 meeting last week. Donald Trump has confirmed Kim Young Chol, the Vice Chairman of North Korea - the most senior North Korean official to travel to the US in 18 years - will meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo later this week.\nA SENIOR North Korean official has arrived in New York, becoming the highest-level official from the country to visit the United States in 18 years, as US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un sought to salvage prospects for a high- stakes nuclear summit.\nKim Yong Chol, the former military intelligence chief and one of the North Korean leader’s closest aides, landed midafternoon on an Air China flight from Beijing.\nDuring his unusual visit to the US, Kim Yong Chol planned to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was travelling up from Washington.\nTheir talks will be aimed at determining whether a meeting between Mr Trump and Kim Jong un, originally scheduled for June 12 but later cancelled by Mr Trump, can be restored, US officials have said.\nThe talks come as preparations for the highly anticipated summit in Singapore were barrelling forward both in the US and in Asia, despite lingering uncertainty about whether it will really occur, and when.\nNorth Korea’s flurry of diplomatic activity following a torrid run in nuclear weapons and missile tests in 2017 suggests that Kim Jong-un is eager for sanctions relief to build his economy and the international legitimacy the summit with Mr Trump would provide. But there are lingering doubts on whether Kim will ever fully relinquish his nuclear arsenal, which he may see as his only guarantee of survival in a region surrounded by enemies.\nMr Trump announced that Kim Yong Chol was coming to New York for talks with Sec. Pompeo in a tweet on Tuesday in which he said he had a “great team” working on the summit.\nThat was a shift from last week, when Mr Trump announced in an open letter to Kim Jong-un that he had decided to “terminate” the summit following a provocative statement from the North.\nSec. Pompeo, Mr Trump’s former CIA chief, has travelled to Pyongyang twice in recent weeks for meetings with Kim Jong-un, and has said there is a “shared understanding” between the two sides about what they hope to achieve in talks. South Korean media speculated that Sec. Pompeo could make a third trip to Pyongyang and that Kim Yong Chol was carrying a personal letter from Kim Jong-un and might push to travel to Washington to meet with Mr Trump.\nNorth Korea’s mission to the United Nations in New York is its sole diplomatic presence in the United States.\nThat suggests Kim might have chosen to first go to New York because it would make it easier for him to communicate with officials in Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.\nNorth Korea and the United States are still technically at war and have no diplomatic ties because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.\nMr Trump views a summit as a legacy-defining opportunity to make the nuclear deal that has evaded others, but he pledged to walk away from the meeting if he believed the North wasn’t serious about discussing dismantling its nuclear program.\nAfter the North’s combative statements, there was debate inside the Trump administration about whether it marked a real turn to belligerence or a feint to see how far Kim Jong-un could push the US in the lead-up to the talks.\nMr Trump had mused that Kim’s “attitude” had changed after the North Korean leader’s surprise visit to China two weeks ago, suggesting China was pushing Kim away from the table.\nMr Trump’s letter, the aides said, was designed to pressure the North on the international stage for appearing to have cold feet.\nWhite House officials maintain that Mr Trump was hopeful the North was merely negotiating but that he was prepared for the letter to mark the end of the two-month flirtation. Instead, the officials said, it brought both sides to the table with increasing seriousness, as they work through myriad logistic and policy decisions to keep June 12 a viable option for the summit. Kim Yong Chol is a vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party’s central committee.\nThe last official of his stature to visit the United States was Jo Myong Rok, the late first vice chairman of the National Defence Commission, who visited Washington in 2000, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said.\nThe White House emphasised that it has remained in close contact with South Korean and Japanese officials as preparations for the talks continue.\nSpokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Mr Trump will host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan on June 7 to co-ordinate their thinking ahead of the summit.\nMr Trump hosted South Korean President Moon Jae-in last week.\nMr Moon, who has lobbied hard for nuclear negotiations between Mr Trump and Kim Jong-un, held a surprise meeting with the North Korean leader on Saturday in an effort to keep the summit alive.", "The Associated Press\nNEW YORK - A senior North Korean official and the top U.S. diplomat had dinner in New York as U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un try to salvage prospects for a high-stakes nuclear summit. It's the highest-level official North Korean visit to the United States in 18 years.\nKim Yong Chol, the former military intelligence chief and one of the North Korean leader's closest aides, landed midafternoon Wednesday on an Air China flight from Beijing. Associated Press journalists saw the plane taxi down the tarmac before the North's delegation disembarked at JFK International Airport.\nDuring his unusual visit, Kim Yong Chol had dinner for about an hour-and-a-half with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who travelled from Washington to see him. The two planned a \"day full of meetings\" Thursday, the White House said. Their talks will be aimed at determining whether a meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un, originally scheduled for June 12 but later cancelled by Trump, can be restored, U.S. officials have said.\nThe talks come as preparations for the highly anticipated summit in Singapore were barrelling forward on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, despite lingering uncertainty about whether it will really occur, and when. As Kim and Pompeo were meeting in New York, other U.S. teams were meeting with North Korean officials in Singapore and in the heavily fortified Korean Demilitarized Zone.\n\"If it happens, we'll certainly be ready,\" White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said of the Singapore summit. Regarding the date for the meeting, she added, \"We're going to continue to shoot for June 12th.\"\nNorth Korea's flurry of diplomatic activity following a torrid run in nuclear weapons and missile tests in 2017 suggests that Kim Jong Un is eager for sanctions relief to build his economy and the international legitimacy the summit with Trump would provide. But there are lingering doubts on whether Kim will ever fully relinquish his nuclear arsenal, which he may see as his only guarantee of survival in a region surrounded by enemies.\nTrump announced that Kim Yong Chol was coming to New York for talks with Pompeo in a tweet on Tuesday in which he said he had a \"great team\" working on the summit. That was a shift from last week, when Trump announced in an open letter to Kim Jong Un that he had decided to \"terminate\" the summit following a provocative statement from the North.\nPompeo, Trump's former CIA chief, has travelled to Pyongyang twice in recent weeks for meetings with Kim Jong Un, and has said there is a \"shared understanding\" between the two sides about what they hope to achieve in talks. South Korean media speculated that Pompeo could make a third trip to Pyongyang and that Kim Yong Chol was carrying a personal letter from Kim Jong Un and might push to travel to Washington to meet with Trump.\nNorth Korea's mission to the United Nations in New York is its sole diplomatic presence in the United States. That suggests Kim might have chosen to first go to New York because it would make it easier for him to communicate with officials in Pyongyang, North Korea's capital. North Korea and the United States are still technically at war and have no diplomatic ties because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.\nTrump views a summit as a legacy-defining opportunity to make the nuclear deal that has evaded others, but he pledged to walk away from the meeting if he believed the North wasn't serious about discussing dismantling its nuclear program.\nAfter the North's combative statements, there was debate inside the Trump administration about whether it marked a real turn to belligerence or a feint to see how far Kim Jong Un could push the U.S. in the lead-up to the talks. Trump had mused that Kim's \"attitude\" had changed after the North Korean leader's surprise visit to China two weeks ago, suggesting China was pushing Kim away from the table. Trump's letter, the aides said, was designed to pressure the North on the international stage for appearing to have cold feet.\nWhite House officials maintain that Trump was hopeful the North was merely negotiating but that he was prepared for the letter to mark the end of the two-month flirtation. Instead, the officials said, it brought both sides to the table with increasing seriousness, as they work through myriad logistical and policy decisions to keep June 12 a viable option for the summit.\nKim Yong Chol is a vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party's central committee. The last official of his stature to visit the United States was Jo Myong Rok, the late first vice chairman of the National Defence Commission, who visited Washington in 2000, South Korea's Unification Ministry said.\nThe White House emphasized that it has remained in close contact with South Korean and Japanese officials as preparations for the talks continue. Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump will host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan on June 7 to co-ordinate their thinking ahead of the summit. Trump hosted South Korean President Moon Jae-in last week.\nMoon, who has lobbied hard for nuclear negotiations between Trump and Kim Jong Un, held a surprise meeting with the North Korean leader on Saturday in an effort to keep the summit alive.\n-----\nAssociated Press writers Jill Colvin, Zeke Miller and Catherine Lucey in Washington and Hyung-Jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.", "NATIONAL\nWASHINGTON -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in could hold the key to setting the tone for upcoming talks between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.\nWhen he meets with Kim on Friday, Moon will be expected to sound out the regime's willingness to dismantle its nuclear weapons program for peace on the peninsula and beyond.\nBased on what the North Korean leader says, Trump is expected to make his final preparations for a high-stakes showdown with the reclusive regime.\n\"The inter-Korean summit is very important for setting the groundwork for the US-North Korea summit,\" Ken Gause, a North Korea expert at CNA Corp., said in emailed remarks to Yonhap. \"President Moon should be able to use the information he learns at the inter-Korean summit to help prepare President Trump for his meeting with Kim Jong-un.\"\n(AP)\nThe Moon-Kim meeting will be an opportunity to gain a better understanding of North Korea's objectives, interests, and seriousness, according to Frank Aum, senior expert on North Korea at the US Institute of Peace.Pyongyang has repeatedly expressed a commitment to denuclearization in recent months, but many are skeptical of the regime's intentions and sincerity, given its track record of entering into agreements and then reneging on them.On Saturday North Korea announced an immediate suspension of nuclear and ballistic missile tests. To demonstrate its seriousness, it said it would shut down its nuclear test site.But that decision was also met with skepticism as it stopped short of a promise to abandon existing nuclear weapons.\"Hopefully, President Moon will convince Kim Jong-un that Kim will have a much better summit with President Trump if Kim is prepared to surrender perhaps five nuclear weapons as a sign of sincerity shortly after the inter-Korean summit,\" said Bruce Bennett, a senior defense analyst at RAND Corp.To Americans, talk is cheap, he said.\"So the inter-Korean summit might set the atmosphere for the Trump-Kim summit, but unless President Moon convinces Kim to surrender some nuclear weapons and perhaps take other actions, the Moon-Kim summit might have actually a negative effect on the Trump-Kim summit,\" Bennett added.In as much as a final agreement on the North's nuclear issue will be reached between Trump and Kim, Moon's influence could also be limited.\"I don't expect much progress to be made on the denuclearization issue because it is a matter that will be decided between the United States and North Korea,\" Aum said. \"However, if President Moon can get Kim Jong-un to publicly and directly commit to denuclearization, that by itself would be a success.\"Washington insists on the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea. But Pyongyang has called for a phased and synchronized approach that is interpreted as concessions in exchange for steps toward denuclearization.\"The bottom line is whether the US will move from its current hard line on denuclearization,\" said Gause. \"If it does not, it is hard to see how the US-North Korea summit will be a success, provided it happens at all.\"Whether the two sides can reach an agreement on denuclearization could be the biggest factor in determining whether the Trump-Kim meeting takes place and is a success.\"Right now the two sides seem far apart,\" Gause noted. \"If the inter-Korean summit can help bridge that gap, then it will play a huge role in moving dynamics in the region forward.\"Denuclearization aside, the inter-Korean summit will still serve other purposes. According to Gause, it will lay the foundation for an improvement in relations between the two Koreas.\"I think the inter-Korean summit can help continue the positive momentum that the Peninsula has experienced since the Winter Olympics,\" Aum said, referring to the peace mood that burgeoned out of North Korea's participation in the Games. \"Given how much President Moon and Kim Jong-un are invested in a positive outcome, I feel cautiously optimistic that the summit will be successful.\" (Yonhap)", "By Christine Kim\nSEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea on Monday halted the propaganda broadcasts it blares across the border with North Korea, aiming to set a positive tone ahead of the first summit in a decade between their leaders as the U.S. president cautioned the nuclear crisis was far from resolved.\nNorth Korea said on Saturday it would immediately suspend nuclear and missile tests, scrap its nuclear test site and instead pursue economic growth and peace, a declaration welcomed by world leaders.\nNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un is due to hold a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-In at the border truce village of Panmunjom on Friday, and is expected to meet with President Donald Trump in late May or early June.\n\"North Korea's decision to freeze its nuclear program is a significant decision for the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,\" South Korean President Moon Jae-in said.\n\"It is a green light that raises the chances of positive outcomes at the North's summits with South Korea and the United States. If North Korea goes the path of complete denuclearization starting from this, then a bright future for North Korea can be guaranteed.\"\nSouth Korea's propaganda broadcasts, which include a mix of news, Korean pop songs, and criticism of the North Korean regime, were stopped at midnight, the defense ministry in Seoul said. It didn't specify if they would resume after the Kim-Moon summit.\n\"We hope this decision will lead both Koreas to stop mutual criticism and propaganda against each other and also contribute in creating peace and a new beginning,\" the South Korean defense ministry said.\nIt marks the first time in more than two years that the South's broadcasts have fallen silent. North Korea has its own propaganda loudspeakers at the border, but a defense ministry official said he could not verify that they had also stopped.\nCAUTION\nThe two Koreas agreed to a schedule for Friday's summit in working-level talks on Monday, South Korea's presidential Blue House said, adding North Korea had agreed to allow South Korean reporters in its part of the Joint Security Area at the border to cover the event.\nPreparations for the talks will include a rehearsal by officials from both countries at the border truce village of Panmunjom on Wednesday, the Blue House said.\nThe inter-Korean talks and the expected Kim-Trump summit have raised hopes of an easing in tensions that reached a crescendo last year amid a flurry of North Korean missile tests and its largest nuclear test.\nTrump initially welcomed Pyongyang's statement it would halt nuclear and missile tests, but he sounded more cautious on Sunday.\n\"We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they won't - only time will tell,\" Trump said on Twitter.\nStill, the shares of South Korean companies with business links to North Korea rallied after Pyongyang's weekend announcement.\nIn Washington, U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday he was optimistic that U.S. talks with North Korea would be \"fruitful.\"\n\"Right now, I think there is a lot of reasons for optimism that the negotiations will be fruitful and we'll see,\" Mattis said before the start of his meeting with his counterpart from Thailand.\nChina, North Korea's main ally, welcomed the North Korean announcement.\nThe Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, told reporters on Monday that North Korea's announcement at the weekend was \"great news\".\n\"We cannot let any noise damage the continued improvements in the situation on the peninsula and cannot allow anything to interfere in or obstruct the talks process between the parties,\" Wang said, after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Beijing.\nEditorials in Chinese state-run media were tempered with notes of caution.\nThe China Daily, the official English-languages newspaper of the Chinese government, said the pledges conveyed the message that Kim will sit down for talks as the leader of a legitimate nuclear power.\n\"Negotiations about actual nuclear disarmament will likely prove arduous given such weapons are critical to Pyongyang's sense of security. It will require ironclad security guarantees if it is to relinquish them.\"\nThe Global Times, a hawkish tabloid newspaper run by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily, said all parties \"should cherish this hard-won state of affairs\" and continue to make efforts toward peace and denuclearization.\nStory Continues", "Share:\nNEW YORK - Kim Jong Un’s right-hand man was due in New York on Wednesday for talks with President Donald Trump’s top diplomat as officials scramble to organize next month’s historic nuclear summit between the North Korean and US leaders.\nKim Yong Chol, a veteran power player and a member of the young autocrat’s inner circle, was due to arrive on an Air China flight from Beijing at 2:20 pm (1820 GMT), becoming the most senior North Korean official to visit the United States in 18 years.\nHe was due to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was travelling up from Washington, for talks later Wednesday and on Thursday to finalize planning for a June 12 summit designed to end a nuclear stand-off that once threatened to plunge Korea back into war.\nUS and North Korean envoys have also been meeting in Panmunjong in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, and an American “pre-advance” team is in Singapore to make logistical arrangements for the rapidly planned meeting.\nBut with 13 days to go, the talks between General Kim and Pompeo, the former CIA chief who pioneered the latest round of face-to-face meetings, are the highest-level effort to stabilize the on-again, off-again process of getting two unpredictable leaders to the table.\n“If it takes place on June 12th, we’ll certainly be prepared. If it for some reason takes place at a later date, we’ll be prepared for that as well,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Tuesday.\nEarlier this month, Trump suddenly but only briefly announced an cancellation of the summit after a North Korea issued a sharp rebuke of what it saw as threatening language for the US side, and Sanders warned talks could be postponed if Kim is not serious about disarmament.\n“Again, denuclearization has to be on the table and the focus of the meeting. And the president has to feel like we’re making progress on that front. And the only one that will make that determination will be the president,” she said.\nBut the summit appears increasingly likely to go ahead, amid a flurry of international diplomatic activity.\nMoscow said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would travel to North Korea on Thursday to discuss Pyongyang’s nuclear program. Pompeo, meanwhile, called his South Korean and Singaporean counterparts over the weekend.\nJapan is also keenly watching summit preparations. Trump will meet its Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Washington on June 7.\nOn Sunday US negotiators, headed by Washington’s ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, began meeting North Korean counterparts in the truce village of Panmunjom that divides the two Koreas.\n“They plan to have additional meetings this week,” Sanders said.\nKim Yong Chol will be the most senior North Korean on US soil since Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok met then-president Bill Clinton in 2000.\nThe general has played a front-seat role during recent rounds of diplomacy aimed at ending the nuclear stalemate on the Korean peninsula.\nHe sat next to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, who is also a White House aide, during February’s closing ceremony for the Winter Olympics in South Korea, an event that was seen as a turning point in the nuclear crisis.\nHe also accompanied Kim Jong Un on both of his recent trips to China to meet President Xi Jinping, and held talks with Pompeo when he travelled to Pyongyang.\nGeneral Kim’s journey to the US caps a frenetic few days of meetings between North Korean and American officials.\nAn AFP photographer saw Kim Chang Son, Kim Jong Un’s de facto chief of staff, in Singapore Tuesday for preparatory discussions there.\nThe key task is to settle the agenda. The main stumbling block is likely to be the concept of “denuclearization” - both sides say they want it, but there is a yawning gap between their definitions.\nWashington wants North Korea to quickly give up all its nuclear weapons in a verifiable way in return for sanctions and economic relief.\nBut analysts say North Korea will be unwilling to cede its nuclear deterrent unless it is given security guarantees that the US will not try to topple the regime.", "North Korean former spy chief Kim Yong Chol has arrived in the US where he is expected to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ahead of a much-anticipated planned US-North Korea summit.\nKim Jong-un’s right hand man touched down on Wednesday in New York City where he was set to have dinner with the US top diplomat, followed by further meetings on Thursday.\nThe 72-year-old is known as one of the most powerful people within North Korea. He played a central role in a recent summit between Kim Jong-un and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in.\nThe meeting comes ahead of a highly-anticipated summit, scheduled for June 12 in Singapore, between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.\nLast Thursday, Trump cancelled the historic summit with a letter, citing “anger and open hostility” on the part of Pyongyang. But a day later, he said the meeting might still go ahead.\nOn Tuesday, Trump tweeted that Kim’s trip to the US was a “solid response” to his letter.\nWe have put a great team together for our talks with North Korea. Meetings are currently taking place concerning Summit, and more. Kim Young Chol, the Vice Chairman of North Korea, heading now to New York. Solid response to my letter, thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2018\nWhite House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters on Wednesday “we are preparing and expect [the summit] to take place on June 12”.\nAl Jazeera correspondent James Bays in New York City said there is still a “substantial gap” between US and North Korean positions on the issue of denuclearisation.\n“That’s one of the main sticking point that’s going to have to be worked out when Pompeo comes here in New York,” Bays said.\nFlurry of diplomacy\nKim’s trip is part of a flurry of diplomacy before the on-again, off-again summit.\nOn Sunday, US negotiators, headed by Washington’s ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, began meeting North Korean counterparts in the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that divides the two Koreas. A team of US officials was also in Singapore for preparations.\nMeanwhile, it was announced on Wednesday that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would travel to North Korea for talks on Thursday.\nLavrov would meet his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho to discuss “the situation around the Korean Peninsula and other key international and regional issues”, a statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry said.\nRi had invited Lavrov to visit Pyongyang during his visit to Moscow in April.\n“I received an invitation and was glad to accept it. It will be useful for me to understand our North Korean neighbours’ attitude to all the issues,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by Russian news agency TASS.", "Amid a flurry of rapidly evolving diplomatic activities aimed at reviving the summit between Washington and Pyongyang, experts contacted by VOA's Korean Service say that completely denuclearizing North Korea probably is unachievable.\n\"I think it is very difficult to know if these negotiations will lead to North Korea giving up its nuclear weapons,\" said David Albright, a former U.N. nuclear inspector and nuclear proliferation analyst at the Institute for Science and International Security. \"The problem is that North Korea entered into negotiations twice now where that was the goal but never really intended to accomplish that goal.\"\nLast week, President Donald Trump canceled the summit in a letter addressed to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, citing Pyongyang's \"tremendous anger\" and \"open hostility\" toward Washington. Then North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan, a longtime nuclear negotiator and senior diplomat, said in a statement carried by state media that the North was willing to sit for talks with the U.S. \"at any time in any format.\" Trump responded that talks regarding the summit scheduled to take place in Singapore on June 12 were \"going very, very well.\"\nOn Wednesday night, Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, met with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. On Thursday, they are expected to discuss final details of denuclearization talks for the summit, which is now expected to take place as anticipated in June.\nTalks before the US summit\nIn Singapore, a U.S. summit preparatory team headed by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Joe Hagin has been coordinating summit logistics since Monday alongside Kim Chang Son, chief of staff to the North Korean leader.\nAnd in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) along the border between South Korea and North Korea, a U.S. delegation headed by Sung Kim, the current ambassador to the Philippines and former ambassador to South Korea between 2011 and 2014, and a North Korean delegation led by Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui are set to meet for the second time this week.\nAgainst this diplomatic backdrop, VOA's Korean Service contacted 30 analysts, who unanimously said that Pyongyang will not yield to Washington's demand to abandon its nuclear weapons program completely. Here are some key comments from the experts.\nAnalysts\nDouglas Paal, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, thinks Pyongyang might agree in principle to give up its nuclear weapons and missiles at the summit talks with the U.S., but it could easily make excuses later and delay the process, especially if sanctions are relaxed. Trump's \"maximum pressure\" campaign has led international efforts to impose sanctions banning 90 percent of the North's trade.\nHoward Stoffer, who served as deputy director of U.N. counterterrorism committee, also said the North could agree to completely denuclearize at the summit but the differences between Washington and Pyongyang over the pace of denuclearization could hamper the talks. Stoffer speculated the negotiations could stall if Pyongyang insists on its \"phased\" approach and demands that Washington make concessions as it takes steps to denuclearize.\n\"If they come in and say, 'No we are going to have to take something,' then I don't think there is going to be a negotiation,\" Stoffer said.\nPyongyang has said it prefers a \"phased and synchronized\" process of taking incremental steps toward denuclearization, expecting those steps to be matched by certain concessions from the U.S.\nWashington, on the other hand, indicated it wants a one-shot denuclearization process that could be achieved rather quickly.\nMichael Fuchs, former deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs during the Barack Obama administration, said there is a very low probability that North Korea will give up its entire nuclear arsenal in a short period of time, adding the Trump administration must have realistic expectations.\nAccording to James Jeffrey, who served as deputy national security adviser in the George W. Bush administration, a realistic goal for the U.S. would be to obtain an agreement from the North that it will dismantle its nuclear weapons and facilities continuously over time by promising the North additional sanctions will not be imposed on the regime. He said North Korea will never agree to have its complete nuclear weapons packed up and shipped out of the country.\nExperts think Kim will most likely agree to give up a part of North Korea's program instead of all of it, which is what the U.S. is expected to ask.\nKen Gause, director of International Affairs Group at the Center for Naval Analyses, said Kim, knowing that a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization is impossible unless his regime collapses or is invaded, could try to hide a part of the program while declaring that the North has dismantled its program.\nNorth Korea will try to maintain its nuclear program in some capacity, said Ralph Cossa, president of the Pacific Forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He said that during negotiations, Pyongyang will agree to give up part of its weapons in exchange for economic support.\nThe process of give-and-take negotiation strategy that the North is expected to push for is all too familiar according to Gary Samore, White House coordinator for arms control and weapons of mass destruction in the Obama administration.\n\"We have all been through this experience before so it is very hard to take Kim Jong Un seriously,\" Samore said. \"But the argument in [South] Korea is that he is different than his father and his grandfather, and he is very genuine about giving up its nuclear weapons in order for reform and to revive the economy. But as far as I can tell, that is not based on any evidence beyond Kim Jong Un's statements, which I don't think are very plausible.\"\nEvans Revere, a former State Department official who negotiated with North Korea, said at best, Pyongyang will discuss denuclearization in ambiguous terms and agree to decrease the capacity of its inter-continental ballistic missiles and allow inspectors in to its Yongbyon nuclear facility. Revere said North Korea wants to weaken the U.S.-South Korea alliance and it is not truly interested in denuclearization.\nWhite House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Tuesday the U.S. is preparing for the summit to proceed.\n\"We're moving forward, and we'll be prepared either way. And we're planning as if it is happening,\" she said.\nChristy Lee contributed to this report, which originated on the VOA Korean Service." ]

[ "MacBook, regardless of which virtual technology to run a Guest OS on it, is never officially tested with ANSYS. ... Please reach out to BootCamp expert about the help configuring it so that it properly/correctly does the 3D acceleration passthrough to your Windows Guest OS." ]

[ "To use ANSYS CFX in batch mode, login to the TotalCAE portal (from your Windows PC with Chrome, or from the Visualization Server and launch Firefox) and select ANSYS CFX. Choose the version of ANSYS CFX to run ( in this example version 19.0), then click Browse to upload a model from your machine to the HPC system.", "Yes, there are several keyloggers available for the Mac. Known Mac keyloggers include Aobo Mac Keylogger, Refog Keylogger, and Spyrix Keylogger for Mac. They are among the top 10 Mac keyloggers.", "At Release 16.2, ANSYS BladeGen, Vista CCD, Vista CPD, Vista RTD, and Vista AFD are not supported on Linux platforms. If you wish to run multiple releases of ANSYS, Inc. software, you MUST install them chronologically (i.e., Release 16.1 followed by Release 16.2).", "All of the ANSI pressure classes are available with raised face flanges. Gaskets for a raised face flange can be whatever is suited for the process.", "['Blender. Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux. ... ', 'Lightworks. Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux. ... ', 'Shotcut. Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux. ... ', 'DaVinci Resolve. Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux. ... ', 'Openshot. Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux. ... ', 'Avidemux. ... ', 'HitFilm Express. ... ', 'InVideo.']", "Dynamic arrays are currently available to all Insider users on Excel for Windows and Insider Fast users on Excel for Mac. While its currently only available for testing on Windows and Mac, dynamic arrays support is coming to all platforms.", "So yes, Stick Nodes Desktop will be available on both PC and Mac.", "['ANSI Grade 1- This is a heavy-duty commercial security lock. ... ', 'ANSI Grade 2- This is a high residential security or low commercial grade. ... ', 'ANSI Grade 3 - This is a basic residential security lock that meets the lowest acceptable quality standards for locks by the ANSI.']", "Mac: Office 2016 or 2011 The About Word (or Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) ... Office for Mac 2011 was only available in a 32-bit version, and Office for Mac 2016 is now only available in a 64-bit version.", "Canva for Mac. Your favorite design tool available as a desktop app for Mac.", "Texpad macOS · LaTeX on your Mac. Native Mac OS app with efficient LaTeX environment, feature-laden, not feature-cluttered. Download the current version 1.8. 15 and enjoy a 14-day trial period of all its features.", "It just says that from ANSYS 17.0 ,it is officially compatible with Windows 10. But the real scenario is that, Windows 10 has features that makes programs run that were compatible with older version of windows. For this, Right click the application.", "MAWP is limited by ANSI flange in PV Elite. \"An ANSI flange is limiting the M.A.W.P. and this may affect the pressure used in the nozzle reinforcement calculation.\" \"M.A.W.P. is governed by an ANSI flange.\"", "YES! All MacBook runs on OS MacOS which is a UNIX based Operating system . Register here for a free trial. When you start MATLAB, it automatically adds the userpath folder to the search path.", "The truth is Mac computers can also be used to develop products in engineering. Most, if not all of the programs required for use during your time as an engineering major are compatible with the Mac OS, and if they aren't you can always create a Windows partition.", "There is no official support for Abaqus with MacOS, and so Mac users will need to use a Virtual Machine such as Parallels, VirtualBox or VMWare Workstation, and use a Windows or Linux operating system.", "Yes, as long as your Mac has a free USB slot. They also have mac version of their \"razer synapse\" software that customizes the keyboard. Yes, as long as your Mac has a free USB slot. They also have mac version of their \"razer synapse\" software that customizes the keyboard.", "Autodesk provides many native Mac products for 3D modeling, rendering, animation, visual effects, and digital imagery. ... We also support these products via Boot Camp, part of Mac OS X that lets you install and run Windows (and Windows-based applications) on a Mac. A license for Windows will need to be purchased.", "WGT Desktop Early Access is now available for Mac. This release is the most current so all features are the same as the Windows version.", "For Mac OS X, MicroStation DGN files can be opened using TurboCAD Deluxe v6, which is available as a free trial on the TurboCAD website. DGN files which are created with Dragon 32 can be opened using the Dragon 32 Emulator application, which is available as a free download on the Softpedia website.", "AOL is back for Mac. AOL is reaffirming its commitment to Mac users with the first release of a brand new, all-in-one web software, now available for download: AOL Desktop for Mac. The best part, this free new software was developed by Mac users, for Mac users, from the ground up. Your Mac makes your life easy.", "Xactimate and other Xactware products are not supported on a Mac, as it has not been tested on an Apple Operating System. ... Xactware does support machines using a dual boot configuration as long as only one operating system is running at a given time, and as long as that operating system is supported.", "Composting toilets are allowed by Oregon plumbing code if the model and brand complies with the National Sanitation Foundation's NSF/ANSI Standard #41. Several composting toilet models are available on the market today.", "Origin is available on Mac For select EA games (that are available on both PC and Mac), you can buy a title once on Origin, and when you log into Origin on either Mac or PC, that same game will appear in your newly unified (Mac/PC) My Games library.", "Are Costa sunglasses ANSI approved? The Costa 580P lenses have been tested to meet the impact standards created by the American National Standards Institute. This testing includes ANSI Z80. 3 and ANSI Z87.", "are indestructible shoes ANSI approved ANSI – American Standard Institute for Men's Safety-Toe Footwear.", "['ANSI A - 8.5 X 11 inches (215.9 x 279.4 millimeters)', 'ANSI B - 11 x 17 inches (279.4 x 431.8 millimeters)', 'ANSI C - 17 x 22 inches (431.8 x 558.8 millimeters)', 'ANSI D - 22 x 34 inches (558.8 x 863.6 millimeters)', 'ANSI E - 34 x 44 inches (863.6 x 1117.6 millimeters)']", "Nox works seamlessly on mac based machines including iMac and macbooks. ... If you are a mac user but want to play android games on your mac then Nox is absolutely for you. Nox for mac is free to download and you would be able to play high end android games easily on your mac.", "iDVD was no longer preinstalled on Macs shipping with Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, and was not available on the Mac App Store with all of the other iLife apps. It was, however, still available in the boxed copy of iLife '11, until the release of iLife '13.", "Yes! The Sims 4 is available on Mac! Please note that The Sims 4 for Mac is a digital-only release.", "No. macOS is built on a UNIX kernel known as Darwin, formerly called Mach. Mac OS X, later called macOS, was created from the technologies that Apple acquired from NeXT. NeXTStep was created before Linux.", "United States. CSA Group is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), an organization that co-ordinates the standards strategy for the U.S. We maintain ANSI accreditation by developing consensus standards that comply with ANSI Essential Requirements." ]

[ "['Click the Clock in your Windows 7 system tray and then Select Change date and time settings.', 'Click Change date and time.', 'Click Change calendar settings.', 'From here you can change your date and time display using the preset Windows 7 format.']" ]

[ "You can change your Date Format From dd/MM/yyyy to yyyy-MM-dd in following way: string date = DateTime. ParseExact(SourceDate, \"dd/MM/yyyy\", CultureInfo. InvariantCulture).", "Windows key + I > Time & language. In the right-hand pane > Time zone > choose (UTC) Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London. Scroll down, under Formats, click Change Date and Time Formats. Short date > choose DD/MM/YYYY > Long date > choose DD/MMMM/YYYY.", "Select all the dates in your range. Right-click the cells > Paste Special > Add. Click OK. With your dates still selected, press Ctrl + F1 (assuming you're on Windows) and then change the Number format to mm/dd/yyyy , dd/mm/yyyy or whichever you prefer.", "Your system administrator can override that date format by changing the DateForm to ANSIDate (' YYYY-MM-DD ') or creating a custom SDF that changes the default DATE format (any valid date format). You can override the system-level date format for a user, session, individual column, or individual value.", "Date Format change from MM DD YYYY to DD MM YYYY in AX 2009 Try changing your machine regional settings. function str2date(Passing the parameter as per enum type selection). do change in your system language and regional setting and change date format there. You can also force the date format to a specific format.", "Change Excel Date Format from mm/dd/yyyy to dd/mm/yyyy. To change the date display in Excel follow these steps: Go to Format Cells > Custom. Enter dd/mm/yyyy in the available space.", "SQL Server comes with the following data types for storing a date or a date/time value in the database: DATE - format YYYY-MM-DD. DATETIME - format: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MI:SS. SMALLDATETIME - format: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MI:SS.", "if you need to change date format in html then you can use date filter, but in controller you need to change date formate like yyyy-mm-dd to dd/MM/yyyy than how you can do it. you can change date formate using $filter('date')(date format timezone) in angular js controller.", "But l want to change the format of the shortDateString from mm/dd/yyyy to the new format of dd/mm/yyyy. DateTime today = Convert. ToDateTime(DateTime. Today.", "['Use the FORMAT function to format the date and time.', \"To get DD/MM/YYYY use SELECT FORMAT (getdate(), 'dd/MM/yyyy ') as date.\", \"To get MM-DD-YY use SELECT FORMAT (getdate(), 'MM-dd-yy') as date.\", 'Check out more examples below.']", "date-text = TEXT([@[date]],\"mmm/ddd/yyyy\") - to fix date format to mm/dd/yyyy mm =LEFT([@[date-text]],2) dd =MID([@[date-text]],4,2) yyyy=RIGHT([@[date-text]],4) concat(dd,mm,yyyy) = =CONCAT([@dd],\"/\",[@mm],\"/\",[@yyyy]) to get mm/dd/yyyy for mat.", "['--dd/mm/yyyy format. select convert (varchar,[date],103) from Test_Date. Go.', '--dd-mm-yyyy format. select convert (varchar,[date],105) from Test_Date. Go.', '--mm/dd/yyyy format. select convert (varchar,[date],101) from Test_Date. Go.', '--mm-dd-yyyy format. select convert (varchar,[date],110) from Test_Date. Go.']", "Navigate to the HKEY_USERS\\Default User\\Control Panel\\International registry subkey. Double-click the sShortDate registry entry. Set the value to the date format required (e.g., dd/MM/yyyy), then click OK. You can also change the sLongDate registry entry for the longer date format (e.g., dd MMMM yyyy), then click OK.", "control panel==>region and language==>Formats===>Additional Settings===>Date and manually added the format. but it reverted back to mm/dd/yyyy (i.e 03/31/2015). and this format is propagated and applied to whole domain. so need to change the format permanently to dd/mm/yyyy (i.e 31/03/2015).", "To convert the date-time format PHP provides strtotime() and date() function. We change the date format from one format to another. For example - we have stored date in MM-DD-YYYY format in a variable, and we want to change it to DD-MM-YYYY format.", "Hi, Approach 1: use the Format function to show date in the required format. FORMAT(Table[Date Column], \"DD/MM/YYYY\"). Approach 2: select your date field then go to modelling tab then change the data format option according to DD/MM/YYYY.", "Change DD-MM-YYYY to YYYY/MM/DD $orgDate = \"17-07-2012\"; $date = str_replace('-\"', '/', $orgDate); $newDate = date(\"Y/m/d\", strtotime($date)); echo \"New date format is: \".", "The default date format of SQL is mdy(U.S English). Now to change sql server default date format from “mdy”(mm/dd/yyyy) to “dmy”(dd/mm/yyyy),we have to use SET DATEFORMAT command.", "Change the curdate() (current date) format in MySQL The current date format is 'YYYY-mm-dd'. To change current date format, you can use date_format().", "Your data must be clean - everything must conform to the original format or you'll encounter errors on the TO_DATE conversion. Go to Tools —> Preferences —> Database —-> NLS —> Date Format and change date to DD/MM/YYYY .", "Answer: Use the strtotime() Function The following example will convert a date from yyyy-mm-dd format to dd-mm-yyyy.", "To get the date format to be MM/DD/YYYY, please go to System settings > General > Language & Region and ensure that your regional settings are set correctly (e.g. English United States). Then in Excel app, you can go to Home > Number Format > Date to set it as MM/DD/YYYY format.", "SimpleDateFormat originalFormat = new SimpleDateFormat(\"dd MM yyyy\"); SimpleDateFormat targetFormat = new SimpleDateFormat(\"yyyy MM dd HH:mm:ss\" ); Date date; try { date = originalFormat. parse(\"21 6 2013\"); System. out. println(\"Old Format : \" + originalFormat.", "MySQL uses yyyy-mm-dd format for storing a date value. This format is fixed and it is not possible to change it. For example, you may prefer to use mm-dd-yyyy format but you can't. Instead, you follow the standard date format and use the DATE_FORMAT function to format the date the way you want.", "Open Settings. Click on Time & language. Click on Date & time. Use the Short name drop-down menu to select the date format you want to see in the Taskbar.", "['Open Control Panel.', 'Click on the Clock, Language, and Region link.', 'Click on the Change date, time, or numbers formats link.', 'Under the Formats tab, click on the Additional settings button.', 'Click on the Time tab.']", "['Go into System Settings.', 'Select System.', 'Select Date and Time.', 'Disable Synchronize Clock via Internet.', 'Change the date to your desired date.']", "Start menu, control panel, region and language, format to \"English (United Kingdom)\" and then set the short date to \"dd/MM/yyyy\" and say apply and Ok.", "Let's see how to use this special type of syntax to take the difference of two dates in Teradata. SELECT (DATE 'YYYY-MM-DD' - DATE 'YYYY-MM-DD') UNIT; In this special format, the extraction of higher unit value ignores the smaller unit values.", "['Choose Settings from the Start menu.', 'Choose Control Panel.', 'Double-click on the Regional Settings applet. Shortly the Regional Settings Properties dialog box appears.', 'Click on the Date tab.', 'Change the value shown in the Short Date Style field, as desired.', 'Click on OK to close the Regional Settings Properties dialog box.']", "Excel chooses the default regional date format (i.e. MM/DD/YYYY, DD/MM/YYYY, etc.) based on your current location setting. In Excel, you can manually change the format of a particular cell by right-clicking on any cell >> select Format Cells >> Date >> change the Locale (location) to the desired format.", "[\"Without admin rights you can't make any changes in o.s. (date or time).\", 'Through the BIOS you can make changes in to the system date and time, if BIOS is not protected by password.', 'Just restart your PC and enter into the BIOS go to the Date and Time and make changes.']" ]

[ "In this article, the authors propose that counseling can assist people who are in their late 40s and early 50s and who are about to enter retirement or are in retirement to become aware of their perceptions of their vocational roles. It can do so through encouraged reflection on, reminiscence about, and definition of the various aspects of their work roles, how those roles became formed, and how those roles played out in the context of their family and social relationships and across various contexts. Through such counseling, these older adults can develop “vocational scripts”—adaptive views of the self at work that enhance personal perceptions of productivity and agency. Selected theoretical bases for the vocational script concept are summarized. Three distinct counseling phases and methods are described." ]

[ "There is an ongoing movement in the career development counseling field that focuses on narrative-based approaches. The purposes of this article are to analyze the factors that led to a turn to narrative career counseling, to examine the strengths of narrative, and to outline potential limitations. The literature review examined scholarly work in the career development field. Contributions from other disciplines (e.g., medicine) were integrated to provide complementary perspectives. The author contends that there is an appropriate place for narrative in career and employment counseling. Suggestions for addressing limitations and applications for career and employment counselors are highlighted.", "Objective: This study’s purpose was to develop an understanding of the importance and meaning of vocational histories, present-time employment status, and vocational goals for older adults who were in treatment for schizophrenia-spectrum diagnoses. Methods: The theory of cumulative adversity and advantage focused 35 semistructured interviews and 43 field observation points that developed life history narratives of seven older adults in treatment for schizophrenia-spectrum diagnoses. Thematic narrative analysis was the primary analytic strategy. Results: Five shared themes within the life history narratives connected to vocational histories: “Purpose is provided by work,” “identity in work,” “perseverance toward value-based vocational goals,” “the importance of an income,” and “illness symptoms and their treatment disrupted work.” Discussion: Findings connect to practice implications for vocational programs for persons with serious mental illnesses, suggesting that vocational services for older adults coul...", "Abstract Global economic recession is exerting extreme pressures not only on individuals attempting to move into and through labor markets, but also on those providing support for such transitions. Resilience and career adaptability are increasingly relevant, yet despite being present in the literature for some time, these concepts have been under-represented in the vocational psychology literature. This article represents a contribution to redressing this balance by focusing on their potential to make positive contributions both to clients of career counseling and to practitioners delivering these services. Drawing on data from four qualitative studies conducted in England, Norway and the Republic of Ireland from 2003 to 2012, these concepts are examined, together with their complementarity for career counseling practice. The article also discusses the role, status and conduct of qualitative research as well as the importance of the researcher/participant relationship in qualitative research investigations.", "This article uses an eclectic mix of theoretical underpinnings ranging from constructivism to postmodernism to argue that narrative approaches may be both constructivist and postmodernist. Career counselling is grounded in the narrative approach, meaning that the inquirer, in finding out, is engaged in relational practices making the self an enquirer in relation to the other. Consideration is given to career counselling practices in South African schools. Narrative approaches to career counselling are viable within the Life Orientation subject in the schools.", "The C-DAC model seeks to implement current development theory and to use innovative assessment measures together with improved counseling methods to improve vocational and life career counseling. At this stage, the project pays more attention to assessment, partly because if one is to counsel with career maturity in mind, one must understand the developmental status of the counselee. In career counseling, facts as well as feelings are important. Therefore, in this article the authors deal with the assessment of career development in detail, treating interests (measured by the Strong) and expressed preferences as basic status data to be viewed in the light of career maturity, the salience of life roles, and the values sought in life as moderator variables. The instruments are described and their use shown in a sample profile for assessment and checking by the reader in another readily available published source.", "The authors describe a career counseling strategy based on specific psychosocial characteristics of battered women. The approach is developmental in nature, focusing on the client's self-concept. A group format based on a pilot intervention is proposed to assist battered women in developing appropriate life and career decision-making skills.", "Abstract : The purpose of this project was to pilot-test a commercially available vocational interest inventory for possible use in shipyard apprentice placement. The inventory(the Career Assessment Inventory) and a job satisfaction questionnaire were administered to 312 first-year apprentices. Analyses indicated that the inventory related well to job satisfaction but could not discriminate adequately among people satisfied by work in different shipyard trades. For this reason, it was not recommended for use in differential assignment. Inventory detection of blue collar interests in general has some potential usefulness for counseling shipyard applicants.", "This article partially fills an expressed void in our professional literature: articles illustrating effective career counseling techniques.", "Contents: Preface. M.T. Brown, E.J. Pinterits, Basic Issues in the Career Counseling of African Americans. C.M. Ward, R.P. Bingham, Career Assessment for African Americans. R.P. Bingham, C.M. Ward, Career Counseling With African American Males and Females. L.A. Gilbert, R.P. Bingham, Career Counseling With Dual-Career Heterosexual African American Couples. M.G. Constantine, V.F. Parker, Addressing the Career Transition Issues of African American Women: Vocational and Personal Considerations. A.M. Byars, Rights-of-Way: Affirmative Career Counseling With African American Women. A.M. Hargrow, F. Hendricks, Career Counseling With African Americans in Nontraditional Career Fields. R.E. Phelps, M.G. Constantine, Hitting the Roof: The Impact of the Glass-Ceiling Effect on the Career Development of African Americans. D.B. Pope-Davis, B.K. Hargrove, Future Directions in Career Counseling Theory, Research, and Practice With African Americans.", "We explored how older adults evaluated the strategies used by an adult child to initiate discussion of future care needs, and subsequently, whether these judgments affected older adults’ willingness to engage in discussions about eldercare if approached in a similar fashion by one of their own children. One hundred and thirty older adults were randomly assigned to read one of four scripts depicting efforts by a middle-aged daughter to raise the topic of future care needs with her mother by implementing a variety of facework behaviors. Scripts manipulated the degree to which the daughter conveyed respect for her mother’s desires for autonomy (negative face) and connection (positive face). The daughter’s facework significantly predicted older parents’ evaluation of her as supportive, which in turn predicted their willingness to discuss future care needs with one of their own children if they were to approach the conversation in a similar way.", "The education of career planning in Higher Vocational Colleges in our country have been gradually improved, but the content of education, the education means and education model, are carried by a common education, so it is too homogeneous and consistent. A taste for general education and ignore the student's personality development is one urgent problem to solve for career planning education in higher vocational colleges. This paper studies the characteristics of individual career counseling, and puts forward some concrete measures for personalized counseling system, such as the creation of special career, career planning curriculum implementation of tutorial system, open career consulting rooms, personalized similar career mutual aid team.", "Vocational choice theory asserts that an individual's career choice will be based on that person's anticipated satisfaction from working in a particular field and that the person's personality will determine which field will be most satisfying. This study measured personalities and job satisfaction among public health workers to determine if public health work is satisfying to individuals with particular personality types. The study was performed on 47 public health workers in the Southeastern region of Louisiana. These workers were given a questionnaire consisting of the Big 5 personality profile, the Job Descriptive Index, several open-ended questions, and a demographic survey. The findings indicate that emotional stability is a personality characteristic associated with satisfaction from public health work. Possible reasons for this finding and its implications are discussed.", "This article reviews the growing literature on attachment theory and career development. The empirical and theoretical literature that has examined the contribution of attachment theory to ego identity formation, preimplementation career behavior, and postimplementation career adjustment is reviewed. Drawing from this literature, four propositions are advanced to guide subsequent empirical and theoretical efforts in this area. Implications for counseling practice that are derived from this review are also presented.", "The author invites counselors to consider integrating spiritual, philosophical, and psychological ideas regarding work and life to encourage client well-being. The Vocational Souljourn Paradigm is a model that can be used with adult clients who are exploring their work and life choices in a holistic and spiritual context. The variables meaning, being, and doing and the work paths Job, occupation, career, and vocation are defined. The model explains how dynamic interactions of meaning, being, and doing can propel an individual into a particular work/life path.", "Reports on the need for continuing one's education and learning throughout their professional career.", "This article describes a career counselling approach used with a sample of female clients suffering from severe phobia. Each step in the process is described and summarized as (1) exploration, (2) counselling, (3) action. Tests and procedures used are identified. The results of testing are reported as well as some implications and recommendations for practitioners.", "\"The career is dead—long live the career!\" Such is the mixed message regarding careers that we are carrying into the next millennium. The business environment is highly turbulent and complex, resulting in terribly ambiguous and contradictory career signals. Individuals, perhaps in self-defense, are becoming correspondingly ambivalent about their desires and plans for career development. The traditional psychological contract in which an employee entered a firm, worked hard, performed well, was loyal and committed, and thus received ever-greater rewards and job security, has been replaced by a new contract based on continuous learning and identity change, guided by the search for what Herb Shepard called \"the path with a heart.\" In short, the organizational career is dead, while the protean career is alive and flourishing. In this special issue of The Executive we will examine the ways the career environment and the executive of the 21st century will shape the direction of careers in the years to come. In ...", "Purpose – This paper seeks to explore claims about the changing nature of careers by focusing on how information technology (IT) workers enact careers in the context of Nigeria. The theoretical framework guiding this research is that societal context (social structure and institutions) has an influence on the career patterns exhibited by individuals.Design/methodology/approach – This study adopted a qualitative research approach, which involved semi‐structured interviews with 30 IT workers.Findings – Analysis of the findings indicates that the career trajectory of these workers conforms in part with the traditional view of hierarchical and progressive careers and partly with recent models of the boundaryless career. In order to capture a more contextual understanding, and based on findings from this research which highlight both the dynamic and the reactive nature of the careers of IT workers in Nigeria, the concept of the chameleon career isi ntroduced.Originality/value – This research contributes the Ni...", "This project's goals were to sensitize job service counselors to the needs and employment problems of older rural job-seekers and to develop a model in-service program.", "Career exploration is a critical process for child and adolescent development leading people toward suitable work and developing a vocational identity. The present study examined the role of motivational precursors, namely work valences and personal agency beliefs, in explaining in-breadth and in-depth career exploration. Given the dynamic nature of motivation, we teased apart the between-person differences and within-person variabilities in motivational precursors to examine how they are independently associated with career exploration. Two hundred one high school students comprised the sample and were surveyed three consecutive years. Results revealed that work valences and agency beliefs were associated with career exploration at both the between- and within-person level. Further, when individuals exhibited greater level of agency beliefs and positive valences, they were more likely to exhibit more in-depth exploration one year later. Implications for career guidance are discussed.", "The paper analyses the career planning and development of automobile majors in its higher vocational colleges(HVCs) to meet Guangxi's demand for talents of automobile manufacturing,sale,management and maintenance.", "South African career counselling practices have predominantly been informed by vocational theories and models developed in the United States and Europe. In view of South Africa’s peculiar history a...", "Abstract Over the last decade, occupational changes have the rapidly changing job market has begun to demand that people more actively construct their professional lives and acquire career adaptability. The aim of the present study was to develop a specific, new instrument, “Career and Work Adaptability”, to assess degree of adaptability in adolescents planning their futures. We conducted three studies, the first of which aimed to formulate the instrument's items and to verify its factor structure; the second study confirmed the instrument's multidimensional structure and evaluated its discriminant validity; the third study was conducted to verify the factorial structure's across-gender invariance and to evaluate its stability over time. Our results showed that the instrument is an effective and multidimensional instrument for accurately measuring career adaptability. Specifically, it can serve as a useful vocational guidance tool in analyzing adolescents' career adaptability.", "This article presents a powerful account of one late-career woman’s lived experiences. Little is known about women who continue professional careers into their 50s and beyond. Here insights are offered into her aspirations and expectations, as she reflects upon a career fragmented by gendered caring responsibilities and the implications of ageism and sexism together with health and body for her late-career phase. The narrative enhances understanding of the intersection of age and gender in a context where masculine career norms dominate. It also offers a reflection upon the implications of these themes for late-career women and their employing organizations more generally.", "Assisting transgender individuals is a concern for career development practitioners because there is a lack of knowledge on this topic. The complexity of gender reassignment surgery brings challenges and unique needs to this population, throughout gender transition, and requires career development practitioners to understand these challenges and needs to provide appropriate services to transgender individuals. The author conducted a comprehensive review of the literature in the areas of transgender issues in career development and counseling, counseling transgender individuals, gender transition, and multicultural counseling competencies. The role of career development practitioners as advocates for transgender individuals who experience gender transition is discussed.", "Vocational value differs from culture to culture.Cultural consciousness has an impact on the choice and assessment of vocations.In modern vocational education,students studying in a pure college environment may have no idea about the management mode,and learn little about the problems they will encounter in their future career.Therefore,vocational education should attach importance to the cultivation of cultural consciousness and help students adapt to modern society's requirements for talent training.Meanwhile,vocational education should facilitate students' career planning for their future from the beginning of college schooling to achieve a happy career development.The present paper expounds the influence of cross-culture and regional culture on vocational education through the awareness of the special significance of culture,and puts forward new ideas of vocational value in vocational education and new views on the construction of career.", "The challenge of assisting older workers to obtain suitable employment opportunities is being met nationwide by a variety of organizations. Over 60 of these organizations have combined to create the National Association of Older Worker Employment Services (NAOWES), a constituent unit of the National Council on the Aging.* The NAOWES membership varies in organizational structure and funding source, but each agency carries out similar functions. This paper is devoted to describing the work of NAOWES and its members, outlining the members' varied organizational sponsors and funding sources, detailing the functions carried out by each older worker employment service, and describing the activities, goals, and policies of the association.", "The purpose of this study was to develop a taxonomy of the competencies necessary to women's pursuit of professional-level, especially academic, careers. During the first phase of the study two research activities, a review of literature in the areas of career development, career counseling, and the psychology of women, and a semistructured “critical incidents” interview with each of 50 female faculty members from a large midwestern university, resulted in a list of 620 career-relevant behaviors and skills. This pool of career competencies was then examined by three counseling psychologists, and a classification scheme to describe the data was developed. Finally, rates attempted to assign the original competency items to the proposed categories in order to validate the taxonomy. The final, refined version of the taxonomy is presented, and the utility of these results for counseling and research in the area of women's career development is discussed.", "The authors examined continuity in career development from adolescence to middle adulthood by testing the proposition that early developmental task-coping activity predicts later task-coping activity. One hundred forty-six rural high school graduates reported career exploratory activity in 9th grade and 12th grade, occupational choice clarity in 12th grade, and occupational establishment activity 25 years later. Controlling for gender, school grades, and verbosity, occupational choice clarity predicted midcareer establishment activity. The prediction models were somewhat different by gender.", "ABSTRACT Society projects its death anxiety onto old age and the aging, who are isolated from generative human contact, with no conversation expected. Any shared, common language atrophies. Broken connection becomes a cultural expectation. Society and the aging lose sight of developmental tasks appropriate to old age. We do not seek or foster last careers devoted to finishing the human story, to completing a sense of meaning about life. Such a last career would raise questions about soul-making and invite awe and wonder at life and death. But no one is called to do such work today, so unfinished cultural business accumulates. We should anoint or commission the aging for their last career because of its significance for them and for culture. When the aging take up such last careers and find themselves immediately confronted with the task of life review, they may discover opportunities for repenting, mythologizing, and sacralizing. The work of culture gets done, and gifts to the future are offered by the ag...", "Career concerns can mitigate moral hazard problems, but these diminish as the agent's retirement age approaches. Addressing this problem, this note draws attention to the role of the interaction between contractible and non-contractible signals.", "Abstract High school and first-year university students (N = 395) completed a package of tests assessing positive temporal attitude, future temporal extensions, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and career attitude. I hypothesized that temporal extensions and self-efficacy would be the most important predictors of career attitude, because self-efficacy has had a proven relationship with career variables in the literature and, as a matter of logic, the degree to which people imagine their careers in the future should influence attitudes toward career formation. The results, however, suggest that the attitude one has toward the future is more important in predicting career attitude than the degree to which one can imagine a proximal or extended future. For older subjects, this relationship was associated with a sense of internal control." ]

[ "Marquis de Sade | مـصـر الـمـدنـيـة مـصـر الـمـدنـيـة Posted on May 6, 2013 by liberall Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade (French: [maʁki də sad]; 2 June 1740 – 2 December 1814) was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher and writer, famous for his libertine sexuality. His works include novels, short stories, plays, dialogues and political tracts; in his lifetime some were published under his own name, while others appeared anonymously and Sade denied being their author. He is best known for his erotic works, which combined philosophical discourse with pornography, depicting sexual fantasies with an emphasis on violence, criminality and blasphemy against the Catholic Church. He was a proponent of extreme freedom, unrestrained by morality, religion or law. The words “sadism” and “sadist” are derived from his name. Sade was incarcerated in various prisons and in an insane asylum for about 32 years of his life; 11 years in Paris (10 of which were spent in the Bastille), a month in the Conciergerie, two years in a fortress, a year in Madelonnettes, three years in Bicêtre, a year in Sainte-Pélagie and 13 years in the Charenton asylum. During the French Revolution he was an elected delegate to the National Convention. Many of his works were written in prison. Life Early life and education The Château de Lacoste above Lacoste, a residence of de Sade; currently the site of theater festivals. The Marquis de Sade was born in the Condé palace, Paris, to Comte Jean-Baptiste François Joseph de Sade and Marie-Eléonore de Maillé de Carman, cousin and Lady-in-waiting to thePrincess of Condé. He was educated by an uncle, the Abbé de Sade. Later, he attended a Jesuit lycée, then pursued a military career, becoming Colonel of a Dragoon regiment, and fighting in the Seven Years’ War. In 1763, on returning from war, he courted a rich magistrate’s daughter, but her father rejected his suitorship and, instead, arranged a marriage with his elder daughter, Renée-Pélagie de Montreuil; that marriage produced two sons and a daughter. In 1766, he had a private theatre built in his castle, the Château de Lacoste, in Provence. In January 1767, his own father died. Sade’s father, Jean-Baptiste François Joseph de Sade. Title and heirs The Sade men alternated using the marquis and comte (count) titles. His grandfather, Gaspard François de Sade, was the first to use marquis;occasionally, he was the Marquis de Sade, but is documentarily identified as the Marquis de Mazan. The Sade family were Noblesse d’épée, claiming at the time the oldest, Frank-descended nobility, so, assuming a noble title without a King’s grant, was customarily de rigueur. Alternating title usage indicates that titular hierarchy (below duc et pair) was notional; theoretically, the marquis title was granted to noblemen owning several countships, but its use by men of dubious lineage caused its disrepute. At Court, precedence was by seniority and royal favour, not title. There is father-and-son correspondence, wherein father addresses son as marquis. Sade’s mother Marie Eleonore de Maille de Carman For many years, Sade’s descendants regarded his life and work as a scandal to be suppressed. This did not change until the mid-twentieth century, when the Comte Xavier de Sade reclaimed the marquis title, long fallen into disuse, on his visiting cards, and took an interest in his ancestor’s writings. At that time, the “Divine Marquis” of legend was so unmentionable in his own family that Xavier de Sade only learned of him in the late 1940s when approached by a journalist. He subsequently discovered a store of Sade’s papers in the family château at Condé-en-Brie, and worked with scholars for decades to enable their publication. His youngest son, the Marquis Thibault de Sade, has continued such collaboration. The family have also claimed copyright of the name. The Château de Condé was sold by the family in 1983. As well as the manuscripts they retain, others are held in universities and libraries. Many, however, were lost in the eighteenth and nineteenth centur" ]

[ "IN VINO SAN FRANCISCO IN VINO SAN FRANCISCO Vinous Adventures of a Frenchman in America September 05, 2007 Posted by Raphael Knapp at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) Pomerol - July 17, 2007 Posted by Raphael Knapp at 08:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (634) | TrackBacks (0) July 28, 2007 Claude Michot (Pouilly Fumé) - July 23, 2007 Claude Michot is located in St Andelain, the same village as Didier Dagueneau. He is a purist and his 2006 Pouilly-Fume is intensely flagrant, heady with acacia blossoms, wet stone and fresh herbs. View of Pouilly Fume and the hill of Sancerre from \"les Monts Damnes\" above the village of Chavignol, world-known for its famous Goat Cheese \"Crottin de Chavignol\". The small cylindrical goat cheese from the area around Chavignol has been produced since the 16th century, but it wasn't until the year 1829 that it was first written about. View of the Pouilly-Fume vineyards across the Loire River from the hill of Sancerre. The tiny village under the forest in the middle below the horizon is Saint-Andelain. Below and the right is the lieu-dit \"Les Berthiers\" where Claude lives and makes his wine. View of the Loire River and the hill of Sancerre from the Pouilly-Fume vineyards. In le lieu-dit \"Les Berthiers\", Claude benefit from the emulation of a great competition! Pouilly-Fume is made of 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. It is now planted in many of the world's wine regions, producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing white wine. Conversely, the grape is also a component of the famous dessert wines from Sauternes. Sauvignon blanc is also widely cultivated in New Zealand and California. Depending on climate, the flavor can range from grassy (New Zealand) to sweetly tropical (many California examples). Wine experts often use the phrase \"cat's pee in a gooseberry bush\" as a favorable description of Sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley. Sauvignon blanc, when slightly chilled, pairs well with fish or cheese, particularly Chevre (Goat cheese). It is also known as one of the few wines that can pair well with Sushi... Pressoir Temperature Control System In the \"Cuverie\", Claude has me try two samples from two different vineyards. The cuvee \"Les bois\" (clay-limestone soil) and the cuvee \"Les Chailloux\" (all of the above plus a lot of silex). The two plots are distant from 300 feet but the wines are totally opposite. The terroir of silex add some beautiful light mineral notes. Claude plans to release the \"silex\" cuvee in the near future. A handful of silex stones from Claude Vineyards. Today, a vigneron is, also, a businessman. Terroir now goes hand in hand with high tech... Posted by Raphael Knapp at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (444) | TrackBacks (0) Chateau Peyros - July 21st, 2007 Posted by Raphael Knapp at 09:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (971) | TrackBacks (0) Chateau Laubade (Bas-Armagnac) - July 20th - 21st, 2007 Chateau de Laubade is the benchmark for Armagnacs. The leader of the luxury French domestic market. Laubade has won a staggering 40 medals in the Paris and Eauze tasting competition. Refined and rich in aromatic nuances, an almost perfect balance, magnificent amber colour, you are very close to perfection. The XO, is a blend of very fine, subtle and elegant spirits, some of which are more than 20 years old. The resulting armagnac is rounded and deep. Vintage wine is the pride and joy of the Armagnac appellation, and in particular of Château de Laubade, one of the great specialists. In Armagnac all of the vintage wines are identified and authenticated. They are produced with 100% of the year’s harvest. At Château de Laubade, vintage wines are bottled as and when they are needed. The bottling date is marked on the back-label to guarantee the true maturing time in the barrels. The vintage bottles are waxed and presented in magnificent ash wood cases. Right: Monsieur Saigne, winemaker Chateau Laubade Salon where we tasted fantastic Armagnacs: VSOP, XO, 1978, 1948 and 1924 among oth", "Rudolf Nureyev defects to the West in 1961 - Rudolf Nureyev Foundation \"I want to stay and to be free.\" Rudolf Nureyev at Le Bourget Airport Le Jeune -homme et la Mort by Roland Petit with Zizi Jeanmaire When the company went to Paris in 1961 for its first foreign tour, Rudolf could hardly be left behind but a close watch was kept on him. Still he did not conform. Instead of returning obediently to the hotel each night in the coaches provided, he went out with French dancers and other locals. One or two other Kirov dancers did likewise but Nureyev was the one who caused most alarm to the political agents running the tour. When everyone arrived at the airport to move on for performances in London he was instead given a ticket to Moscow and told he was needed for a gala. Disbelieving assurances that he would rejoin the company in London, he was sure he would never again be allowed out of Russia and would face relegation back home. He decided to seek asylum in the west and managed to get word to friends who had come to see him off. They told the French police, who explained that Nureyev must personally approach them; he did this and was granted permission to stay in France. Russian officials thereafter did all they could to disparage the \"defector\", and in absence he was sentenced to prison. For many years all his travelling had to be done on temporary documents but eventually he was given Austrian citizenship. Having had the most spectacular personal success of the Kirov's Paris season, he was immediately offered an engagement with the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas, but stayed only a few months, violently disliking their production of The Sleeping Beauty. He did however admire their ballerina Rosella Hightower, and worked with her on his first ballet production, the Nutcracker pas de deux. He next met (offstage) another ballerina, the American Maria Tallchief, and introduced himself. Rudolf meets Erik Bruhn. Maria Tallchief was about to dance in Copenhagen with Erik Bruhn, whom Nureyev, on the strength of an amateur film, admired more than any other male dancer. Thus the two men met and fell in love, maintaining their close feelings, despite quarrels and separations, until Bruhn's death. Both of them perfectionists, they did their daily class together and Nureyev began assimilating western style to add to what he had learned in Russia. Bruhn's attitude to his roles confirmed the belief Nureyev had already developed that a man should be allowed to dance as expressively as a woman; the effect of this was exemplified when they each added a soft, andante solo to their later productions of Swan Lake, introducing a new gentle style of male dancing later taken up by other choreographers, even as illustrious as Frederick Ashton.", "Montmartre - \"Mountain of the Martyr” - Paris Attractions Refreshments: Countless cafes and restaurants. Which day: any day, although weekends can be too busy To visit the following Paris Attractions: • Musee de Montmartre: daily (not Monday) 11.00-18.00. • Sacre Coeur – Paris’ first church Chateau Rouge Exit the metro onto Place du Chateau-Rouge; behind you is the area known as the Goutte d’Or, which in spite of intense reconstruction, has kept some of its popular charm. It is home to diverse communities, mostly African and Maghreban. Facing you, on the other side, is Montmartre. Cross Boulevard Barbes and go left along Rue Puolet. At the top, turn right into Rue de Clignancourt, a long street leading to the outskirts of the city and named after the Seigneurie de Clignancourt, less than 1 km (1/2 mile) away. The original Chateau Rouge-built mostly of red bricks, and later, in the 1840s-60s, an extremely popular dancehall-was at nos 42-54. Pass Rue Muller on your left, go left along Rue Ramey, and then turn left again into Rue du Chevalier-de-La Barre. This very narrow 17th-century streets is picturesque and charming, with steps, trees and an unusual view over the Sacre-Coeur. Rue du Chevalier de-La barre carries straight on, now a normal-sized street; notice the narrow steps of Passage Cottin going downhill to your right. Cross Rue Lamarck and continue up the steps, trees and unusual view over the Sacre Coeur. Rue du Chevalier de-La –Barre carries straight on, now a normal-sized street; notice the narrow steps of Passage Cottin going downhill to your right. Cross Rue Lamarck and continue up the steps facing you, still Rue du Chuvalier-de-La Barre. At the top is Rue de la Bonne, which owes its name to the old fountain of the Bonne Eau. Enter the new and attractive Parc de la Turlure, on your right. There are great views over northern Paris and its suburbs, and of course over the back of the Basilica. Leave this little park by the other side to return to Rue de la Bonne. Go left into Rue St-Vincent, an old street of the village, and the first street you come to is Rue du Mont-Cenis, another ancient path. The indifferent house on the corner sports a plaque indicating that Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) composed Harold en Italie (1834) and Benvenuto Cellini (1838) here; in fact, the lovely hermitage where he lived in 1834-7 with his young wife, Harriet Smithson (1800-18540, was demolished in 1925 to make way for the existing building. There are also two restaurants at the bottom of Rue du Mont-Cenis and on the corner with Rue Lamarck: Le Relais and Beauvilliers. Foggy Street Continue along Rue St-Vincent, a street rendered famous by the chansonnier Aristide Bruant (1851-1925) at the beginning of this century. On your left is first a small, rather wild-looking public garden, and then the last vineyard on Montmartre. When the Abbaye was still here (it was demolished during the Revolution), the butte was liberally covered with vines (the wine had a reputation for headiness). This one, much more recent, was planted in the 1930s to commemorate those that had disappeared. Cross Rue des Saules. On your right are the famous Cabaret Lapin Agile, very much part of Montmartre’s bohemian history, and the small Cimetiere St-Vincent, where Arthur Honegger (1892-1956), Eugene Boudin (1824-1898) and Maurice Utrillo (1883-1985) are buried. The street goes downhill,turn sharply right, and leads into the small Square Dorgeles. Directly on your left, at the turn, are the steep steps of Rue Girardon, another ancient track of the butte. At the top of the steps, turn immediately right into the narrow Allee des Brouillards. On the left is the side are charming mid-18th-century cottages established on the site of the outbuildings of the chateau; they are unique among the cottages of Paris in having front gardens. Dada in Paris The allee opens out onto rue Simon-Dereure. Go into the public garden on the left, created in the 1930s, and walk through it until you find yourself on Avenue Junot, opened in 1909 and containing many fine contemporary house", "Reading jail to host two-month Oscar Wilde project | Culture | The Guardian Oscar Wilde Reading jail to host two-month Oscar Wilde project Ai Weiwei, Steve McQueen and Maxine Peake to feature in Artangel exhibition at site of writer’s imprisonment The project will see artists responding to the work of Oscar Wilde and themes of imprisonment and separation. Photograph: Alamy Thursday 21 July 2016 11.51 EDT Last modified on Monday 25 July 2016 03.34 EDT Close This article is 6 months old Visitors to Reading jail this autumn might encounter Patti Smith reading the four-and-a-half-hour entirety of Oscar Wilde ’s De Profundis, or see new artworks by Steve McQueen , Nan Goldin or Marlene Dumas dotted around echoing corridors and empty cells. Artangel announced on Thursday that it was taking over one of the most notorious prisons in the UK, the place where Wilde spent a harrowing, soul-destroying two years from 1895-97. The organisation is well known for presenting ambitious art in unexpected places and Reading prison, opened in 1844 and closed for good in 2013, is no exception. But the stellar list of about 30 artists, writers and performers it has signed up for the project is particularly striking, from Ai Weiwei and Doris Salcedo to Maxine Peake and Ralph Fiennes . “It’s the closest we have ever come to doing an Artangel exhibition,” the co-director Michael Morris said. “We are really excited about it.” The beau of Reading jail: was prisoner 1122 Oscar Wilde’s lover? Read more During two-month project artists will respond to the work of Wilde, the architecture of the prison and themes of imprisonment and separation. Morris said they had visited the empty jail many times but the first time was extraordinary. “There is a feeling of real oppression: you feel very heavy following the experience.” Every Sunday at midday in the prison chapel, a writer or performer will read De Profundis, the extended letter Wilde wrote to his lover, “Bosie” – Lord Alfred Douglas . It was written in his prison cell when, after a year, he was finally given access to pen and paper. Wilde was imprisoned at the height of his fame and powers after misguidedly suing Bosie’s father, the Marquess of Queensberry, who had accused him of being a “sodomite”. The libel case set in train a sequence of events which resulted in him being jailed for two years with hard labour. After two months in Wandsworth, Wilde was sent to Reading jail, a starkly isolating place – one of the Victorian era’s new model prisons with huge wings and rows of small individual cells. The philosophy behind the design was to prevent any “corrupting” contact between prisoners, with inmates forced to wear special identity-hiding headwear when they were allowed out of their cell. It was a brutal regime which broke Wilde’s spirit. He left Reading sick and bankrupt, divorced by his wife and unable to see his children. He went to Paris where he wrote his last work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol , but by 1900 he was dead, aged only 46. James Lingwood, Artangel’s other co-director, said Reading had destroyed Wilde but also, perversely, remade him. He became “a tragic figure who would speak beyond his age, a martyr to oppression and the writer of one of the longest and greatest letters in the English language”. De Profundis is essentially a love letter, albeit one which was never sent, written intensively in the first three months of 1897. It charts Wilde’s journey into the depths, renounces his decadent lifestyle and celebrates the power of art. It contains many examples of Wilde’s pithy wisdom, sobered by his misery. For example: “Most people live for love and admiration. But it is by love and admiration that we should live.” Also: “With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?” The list of names reading it includes Peake, Fiennes, Smith, Ben Whishaw , Kathryn Hunter , Neil Bartlett , Ragnar Kjartansson , Lemn Sissay and Colm Tóibín ; all keen to read 50,000 words or 100 pages. Visitors will be able to dip in and out or stay. “All of the readers have wanted to do it for themsel", "Ramon Mercader, Trotsky’s assassin Twitter Ramon Mercader, Trotsky’s assassin On August 20th, 1940, a 27-year-old Catalan drove an ice axe into the head of Leon Trotsky at his Mexican home. The blow failed to kill him, and Trotsky struggled with his assassin. His guards, hearing the commotion, burst in and set upon the assailant, but Trotsky stopped them, exclaiming, “Do not kill him! This man has a story to tell.” Trotsky died the next day, and the murderer was turned over to the police. He identified himself as Jacques Mornard, a disillusioned Belgian Trotskyist. He said he had killed the old Bolshevik after quarrelling over a woman and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Though few knew Mornard’s true identity, the fact that the assassination had been ordered by Stalin was an open secret. Furthermore a number of Catalan republicans in Mexico knew something more. They recognised the killer’s photo in the press, but did not want to reveal his true identity for fear of provoking a reaction against the many Spanish refugees in the country. Finally in 1952, Mercader slipped up. A prison guard heard the “Belgian” singing a nursery rhyme Què li darem, en el Noi de la Mare? Què li darem que li’n sàpiga bo? (1) in perfect Catalan from his cell. This clue led the authorities to his real identity: his name was Ramón Mercader, and he was indeed an NKVD agent. Ramón Mercader was born in Barcelona to a well-to-do family on February 7th, 1913. His mother Caridad Mercader née Caridad del Río was from a family of aristocratic landowners in Santiago de Cuba. Following Spain’s loss of the colony in 1898, the family moved to Catalonia where Caridad, at the age of just 16, married Pablo Mercader, a rich Catalan industrialist. The couple had five children but Caridad grew to detest the staid, bourgeoisie existence and found herself drawn to the Bohemian life she discovered along El Paral.lel, with its heady mix of cabaret artists, bon viveurs and anarchists. Seduced by the latter’s revolutionary ideals, Caridad soon became involved in direct action, even setting fire to her husband’s factory before being caught and sent to a lunatic asylum. Her anarchist friends managed to spring her from captivity, and she fled to France with her children in 1925, never forgiving the Mercader family for imprisoning her. Caridad Mercader In France, after her brief flirtation with anarchism, Caridad embraced communism, attracted by its discipline and surety of purpose. She become a fanatical Stalinist and eventually an NKVD agent. She also indoctrinated young Ramón as an ardent communist, filling him with hatred for all enemies of the party. In his early twenties, Mercader moved back to Barcelona, where he helped organise the then tiny Spanish communist party. For this involvement he was arrested and spent a brief period in prison, before being released in 1936 after the victory of the Popular Front. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936, Ramón took an active part in the successful defeat of the military rebellion in Barcelona. The war that would tear Spain apart had begun, but in Barcelona at least, the forces of the left, led by the CNT, were victorious. The anarchist CNT trade union was in virtual control of the city and at once set about collectivising huge swathes of Barcelona’s, commerce, services and industries. It was a revolution of historic proportions, comparable only with the Paris Commune and the Russian Revolution itself. Against this tumultuous background, on July 23rd, the Catalan communist and socialists met in the Bar del Pi (La Plaça del Pi) and hurriedly joined together to form the PSUC (Partido Socialista Unificado de Cataluña), thus forming a new communist party, independent from Madrid. Moscow was deeply suspicious of this new Catalan organisation, which had broken the Comintern’s iron rule of “One State, One Party.” They need not have bothered; The PSUC soon proved itself to be a loyal servant of Stalin’s policies and was so successful at crushing socialist opposition from within that the model of merging the two par", "The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe - Ideas for your trip - Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Ideas for your trip Europe’s premier horse race Sights 4th October 2014: A day at the races, French-style It's October. The summer has said its au revoirs and the Alps are not yet frosted. For the people of Paris, this can mean only one thing. It is time to unleash the autumn wardrobe and head out of town to the world's chicest horse race. So pack your bow tie and binoculars – its time to board your Eurotunnel Le Shuttle to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Living it up at Longchamp Whether your passion begins and ends with the mere mention of John McCririck, this is one annual meeting that any self-respecting channel-hopper cannot miss. The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, or the Arcto its friends, takes in the western suburbs of Paris, three hours drive (300km) south of the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle terminus in Calais. Every October, up to 50,000 diamante-encrusted spectators descend on the banks of the Seine, to witness Europe's most extravagant horse race. As one understating slogan puts it: \"Ce n'est pas une course, c'est un monument\" – \"Not so much a race as a monument\". To attend a run at Longchamp Hippodrome is to follow in the brass-buckled footsteps of Napoleon himself. Its heart-stopping scenes of heroic horseplay have been immortalised over the years in iconic masterpieces by painters such as Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas. Even U2 have got in on the action, taking over the famous racecourse stands to film a leg of their Joshua Tree Tour. The 57-hectare race ground is celebrated worldwide for its varied terrain, including a thrilling hill section that can test the mettle of even the world's greatest jockeys. It has been home to many a major meeting since its creation 200 years ago, but it is one particular race that dominates the Longchamp calendar. Backing a winner The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a 1.5 mile flat horse race, currently ranked as the third richest in the world, after the Melbourne Cup and the Japan Cup. To win the Arc is to become a champion – the name given to the most elite class of thoroughbreds. Established in 1920 with a prize of 150,000 francs, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe quickly established itself as France's foremost horserace. Nowadays, to any race aficionado, the names of previous winners such as Ribot, Dancing Brave and Danedream will set hearts racing with excitement. When the present sponsor Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) took over the contract a few years ago, it doubled the prize fund from €2 million to €4 million. So it might surprise the British to find that in France, there are no bookmakers in sight. You can forget all that frantic paper-wafting that typifies the likes of Ascot. At the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, gambling is strictly over Pari Mutuel Counters – that is, tote betting, where the payout is not decided until all the bets are in. Parklife One of the major attractions of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is undoubtedly its stunning setting. The Longchamp racecourse snakes along the picturesque banks of the River Seine, with the Eiffel Tower itself offering its trademark backdrop. It is situated among the ancient oak forests of the Bois de Boulogne, a park more than twice the size of New York's Central Park and on a par with London's Richmond Park. Whether you have horserace neighsayers in your pack or are staying on in the area, this park offers plenty to do away from the track. The beauty spot became a civic park in 1852 under the instruction of Napoleon III, who wanted to bring a bit of London's Hyde Park back with him after exile. It was here, in 1783, that the first successful manned hot air balloon flight took place, carrying Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes high over the grounds of the grand Château de la Muette in a craft built by the Montgolfier brothers. As if that wasn't enough of a claim to fame, the Bois de Boulogne also boasts the site of the 1900 Summer Olympics tug-of-war events,", "15 Things You Should Know About 'Venus de Milo' | Mental Floss 15 Things You Should Know About 'Venus de Milo' Wikimedia Commons Like us on Facebook For much of the world, the mystery of the Venus de Milo lies in her missing arms. But there's much more to this iconic statue than a couple of absent appendages. 1. Venus de Milo's title is a bit misleading. It's popularly believed that this Grecian statue depicts the Greek Goddess of love and beauty, who was often rendered half-naked. However, the Greeks would have called this deity Aphrodite. Nonetheless, the Roman-inspired Venus de Milo caught on. 2. She's named in part for where she was discovered. On April 8, 1820, a farmer named Yorgos Kentrotas came across the statue in pieces within the ruins of an ancient city on the island of Milos (formerly known as Melos). 3. Alexandros of Antioch is credited with her creation. A sculptor of the Hellenistic period, Alexandros is believed to have carved this masterpiece between 130 and 100 BCE. The inscription on the plinth—the slab on which the statue rested—that identified him as Venus de Milo's creator was lost nearly 200 years ago. 4. She might not be Venus. Some have suggested the sculpture is not Aphrodite/Venus, but Amphitrite , the sea goddess who was particularly adored on Milos. Still others have proposed she's Victory, or perhaps a prostitute. With her arms long missing, would-be context clues have been lost for centuries. A spear could have meant one thing, a spool of thread another. If she held an apple—as some reports claim—it could mean she was Aphrodite, holding the award given to her by Paris before the Trojan War began. To this day, it's a matter of passionate debate . 5. She became a gift to the King of France. When Kentrotas called upon a French naval officer to help him unearth the spectacular sculpture, he began a chain of events that would eventually lead to the Marquis de Rivière presenting Venus de Milo to Louis XVIII. In turn, the ruler gave the statue to the Louvre, where it is on display to this very day. 6. The loss of her limbs is the fault of the French. Kentrotas did find fragments of an arm and a hand when he uncovered the statue in the ruins, but as Venus de Milo was being reassembled, those arms were discarded for having a \"rougher\" appearance. Modern art historians believe that the variation of finish does not mean those arms did not belong to Venus, but both the arms and the original plinth have been lost since the piece moved to Paris in 1820. 7. The original plinth was ditched on purpose. Sight unseen, early 19th century art historians decided the newly discovered Venus must have been the work of Greek artist Praxiteles, and publicized the work as such. This attribution would have placed the piece in the Classical period (5th through 4th centuries BCE), which was more respected artistically than the Hellenistic period. To save face and better promote Venus de Milo—even at the cost of misinforming the public—the plinth was removed before it was presented to the King. 8. Venus de Milo was meant to make up for a national embarrassment. During his conquests, Napoleon Bonaparte had plundered one of the finest examples of Greek sculpture, Venus de' Medici, from Italy. In 1815, the French government returned that beloved sculpture, but in 1820, France embraced the chance to fill the hole its absence left in the French culture and national pride. As such, Venus de Milo was promoted as being even greater than Venus de' Medici upon her Louvre debut. The ploy worked, and the piece was met with almost universal praise from artists and critics. 9. Renoir was not impressed. Perhaps the most famous of Venus de Milo's detractors, the celebrated Impressionist painter dismissed this delicate depiction of grace and female beauty as \"a big gendarme.\" 10. She went into hiding during World War II. By the autumn of 1939, war threatened to descend on Paris, so Venus de Milo along with some other priceless pieces, such as Winged Victory of Samothrace and Michelangelo's Slaves, were whisked away for saf", "Hieroglyphs photos on Flickr | Flickr 4 1099 - 1st Crusaders capture, plunder Jerusalem 1205 - Pope Innocent III states Jews are doomed to perpetual servitude and subjugation due to crucifixion of Jesus 1207 - John of England expels Canterbury monks for supporting Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton. 1240 - A Novgorodian army led by Alexander Nevsky defeats the Swedes in the Battle of the Neva. 1307 - Duke Henrik van Karinthi chosen king of Bohemia 1381 - John Ball, a leader in the Peasants' Revolt, is hanged, drawn and quartered in the presence of Richard II of England. 1410 - Battle of Tannenburg-Teutonic Knights vs King Ladislas II of Poland 1500 - Duke Albrecht of Saxon beats Friese rebellion 1500 - \"Blood Wedding\" of Astorre Baglione & Lavinia Colonna in Perugia family Baglione massacre 1501 - Explorer Pedro Cabral back in Lisbon 1524 - Emperor Karel I bans German national synode 1538 - Peace talks between Karel & King Francois I 1662 - King Charles II charters Royal Society in London 1741 - Alexei Chirikov sights land in Southeast Alaska. He sends men ashore in a longboat, making them the first Europeans to visit Alaska. 1755 - French ambassador recalled from London 1779 - US troops under Gen A Wayne conquer Ft Stony Point, NY 1783 - 1st steamboat, Pyroscaphe, 1st run in France 1787 - Parliament of Paris banished to Troyes 1789 - Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette, is named by acclamation colonel-general of the new National Guard of Paris. 1795 - \"Marseillaise\" becomes French national anthem 1799 - The Rosetta Stone is found in the Egyptian village of Rosetta by French Captain Pierre-François Bouchard during Napoleon's Egyptian Campaign. The Rosetta Stone is an ancient Egyptian granodiorite stele inscribed with a decree issued at Memphis, Egypt in 196 BC on behalf of King Ptolemy V. The decree appears in three scripts: the upper text is Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, the middle portion demotic script, and the lowest Ancient Greek. Because it presents essentially the same text in all three scripts (with some minor differences between them), it provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs. 1806 - Zebulon Pike began his journey to explore the Southwest 1808 - French marshal Joachim Murat becomes king of Naples 1815 - Napoleon Bonaparte surrenders at Rochefort & is later exiled on St Helena 1815 - 1st flat horse race held on Nottingham Hill at Cheltenham, England (day and month TBC) 1823 - A fire destroys the ancient Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. 1830 - 3 Indian tribes, Sioux, Sauk & Fox, signs a treaty giving the US most of Minnesota, Iowa & Missouri 1840 - England, Russia, Austria & Prussia signs Quadruple Alliance 1850 - John Wisden bowls all 10 South batsmen, North v South at Lord's 1856 - Natal forms as a British colony separate from Cape Colony 1862 - CSS Arkansas vs USS Cardondelet & Queen of the West engage at Yazoo R 1863 - Pres Davis orders service duty for confederate army 1864 - Troop train loaded with Confederate prisoners collided with a coal train killing 65 & injuring 109 of 955 aboard 1867 - SF Merchant's Exchange opens 1869 - Margarine is patented by Hippolye Méga-Mouriès for use by French Navy 1870 - Georgia becomes last confederate to be readmitted to US 1870 - Manitoba becomes 5th Canadian province & NW Territories created 1870 - Hudson's Bay & Northwest Territories transferred to Canada 1876 - Baseball's 1st no-hitter, St Louis' George W Bradley no-hits Hartford 1888 - Bandai volcano (Japan) erupts for 1st time in 1,000 years 1893 - Commodore Perry arrives in Japan 1900 - President Steyn/General De Law escape Brandwater Basin 1901 - NY Giant Christy Mathewson no-hits St Louis, 5-0 1902 - Ranjitsinhji scores 180 before lunch, for Sussex v Surrey 1904 - 1st Buddhist temple in US forms, Los Angeles 1906 - Republic museum opens Rembrandt hall in Amsterdam 1909 - Ty Cobb hits 2 inside-the-park HRs 1911 - 46\" of rain (begining 7/14) falls in Baguio, Philippines 1912 - British National Health Insurance Act goes into effect 1914 - Mexican president Hu", "Hellenistic Art (3rd-1st centuries BC) Author(s): Marie-Bénédicte Astier This graceful statue of a goddess has intrigued and fascinated since its discovery on the island of Melos in 1820. Is it Aphrodite, who was often portrayed half-naked, or the sea goddess Amphitrite, who was venerated on Milo? The statue reflects sculptural research during the late Hellenistic Period: classical in essence, with innovatory features such as the spiral composition, the positioning in space, and the fall of the drapery over the hips. The discovery of a mutilated masterpiece The Venus de Milo was discovered in 1820 on the island of Melos (Milo in modern Greek) in the south-western Cyclades. The Marquis de Rivière presented it to Louis XVIII, who donated it to the Louvre the following year. The statue won instant and lasting fame. Essentially two blocks of marble, it is comprised of several parts which were sculpted separately (bust, legs, left arm and foot) then fixed with vertical pegs, a technique which was fairly common in the Greek world (especially in the Cyclades, where this work was produced around 100 BC). The goddess originally wore metal jewelry — bracelet, earrings, and headband — of which only the fixation holes remain. The marble may have been embellished with (now faded) polychromy. The arms were never found. A mysterious goddess with neither name nor attributes The goddess is shrouded in mystery, her attitude a persistent enigma. The missing pieces of marble and absence of attributes made the restoration and identification of the statue difficult. A whole range of positions have been suggested: leaning against a pillar, resting her elbow on Ares' shoulder, or holding a variety of attributes. According to whether she held a bow or an amphora, she was Artemis or a Danaid. She is popularly thought to represent Aphrodite, because of her half-nakedness and her sensual, feminine curves. She may have held an apple — an allusion to the Judgement of Paris — a crown, a shield, or a mirror in which she admired her reflection. However she might also be the sea goddess Amphitrite, who was venerated on the island of Milo. A Hellenistic creation: a blend of classical tradition and innovation The statue has sometimes been thought to be a replica, freely inspired by an original from the late 4th century BC, because of its resemblance to the Aphrodite of Capua (Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples) — a similar style Roman work, copy of a Greek original. The Venus de Milo certainly revives the classical tradition, but would appear to be a classicizing re-creation dating from the late 2nd century BC. The goddess's air of aloofness, the harmony of her face and her impassivity are stamped with the aesthetics of the 5th century BC; the hairstyle and delicate modeling of the flesh evoke the works of 4th-century sculptor Praxiteles. However, the sculpture reflects innovations that appeared during the Hellenistic period, between the 3rd and 1st centuries BC. The spiral composition, the positioning of the figure in three-dimensional space, and the small-breasted, elongated body are characteristic of this period. The goddess is arrested in time, holding her legs together as the drapery slides over her hips. Her nudity contrasts with the effects of light and shade of the finely-detailed drapery. Bibliography Laugier (L.), « La Vénus de Milo », Feuillet pédagogique du Musée du Louvre, 3, n°50, Paris, 2001. D’après l’antique, Musée du Louvre, Paris, 2000, p. 432-433, p. 441, n° 235. Ridgway (B. S.), Hellenistic Sculpture, II, 2000, p. 167-171, ill. 21, fig. 5. Hamiaux (M.), Les sculptures grecques, II, Paris, 1998, p. 41-44, n° 52. Havelock (C. M.), The Aphrodite of Knidos and Her Successors, A Historical Review of the female Nude in Greek Art, University of Michigan, 1995, p. 93-98, fig. 13. Haskell (Fr.), Penny (N.), Pour l’amour de l’art antique : la statuaire gréco-romaine et le goût européen 1500-1900, Paris, 1988, p. 363-365, n° 178, fig. (éd. anglaise, Taste and the antique : the lure of classical sculpture 1500-1900, New Haven, 1981). Pasquier (A", "Famous Firsts in Aviation Famous Firsts in Aviation Virgin Atlantic's Globalflyer 1783 First balloon flight. Jacques and Joseph Montgolfier of Annonay, France, sent up a small smoke-filled balloon about mid-November. First hydrogen-filled balloon flight. Jacques A. C. Charles, Paris physicist, supervised construction by A. J. and M. N. Robert of a 13-foot-diameter balloon that was filled with hydrogen. It got up to about 3,000 ft and traveled about 16 mi in a 45-minute flight (Aug. 27). First human balloon flights. A Frenchman, Jean Pilâtre de Rozier, made the first captive-balloon ascension (Oct. 15). With the Marquis d'Arlandes, Pilâtre de Rozier made the first free flight, reaching a peak altitude of about 500 ft, and traveling about 51/2 mi in 20 min. (Nov. 21). 1784 First powered balloon. Gen. Jean Baptiste Marie Meusnier developed the first propeller-driven and elliptically shaped balloon—the crew cranking three propellers on a common shaft to give the craft a speed of about 3 mph. First balloon flight by a woman. Mme. Thible, a French opera singer (June 4). 1793 First balloon flight in America. Jean Pierre Blanchard, a French pilot, made it from Philadelphia to near Woodbury, N.J., in just over 45 min. (Jan. 9). 1794 First military use of the balloon. Jean Marie Coutelle, using a balloon built for the French Army, made two 4-hour observation ascents. The military purpose of the ascents seems to have been to damage the enemy's morale. 1797 First parachute jump. André-Jacques Garnerin dropped from about 6,500 ft over Monceau Park in Paris in a 23-foot-diameter parachute made of white canvas with a basket attached (Oct. 22). 1843 First air transport company. In London, William S. Henson and John Stringfellow filed articles of incorporation for the Aerial Transit Company (March 24). It failed. 1852 First dirigible. Henri Giffard, a French engineer, flew in a controllable (more or less) steam-engine-powered balloon, 144 ft long and 39 ft in diameter, inflated with 88,000 cu ft of coal gas. It reached 6.7 mph on a flight from Paris to Trappe (Sept. 24). 1860 First aerial photographers. Samuel Archer King and William Black made two photos of Boston, which are still in existence. 1872 First gas-engine-powered dirigible. Paul Haenlein, a German engineer, flew in a semi-rigid-frame dirigible, powered by a 4-cylinder internal-combustion engine running on coal gas drawn from the supporting bag. 1873 First transatlantic attempt. The New York Daily Graphic sponsored the attempt with a 400,000-cubic-foot balloon carrying a lifeboat. A rip in the bag during inflation brought the collapse of the balloon and the project. 1897 First successful metal dirigible. An all-metal dirigible, designed by David Schwarz, a Hungarian, took off from Berlin's Tempelhof Field and, powered by a 16-horsepower Daimler engine, got several miles before leaking gas caused it to crash (Nov. 13). 1900 First zeppelin flight. Germany's Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin flew the first of his long series of rigid-frame airships. It attained a speed of 18 mph and got 31/2 mi before its steering gear failed (July 2). 1903 First successful heavier-than-air machine flight. Aviation was really born on the sand dunes at Kitty Hawk, N.C., when Orville Wright crawled to his prone position between the wings of the biplane he and his brother Wilbur had built, opened the throttle of their homemade 12-horsepower engine, and took to the air. He covered 120 ft in 12 sec. Later that day, in one of four flights, Wilbur stayed up 59 sec. and covered 852 ft (Dec. 17). 1904 First airplane maneuvers. Orville Wright made the first turn with an airplane (Sept. 15); five days later his brother Wilbur made the first complete circle. 1905 First airplane flight over half an hour. Orville Wrig", "THE WOMAN IN WHITE THE WOMAN IN WHITE 'This is the story of what a Woman's patience can endure and what a Man's resolution can achieve.' 1st edition by Sampson Low in three volumes, August 1860 1st US edition by Harpers in paper wrappers, August 1860 Published in 1860, one of the two novels (with The Moonstone ) for which Collins is most famous. It firmly established his reputation with the reading public and helped raise the circulation of All the Year Round. As Smith, Elder found to their cost, 'everyone was raving about it.' S. M. Ellis described how The Woman in White was so popular that 'every possible commodity was labelled \"Woman in White\". There were \"Woman in White\" cloaks and bonnets, \"Woman in White\" perfumes and all manner of toilet requisites, \"Woman in White\" Waltzes and Quadrilles.' It was parodied in Punch and even such a critical reviewer as Mrs Oliphant, was unusually favourable. Edward Fitzgerald read it several times and considered naming a sailing boat after the determined Marian Halcombe. Prince Albert read the book and approved. Thackeray was engrossed from morning to sunset, and Gladstone found the story so absorbing that he missed a visit to the theatre. The Woman in White has never been out of print since its first publication. In the twentieth century there have been theatre, film, television and musical adaptations and even a comic-strip version. The Woman in White is generally regarded as the first Sensation Novel and inspired numerous imitations, most notably from Mary Braddon. The story is in part based on an eighteenth century case of abduction and wrongful imprisonment, taken from Mejan's Recueil des Causes Celebres. It uses the theme of substituted identity, a favourite with Collins, and also attacks the misuse of lunatic asylums. The story can be considered an early example of detective fiction with the hero, Walter Hartright, employing many of the sleuthing techniques of later private detectives. The use of multiple narratives draws on Collins's legal training and as he points out in his Preamble: 'the story here presented will be told by more than one pen, as the story of an offence against the laws is told in Court by more than one witness'. Collins described his method of the writing The Woman in White in 'Mr Wilkie Collins in Gloucester Place', Number 81 in 'Celebrities at Home', The World, 26 December 1877; and in 'How I Write my Books', The Globe, 26 November 1887. John Gilbert frontispiece to the 1861 one volume Sampson Low edition Walter Hartright, a young drawing master, has secured a position in Cumberland on the recommendation of his old friend Professor Pesca, a political refugee from Italy. While walking home from Hampstead on his last evening in London, Hartright meets a mysterious woman dressed in white, apparently in deep distress. He helps her on her way but later learns that she has escaped from an asylum. The next day he travels north to Limmeridge House. The household comprises Mr Frederick Fairlie, a reclusive valetudinarian; Laura Fairlie, his niece; and Marian Halcombe, her devoted half-sister. Hartright finds that Laura bears an astonishing resemblance to the woman in white, called Anne Catherick. The simple-minded Anne had lived for a time in Cumberland as a child and was devoted to Laura's mother, who first dressed her in white. Hartright and Laura fall in love. Laura, however, has promised her late father that she will marry Sir Percival Glyde, and Marian advises Walter to leave Limmeridge. Anne Catherick, after sending a letter to Laura warning her against Glyde, meets Hartright who is convinced that Glyde was responsible for shutting her in the asylum. Laura and Glyde marry in December 1849 and travel to Italy. Hartright also leaves England, joining an expedition to Honduras. After their honeymoon, Sir Percival and Lady Glyde return the following June to his family estate in Hampshire, Blackwater Park. They a", "[September 1774] [September 1774] Where, how, or with whom, my time is Spent. Septr. 1. Breakfasted at Queen Anne. Dined in Annapolis, & lodged at Rock Hall. Queen Anne was a small village on the Patuxent River in Prince George’s County, Md., nine miles northeast of Upper Marlboro. It consisted of only a few houses and a tobacco warehouse in 1783 ( SCHOEPF description begins Johann David Schoepf. Travels in the Confederation [1783–1784]. Translated and edited by Alfred J. Morrison. 2 vols. Philadelphia, 1911. description ends , 1:364; Md. Gaz., 5 Aug. 1746). rock hall: GW lists expenses “at Hodges” as 16s. 9d. (GW’s Cash Memoranda, 24 Mar.–25 Oct. 1774, CSmH ). A 30 Nov. 1775 advertisement in the Maryland Gazette for the rental of the “White Rock-Hall ferry” describes James Hodges as currently living on the ferry plantation. He probably ran the ferry-house where GW stayed. 2. Din’d at Rock Hall (waiting for my Horses) & lodg’d at New Town on Chester. 3. Breakfasted at Down’s. Dind at the Buck Tavern (Carsons) & lodg’d at Newcastle. down’s: a tavern operated by William Down at Down’s Cross Roads, now Galena, Md., 1½ miles south of Georgetown ( W.P.A. [2] description begins W.P.A. Writers’ Project. Maryland: A Guide to the Old Line State. American Guide Series. New York, 1940. description ends , 365). The Buck Tavern was in New Castle County, Del., 11 miles south of the present city of Newark, Del. William Carson, a tavern keeper in New Castle County in 1778, was probably the proprietor at this time ( W.P.A. [3] description begins W.P.A. Writers’ Project. Delaware: A Guide to the First State. American Guide Series. New York, 1938. description ends , 461; CALENDAR [2] description begins Leon de Valinger, Jr., comp. Calendar of Kent County Delaware Probate Records, 1680–1800. Dover, 1944. description ends , 316). 4. Breakfasted at Christeen Ferry. Dined at Chester & lodged at Doctr. Shippens’s in Phila. after Supping at the New Tavern. Christina (Christiana) ferry crossed Christina (Christiana) River at Wilmington on the main road from New Castle to Philadelphia ( LINCOLN description begins Anna T. Lincoln. Wilmington, Delaware: Three Centuries under Four Flags, 1609–1937. Rutland, Vt., 1937. description ends , 83–84). William Shippen, Jr. (1736–1808), son of Dr. William Shippen (1712–1801) and Susannah Harrison Shippen, was a Philadelphia physician and surgeon, educated at Edinburgh. In 1765 he was appointed professor of surgery and anatomy at the new medical school connected with the College of Philadelphia, and during the Revolution he was chief physician and director general of the military hospital of the Continental Army. Shippen was married to Alice Lee Shippen, sister of GWs fellow delegate, Richard Henry Lee. Lee had undoubtedly invited GW to stay at his brother-in-law’s house until suitable lodgings were obtained. The New Tavern, or City Tavern, was on the west side of Second Street, above Walnut. Designed in the style of the best London taverns, it contained several large club rooms. Daniel Smith was the proprietor at this time ( SCHARF [1] description begins J. Thomas Scharf and Thompson Westcott. History of Philadelphia. 1609–1884. 3 vols. Philadelphia, 1884. description ends , 1:291). 5. Breakfasted and Dined at Doctr. Shippen’s. Spent the Eveng. at Tavern. On this day the delegates to Congress met at City Tavern. The credentials of the various members were read, and Peyton Randolph of Virginia was elected chairman, or president, and Charles Thomson of Pennsylvania secretary. Carpenters’ Hall, which has been offered by the Carpenters’ Guild of Philadelphia, was chosen as the meeting place for Congress ( JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 1:13–14). GW rarely mentions in his diaries anything concerning his presence in Congress, but he seems to have attended the sessions regularly. For information on the day-to-day transactions of the Congress, see JCC description begins Worthington Ch", "THE DOWNING OF FLIGHT 655 - U.S. DOWNS IRAN AIRLINER MISTAKEN FOR F-14 - 290 REPORTED DEAD - A TRAGEDY, REAGAN SAYS - ACTION IS DEFENDED - NYTimes.com Autos THE DOWNING OF FLIGHT 655: U.S. DOWNS IRAN AIRLINER MISTAKEN FOR F-14 THE DOWNING OF FLIGHT 655: U.S. DOWNS IRAN AIRLINER MISTAKEN FOR F-14; 290 REPORTED DEAD; A TRAGEDY, REAGAN SAYS; ACTION IS DEFENDED By RICHARD HALLORAN, Special to the New York Times Published: July 4, 1988 WASHINGTON, July 3— A United States Navy warship in the Persian Gulf shot down an Iranian passenger plane today that the Navy said it mistook for a jet fighter, and Iran said all 290 people on board were killed. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. William J. Crowe Jr., said the missile cruiser Vincennes, while seeking to protect itself from what was thought on the basis of radar readings to be a hostile F-14 jet fighter, downed the plane with a surface-to-air missile. The downing of the jetliner, an Iran Air Airbus A300, took place over the Strait of Hormuz, at the southern end of the gulf, while the Vincennes was being engaged by Iranian gunboats. U.S. Issues Regrets President Reagan, in a statement issued from the Presidential retreat in Camp David, Md., and Admiral Crowe, in a news briefing at the Pentagon, both said the United States regretted the loss of life on the airliner, Flight 655. Both defended the judgment of the warship's skipper, Capt. Will C. Rogers 3d, saying that the first responsibility of a Navy vessel's commander was to protect his ship and crew. [ A transcript of Admiral Crowe's news conference appears on pages 4 and 5. ] Admiral Crowe rejected a comparison with the episode on Sept. 1, 1983, in which a Soviet fighter plane shot down a Korean Air Lines passenger jet over the Sea of Japan, killing all 269 on board. He said the main difference was that the Korean plan ''was not in a war zone'' and that ''there was no combat in progress'' when it was shot down. The admiral said these two factors were in play during the attack today. A Review Is Planned The admiral said the actions aboard the Vincennes would be reviewed by Rear Adm. William N. Fogarty of the Central Command, which has its headquarters in Tampa, Fla. The Central Command is responsible for United States military operations in the gulf. Admiral Crowe said the rules of engagement, which set conditions under which an American commander may fire his weapons, would be reviewed. But he said ''the commanding officer had a very heavy obligation to protect his ship, his people.'' State Department officials said American embassies had been warned to be on the alert for possible Iranian retaliation, a precaution they described as routine. Iran condemned the attack and vowed to ''avenge the blood of our martyrs.'' The diplomatic officials said the downing would not force the United States to revise its policy of seeking to keep the Persian Gulf open to international maritime traffic. At the White House, a spokesman said Mr. Reagan planned to remain at Camp David until noon Monday, when the President was scheduled to return to the capital. But other officials, including the national security adviser, Lieut. General Colin L. Powell, were said to be returning from their weekend holidays to handle the crisis. U.S. Offers Account At a Pentagon news conference today, Admiral Crowe gave this account of today's confrontation: At about 10:10 A.M. in the gulf (2:10 A.M., Eastern daylight time), Iranian gunboats fired on a helicopter from the Vincennes. The cruiser turned to engage the gunboats and, in response, the gunboats sped toward the Vincennes as if to fire. At 10:42 A.M., both the Vincennes, a 9,600-ton cruiser equipped with advanced radar, other sensors and computerized fire controls, and the Montgomery, a 4,200-ton frigate, opened fire on the gunboats with five-inch guns, apparently sinking two and damaging a third. At 10:47 A.M., while the Vincennes was engaged with the gunboats, the combat information center that the cruiser maintains detected an aircraft over Iran. The plane, later identified as Iran Air", "Abwehr 1109: Soldier, Executioner & Pro Lifer: ALL ALONG GUILTY AND NEVER INNOCENT: JAMES HANRATTY (4 OCTOBER 1936 TO 4 APRIL 1962) \"A6 murder\" Childhood and adolescence James Hanratty was one of four sons born to James and Mary Hanratty, in Farnborough, Kent; the family later moved to Wembley. Hanratty's early years were much troubled; long before his trial for the A6 murder, he had already been described as a retard, a psychopath, and a pathological liar. By the age of 11 he had been declared ineducable at St James Catholic School, Burnt Oak, although his parents steadfastly refused to accept he was in any way mentally deficient and successfully resisted attempts to have him placed in a school for the educationally sub-normal. After leaving Kingsbury High in 1951 aged 15, and still illiterate, Hanratty joined the Public Cleansing Department of Wembley Borough Council as a refuse sorter. In July the following year he fell from his bicycle, injuring his head and remaining unconscious for 10 hours; he was admitted to Wembley Hospital for nine days. Shortly after his discharge, Hanratty left home for Brighton, where he was to find casual work with a road haulier. Eight weeks later he was found semi-conscious in the street, having apparently collapsed from either hunger or exposure. Initially admitted to the Royal Sussex Hospital, Brighton, he was transferred to St Francis’ Hospital, Haywards Heath, where he underwent a craniotomy following the erroneous diagnosis of a brain haemorrhage. The report made there acknowledged his unhappy home background (he claimed he was frightened of his mother and had no filial feelings towards his father) and his mental deficiency. No precise diagnoses were offered, and it has since been suggested that he suffered from either epilepsy or post concussional syndrome, which would have had a marked effect on his personality. Criminal record By the time of his arrest for the murder of Michael Gregsten, Hanratty had already accumulated four convictions for motoring offences and housebreaking. On 7 September 1954, aged 17, he was placed on probation for taking a motor vehicle without consent, and for driving without a licence or insurance. Shortly afterwards, he began psychiatric treatment as an outpatient at the Portman Clinic. In October 1955 Hanratty appeared at the County of Middlesex Sessions, where he was sentenced to two terms of two years’ imprisonment, to run concurrently, for housebreaking and stealing property. Despatched to the boys’ wing of Wormwood Scrubs, he slashed his wrists; placed in the prison hospital, he was declared a ‘potential psychopath'. After his release, his father resigned his job as dustman with Wembley council to start a window cleaning business with his son in a futile attempt to keep him away from crime. By July 1957, only five months after his release from the Scrubs, Hanratty was sentenced at Brighton Magistrates Court to six months' imprisonment for a variety of motoring offences, including theft of a motor vehicle and driving without a licence. He was sent to Durham Prison, where again he was identified as a psychopath. In March the following year, at the County of London Sessions, Hanratty was again convicted of car theft, and of driving while disqualified, and sentenced to three years’ corrective training at Maidstone Prison, where conditions were considered among the best in the UK. While at Maidstone, Hanratty came to the attention of a researcher, a ‘participant observer’ who lived and worked alongside the inmates; he was later to remark upon Hanratty’s ‘gross social and emotional immaturity’. After a failed escape attempt, Hanratty was transferred to Camp Hill Prison, Isle of Wight, and thence, following another bid for freedom, to Strangeways Prison, Manchester. Transferred briefly to Durham Prison, he was returned to Strangeways where, having served his full term, he was released in March 1961, five months before the A6 murder. None of Hanratty’s mental history was given during his trial for the murder. The murder The facts At about 06:45 on 23 Augus", "Jacques-Louis David: French Neoclassical History Painter Academic Training David was born to a wealthy Parisian family in 1748. When he was seven, his father was shot dead in a pistol duel, so he was brought up by his uncle, Jacques Buron. He showed a desire to paint at an early age, and his mother eventually sent him to her cousin, the artist Francois Boucher (1703-70) to study fine art painting . Painting was an important means of communication for David, particularly after he developed a stutter when his face was slashed during a sword fight. However Boucher did not get on with the boy, so in 1766 he sent him instead to Joseph Marie Vien (1716-1809), one of the leading French Neoclassical artists . In 1771, J-L David's entry for the Prix de Rome, The Combat of Minerva and Mars (Louvre), was awarded only the second prize; it was not until 1774, after a number of setbacks that almost drove him to suicide, that he finally won the first prize for his painting Eristratus Discovering the Cause of Antiochus' Illness (Ecole Nationale Superiere des Beaux-Arts, Paris). This allowed him to take up a 5-year study period in Rome under Vien, who had just been appointed Director of the French Academy there. Studies in Rome The five years in Rome were decisive in the evolution of J-L David's art. Having left Paris determined not to be carried away by the remains of classical antiquity, he found himself overwhelmed, when he reached Rome, by the grandeur of its civilisation. He also became caught up in the great Neoclassical movement and was introduced to the new theories propagated by Anton Raphael Mengs (1728-79) and the archeologist Winckelmann. Abandoning painting for the time being in favour of drawing , David set out to study the monuments of ancient Rome as well as the works of the Old Masters , and one can follow the evolution of his aesthetics in his sketchbooks (Louvre; Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts; National Museum, Stockholm). Few paintings from this period are known: the most important, St. Roch Interceding with the Virgin for the Plague-Stricken (1780, Musee des Beaux-Arts, Marseille), painted on his return from a visit to Naples, marks a break with the teaching of Boucher, and even with that of Vien. The realism of the figure in the foreground, together with the expression of the faces, shows that David had been studying The Plague-Stricken of Jaffa (Louvre) by Antoine-Jean Gros (1771-1835). The most ambitious of these paintings is the recently discovered Funeral of Patroclus (1778, National Gallery, Dublin), illustrating a passage from the Iliad, a canvas still full of echoes of the Baroque, but built upon quieter rhythms. Neoclassical Painting In 1780 David returned to Paris where he quickly became known for his anti-Rococo neoclassical painting . He subordinated his use of colour to drawing, and this economy of style was very much in keeping with the preferred style of the French Academy , and the severity of the time (he was pro-republican and anti-royalist). The themes of his work expressed self-sacrifice, devotion to duty and austerity. In any event, the maturity and experience he had gained during his years in Rome are evident in his 1781 Salon exhibit, Belisarius Recognized by the Soldier (Musee des Beaux-Arts, Lille), and in Andromache Mourning Hector (1783, Pushkin Museum of Fine Art), entered for the Academy Salon two years later. His reputation was now growing, and he opened a studio that soon attracted pupils, among them Anne-Louis Girodet (1767-1824) and Germain Drouais (1763-88). In 1784, in response to a commission, he decided to paint the subject of The Oa", "Gulftimes : Five sports you won’t see in Rio Five sports you won’t see in Rio Font Size: Wednesday، 03 August 2016 10:07 PM Live pigeon shooting Pigeon shooting featured for the first — and only — time at the Paris Olympics in 1900, where around 300 birds were killed in the pursuit of sporting glory. The event was messy: six birds were released in front of the shotgun-wielding competitor, who was eliminated if he missed two of them. The result was an awful lot of blood and dead birds, although the event was described as “very aristocratic” in the official Olympic report. Belgium’s Leon de Lunden was champion for downing 21 birds, one more than runner-up Maurice Faure of France; Australia’s Donald MacIntosh was third with 18 kills. However, the gory event does not get a mention on the Olympics results database, and it has not reappeared at the Games since. Pistol duelling Twelve years later, at the Stockholm Games in 1912, there was also plenty of shooting but happily, less blood. The duelling competition wasn’t to the death with pistols at dawn; rather, shooters would fire at dummies 30 metres (33 yards) away dressed in frock coats, with a target placed at the throat. America’s Al Lane, aged only 20, took gold, ahead of Sweden’s Paul Palen and Hubner von Holst. The event later morphed into the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol, a category which endures to this day. Club swinging The forerunner of rhythmic gymnastics was a medal sport in 1904 at St Louis and in Los Angeles in 1932. America’s George Roth won the gold in 1932 when the Games were held in the midst of the Great Depression. Reports claimed that unemployed Roth was awarded his gold medal and then hitch-hiked home. Tug of war So beloved of school sports days, the sport was once part of the track and field programme and featured in the five Olympic Games from 1900 to 1920. The 1908 gold was won by a team of British policemen, but it was a controversial victory as the United States protested over their rivals’ footwear. A report at the time said the police team competed “in enormous shoes, so heavy, in fact, it was with great effort they could lift their feet from the ground”. Cricket Golf and rugby will both make long-awaited returns to the Olympics in Rio, but there’s no sign of another appearance by cricket, which was played just once at Paris 1900, with limited success. The gold medal was contested by Britain and France after Belgium and Holland pulled out. The British side was a touring team, the Devon and Somerset Wanderers, while the French side was made up of expatriate Britons living in Paris. Britain won the match, staged at the Velodrome de Vincennes, while the host nation was sniffily written off. “The French temperament is too excitable to enjoy the game and no Frenchman can be persuaded to play more than once,” scoffed a newspaper report at the time." ]

[ "Dodò, attaccante del Botafogo, &egrave; stato sospeso per 30 giorni, dopo il risultato positivo dei ..." ]

[ "L'incidente alla periferia nord di Rio de Janeiro", "RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - More than 10 people werekilled in a nearly four-hour-long gunbattle between two druggangs in Rio de Janeiro early on Monday, Brazilian media said.", "RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 17 -- Revelers clad in black and white flocked to the city's center Saturday for the traditional Black Ball band, putting aside the violence that has cast a shadow over Rio de Janeiro in recent weeks.", "Doppio bronzo per l'Italia ai mondiali di judo di Rio de Janeiro, in Brasile. A vincerli Roberto Mel...", "RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Residents of crime-plagued Rio de Janeiro have a new kind of predator to worry about - hawks.", "Parking infraction ends in murder Those readers who believe the UK's traffic wardens are the emissaries of Satan should count themselves lucky that they don't live in Rio de Janeiro's Botafogo district - where infractions of local bylaws can have fatal consequences.…", "points the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil Nov. 28. AP. RIO DE JANEIRO - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf holds talks Monday with Brazilian President Luiz", "By Andrei Khalip RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Tributes to Brazil'sillegal lottery bosses in this week's Rio de Janeiro Carnivalhave triggered a probe into whether Samba schools glorifycrime, the city prosecutor's office said on Friday.", "In un quartiere del nord di Rio de Janeiro", "RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Police armed with rifles and wearing flak jackets manned checkpoints across Rio de Janeiro on Thursday to prevent muggings and other violence as tourists flocked to the ocean city for the holiday season.", "RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - A Brazilian presidential candidate's campaign rally bumped into a harsh reality on Wednesday in the form of armed gang members in a Rio de Janeiro slum who ordered them to take a detour.", "Molte partenze rinviate per caldo e eventi sportivi", "Thousands of people join in with carnival celebrations in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.", "RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Rio de Janeiro erupted to the beat of drums on Sunday night as the half naked dancers from the city's samba schools showed off their skills to win what promised to be the most expensive Carnival yet.", "RIO DE JANEIRO -- Police killed at least 18 suspected drug traffickers in a massive operation yesterday to serve arrest warrants and seize drugs and arms in a vast Rio de Janeiro shantytown, a state security official said.", "Il comitato olimpico brasiliano ha annunciato di voler presentare ricorso contro il risultato della gara di maratona, vinta dall`italiano Stefano Baldini, davanti all`americano Mebrahtom Keflezighi e al brasiliano Venderlei de Lima.", "Diritti di esportazione in esclusiva a Rosoboronexport", "One of the world's biggest carnival celebrations opens in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.", "BRESCIA - Il Brescia ha deciso di risolvere il contratto con il centrocampista Jonathan Bachini, sospeso dall&#39;attivita&#39; sportiva per 9 mesi per doping. &quot;Dato che e&#39; stato accertato un grave inadempimento contrattuale", "ROMA - Il doping torna prepotentemente ad accostarsi al mondo del calcio. Il giocatore della Reggina, Mozart, e cinque calciatori di serie B, Rantier del Vicenza, Amerini dell&#39;Arezzo, Rossetti del Cesena, Vantaggiato", "RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Rio de Janeiro authorities on Thursday played down a human rights group report which claimed police violence in the Brazilian city was rife, saying the number of people killed by police was decreasing.", "RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Brazilian federal agents arrested 75 state police troopers on Friday for links with organized crime in Rio de Janeiro state's high-profile bid to get rid of corrupt cops.", "Attese per una rapida chiusura della cessione di Olimpia", "RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Claudio Paulo Pinto is looking to break an eye-popping record. Literally.", "RIO DE JANEIRO : Chinese President Hu Jintao toured some of Rio de Janeiro&#39;s fabled sights Sunday ahead of a meeting with Brazil&#39;s Chinese community on a busy Latin American tour.", "Un laboratorio di Vienna &egrave; sospettato di fornire sangue agli sportivi per fini di doping, e l...", "At least two people are crushed to death and others injured as part of a hotel collapses in Rio de Janeiro.", "Risultati della 33/a giornata del campionato brasiliano. San Paolo ad un punto dal titolo.", "Deroga nella capitale per i tifosi diretti all'Olimpico", "La Sampdoria sempre più nel caos per il caso Flachi-doping (cocaina). Il giocatore &egrave; giunto q...", "Athletes prepare to compete in the Pan-American Games due to open in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro shortly.", "Nine are shot dead in a Rio de Janeiro shantytown, as police battle drugs gangs and militia groups." ]

[ "In an email sent to Sony's top lawyer and other high ranking executives at the company, one former employee alleges a workplace of horrors, filled with sexual harassment, racism, verbal abuse and gender bias. An unnamed African-American woman who worked for Keith Le Goy, President of International Distribution at Sony Pictures Television, claims she and other African-American coworkers were passed over for promotions in favor of less experienced Caucasian employees, that she was the victim of frequent expletive-laden verbal attacks and she alleges that Le Goy sexually harassed her on multiple occasions . The email was sent to Sony Pictures chief counsel Leah Weil, Sony Pictures Chairman Michael Lynton, and Sony Pictures Television President Steve Mosko. Scroll down for video . Leaked: A new email sent to head Sony lawyer Leah Weil (right, with Amy Pascal) alleges a workplace of racism, abuse and harassment at Sony . Head honcho: An African-American woman who worked for Keith Le Goy, President of International Distribution at Sony Pictures Television, claims she was frequently mistreated . In the loop: The email was also sent to Sony Pictures Chairman Michael Lynton, and Sony Pictures Television President Steve Mosko . Le Goy, who is said to have denied most of the allegations, is also on the email, and is told by lawyers for the company not to 'respond to the email or otherwise engage with her.' The email was obtained by Gawker, and written by the former employee just one day after she was terminated from the company. 'I have worked for executives at Sony for approximately 7 years, the last 5+ of which have been in International Distribution assisting Keith Le Goy,' the email begins. 'My experience in the International Distribution department has been marred by disparate and unfair treatment in promotion and hiring practices, harassment, retaliation, bullying women, name-calling, offensive language, threats, blocking my advancement and transfers, withholding information to paint a negative opinion, maligning, unsolicited hugs and invitations, resulting in sexual harassment and drinking during work hours in the office.' From there, the writer lists some specific incidents of harassment and abuse, as well as what she deems to be racist practices. 'So the situation is a Caucasian person promoted twice above the more experienced, more senior African-American person and the African-American has yet to get the title for the job that she actually does,' writes the former employee. 'My case isn't isolated, my African-American tub mate, works for the same SVP, now EVP, who promoted Monica in 18 months, has not given her, the African-American assistant the classification for the job she is doing—Admin III. The only other African-American in our department in the last 10 years, was Paul Bledsoe, who was laid-off in 2009, after 10 years as a Manager. I asked to take over some of his duties and learn more and was rebuffed; another Caucasian was hired 5 months later.' As for Le Goy's behavior, she writes; 'In January 2009, Keith harassed me by yelling at me, charging at my desk for dial-in instructions, after providing them, I hastened out and he chased, blocked my exit and threatened me not to take overtime, in front of several witnesses. 'I was terrified. This anger was in retaliation for my having reported him to the Ethics Hotline 3 weeks earlier, when he called me \"[Expletive] useless,\" and slammed his computer down for emphasis in front of a female VP.' Buds: Le Goy (right, with Mosko and actor Oliver Platt) denied most of the woman's allegations . Bad timing: This comes just days after a racist email exchange between Pascal and producer Scott Rudin about President Obama was leaked . The writer shares a few more incidents similar in nature, with profane rants and the slamming of things. As for the sexual harassment, she says Le Goy invited her to spend time alone in his office on multiple occasions . 'The beginnings of the sexual abuse occurred in 2007 when he asked me to join him while he serenaded HR and Operations managers in his dimmed office' she says. 'I refused him twice saying that I had an abundance of work to complete. The final time that he asked, he offered me, \"Veuve Cliquot with HR, I told him in no uncertain terms, \"I don't drink.\" He yelled slapping at me, \"Then, you're not on my team!\" 'Initially, it seemed like a joke, later it became apparent with the comments, like I'm imperious and then he began calling me a \"Bitch\" in many incarnations and that became de rigueur in the office.' The email closes by saying, 'I need someone to protect me from Keith.' This leaked email comes just days after one in which Sony Chair Amy Pascal and producer Scott Rudin made racist remarks about President Barack Obama. On the eve of a fundraising breakfast in November 2013 being attended by the President at the home of DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, Pascal and Rudin went over things she could discuss with Obama while at the event. 'Should I ask him if he liked DJANGO?' Pascal asks Rudin, a reference to the 2012 Quentin Tarantino film Django Unchained that dealt with the subject of slavery in the antebellum South. '12 years,' responds Rudin, referencing another slavery film, this time Steve McQueen's 2013 Academy Award-winning work 12 Years a Slave, a very violent and brutal look at the injustice and abuse endured by the millions forced into slavery in America. The pair then keep going, listing as many current films starring black actors as they can name, including Lee Daniels' The Butler and two Kevin Hart movies, Think Like a Man and Ride Along. 'I bet he likes Kevin Hart,' says Rudin at one point. Not having it: Shonda Rhimes called out Pascal and Rudin on Twitter . African-American television giant Shonda Rhimes said of the emails on Twitter, 'Calling Sony comments \"racially insensitive remarks\" instead of 'racist'?' she tweeted. 'U can put a cherry on a pile of s*** but it don't make it a sundae.' Pascal, who says she is not racist, issued an apology on Thursday, saying; 'The content of my emails were insensitive and inappropriate but are not an accurate reflection of who I am.' She then added, 'although this was a private communication that was stolen, I accept full responsibility for what I wrote and apologize to everyone who was offended.'" ]

[ "By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 12:03 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:34 EST, 15 November 2013 . Jonathan Martin could sue the Miami Dolphins for big money under a variety of workplace laws - and could turn to his own legal eagle mother for advice. The employment legislation makes employers liable for bullying, harassment and discrimination - even if the team's hierarchy didn't know about it, according to several legal experts. The NFL's special investigator, Ted . Wells, plans to meet in New York today with Martin, who has been with his family in Los . Angeles and is receiving counseling. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross also . plans to meet at a later date with Martin. Interestingly, Martin's . mother, Jane Howard-Martin, spent almost 20 years practicing employment . law and wrote numerous articles in legal journals on such issues as . workplace discrimination and harassment. It's not known whether she has . any role in her son's decisions; Howard-Martin is now assistant general . counsel for Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. in Los Angeles. Scroll down for video . Player Jonathan Martin, pictured in New York today, arrives to speak with the NFL investigator over claims he was bullied at the Miami Dolphins . Jonathan Martin arrived at the office of the NFL lawyer investigating the team's bullying scandal on Friday. The league is trying to gather information about the harassment Martin says he was subjected to by teammate Richie Incognito. Martin and a companion arrived at lawyer Ted Wells' Manhattan office building and were met by a crush of reporters. The offensive lineman smiled but did not respond to questions while entering the building. Suing the Dolphins could be more . successful than bringing criminal charges against offensive lineman . Richie Incognito, who was suspended by the Dolphins after fellow lineman . Martin left the team two and a half weeks ago. Martin's attorney, David Cornwell, says Martin was repeatedly harassed . by Incognito and others in ways that 'went far beyond the traditional . locker room hazing'. Miami Dolphins Tackle Jonathan Martin left the team over allegations of bullying . For Martin to win a lawsuit, Nova Southeastern University law professor Bob Jarvis said he'd have to show precisely that. 'It . will be crucial for Martin to convince a jury that even with a rough . workplace, there is a line that cannot be crossed and it was crossed . here,' Jarvis said. One path for Martin to take would be filing a grievance with the NFL players union or a complaint with the NFL itself. Aside . from that, legal experts say there are several avenues he could take to . sue the Dolphins. Cornwell did not respond to an email asking for . additional comment on any of these options. Two labor-employment lawyers at Venable . LLP in New York, Michael Volpe and Nicholas Reiter, said in a written . analysis of the Martin matter that employers can face lawsuits related . to bullying if the harassment involved a victim's race, religion, sexual . orientation or disability. Richie Incognito is accused of bullying his teammate Jonathan Martin . Claims can be made for harassment, infliction of emotional distress and negligent supervision. One voicemail that has surfaced from Incognito to Martin, who is black, included a racial slur and other Dolphins players have said use of the slur in the locker room was not out of the ordinary. In addition, Volpe and Reiter said that Martin could claim that he was essentially forced to leave the Dolphins because of workplace harassment. 'Even if the Dolphins were unaware of Incognito's alleged behavior, which may be the case, the organization could still face claims of liability,' they said. There have also been reports that Incognito was told by coaches to 'toughen up' Martin, which could show the team did have knowledge about the harassment, the two lawyers said. Still, it's no slam dunk for Martin. For example, one allegation is that Martin forked over $15,000 for veteran Dolphins teammates to take a trip to Las Vegas that he did not attend. That could be viewed in court as being a willing participant and make a harassment lawsuit harder to prove. If, Jarvis said: 'Martin seemed to be going along with the conduct willingly, then Martin cannot now change his mind and decide that he didn't want to be part of the culture.' For Incognito himself, the main issue would likely be his future NFL playing career. The NFL players' union announced Thursday that Incognito has filed a grievance over his indefinite suspension by the Dolphins. The union statement says that Incognito is requesting an expedited hearing so he can resume playing football immediately. Tamara Lave, a law professor at the University of Miami, said the current national focus on bullying and hazing in schools and at the workplace would figure in Martin's favor should he take legal action. Especially, she said, because he is a physically imposing NFL player — 6-foot-5, 312 pounds — who is typically perceived as having few weaknesses. 'The fact that you have a 300-pound man who feels so threatened and uncomfortable that he leaves, that's an indication of how serious it was,' Lave said. From the criminal standpoint, former prosecutor David S. Weinstein said it's possible but not likely that Incognito could be charged with extortion if he made threats to force Martin to pay the $15,000 for the Vegas trip. Another option would be written threats to do bodily harm, based on Incognito's texts to Martin making threats about his mother. 'However, I don't really see the (state prosecutors) going after Incognito, but I could be wrong,' Weinstein said. Florida does have an anti-hazing law, but Jarvis said it applies only to educational institutions and not adult workplaces.", "Employers are being urged to watch their staff for signs of domestic violence - with indicators including shifts in behaviour and changes in clothing to hide bruises. Public Health England (PHE) issued the warning and stressed that managers have a duty to spot people who are being abused and take steps to offer them support. The PHE guidance is part of its campaign, 16 Days Of Action, which is running from November 25 to December 10, to highlight the responsibilities that employers have to protect their workers. Scroll down for video . New campaign: Employers are being urged to watch their staff for signs of domestic violence by PHE . The campaign, which comes with an advisory 'violence toolkit for businesses' states: 'Women often experience repeated abuse for longer than men before reaching out for help. 'This means you may well be involved in managing someone who has experienced or is experiencing domestic abuse, as well as those who are perpetrators of abuse.' Research says 25 per cent of women and 16 per cent of men fall victim to some form of domestic abuse during their lives. As well as physical violence - this can also be verbal, emotional and financial abuse. More than half of those affected by domestic abuse are absent from work at least three days a month - and 56 per cent of abused women arrive late for work at least five times per month. A staggering two per cent of employees in the UK actually lose their jobs as a direct result of domestic violence and 75 per cent of victims are targeted at work. This often includes harassing phone calls, text messages and emails - with abusive partners often turning up at the workplace. PHE's guidance tells companies to record any incidents that take place at work and ensure that staff do not have to work alone or in isolated areas. They are being encouraged to put up posters to highlight the support available for staff who disclose difficulties in their personal life. Signs: Public Health England say managers should look out for shifts in behaviour or a change in attire that may be designed to hide bruising . And employers are also advised to divert phone calls and emails from suspected abusive partners and offer employees a new phone extension number if required. Professor Kevin Fenton, director of health and wellbeing at PHE, said: 'It is unacceptable that in England and Wales, two women a week die as a result of domestic violence, and many more suffer physical and mental harm. 'Workplaces are a safe space for many people living in violence and are key for providing opportunities for disclosure and support into safety. 'As it stands, companies can do more to support their employees who experience domestic abuse, train those who witness, and protect staff as a whole.' Mr Fenton believes companies which take steps to tackle the issue will actually benefit financially as there would be fewer unexplained absences and less staff turnover caused by violence at home. He adds: 'Signing up to the pledge and using the toolkit not only means businesses are supporting their staff and securing safety in the workplace, but they will also save on financial loss due to absence and turnover. 'It is a win win for businesses and we urge them to utilise this resource.' Speaking to The Independent he added: 'Bringing discussions of domestic violence into the workplace is a crucial step in providing routes to safety for people enduring violence.' Companies are being urged to sign the 16 Days of Action pledge and join 'the global fight against domestic violence'. The NHS is one of the first organisations to train its staff in dealing with the issue. Sue Covill, director of employment services at NHS Employers, claimed guidance was crucial as most managers would not be confident enough to intervene. She said: 'It's not about the workplace intruding into personal matters but helping to ensure the workplace doesn't get in the way and can even speed up the process of recovery.' Companies can sign the 16 Days Of Action pledge by visiting the campaign's website.", "Falllout from the massive Sony hack continues, this time with the report that 47,000 Social Security numbers have been leaked. What's more, among those individuals who had information leaked are stars including director Judd Apatow and actors Rebel Wilson and Sylvester Stallone. The leaked numbers belong to both past and current employees of the studio juggernaut. Scroll down for video . Bad news: More bad news in the Sony hack as it has been reported that 47,000 Social Security numbers for past and current employees were leaked . Celeb victims: Among those who had their information taken were Rebel Wilson, Judd Apatow (above) and Sylvester Stallone . Staying silent: The studio has no comment on this most recent leak . The studio had no comment on this most recent leak according to the Wall Street Journal. This shortly after it was revealed that financial records had became public that detailed how much stars like Seth Rogen and James Franco were making, as well as studio heads Michael Lynton and Amy Pascal. The hackers also uploaded five yet-to-be-released films to file-sharing websites, including the Brad Pitt film Fury, still in theaters, and Annie, the much-anticipated remake set for a December 19 release. The company has been trying to take the videos off the internet with cease-and-desist orders. Millionaires: Sony Pictures Entertainment Co-Chairman Amy Pascal (left) and Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton (right) both make $3million a year, according to the leaked documents . Pay information for more than 31,000 employees at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd, a financial firm hired by Sony, were taken in the hack as well. The pay information from 2005 revealed that there are far more men than women with high-paying salaries. The list was leaked to a reporter at news and pop culture site Fusion. Kevin Roose, reporting for Fusion, who was sent a link to the data by an anonymous source, said: 'When I sorted the list by 'annual rate,' I noticed something notable: a stark homogeneity among the people earning the most. 'Based on the spreadsheet ... the employees of Sony Pictures with the highest annual rates appear to be nearly entirely white men.' Buzzfeed reviewed almost 40GB of leaked internal data and reported it included 'employee criminal background checks, salary negotiations, and doctors' letters explaining the medical rationale for leaves of absence.' It reported the files also included a script for an unreleased pilot written by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan as well as 'email exchanges with employees regarding specific medical treatments they are undergoing, while one disciplinary letter details a manager's romantic relationship and business travel history with a subordinate.' The leaked information even includes an email about the breastfeeding diet of a senior executive. One aspect of the leak, which probably has the Sony IT team reeling, is the several spreadsheet and text documents where employees stored their passwords...under the name 'password'. The hack is thought to be carried out by those allied with the North Korean regime, unhappy with the country's portrayal in the film. In June, a North Korean official appeared on the state-run news station to say the country would pursue 'a strong and merciless countermeasure' if Sony released the film. Despite the threat, Sony has continued to roll out promotion for the movie ahead of it's December 25 release date. Exactly one month before it was set to be released, Sony confirmed that the company had been hacked, and that the mysterious group behind the cyber attack released hundreds of company documents online. The day before, an alleged warning posted to Reddit read: 'This is just the beginning'. Paydays: Seth Rogen took home $8.4million working on The Interview, compared to the $6.5million his co-star James Franco made (left), according to information revealed in the recent cyber attack on Sony . Responsible? Sources close to the internal investigation of the hack at Sony say they believe a North Korean group is behind the attack. Officials in North Korea previously threatened action . Sony has yet to officially name North Korea as the source of the cyber attack, but sources close to the internal investigation spoke out on Wednesday to say they believe a group known as DarkSeoul is to blame. The group associated with North Korea was thought to be behind the large-scale March 2013 attack on South Korean banks and broadcasters. Other evidence from the hack points to the regime, including Korean-language coding, in similarities to other attacks by DarkSeoul. The results of the internal investigation into the attack, currently being carried out by FireEye's Mandiant forensics unit, are expected to be announced later this week. Earlier this week, a North Korean spokesperson refused to deny claims that it was behind the move and would only say 'wait and see' when asked if Pyongyang was involved.", "Alex Trebek has become the latest celebrity to get sucked into Sony's ever growing email hack scandal after messages emerged Tuesday of the game show host all but threatening to quit over a Jeopardy Kids episode. Per the emails, the behind the scenes drama began when an 11-year-old little girl ran off the stage after losing in a December episode and ended when producers assented to her mother's demands to reshoot the segment, causing the host of 30 years' ire to flare. 'When I’m vilified, corporate (and certainly legal) always seems to say ‘don’t say anything and it’ll blow over,’ and I’m not feeling support from the producers, and that disappoints the s*** out of me,' Trebek snapped, in an email Radar reports he dictated to an assistant. Scroll down for video . Furious: Alex Trebek all but threatened to quit Jeopardy after a little girl's tantrum over losing out on appearing in Final Jeopardy eventually caused producers to ask him to reshoot the segment . The request to reshoot reportedly came after the contestant was in the red prior to Final Jeopardy and per the rules was unable to finish the game with the other two players. She ran off, according to her mother, because 'she was upset about not being able to completely play the game to the end.' The mother said Trebek, meanwhile, seemed totally uninterested in consoling the girl. 'I don’t think I’ll ever forgive him for that,' the mother told producers. When he was asked to retape, Trebek came about as close as one can to threatening to walk. 'If I’m making mistakes and saying things you don’t like, maybe it’s time for me to move on,' he told 'It’s not a threat, but I want to let you know how I’m feeling.' Now, as Sony's headache grows thanks to an unprecedented email leak, they're likely counting their lucky stars that Trebek didn't take the threat a step further. Other disclosures: Amy Pascal, chairman of Sony Pictures, was revealed to have insulted President Obama and referred to Angelina Jolie (right) as a 'brat' Pressure: Emails showed Seth Rogen, left, was pressured to change scenes showing the death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un (right) Sony Pictures Entertainment now faces two lawsuits from four former employees who claim the company did not do enough to prevent hackers from stealing nearly 50,000 social security numbers, salary details and other personal information from current and former workers. The lawsuits seek to gain class-action status on behalf of those employees whose private data, including medical records, have been released by hackers in recent weeks. Two employees sued Sony in federal court on Monday, alleging the company failed to secure its computer systems despite \"weaknesses that it has known about for years,\" and instead made a business decision to accept the risk. It contends that the latest data breaches are especially \"surprising and egregious\" because Sony Pictures has been repeatedly attacked over the years, including a 2011 hack that revealed millions of user accounts on Sony's PlayStation video-game network. On Tuesday, two former movie production workers sued Sony in Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming the company waited too long to notify employees that their data had been stolen. The case filed by Susan Dukow and Yvonne Yaconelli alleges Sony violated California laws meant to protect sensitive financial and medical information. The hack attack against Sony Entertainment is airing the film studio's dirty laundry in public - revealing. Revelations from tens of thousands of emails - many of them from Sony Pictures co-chairman Amy Pascal - have rocked Hollywood for nearly two weeks.", "Sony executives believe a criminal gang of hackers that severely compromised the company's computer network had significant inside help. While North Korea remains the main suspect in the November 24 data breach, it is believed that someone inside Sony or recently fired by the corporation may have facilitated access to the computer network. A major investigation into the hacking incident has found that the culprits appear to have significant knowledge of Sony's internal computer network leading to fears that the criminals had some internal assistance. Scroll down for video . It is believed Sony has been targeted over its movie The Interview which features the planned assassination of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, who is said to have been angered by the comedy's plot . The movie starring James Franco, left, and Seth Rogen, right has been cancelled by a number of cinemas . However, North Korea has denied any involvement in the sophisticated cyber attack on Sony . TMZ.com reports that Sony executives believe that North Korea recruited someone with a grievance against the company to infiltrate the computer network. Sony executives told the website that hackers had knowledge of internal IT systems, email, human resources and payroll. Threats of violence against movie theaters. Cancelled showings of 'The Interview.' Leaks of thousands more private emails. Lawsuits by former employees that could cost tens of millions in damages. The fallout from the hack that began four weeks ago exploded Tuesday after the shadowy group calling themselves Guardians of Peace escalated their attack beyond corporate espionage and threatened moviegoers with violence reminiscent of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The Department of Homeland Security said there was 'no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters,' but noted it was still analyzing messages from the group, dubbed GOP. The warning did prompt law enforcement in New York and Los Angeles to address measures to ramp up security. Those security fears spurred Sony to allow theater chains to cancel showings of the Seth Rogen and James Franco comedy 'The Interview,' that has been a focus of the hackers' mission to bring down Sony. Carmike Cinemas, which operates 247 theaters across the country, was the first to cancel its planned screenings of the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It remains to be seen if other chains will follow suit. GOP also released a trove of data files including 32,000 emails to and from Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton in what it called the beginning of a 'Christmas gift.' Sony Pictures has been on the defensive ever since hackers infiltrated its computer network last month . And two former Sony film production workers filed lawsuits alleging the Culver City, California company waited too long to notify nearly 50,000 employees that data such as Social Security numbers, salaries and medical records had been stolen. The filing follows another lawsuit this week from two other former Sony employees accusing the studio of being negligent by not bolstering its defenses against hackers before the attack. It claims emails and other leaked information show that Sony's information-technology department and its top lawyer believed its security system was vulnerable to attack, but that company did not act on those warnings. Sony, a unit of Japan's Sony Corp., potentially faces tens of millions of dollars in damages from class-action lawsuits, said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment law professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. 'It is a serious matter for Sony both in terms of dollar exposure and public perception of the brand,' he said. In 'The Interview,' Rogen and Franco star as television journalists involved in a CIA plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Speculation about a North Korean link to the Sony hacking has centered on that country's angry denunciation of the film. Over the summer, North Korea warned that the film's release would be an 'act of war that we will never tolerate.' It said the U.S. will face 'merciless' retaliation. The film's New York premiere is scheduled for Thursday at Manhattan's Landmark Sunshine, and it is expected to hit theaters nationwide on Christmas Day. It premiered in Los Angeles last week. But on Tuesday Rogen and Franco pulled out of all media appearances, canceling a Buzzfeed Q&A and Rogen's planned guest spot Thursday on 'Late Night With Seth Meyers.' A representative for Rogen said he had no comment. A spokeswoman for Franco didn't respond to queries Tuesday. The FBI said it is aware of the GOP's threats and 'continues to work collaboratively with our partners to investigate this matter.' FBI director James Comey last week said that investigators are still trying to determine who is responsible for the hack. Cinemas planning to show 'The Interview' have been forced to hire additional security due to threats . The New York Police Department, after coordinating with the FBI and Sony, plans to beef up security at the Manhattan premiere, said John Miller, the NYPD's top counterterrorism official. 'Having read through the threat material myself, it's actually not crystal clear whether it's a cyber response that they are threatening or whether it's a physical attack,' Miller said. 'That's why we're continuing to evaluate the language of it, and also the source of it. I think our primary posture is going to be is going to have a police presence and a response capability that will reassure people who may have heard about this and have concerns.' Following a commission meeting earlier Tuesday, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said his department takes the hackers' threats 'very seriously' and will be taking extra precautions during the holidays at theaters. The National Association of Theatre Owners had no comment on the developing situation. Neither Sony nor representatives from individual theater chains, including Carmike, responded to requests for comment. Since the hack surfaced late last month, everything from financial figures to salacious emails between top Sony executives has been dumped online. The nearly 32,000 emails to and from Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Lynton leaked Tuesday include information about casting decisions and total costs for upcoming films, release schedules for Sony films through 2018 and corporate financial records, such as royalties from iTunes, Spotify and Pandora music services. They include information about new electronics devices such as DVD players and cell phones. They also include budget figures for the Motion Picture Association of America, of which Sony is a member, and at least one email about a senior Sony executive who left the company. The emails also include banal messages about public appearances, tennis matches, home repairs, dinner invitations and business introductions.", "The defendant (pictured outside Blackfriars Crown Court today), from north London, denies one charge of stalking and one charge of sexual assault . A television personality was sent sinister emails about the murder of Jill Dando from a stalker who later gave her a 'sloppy kiss' outside the O2 arena, a court heard today. The woman received hundreds of messages from the man, with some referring to domestic abuse and Ms Dando's murder. Other messages suggested she leave her husband to marry him and have his child. The woman, who is a household name but cannot be named for legal reason, was subjected to a campaign of harassment over social media and email for more than a year during which the man, who also cannot be named, claimed they were having a 'cyber affair'. The trial at Blackfriars Crown Court today heard how the harassment even saw the defendant visit the TV studios where the woman worked to deliver gifts. It culminated in him kissing her at a public event. Max Hardy, prosecuting, said: 'This case concerns obsessive behaviour on the part of the defendant directed towards a television presenter. 'This obsessive behaviour manifested itself in the defendant's use of the social network site Twitter, in email communications and attending at her workplace and written communication to her address. 'That behaviour went far beyond the respectful enthusiasm of a fan. 'He caused her significant alarm or distress that had a substantial effect on her day-to-day life.' The court heard how the defendant began contacting the celebrity about her programmes and she replied out of courtesy, although the messages then became increasingly personal. The presenter, who is in her 40s, made a statement to police in December last year, shortly before the man was arrested. Mr Hardy said: 'She recalled the first communication from him being a tweet sent in January 2012. 'She had just been on television and the tweet was saying \"you look lovely I simply have to say so\".' She began receiving emails to her work address, again replying to the messages out of respect for her fans. The messages took another turn in February 2012, when the man began speaking about his personal issues and invited her to go the David Hockney exhibition at the Royal Academy in London. In the March of the same year, his messages took a sinister turn with an email referring to a segment on Claire's Law, which was brought in to help victims of violent domestic abuse. He also attached the first chapters of his autobiography and his mobile number asking for her to call him. She stopped replying to the messages, but days later, on March 15, he wrote to her again with the chilling reference to murdered presenter Jill Dando. Mr Hardy said: 'The email contained a transcript purporting to be a telephone call from someone called Sue and he referred to the discovery that Jill Dando, the TV presenter, had been murdered.' The Crimewatch presenter was shot dead, aged 37, outside her home in Fulham, west London, in April 1999. Mr Hardy continued: '[He wrote] 'I hope that wan't too freaky a start to the day, don't let it be s***e, that's like a one-in-a-million thing anyway. (sic)' The email was passed on to the station's security and he was blocked from emailing any of its email address. Blackfriars Crown Court (pictured) heard how the woman was subjected to a campaign of harassment over social media and email for more than a year during which the man claimed they were having a 'cyber affair' However, he continued to message her through third parties, the court heard. Another email, sent in March 2012, described his love for her and blamed a co-presenter for being blocked from the email system. Mr Hardy said: '[The email] is a declaration of love and adoration for her and suggests that she divorces her husband, marries him and they could have a child together.' He carried on contacting the woman saying they were having a 'cyber affair' and invited her to use an anonymous messaging system. The court heard that although the harassment began in early 2012, he stands charged with the crimes from November that year, when stalking became a criminal offence. Jurors were told the alleged stalker was not accused of threatening violence against the celebrity, although his obsessive communication caused her 'serious alarm or distress'. The court also heard how in December 2012, he visited the TV studios where she worked to deliver hand-warmers and a Christmas card and letter, but was turned away. The celebrity chose to go to the police after the defendant approached her at an event at the O2 and kissed her, jurors were told. Mr Hardy said: 'He thrust a copy of a programme into her hands and asked her for an autograph then, in her words, \"landed a sloppy wet kiss on my cheek\". 'She tried to shrug it off but over time decided to take it to the police. 'That's what prompted her to install further security measures and alter her activities.' The alleged stalker, from north London, denies one charge of stalking and one charge of sexual assault. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.", "By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 10:00 EST, 5 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:05 EST, 5 December 2012 . A former American Apparel store manager is accusing the racy clothing company's CEO of 'rubbing dirt on his face' amid a string of verbal and physical abuse and then firing him without a reason. Michael Bumblis, 24, of Inglewood, California, has filed a lawsuit against Dov Charney, claiming the boss 'abused his position and power and, in doing so, flaunted employment laws.' Mr Bumblis was hired in March 2009 and rose up the ranks to eventually manage one of the retail stores in Malibu before he was sacked on July 24. In the suit, filed in a Los Angeles court on November 29, the former worker is alleging assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, violation of civil rights, discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and religious affiliation and wrongful termination. Lawsuit: Dov Charney, pictured, is being sued by former manager Michael Bumblis for harassment and unfair dismissal . According to ABC News, Mr Bumblis claims he became 'increasingly agitated and anxious at work, was unable to fully concentrate and was increasingly absent from work due to his anxiety and distress.' Mr Charney has a 'well known, long and unenviable reputation for aggressive, violent, erratic, inappropriate, and harassing behavior towards others, including (American Apparel's) employees,' the documents state. Mr Bumblis alleges that the 43-year-old who 'periodically' visited the store 'usually on an hour's notice' threatened him on one of their first encounters after greeting him at a February convention in Las Vegas while he was standing next to an unnamed woman. In April, Mr Charney called him and 'launched into an expletive ridden diatribe,' the young man claims, and asked if he was 'banging that girl you were with in Vegas.' Racy: The lawsuit comes as the company has again fallen foul of advertising standards for its use of young models in its campaigns, pictured . According to the suit, Mr Charney said: . 'You should have been ****ing fired months ago,' and abused him for . being Jewish and gay, though Mr Bumblis says he's neither. The former staffer says on another occasion, Mr Charney came to the store he managed to inspect construction work and, after the pair allegedly quarreled about a new inventory system, 'dove' at him. He says the boss 'grabbed' him around the neck with both hands 'and began to forcibly squeeze (his) throat in an attempt to choke or strangle' him. During the same visit, Mr Bumblis claims Mr Charney called him over after spotting some dirt in a space between a fitting room wall and the store wall, saying, 'Come here! Look how disgusting you are.' He allegedly told him: 'Rub it on your face,' before proceeding to 'scoop up the dirt and forcibly attempt to rub the dirt on plaintiff's face,' the suit claims. The company has denied the allegations and highlighted that the former employee signed a gag order as part of his contract. Attack: Mr Bumblis claims Mr Charney 'dove' at his and tried to strangle him before rubbing dirt in his face . 'The allegations in this lawsuit are false and Mr Bumblis and his lawyers know that any complaints the company may have against Mr Bumblis, or complaints he may have against the company, are to be addressed in binding arbitration, not in the media or the courts,' Mr Charney's lawyer Peter Schey said in a statement to ABC News. 'In addition to the conduct that led to his termination, Mr Bumblis has also violated his written agreement to arbitrate any disputes with the company. We will shortly initiate arbitration against Mr Bumblis and have no doubt that the court will require that he join the arbitration proceedings where we expect the company's claims against him will be upheld.' Mr Schey insists Mr Bumblis was fired for 'reasons fully consistent with company policy.' American Apparel employs about 10,000 people worldwide with around 5,000 based in Los Angeles.  It operates over 285 retail stores in 20 countries and is well known for its use of young models in its racy advertising campaigns. The lawsuit comes as the company has again fallen foul of the advertising watchdog with campaigns featuring 'gratuitous' images and the sexualisation of models who appeared to be under 16. The clothing brand ran into similar issues with campaigns in 2009 and earlier this year but it responded to the two separate, latest, complaints by saying 'it was standard practice to market hosiery, intimates or lingerie in the way done on their website'.", "A lawyer battling sexual harassment in the workplace has revealed how strippers and brothels have cost Australian companies millions. Executives are being forced to cough up cash to female employees after using seedy corporate entertainment in scenes like something out of The Wolf Of Wall Street, lawyer Michael Harmer revealed. Female employees are suing bosses for having to endure a culture where harassment and discrimination is commonplace. Australian companies are using seedy entertainment in scenes like something out of Wall Of Wall Street . Mr Harmer, known in court as The Undertaker, has blasted the employers he has so far bought cases against. He claimed companies have paid from $1million to $3.5million in out of court settlements in sexual harassment cases to keep their reputations intact. Harmer, who is responsible for bringing the largest sex discrimination claim in Australian history - Christina Rich v Pricewaterhouse-Coopers - said he 'objects' to the crude practices used in the legal, accounting, finance and property industries. ‘Where alcohol and the degradation of women is used as entertainment, you can get an overstepping of the mark by either other employees or clients,’ he told the Financial Review. In the interview he described how he’d heard of a global chairman charging brothels to his corporate credit card. Mr Harmer claimed companies have paid from $1million to $3.5million in out of court settlements in sexual harassment cases to keep their reputations intact after using strippers and brothels . Lawyer Michael Harmer is responsible for winning the largest sex discrimination claim in Australian history . In the landmark Christina Rich v Pricewaterhouse-Coopers case, Ms Rich received an out of court settlement in 2008 believed to be worth about $5million to $6million, plus legal costs, from the firm that she said was blighted with a 'boys' club' culture of harassment. PwC has always denied the claims. Mr Harmer's colleague Joydeep Hor, former managing partner of Harmers Workplace Lawyers, said at the time that many such cases were never revealed in public. 'It's a shame the public, the employers don't see the case,' he said. 'Most of my clients are employers - they don't appreciate the significance of these issues until they have been burnt.' Harmers Workplace Lawyers, which supplies psychological help for its clients, also previously acted for Kristy Fraser-Kirk. The 25-year-old woman’s sexual harassment complaint against David Jones chief executive Mark McInnes triggered his shock resignation and a confession of ‘unbecoming’ conduct. Her $37 million lawsuit against David Jones, its McInnes and nine directors of the retailer was settled for $850,000, including a 'smaller' contribution from Mr McInnes. Meanwhile, Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick told the Financial Review how she had been contacted by concerned women who worked in the mining industry. Mr Harmer described how he'd heard of a global chairman charging brothels to his corporate credit card . Last year a West Australian mayor said mining towns across the state are trying to distance themselves from a reputation of a heavy drinking culture and topless barmaids . They were scheduled to attend the annual ‘Diggers and Dealers’ conference where a delegation of mining and exploration companies, brokers, bankers, gather in the unofficial gold capital of Australia, Kalgoorlie, WA. In 2013 a West Australian mayor said mining towns across the state are trying to distance themselves from their association with topless barmaids. However, he spoke to the ABC in the same week that a WA pub was fined after a 'skimpy' barmaid appeared completely naked. In the Martin Scorsese film The Wolf of Wall Street, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, penny stockbrokers in the 1980s and 1990s are seen binging on women. There is an orgy scene on the trading floor, amongst other outrageous incidents.", "A federal judge has dismissed the racial discrimination claims in a lawsuit filed by a former employee against Paula Deen, the celebrity chef's representative said Monday. The former employee can't claim to be a victim of racial discrimination targeting African-American workers because she is white, U.S. District Judge William T. Moore Jr. ruled. \"At best, plaintiff is an accidental victim of the alleged racial discrimination,\" Moore wrote. Other aspects of the lawsuit, including sexual harassment and abusive treatment, are still pending. \"We are pleased with the Court's ruling today that Lisa Jackson's claims of race discrimination have been dismissed,\" Deen's representatives said in a statement to CNN. \"As Ms. Deen has stated before, she is confident that those who truly know how she lives her life know that she believes in equal opportunity, kindness and fairness for everyone.\" Paula Deen -- From the frying pan to the firestorm . Deen's career and public reputation went into a tailspin earlier this summer after her deposition in the lawsuit, in which she admitted using the n-word in the past, was released. Dean has insisted she does not tolerate prejudice, but her apologies have failed to suppress the controversy. Former employee Lisa Jackson alleged in the federal suit that Deen and her brother Bubba Hiers committed numerous acts of violence, discrimination and racism that resulted in the end of her five years of employment at The Lady and Sons, and Uncle Bubba's Oyster House, two Savannah, Georgia, restaurants run by Deen and her family. Savannah is where Deen built her business and brand into what many consider the folksy face of Southern cooking. Share your thoughts on the dismissal . In the media firestorm that followed, Deen lost lucrative endorsements and her Food Network cooking show, while the publication of her eagerly anticipated cookbook was canceled. Jackson's complaint alleged that a \"racially biased attitude prevailed throughout and pervaded defendants restaurant operations,\" and that African-American staff could use the restaurant's rear entrance only. She claimed that a racist atmosphere caused her \"immense personal and work related emotional and physical distress\" because \"employees came to her complain and for help, which she felt obligated to give but was unable to fully provide.\" She suffered from the discrimination because \"the conduct denies her right to associate in the workplace with persons of other races,\" the suit said. It deprived her of \"harmonious working relationships with her African-American subordinates\" and denied her \"the right to work free from racial harassment,\" it alleged. \"There are no allegations that defendant Hiers' racially offensive comments were either directed toward plaintiff or made with the intent to harass her,\" the judge ruled. Deen and Hiers still face the sex harassment allegations by Jackson, who began as a hostess at Uncle Bubba's in 2005 and worked her way up to general manager before she was fired in August 2010. The complaint said the company was a \"boy's club\" with men in management positions, \"and women are not invited to take on substantial decision-making roles.\" Jackson contended that Hiers subjected her to sexual harassment on \"an almost daily basis.\"", "Celebrity chef Paula Deen, who lost endorsements and a national cooking show after she admitted using a racial slur in the past, on Friday welcomed the resolution of a lawsuit by a former employee who leveled accusations of racism and sexual harassment. The federal lawsuit will be dismissed by agreement, according to a court filing. It was not immediately clear whether there was a settlement, but a description on a federal court website labeled the filing as a \"settlement agreement.\" A federal judge in Georgia had not signed off on the agreement, according to the filing. The proceedings will be dismissed \"with prejudice,\" meaning the lawsuit cannot be filed again. The parties agreed the dismissal would be \"without any award of costs or fees to any party,\" according to the posting. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge William T. Moore Jr. in Savannah dismissed a portion of the lawsuit that contended former employee Lisa Jackson was a victim of racial discrimination. Deen released a statement Friday, said she believes \"in kindness and fairness for everyone.\" \"While this has been a difficult time for both my family and myself, I am pleased that the judge dismissed the race claims and I am looking forward to getting this behind me, now that the remaining claims have been resolved.\" Deen's career and public reputation went into a tailspin earlier this summer after her deposition in the lawsuit, in which she admitted using the \"N word\" in the past, was released. Jackson alleged that Deen and her brother, Bubba Hiers, committed numerous acts of violence, discrimination and racism that resulted in the end of her five years of employment at The Lady and Sons, and Uncle Bubba's Oyster House -- two Savannah, Georgia, restaurants run by Deen and her family. But Jackson could not claim to be a victim of racial discrimination targeting African-American workers because she is white, Moore ruled in early August. Other aspects of the lawsuit, including sexual harassment and abusive treatment, were still pending until Friday's agreed order of dismissal. CNN was unable to immediately reach lawyers for Jackson. Savannah is where Deen built her business and brand into what many consider the folksy face of Southern cooking. In the media firestorm that followed news of the deposition, Deen lost lucrative endorsements and her Food Network cooking show, while the publication of her eagerly anticipated cookbook was canceled. In her statement, Deen thanked Jackson for five years of service at Uncle Bubba's. \"Moving forward my team and I are working to review the workplace environment issues that were raised in this matter and to retool all of my businesses operations,\" Deen said. \"I look forward to getting back to doing what I love.\" Jackson's complaint alleged that a \"racially biased attitude prevailed throughout and pervaded defendants' restaurant operations,\" and that African-American staff could use the restaurant's rear entrance only. But the judge ruled there was no evidence racially offensive comments allegedly made by Hiers were directed toward Jackson or made with the intent to harass her. The complaint said the company was a \"boy's club\" with men in management positions, \"and women are not invited to take on substantial decision-making roles.\" Jackson contended that Hiers subjected her to sexual harassment on \"an almost daily basis.\" In June, Deen's sons staunchly defended their mother, saying allegations of racism were false \"character assassination.\" \"Neither one of our parents ever taught us to be bigoted toward any other person for any reason,\" Bobby Deen told CNN's \"New Day\" in an exclusive interview with Chris Cuomo. \"Our mother is one of the most compassionate, good-hearted, empathetic people that you'd ever meet,\" he added. \"These accusations are very hurtful to her, and it's very sad.\" A deposition confession . At a May deposition in the Jackson lawsuit, Deen admitted having used the \"N word\" long ago. Jackson lawyer: \"Miss Deen, have you told racial jokes?\" Deen: \"No, not racial.\" Jackson lawyer: \"Have you ever used the 'N word' yourself?\" Deen: \"Yes, of course.\" Deen testified that she probably used the racial slur when talking to her husband about \"when a black man burst into the bank that I was working at and put a gun to my head.\" \"I didn't feel real favorable towards him,\" she said, referring to the robber. Jackson lawyer: \"Have you used it since then?\" Deen: \"I'm sure I have, but it's been a very long time.\" Deen said she couldn't remember other contexts in which she used the slur, but \"maybe in repeating something that was said to me.\" \"But that's just not a word that we use as time has gone on,\" she said. \"Things have changed since the '60s in the South. And my children and my brother object to that word being used in any cruel or mean behavior.\" Deen apologized for her language in two videos produced in June. \"I want to learn and grow from this,\" she said in one video. \"Inappropriate and hurtful language is totally, totally unacceptable. I've made plenty of mistakes along the way but I beg you, my children, my team, my fans, my partners -- I beg for your forgiveness.\" Coverage of Paula Deen on Eatocracy .", "More embarrassing details about Sony are coming to light a week after a group with ties to North Korea hacked the production company's internal servers and released hundreds of documents ranging from never-released movies to employee evaluations. Hidden among the documents never meant to be seen by the public include the budget for upcoming film The Interview, starring Seth Rogen and James Franco as a TV producer and talk show host recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean President Kim Jong-un. The leaked records show Rogen, who also directed and wrote the script, was paid $8.4million for the film, compared to co-star James Franco who made $6.5million.  The budget also revealed a pretty important plot point: that Britney Spears' ex-husband Kevin Federline makes a cameo, for which he was paid $5,000. Scroll down for video . Paydays: Seth Rogen took home $8.4million working on The Interview, compared to the $6.5million his co-star James Franco made (left), according to information revealed in the recent cyber attack on Sony . Responsible? Sources close to the internal investigation of the hack at Sony say they believe a North Korean group is behind the attack. Officials in North Korea previously threatened action . Compared to A-list actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey Jr and Jennifer Lawrence, who can take home more than $20million per film, the salaries revealed in the hack show the Rogen and Franco took home relatively average to low pay. Overall the film cost $44million for Sony to make. Meanwhile, Michael Lynton, the CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Amy Pascal, the co-chairman of the company were both revealed to be making a $3million annual salary. Among the more entertaining details revealed in the budget were how much the production company paid for small items like props. Millionaires: Sony Pictures Entertainment Co-Chairman Amy Pascal (left) and Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton (right) both make $3million a year, according to the leaked documents . One part of the script calls for a 'table of weed, coke, pills and panties' which was budgeted at $250. Thanks to some thrifty production assistants, the cost was brought down to $241. The hackers also uploaded five yet-to-be-released films to file-sharing websites, including the Brad Pitt film Fury, still in theaters, and Annie, the much-anticipated remake set for a December 19 release. The company has been trying to take the videos off the internet with cease-and-desist orders. Pay information for more than 31,000 employees at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd, a financial firm hired by Sony, were taken in the hack as well. The pay information from 2005 revealed that there are far more men than women with high-paying salaries. The list was leaked to a reporter at news and pop culture site Fusion. Kevin Roose, reporting for Fusion, who was sent a link to the data by an anonymous source, said: 'When I sorted the list by 'annual rate,' I noticed something notable: a stark homogeneity among the people earning the most. 'Based on the spreadsheet ... the employees of Sony Pictures with the highest annual rates appear to be nearly entirely white men.' Buzzfeed reviewed almost 40GB of leaked internal data and reported it included 'employee criminal background checks, salary negotiations, and doctors' letters explaining the medical rationale for leaves of absence.' It reported the files also included a script for an unreleased pilot written by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan as well as 'email exchanges with employees regarding specific medical treatments they are undergoing, while one disciplinary letter details a manager's romantic relationship and business travel history with a subordinate.' The leaked information even includes an email about the breastfeeding diet of a senior executive. One aspect of the leak, which probably has the Sony IT team reeling, is the several spreadsheet and text documents where employees stored their passwords...under the name 'password'. And then there's the hilarious slideshow written by Sony CFO David Hendler, negatively reviewing the company's own films. In one slide, he draws attention to the movies the company put out in 2005, the worst year in the company's history. Those films include Zorro, Bewitched and Zathura. Hendler follows that up with a slide about the movies distributed in 2010 like Burlesque, How Do You Know and Just Go With It, commenting: 'Not as bad as 2005, but still not something to write home about'. Those on Sony's marketing teams devised equally entertaining slides, revealed in the breach. A few of the slides take different movies, and explain the concept, and strengths and weaknesses to highlight. For movies with a patriotic element, like White House Down and Captain Phillips, executives warn to 'avoid American-centrism' and focus instead on special effects and star actors. Presentation: In this leaked slideshow, Sony CFO David Hendler calls out the movies that made for the company's worst financial year on record . Critic: He follows the 2005 slide up with the movies distributed in 2010, commenting: 'Not as bad as 2005, but still not something to write home about' Company secrets: Another leaked slideshow shows how the company tries to downplay American themes in films with a patriotic theme . The hack is thought to be carried out by those allied with the North Korean regime, unhappy with the country's portrayal in the film. In June, a North Korean official appeared on the state-run news station to say the country would pursue 'a strong and merciless countermeasure' if Sony released the film. Despite the threat, Sony has continued to roll out promotion for the movie ahead of it's December 25 release date. Exactly one month before it was set to be released, Sony confirmed that the company had been hacked, and that the mysterious group behind the cyber attack released hundreds of company documents online. The day before, an alleged warning posted to Reddit read: 'This is just the beginning'. Sony has yet to officially name North Korea as the source of the cyber attack, but sources close to the internal investigation spoke out on Wednesday to say they believe a group known as DarkSeoul is to blame. Cars enter Sony Pictures Entertainment headquarters in Culver City, California. The company is still conducting an internal investigation on the hack . The group associated with North Korea was thought to be behind the large-scale March 2013 attack on South Korean banks and broadcasters. Other evidence from the hack points to the regime, including Korean-language coding, in similarities to other attacks by DarkSeoul. The results of the internal investigation into the attack, currently being carried out by FireEye's Mandiant forensics unit, are expected to be announced later this week. Earlier this week, a North Korean spokesperson refused to deny claims that it was behind the move and would only say 'wait and see' when asked if Pyongyang was involved. Staff at Sony are growing increasingly disgruntled about the never-ending slew of Adam Sandler movies the company is producing . Staff at Sony are growing increasingly disgruntled about the never-ending slew of Adam Sandler movies the company is producing, according to information released following last week’s cyber attack. An un-encrypted text file titled ‘Sony_2012_Comments’ has been released which features a long list of negative employee feedback – and Sandler’s name is a reoccurring theme. The comedian’s company, Happy Madison Productions, has been responsible for 25 films released by Sony over the past 15 years including Click, I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry, You Don’t Mess With The Zohan, Grown Ups and 50 First Dates. These movies turn a profit but are shown little love from the critics and from Sony staff it would appear. Here are some of the comments featured in the leaked document: . Other criticism from staff was equally as cutting even if the target wasn't quite so specific: . Sandler movies such as I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry regularly turn a profit for Sony but rarely win over the critics or staff a leaked memo has revealed . 'The hostile forces are relating everything to the DPRK (North Korea). I kindly advise you to just wait and see,' a spokesman for North Korea's U.N. mission. North Korea routinely refers to the United States and South Korea as hostile forces. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the incident. North Korea complained to the United Nations in June about The Interview, accusing the United States of sponsoring terrorism and committing an act of war by allowing production of the movie. The Pyongyang government denounced the film as 'undisguised sponsoring of terrorism, as well as an act of war' in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. 'I personally don't care if (the movie's) disrespectful to Kim because he's evil. But that's not the intent,' tweeted Rogen on Sunday. 'North Korea has produced tons of propaganda films that portray America's destruction.' But cybersecurity expert Hemanshu Nigam has told the Hollywood Reporter that he finds it hard to believe that North Korea is the perpetrator and instead thinks it is more probable that it was the actions of an employee or ex-employee with administrative access privileges. For the studio - which has laid off hundreds of employees over the past year in an effort to contain costs - the possibility of a disgruntled employee wreaking havoc is very real. 'If terabytes of data left the Sony networks, their network detection systems would have noticed easily,' said Nigam. 'It would also take months for a hacker to figure out the topography of the Sony networks to know where critical assets are stored and to have access to the decryption keys needed to open up the screeners that have been leaked.' Scary: Sony workers saw a message appear on computer screens saying 'Hacked by #GOP' - understood to be the initials of a group called Guardians of Peace which has been linked to North Korea . In addition, he said, 'It is possible that North Korean-sponsored hackers were working with someone on the inside. But it is more likely a ruse to shift blame, knowing the distaste the North Korean regime has for Sony Pictures.' Sony Pictures' computer system went down last Monday after the cyber attack. Before . screens went dark, they displayed a red skull and the phrase . 'Hacked By #GOP,' which reportedly stands for Guardians of . Peace. The hackers also warned they . would release 'secrets' stolen from Sony. The data released so far from the apparently leaked documents has already been damaging - it revealed all the top executives at Sony Pictures Entertainment are white and male, raising questions about control of Hollywood's film output.", "American Apparel has issued a new ethics code which demands employees who are 'casually dating' or involved in 'committed romantic relationships' inform human resources to seek approval. The new code, which is four times the length of the previous version, was introduced in order to help 'prevent sexual harassment in the workplace', and comes less than a month after the retailer's founder Dov Charney was fired as a consultant over allegations of such offenses. 'No management-level employee may make sexual advances, welcome or unwelcome, toward any subordinate,' the code states, adding that 'company personnel should never engage in any public displays of affection in the workplace.' Scroll down for video . Cracking down: The new code has been introduced to 'prevent sexual harassment in the workplace', and comes after the retailer's founder Dov Charney (pictured) was fired over allegations of such offenses . The lengthy new code states that romantic relationships between employees should be disclosed to American Apparel's human resources department to be assessed for potential 'concern.' It also forbids 'favoritism' and includes a 'fair treatment of employees' section, which specifically bans 'discriminatory slurs' related to sexism and racism. American Apparel's controversial former-CEO Mr Charney, who founded the company in 1998, was terminated as chairman last June after the company compiled a long list of his alleged offenses; including sexual harassment, misuse of company funds, and racist comments. He stayed on in a consultant role but was fired from that position in December. Longtime fashion executive Paula Schneider has joined the company as CEO. Strict: The lengthy new code states that romantic relationships between employees should be disclosed to American Apparel's human resources department to be assessed for potential 'concern' Last month, Mr Charney claimed to be almost broke and reduced to crashing on a friend's couch in New York after being ousted from his company. As CEO, he earned an $800,000 annual salary, but recently told Bloomberg that he only has $100,000 left in the bank. He remains the company's largest shareholder, but doesn't have control of his 43per cent stake because of an agreement with hedge fund Standard General. Mr Charney said he felt betrayed by the hedge fund that had given him a loan in July so he could boost his ownership of the company he had founded. Mr Charney turned to the firm for help when he was ousted as CEO the previous month. 'I gave them my entire life's work and they agreed to put me back in,' he stated. 'But instead they used this investigation to fire me. They betrayed me. I gave them my heart.' Standard General disagrees with Mr Charney's version of events and released the following statement: . 'We supported the independent, third-party and very thorough investigation into the allegations against Mr Charney, and respect the Board of Directors' decision to terminate him based on the results of that investigation.' Despite what has happened, Mr Charney has said he plans to keep fighting and is 'suing everyone' with what little funds he has left. The Montreal-born Mr Charney has famously been the subject of lawsuits that allege he had inappropriate sexual conduct with female employees. He has admitted he had consensual sexual relationships with workers. In 2011, a former employee accused Mr Charney of keeping her as a teenage sex slave, fearing she could lose her job otherwise. She also sued American Apparel and its directors for failing to stop him from acting as a 'sexual predator.' Moving on: Longtime fashion executive Paula Schneider (left, in 2004), formerly of Warnaco, Gores Group and BCBG Max Azria, started as the retailer's new CEO this week . In 2012, Mr Charney once again came under fire when Michael Bumblis, a former store manager in Malibu, California, accused the CEO of rubbing dirt in his face and choking him. Mr Charney also allegedly called the man 'a wannabe Jew' and used a derogatory term for homosexuals. Mr Bumblis was later fired from his job. The company has suffered financially. It has recorded annual losses since 2010 and reported three quarterly losses last year. Its stock dropped 53per cent in 2014. Ms Schneider, who officially started as CEO on January 5, has been a senior executive at retail and clothing companies including Warnaco, Gores Group and BCBG Max Azria. She said in a statement that she hopes to 'make American Apparel a better company, while staying true to its core values of quality and creativity and preserving its sweatshop-free, Made in USA manufacturing philosophy.'", "Women detained at an immigrant holding facility in southern Texas allege workers there have sexually abused them, including by removing them from their cells at night for sex as well as fondling them in front of others, lawyers wrote in a letter to federal officials this week. Some guards or other workers at the Karnes County Residential Center also asked sexual favors of female detainees in exchange for money or promises of assistance -- including help with their immigration cases or shelter if they are released -- the lawyers allege in the letter. The allegations were detailed in a Tuesday letter from several immigrant advocacy groups to officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security, which had hired one of America's for-profit prison operators to run the facility. \"We call for an immediate investigation into these serious allegations of sexual abuse and the immediate protection of all women and children forced to reside in the facility,\" the letter, sent by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) on behalf of all the advocacy groups, reads. Company denies claims, says center is 'family-friendly' Geo Group Inc., the company that runs the facility, told CNN it strongly refutes the allegations. \"The Karnes County Residential Center provides a safe, clean, and family-friendly environment for mothers and children awaiting required processing by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency,\" the Geo Group's vice president of corporate relations, Pablo Paez, said. \"The center provides high quality care, and our company strongly denies any allegations to the contrary.\" ICE told CNN it couldn't discuss specifics about this case. But it said it \"has a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of sexual abuse or assault and our facilities are maintained in accordance with applicable laws and policies.\" \"Accusations of alleged unlawful conduct are investigated thoroughly and if substantiated, appropriate action is taken,\" the agency said in a written statement. The center is one of many in the country that hold undocumented immigrants -- many apprehended as they crossed into the United States -- as they await hearings on whether they will be deported. ICE detained 440,557 people across the nation in fiscal 2013. The Karnes County facility can hold up to 532 detainees, and transitioned this summer from a center that housed adults to one that holds adults and children. The sexual abuse is alleged to have happened since August, the lawyers' letter says. Wall Street bets on prison growth from border crisis . \"Numerous\" women made the allegations to lawyers representing them, and at least three center employees committed the abuse, the letter said. The letter came five days after one of the advocacy groups made other allegations about the center's treatment of women and children. In a September 25 letter, the immigration clinic at the University of Texas School of Law asked federal immigration officials to investigate numerous complaints from detainees, including that children didn't have access to a variety of nutritious snacks between meals, that messages from attorneys weren't getting to their clients in a timely manner, and that -- although they had access to a nurse -- no doctor was on staff to handle significant medical issues such as respiratory infections and chronic illnesses. Geo Group said it refutes those allegations, as well, and that ICE personnel are at the site to ensure compliance with the agency's family residential standards. Immigrants or refugees? A difference with political consequences . 'Removing female detainees from their cells' for sex . MALDEF's letter from Tuesday accuses facility workers of \"removing female detainees from their cells late in the evening and during early morning hours for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts in various parts of the facility.\" Also, workers called detainees \"their 'novias,' or 'girlfriends,' \" and requested \"sexual favors from female detainees in exchange for money, promises of assistance with their pending immigration cases, and shelter when and if the women are released,\" the advocates alleged. Workers also kissed, fondled and groped detainees in front of other detainees, including children, the advocates alleged. The women reported the allegations to center personnel, but \"to date, no action has been taken to stop or prevent this abuse,\" the letter reads. The advocates further argue that the center \"provides an environment that facilitates the abuse,\" in part by having a guard roster that is predominantly male, and by allowing the guards 24-hour access to the detainees' rooms. The letter warns the alleged harassment and \"unsafe environment\" likely violates several federal laws and regulations, and asks for a response detailing what ICE and the center will do to address the matter.", "Princess Beatrice, the first woman in line to the throne, may be among the victims of the Sony cyber-attack. The 26-year-old eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson was working at Sony Pictures in London when hackers breached the company's computer network. During the hack last Monday, sensitive medical files, email exchanges, pay details and other private information about staff were stolen. Princess Beatrice, who is the sixth in line to the throne, took up an internship at Sony Pictures at the beginning of the year. Scroll down for video . Princess Beatrice, pictured at this summer's Epsom Derby, may be among the victims of the Sony cyber attack . Beatrice has been working as an intern at Sony Pictures since the beginning of the year after quitting her job at an investment capital firm and following a period travelling around the globe with her boyfriend . Although Beatrice has an HRH title she does not receive taxpayers' money. She does however undertake royal engagements on behalf of her grandmother the Queen from time to time, as she is keen to do her public service. She quit her job at investment capital firm Cabot Square Capital near Marble Arch last Summer and then travelled the world with her boyfriend Dave Clark. She was spotted aboard the yacht of billionaire steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal in St Barts and also went to Aspen, America's chicest ski resort. Since returning to London, she has been working at the Sony Pictures Television at its London headquarters in Golden Square. A spokesman for the princess told MailOnline that Princess Beatrice 'continues to work in the business sector'. The Times has reported that she remains employed by Sony Pictures. Stars who have allegedly been hacked include actor Sylvester Stallone, best known for playing Rocky Balboa . Cars enter Sony Pictures Entertainment headquarters in Culver City, California. The company is still conducting an internal investigation on the hack . The hacking group calling itself Guardians of Peace began its attack last Monday, putting almost every one of the film studio's computers out of action. Some reports said some computers of Sony employees displayed a picture of a skeleton, threatening to release large amounts of data from the company. The latest revelations suggest that 47,000 Social Security numbers have been leaked. This allegedly includes stars such as director Judd Apatow and actors Rebel Wilson and Sylvester Stallone. The leaked numbers belong to both past and current employees. Sony workers saw a message appear on computer screens saying 'Hacked by #GOP' - understood to be the initials of a group called Guardians of Peace which has been linked to North Korea . This comes in the wake of the salaries of Michael Lynton, the CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Amy Pascal, the co-chairman of the company, being published. Both were revealed to be making a $3million annual salary. The hackers also uploaded five yet-to-be-released films to file-sharing websites, including the Brad Pitt film Fury, still in cinemas, and Annie, the much-anticipated remake set for a December 19 release. The early leak of films is considered, by the film industry, to have a devastating effect on the potential success of a title. The company has been trying to take the videos off the internet with cease-and-desist orders. The files infiltrated by the hackers included a script for an unreleased pilot written by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan as well as 'email exchanges with employees regarding specific medical treatments they are undergoing, while one disciplinary letter details a manager's romantic relationship and business travel history with a subordinate.' The leaked information even includes an email about the breastfeeding diet of a senior executive. Pay information for more than 31,000 employees at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd, a financial firm hired by Sony, were taken in the hack as well. Seth Rogen took home $8.4million working on The Interview, compared to the $6.5million his co-star James Franco made (left), according to information revealed in the recent cyber attack on Sony . Sources close to the internal investigation of the hack at Sony say they believe a North Korean group is behind the attack. Officials in North Korea previously threatened action . The suggested motivation for a hack from North Korea, commentators said, had been the country's anger at an upcoming Sony film, The Interview. In the film, set for release at Christmas, Seth Rogen and James Franco play two reporters who have been granted an audience with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him. North Korea said the film was 'the most undisguised sponsoring of terrorism as well as a war action'. The country's UN envoy Ja Song-Nam said there would be a 'merciless response' if the film was not cancelled. However, the diplomat quoted by Voice of America - who asked to remain anonymous - dismissed reports his country had been involved in the attack on Sony. 'Linking [North Korea] to the Sony hacking is another fabrication targeting the country,' he told the broadcaster. 'My country publicly declared that it would follow international norms banning hacking and piracy.' Earlier this week, a separate North Korean official gave a more ambiguous response, saying: 'Wait and see,' in response to a question about the attack. Sony has yet to officially name North Korea as the source of the cyber attack, but sources close to the internal investigation spoke out yesterday to say they believe a group known as DarkSeoul is to blame.", "Nine serving BBC employees, including some famous faces, are under investigation for ‘serious allegations’ of sexual abuse following the sickening revelations about the late Jimmy Savile. Some are being investigated by police while others have been reported to the corporation’s management. But the BBC last night refused to say if any of the employees have been suspended. Scroll down for video . Probe: Nine serving BBC employees are under investigation for 'serious allegations' of sexual abuse following the sickening revelations about the late Jimmy Savile (file photo) It has emerged that some of those being investigated are or have been in the public eye. A BBC source told the Daily Mirror: 'The allegations are right across the corporation and they involve some famous faces. These complaints relate to recent and historic incidents.' The revelation about the nine suspects emerged during yesterday’s questioning of BBC director-general George Entwistle by MPs over the Savile affair. To add to the Corporation’s embarrassment, Newsnight editor Peter Rippon – who controversially shelved a film detailing Savile’s abuse – faced fresh criticism after an email emerged claiming that he played down the story because ‘it was 40 years ago’ and the girls were not ‘too young’. And Culture Secretary Maria Miller made it clear she was unimpressed with Mr Entwistle’s often faltering performance in front of MPs – with aides saying it ‘resembled a car crash’. BBC Director-General George Entwistle (right) and Head of BBC Editorial Policy David Jordan . She wrote to BBC Trust chairman Lord  Patten saying ‘very real concerns are being raised about public trust and confidence in the BBC’. In a hostile session of cross-examination, Mr Entwistle failed to satisfy those still calling for an independent inquiry as he was repeatedly hauled over the coals and even ridiculed for not finding out more about the Savile film when informed about it last December. Sparked: Late TV presenter Jimmy Savile . He told the Culture Select Committee: ‘We are looking at between five and ten serious allegations relating to activities over the whole period in question, the Savile period. Some of these cases have been passed to the police where appropriate, and we are reviewing others within our normal HR processes and procedures.’ The BBC later said it was ‘aware of . nine allegations of sexual harassment, assault or inappropriate conduct . regarding current staff or contributors’. The . fact that nine employees are being investigated is a sign that the . ‘broader cultural problem’ of sexual harassment dating back to the . Savile years of abuse still needs to be tackled. Since . the scandal erupted at the start of October, BBC stars – including Liz . Kershaw and Sandi Toksvig – have alleged they were groped while live on . air. Asked by the MPs if there were active . allegations against existing employees, Mr Entwistle said: ‘Information . is being assembled on exactly that subject. ‘New allegations are being made and are coming in. What I am looking at is all the existing current allegations.’ The director-general did not dispute suggestions . that child abuse had been ‘endemic’ at the corporation in the past, but . insisted children were safe there now. ‘I believe we have good . policies, but I am currently checking them to make sure they are as good . as they need to be.’ David . Jordan, head of editorial policy, said that if any allegations emerged . which related to people still working for the BBC, the corporation would . ensure they went to the police and that those involved were denied . access to children. Worried: Culture Secretary Maria Miller, left, wrote to BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten, right, saying ‘very real concerns are being raised about public trust and confidence in the BBC’. Mr Entwistle told MPs he was bringing . in Dinah Rose QC – who represented News International in phone hacking . cases – to look at how the BBC handles sexual harassment cases. ‘This is something the BBC simply has to get right and I’m not sure we have got it right in every respect at the moment.’ Newsnight . boss Mr Rippon ‘stepped aside’ from the role earlier this week after a . blog he wrote  was revealed to be inaccurate in  key respects. The . latest email, revealed yesterday, suggests that Mr Rippon was trying to . ‘kill’ the Savile story by making ‘impossible editorial demands’. Channel . 4 News said it had seen the email from Newsnight reporter Liz MacKean, . the reporter who worked on the investigation. In it she accuses Mr . Rippon of backtracking. It . reads: ‘Having commissioned the story, Peter Rippon keeps saying he’s . lukewarm about it and is trying to kill it by making impossible . editorial demands.’ Claims: Since the scandal erupted at the start of October, BBC stars – including Liz Kershaw and Sandi Toksvig – have alleged they were groped while live on air . She adds: ‘When we rebut his points, he resorts to saying, “Well, it was 40 years ago ... the girls were teenagers, not too young ... they weren’t the worst kind of sexual offences etc”.’ Duties: Newsnight boss Mr Rippon 'stepped aside' from the role earlier this week after a blog he wrote was revealed to be inaccurate in key respects . If true, his comments will outrage child protection groups as they appear to play down Savile’s crimes. Pete Saunders, chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said: ‘Oh my God. He said that, and in the year 2011? Now we know why he has “stepped aside”. What an inane thing to say, and sadly reminiscent of the attitudes of too many people who don’t take these crimes seriously enough.’ The email follows another in which Mr Rippon, when referring to the evidence the programme, had used the phrase ‘just the women’. Broadcast on Panorama it read: ‘The key is whether we can establish the CPS did drop the case for the reasons the women say. That makes it a better story – our sources so far are just the women and a second-hand briefing’. Conservative MP Therese Coffey said the email was ‘chilling’ and questioned whether the culture had really changed at the BBC. Mr Entwistle told her: ‘That phrase, on the face of it, isn’t in the least defensible, of course. I do believe the culture has changed since the Seventies and Eighties but I’m not convinced it has changed as much as it should have.’ Emails that suggested senior BBC executives tried to cover up the scandal were pulled from the Panorama programme for ‘legal reasons’ amid concerns that others implicated in the shelving of the report could sue for damages. At least one of these emails suggests the Savile report was being discussed by a ‘long political chain’ of executives.", "Clash: Goldman Sachs is facing claims that it duped Libyan officials in Colonel Gaddafi’s regime into investing almost £800m. Above, Colonel Gaddafi . Goldman Sachs is facing extraordinary claims that it duped Libyan officials in Colonel Gaddafi’s brutal regime into investing almost £800million by plying them with girls, lavish parties and luxury trips. The world’s most powerful investment bank is facing a bruising High Court battle with Libya’s giant sovereign wealth fund, set up in 2006 to invest the country’s oil riches after economic sanctions were lifted. The Libyan Investment Authority claims Goldman Sachs abused the financial illiteracy and trust of Gaddafi-era officials by persuading them to invest in complex financial instruments during the financial crisis. The investments were linked to companies whose share price crashed, including US bank Citigroup and French energy giant EDF. They proved a disaster for the Gaddafi regime, leaving it with losses of £660million, while Goldman raked in profits of more than £200million. The Wall Street giant has faced embarrassing accusations from one witness for the LIA, Catherine McDougall, an Australian lawyer who advised the fund at the time. She alleged that Goldman, spearheaded by former executive Youssef Kabbaj, courted financially illiterate LIA officials by taking them to expensive clubs in London and on a ‘lavish trip to Morocco’ that included ‘heavy drinking and girls.’ In one email exchange, Mr Kabbaj – who left Goldman in 2009 – told an LIA employee to ‘divorce your wife for the weekend’. Goldman has denied any wrongdoing. It will say that following an ‘extensive review of expenses related to LIA’, the total amount claimed by Youssef Kabbaj in 2007 and 2008 was around £50,000. It said most lunches were either in Goldman Sachs canteens or in ‘standard business restaurants’ generally charging $100 a head. According to the bank, Mr Kabbaj did accompany LIA officials on business trips to several countries, including a ‘handful of dinners’ during two trips. But it added they were ‘entirely normal dinners at respectable, traditional restaurants.’ The trial, which is expected to take place next year, will also see Goldman go head to head with Sofia Wellesley, the granddaughter of the Duke of Wellington and the wife of pop star James Blunt. Claims: The Libyan Investment Authority claims Goldman Sachs abused the financial illiteracy and trust of Gaddafi-era officials by persuading them to invest in complex financial instruments during the financial crisis . Written arguments submitted by the LIA have quoted a 2007 email sent by Ms Wellesley, who previously worked for the fund, suggesting that the Libyan officials were no match for the razor sharp minds working for Goldman Sachs. She said LIA was ‘staffed by a team of clearly naïve, unqualified individuals…doing their best in the face of extremely intelligent, ambitions and experienced individuals’ But Goldman has claimed the trades ‘were not difficult to understand’ and there is ‘no suggestion that the LIA lacked sophistication to make those investment decisions.’ Its lawyer has described the allegations about corporate hospitality as ‘tittle tattle.’", "Tinder has quickly settled a sexual harassment suit brought against the company by one of the app's co-founders. Whitney Wolfe, 24, has been awarded an undisclosed amount of money after claiming she was harassed and forced out of the company when her romantic relationship with Chief Marketing Officer and co-founder Justin Mateen, 28, soured. It has also been revealed that Mr. Mateen is no longer with Tinder, or parent company IAC. Scroll down for video . Tinder tiff: Former Tinder marketing Vice President Whitney Wolfe (center) sued the dating app, claiming sexual harassment and discrimination after she broke up with co-founder Justin Mateen (left) Serious allegations: Wolfe's suit claims co-founder Justin Mateen (pictured here center with executive Jonathan Badeen on right) called her a whore in front of Tinder CEO Sean Rad (left). Mateen is now no longer with the company . 'Whitney’s lawsuit against Tinder has been resolved (without admission of wrongdoing),' John Mullan, a partner at Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe, LLP, the firm representing Miss Wolfe, said in an email to BuzzFeed. 'She is proud of her role as a co-founder of Tinder and of the role she played in the app’s success. She is now pleased to be able to focus her energy, talents, and ideas on exciting new opportunities.' Documents released by Los Angeles County Superior Court Monday morning showed that Miss Wolfe dropped the case. In a series of vitriolic texts submitted as part of the lawsuit and seen by MailOnline, Mr. Mateen accused his former lover of being 'heartless,' threatened to 's*** on' a love rival, and berated her for 'flirting' and spending time with Muslim men, whom he referred to as 'Muslim pigs.' In one text he even told Miss Wolfe, 'Ul regret acting this way once my tenderness for you wear off from ur behavior.' In her complaint, filed on June 30, Miss Wolfe stated that Mr. Mateen subjected her to 'horrendously sexist, racist, and otherwise inappropriate comments, emails and text messages.' She was then, ultimately, fired by the company. Textual harassment: In this aggressive text allegedly from Mateen he appears jealous of a younger man with whom he believed Miss Wolfe to have formed a relationship . Torrent of abuse: A series of screen grabs of texts allegedly between Tinder CMO and co-founder Justin Mateen and co-founder Whitney Wolfe form part of her sexual harassment lawsuit. In this one Mateen refers to Wolfe as his 'left overs' Undisclosed sum: It is not known how much Miss Wolfe has received in her settlement . The torrent of abuse to which Miss Wolfe alleged she was subjected to after ending her relationship with Mr. Mateen, which began in February 2013 and lasted until that December, has exposed a culture among Tinder's senior executive which went beyond 'frat-like,' according to her attorney. Mr. Mateen had been suspended in the wake of the allegations, and now a source close to the company, who declined to be identified, has said he is no longer with Tinder or IAC. Miss Wolfe had been seeking compensatory damages, including restitution, lost pay, and punitive damages, in her lawsuit.", "The five largest theater chains in North America have announced that they are pulling The Interview from their schedules after hackers threatened 9/11-like terror attacks on cinemas showing the Sony Pictures film. Combined - Regal, AMC, Cinemark, Cineplex and Carmike - operate more than half of the country's 40,000 cinemas. In a statement, Regal said it was delaying any showings of The Interview because of 'the ambiguous nature of any real or perceived security threats.' Scroll down for video . The five largest theater chains in North America have announced they are pulling The Interview from their schedules after hackers threatened 9/11-like terror attacks on cinemas showing the Sony Pictures film . The Interview stars Seth Rogen and James Franco star as television journalists involved in a CIA plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un . The statement from Regal's vice president of marketing and communications also pointed the finger of blame at Sony and its 'wavering support' for the movie. Sony did not immediately comment on the news on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the studio told exhibitors that the company understood if they pulled the film in light of the threats. 'Due to the wavering support of the film The Interview by Sony Pictures, as well as the ambiguous nature of any real or perceived security threats, Regal Entertainment Group has decided to delay the opening of the film in our theaters,' said Regal's Russ Nunley. Regal Entertainment is the country's largest operator with more than 7,000 cinemas. Cineplex also has more than a 75 percent market share in Canada with 161 theaters with 1,639 screens. 'Cineplex takes seriously its commitment to the freedom of artistic expression, but we want to reassure our guests and staff that their safety and security is our No. 1 priority,' said a Cineplex spokesperson on Wednesday. Carmike Cinemas, which operates 247 theaters across the country, was the first to cancel its planned showings of the film on Tuesday. The fallout from the Sony Pictures Entertainment hack that began four weeks ago exploded on Tuesday after the shadowy group calling themselves Guardians of Peace escalated their attack beyond corporate espionage and threatened moviegoers with violence reminiscent of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Extra precaution: James Franco was spotted in NYC on Tuesday night with his new giant bodyguard after GOP issued a chilling new threat warning of 9/11-style attacks on movie theaters that show The Interview . A NYPD vehicle outside the Sunshine Cinema in New York. It was supposed to be showing the New York premiere of The Interview on Thursday, but the event has been canceled . The Department of Homeland Security has said there was 'no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters,' but noted it was still analyzing messages from the group, dubbed GOP. The theaters won’t play the film until the conclusion of an FBI investigation into the three-week-old cyberattack on Sony Pictures and subsequent terrorist threats, reports The Wall Street Journal. The warning did prompt law enforcement in New York and Los Angeles to address measures to ramp up security and Thursday's New York premiere at the Landmark Sunshine was canceled as a result. Sony still plans to make the film available to theaters on Christmas Day should they choose to exhibit it, although the company is now understood to be considering releasing the film on premium video-on-demand instead, reports Variety. The move would allow the studio to recoup some of the film’s $42 million budget and maximize the promotional exposure the film has received due to the threats. It would also enable the studio to experiment with the potential of VOD. In The Interview, Rogen and Franco star as television journalists involved in a CIA plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Speculation about a North Korean link to the Sony hacking has centered on that country's angry denunciation of the film. Trouble: Hacking group Guardians of Peace have said a terrorist attack could befall any theaters showing The Interview, which stars James Franco and Seth Rogen (above) Over the summer, North Korea warned that the film's release would be an 'act of war that we will never tolerate.' It said the U.S. will face 'merciless' retaliation. The film was slated to hit theaters nationwide on Christmas Day. It premiered in Los Angeles last week. But on Tuesday, Rogen and Franco pulled out of all media appearances, canceling a Buzzfeed Q&A and Rogen's planned guest spot Thursday on Late Night With Seth Meyers. The FBI said it is aware of the GOP's threats and 'continues to work collaboratively with our partners to investigate this matter.' FBI director James Comey last week said that investigators are still trying to determine who is responsible for the hack. Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said his department takes the hackers' threats 'very seriously' and will be taking extra precautions during the holidays at theaters. Security is seen outside the Theatre at Ace Hotel before the premiere of the film 'The Interview' in Los Angeles, California on December 11, 2014 . Hollywood studio Sony Pictures said on Tuesday that it was not pulling the film, but is leaving it to theater chains to decide whether to show the movie, which depicts a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un. 'We plan to release the film,' said a source at Sony, which is dealing with fallout from an enormous cyber-attack last month. The source added that a decision whether to show the film 'is with theater owners, partners whom we support.' GOP also released a trove of data files including 32,000 emails to and from Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton in what it called the beginning of a 'Christmas gift.' And two former Sony film production workers filed lawsuits alleging the Culver City, California company waited too long to notify nearly 50,000 employees that data such as Social Security numbers, salaries and medical records had been stolen. The filing follows another lawsuit this week from two other former Sony employees accusing the studio of being negligent by not bolstering its defenses against hackers before the attack. The Guardians of Peace threat released on Tuesday reads: . Warning . We will clearly show it to you at the very time and places The Interview be shown, including the premiere, how bitter fate those who seek fun in terror should be doomed to. Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made. The world will be full of fear. Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.) Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment. All the world will denounce the SONY. It claims emails and other leaked information show that Sony's information-technology department and its top lawyer believed its security system was vulnerable to attack, but that company did not act on those warnings. Sony potentially faces tens of millions of dollars in damages from a class-action lawsuit, said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment law professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. Since the hack surfaced late last month, everything from financial figures to salacious emails between top Sony executives has been dumped online. The nearly 32,000 emails to and from Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Lynton leaked on Tuesday include information about casting decisions and total costs for upcoming films, release schedules for Sony films through 2018 and corporate financial records, such as royalties from iTunes, Spotify and Pandora music services. They include information about new electronics devices such as DVD players and cellphones. They also include budget figures for the Motion Picture Association of America, of which Sony is a member, and at least one email about a senior Sony executive who left the company. Hackers invoked the 9/11 attacks in their most chilling threat yet against Sony Pictures, warning the Hollywood studio not to release a film which has angered North Korea . The emails also include banal messages about public appearances, tennis matches, home repairs, dinner invitations and business introductions. On Monday, Sony Pictures boss Michael Lynton sought to reassure employees that the studio would not be destroyed by the leaks. 'This will not take us down,' Lynton told employees, adding: 'You should not be worried about the future of this studio.' North Korea has denied involvement in the brazen November 24 cyber-attack, which some expert said could possibly have been carried out by disgruntled workers or by supporters of North Korea furious over the movie.", "A leading Tory MP has called on Boris Johnson to investigate claims that Scotland Yard officers have abused their position by trying to shut down newspaper investigations into Ukip. Zac Goldsmith made the demand after a former Ukip official received a harassment warning for talking to The Mail on Sunday about her claims an alleged ‘former mistress’ of Ukip leader Nigel Farage had fabricated a sexual assault case against a fellow Tory MP. Police are investigating Jasna Badzak’s allegation that Annabelle Fuller falsely accused Andrew Bridgen of inappropriately touching her at his Westminster flat in 2011. Leading Tory MP Zac Goldsmith has called on Boris Johnson to investigate claims that Scotland Yard officers have abused their position by trying to shut down newspaper investigations into Ukip . The call for an investigation comes as Rupert Murdoch launches legal action against Scotland Yard for 'hacking' thousands of journalists emails. The MP for North West Leicestershire, who denied wrong-doing, was arrested but no charges were brought. Ms Badzak, 43, who used to work as a Ukip press officer, says she has given the police details of messages she exchanged with Ms Fuller about the incident. But when this newspaper spoke to Ms Badzak last month about a new development in the case – that detectives were planning to question Mr Farage after establishing that Ms Fuller had made phone calls to the Ukip leader on the evening she was in Mr Bridgen’s flat – Ms Badzak was warned off. Ms Badzak was issued with a ‘Prevention of Harassment’ letter by a Met officer, Detective Sergeant Gordon McKay, on the grounds the conversation had led to Ms Fuller being ‘subjected to numerous phone calls and emails’. The Mail on Sunday sent three emails to Ms Fuller prior to printing our story to clarify the details. When asked what she had said on the phone to Mr Farage on the night in question, Ms Fuller replied: ‘Are you now a police officer?’ Ex-party spin doctor Ms Fuller, 32, was described as Farage’s ‘former mistress’ under Parliamentary privilege in Strasbourg earlier this year by Nikki Sinclaire, a former Ukip MEP. Mr Farage and Ms Fuller strongly deny an affair and Ms Fuller has since stopped working for the party. Police are investigating Jasna Badzak’s allegation that Annabelle Fuller falsely accused Andrew Bridgen, pictured above with his wife Jackie, inappropriately touched her at his Westminster flat in 2011 . Mr Goldsmith, the MP for Richmond Park, who wrote to Mr Johnson on Thursday about the case – as the Mayor he has ultimate oversight of Scotland Yard – said he was concerned by claims officers could have been abusing their office. On Friday, former Tory MP Louise Mensch submitted two criminal complaints about the alleged conduct of officers. Her move came after she learned that another serving officer at the Met had warned two reporters – who had contacted Ukip MEP Gerard Batten to ask about his alleged links to far-Right organisations – against publishing articles ‘deemed to be untruthful and concerning’. Last night a friend of Mr Bridgen said: ‘Andrew was approached by the police as a result of new information provided by Jasna Badzak regarding false allegations made about him by Annabelle Fuller in June 2011. Andrew is extremely concerned by the pace of the investigation into Ms Fuller’s apparent perverting the course of justice.’ Ms Fuller said: ‘I reported Jasna Badzak to the police over her continued harassment of me which started when she made false allegations about me.’ Ms Mensch said: ‘It seems to be an abuse of the criminal law to prevent citizens talking to journalists.’ The row has come amid growing concern over the use of police surveillance powers against journalists. A report published last week by the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee said the laws were not ‘fit for purpose’ and should be overhauled. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘On November 1, police received an allegation of harassment. On November 15, a 43-year-old woman was issued with a 1st Instance Harassment Warning.’ News UK claims police 'hacking' of journalists emails was 'revenge' bid . Rupert Murdoch is suing Scotland Yard for ‘hacking’ into thousands of journalists’ emails – in what was last night dubbed as ‘revenge’ for the phone-hacking scandal. The Metropolitan Police has arrested dozens of reporters working for the tycoon’s newspapers over plotting to listen in to celebrities’ voicemail messages, making payments to public officials and other crimes, with seven convicted this year. But in an ironic twist, News UK is now taking Scotland Yard to court, claiming damages for breach of confidentiality. The company, previously known as News International, says the Met kept and searched through an archive of journalists’ emails dating back to 2004 – many of which may have contained sensitive information. Rupert Murdoch is suing Scotland Yard for ‘hacking’ into thousands of journalists’ emails – in what was last night dubbed as ‘revenge’ for the phone-hacking scandal. News UK voluntarily handed over emails to police as part of the probe into phone-hacking at the News of the World, in 2011. It had a policy of deleting old emails automatically after a set period of time, although computer experts were able to find information dating back to around 2004 on 64 storage tapes. News UK says police accessed the data from this without agreement. Murdoch’s lawyers want the data – still kept by Scotland Yard – to be returned, as well as damages for ‘breach of confidence’ by the Met. A lawyer involved in the phone-hacking trials said last night: ‘It sounds like there is an element of Murdoch’s revenge about this.’ Both parties declined to comment on the civil case.", "Whistleblower Julian Asssange has added insult to injury for Sony Pictures after his website Wikileaks put hundreds of thousands of emails and documents from last year's cyberattack into a searchable online archive. The calculated move by Assange to expose thousands of indiscreet and personal correspondences will likely spell fresh embarrassment for the embattled company so soon after they hoped the dust had settled on the matter. Assange and Wikileaks issued a statement on Thursday saying that the data has a public interest, but the majority of the correspondences run from the mundane to the deeply personal. They expose not just the unguarded opinions of Sony executives, but also reveal health concerns about their children and sadness over dying parents. Scroll down for video . Adding insult to injury: Wikileaks founder Julian Assange (pictured here speaking via video link at the Commonwealth Law Conference in Glasgow on Wednesday) has said that the information leaked belongs online because it shows the inner workings of an international company . Sticking the knife in: Julian Assange has defended collating the Sony hack into one searchable database saying that the entertainment giant has links to the Democratic party and the American 'military industrial complex' The data dump today comes after November's massive hack which has already cost the entertainment giant upwards of $100 million. Wikileaks claim they built a database from the 170,000 emails and 30,000 other documents stolen from Sony Pictures by a group calling itself Guardians of Peace. The group hacked Sony Pictures in retaliation for the Kim-Jong-un assassination film, The Interview, starring Seth Rogen. Assange's decision to put the data up in a searchable form could be seen as particularly cruel coming so soon after Sony had finished dealing with the fall-out from the damaging affair. A picture says 1000 words: Angelina Jolie stares down Amy Pascal at The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Power 100 Breakfast on December 10, 2014 - just days after leaked Sony emails between her and  Scott Rudin (right with Pascal) revealed Jolie to be described as a 'minimally talented spoiled brat' Resignation: The embarrassing revelations exposed by the hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment led to CEO Amy Pascal (pictured with Aaron Sorkin) leaving the company . 'The cyber-attack on Sony Pictures was a malicious criminal act, and we strongly condemn the indexing of stolen employee and other private and privileged information on WikiLeaks,' a Sony spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. 'The attackers used the dissemination of stolen information to try to harm SPE and its employees, and now WikiLeaks regrettably is assisting them in that effort. ' In a statement, Assange said the documents deserve to be easily accessible. 'This archive shows the inner workings of an influential multinational corporation. It is newsworthy and at the centre of a geopolitical conflict. It belongs in the public domain. WikiLeaks will ensure it stays there.' Wikileaks also claim that the documents show Sony's close ties to the Democratic Party and its efforts to collect 'intelligence' on rival studios - including ironically, Oliver Stone's new film on NSA whistleblower, Edward Snowden. 'The work publicly known from Sony is to produce entertainment,' Wikileaks wrote in their statement issued on Thursday. 'However, the Sony Archives show that behind the scenes this is an influential corporation, with ties to the White House, with an ability to impact laws and policies, and with connections to the US military-industrial complex.' The WikiLeaks site lets users find emails, documents or an entire cache of files through searches using keywords, people who sent or received emails and types of files. The site made a name for itself in 2010 when it began publishing diplomatic cables leaked by Chelsea Manning, formerly known as Bradley Manning. Cause of the woes: The Interview, a comedy about two journalists - James Franco and Seth Rogen - was widely seen as the reason why Sony was attacked by cyber-hackers affiliated with North Korea . Assange is currently battling a detention order in Sweden, where he is wanted by prosecutors in an investigation of alleged sex crimes. He has avoided being extradited to Sweden by taking shelter in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London since 2012. Sony Pictures blasted WikiLeaks for creating the archive, saying the website was helping the hackers disseminate stolen information. 'We vehemently disagree with WikiLeaks' assertion that this material belongs in the public domain,' the company said in a statement. The searchable online archive is the latest blow for the entertainment and technology company struggling to get past the attack, which the company estimates caused millions in damage. Sony Pictures' troubles began last December after it suffered an extensive hacking attack and release of confidential emails ahead of its release of 'The Interview,' a comedy that centers around the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Canceled: Following the cyber hack, Sony Pictures pulled The Interview from general release and ended up releasing the movie online only . Guardians of the Peace took credit for the attack and threatened terror attacks if the film was not pulled from theaters. The company at first shelved the film, but it subsequently opened in a limited release. U.S. intelligence officials said the group was linked to North Korea, but no official link has been made. The attack exposed tens of thousands of sensitive documents, including studio financial records, employment files and emails between Sony executives. Some emails revealed exchanges between Oscar-winning producer Scott Rudin and Sony Pictures' co-chair Amy Pascal that contained a frank assessment of Angelina Jolie's talent and racially offensive jokes about President Barack Obama's presumed taste in movies. Indeed, an email from studio executive Clint Culpepper labeled comedian Kevin Hart a 'whore' and producer Scott Rudin called Angelina Jolie, a 'minimally talented spoiled brat'. The scandal led to the resignation of  Pascal. 'The content of my emails to Scott were insensitive and inappropriate but are not an accurate reflection of who I am,' Pascal wrote in a public apology. 'Although this was a private communication that was stolen, I accept full responsibility for what I wrote and apologize to everyone who was offended.' Recent hit: Amy Pascal with the stars of Sony comedy, The Wedding Ringer, from left, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Josh Gad and Kevin Hart at the premiere in LA on January 6 . The company announced in February that Pascal would transition to a job as the head of a new production venture at the studio. Rudin also published an apology, saying: 'I made a series of remarks that were meant only to be funny, but in the cold light of day, they are in fact thoughtless and insensitive — and not funny at all. To anybody I've offended, I'm profoundly and deeply sorry, and I regret and apologize for any injury they might have caused.' Wikileaks claim they have found correspondence which exposes Sony's political fundraising and lobbying for anti-piracy. They point to emails which detail how members of the studio set up a 'collective' to get around campaign donation limits and made contributions to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Wikileaks justified their move by pointing to lobbying issues they have found in the leaks. 'Sony is a member of the MPAA and a strong lobbyist on issues around internet policy, piracy, trade agreements and copyright issues,' their press release claimed. 'The emails show the back and forth on lobbying and political efforts, not only with the MPAA but with politicians directly.'", "By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 17:30 EST, 11 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:00 EST, 12 March 2012 . NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has landed robotic explorers on the surface of Mars, sent probes to outer planets and operates a worldwide network of antennas that communicates with interplanetary spacecraft. The agency's latest mission is defending itself in a workplace lawsuit it landed last year, filed by a former computer specialist who claims he was demoted - and then let go - for promoting his views on intelligent design. David Coppedge claims he was discriminated against because of his belief that a higher power must have had a hand in creation, because life is too complex to have developed through evolution alone. Dismissed: David Coppedge claims he was discriminated against when he was fired from his post on the Cassini Mission last year . Mr Coppedge, who worked as a 'team lead' on the Cassini mission exploring Saturn and its many moons, alleges he was sacked because he engaged his co-workers in conversations about intelligent design and handed out DVDs on the idea while at work. He lost his 'team lead' title in 2009 and was let go last year after 15 years on the mission. Opening statements are expected to begin Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court after two years of legal wrangling in a case that has generated interest among supporters of intelligent design. The Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian civil rights group, and the Discovery Institute, a proponent of intelligent design, are both supporting Mr Coppedge's case. 'It's part of a pattern. There is basically a war on anyone who dissents from Darwin and we've seen that for several years,' said John West, associate director of Center for Science and Culture at the Seattle-based Discovery Institute. 'This is free speech, freedom of conscience 101.' Lawsuit: David Coppedge worked as a 'team lead' on the Cassini mission exploring Saturn and its many moons before being demoted in 2009 and sacked last year . The National Center for Science Education, which rejects intelligent design as thinly veiled creationism, is also watching the case and has posted all the legal filings on its website. 'It would be unfortunate if the court took what seems to be a fairly straightforward employment law case and allowed it to become this tangled mess of trying to adjudicate scientific matters,' said Josh Rosenau, NCSE's programs and policy director. 'It looks like a pretty straightforward case. The mission that he was working on was winding down and he was laid off.' Mr Coppedge's attorney, William Becker, says his client was singled out by his bosses because they perceived his belief in intelligent design to be religious. His client had a reputation around JPL as an evangelical Christian and other interactions with co-workers led some to label him as a Christian conservative, Mr Becker said. NASA: The Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California has landed robotic explorers on the surface of Mars and sent probes to outer planets . In the lawsuit, Mr Coppedge says he believes other things also led to his demotion, including his support for a state ballot measure that sought to define marriage as limited to heterosexual couples and his request to rename the annual holiday party a 'Christmas party.' 'David had this reputation for being a Christian, for being a practicing one. He did not go around evangelising or proselytising. But if he found out that someone was a Christian he would say, \"Oh that's interesting, what denomination are you?\"' Becker said. 'He's not apologising for who he is. He's an evangelical Christian.' In an emailed statement, JPL dismissed Mr Coppedge's claims. In court papers, lawyers for the California Institute of Technology, which manages JPL for NASA, said Mr Coppedge received a written warning because his co-workers complained of harassment. They also said Mr Coppedge lost his 'team lead' status because of ongoing conflicts with others. Caltech lawyers contend Mr Coppedge was one of two Cassini technicians and among 246 JPL employees let go last year due to planned budget cuts. Space agency: David Coppedge began working for JPL as a contractor in 1996 and was hired in 2003 . While . the case has attracted interest because of the controversial nature of . intelligent design, it is at its heart a straightforward discrimination . case, said Eugene Volokh, a professor of First Amendment law at the . University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. 'The . question is whether the plaintiff was fired simply because he was . wasting people's time and bothering them in ways that would have led him . to being fired regardless of whether it was about religion or whether . he was treated worse based on the religiosity of his beliefs,' said Mr . Volokh. 'If he can show that, then he's got a good case.' Mr Coppedge, who began working for JPL as a contractor in 1996 and was hired in 2003, is active in the intelligent design sphere and runs a website that interprets scientific discoveries through the lens of intelligent design. His father authored an anti-evolution book and founded a Christian outreach group. He is also a board member for Illustra Media, a company that produces video documentaries examining the scientific evidence for intelligent design. The company produces the videos that Mr Coppedge was handing out to co-workers, said Becker, his attorney. His main duties at JPL were to maintain computer networks and troubleshoot technical problems for the mission. In 2000, he was named 'team lead', serving as a liaison between technicians and managers for nearly a decade before being demoted in 2009. He sued in April 2010 alleging religious discrimination, retaliation and harassment and amended his suit to include wrongful termination after losing his job last year. Mr Coppedge is seeking attorney's fees and costs, damages for wrongful termination and a statement from the judge that his rights were violated, said Mr Becker.", "A cybersecurity expert has raised the possibility that the cyberattack on Sony Pictures was not the work of North Korea, but instead carried out by a disgruntled employee. The hacking attack saw five major new films leaked alongside studio and personnel information which included the salaries of staff and personal emails. North Korea has refused to deny claims that it is behind a release and a spokesperson for the country would only say 'wait and see' when asked if Pyongyang was involved in the attack on Sony just a month before its planned release of a movie about a plot to kill the reclusive state's leader, Kim Jong Un. Cars enter Sony Pictures Entertainment headquarters in Culver City, California. A cybersecurity expert has raised the possibility that the cyberattack on Sony Pictures was not the work of North Korea . A North Korean spokesperson said 'wait and see' on Monday when asked if Pyongyang was involved in the attack on Sony just a month before its planned release of The Interview, staring James Franco and Seth Rogan . North Korea routinely refers to the United States and South Korea as hostile forces. But cybersecurity expert Hemanshu Nigam told the Hollywood Reporter that he finds it hard to believe that North Korea is the perpetrator and instead thinks it is more probable that it was the actions of an  employee or ex-employee with administrative access privileges. For the studio — which has laid off hundreds of employees over the past year in an effort to contain costs — the possibility of a disgruntled employee wreaking havoc is very real. 'If terabytes of data left the Sony networks, their network detection systems would have noticed easily,' explains Nigam. 'It would also take months for a hacker to figure out the topography of the Sony networks to know where critical assets are stored and to have access to the decryption keys needed to open up the screeners that have been leaked.' Culprit? Sony is currently investigating whether someone acting on behalf of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, possibly from China, was responsible for hacking their computer system . In addition, he says, 'Hackers don't use such things as Hushmail, Dropbox and Facebook when they want to engage in what amounts to criminal activity. Real hackers know that these sites collect access logs, IP addresses and work with law enforcement. It is possible that North Korean-sponsored hackers were working with someone on the inside. But it is more likely a ruse to shift blame, knowing the distaste the North Korean regime has for Sony Pictures.' Sony Pictures' computer system went down last Monday after the cyber attack. Before . screens went dark, they displayed a red skull and the phrase . 'Hacked By #GOP,' which reportedly stands for Guardians of . Peace. The hackers also warned they . would release 'secrets' stolen from Sony. The data released so far from the apparently leaked documents has already been damaging - it revealed all the top executives at Sony Pictures Entertainment are white and male, raising questions about control of Hollywood's film output. A spreadsheet said to show the salaries of 6,000 Sony Pictures employees, including top executives, reveals that of 17 earning $1million or more a year, just two are not white and just one is a woman. The list was leaked to a reporter at news and pop culture site Fusion. Sony workers reportedly saw a message appear on computer screens saying 'Hacked by #GOP', understood to be the initials of a group called Guardians of Peace - although some believe North Korea was involved . Kevin Roose, reporting for Fusion, who was sent a link to the data by an anonymous source, said: 'When I sorted the list by 'annual rate,' I noticed something notable: a stark homogeneity among the people earning the most. 'Based on the spreadsheet ... the employees of Sony Pictures with the highest annual rates appear to be nearly entirely white men.' Amy B. Pascal, co-chair of Sony Pictures Entertainment and chairman of SPE's Motion Picture Group, is the only woman among the top 17 most-highly paid executives. Minority of one: Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Amy Pascal, the only woman earning more than $1million a year at the company, and chief executive officer of Sony Entertainment Michael Lynton . She earns £3million a year, according to the spreadsheet, joint highest on the list, along with Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton. Buzzfeed reviewed almost 40GB of leaked internal data and reported it included 'employee criminal background checks, salary negotiations, and doctors' letters explaining the medical rationale for leaves of absence.' It reported the files also included a script for an unreleased pilot written by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan as well as 'email exchanges with employees regarding specific medical treatments they are undergoing, while one disciplinary letter details a manager's romantic relationship and business travel history with a subordinate.' It even details the leaked information includes an email about the breastfeeding diet of a senior executive. Technology news site Re/code reported that Sony and security . consultants were investigating whether someone acting on behalf . of North Korea, possibly from China, was responsible. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Saturday . that Sony Pictures was investigating every possibility, adding . that no link to North Korea has been uncovered. North Korea complained to the United Nations in June about . the film starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, accusing the . United States of sponsoring terrorism and committing an act of . war by allowing production of the movie. Leaked: Five of Sony's movies including the hotly anticipated remake of Annie have been illegally shared online in recent days . The Interview is due to be released on December 25 in the United States and Canada. It is a comedy about a CIA attempt to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Pyongyang government denounced the film as 'undisguised sponsoring of terrorism, as well as an act of war' in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. 'I personally don't care if (the movie's) disrespectful to . Kim because he's evil. But that's not the intent,' Rogen posted . on Twitter on Sunday. 'North Korea has produced tons of . propaganda films that portray America's destruction.' In addition to Annie, starring Jamie Foxx, which is due to hit theaters on December 19, Brad Pitt's critically acclaimed World War Two movie, Fury, is also being openly traded and downloaded online. By Sunday morning, Fury, which is still playing in theaters, had been downloaded 1.2 million times and Annie had been downloaded 206,000 times from unique IP addresses, according to Variety. Other Sony movies being downloaded include Mr. Turner, Still Alice and To Write Love on Her Arms. Culver City, California-based Sony Pictures said in a statement yesterday that it is continuing 'to work through issues related to what was clearly a cyber attack last week. 'The company has restored a number of important services to ensure ongoing business continuity and is working closely with law enforcement officials to investigate the matter.' Along with the FBI, Sony has brought in forensic experts from the Mandiant division of FireEye, a Silicon Valley cybersecurity company, according to a source familiar with the case who did not want to be named because the companies have not yet announced the arrangement. Mandiant helps companies determine the extent of breaches and repair damages. The firm has worked on other high-profile computer breaches, including one at retailer Target last year.", "By . Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:58 EST, 18 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:01 EST, 18 September 2013 . An ex-publicist and lawyer for the rap duo Insane Clown Posse has sued them and their recording company, saying she was sexually harassed and asked to perform illegal acts. Andrea Pellegrini, 32, filed the lawsuit on August 23 in Oakland County Circuit Court in the Detroit suburb of Pontiac. The defendants include group members Joseph 'Shaggy 2 Dope' Bruce and Joseph 'Violent J' Utsler and Psychopathic Records. Clowns: An ex-publicist and lawyer for the rap duo Insane Clown Posse, pictured, has sued them and their recording company, saying she was sexually harassed and asked to perform illegal acts . The Associated Press left phone and email messages Tuesday night for group spokesman Jason Webber. The complaint says Pellegrini was 'subjected to constant and pervasive harassment' at the company, including being given a large sex toy and a product with Kegel-like qualities, The Detroit News reported. It says she was asked to obtain automatic weapons for a photo shoot. According to The Detroit Free Press, the lawsuit describes her experience at the 2012 Gathering of the Juggalos as 'a living hell,' including being relegated to using bathrooms 'often full with naked male strangers.' Pellegrini worked at Psychopathic Records in 2009-2012, then was fired. The 86-count complaint also names William Dail, president of Psychopathic Records, as well as Psychopathic Records employees Robert Bruce and Dan Diamond. Harassment: The complaint says Pellegrini was 'subjected to constant and pervasive harassment' at the company, including being given a large sex toy and a product with Kegel-like qualities . According to Marko, Pellegrini was instructed by executives at the record label to deceive government investigators from the U.S. Department of Labor during an investigation. She said she refused and reported the sexual harassment and was subsequently terminated. Howard Hertz, an attorney for Pyschopathic and ICP, told The Detroit Free Press on Tuesday: 'The allegations are untrue. Ms Pellegrini was terminated for poor job performance. I can't comment further because the matter is in litigation.' Pellegrini initially didn't want to file the complaint for fear she'd be blacklisted in the industry, her lawyer said. He said she has since got another job but it pays 'a lot less.' 'We're asking for a substantial amount of money to compensate her for what she’s gone through and is continuing to go through,' said Marko, adding that the woman had undergone counseling.", "By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 05:59 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:22 EST, 9 January 2013 . A woman solicitor has claimed that her bullying boss told her he wanted her to stay single and not have babies. Kate Baker, 33, alleges that she was sacked from law firm Follett Stock because of her gender after she formed a relationship. She claims in a statement to an employment tribunal that her married boss Chris Lingard ‘on many occasions told me that he did not want me in a relationship or to have babies. 'Bullying': Miss Baker, left, said managing partner Chris Lingard, right, . would criticise staff for minor offences including not having the radio . on or having the blinds shut. The company denies the claims . ‘I have a text message from Mr . Lingard’s wife [Fiona Higgins, a business director at Follett Stock] . which says, “He does say he doesn’t want you in a relationship!!!”’ The tribunal heard she was told she . was being sacked for making mistakes, but she said: ‘I am of the opinion . that Mr Lingard believed he lost control when I started a relationship . and this was the true reason for dismissal.’ She also claimed she was expected to . perform weekend marketing activities for the firm because ‘I was single . with no children’, unlike her married male colleagues with families. Her barrister also claimed that Mr . Lingard used Miss Baker as a ‘distraction’ at meetings with important . clients because they ‘seemed to like’ her appearance. Complaint: Kate Bake, 33, claimed she was fired after forming a relationship because her boss could no longer 'control her' Miss Baker, who earned £45,000 a year, . is claiming sexual harassment, sexual discrimination and unfair . dismissal. Follett Stock denies the claims. In her statement to the Exeter . tribunal judge Christopher Carstairs, Miss Baker outlined a culture of . alleged bullying by Mr Lingard, who is in his fifties and is managing . partner of the law firm, which has offices across the West Country and . London. Miss Baker, from Budleigh Salterton, . Devon, claimed that employees were not allowed to talk between the hours . of 9am and 1pm, which the company called ‘golden time’. She said that in her first two weeks . at the firm working in its Truro office in Cornwall she saw one woman . reduced to tears by her boss and claimed Mr Lingard also shouted at . another woman about swapping desks. She said she had witnessed phone . conversations where he was aggressive with staff. She also claimed Mr Lingard regularly . complained to staff at the Exeter office. She said he criticised them . for taking lunch, the way in which calls were taken, the sign outside . the office not being displayed properly, and the radio not being . switched on, not in the right place or being on the wrong station. 'Critical': The £45,000-a-year lawyer said Mr Lingard would verbally attack staff when visiting Follett Stock's Exeter office (pictured) and reduced one female employee to tears . He also complained about the blinds . being shut, people leaving at 5pm, and staff looking miserable or . grumpy, she claimed. She alleged that at a meeting last May Mr Lingard . told her that her work was ‘s***’. ‘The treatment came out of the blue,’ she said. ‘Mr Lingard awarded me a prize in December 2011 after only . being at the firm two months (and when I was single). ‘He then took to berating me for 1.5 . hours and attempted to dismiss me by email whilst I was off sick with . work-related stress and harassment.’ She accused the firm of ‘a culture of bullying, oppression, and lack of good systems and support for the employees’. Her barrister, James Bax, claimed that . Mr Lingard used Miss Baker as a ‘distraction’ at meetings with key . clients. He added: ‘She was popular with the chiefs. They were all . asking about her.’ Guy Hollebon, for Follett Stock, said . some important clients were impressed with Miss Baker and ‘seemed to . like you’, and ‘you were a real hit with him’, but denied this was to do . with her gender. A full hearing will take place at a later date. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.", "By . Joel Christie . The president of programming network GitHub has resigned from the company he cofounded in 2008 following an investigation into workplace bullying and sexism. Tom Preston-Werner stepped down on Monday from the website, which is used for sharing and collaborating software codes. His departure follows allegations that surfaced last month concerning disrepect and intimidation to women at the start-up. Software designer and GitHub developer Julie Ann Horvath recently made a high-profile exit from the company that sent ripples through the tech community, claiming she had been mistreated by Preston-Werner and his wife Theresa, who does not work at GitHub but was a fixture in the office. Tech scandal: GitHub president Tom Preston-Werner (left) has resigned from the social network for software engineers that he cofounded in 2008 after he and wife Theresa Preston-Werner (right) were investigated for workplace bullying and harassment . Julie Ann Horvath, a well-known engineer at GitHub, a successful social network for coders, says a toxic workplace forced her out . GitHub engineer Julie Ann Horvath quit last month and has been airing her story on Twitter . While the couple were cleared of any legal wrongdoing in Horvath's harrassment claim following an internal investigation, an independent third-party inquiry found 'evidence of mistakes and errors of judgement' by Preston-Werner and his wife, Gawker reported. GutHub CEO Chris Wanstharth announced Preston-Werner was leaving in a blog post, describing the allegations against the couple as 'sexual or gender-based harassment or retaliation, or of a sexist or hostile work environment'. 'In light of these findings, Tom has submitted his resignation, which the company has accepted,' Wanstharth wrote. 'Tom has been a huge part of this company from the very beginning and we appreciate all that he has done for GitHub. 'We wish him the best in his next endeavour.' Horvath has not publicly named the colleagues that prompted her to leave, however in a detailed interview with TechCrunch she described her version of what happened. The story centered around the wife of one of GitHub's founders who asked her out for drinks and immediately started telling her how she 'informs her husband's decision' at the company and is essentially in charge of the firing and hiring. Outgoing GitHub president Tom Preston-Werner said on Monday that although he had 'made mistakes', he would fight any allegations made against him or his wife 'to the full extent of the law' Horvath said the wife organized the meeting with her to ensure she wouldn't leave the company and bad-mouth them. What followed, she claims, was a series of alleged intimidations, mostly from the wife, who continally showed up at the office, which made her feel like she was being pressured to quit. Horvath also said that her attempts to have people at GitHub - HR, other cofounders - help the situation were useless. She responded to Preston-Werner's resignation with some posts on Twitter. 'Bullying someone into quitting: Illegal,' Horvath wrote. She also Tweeted: 'Pushing women with strong opinions out of your company because they disagree with you is wrong.' But Wanstrath maintained there was no proof of any wrongdoing, according to The New York Times. He did however acknowledge that GitHub was in the process of transforming itself. Julie Ann Horvath, a former GitHub software developer, has gone on to start a program to improve the treatment of women within the tech world after leaving the company last month . 'We want to create a great place to work for all our employees and we can't do that without acknowledging the challenges that exist in providing an inclusive work environment,' he said. 'We are implementing a number of new HR and employee-led initiatives as well as training opportunities to make sure employee concerns and conflicts are taken seriously and dealt with appropriately. 'We know we still have work to do.' Preston-Werner on Monday wrote that while he had 'made mistakes' he was 'prepared to fight any further false claims on this matter to the full extent of the law'. Women account for only one-fifth of software engineers. Horvath is working on a program called Passion Projects that aims to improve the situation of women in tech. It is being devleoped within a new organization called Playing with Possibility and is expanding to New York and Chicago. According to Business Insider, a 2012 valuation of GitHub said the company was worth $750 million.", "By . Louise Cheer . A former design school employee accused of leaking details of a $60,000 scholarship to the daughter of Prime Minister Tony Abbott has filed a legal claim with the Fair Work Commission. The Whitehouse Institute of Design's chief executive officer Ian Tudor confirmed to the Daily Mail Australia that an 'adverse action case' by a former employee was to be heard by the workplace relations tribunal. The complaint was filed by the former employee who had been investigated by the school after it was reported Frances Abbott had been given the chairman's scholarship worth $60,636, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Scroll down for video . Frances Abbott was awarded a $60,000 scholarship at Whitehouse Institute of Design in Sydney . Mr Tudor told the Daily Mail Australia the institute was 'confident that the adverse action case is without merit and has no prospect of success'. 'The former employee concerned was subject to an internal disciplinary review and resigned before that review was complete,' he said in a statement. 'Given that the matter is currently before the Fair Work Commission, we will be making no further comment.' In May, it was revealed Mr Abbott's second daughter had won the prestigious chairman's scholarship to the Whitehouse Institute of Design. The school, which has campuses in Sydney and Melbourne, has Liberal supporter Les Taylor as chairman of its board of governors. The institute that awarded Tony Abbott's (pictured) daughter the scholarship has had legal action launched against it through the Fair Work Commission . The former employee of the school who lodged the case was investigated for a student confidentiality breach . The revelations Frances Abbott received the 2011 scholarship caused controversy was it was revealed in May because Mr Abbott did not declared the scholarship on his pecuniary interest register - despite previously declaring other matters relating to his children such as trips, accommodation and tickets to sporting events. Mr Abbott has maintained that he had no reason to declare the scholarship because his daughter won it on merit. A school spokesman told The Sydney Morning Herald that the employee was investigated for a breach in student confidentiality, but did not name the student in question. It was revealed to Fairfax media by a source that it was Frances Abbott. Fair Work Commission vice-president Joe Catanzariti will be overseeing the case within weeks and the employee who filed the complaint is believed to be represented by the same legal team who handled James Ashby's sexual harassment allegations against former speaker Peter Slipper, Harmers Workplace Lawyers, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. The Prime Minister's office, Harmers Workplace Lawyers and the Fair Work Commission have been contacted by Daily Mail Australia for comment.", "New York Democratic Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak resigned Sunday after mounting accusations of sexual harassment from several staffers led to calls for him to step aside. Mr Gabryszak, a married father of two, announced he would 'retire' after demands he step down came from all corners of state government, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The Buffalo-area politician has been accused of harassment by at least seven staffers . Six current female staffers, as well as a former employee, claim the assemblyman's unwanted advances include taking them to massage parlors and sending at least one woman a video of a sex act being performed on him. Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak, D-Cheektowaga, speaks last year in the Assembly Chamber at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. The embattled politician resigned Sunday amid several claims of sexual harassment . The embattled politician claimed in his announcement that he is innocent, but said he was stepping aside to mitigate the negative impact the scandal is having on both his family and the state assembly. Mr Gabryszak wrote in a resignation letter published by the Buffalo News that 'there was no sexual contact between me and any members of my staff' and 'there was never a request that sexual contact should occur.' He also claimed he never intended to create a hostile work environment. 'In fact, there are allegations that have been made that are demonstrably false,' he continued, without refuting any specific claims. 'There was mutual banter and exchanges that took place that should not have taken place because it is inappropriate in the workplace even if it does not constitute sexual harassment,' Mr Gabryszak admitted. The outgoing politician also said he will continue to fight the allegations in court and will not have any further comment at this time. New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) said in a statement that Mr Gabryszak stepping aside was the right decision. Ethics Committee Chairman Charles Lavine (D-Nassau County) told the New York Daily News the move ends his investigation into Mr Gaabryszak's conduct since his committee has no jurisdiction over former state representatives. The announcement came one month after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that Mr Gabryszak should resign if the allegations are true. 'He has to be out. Period. End of story,' Cuomo told WIBTV. Erie . County Democratic Chairman Jereemy Zellner told WGRZ 'there is no place for this type of conduct, the work place should be a safe and respectful environment for . employees.' More than half a dozen current or former staffers have filed claims of misconduct against the longtime local politican. Stepping down: Mr Grabryszak, a married father of two, is accused of multiple incidents of sexual harassment by former staffers . The latest accusation came from longtime communications director Kristy Mazurek, the Daily News reported. Ms Mazurek, 43, said in a court filing that Mr Gabryszak suggested she and another female staffer dress up as sexy elves and sit on his lap for an office Christmas photo. Kimberly Snickles, 26, who also served as Director of Communications, from May 2013 through October 2013, alleges that she was asked by Gabryszak to accompany him to a massage parlor her first week on the job. Ms Snickles also says that Mr Gabryszak asked her to stay over at his apartment. She claims he even joked to both her and an intern that he had a 'tattoo on his penis.' In her testimony, Ms Snickles says Mr Gabryszak 'regularly told her and a co-worker that they should wear bikinis to his events.' Ms Snickles claims that she scheduled a meeting with him regarding his behavior -- but he never showed up. Jamie L. Campbell, 24, Mr Gabryszak's former legislative director from 2010 to 2013, says she received a video from him in 2011 that showed the man in a bathroom stall 'either receiving or pretending to be receiving fellatio.' One of the accusers: Annalise Freling says that Gabryszak told her 'you're so hot, you know what I want to do with you' and tried to give her pearls on Valentine's Day . Former staffer: Kristy Mazurek left her job as Mr Gabryszak's communications director and now works for a local television station . Ms Campbell's testimony also says that Mr Gabryszak frequently told her about women he wanted to have sex with, and 'alluded to a prior affair with a former assemblywoman.' He also reportedly talked about prostitutes and going to a strip club regularly. In one of the most shocking allegations, she says Mr Gabryszak offered her $100,000 to move to relocate for her job. When Ms Campbell said that she couldn't because of her fiance, Mr Gabryszak allegedly said 'I guess I will just have to get your fiance to break up with you.' The third former staffer involved in the suit, Annalise C. Freling, 28, who served as Director of Communications from 2011 through 2013, claims Mr Gabryszak attempted to take her out on Valentine's Day in 2011 and give her a set of pearls. Ms Freling says Mr Gabryszak made a . number of remarks on her appearance, including 'you're so hot, you know . what I want to do with you.' Embarrassed: New York Democratic Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak (bottom right), seen here with his family (from left) daughter Jennifer Atwal, son-in-law Ephraim Atwal, wife Louise Gabryszak and son Brian Gabryszak . The lewd comments led Ms Freling to stop putting on makeup and doing her hair for work, she claims. She also claimed Mr Gabryszak called her when he forgot his wallet while at a massage parlor, and was pressured into bringing it to him. He also frequently asked her to get massages with him. Mr Gabryszak's public persona was different than the one being portayed in court filings, he even supported a 2012 law to help stop psychological abuse and intimidation in the workplace, the Times Union noted. Johnny Destino, a Niagra Falls-based lawyer representing the women, previously told the Buffalo News 'a minimum of two additional former employees' will come forward to bring similar allegations.", "Allegations: Paul Napoli, 46, is a partner at Napoli Bern. Court papers filed by his former employee and lover Vanessa Dennis allege he fought to continue seeing the 33-year-old young lawyer even after his wife learned of the 18-month affair and began harrassing Dennis . The former mistress and employee of a partner at a top law firm that made millions representing 9/11 victims has officially filed a defamation against her old employer and his wife. Vanessa Dennis, 33, was a young lawyer at the firm of Napoli Bern Ripka Shkolnik LLP when she says she had an affair with Napoli that he pursued even after his vindictive wife Marie found out and allegedly began harassing her. Dennis now wants $11million from her cancer-stricken former flame as she claims in court documents that the 46-year-old tried time and again to bed her even as his wife stalked Dennis and allegedly kidnapped her cat. The New York Post reports that Dennis recently filed her defamation suit against Napoli, his wife and her former firm Napoli Bern Ripka Shkolnik LLP. 'At Paul’s insistence, Vanessa saw Paul Napoli in his office, had drinks with him,' reads the complaint obtained by the Post. 'On all of these occasions, Paul Napoli tried to have sex with her, but Vanessa refused.' Napoli, a partner at Napoli Bern which raked in billions of dollars representing diet-pill users and workers at Ground Zero. In April 2013, Mrs Napoli, 47, hired a private investigator to spy on her husband and Dennis during a Chicago business trip. The suit claims she then emailed the young associate, saying, 'I have evidence that is going to be forwarded to your husband if you do not stay away from my husband.' Mr Napoli demanded Dennis erase correspondence between the pair and admitted he had authorized access for his wife to see both his and Dennis' e-mail accounts, state legal papers. Court papers say Mrs Napoli messaged Dennis' brother to tell him of the affair and then found Dennis' husband, Richard Buonauito, in Dennis' personnel file as an emergency contact and contacted him. Dennis was fired from Napoli Bern on May 2, 2013, with a $150,000 severance. But Mrs Napoli allegedly did not stop the harassment and e-mailed Dennis writing: 'Happy Mothers Day! Oh yea I should say happy motherless day. Tick tock.' Vanessa Dennis, (right) one of the young lawyers at the firm, court papers allege, and when his wife, Marie, (left) discovered it, she stalked and harassed the woman . Napoli is a partner at Napoli Bern which raked in billions of dollars representing diet-pill users and workers at Ground Zero . Dennis had previously told Mr Napoli that she might not be able to have conceive. The Napolis have three young children - including a baby. In June 2013 an email included in court papers shows an angry Dennis wrote to Mr Napoli: 'What's more believable Paul — that a 32-year-old junior attorney who weighs 100 pounds soaking wet seduced and physically attacked her 40 something year old boss (who happens to be a managing partner and a millionaire) and twice her size or the other way around. She emailed him again to remind him of intimate details he had shared about his view of his wife's body since she became a mother. Dennis, who has since split with her husband, moved to Texas, but she claims Mrs Napoli sent cards to the wives of Dennis' new bosses, warning them about her and even describing Dennis' private body piercing. She also sent messages to everyone on LinkedIn associated with Dennis' new firm, Dennis alleges. Dennis claims that in one day she came out the bathroom of her Houston apartment to find her back door open and her cat missing - she says she received a series of texts written as if from Padme, with one saying, 'How do u think I got out . . .' The couple, who have met at St. John’s University School of Law, briefly split up, but are now back together - they live on Long Island . She declined to comment when contacted by the Post and Mr Napoli said he saw nothing wrong 'with confronting a person that there was an affair with.' 'Everything my wife said in any e-mail whether it sounds terrible or not was all true and was all factually correct.' He denied reports he had previous affairs at the firm and denied that his wife had killed Dennis' cat. The couple, who have met at St. John’s University School of Law, briefly split up, but are now back together - they live on Long Island. A Facebook photo shows Mrs Napoli kissing her husband in Mexico's Cancun this year - the couple are outlined in a heart. Last week Mrs Napoli filed her own legal action, claiming Dennis enticed her husband into having sex on the Chicago business trip in violation of the 'Illinois Alienation of Affections Act.' On his firm's website Mr Napoli's bio reads: ' Paul J. Napoli, a Senior Partner in the firm, has achieved more than 100 verdicts and settlements over one million dollars. 'He is nationally known as a tenacious and unrelenting advocate for his clients’ rights in courts around the country, where he consistently achieves results in the multiple millions of dollars for injured plaintiffs. Mr Napoli has been named in New York Super Lawyers® each year since 2007, and in 2010, was named as one of the top 100 lawyers in the New York Metropolitan area.' MailOnline has contacted the Napolis for comment. A Facebook photo shows Mrs Napoli kissing her husband in Mexico's Cancun this year .", "Sony is set to officially name North Korea as the source of the recent cyber attack which has exposed massive volumes of internal company data and shut down its computer systems for a week. The results of an investigation into the attack, currently being carried out by FireEye's Mandiant forensics unit, are expected to be announced later this week. On Wednesday, two unnamed sources close to the investigation told Re/code that the tools used by the hackers are similar to those used in attacks conducted against South Korea by North Korea. Culprit? Sony is set to name North Korea as the source of the recent cyber attack which has exposed massive volumes of internal company data and shut down its computer systems for a week . There has been speculation that the attack could be payback on Sony for The Interview, a Seth Rogan and James Franco movie about a plot to kill the reclusive state's leader, Kim Jong Un, that is out on Christmas Day. Earlier this week, a North Korean spokesperson refused to deny claims that it was behind the move and would only say 'wait and see' when asked if Pyongyang was involved. 'The hostile forces are relating everything to the DPRK (North Korea). I kindly advise you to just wait and see,' a spokesman for North Korea's U.N. mission. North Korea routinely refers to the United States and South Korea as hostile forces. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the incident. A North Korean spokesperson said 'wait and see' on Monday when asked if Pyongyang was involved in the attack on Sony just a month before its planned release of The Interview, staring James Franco and Seth Rogan . Launched last week, the attack forced employees of the movie studio to shut down computers and work with pen and paper. Later, sensitive files including employee salary data, product plans and video files of five motion pictures - including the remake of Annie and Brad Pitt's critically acclaimed World War Two movie, Fury - were leaked to the internet. Personnel information including staff salaries and personal emails were also leaked. North Korea complained to the United Nations in June about The Interview, accusing the United States of sponsoring terrorism and committing an act of war by allowing production of the movie. The Pyongyang government denounced the film as 'undisguised sponsoring of terrorism, as well as an act of war' in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Cars enter Sony Pictures Entertainment headquarters in Culver City, California. A cybersecurity expert has raised the possibility that the cyberattack on Sony Pictures was not the work of North Korea . 'I personally don't care if (the movie's) disrespectful to Kim because he's evil. But that's not the intent,' tweeted Rogen on Sunday. 'North Korea has produced tons of propaganda films that portray America's destruction.' But cybersecurity expert Hemanshu Nigam has told the Hollywood Reporter that he finds it hard to believe that North Korea is the perpetrator and instead thinks it is more probable that it was the actions of an employee or ex-employee with administrative access privileges. For the studio - which has laid off hundreds of employees over the past year in an effort to contain costs - the possibility of a disgruntled employee wreaking havoc is very real. 'If terabytes of data left the Sony networks, their network detection systems would have noticed easily,' said Nigam. 'It would also take months for a hacker to figure out the topography of the Sony networks to know where critical assets are stored and to have access to the decryption keys needed to open up the screeners that have been leaked.' Sony workers saw a message appear on computer screens saying 'Hacked by #GOP' - understood to be the initials of a group called Guardians of Peace which has been linked to North Korea . In addition, he said, 'It is possible that North Korean-sponsored hackers were working with someone on the inside. But it is more likely a ruse to shift blame, knowing the distaste the North Korean regime has for Sony Pictures.' Sony Pictures' computer system went down last Monday after the cyber attack. Before . screens went dark, they displayed a red skull and the phrase . 'Hacked By #GOP,' which reportedly stands for Guardians of . Peace. The hackers also warned they . would release 'secrets' stolen from Sony. The data released so far from the apparently leaked documents has already been damaging - it revealed all the top executives at Sony Pictures Entertainment are white and male, raising questions about control of Hollywood's film output. Staff at Sony are growing increasingly disgruntled about the never-ending slew of Adam Sandler movies the company is producing . Staff at Sony are growing increasingly disgruntled about the never-ending slew of Adam Sandler movies the company is producing, according to information released following last week’s cyber attack. An un-encrypted text file titled ‘Sony_2012_Comments’ has been released which features a long list of negative employee feedback – and Sandler’s name is a reoccurring theme. The comedian’s company, Happy Madison Productions, has been responsible for 25 films released by Sony over the past 15 years including Click, I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry, You Don’t Mess With The Zohan, Grown Ups and 50 First Dates. These movies turn a profit but are shown little love from the critics and from Sony staff it would appear. Here are some of the comments featured in the leaked document: . Other criticism from staff was equally as cutting even if the target wasn't quite so specific: . Sandler movies such as I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry regularly turn a profit for Sony but rarely win over the critics or staff a leaked memo has revealed . A spreadsheet said to show the salaries of 6,000 Sony Pictures employees, including top executives, reveals that of 17 earning $1 million or more a year, just two are not white and just one is a woman. The list was leaked to a reporter at news and pop culture site Fusion. Kevin Roose, reporting for Fusion, who was sent a link to the data by an anonymous source, said: 'When I sorted the list by 'annual rate,' I noticed something notable: a stark homogeneity among the people earning the most. 'Based on the spreadsheet ... the employees of Sony Pictures with the highest annual rates appear to be nearly entirely white men.' Amy B. Pascal, co-chair of Sony Pictures Entertainment and chairman of SPE's Motion Picture Group, is the only woman among the top 17 most-highly paid executives. Minority of one: Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Amy Pascal, the only woman earning more than $1million a year at the company, and chief executive officer of Sony Entertainment Michael Lynton . Leaked: Five of Sony's movies including the hotly anticipated remake of Annie have been illegally shared online in recent days . She earns £3million a year, according to the spreadsheet, joint highest on the list, along with Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton. Buzzfeed reviewed almost 40GB of leaked internal data and reported it included 'employee criminal background checks, salary negotiations, and doctors' letters explaining the medical rationale for leaves of absence.' It reported the files also included a script for an unreleased pilot written by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan as well as 'email exchanges with employees regarding specific medical treatments they are undergoing, while one disciplinary letter details a manager's romantic relationship and business travel history with a subordinate.' It even details the leaked information includes an email about the breastfeeding diet of a senior executive. In addition to Annie, starring Jamie Foxx, which is due to hit theaters on December 19, Brad Pitt's critically acclaimed World War Two movie, Fury, is also being openly traded and downloaded online. By Sunday morning, Fury, which is still playing in theaters, had been downloaded 1.2 million times and Annie had been downloaded 206,000 times from unique IP addresses, according to Variety. Other Sony movies being downloaded include Mr. Turner, Still Alice and To Write Love on Her Arms.", "A new leaked email written to Sony studio Michael Lynton head shows one producer saying that Denzel Washington does not do well for the company because he is black. In the exchange, written about the Oscar winning star's recent role in the film The Equalizer, the producer says that Washington does not do well at the worldwide box office because of the color of his skin. The producer then blames this on the racism of non-American audiences. Scroll down for video . Harsh statement: A producer said to Sony head Michael Lynton (left) that Denzel Washington (with Amy Pascal and Matt Tolmach) doesn't make money at the worldwide box office because he is black . Makes no sense: The email was about his film The Equalizer, costarring Chloe Moretz (center) and directed by Antoine Fuqua (right), which made half its money overseas . In the email, obtained by Radar Online, the producer 'suggested Sony should avoid casting black actors to appeal to an international market that the producer deemed racist.' Writes the producer of Washington, 'Casting him is saying we’re ok with a double if the picture works.' A double as opposed to a homerun. They then add; 'He’s reliable at the domestic [box office], safe, but has not had a huge success in years. I believe whenever possible the non event pictures, extra ‘bets’ should have a large inherent upside and be made for the right price. Here there isn’t a large inherent upside.' This despite the fact that Washington is not only one of the greatest actors of his generation, but also one of the biggest and most consistent box office stars. Perhaps most shocking though is that this email was written about The Equalizer after the film did incredibly well overseas. As Radar reports, 'Washington’s The Equalizer grossed $191 million at theaters worldwide, with 47% of the ticket sales coming from outside of the United States. The producer then writes, 'I believe that the international motion picture audience is racist — in general pictures with an African American lead don’t play well overseas.' It is unknown who the producer is, and Washington and Lynton have yet to comment on this latest leak. This as the group behind the hack, Guardians of Peace, have been successful in their goal of shutting down Sony's film The Interview, a comedy about the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Sony Pictures Entertainment pulled the planned Christmas Day release of the picture after the hackers threatened 9/11-like terror attacks on cinemas showing the comedy. What's more, the film may never be released at all. 'Sony Pictures has no further release plans for the film,' said a spokesperson for the studio Wednesday evening. This despite the fact that the film cost $42million to make and tens of millions to market. Almost immediately, many in Hollywood voiced their concern, with writer Aaron Sorkin saying how upset he was that 'the U.S. succumbed to an unprecedented attack on our most cherished, bedrock principle of free speech by a group of North Korean terrorists,' and director Judd Apatow explaining the many problems this means for films moving forward. Federal government officials have said that North Korea is behind the hack, as has been assumed for the past two weeks, though they are not expected to formally announce this until later this week. Authorities are also looking into whether or not someone inside Sony helped the hackers.", "A leaked internal email written by a casting agent at American Apparel said that from now on they'll only be hiring 'real models’ and not ‘Instagram hoes or THOTS'  in an attempt to rebrand their image. Former CEO Dov Charney who created the concept behind the company's diverse ads was fired last year following the brand's willful misconduct claims that he 'acted inappropriately' and 'harassed employees.' The New York Post obtained the the email written on March 18 by model caster Phira Luon that read, '“[The] company is going through a rebranding image, so we will be shooting models moving forward.' Leaked email: A leaked email written by model casting agent Phira Luon said the company would only be hiring 'real models' not 'Instagram hoes' 'Real models. Not Instagram hoes or THOTs,' he continued in the email meant for employee eyes only. THOTS is an acronym for the saying, 'That ho over there.' After the email surfaced, Luon replied with an apology for what he wrote and said it 'was just an inappropriate off colour joke that was not intended to defame the clients name or philosophy/views in anyway,’ reports News.com.au. News.com.au also reported that just last week, American Apparel’s new senior vice president of marketing, Cynthia Erland, allegedly told employees that they would not hire models who were 'too short and round,' three sources who were at the meeting told News.com.au. “It’s become a running joke around the office — like, \"I can’t do this, I’m too short and round,'  said one employee who alleges they heard heard the remark. 'I’ve never felt marginalised or unattractive working for this company until his past week or so,' that employee added. Real women: American Apparel has been known to accept model submissions from around the globe and have featured models of all shapes and all sizes . Erland responded toNews.com.au in a statement that said, 'This is completely false. American Apparel embraces body types of all shapes, ethnicities and sizes, and our model casting has and will continue to reflect this.' American Apparel is notorious for their ads of scantily clad 'amateur models' of all sizes and the company was known to accept model submissions from 'real women' around the globe. Despite the company's public attempt to distance themselves from their old image, the American Apparel website still says nothing about their desire to use more conventional models. ‘We find our models all over the world, through online submissions, word of mouth, and in retail stores, where we've been known to do an impromptu test shoot or two. Our ads have always been indicative of a time and place in American Apparel's identity, which has evolved into a 12,000 employee worldwide collaboration. Explore the online ad archives for a closer look at our ads featuring models, factory inner-workings and the global vernacular that inspires us,’ the website states. One rebranding change made obvious on the website last week is the company’s choice to airbrush out some of the models' exposed nipples and body hair making them look more like plastic mannequins. Nip no nip: The model on the left in see through white lingerie once had her nipples and pubic hair in full display more like the model in the back lingerie on the right . Animal first reported that the changes could be seen on the company's lingerie page in the 'new' section and a brunette model in translucent lingerie who once had more showing was edited to be much less exposed. Charney's replacement CEO Paula Schneider has said she is attempting to make the brand 'relevant to millennials' without it bordering on 'pornographic.' 'This is an edgy brand and it’s always going to be an edgy brand, and it’s about social commentary, it’s about gay rights, and it’s about immigration reform. It’s about the things millennials care about,' Schneider told The New York Times in January. While many may welcome the company's attempt to shave away their previous image, some activists think showing nipple is perfectly fine and empowers women in what otherwise may be a mannequin's world. Michelle Lytle, co-founder of the nipple printed bikini line TaTa Top thinks that by censoring women and making them look like mannequins or dolls, the company is actually taking power away from women who should not feel ashamed of their bodies. Fired: Former CEO Dov Charney was fired after the company accused him of willful misconduct . Lytle told Animal that American Apparel has tried to reach out to diverse audiences by coming out with t-shirts that say 'legalize gay' and 'legalize LA' but have very little to comment on women's equality. 'To see them taking a strong stance on those issues but not on women’s equality is disappointing,' said Lytle who runs the feminist clothing line with her partner Robyn. 'This is a company that is clearly trying to distance themselves from their founder,' she continued. 'It’s kind of laughable for them to think that removing nipples from their images of their sheer lingerie is the best way to do this considering their questionable ad choices in recent years. This is a step in the wrong direction and is contributing to the sexualisation of a woman’s body at a time where there is a large and growing movement for equality.' The clothing company has a tab on their website dedicated to political activism and they offer a stance on gay rights and immigration reform. 'As a company, we have certain resources that individual activists do not. We try to use that special ability to support political causes that need help. American Apparel regularly uses its billboards, advertisements, press contacts and even printed t-shirts to speak out about important issues. Our two biggest issues have been Immigration Reform and Gay Rights,' says their website. The company's female CEO has yet to comment on women's sexuality and empowerment and the company's choice to airbrush out nipples and pubic hair. The models of American Apparel may soon have a new look altogether as the company attempts to truncate their old image.", "By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:43 EST, 11 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:14 EST, 12 March 2014 . A disabled tax clerk is suing her boss who she claimed treated her 'in the manner in which Adolf Hitler treated the disabled and the Jews during the Holocaust.' Michelle Ruppert, 45, has filed a discrimination lawsuit against New Jersey's Borough of Point Pleasant's Office of the Tax Collector alleging she was verbally abused and harassed during her three year stint with the business. Ruppert claimed that on her first day of work in 2011, her boss, 69-year-old Bernadine Pearce, showed her a 'Wall of Shame' with a fake funerary urn filled with the 'ashes of problem employees' who'd been 'exterminated'. Ashes: Michelle Ruppert, 45, claims her boss Bernadine Pearce acted like Adolf Hitler and kept a fake urn of 'problem employees' (reportedly like this one) who had been exterminated or fired . Asbury Park Press reported the wall was posted on a cabinet in the main tax collector’s office for at least two years of Ruppert’s employment. Pearce allegedly 'opined that all . personnel of her office should be 'perfect humans', as she believed she . was', according to the five-count civil lawsuit filed last week. The suit claims Pearce threw papers at Ruppert, called her a 'waste of a human being', encouraged Pearce’s daughter and co-worker to give her the middle finger and called her a 'mess up' who should just 'quit her job'. 'No reasonable person would find . despicable conduct such as that acceptable,' Ruppert’s attorney, . Rosemarie Arnold, told ABC News. 'That should not be allowed . in a workplace.' Ruppert also accused Pearce, who has worked at the borough for 39 years, of making 'outrageous comments' that are 'too numerous to list', including, 'To people like you, 2+4 must equal 8'. Office: Michelle Ruppert claimed she has been abused and harassed during her three-year stint at New Jersey's Borough of Point Pleasant's Office of the Tax Collector (pictured) Involved: Ruppert is also suing Borough Administrator David Maffei (pictured) who she claims failed to investigate her complaints against Pearce . Ruppert claimed her boss intended to . 'shame and harass' her, calling her a 'waste as a human being', and . slamming her fists in front of her. Pearce 'engaged in a severe and . pervasive pattern of mentally abusive and offensive behavior directed at . plaintiff, who suffered from a disability, which conduct was designed . to, among other things, punish plaintiff for being disabled and cause . plaintiff severe emotional distress,' the lawsuit stated. Ruppert, from Lacey, alleged . she took sick leave for psychiatric treatment as a result of workplace . bullying and and upon returning, found her workspace had been relocated . so that she would face the Wall of Shame, which had her name below it. APP reported Ruppert is also suing Borough Administrator David Maffei, claiming he should have investigated Ruppert’s complaints against Pearce to take steps to prevent a hostile working environment and discrimination. The suit claimed Maffei 'intentionally, willfully, wantonly, recklessly and/or negligently' failed to take action because Pearce was 'his close personal friend'. Maffei and Pearce declined to comment to ABC News, citing the pending litigation. Ruppert is suing the borough, Maffei and Pearce for unspecified damages claiming emotional distress, humiliation and psychological harm. Although Ruppert is still reportedly employed at the tax office, the Borough of Mount Pleasant has advertised on its Facebook page for a part-time temporary tax clerk. It is not clear if this is Ruppert's position. Help wanted: The Borough of Mount Pleasant has advertised a part-time temporary tax clerk position on its Facebook page, although it's not clear if this is Ruppert's job ." ]

[ "The chairman of University System of Maryland's Board of Regents resigned on Thursday amid outrage from faculty, trustees and students after the board's handling of an investigation into a football player's death earlier this year. \"In my estimation, my continued presence on the board will inhibit its ability to move Maryland's higher education agenda forward. And I have no interest in serving as a distraction from that important work,\" James Brady wrote in a statement Thursday afternoon. \"Accordingly, I will step down from the Board of Regents immediately,\" he said. Brady informed the board of his plans to step down in a closed-door meeting following days of public outcry for the chair to resign. His announcement is the latest in a whirlwind of personnel decisions this week at the University of Maryland, involving the football head coach and the university president. On Tuesday the board said it would allow DJ Durkin to resume his position running the football program. He had been on paid administrative leave. Durkin was forced to step aside as President Wallace Loh launched investigations into allegations that the football program fostered a \"toxic culture\" and into the events surrounding the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair. The sophomore collapsed of heatstroke during a team workout in May. He died two weeks later. Also on Tuesday, Loh revealed he would resign as of June, and he apparently still intends to do that. Both decisions led to widespread condemnation of the board of regents and a day later Loh fired Durkin. In a statement, Loh said he had met with student organizations, deans and campus leaders who \"expressed serious concerns about Coach DJ Durkin returning to the campus.\" \"This is a difficult decision, but it is the right one for our entire University,\" Loh added. The move, however, did not stem the backlash against the regents from members of the University of Maryland College Park Foundation Board of Trustees, who, on Thursday, claimed the regents \"evidently forced\" Loh into retirement. They are calling for Loh to remain at the helm of the university. In a Thursday letter to regents chair James Brady, Foundation Chair Geoff Gonella slammed the regents for their handling of the aftermath of the young football player's death. He accused them of deliberately taking steps designed to undermine Loh and \"create the false impression that Dr. Loh had mismanaged the issues surrounding the death of Jordan McNair.\" The regents had overreached by \"meddling\" in the \"hiring or firing of football coaches on campus or any other personnel for that matter,\" Gonella wrote, adding that its actions may have derailed the university's fundraising efforts for the state's flagship campus. \"Let us remind you that we are in the middle of a $1.5 billion campaign to raise funds for the Flagship of the System. ... You may have dealt our efforts a fatal blow,\" Gonella said. Also on Thursday, university Provost Mary Ann Rankin and more than a dozen deans expressed similar sentiments in a letter to the regents. \"Through its intervention, the Board of Regents usurped the President's authority and intervened in the ability of the President to carry out his full duties and responsibilities. Neither the by-laws of the Board of Regents nor state law give authority to the Regents to take such actions,\" Rankin wrote. She also called for Loh to rescind his resignation: \"We believe Dr. Loh's leadership is critical for the university at this challenging time and we call upon the Board of Regents and the Chancellor to publicly affirm its support for Dr. Loh's continued leadership of the state's flagship university.\" Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who originally appointed Brady to the board of regents, had called on Brady to resign in the wake of the board's recommendation to retain Durkin, saying in a statement that he was \"deeply concerned about how they could have possibly arrived at the decisions announced.\" Upon learning that Brady had quit on Thursday, Hogan's spokeswoman Amelia Chasse told NPR, \"The governor believes that the university system must move forward in an open and transparent manner to restore public trust in Maryland's flagship university.\"" ]

[ "Obama's Muslim Outreach Director ResignsMazen Asbahi, an attorney who volunteered to help the Obama campaign reach out to Muslim and Arab-Americans, resigned from the campaign Monday. Asbahi briefly served on the Dow Jones Islamic Index Fund, resigning his position on the board when he \"became aware of public allegations against another member of the board.\" He said he was resigning from the presidential campaign \"to avoid distracting from Barack Obama's message of change.\" Mauritanian Military Overthrows PresidentThe elected president of Mauritania in northern Africa was overthrown in a relatively quick and painless military coup on Wednesday. President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, along with many government officials were placed under house arrest, ending the nation's brief experiment with democracy. Human Rights Take Field in ChinaWith the Beijing Olympics only a day away, human rights takes center stage as critics attack China for banning Darfur activists from the country. In response, and in criticism of China's support of the Sudanese government, the U.S. has selected former Sudanese refugee Lopez Lomong to carry the flag in the opening ceremonies. Lomong: \"It's more than a dream... There are no words to describe it.\" Read More >> Maryland Infant Deaths High, Black Babies 3 Times as Likely to DieState health figures in Maryland show a high infant mortality rate, especially for African-American infants, who are three times as likely to die as white infants. Health officer Dr. Peter Beilenson says the state's largely uninsured population, with many residents in lower socioeconomic ranks, may explain the phenomenon. The state is working this summer to expand its public funding for health insurance. Nairobi Blast Survivors Say They've Been AbandonedThis Thursday marks the 10th anniversary of one of Al Qaeda's deadliest attacks in history: against the U.S. embassy in Nairobi on August 7, 1998 where 218 people were killed and over 5,000 injured. Ten years later, anger mixes with sorrow as most of the families of the victims feel abandoned by the Kenyan and US governments. While 9/11 victims families received from $1 million to $2 million, these families compensations ranged from $400 to $9,000. \"We are struggling to cope with life, but nobody wants to be bothered with us anymore.\" Beaten, But Not Into SubmissionThe Campbells, a white family of farmers were badly beaten by members of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party when they refused to turn over the farm they have owned for 35 years to government officials. Mike Campbell, age 74, suffered many broken bones, including four ribs, a collar bone, and foot. His wife and son-in-law were similarly beaten. However, they plan to hold on to the farm no matter what it takes. Obama Ready to Unwind in HawaiiThe Democratic presidential nominee says he needs a break. He will be flying out to Hawaii on Friday for some much deserved rest. A poll finds that half of voters feel he deserves it. \"I've been going pretty much straight for 18 moths now ... So we're going to take the time.\" SportsBoxing's Black EyeBlack athletes have dominated in the world of boxing for almost 100 years, but the champs of the sport today seem to have radically changed. Only four black boxers found their way into ESPN's top 20 of the world's best boxers this year. EntertainmentLaurence Fishburne: Up For Musical Chairs With Potential TV GigGary Dourdan, who played crime scene investigator Warrick Brown on CBS's C.S.I., was let go from the show at the end of last season. He was the only black lead character on the popular series. While nothing has yet been confirmed, it seems Laurence Fishburne has been slated to join the C.S.I cast as its new lead.", "Yet another scandal has hit U.S. Speedskating (USS), which governs the sport with the biggest haul of winter Olympic medals for Team USA. The USS board announced Monday night that it is investigating allegations of sexual abuse involving short track silver medalist Andy Gabel, now 48, who also once served as president of USS. \"U.S. Speedskating will not tolerate abuse of any kind and we intend to investigate these claims, and any others that arise, thoroughly,\" the group said in a written statement. Gabel was accused last week by Bridie Farrell, a 2014 Olympic hopeful, in an interview on NPR affiliate WUWM in Milwaukee. Farrell said Gabel sexually abused her in the late 1990's when she was 15 years old and Gabel was 33. Gabel was Farrell's mentor, she said, as his skating career was ending and hers was just beginning. \"My purpose in speaking is to change the culture of sport,\" Farrell told WUWM, \"and make it a safer place — make it something we can talk about.\" Gabel then admitted to what he called \"a brief and inappropriate relationship with a female teammate\" in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. \"It did not include sex, however I know what happened was wrong, and I make no excuses for my behavior,\" Gabel told the Tribune. \"I apologize to her, and I am sorry for bringing negative attention to the sport that I love.\" The Tribune adds that when it asked Farrell \"to elaborate on the relationship, she described it as inappropriate and physical. She also said: 'I was not raped. We did not have sex.' \" Gabel has also resigned from two prominent and positions with USS and the International Skating Union (ISU). USS confirms that Gabel stepped down as chair of the committee that selects inductees for the Speedskating Hall of Fame, which includes Gabel as an honoree. ISU president Ottavio Cinquanta told The Associated Press that Gabel also resigned as chair of the group's short track technical committee. \"I cannot say anything else,\" Cinquanta told the AP. \"It would be inappropriate if I would make some further comment as he is no longer with us.\" Gabel was the nation's most successful male short track skater until Apolo Ohno came along. His career spanned four Olympics, including the Olympic debut of short track in 1988 at the Calgary games. Farrell, now 31, is an elite skater and failed to make the Olympic short track team in 1998, 2002 and 2006. But she's now skating long track and hopes to skate in the Sochi Olympics next February. U.S. Speedskating is reeling from scandal less than a year away from the Sochi games. Former short track coach Jae Su Chun resigned amid accusations he physically and verbally abused athletes and ordered the sabotage of a rival's skates. Investigators for USS reported they could not confirm the allegations. Chun was banished from coaching through next year's Winter Olympics because he admitted he knew about the sabotage incident but failed to report it. Chun has also insisted he was not involved in the incident and has not abused athletes.", "In a significant shift for college sports, the NCAA's top governing body said it supports a rule change allowing student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness, so long as the college or university they attend does not pay them directly. The NCAA's Board of Governors announced Wednesday it supports allowing \"student-athletes to receive compensation for third-party endorsements both related to and separate from athletics.\" The plan includes players receiving compensation from social media and personal appearances, as well as through businesses they started. \"Throughout our efforts to enhance support for college athletes, the NCAA has relied upon considerable feedback from and the engagement of our members, including numerous student-athletes, from all three divisions,\" board chair Michael V. Drake, president of Ohio State University, said in a statement. \"Allowing promotions and third-party endorsements is uncharted territory,\" he said. Though the NCAA is taking steps to allow athletes to earn money, it stipulated that certain actions would remain prohibited. \"While student-athletes would be permitted to identify themselves by sport and school, the use of conference and school logos, trademarks or other involvement would not be allowed,\" the NCAA stated. It also added that a university or college could not pay the athletes directly for using their name, image or likeness. The board's recommendations are not final. Next steps include further consideration from Divisions I, II and III, with all three expected to adopt the new rules early next year. The plan would then be in effect for the start of the 2021-22 academic school year. \"The NCAA's work to modernize name, image and likeness [rules] continues,\" said Gene Smith, Ohio State senior vice president and athletics director and working group co-chair. \"The board's decision today provides further guidance to each division as they create and adopt appropriate rules changes.\" The changes come as the NCAA faces mounting pressure to change its position on athletes earning money — pressure that has come from both the public and from state and federal officials. The NCAA's annual revenues have recently surpassed the $1 billion mark, thanks in large part to massive television contracts and marketing fees linked to marquee sporting events such as the men's NCAA Division I basketball tournament. The NCAA had previously signaled its support for allowing collegiate athletes to receive compensation, after the board voted unanimously on the matter back in October. That vote was based on recommendations from the NCAA Board of Directors Federal and State Legislation Working Group. That move came after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill in September that essentially would allow student-athletes to sign endorsement deals and hire agents. As NPR reported, Newsom signed the legislation while appearing in a segment for Uninterrupted, a sports programming network founded by NBA star LeBron James. Newsom hailed the bill as \"the beginning of a national movement — one that transcends geographic and partisan lines.\" Not all have embraced the idea of college students, which have long been considered amateur athletes, being compensated while in school – the so-called \"professionalization\" of collegiate sports. Ekow Yankah, author of the 2015 New Yorker article Why N.C.A.A. Athletes Shouldn't Be Paid, said last year that the system of not paying athletes was \"deeply exploitative and deeply problematic.\" But in an appearance on NPR's All Things Considered last October, Yankah also said the key promise a college or university makes to a student is to provide an education. \"I say the answer is to make sure that these young men — and with the revenue generated in sports, it's typically young men — that they get the thing that they were promised that was of value,\" Yankah said. \"That is to say, they get a college degree that was of value.\"", "Five out-of-state board members of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas — the entity that maintains and operates much of the state's electricity grid — will resign Wednesday, according to a notice filed with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. The resignations come as Texas still grapples with the aftermath of last week's winter storm that, at its worst, left more than four million residents in the dark and bitter cold for days. The outages also stretched into northern Mexico. Ratepayers and politicians alike have criticized ERCOT's leadership for failing to prepare before the storm and for seating board members who don't live in Texas. In the immediate days after the record cold temperatures, customers reported exorbitantly high electricity bills. State officials have called for an investigation into ERCOT's failures. The four board directors resigning are Sally Talberg, the board chairwoman and a former state utility regulator who lives in Michigan; Peter Cramton, the board's vice chairman and an economics professor at the University of Cologne in Germany and at the University of Maryland; Terry Bulger, the Finance and Audit Committee Chairman and a banker from Illinois; and Raymond Hepper, the Human Resources and Governance Committee Chairman and a former regulator for New England's power grid. Talberg, Cramton, Bulger, and Hepper wrote in a letter attached to the Public Utility Commission filing Tuesday that they are resigning \"to allow state leaders a free hand with future direction and to eliminate distractions.\" Vanessa Anesetti-Parra, a director for the independent retail electric provider market segment, will also resign her position as a board member with ERCOT. And Craig Ivey, who was slated to fill a vacant unaffiliated director position, withdrew his application on Tuesday, according to the Public Utility Commission filing. ERCOT is a nonprofit governed by a board of directors, but ultimately overseen by the Public Utility Commission. Fifteen members serve on the ERCOT board, including the five unaffiliated director positions. The resignations are effective upon the adjournment of a scheduled teleconference meeting Wednesday. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he welcomed the board members resignation. \"When Texans were in desperate need of electricity, ERCOT failed to do its job and Texans were left shivering in their homes without power. ERCOT leadership made assurances that Texas' power infrastructure was prepared for the winter storm, but those assurances proved to be devastatingly false.\" He said the state will continue its investigation into ERCOT despite the resignations.", "U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson said in a letter to President Trump that she plans to resign from her post effective in late May. Wilson has been named as the sole finalist to be the next president of the University of Texas at El Paso, a position that the system's regents will vote on after a state-required waiting period of 21 days. She said she will resign after getting the job. \"It has been a privilege to serve alongside our Airmen over the past two years and I am proud of the progress that we have made restoring our nation's defense,\" she wrote. \"We have improved the readiness of the force; we have cut years out of acquisition schedules and gotten better prices through competition; we have repealed hundreds of superfluous regulations; and we have strengthened our ability to deter and dominate in space.\" It is space – in particular Trump's desire to a create a space force – that Pentagon sources say produced tensions between Wilson and the White House, who saw her as delaying the process. At the same time, Wilson was seen at one point as a contender to fill the role of secretary of defense. Patrick Shanahan, now the acting secretary of defense, has been more openly supportive of the idea of a space force. In a memo last September, Wilson said creating a space force would cost about $13 billion over five years. \"The costs here are additive costs,\" she told Defense News. \"To stand up a department that's responsible for recruiting and training and planning and programming and budgeting and all of the leadership requirements that a department has, it's a major undertaking. It's a bold idea.\" Last month, the administration said the space force would be under the umbrella of the Air Force, at least temporarily. That was a shift from the \"separate but equal\" branch that Trump had initially proposed. Wilson inherited an Air Force involved in numerous major airstrike campaigns. \"On many occasions, Wilson sounded the alarm about an overstretched Air Force — especially after years of sequestration-driven cuts — and worried that airmen were being asked to do much,\" Air Force Times reported. \"In a November 2017 press conference, Wilson and [Chief of Staff Gen.] Goldfein worried that repeated deployments were going to burn out airmen and could even break the force.\" Wilson, who graduated from the Air Force Academy and was an Air Force officer during the Cold War, had been leading the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology when she was tapped for this position. She's a Republican and represented New Mexico in Congress from 1998 to 2009. She ran twice for Senate, in 2008 and 2012, and lost both times. The University of Texas board of regents said in a statement that they unanimously voted in favor of Wilson on Friday. \"Dr. Wilson's broad experience in the highest levels of university leadership, and state and national government– whether securing federal grant awards, advising our nation's most important national research laboratories, raising philanthropic dollars or running large, dynamic organizations – will help ensure that UTEP continues its remarkable trajectory as a nationally recognized public research institution,\" Regents' chairman Kevin Eltife said.", "With David Folkenflik A major doctors&#8217; group demands immediate action on gun violence, calling it a public health crisis. The National Rifle Association demands doctors “stay in their lane.” Guests Dr. Rebecca Cunningham, principle investigator of Firearm-Safety Among Children & Teens Consortium (FACTS). Director of the Injury Prevention Center, associate vice president for research in health sciences and professor of emergency medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School. (@StrohCunningham) Dr. Sue Bornstein, chair of the American College of Physicians&#8217; Public Health and Policy Committee (@ACPinternists). Executive director of the Texas Medical Home Initiative. Co-author of the updated Firearm Position Paper or “guidelines” from the American College of Physicians. (@sue_bornstein) Lois Beckett, senior reporter for The Guardian covering gun policy, criminal justice and the far right in the United States. (@loisbeckett) How Things Played Out On Twitter\nFrom The Reading List Annals of Internal Medicine: &#8220;Reducing Firearm Injuries and Deaths in the United States: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;For more than 20 years, the American College of Physicians (ACP) has advocated for the need to address firearm-related injuries and deaths in the United States. Yet, firearm violence continues to be a public health crisis that requires the nation&#8217;s immediate attention. The policy recommendations in this paper build on, strengthen, and expand current ACP policies approved by the Board of Regents in April 2014, based on analysis of approaches that the evidence suggests will be effective in reducing deaths and injuries from firearm-related violence.&#8221; University of Michigan Health Lab: &#8220;NIH Funds a Research Consortium to Address Firearm Deaths Among U.S. Children and Teens&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;Among children in the United States, firearm-related fatalities are the second leading cause of death. &#8220;Such preventable injuries include the unintentional shooting of a toddler who finds a gun, the use of a firearm to self-inflict harm by a suicidal teen, the escalation of fighting or dating violence, lethal use by an adolescent or a tragic school shooting. &#8220;&#8216;Research and training in the field of firearm injury prevention needs to be substantially increased to develop evidence-based solutions to prevent and reduce firearm injury,&#8217; says Rebecca Cunningham, M.D., a professor of emergency medicine at Michigan Medicine and the University of Michigan School of Public Health and associate vice president for research-health sciences at U-M. &#8216;There is a current deficit of data-driven solutions.&#8217; &#8221; Vox: &#8220;The NRA told doctors to “stay in your lane” on guns. I’m a doctor. This is my lane.&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;I called into the morgue last Friday to find out what my day’s workload was going to be. &#8220;&#8216;One gunshot suicide and two other autopsies, probably natural.&#8217; &#8220;Not a busy day, by any means. It was part of a perfectly ordinary week working as a forensic pathologist in Oakland, California. A couple of days earlier, I had pulled out two 9mm bullets from the body of a middle-aged man. The previous week, it was a 30-something, shot in the back. &#8220;Right after I got off the phone, I saw a tweet from the National Rifle Association telling doctors to &#8216;stay in their lane&#8217; — their response to the American College of Physicians’ updated gun safety guidelines. That was just hours before a man with a handgun and a high-capacity magazine shot dead 12 people in a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, and less than two weeks after a man with an assault rifle shot dead 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue. Angered, I fired back a response, shut off my phone, and began my day.&#8221; NPR: &#8220;After NRA Mocks Doctors, Physicians Reply: &#8216;This Is Our Lane&#8217;&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;A mocking tweet from the National Rifle Association has stirred many physicians to post on social media about their tragically frequent experiences treating patients in the aftermath of gun violence. &#8220;&#8216;Someone should tell self-important anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane,&#8217; the NRA tweeted on Thursday. &#8216;Half of the articles in Annals of Internal Medicine are pushing for gun control. Most upsetting, however, the medical community seems to have consulted NO ONE but themselves.&#8217; &#8220;", "For American speedskaters, this Winter Olympics has been defined by controversy over racing suits and disappointment over a lack of podium finishes. Now comes word that the U.S. Olympic Committee will \"leave no stone unturned\" in looking at how the high hopes of US Speedskating collapsed in Sochi. The news of a possible inquiry into what went wrong in the 2014 Games led Edward Williams, an attorney who represents speedskaters who have filed complaints with the USOC against US Speedskating, to vent his frustration. \"It has long been my belief that a dysfunctional, non-Sports Act-compliant and broke [national governing body], which provides no direct funding to its athletes and spends more money on lawyers to 'fight' its athletes than it does to support them, is not likely to produce athletes who can achieve consistently at the Olympic level.\" Williams is a former USOC board member who has represented athletes since 1974. He also spent four years on the group's Athletes' Advisory Council. Williams believes that the move to bring in Mike Plant as US Speedskating's president last March was a good one — but that the change came too late to right the ship in time for Sochi. The U.S. skaters' hopes, bolstered by several winning campaigns in the most recent World Cup season, were quickly dashed in Russia, where the Americans failed to finish higher than seventh before US Speedskating announced a wardrobe change last Friday. As we reported about that change, not everyone on Team USA was convinced the new \"Mach 39\" suits, introduced by Under Armour just before the Winter Games, were costing the U.S. skaters time on the track. The company also makes the suits worn during the World Cup season. As the Americans faltered, Dutch skaters have excelled, winning 19 of the 27 speedskating medals awarded so far. Speedskating is a national sport in the Netherlands. \"In my opinion, the Dutch are just sitting deeper and pushing harder,' US Speedskating coach Kip Carpenter told Bloomberg News. \"They are just skating better than us.\" As USA Today reports, U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun is also refusing to blame the suits, in a statement released Tuesday: \"Given our history of strong performances in speedskating, we are disappointed not to have had a podium finish to date in Sochi. After the Games, we will work side by side with US Speedskating to understand how we might better support our athletes, many of whom have already proven themselves to be great champions.\" Missing from Blackmun's statement is any mention of the USOC's possible role in US Speedskating's troubles since the Vancouver Olympics. Some athletes filed complaints directly with Blackmun and the USOC about lack of funding, leadership dysfunction and alleged abuse by a coach. Blackmun and the USOC didn't step in until last March, a year before the Olympics. Plant, an Olympic veteran and executive for the Atlanta Braves, was named board president, and US Speedskating Executive Director Mark Greenwald later resigned. \"The efforts by the USOC to clean up USS ... simply came too late,\" Williams says. Update at 9:40 a.m. ET on Feb 19: No Further Comment USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky tells NPR in an email from Sochi that CEO Blackmun's statement quoted above \"is all we have for now.\" Update at 5:35 p.m. ET: Reaction From A Former Skater \"For years, US Speedskating has been a dysfunctional governing body,\" says Eva Rodansky, a former long track skater on the U.S. national team and a critic of US Speedskating. \"If Mr. Blackmun intends to 'leave no stone unturned' as the USOC investigates US Speedskating's underperformance in Sochi, then this investigation should include all of US Speedskating's organizational failures,\" says Rodansky, who retired eight years ago. Our original post continues: Since the Vancouver 2010 Games, speedskaters trying to train for the Sochi Olympics had these distractions: Short track head coach Jae Su Chun resigned under pressure after some skaters accused him of abusive behavior and one said he ordered the sabotage of a Canadian rival's skate. Chun was also suspended by the International Skating Union but continues to coach some Americans privately, creating potential rifts on the team. Former USS President Andy Gabel was accused of sexual abuse by a U.S. athlete last spring. US Speedskating has not released the results of its investigation of the allegations. The organization was reportedly $750,000 in debt in 2012 and athletes complained they were not receiving the funding they needed to train. The USOC has yet to respond to NPR's request for comment. We'll post a response here if we receive one.", "Tesla has named a new chair to replace Elon Musk, after the CEO agreed to step down from the company's board as part of a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Musk's successor as chair, effective immediately, will be Robyn Denholm, a Tesla board member and technology executive. It all started with an Aug. 7 tweet. In it, Musk said he was considering taking Tesla private at $420 a share — and had funding secured. The SEC accused him of manipulating the market and sued him in late September for making \"false and misleading\" statements to investors. \"The market reacted to this information and Tesla's stock price quickly traded up,\" said Stephanie Avakian, the SEC's co-director of the Division of Enforcement, in a September news conference. \"We allege that he had not even discussed key deal terms including price with any potential source of funding.\" Two days after the lawsuit, Musk reached a settlement with the commission, agreeing to a personal fine of $20 million, a separate $20 million fine by Tesla and his resignation as chair. Musk is barred from being chair for another three years but remains CEO. In a suit, the SEC originally asked the court to ban Musk from acting as an officer or director of any publicly traded company. Denholm has served on Tesla's board since 2014. She's currently chief financial officer and head of strategy at Telstra, an Australian telecommunications company. Tesla says Denholm will leave Telstra after her six-month notice period with the company is complete. In the meantime, she'll work closely with Musk. \"To ensure a smooth transition during the remainder of Robyn's time at Telstra, Elon will be a resource to Robyn and provide any support that she requests in her role as Chair,\" Tesla said in a news release. \"Robyn will continue to provide the necessary focus and time to Telstra during the remainder of her time there, and she will also temporarily step down as Chair of Tesla's Audit Committee until she leaves Telstra.\" Denholm has held leadership roles in both Australia and Silicon Valley, including Juniper Networks and Sun Microsystems. \"I look forward to working even more closely with Robyn as we continue accelerating the advent of sustainable energy,\" Musk said in a statement. Tesla has seen months of turbulence since Musk's infamous tweet. Its stock has fluctuated, and many investors have called for the company to exercise more oversight over its CEO, who has received media attention for his unconventional ways. Musk appeared to smoke pot while on The Joe Rogan Experience in September and called the SEC the \"Shortseller Enrichment Commission\" in an October tweet, after their settlement. Court documents showed Musk named a share price of $420 \"because he had recently learned about the number's significance in marijuana culture and thought his girlfriend 'would find it funny, which admittedly is not a great reason to pick a price.' \" Despite the turmoil, Tesla reported its most successful quarter on record in October.", "TOKYO — The COVID-delayed Tokyo Summer Olympics officially begins with a parade of athletes (more than 200 of them from Team USA), waving flags and marching inside a mostly-empty stadium. It's not clear yet what else will happen during the opening ceremony which is usually a chance to showcase the host country and inspire pride from countries throughout the world. But these are no ordinary Games, with strict restrictions in place to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Even things behind the scenes are strange: just days ago, the ceremony's creative director and musical composer were both fired. Kentaro Kobayashi, a former Japanese comedian and manga artist, was ousted from his post directing the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The president of the Tokyo Organizing Committee announced his resignation after news reports surfaced that in 1998, Kobayashi and his comedy partner had parodied a Japanese children's TV show. In a skit, he reportedly held up small paper dolls and joked \"Let's play holocaust.\" Tokyo 2020 president Hashimoto Seiko announced Kobayashi's dismissal, and read aloud a letter of apology he penned. Kobayashi wrote that he realized he had made a mistake in his act, and that he had decided to aim for laughter that does not hurt people. In his more recent stage shows, Kobayahi's comedic stylings have included pantomiming on stage sets that resemble animated sketch drawings. His dismissal was just the latest in a saga in what some are calling a \"cursed Olympics.\" In March, Kobayashi replaced the ceremony's previous creative director Hiroshi Sasaki, who resigned for offensive comments he made. Japanese news reports cited his private conversations suggesting that plus-sized celebrity Naomi Watanabe dress as a pig for the opening ceremony to play the role of an \"Olympig.\" Fans of NPR's Tiny Desk concerts may have seen Keigo Oyamada, known as Cornelius, performing for the network in 2018. Cornelius had composed music for the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Olympics and the Paralympics. But earlier this week, he also stepped down from his role over his past comments. In the 1990's, Oyamada was quoted in magazines \"Rockin' On Japan\" and \"Quick Japan\" confessing that as a student, he wrestled down and humiliated his disabled classmates. Cornelius tweeted an apology, but the Tokyo organizing committee soon accepted his resignation. There's no telling yet how any of these scandals will affect the opening ceremony. The motto of the event — and the Tokyo Olympics — is \"United by Emotion.\" U.S. women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe mused as to what emotion that may refer to. \"It could be a collective grief from the pandemic that's still obviously raging in a lot of parts around the world,\" Rapinoe said. \"It could be relief in finally getting to do things again, and hopefully, you know, a sense of joy in having something to do and something to watch.\" And the board chair of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Susanne Lyons, put it this way: \"I think it's gonna be a delayed gratification for everyone if all goes the way we hope and expect that it will... The memory of these Games is not that it should be the COVID Games, it should be that it is the Games that really showed the world the resiliency of humanity, that gave hope at a time when the entire world needs hope.\"", "Space historian Michael Neufeld talks about his new biography of scientist Wernher von Braun, chief rocket engineer of the Nazi Third Reich. After the war, von Braun became a key player in the development of the U. S. space program. Neufeld discusses von Braun's life and his influence on space exploration. Guest: Michael Neufeld, chair, Space History Division, Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum; author of Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War" ]

[ "A state prison will use equipment seized from an illegal marijuana grower to cultivate vegetables for poor people.\nThe Vindicator of Youngstown, Ohio, reports tens of thousands of dollars' worth of hydroponic equipment seized by police in Campbell has been donated to the Trumbull Correctional Institution for the prison's inmate agricultural program.\nInmates at the maximum security prison in northeast Ohio grew 10,000 pounds of food donated to poor people last year.\nThe equipment was seized during a raid in Campbell last September in which police found 56 marijuana plants.\nCampbell Mayor Nick Phillips says equipment found during raids is usually destroyed but was instead donated after a prison official asked for it.\nPhillips says \"it's nice to see good coming from bad.\"\n___\nInformation from: The Vindicator, http://www.vindy.com" ]

[ "26-year old Khadija, her husband Jabar and their young family of four kids have recently arrived to Custom House camp 1, located in Jere LGA. They had to flee the village where they used to live in Dikwa LGA, after armed insurgents came to their villages and threatened the inhabitants. Like many other families, their life was harshly impacted by the eight-year-long conflict in North-Eastern Nigeria. “We were too afraid that, if we stayed, that we would be shot dead or beaten. We knew we had to run for our lives and especially to protect our children’s,” explains Khadija. Like most families from their village, they left in a hurry, in the middle of the night, taking nothing but their children with them in search for a safer place.\n“We trekked all the way until we arrived here, it took two full days as one night passed on the road and then it was nighttime again when we arrived here,” says Jabar. When they first arrived, the family was living in the school building in the camp, where most newly arrived people stay, but it was tough with no basic items at hand and not enough space. “We were sharing the space with many other families, it was very crowded and did not always feel safe,” says Khadija. Thanks to the emergency shelter kit provided by ShelterBox and ACTED, containing tarpaulins, timber, rope, nails etc., the couple was able to build their own shelter, where they now live with their children.\n“Now we have our own space as a family, and we are able to have some privacy, unlike before,” explains Khadija. With the support of ACTED and ShelterBox, the family also received a kit containing essential non-food items (NFIs). “The cooking pots and jerrycans for the water are very helpful, before we received these, it was challenging to prepare food and collect water,” appreciates Khadija. She and her husband are also relieved that their children are no longer forced to stay in the sun during the day like they used to do since the overcrowded building did not provide enough space for all. “We feel it is safer and more comfortable for our children to be in this shelter, we are also using the mosquito net that was part of the kit to protect them from mosquitos at night so that hopefully they do not get sick,” explain the couple. “Most issues we faced when we first arrived have been solved or alleviated” thanks to the e-shelter kit and essential non-food items they received, they say. However, they are missing their village and hope to one day return to the land they were farming before they had to flee.", "The video will start in 8 Cancel\nClick to play Tap to play\nGet daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email\nStashes of cocaine and cannabis were found hidden in well decorated birthday cakes in a drugs bust.\nThe Guardia Civil released footage of officers in Spain ripping apart a cake before pulling out packets of cocaine, allegedly being smuggled by a drugs trafficking ring.\nEight people – six men and two women – have been arrested in connection with the drug bust.\nOfficers seized 2.5kg of cocaine, 150 grams of marijuana, 250 grams of hashish and €6000 (£5,273) as part of Operation Entrepa.\n(Photo: Guardia civil/Youtube)\n(Photo: Guardia civil/Youtube)\n(Photo: Guardia civil/Youtube)\nReceipts, plastic wrappings, ready-to-sell cocaine, cutting substances, prescription drugs, scales and laser guns were also found at the scene.\nAn investigation revealed a drug mule had been used to transport the cocaine-filled cakes from the Spanish capital Madrid to Cullera, near Valencia, using a bus.\nThe mule drove behind the bus to ensure the stash reached its destination before the arrest.\n(Photo: Guardia civil/Youtube)\nThe eight people arrested have been held on charges of drug trafficking, false documents, being members of a criminal gang among other alleged offences.\nIt comes as a £2 million-a-year cannabis crop was discovered growing in a nuclear bunker in February in Wiltshire.\nInvestigating officers believe the set-up would allow a crop to be produced every six weeks.", "New to the hot bar line are a variety of twists on traditional homemade favorites, including the French Toast Bake, a flavorful take on bread pudding, Enchilada Casserole Kit, made with hearty potatoes, orzo pasta and crunchy bell peppers, Chicken Pot Pie Base and Texas Barbeque Beans. All Garden-Fresh Foods hot bar products are prepared with fresh ingredients for its grocery and private label customers.\n\"Our new hot bar menu items are tasty options for people looking for a fresh, yet convenient meal, whether they're on their lunch break or picking up dinner for their family at home,\" said Jim Gawronski, director of sales and marketing at Garden-Fresh Foods. \"With more people than ever shopping in the deli for ready-to-go, hot, prepared foods, we're confident these new items will complement any hearty, homemade meal.\"\nOver the last decade, the demand for in-store, ready-to-eat foods has continued to grow. Grab-and-go sales increased more than 10 percent each year between 2006 and 2014, according to Technomic, a food and foodservice industry research and consulting firm. Moreover, food industry market research firm Datassential found that 53 percent of consumers are buying more prepared items today than one year ago.\nGarden-Fresh Foods will also bring back their customer-favorite seasonal side items this year. These desserts are prepared for consumers seeking fresh, sweet options around the holidays, and include Egg Nog Mousse, Chocolate Truffle Mousse, Peppermint Chocolate Chip Mousse and Mint Chocolate Chip Mousse.\n\"At Garden-Fresh Foods, we are constantly aiming to provide high quality, fresh food with the convenience that our customers need,\" said Gawronski. \"We're excited for our customers to taste our latest products and flavors.\"\nGarden-Fresh Foods will feature these new items at IDDBA 18 June 10–12 in New Orleans (booth #2463). For more information, visit www.garden-freshfoods.com or call (414) 645-1000.\nAbout Garden-Fresh Foods\nGarden-Fresh Foods is one of the nation's leading suppliers of fresh deli salads, salad kits, dips and desserts. Family owned and operated since 1978, Garden-Fresh Foods delivers wholesome and innovative foods with creative flavor profiles using the highest quality, freshest ingredients. It creates sought-after products, including seasonal and clean label offerings featuring natural ingredients without added artificial ingredients and chemicals. The company offers exceptional customer service, culinary expertise, proprietary owned brands, clean label alternatives and private label capabilities. Garden-Fresh Foods is a SQF level 3 certified company by the Safe Quality Food Institute and is committed to the highest standards of excellence. To learn more, visit www.garden-freshfoods.com.\nView original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/garden-fresh-foods-expands-hot-bar-line-300656528.html\nSOURCE Garden-Fresh Foods\nRelated Links\nhttp://www.garden-freshfoods.com", "Celebrity cook Ayesha Curry and the Mayor of Oakland were joined by students of the Oakland Unified School District at the Oakland Whole Foods Market on Tuesday to have a cook off to promote healthy eating and urban farming.\nThe day started with a gardening workshop where students were taught about the science of photosynthesis and how to plant their own gardens by Back to the Roots — an Oakland-based startup that aims to reconnect communities with farming with its organic indoor gardening kits.\n\"This is all about making sure you guys grow up with healthy food, that you get connected to your planet, that what your goes in your body needs to be deserving of your incredible selves,\" Mayor Libby Schaaf told the students.\nCurry, an investor in Back to the Roots, showed OUSD students how to cook using the Mushroom Farm harvest kit.\nVideo South Bay Girl at Center of Potential Cancer Breakthrough\nThe co-founders of Back to the Roots, Nikhil Arora and Alejandro Velez, were present at the event. They said the company started from something they learned at UC Berkeley: mushrooms could grow entirely on spent coffee grounds.\n\"These kids got excited about these products,\" Schaaf said. \"They're not just little gardens in a can, but the idea that these mushrooms are grown from recycled coffee grounds that we in Oakland care about, not just for the health of our bodies but the health of our planet.\"", "U.K. law enforcement has formed a new squad to tackle the problem of drones flying drugs and mobile phones into prisons.\nThe team of prison and police officers will work together to inspect drones that have been found in prisons and track down where they came from and who tried to smuggle contraband in. They will share intelligence with each other.\n\"We are absolutely determined to tackle the illegal flow of drugs and mobile phones into our prisons and turn them into places of safety and reform,\" U.K. Prison Minister Sam Gyimah said in a press release on Tuesday.\n\"The threat posed by drones is clear, but our dedicated staff are committed to winning the fight against those who are attempting to thwart progress by wreaking havoc in establishments all over the country.\"\nU.K. law enforcement has been cracking down on cases of this kind.\nLast month, two people were jailed for six years and six months and four years and four months respectively for attempting to smuggle £48,000 ($ 60,240) worth of packages containing cannabis, spice, heroin and mobile phones into a number of prisons in the U.K.\nIt is criminal offence to possess any psychoactive substance in a prison and is punishable by up to two years in prison.", "1:06 First baby of 2017 in the Fresno area born at Clovis hospital Pause\n1:18 Troubles continue at Fresno's Hotel California\n0:33 Detectives nab woman and man who stole $2,500 in Christmas gifts\n2:35 What were the 5 best video games of 2016?\n2:07 Fresno State tops Nevada in New Years Eve thriller\n3:06 Uncovering the mysteries of Hmong food\n1:01 Coalinga City Council considers plan to grow pot in closed prison\n0:56 Baby needs a new home\n0:31 Powerful message about texting while driving", "DENVER (AP)– Marijuana grown in Oregon and the handful of other states where pot is legal is being smuggled to other parts of America, authorities say. It’s often hard to tell if the trafficked weed was grown legally or illegally, but some say the fact that pot is leaving these states at all puts the marijuana industry at risk.\nHere is a look at some recent notable cases.\n___\nDENVER\nColorado officials announced on June 28 they had cracked a huge smuggling ring that, under the cover of the state’s legal medical marijuana industry, shipped pot to a half-dozen other states.\nA Denver grand jury indicted 62 people and 12 businesses. It was the largest illegal marijuana operation discovered since Colorado legalized recreational pot in 2012, Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman said. Federal agents also were involved in the bust.\nThe indictment says the enterprise produced more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of illegal pot each month for shipment to Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma and other states. The ring operated from 2012 until 2016, earning an estimated $200,000 a month, Coffman said.\nNebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson thanked Coffman for “exposing the influx of Colorado marijuana entering Nebraska,” the Lincoln Journal Star newspaper reported.\nNebraska and Oklahoma earlier filed a lawsuit against Colorado, saying legalized marijuana in the neighboring state was spilling into Nebraska and Oklahoma, complicating their anti-drug efforts and draining state resources. The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit without comment.\nTwo of the men named in the Colorado indictment were arrested during an earlier traffic stop in Nebraska with 36 pounds (16 kilograms) of marijuana packed into two suitcases in their car.\n___\nBLY, OREGON\nAn Oregon State Police trooper stopped a car that was driving just over the speed limit in a remote part of Oregon, and right away noticed there was only one key on the key ring.\nTrooper Austin Hopson’s training and experience told him that was a sign that the driver of the car he stopped on Feb. 12, 2016, was a marijuana smuggler. The road has been known to be used by traffickers seeking to avoid law enforcement, authorities said.\nPlus, the passenger seat was full of items — including luggage and a musical instrument case — that would normally be in the trunk, and the driver was nervous. Hopson asked the man, a Minnesotan who was a former cellist with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, if he could search the car.\n“At this point, for the first time during the stop, the Defendant would not make eye contact with Trooper Hopson. Instead, the Defendant stared down at his paperwork as his hands began to shake uncontrollably,” a deputy district attorney said in a filing with the Klamath County Circuit Court.\nThe police searched the car without the driver’s consent. In the trunk, they found over 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of marijuana in vacuum-packed bags and a backpack full of cash, the filing said.\nThe driver was later let go and charges were dropped after a judge ruled police lacked probable cause to search the car.\n___\nLLANO, Texas\nA Texas man was piloting his plane after taking off from Medford, Oregon, in one of the country’s richest marijuana-growing regions, when the aircraft attracted authorities’ attention.\nThe U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operation Center, in Southern California, began tracking the single-engine plane after observing it had a suspicious flight pattern and landed in Arizona to refuel, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the western district of Texas.\nThe pilot, Wayne Douglas Brunet, of Austin, landed at an unmanned airport in Bulverde, Texas, but when he saw authorities on the ground waiting for him, he took off again. He then tried to land at the Lago Vista, Texas, airport but aborted the landing when he saw law enforcement officers again.\nBrunet then landed in Llano, Texas. He tried to run, tossing a duffel bag and a cell phone near the runway, but was arrested. Authorities seized 15 duffel bags filled with vacuum-sealed packages of 230 pounds (104 kilograms) of marijuana.\nBrunet pleaded guilty on June 28 to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and faces up to 20 years in federal prison. According to a plea deal, he forfeits his 1969 Piper PA-30 Comanche airplane, $5,400 in cash and $3,000 in prepaid cards.\nBy ANDREW SELSKY, Associated Press\n(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)", "The two Prison Officers who were arrested on the Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown after they were allegedly found with two parcels of compressed marijuana were on Wednesday brought before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs and charged with the offence.\nThe Officers, 22-year-old Cleveland Cross of Graham Street, Plaisance and 24-year-old Abdul Parmasoo of Corentyne, Berbice both denied that on May 27, 2018, at the Avenue of the Republic they had in their possession 434 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.\nAccording to the facts of the matter, Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels received information of the illegal activities of the officers and made contact with ranks at the Brickdam Police Station informing them of same.\nThe ranks reportedly swooped down at the above mentioned location and allegedly found Cross with a haversack on his back. The said haversack was checked and the marijuana was found.\nCross reportedly told ranks that the drugs were given to him by Parmasoo who when contacted allegedly admitted to same.\nAs such, both men were arrested and later charged with the trafficking of narcotics.\nHowever, in a statement sent out by Samuels, it was revealed that both of the men collected the parcel from a civilian while on duty at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).\nAs such, ranks on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) set up an operation on the said East Coast when the bus the men were travelling was stopped.\nA search was carried out by police and the suspected marijuana was found in a black bag in the possession of a prison officer. The two prison officers who were together were escorted to the Brickdam Police Station.\nOne of the Prison Officers allegedly admitted to collecting the item from a civilian to take for a prisoner and said that he was paid $20,000 to do same.\nNevertheless, both men were remanded to prison and are expected to return on June 8, 2018.", "The Drug Enforcement Commission in North Western Province says it has arrested three (03) small scale farmers for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing over 1.1 tonnes.\nDEC public relations manager Theresa Katongo said the arrested include George Katelele, 59, for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 392kg, John Ngungu, 49, for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 371kg and Fanwell Katelele, 37, also for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 344kg.\nThe trio was arrested from Lumwe area in Mufumbwe District of North Western Province.\nMeanwhile, Ms Katongo said 510kg of fresh cannabis plants has also been uprooted in Lumwe area of Mufumbwe District in a maize field belonging to George Kalota who is on the run.\nShe said a man hunt has since been launched for the suspect.\nShe also said the commission has also arrested a James Kabole for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants.\n“And in Luapula Province, Nchelenge District, the Commission has arrested James Kabole, 53, a small scale farmer of Kaseka village for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 360.96kg, Angela Chola, 39, a small scale farmer of Kafwembwa village for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants intercropped with maize weighing 115.77kg and Thomas Mwewa, 43, of Kalosha village for trafficking in 3.13kg of cannabis.\n“Others arrested include Mashewa Kayu, 23, of Kanyeze area in Kaoma District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 48kg, Edson Chidilima, 48, a small scale farmer of Chibizwa village in Choma District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 15kg and Teddy Chishimba, 45, a small scale farmer of Katonda area in Kaoma District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 3.4kg.\n“All suspects will appear in court soon,” she said.", "A 65 year-old man was arrested in a rural area west of Thessaloniki after he was found to be cultivating nearly 800 cannabis plants.\nPolice also found the suspect to be in possession of 85 kilos of harvested marijuana and several electronic precision scales. Much of it was stored in a warehouse on his property, while the rest was found in his home.\nCriminal charges have been filed against the man, who is due to face a prosecutor in Thessaloniki,", "0 SHARES Share Tweet\nTHE BAD batch of drugs that caused a major medical emergency at Hydebank Young Offenders centre was smuggled in via Kinder Surprise toy containers and condoms, the North Belfast News has learned.\nThe incident, which saw four prisoners taken to hospital and a further 10 treated at the prison, took place on Friday night after inmates took pregabalin, a common drug used to combat epilepsy, pain and anxiety.\nIt is easily available and so widely used recreationally by young people in the north and is known as ‘Bud’ or ‘Budweisers’ because it gives the user a sense of drunkenness. It is most commonly seen under the brand name ‘Lyrica’.\nAnd we understand there is anger amongst families as relatives of prisoners over the age of 18s weren’t informed about the prison emergency.\nThe level of drug abuse within the jail is out of control, according to a Prison Service source who told the North Belfast News how the drugs were being smuggled in.\n“They are putting the drugs in the wee Kinder Egg toy containers you get inside the chocolate and then putting them in condoms before hiding them in a body cavity,” our source told us.\n“It’s easier to get drugs inside prison than outside. It’s no surprise that so many took ill because really it was only a matter of time before a bad batch arrived in the place.”\nA Northern Ireland Prison Service spokesperson said the circumstances of the emergency were being investigated.\n“Four young people from Hydebank Wood College were taken to hospital after becoming unwell, following medical examination they returned to the college.\n“As a precaution a further six students received medical attention on site. None of those involved faced life-threatening conditions.\n“Hydebank Wood is operating as normal and the Prison Service will be fully investigating the circumstances of the incident.”", "A man who operated a large-scale, sophisticated cannabis growhouse in south Co Mayo was sentenced to a total of three years in prison at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday.\nAlmost 300 cannabis plants with a total street value of €237,600 were discovered by gardaí when they raided a house at Ballinchalla, The Neale, which was being rented by 56-year-old Mariek Asijewski.\nMr Asijewski pleaded guilty at a court in January to the possession of cannabis with intent to supply and to the cultivation of cannabis.\nAt Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Garda Nicola Dolan said the discovery of the growhouse following a search under warrant on April 5th of last year was the most significant drugs find ever in the Mayo Garda Division.\nThe ESB meter in the house had been bypassed in order to provide free electricity for the growhouse operation.\nCannabis plants were discovered growing in two upstairs bedrooms, a downstairs bedroom and in an attic space, the court heard.\nSentencing Asijewski to a total of three years in prison, Judge Rory MacCabe said he had been part of a significant drugs enterprise.\nThe judge backdated the sentence to take account of the 13 months Mr Asijewski had already spent in prison since his arrest.\nThe judge made an order for the destruction of the drugs seized.", "The police here today claimed to have busted an inter-state gang of drug peddlers with a seizure of 60 cannabis from their possession\nThe police here today claimed to have busted an inter-state gang of drug peddlers with a seizure of 60 cannabis from their possession. All three members of the gang were held near village Aduki on the Mathura-Bharatpur road, falling under the highway police station limits, late last evening, the police said.\nRepresentational Pic\n\"They were taken into custody when they were trying to smuggle cannabis,\" a police officer said adding, 60 kg drugs were recovered from the trio. Also Rs 1.12 lakh cash, three mobile phones and an electronic balance were recovered from them, the officer said.\nThe official said the three have told the police that they used to supply cannabis in Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.\nCatch up on all the latest Mumbai, National and International news here\nDownload the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go", "Prison guards have used capsicum spray to end a 16-hour stand-off at Port Augusta prison. Eleven inmates spent Tuesday night on the prison roof before surrendering early this morning.", "State Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (left), breaks ground on Tuesday, February 14, for the construction of a new school at the Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre in St. Catherine by Food for the Poor at a cost of approximately J$3.19 million (US$25,000). Also breaking ground (from second left) are: Superintendent in charge of Tamarind Farm, Baldwin Collins; Commissioner of Corrections, Ina Hunter; Head of Food for the Poor’s Prison Ministry Programme, Sandra Ramsay; and the charity organisation’s Executive Director, David Mair. + - Photo: Rudranath Fraser State Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (left), breaks ground on Tuesday, February 14, for the construction of a new school at the Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre in St. Catherine by Food for the Poor at a cost of approximately J$3.19 million (US$25,000). Also breaking ground (from second left) are: Superintendent in charge of Tamarind Farm, Baldwin Collins; Commissioner of Corrections, Ina Hunter; Head of Food for the Poor’s Prison Ministry Programme, Sandra Ramsay; and the charity organisation’s Executive Director, David Mair. Story Highlights A new school building, valued at approximately J$3.19 million (US$25,000), is being built at the Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre in St. Catherine by Food for the Poor.\nThe facility, which will be used to deliver the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) educational and vocational programme for inmates incarcerated at the institution, will comprise three classrooms, an office and sanitation facilities.\nWelcoming the project, Senator Charles said it demonstrates the type of partnership needed to spur prosperity in Jamaica, by addressing the factors causing crime and violence and instituting alternatives.\nA new school building, valued at approximately J$3.19 million (US$25,000), is being built at the Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre in St. Catherine by Food for the Poor.\nThe facility, which will be used to deliver the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) educational and vocational programme for inmates incarcerated at the institution, will comprise three classrooms, an office and sanitation facilities.\nAdditionally, it will be outfitted with desks and chairs for instructors and students by Food for the Poor, which will also renovate the institution’s computer room as part of the 10-week project.\nThe initiative, which is being done under the charity organisation’s Prison Ministry Programme, will benefit over 200 inmates.\nState Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., Food for the Poor Executive Director, David Mair, and Commissioner of Corrections, Ina Hunter, broke ground to commence construction on February 14.\nWelcoming the project, Senator Charles said it demonstrates the type of partnership needed to spur prosperity in Jamaica, by addressing the factors causing crime and violence and instituting alternatives.\nHe said the Administration continues to emphasise the importance of a “comprehensive approach” in this regard where the focus is not only geared towards keeping persons out of correctional institutions, “but keeping offenders who are released away from our facilities.”\n“We want to prevent crime on both ends…and to do so requires us to have the understanding that education is the foundation of any man or woman being able to claim their independence, whether it is economic or personal, or freedom from criminal activities,” the State Minister said.\nIn this regard, Senator Charles urged the inmates who will benefit from the new school to preserve it as “it represents your platform for transformation.”\nFor his part, Mr. Mair said Food for the Poor “believes in and values education.”\n“Since our inception, we have been guided by the belief that an investment in education is integral to breaking the cycle of poverty,” he added.\nIn this regard, Mr. Mair said the organisation built 37 early childhood institutions islandwide between 2015 and 2016, noting that “our reason for doing this is to empower our children to become the best version of themselves.”\n“It is for this reason why we break ground for this school building at Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre…to empower the over 200 inmates to develop and maximise their full potential (which) can only be achieved through educational rehabilitation,” he added.\nMs. Hunter, in expressing gratitude to Food for the Poor, said the endeavour is a dream come true.\nShe cited challenges experienced by the DCS during its initial attempts to rehabilitate inmates through education, emphasising that “if we want our inmates to be empowered and lead successful lives, then it is important that we meet them at (the point of) their greatest need…and that is through literacy development.”\n“When we invest in education, we invest in the future of our country. Hence, the better equipped our inmates are, the more likely it is that they will be reintegrated successfully (into the society), having garnered the skills and competencies that I know the school will facilitate,” Ms. Hunter said.", "socastcmsRssStartSean BoyntonsocastcmsRssEnd\nMagic mushrooms, LSD and marijuana were seized, and police say it was all destined for kids in the area.", "(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)\nMathew Schmalz, College of the Holy Cross\n(THE CONVERSATION) The new tax reform bill has led to an intense debate over whether it would help or hurt the poor. Tax reform in general raises critical issues about whether the government should redistribute income and promote equality in the first place.\nJews and Christians look to the Bible for guidance about these questions. And while the Bible is clear about aiding the poor, it does not provide easy answers about taxing the rich. But even so, over the centuries biblical principles have provided an understanding on how to help the needy.\nThe Hebrew Bible has extensive regulations that require the wealthy to set aside for the poor a portion of the crops that they grow.\nThe Bible’s Book of Leviticus states that the needy have a right to the “leftovers” of the harvest. Farmers are also prohibited from reaping the corners of their fields so that the poor can access and use for their own food the crops grown there.\nIn Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Bible, there is the requirement that every three years, 10 percent of a person’s produce should be given to “foreigners, the fatherless and widows.”\nHelping the poor is a way of “paying rent” to God, who is understood to actually own all property and who provides the rain and sun needed to grow crops. In fact, every seventh year, during the sabbatical year, all debts are forgiven and everything that grows in the land is made available freely to all people. Then, in the great jubilee, celebrated every 50 years, property returns to its original owner. This means that, in the biblical model, no one can permanently hold onto something that finally belongs to God.\nIn the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Jesus thus joins respect for the poor with respect for God. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus also states “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,” which is often interpreted as requiring Christians to pay taxes.\nThroughout Christian history, taxation has been considered an essential government responsibility.\nThe Protestant reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin drew upon Psalm 72 to argue that a “righteous” government helps the poor.\nIn 16th-century England, “poor laws” were passed to aid “the deserving poor and unemployed.” The “deserving poor” were children, the old and the sick. By contrast, the “undeserving poor” were beggars and criminals and they were usually put in prison. These laws also shaped early American approaches to social welfare.\nOver the last two centuries, new economic realities have raised new challenges in applying biblical principles to economic life. Approaches not foreseen in biblical times emerged in an attempt to respond to new situations.\nIn the 19th century, organizations like the Salvation Army believed that Christians should go out of the churches and into the streets to care for the destitute. During this period, the United States also saw the rise of the social gospel movement that emphasized biblical ideals of justice and equality. Poverty was considered a social problem that required a comprehensive social – and governmental – response.\nThe idea that government has an important role to play in human flourishing was made by Pope Leo XIII in his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum. In it, the pope argued that governments should promote “the common good.” Catholicism defines the “common good” as the “conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily.”\nWhile human fulfillment is not just about material comfort, the Catholic Church has always maintained that citizens should have access to food, housing and health care. As the Catholic Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church makes clear, taxation is necessary because government should “harmonize” society in a just way.\nAnd when it comes to taxes, no one should pay more or less than they are able. As Pope John XXIIIwrote in 1961, taxation must “be proportioned to the capacity of the people contributing.”\nIn other words, believing that helping the poor is simply an individual or private responsibility ignores the scope and complexity of the world we live in.\nHuman life has become more interconnected. In today’s globalized economy, decisions made in the heartland of China impact the American Midwest. But even with this deepening interdependence, by some measures, inequality has risen worldwide. In the United States alone, the top 1 percent possess an increasingly larger share of national income.\nWhen it comes to helping the poor in these current times, some argue that cutting taxes on individuals and corporations will stimulate economic growth and create jobs – called the “trickle-down effect,” in which money flows from those at the top of the social pyramid down to lower levels.\nPope Francis, however, argues that “trickle-down” economics places a “crude and naive trust in those wielding economic power.” In the pope’s view, an ethics of mercy, not the market, should shape society.\nBut given the Jewish and Christian commitment to the poor, the question is perhaps a factual one: What social policy does the most good?\nIn the Gospel of Luke, Jesus taught:\n”\n“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full.”\nAt the very least, this means that people should never be afraid to offer up what they have in order to help those in need.\nThis article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/taxing-the-rich-to-help-the-poor-heres-what-the-bible-says-88627.\nCopyright © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.", "Life was a lot simpler for Republicans back when they were free to launch an all-out, full-scale, scorched-earth War on Drugs without having to worry about their own kids or anybody else they knew getting wiped out as collateral damage.\nThey didn’t do anything to reduce drug use and abuse in society, but they sure built a lot of prisons and filled them up, permanently destroying millions of lives primarily in poor, minority communities by creating widespread lifetime barriers to legitimate employment that go with prison records.\nThe original War on Drugs of Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan was every conservative politician’s dream. It became the driving force behind the incarceration of massive numbers of African Americans and Latinos along with an occasional white jazz musician.\nThose enormous racial disparities in incarceration were a handy excuse for denial of voting rights, job discrimination and continuing racial inequalities of all kinds.\nThat is until sons and daughters in white communities began dying of heroin overdoses and opioid abuse. Sometimes, even the sons and daughters of white politicians. Suddenly, drug addiction was no longer just a convenient tool for political oppression. It became a full-fledged societal crisis!\nHere’s the thing, though. There’s absolutely no reason not to welcome that changing political attitude. Sure, it’s totally hypocritical. Sure, it shows how little the horrors experienced in poor, black neighborhoods matter to shallow, white politicians until those problems start affecting their own communities.\nJust because treatment instead of prison for drug addiction is long overdue doesn’t mean decent people everywhere shouldn’t encourage it. Start emptying out all of those prisons filled with non-violent drug offenders to save lives and lots of money.\nJust how far many Republicans have come in joining the fight was demonstrated when one of the final death blows to the horrific Republican health care plan of Donald Trump and Paul Ryan was removing the requirement that insurance companies cover such “essential health services” as drug treatment.\nSuburban Philadelphia Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, opposing the plan, said his top concern was “the impact on the single most important issue plaguing Bucks and Montgomery Counties, and the issue that I have made my priority in Congress: opioid abuse prevention, treatment and recovery.”\nOther Governors Expanded Health Coverage\nThe same issue was cited by many of the 31 governors, including Midwest Republicans John Kasich of Ohio and Rick Snyder of Michigan, who expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. They stood to lose billions of dollars and be forced to throw millions off Medicaid coverage under the Republican plan.\nWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has always been out of sync with the majority of the nation’s governors by refusing to expand Medicaid coverage in his state even when it was covered 100% by federal funds under so-called Obamacare.\nInstead, Walker revised his state’s BadgerCare plan to cover fewer poor people under Medicaid while costing state taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars more.\nWalker didn’t want to co-operate with the Affordable Care Act during his short-lived, ill-fated run for the presidency, but the tortured logic he used publicly was to warn that someday some really bad people might take over the federal government and shut off federal funds to help people in Wisconsin.\nAnd, of course, Walker turned out to be absolutely right. That’s the first thing Trump and Ryan tried to do. But it’s on the related issue of drug testing that Walker is really caught between the old Republican attitude of punishing people in black and Latino neighborhoods who use drugs and the new enlightened Republican support for providing assistance to white, middle-class families swept up in the “opioid epidemic.”\nWalker’s making all the proper public noises, setting up a task force on opioid abuse, “an issue that affects people all across the state.” He’s also cynically seeking permission from the Trump administration to drug test poor people seeking Medicaid that bears a striking resemblance to the same sort of drug testing he’s advocated previously to justify denying food stamps and unemployment benefits to people desperately in need.\nDrug treatment is promised, but there doesn’t appear to be any serious new funding for drug treatment on demand for those who need it. My wife, Kit, ran a successful drug treatment program as an alternative to incarceration for women in Milwaukee County. I know how difficult it is to keep building on small successes to reduce the harm of drug addiction in people’s lives.\nIt’s much easier to set up for failure people who’ve never known much success in their lives. We need to keep a close eye on politicians whose primary concern is cutting government services by throwing people off programs that feed families, help them survive loss of employment and provide health care.\nBut, by all means, reverse the devastating public policy that imprisons people with drug addictions instead of providing health treatment.", "Middleton Grange is going green.\nThe shopping centre’s ‘Grow Your Own’ campaign is designed to get local families passionate about healthy eating.\nWe hope we will encourage more people into the garden as well as taking the time to consider what they’re actually eating. Mark Rycraft\nFrom 11am until 3pm today and tomorrow, the centre will be welcoming shoppers to visit its specially-created indoor allotment where there will be a variety of different vegetables and fruit on display.\nThroughout the event, customers will be encouraged by dedicated Middleton Grange gardeners to take part in a variety of gardening games.\nThey will include a healthy eating trail hunt around the centre, where participants will look for hidden food facts and items of fresh fruit and vegetables.\nChildren who take part will also receive their very own Grow Your Own kit, which will include a selection of seeds as well as basic tools to help get them started at home.\nAnd its spades at the ready for participants, who will be able to dig deep to win some top prizes, with several golden tipped carrots waiting to be unearthed.\nCentre manager Mark Rycraft, Middleton Grange Shopping Centre manager, said: “We hope we will encourage more people into the garden as well as taking the time to consider what they’re actually eating.\n“Our Grow Your Own kits will also provide a fun yet educational way for little ones to learn the process of how these essential food groups go from the soil to our plates.”", "Three Texas men were stopped by a Yavapai County deputy while carrying edible cereal boxes containing marijuana in Ash Fork, Arizona, on Aug. 9, 2017 (Photo: Yavapai County Sheriff's Office)\nThree Texas men carrying marijuana in containers with children's cereal-like names such as \"Chronic Toast Crunch,\" \"Frooty Loopys\" and \"Cap'n Munch\" were caught in northern Arizona, officials said.\nDemitrio Uriostegui, 22; Gerardo Lopez, 25; and Julian Camacho-Soto, 27, were driving on Interstate 40 in Ash Fork on Aug. 9 when a Yavapai County Sheriff's K9 deputy pulled over their vehicle, the Sheriff's Office said.\nWhile speaking with Uriostegui, the driver, the deputy detected a strong odor of marijuana from the car, a Yavapai County Sheriff's Office news release said.\nJulian Camacho-Soto (Photo: Yavapai County Sheriff's Office)\nThe deputy searched further and found a white cooler containing a large amount of marijuana disguised as cereal as well as other THC-based products, the news release said. The three men each admitted the items belonged to them, officials said.\nCamacho-Soto was arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal marijuana, paraphernalia and narcotic drugs, according to the release.\nUriostegui and Lopez were issued criminal citations for illegal possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, the release said. Camacho-Soto remained in custody Monday on a $10,000 bond, the release said.\nSkip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE U.S. Custom and Border Protection agents stop thousands of pounds of narcotics from crossing the border. Smugglers have come up with unique and creative ways to evade detection, including sneaking drugs through air-powered cannons and hidden in food. Wochit\nREAD MORE:\nMan accused of trying to smuggle marijuana across border in fake Dish Network van\nFully loaded: Fords arrive at dealers with stashes of marijuana\nArizona marijuana laws: 13 things you need to know\nRead or Share this story: http://azc.cc/2wZ0DyA", "A Guyana Defence Force rank , who was found guilty of trafficking in excess of four pounds of marijuana during a stop and search exercise by police in the vicinity of the Berbice River Bridge in January this year, has been sentenced to two years in prison.\nSenior Magistrate Alex Moore, presiding at the New Amsterdam Court, imposed a two-year imprisonment term along with a two million dollar fine on Collis Beckles . If he fails to pay the fine , Beckles will have to serve an additional two year sentence.\nOn January 5, last around 21:30hrs, the defendant, of Lot 70 Barnwell North, Mocha, East Bank Demerara, was a passenger in hire car HC 5799 travelling the Georgetown to New Amsterdam route when it was stopped at a police roadblock in the vicinity of the Berbice River Bridge.\nThe driver, along with the other occupants of the car , were searched. It was during the examination, that the suspected trafficker claimed ownership of a grey and black haversack in which was the defendant’s identification card, a pair of black Timberland slippers, a green sheet, and two black plastic bags were seen with seeds, leaves and stems, suspected to be cannabis sativa. The narcotic weighed 2137 grams or 4 lbs 11 ounces.\nUnder caution, Beckles said,” Somebody give me the weed to drop in NA.”\nHowever, he submitted a written statement, in which he revealed that one Denheart, who is an ex-soldier living in New Amsterdam, called him via cellular phone, and requested that he collect a parcel from his brother in front of the former KFC outlet at the Stabroek Market and deliver same to him in New Amsterdam.\nPolice Prosecutor, Corporal Winston Poliah argued that the defendant had knowledge, possession and control of the illegal drug, and should face the penalty according to the Narcotics Act.", "The price of supermarket hummus has leapt by 29 per cent since January 2017 due to a global chickpea shortage. A 310g pot of hummus costs £1.47 on average now, a year-on-year increase of 33 pence, according to analysis by the trade magazine The Grocer.\nHigh demand\nChickpeas are in high demand but poor crop yields in some areas over the past year have driven down supply, one supplier explained.\n“Chickpea prices have increased during 2017 and remain high,” Tasneem Backhouse, managing director of chickpea supplier EHL Ingredients, told The Grocer.\n“Demand is strong from every market and currently there isn’t enough supply to go around. This is driven by poor crops in some of the main producing origins over the past 12 months,” Ms Tasneem said.\nScarcity of lettuce\nBritain is also facing a salad shortage after a cold snap in parts of southern Spain caused iceberg lettuce crops to fail. Some 1,000 hectares of land was lost with yields of iceberg lettuce, broccoli and artichokes down 25 per cent on 2016, according to The Grocer. Supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer briefly removed pots of hummus from their shelves last spring due to “taste issues”. After some customers complained of an unpleasant “metallic” tang, the supermarkets’ supplier, Bakkavor, confirmed it notified the retailers it did business with to warn of a problem with its manufacturing process. Bakkavor refused to say what had caused the strange taste but stressed that there was no food safety issue. In 2017 consumers in the UK spent £181.7m on chilled dips, up from £143.8m in 2007, according to the consumer insight firm Kantar Worldpanel.", "Two men have been jailed to a total of 13 years in prison for running heroin between London and Wellingborough.\nThe men were caught after officers stopped a vehicle just outside Wellingborough in October 2016 and found 248 grams of heroin.\nDenver Willis\nThe VW Scirocco was being driven by Sheneil Davis, 25, of Wembley Park Drive, London, with Ray Brighton, 27, of Gifford Road, London, as the front passenger.\nThe drugs were discovered hidden in a woollen beanie hat.\nIt had a 35 per cent concentration and an approximate street value of £12,500.\nAn investigation revealed five other similar trips had been made by Brighton between August 2016 and October 2016 to the Northamptonshire area.\nRay Brighton\nDuring these trips he is alleged to have met with Micah Thomas, 28, of Chadwick Gardens, Duston, Northampton, and Denver Willis, 33, of Arncliffe Way, Warwick.\nWhen officers subsequently carried out a series of raids in November 2016, they recovered £6,651 in cash, along with smaller quantities of cannabis and Class A drugs.\nAll four were charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.\nAt trial, Sheneil Davis and Micah Thomas were found not guilty.\nThe beanie hat\nBefore trial, Brighton pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to supply Class A and possession with intent to supply cannabis.\nAt Northampton Crown Court last week (June 9), he was sentenced to seven years for conspiracy to supply drugs and 20 months for possession with intent to supply cannabis.\nBoth sentences are to run concurrently.\nWillis also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, along with possession with intent to supply cocaine and production of cannabis.\nHe was sentenced to six years and 10 months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.\nHe was also sentenced to four months conspiracy to supply cannabis and three years for cocaine, to run concurrently.\nInvestigator Victoria Stather said: “I hope the sentences given to Brighton and Willis will serve as a deterrent to others thinking of dealing in drugs.\n“The pair were so brazen in the dealings, hiding drugs in a hat, and freely bringing drugs into the county.\n“These jail terms mean no more road trips for them and no more of their harmful drugs making their way into Northants communities.”", "Fourteen Rastafarians have been arrested in Mchinji for protesting the arrest of fellow Rastafarians who were found cultivating cannabis sativa.\nMchinji police publicist Inspector Kaitano Lubrino said police on January 31 acted on a tip-off and arrested two members of the Rastafarian religion for cultivating Indian hemp in their respective gardens.\nHe further said the arrests did not go well with the Rastafarian folks who later in the next morning of February 1 went to the Police Unit to rescue their member.\n“A commotion started as the grouping removed the police flag and replaced it with their Rastafarian flag at the Police Unit.\n“This prompted the police from the parent station to beef up manpower to the Unit and in the process twelve irate people were arrested for the offence of misconduct at a police station,” said Lubrino.\nThe publicist further said one of the suspects identified as Ras Meshach Banda (52) who also act as the elder of the religious gathering in the area argued with the police that there is no problem using Chamba.\nHe further said using marijuana staff either through smoking, eating as relish or drinking as tea is their key for exaltations and sacrifice for Jah.\nIn Malawi, according to regulation 4 (a) of dangerous drugs as read with section 19 subsection 1 of Dangerous Drugs Act, it is an offence to cultivate or to be found in possession of cannabis sativa and this act provides a maximum penalty of K5 000 000 fine or 14 years imprisonment with hard labor if one is found guilty.\nThe suspects are expected to appear before court soon to answer charges of cultivating chamba and misconduct at a police station respectively.\nThe suspects are; Mishack Banda aged 52, Yohane Boniface, 25, Daniel Zulu, 21, Simioni Mwale aged 27, Zambika Masoadyera aged 25, Langizo Siliya aged 24, Chadza Phiri aged 23, Patrick Mmango aged 22, Gelesomo Chemili, 35, Kabungwe Mwale aged 35, Meshach John aged 24, Jonathan Sakale aged 22, John Biliati aged 20 and Mathews Sitolo.", "Growing up, Ragina Saunders says her grandmother cooked with a supernatural pot.\n\"At my grandma's house, everyone could come. She had this pot that just kept stirring and she kept on getting scoops out, no matter how many people came with their kids, she kept on scooping out food, making up plates. I saw that growing up and the little things we take for granted and I saw how this world was going and how we need to keep this spirit alive. We're Charleston, we're hospitality. I still believe we're the Holy City.\"\nSaunders opened pay-what-you-can Destiny Community Café in her family's Scott Grand Reception and Corporate Center building on Dorchester Road in Spring 2015. She had seen the need in her community, and heard about the nonprofit One World Everybody Eats, a program that helps food vendors open pay-what-you-can eateries. Destiny was the first cafe under this nonprofit in the state of South Carolina (Dellz on the Macon has since joined the roster). Since its inception, word has spread and Saunders is serving buffet-style lunch Mon.-Fri. to at least 50 people a day, carrying on the tradition of that supernatural giving pot. But serving healthy meals to customers who sometimes can only donate a few dollars, or their time, is not easy to sustain. And keeping up with the ever-growing city means costs are only rising.\n\"We've been growing, and the shopping center we're in, new people have been moving in, which has caused us to need to come up to that standard/scale. The first thing is the signage,\" says Saunders. The property's landlord let all the businesses know that they needed new large block signage (currently the cafe has a small, painted sign propped up out front) to match the bigger stores like Sav-A-Lot and Planet Fitness. Saunders says even though it will be pricey for their nonprofit, she's not complaining.\n\"It makes sense, and actually will make us much more visible. We're not complaining, we just need funding.\" Saunders posted on social media about the need for the new sign, which will cost the cafe upwards of $2,500. \"I let customers know what we're up against. We've got a couple of companies that have given us other offers than what we were looking at. We're hoping that those meet approval, we need help. Everything is growing around us and the community wants us to stay.\"\nThe community Saunders serves is comprised of Charleston denizens who are disabled, don't have means of transportation, seniors, and people who can't afford organic healthy food, but more than that, can't afford to eat cheap, fried fast food every day. \"We try to put out as much healthy food as possible. We have one guy who comes in and tells us his blood sugar level every day,\" laughs Saunders. \"He's happy because we're cooking things he can eat on his diet restrictions. The food [we serve] is doing more than filling their bellies, it's healing.\"\nThe cafe's long list of needs includes a walk-in freezer (also close to $2,000) which they'll use to keep the fresh produce they receive from local growers from going bad. In addition to vegetable donations and non-perishable items, Saunders says a lot of the food they serve is purchased out of her own pocket. And renting out the banquet hall space on the weekends helps keep the lights on.\n\"Some days I say 'OK lord, I don't know how I'm going to feed 50 people with this little bit of money in my hands' and a volunteer will come and say 'let's make this.' Our motto is 'come to Destiny: pay what you can, we cook what we can.'\"\nBecause they can only store and prep so much food at a time, the cafe doesn't have a set menu. But they do have an ambitious up-and-coming caterer and event planner working his magic in the kitchen. Terrence Freeman, owner of Charleston's Elite Event Planning, was quick to bring me slices of his homemade banana bread with bourbon caramelized bananas the moment I arrived. This is not the kind of fare you may expect at a pay-what-you-can cafe, but Saunders says there are lots of bright young people contributing their talent to the cause. \"It's a good launching point, with the hands-on experience they'll get ... Terrence comes here early in the morning, he's so excited. He likes to prep and organize and manage.\"\nFreeman and other young volunteers are welcome faces for the seniors who, Saunders says, \"come a lot.\" \"They love interacting with young people, and a lot of the younger volunteers will teach the older people how to use their cellphones.\" Saunders points out one of her volunteers, Janie Jones, who shyly smiles when Saunders mentions her newly learned phone finesse. Saunders says that Jones — who is almost 90 — is about as close to a real life saint as you can get. \"She will go find people at the bus stop, if they're hungry, need clothes or shelter, she'll pick people up and bring them here for lunch. On Sundays when we aren't busy she will come in and we'll do an assembly line and she'll take 30-40 dinners to homeless people.\"\nIt's people like Jones, and kind-hearted, down-on-their-luck strangers, who keep Saunders going, even as the pot looks like it may run dry. \"A guy came in today, he was out of breath, like he'd been running to get here. We had 30 minutes before we closed, he said 'I heard about this place and they said I could volunteer and I'm here to volunteer because I don't have any money.' Someone was bringing in some bags and he got up to assist them immediately, it was nice he recognized right then that he could step in and help,\" says Saunders. \"People still surprise me, even after three years. We're all so jaded, all this horrible stuff happening [in the world] 'how can people do this?' and then I'll come in here and you think gosh there really are good people. It gives me hope for the community.\"\nADVERTISEMENT\nHelp Destiny Community Cafe get their sign up by September by donating at GoFundMe.com/DestinyCafe. The cafe is happy to accept paper towels, toilet papter, sanitizer, and non-perishable items, as well as volunteers who can donate their time during the week.", "Three men accused of trying to import ganja with intent to supply made their initial court appearance today (19 March.)\nPolice arrested Jamaicans Marvin Brown, Garett Rose and Andrew Forbes last week in the South Sound area.\nThey were charged with two counts of possession of an unlicensed firearm, illegal landing, importation of ganja and possession of ganja with intent to supply. The attorney representing them said she needed more information about the case.\nThe trio was remanded in custody and returns to court 27 March.\nShare this: Facebook\nTwitter\nPrint", "Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email\nA man and a woman have been arrested after a police raid uncovered a stash of suspected heroin and cannabis.\nThe raids in Irvine’s McKinlay Crescent saw police – in possession of a warrant – attend the property at around 7.30am on Friday, February 10.\nDuring the search a quantity of alleged class A drugs, believed to be heroin, and a quantity of alleged class B drugs, believed to be cannabis, were recovered.\nA 42-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were arrested for allegedly being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.\nA full report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.\nConstable Emley of the Irvine locality policing team said: “Drugs bring misery to our communities and we are committed to working with local people and our partners to tackle concerns relating to the supply of controlled drugs.\n“Hopefully our continued efforts provide reassurance to the local community that we will act on all information passed to us.”\nAnyone with information about crime in their community is encouraged to call police on 101 (in an emergency always dial 999).\nInformation can also be passed to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained.\nRead more news from Irvine and Kilwinning", "[India], July 4 (ANI): Two Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh.\nThe encounter broke out in the forest area of Balebeda village in the district.\nOne naxal has been identified as Kishore, the section commander of Military Company No. 05, while the identity of the other is yet to be ascertained.\nThe District Reserve Guard (DRG) also seized two weapons, bags and other daily-use material from the spot.\nMore details are awaited.\nIn a separate incident in the district earlier today, the special task force retaliated strongly to naxals who opened fire at the security forces in the forest area of Jedda village. Following the retaliatory firing the Naxals fled from the spot. The police seized bags, camp sheets, medical kits and other daily-use materials. (ANI)", "MOUNT ZION, Ill. (WAND) - A Mount Zion man is accused of using his basement to grow marijuana and cook cannabis hash oil.\nPolice raided the man's house on Oakcrest Court.\n25 plants were seized along with 2,400 grams of cannabis and equipment used to extract hash oil.\nThe 30-year-old man, whose name has not yet been released, was jailed on preliminary felony charges of unlawful possession of cannabis plants and manufacturing equipment, unlawful possession with intent to deliver more than 2,000 grams of cannabis and unlawful possession of cannabis.\nThe man is due in court May 22.", "Building a slide deck, pitch, or presentation? Here are the big takeaways:\nIBM launched IBM Watson Data Kits, designed to speed the development of AI applications in the enterprise.\nEnterprise AI apps created with IBM Watson Data Kits have the potential to aid in faster, more informed decision making for business leaders.\nOn Tuesday, IBM launched IBM Watson Data Kits, designed to speed the development of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in the enterprise. These apps have the potential to aid in faster, more informed decision making for business leaders, according to a press release.\n\"Watson Data Kits will provide companies across industries with pre-enriched, machine readable, industry-specific data that can enable them to scale AI across their business,\" the release said.\nIn Q2, Watson Data Kits will become available for the travel, transportation, and food industries, with kits for travel points of interest and food menus. Kits tailored for additional industries are also expected in the coming months, the release noted.\nSEE: The Power of IoT and Big Data (Tech Pro Research)\nMore than half of data scientists said they spend most of their time on janitorial tasks, such as cleaning and organizing data, labeling data, and collecting data sets, according to a CrowdFlower report, making it difficult for business leaders to implement AI technology at scale. Streamlining and accelerating the development process for AI engineers and data scientists will help companies more quickly gain insights from their data, and drive greater business value, according to IBM.\n\"Big data is fueling the cognitive era. However, businesses need the right data to truly drive innovation,\" Kristen Lauria, general manager of Watson media and content, said in the release. \"IBM Watson Data Kits can help bridge that gap by providing the machine-readable, pre-trained data companies require to accelerate AI development and lead to a faster time to insight and value. Data is hard, but Watson can make it easier for stakeholders at every level, from CIOs to data scientists.\"\nThe Watson Data Kit for travel points of interest will offer airlines, hotels, and online travel agencies with more than 300,000 points of interest in 100 categories, to create better experiences for travelers, according to the release. Companies in the travel and transportation industry can use the kits to build AI-powered web and mobile apps to help users find information on points of interest in a given area. For example, the release noted, a hospitality company could use the data kit to train AI powering its chatbot to recommend personalized destinations based on a customer's individual preferences.\nMeanwhile, the Watson Data Kit for food menus includes 700,000 menus in 21,000 US cities, according to the release. This will offer AI developers content for apps that can help users filter menu items, types of food, locations, and price points. The kit allows developers to build in side-by-side comparisons of menu choices and prices. For example, the release noted, the kit could be integrated into a car's navigation system to provide voice-activated directions to the closest bakery that sells gluten-free muffins.\nStay up to date on all the latest big data news. Click here to subscribe to the TechRepublic Big Data Essentials newsletter. Subscribe\nAlso see", "No gifts please.\nVisitors who plan to visit family members and friends now detained at the Cebu Provincial Rehabilitation and Detention Center (CPDRC) on Christmas Day are discouraged from bringing gifts inside the facility.\nActing Jail Warden Audesti Miguel said the prohibition is expected to deter the entry of contraband into the provincial jail.\nADVERTISEMENT\n“The prime concern is on security. We do not want contraband items to get in (the jail) that easily. We’re still trying to come up with procedures (on how to implement the no gifts policy) but as much as possible, I suggest the visitors to just bring themselves,” said Miguel.\nMiguel said they are also considering the possibility of prohibiting visitors from bringing food inside the jail.\nInstead, they are looking at the possibility of making the inmates prepare the meals that they will share with their visitors on December 25 and 26.\nMiguel said inmates, through their cooperative that manages the jail’s bakery, can spend on the meals that they will prepare.\nThis way, everyone will get to eat the same meals regardless of their social standing, he said.\n“Since inmates have their own capabilities to celebrate, why not celebrate in the true spirit of Christmas wherein there’s no distinction between the rich and the poor? They themselves would prepare (their meals) and not require people coming in to visit them to bring something for them,” Miguel said.\nThe Cebu provincial government and jail officials have declared December 25 and 26 as family day at the provincial jail.\nFamilies and friends are allowed entry into the facility from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to spend the day with detainees.\nEach of the jail’s 3, 800 detainees will be allowed three visitors.\nMiguel said they are closely working with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in preparing jail security measures that they will implement then.\nFinal arrangements will be known during the next department heads meeting at capitol on Monday.\nBut this early, Miguel’s plan already has the support of Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III.", "A raid was conducted and both the accused were nabbed with four packets of 25 kg ganja each. Representational image. A raid was conducted and both the accused were nabbed with four packets of 25 kg ganja each. Representational image.\nA Delhi court has sentenced two persons to ten years rigorous imprisonment for possessing and conspiring to transport 100 kg ‘ganja’, saying the crime entails a harsh punishment. The court handed down jail term to Bihar native Vir Bahadur and Jamshed from Delhi for offences under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act and also imposed a fine of Rs two lakh each.\nWatch What Else Is Making News\n“It is generally noticed that in cases where drugs are supplied to consumers, the main drug peddlers go scott free and the conduit used by such peddlers, who are invariably poor people, get caught. “The harsh punishment provided for offence under the NDPS Act is an indication that offences are to be considered very serious in nature, but while awarding sentence, the court has also to keep in mind, if there is any chance of reformation of the convicts,” Special NDPS Judge A K Kuhar said.\nThe judge noted that in this case, the convicts were the carriers, “who became part and parcel of the conspiracy” to deal in supply and transportation of the narcotic substance. According to the prosecution, the Delhi Police Crime Branch received a secret information that on the night of October 6, 2011, Jamshed and his associate Vir Bahadur would be coming in a car near Delhi-Noida-Delhi flyway to supply the contraband.\nA raid was conducted and both the accused were nabbed with four packets of 25 kg ganja each. During the trial, they denied the allegations levelled agaisnt them and claimed to have been falsely implicated by the police. The court, however, relied on the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses who were police officials and said there were no material contradictions in their statement." ]

[ "An airplane with mountains behind it." ]

[ "A man is flying an airplane in the sky.", "Man standing in a dirtpit with mountains and the sky in the background.", "A man in a jacket is standing in front of a white background.", "A man is walking with mountains in the background.", "There are trees on the mountains in the background.", "A street in with a mountain in the background.", "A man tubing on snow with mountains in the background.", "A woman is standing alone outside of a door.", "A man in blue striped shirt stands behind two doors.", "A small girl is standing outside.", "A person is climbing with a mountain in the background.", "A man in a white shirt standing next to drinks and cigarettes.", "A man in a green shirt and jeans stands on some boards with a man hunting in the background.", "A man standing behind a small black and white dog", "A small girl sleeps in a mans lap on an airplane.", "Mountains are in the background of a boat on the water.", "The man in the dress shirt wipes the airplane window.", "Man in a yellow shirt and Woman in a white shirt stand next to a food cart", "A man in a white shirt stands next to a fence eating.", "A woman in a white shirt stands in the city.", "The man in the white shirt is at church.", "a man looks at a small child with trees in the background", "A small man in a blue shirt is standing in front of a group of tires.", "Sailors are standing on an airplane.", "A man standing behind a small black and white hot dog", "A woman in white is reading on an airplane.", "man not in white t-shirt", "There is a man with a green shirt and black pants in the background.", "A small girl stands on a field outside.", "The small fluffly white dog is outside in the grass.", "A woman in white stands outside a cafe.", "A man in a white shirt is standing next to his dog by the beach." ]

[ "Yoknapatawpha" ]

[ "set it to music", "\"On Your Mark!, Get Set!, Go!\"" ]

[ "Approvato con 162 voti a favore e 155 contrari. Nessun astenutoAnna Finocchiaro (Unione): \"Un grande risultato politico\" Via libera del Senato, il decreto fiscale è legge La maggioranza tiene senza la fiducia" ]

[ "È stato convocato per le 12 il Consiglio dei ministri durante il quale, secondo fonti di maggioranza, il governo autorizzerà a porre la questione di fiducia sull’intera manovra, vale a dire il decreto fiscale e la Finanziaria.", "Il governo ha posto alla Camera la questione di fiducia sul decreto fiscale. Lo ha annunciato in aula il ministro per i Rapporti con il Parlamento Carlo Giovanardi. Il voto sul decreto fiscale è previsto", "Approvata senza ricorrere al voto di fiduciaQuesta sera a Palazzo Chigi la nomina dei nuovi sottosegretari Finanziaria, dal Senato il via libera definitivo Berlusconi: \"E' una manovra epocale\"", "(AGI) - Roma, 17 dic. - Anche sul decreto legge &quot;taglia-deficit&quot;, ovvero la manovrina, potrebbe essere messa alla Camera la fiducia, cosi&#39; come sulla Finanziaria. E&#39; quanto prevedono fonti di maggioranza, secondo", "Via libera dal Consiglio dei ministri al decreto legge che modifica la Bossi-Fini. L’articolo 1 del provvedimento assegna ai giudici di pace la competenza sulla convalida dei provvedimenti di espulsione.", "La maggioranza tiene al Senato, anche senza il voto dei senatori a vitasu due dei tre voti previsti in aula per approvare la manovra per il 2008 Finanziaria a un passo dal via libera Due voti di fiducia tra troppi ultimatum Fisichella: \"Il mio rapporto con l'esecutivo è finito e non è recuperabile\"Gli altolà dei nove centristi: \"Il nostro è un sì tecnico per evitare manovre provvisorie\" di CLAUDIA FUSANI", "ROMA - La commissione Bilancio del Senato ha dato il via libera al testo della legge Finanziaria che lunedì approderà in aula a Palazzo Madama. Intanto il governo ha trovato un’intesa anche sull’Irap", "L&#39;Aula di Montecitorio ha approvato il ddl Bilancio. Con questo voto, dopo il via libera ottenuto anche dalla legge Finanziaria (successivo al voto di fiducia) la manovra economica approda oggi in quarta lettura al Senato.", "ROMA. Via libera dalla Camera al Senato federale. Il primo articolo è stato approvato con 299 sì, 27 no e 182 astenuti. Compatta la maggioranza, articolato il comportamento delle opposizioni. I partiti del", "Decreto fiscale, ripreso l'esame al Senato Sono riprese in aula al Senato le votazioni degli emendamenti al decreto fiscale collegato alla Finanziaria. L'esame potrebbe concludersi in mattinata. Respinti tutti gli emendamenti dell'opposizione, ora si passa all'esame degli ordini del giorno. L'Unione ha votato compatta, scongiurando il ricorso al voto di fiducia da parte del governo. Lo scarto tra maggioranza e opposizione si è ampliato questa mattina rispetto alle votazioni di ieri, con in media un margine di 8-10 voti di maggioranza. In aula presenti cinque senatori a vita", "Il chiarimento in Consiglio dei ministri con le parole di Prodi che riconosce \"la fiduciaalla magistratura e alla sua autonomia e alle politiche del governo sulla giustizia\" Il governo tiene: \"Tutto bene, non c'è crisi\" Mastella-Di Pietro: è guerra fredda Intanto al Senato la maggioranza tiene (157 voti contro 156) sul decreto fiscaleAnche il Guardasigilli è andato a votare. Bertinotti: \"Il malato ha preso il brodino\"", "Ora e' legge, con la maggioranza ha votato An", "ROMA – La Marzano-bis è legge. Il decreto legge che contiene le modifiche alla legge Marzano, approvato dal consiglio dei ministri del 26 novembre scorso e deciso per estendere la procedura a Volare, è", "Il discorso del presidente del Consiglio a Palazzo MadamaAppello all'opposizione: \"Chiudiamo una fase politica, serve governabilità\" Senato, Prodi chiede la fiducia \"Facciamo insieme la legge elettorale\"", "Tutte le modifiche introdotte. Il testo dovrà poi tornare al Senatoper il via libera finale. L'approvazione deve avvenire entro la fine dell'anno Le novità della legge finanziaria da Mister Prezzi al fondo salva-mutui Sabato il via libera della commissione Bilancio della Camera", "ROMA - Dopo che l’altra notte la commissione bilancio del Senato ha approvato il maxi-emendamento del governo alla finanziaria, contenente la riforma fiscale, ieri è spuntata l’ipotesi di un decreto di fine anno che recepisca alcune norme che non", "È legge la manovra economica per il 2005. Il Senato ha dato il quarto e ultimo via libera alla Finanziaria con 164 si&#39;, 72 no e 2 astenuti. Al termine del travagliato percorso della manovra di bilancio, il", "Il Senato ha espresso un sì unanime al decreto legge contro la violenza nel calcio. Il provvedimento...", "Il decreto legge contro la violenza negli stadi dovrebbe essere approvato dal Senato fra domani e me...", "Al Senato si sfilaccia la maggioranza che vota con Cdl", "Taglia il traguardo del Senato il disegno di legge delega del governo sulla riforma dell&#39;ordinamento giudiziario. L&#39;assemblea di palazzo Madama ha votato il provvedimento dopo un duro scontro fra la maggioranza e le opposizioni.", "Silvio Berlucsoni esulta: alla fine potrà varare la riforma fiscale e diminuire le tasse a partire dal prossimo anno. Il via libera alla manovra è arrivato dai partner di maggioranza e oggi l’emendamento", "Oggi al Senato &egrave; stato votato il decreto antiviolenza e un protocollo per sostenere la candid...", "La norma aveva provocato polemiche nel centrosinistraE' nel maxiemendamento che ha ricevuto la fiducia al Senato Prescrizione dei reati contabili Il dietrofront con un decreto il 27", "Via libera al progetto di Sarkozy anche dal Senato", "Stretta finale della maggioranza sulla Finanziaria. Oggi, il Consiglio dei ministri decide se porre la fiducia anche alla Camera. Il via libera finale potrebbe arrivare prima di Natale. L&#39;opposizione, però, annuncia battaglia.", "Lega al Senato, Governo esprima fiducia al corpo", "ROMA, 3 dicembre 2004 - Via libera della commissione Bilancio del Senato al maxiemendamento fiscale del governo, che contiene gli sgravi Irpef e Irap. Dopo che nella seduta pomeridiana della commissione sono", "Il testo \"ripulito\" delle norme non in linea con la CostituzioneCambiate le regole sul turn-over delle Regioni Finanziaria, via libera alla Camera Domani Senato: \"Voto di fiducia\" No ai videogiochi nelle sale Bingo", "Via libera a testo su passaggi di funzione dei magistrati", "ROMA - La riforma fiscale è al Senato, dove domani inizierà il suo iter parlamentare. Il governo ha presentato alla commissione Bilancio di Palazzo Madama il testo del provvedimento sotto forma di emendamento alla Finanziaria.", "Modifica al codice penale in base a un accordo bipartisanPene da 3 a 12 anni di carcere. Ora il provvedimento al Senato La tortura diventa reato anche in Italia Da Montecitorio via libera alla legge" ]

[ "Kung pow" ]

[ "That's the best video I've ever seen though...", "Ever seen the movie Airplane! ? That fan right there", "What's the shittiest shitpost you've ever seen?", "\"What\" isn't the best name ever", "Have you ever seen a psychiatrist?", "The question was \"What is the dumbest ask reddit post you've ever seen?\"", "Seen both, very fucked up movies but very on point with what can happen.", "Have you ever seen a fully grown male wolf? They are massive. I’d give it my best go, but I’d almost certainly lose.", "Fake taxi\n\nLike have you ever seen one of them crash?", "What's with these \"boners in public\" questions, I have never seen with an obvious erection in public, like ever.", "Free movies are the best", "If you have the chance of not committing - take it. I've seen people \"find themselves\" when they're way over 30.\n\nIf it's not an option - weigh in what is, and do what's best FOR YOU.", "No the more the merrier have you ever seen a girl with four tits", "&gt; mostly low quality with dumb movies \n\nWhich Indian movies have you seen that led you to draw this conclusion?", "Best day ever", "Ever seen the inside of a van before?", "best. historian. ever", "Best song ever", "When the vaccine finally arrives, there will be a legendary cheeky dance on a grand scale joining all races and religion and it will be beautiful. The most beautiful and the best. The best that the world has ever seen.", "This is one of the oldest reposts I’ve ever seen", "I’ll find rapist and child molestors. You ever see the movie “Unbreakable”?", "You ever seen the sun rises in the morning the orange and purple mix in the sky", "I just use google and type Reddit at the end. \n\n“What is the best movie of 2020 Reddit”", "This is probably the dumbest question I’ve ever seen", "Ever seen a defendant try to take a shit on the table?", "crabominable, ugliest pokemon ive ever seen", "Making folks smile. \n\nWhy? Because you ever seen a person smile? It's beautiful.", "I know someone that makes their kids do chores or write essays when they are rude or unkind, and I think that’s the best parenting I’ve ever seen.", "Become the best fighter there ever was because that's usually the way you escape that situation.", "I've seen this movie. Doesn't the stepmother help out in the end?", "I ain't ever seen no mouse outside", "Paramedic here. “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever seen?” I’d rather not discuss the calls I still have nightmares about, thank you very much." ]

[ "yes there totally is, when they are finished getting the tin man, or maybe its when they are fist seeing the tin man, but if you concentrate on the background in the trees, you can see the dude climb into the tree, kinda see thats hes doing something there, and then all of a sudden, he hangs himself, swinging back and forth. its addicting to watch. u just have to watch ot over and over." ]

[ "Wizard of Oz\\nIt keeps me young", "From the song in the musical \"Wizard of Oz\"\\n\\nSomewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue...and every dream that you care to dream really does come true.\\n\\nIt means in an optimistic fantasy land, in a fictional place where everything is \"better\".", "Try Ebay\\n\\nI did a search for \"Wizard of Oz Karaoke\" and found this. Some of these contain the song you are looking for.\\nhttp://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2F&fkr=1&from=R8&satitle=wizard+of+oz+karaoke&category0=", "The wizard of Oz, Charlie and the chocolate factory, and any Shirly Temple movies.... Fav games- Kick the can, scattergories, spin the bottle,( but don't tell mum ).....", "Willow and the Wizard of Oz had both large numbers.", "I'm assuming he falls at night. How can you not put 2 and 2 together? LOL", "my favorite muscial is Wicked. it has some really great songs that always get stuck in your head, amazing stars, and it has a great plot- it fills in the blanks for the Wizard of Oz", "its really cool if you can sync it up exactly right. if its off just a tiny tiny bit its boring and u have to retry. doesnt have the same effect if it not on cue. but yes it is awesome! hard to find a vhs tape of wizard of oz though!", "I have linked some sites that sell wizard of oz charm bracelets. I know that some are the same, but the prices may differ, so I linked them anyway. I hope this helps....", "I think it was Captain Hook, and it was just a horrible ironic twist of fate that he lost his hand and now has a Hook", "The Wizard of Oz obviously. The fantasy land of Oz is in color while Kansas is black and white. And I have to agree with Schindler's List as the other.", "It appears he died when the first person posted in this topic... good thing you didnt ask about santa clause....", "he stood on a block of ice to hang himself then it melted, hence the water", "Its a toss up...\"Gone With The Wind\", or \"The Wizard of OZ\". Both are classics. Best actor is a hard one. I like Sean Connery and Tom Hanks.", "Umm, yeah. I was Ms. Gulch and The Wicked Witch in the school play in 6th grade of The wizard of Oz. Does that count?", "suicide by hanging according to IMDB", "No, it is yet another urban legend nicely disclaimed by Snopes.com, in my opinion the best site on the net to debunk such things. Check out the details:", "Wow! What a trip! Trask is going to melt like the wicked witch on the Wizard of Oz. I hope he doesn't leave a mess! I'd hate to have to clean it up!", "I wondered the same thing.\\n\\nMy friend read the book and told me that he dies in an accident as his wife says in the movie. \\n\\nI think the movie leads you to believe otherwise though.", "Amazon sells it. Unico in the Island of Magic\\nhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/6300137511/102-4098798-3036902?v=glance&n=404272\\n\\nThe Land of Oz, a Sequel to the 'Wizard of Oz' (1932)\\nhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022049/\\n\\nReturn to Oz (1985)\\nhttp://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1017488-return_to_oz/", "with the wizard of oz...this is open to speculation.... It is pretty cool to watch the movie while listening to the album. Start the CD when the MGM lion roars the third time at the beginning of the movie and see for yourself.", "Yes you can see what looks like a man hanging himself. As to the concrete answer no one knows. Everyone seems to have a different answer. Of course you have those that say no cause they don't want people to know and then you have those that say yes. Believe what you want but all I know is I SEE A MAN HANG HIMSELF. You may see diff though.", "I am pretty sure the biggest CLICK a woman ever had was on the Wizard of OZ when Dorothy CLICKED her heels together to get back to Kansas.", "He comitted suicide. Don't believe any of those conspiracy theories.", "I guess you're talking about my boy in Hotlanta. What's your real question?", "Well if I recall in the movie version, that song \"I would die for you\" by Garbage played. Don't know what act but it was when they killed themselves. The last act? Durr...", "Crying is a natural thing, even for 'strong men'. If a man allows himself that opportunity to express himself so fully that he is moved to tears, there's a really lucky woman out there!", "Humm I would have to say.. The wizard of OZ then Sound of Music and then Gone with the wind... only reason I chose Wiz as the best is that it took great imagination.. it is colorful and anyone can enjoy it.. and I love the songs.. Ding Dong the Witch is dead the wicked witch is dead... LOL See it still makes me laugh...", "He just died actually...\\n\\nhere:\\nhttp://www.makem.com/wwwboard/read.php?f=1&i=527&t=526", "If you mean the guy killed as gluttony it was an actor called Bob Mack..or so it says on imdb.com.", "tell me where r ur parents man !", "He died. I don't recall the specifics, but I do remember that one of the shows had a dedication to him at the end of the show." ]

[ "the pH of their environment" ]

[ "Sensitive But Unclassified", "a sensitive artist", "What's Up?", "a highly sensitive person", "What a Friend", "What's Happening!!", "What's in It for Me", "things are what they are", "What If Nothing", "What a Life!", "What A Night", "What If It's You", "What Are Words", "What Car?", "What Not to Wear", "what is visible", "What Part of No", "What You Want Is What You Get", "What So Not", "What You Cache Is What You Get", "What If We", "What a Waste", "centralization", "What a Girl Wants", "What About Now", "What Is a Youth", "What the heart wants", "What Kind of Love", "For What It's Worth", "At What Cost", "What's Wrong With the World", "What to Audit" ]

[ "G8" ]

[ "What's Your Mama's Name", "What Yo Name Iz?", "wealthy playboy", "The Naming of Names", "National Integration Council", "names", "the National Council of Provinces", "National Research Council", "National Council of Georgia", "name ''", "wealthy merchant", "their names", "National Council of Churches", "the National Safety Council", "The National Transitional Council", "naming", "Palestinian National Council", "No Name", "the National Judicial Council", "National Electoral Council", "The Indian National Council", "Federal National Council", "National Health Council", "National Standards Council", "the National Missionary Council", "economic", "National Economic and Development Authority", "National Disaster Coordinating Council", "The Navajo Nation Council", "National Council of Teachers of English", "Czech National Council", "a noble or wealthy family" ]

[ "Under Dirichlet boundary conditions,an optimal problem and weak approximate solution for a parabolic system are mainly considered.The notion of the approximate solution is given first.By using penalty method,Sobolev space,variational approach,partial differential equations,and function analysis theory,the optimal problem and the existence of the solution of the optimal regularized problem are obtained.The necessary conditions for optimality are established in the form of variational inequalities.Finally,a minimizing sequence is constructed and proved as a weak minimizing sequence.So the weak approximate solution is derived." ]

[ "We propose a discrete approximation scheme to a class of Linear Quadratic Continuous Time Problems. It is shown, under positiveness of the matrix in the integral cost, that optimal solutions of the discrete problems provide a sequence of bounded variation functions which converges almost everywhere to the unique optimal solution. Furthermore, the method of discretization allows us to derive a number of interesting results based on finite dimensional optimization theory, namely, Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions of optimality and weak and strong duality. A number of examples are provided to illustrate the theory.", "Abstract We propose a novel method of resolving the optimal anisotropy function. The idea is to construct the optimal anisotropy function as a solution to the inverse Wulff problem, i.e. as a minimizer for the anisoperimetric ratio for a given Jordan curve in the plane. It leads to a nonconvex quadratic optimization problem with linear matrix inequalities. In order to solve it we propose the so-called enhanced semidefinite relaxation method which is based on a solution to a convex semidefinite problem obtained by a semidefinite relaxation of the original problem augmented by quadratic-linear constraints. We show that the sequence of finite-dimensional approximations of the optimal anisoperimetric ratio converges to the optimal anisoperimetric ratio which is a solution to the inverse Wulff problem. Several computational examples, including those corresponding to boundaries of real snowflakes, and discussion on the rate of convergence of numerical method are also presented in this paper.", "We treat optimization issues for linear continuous-time systems whose states and control are bounded. The objective of this paper is to design a nonlinear full state feedback control algorithm that satisfies the constraints by minimizing nonquadratic costs. The fundamental ideas involve the application of nonquadratic functionals and approximation of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation using nonquadratic return functions. Utilizing necessary and sufficient conditions, a solution for the constrained optimization problem is found and an optimal control law in the closed form is designed.", "Optimal control problems for linear systems with quadratic performance criteria involve the solution of linear two-point boundary-value problems. The numerical solutions of these problems were discussed in the previous chapter. For nonlinear optimal control problems, iterative methods must be used to obtain the numerical solutions of the nonlinear two-point boundary-value problems. Two iterative methods for the numerical solutions are discussed in this chapter, (i) the method of quasilinearization and (ii) the Newton-Raphson method. These methods can also be used for linear or nonlinear optimal control problems subject to integral constraints.", "We study the limit of the solutions of systems of semi-linear partial differential equations (PDEs) of second order of parabolic type, with rapidly oscillating periodic coefficients, a singular drift, and singular coefficients of the zero and second order terms. Our basic tool is the approach given by Pardoux [14]. In particular, we use the weak convergence of an associated backward stochastic differential equation (BSDE).", "We consider the methods for matrix correction or correction of all parameters of systems of linear equations and inequalities. We show that the problem of matrix correction of an inconsistent system of linear inequalities with the nonnegativity condition is reduced to a linear programming problem. Some stability measure is defined for a given solution to a system of linear inequalities as the minimal possible variation of parameters under which this solution does not satisfy the system. The problem of finding the most stable solution to the system is considered. The results are applied to constructing an optimal separating hyperplane in the feature space that is the most stable to the changes of features of the objects.", "The microphone array beamformer design problem in far-field environment is to design the coefficients of FIR filters such that the maximum error between the actual response and the desired response in a specified domain is minimized. The specified domain is always very large and this problem is a large scale optimization problem. In general the complexity of the optimal method for solving this problem is very expensive. This paper applies an active set approximation method to solve this problem. First, this paper transforms this problem into a semi-infinite programming problem. Next, this paper finds an approximate active set such that the scale of the problem can be mostly reduced. Then, this problem can be solved efficiently and the approximate solution is very close to the optimal solution. Numerical experiments are illustrated to show the efficiency of the proposed method.", "An algorithm of real-time realization of optimal feedback for linear control system with convex endpoint constraints is suggested. It is based on solving linear approximative problems and correction of obtained solution by the Newton method. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)", "Abstract This paper is concerned with the numerical solution of the one-dimensional semi-discrete linear Schrodinger equation in unbounded domains. In order to compute the solution on the domain of physical interest, the artificial boundary method is applied to transform the original unbounded domain problem into an initial boundary value problem on a truncated finite domain. We prove the stability of the truncated semi-discrete problem. Then, a fast algorithm is proposed to approximate the nonlocal absorbing boundary condition. The novelty of this fast algorithm is that the stability of the approximate truncated semi-discrete problem is automatically maintained. In the end, numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm.", "The optimal control problem for linear systems with periodic coefficients is considered. It is supposed that linear output with additive noise is observed. The mean of the quadratic form is minimized. The disturbances are the generalized stochastic processes. Conditions for the existence of optimal regulator are derived and the method of synthesis using the solution of canonical linear system is offered.", "An algorithm based on Semi-Definite Programming (SDP) formulation is proposed for optimum design of structures for specified linear buckling load factors. Optimal trusses and frames are computed by using the primal-dual interior-point method based on SDP scheme. It is well known that optimizing structures under buckling constraints is difficult because of the non-differentiability of buckling load factors for the case of multimodal solutions. The examples studied indicate that optimum designs with multiple buckling load factors can be found with no difficulty by successively solving the SDP problems.", "In this article we found the solution of fuzzy linear controlled sys- tem with fuzzy initial conditions by using -cuts and presentation of numbers in a more compact form by moving to the eld of complex numbers. Next, a fuzzy optimal control problem for a fuzzy system is considered to optimize the expected value of a fuzzy objective function. Based on Pontryagin Maximum Principle, a constructive equation for the problem is presented. In the last section, three examples are used to show that the method in eective to solve fuzzy and fuzzy optimal linear controlled systems.", "Abstract The study is focused on the problem of describing the set of Pareto optimal solutions for the multiple plant cooperative control problem where a control vector is used to simultaneously control a set of r linear dynamic systems, each with a distinct control objective. Convex approximation of the solution of the matrix Riccati differential equation associated with the Pareto optimal solutions is used in the analysis of the effect of the scalarization vector on the properties of the associated solution. Conditions for the existence of the convex approximation and its realization are also given, and illustrated on two examples.", "We consider extremum points of compact sets with a weak majorization relation. Examples of problems are presented for which these extremum points are optimal solutions.", "This work presents a stabilization algorithm for piecewise approximated nonlinear systems based on piecewise Lyapunov functions. The stabilizing conditions are expressed in terms of bilinear matrix inequalities (BMIs). A large-scale BMI problem is decomposed in regional BMI problems. Connecting regional solutions of BMIs, we propose a design algorithm for a semi-global stabilizing controller. Some illustrated examples are given to show the validity of the proposed method.", "Recent developments in the area of nonlinear control theory have shown how coordinate changes in the state and input spaces of a dynamical system can be used to transform certain nonlinear differential equations into equivalent linear equations. These techniques are applied here to the control of a spacecraft equipped with momentum exchange devices. An optimal control problem is formulated that incorporates a nonlinear spacecraft model. An algorithm is developed for solving the optimization problem using feedback linearization to transform to an equivalent problem involving a linear dynamical constraint, and a functional approximation technigue to solve for the linear dynamics in terms of the control. The original problem is transformed into an unconstrained nonlinear quadratic program that yields an approximate solution to the original problem. Two examples are presented to illustrate the results.", "In the present paper we introduce a numerical technique for solving fractional optimal control problems (FOCP) based on an orthonormal wavelet. First we approximate the involved functions by Sine-Cosine wavelet basis; then, an operational matrix is used to transfer the given problem in to a linear system of algebraic equations. In fact operational matrix of the Riemann-Liouville fractional integration and derivative of Sine-Cosine wavelet are employed to achieve a linear algebraic equation, in place of the dynamical system in terms of the unknown coefficients. The solution of this system, gives us the solution of original problem. A numerical example is also given.", "Reconfiguration involves optimizing the status (ON/OFF) of switches such that power delivered to loads is maximized after the occurrence of a fault. The optimized reconfiguration prioritizes power delivered to vital loads over semi-vital and non-vital loads. The formulation presented in this paper is an extension of the work in to new balanced hybrid (ac & dc) shipboard power systems (SPS). Analysis of the non-convex reconfiguration formulation is done by appropriate non-convex solver and by convex approximation. The non-convex solution provides bounds on the optimal performance of the problem while the convex approximation reduces the complexity. Number of faults against the power delivered to loads is presented to showcase the system robustness against random fault scenarios.", "The authors propose an order-optimal method for the approximation of a piecewise-continuous solution to a certain inverse problem and obtain exact by order bounds for the error of this approximation in the uniform metrics on segments of continuity of the exact solution to the problem.", "Abstract A solution of the linear quadratic programming (l.q.p.) problem for non-self-adjoint boundary value problems is obtained in closed form. The convergence of the approximate to the exact solution of the problem is proved.", "Lot streaming is the process of splitting a job or lot to allow overlapping between successive operations in a multistage production system. This use of transfer lots usually results in a substantially shorter makespan for the corresponding schedule. In this paper, we study the discrete lot streaming problem for a single job in no-wait flow shops. We present a new linear programming formulation for the problem. We show that the optimal solutions are the same for the m 2 2 case with or without no-wait constraints. We also present a fast, polynomial-time solution method for this case. For the general case, we prove that any solution which is 'close' to the continuous optimal solution will be a good approximation for the discrete problem. This property allows us to present two quickly obtainable approximations of very good quality.", "The generalized problem of moments is a conic linear optimization problem over the convex cone of positive Borel measures with given support. It has a large variety of applications, including global optimization of polynomials and rational functions, option pricing in finance, constructing quadrature schemes for numerical integration, and distributionally robust optimization. A usual solution approach, due to J.B. Lasserre, is to approximate the convex cone of positive Borel measures by finite dimensional outer and inner conic approximations. We will review some results on these approximations, with a special focus on the convergence rate of the hierarchies of upper and lower bounds for the general problem of moments that are obtained from these inner and outer approximations.", "In this paper, we empirically investigate the NP-hard problem of finding sparsest solutions to linear equation systems, i.e., solutions with as few nonzeros as possible. This problem has recently received considerable interest in the sparse approximation and signal processing literature. We use a branch-and-cut approach via the maximum feasible subsystem problem to compute optimal solutions for small instances and investigate the uniqueness of the optimal solutions. We furthermore discuss six (modifications of) heuristics for this problem that appear in different parts of the literature. For small instances, the exact optimal solutions allow us to evaluate the quality of the heuristics, while for larger instances we compare their relative performance. One outcome is that the so-called basis pursuit heuristic performs worse, compared to the other methods. Among the best heuristics are a method due to Mangasarian and one due to Chinneck.", "A quadratic-linear bilevel programming problem is considered. Its optimistic statement is reduced to a nonconvex mathematical programming problem with a quadratic-bilinear structure. An approximate algorithm of a local search in the problem obtained is proposed, proved, and tested.", "In this paper, we are concerned with the linear finite element approximations to the second-order quasi-linear elliptic problems. By means of an interpolation postprocessing technique, we develop the global superconvergence estimates in the H 1 - and W 1 , ∞ -norms provided the weak solutions are sufficiently smooth. Based on the global superconvergent approximations, we introduce and analyze the efficient postprocessing-based a posteriori error estimators, measured by the H 1 - and W 1 , ∞ -norms respectively. These can be used to assess the accuracy of the finite element solutions in applications. Numerical experiments are given to illustrate the global superconvergence estimates and the performance of the proposed estimators.", "In this paper, we consider the linear quadratic optimal control problem for multiparameter singularly perturbed systems in which N lower-level fast subsystems are interconnected through a higher-level slow subsystem. Different from the existing methods, a new method is developed to design a near-optimal controller which does not depend on the unknown small parameters. It is shown that the resulting controller in fact achieves an O(||@m||^2) approximation to the optimal cost of the original optimal control problem.", "Abstract We consider an initial boundary value problem for a nonlinear differential system of two equations. Such a system is formed by the equations of compressible miscible flow in a one-dimensional porous medium. No assumption about the mobility ratio is involved. Under some reasonable assumptions on the data, we prove the existence of a global weak solution. Our basic approach is the semi-Galerkin method. We use the technique of renormalized solutions for parabolic equations in the derivation of a priori estimates.", "The present paper discusses a linearization method for second order multidimensional time-invariant systems. The method approximates locally the nonlinear vector field around the equilibrium, where the solution starting from a given initial state near the equilibrium is approximated by a linear solution. This linearization is usually called local trajectory-based linearization. The approximation is computed using an iterative method, which consists of successive approximations in the least square sense. Using a numerical example, it is shown that the linearized solutions exhibit good agreement with the nonlinear solutions.", "New algorithms for state estimation in non-linear differential systems are studied on the basis of a previously developed theory, which was applicable to polynomial-type non-linearities. The filtering is formulated as a deterministic optimal control problem. Via Pontryagin's principle and the invariant imbedding technique the problem is converted into an initial value problem of a partial differential equation. A theoretical solution of the filtering is then constructed with the aid of successive approximations in a modified partial differential equation. A recursive third order algorithm is obtained by applying a non-linear Riccati-type transformation and the method of characteristic curves to the partial differential equation. The basic algorithm is derived for systems with additive process noise. An extension to systems with non-additive process noise is described, too. Applications to the rectilinear orbit problem and to a system where the process noise is not additive are presented.", "In this work we analyze a 2D optimal design problem governed by a linear damped 1D wave equation. In this we would like to find simultaneously the spatio-temporal layout of two isotropic materials of constants α and β (0 < α < β) and the static position of a damping set in order to minimize certain functional ([5]). By means of the gradient Young measures, we compute a full relaxation of the problem which is justified by the presence of microstructures. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)", "SUMMARY In this paper the disturbance decoupling problem associated with a class of linear and nonlinear time delay systems is considered. The solution to this problem is given in terms of the relative degrees associated with the input and the disturbance of the corresponding time delay systems. A stability study using some results due to Pontryagin is presented for the resultant closed-loop system when the delay system is linear. Also, an approximate causal solution is proposed for the nonlinear time delay system based on its linearization around an equilibrium point. ( 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.", "This paper proposes a two step algorithm for solving a large scale semi-definite logit model, which is appreciated as a powerful model in failure discriminant analysis. This problem has been successfully solved by a cutting plane (outer approximation) algorithm. However, it requires much more computation time than the corresponding linear logit model. A two step algorithm to be proposed in this paper is intended to reduce the amount of computation time by eliminating a certain portion of the data based on the information obtained by solving an associated linear logit model. It will be shown that this algorithm can generate a solution with almost the same quality as the solution obtained by solving the original large scale semi-definite model within a fraction of computation time." ]

[ "I pegged the head shaving meltdown as a severe adderall or meth addiction. Courtney Love tells people in interviews that Britney told her that her father molested her and now he's her legal guardian. Whether that's true or not, I think she was pimped out by her parents at a very young age, worked half to death, was manipulated by the media into being a sex object, wasn't that smart to begin with and then was torn apart when she actually dared to have babies, get pregnant, and be a wittle bit chubby. Its actually incredibly sad" ]

[ "The halberd is a 14th century weapon designed to be used in formation to defeat heavily armoured infantry and deter cavalry; it's arguably a more complex weapon to use than the spear, which is probably why the commenters suggested that the spear was the most practical weapon. That said, though, halberds had their place alongside spears (and pikes) until the 17th century, so it was clearly afforded a very important place in the military mindset. It has also been used ceremonially up to the modern day.", "/u/andromeda321 provided [this excellent comment in r/pics as well](_URL_0_).", "Imagine you hear Britney Spears singing something, and then you hear a downtuned versioned of the same thing. You would immediately recognize that it's Britney Spears, you'd recognize what she was singing, and that it was downtuned, and you could measure how much it was downtuned. Astronomers are doing the same thing (comparing measured signals with known ones) but with light instead of sound.", "Since the subreddit ban wave (Fatpeople hate ect.) reddit decided she was satan, and never really came back from that. Some people believe she's commercializing reddit and steering it away from its roots. Personally I don't think we have the information to read her character one way or the other.", "Because she's dramatically angry...like daddy at breakfast...when there's no ice for his whiskey. She's ridiculed on account of dramatic scenes/reactions on television. The biggest of which was where she berated contestant on a modeling show. Snow balled from there. She plays into drama queen/diva role given her prime was 1996 and she's less relevant now. Given I had a crush on her back then.", "Please explain this post like I am 5 years old.", "There's always room for discussion, but perhaps these previous topics found through the search function will answer your inquiry * [Quetzalcoatl](_URL_1_) * [How accurate is this top comment from r/pics about Quetzalcoatl?](_URL_0_)", "Listen to Britney Spears and then listen to Nirvana. Both are popular bands of their receptive genres from the 90s. Explaining music is a hard thing to do but pop is generally very artificial in it's sound and centered around one or multiple singers that sing on top of music that is pre-recorded. Rock centers around three main instruments (guitar, base, and drums) being played at the same time as one or more singers are singing.", "hi! there's lots of room for input about Moctezuma II specifically, but you may be interested in these earlier posts * [Is there any truth to the commonly cited fact that the Aztecs believed the Spanish were gods?](_URL_0_) * [How accurate is this top comment from r/pics about Quetzalcoatl?](_URL_1_)", "If you're coming from that r/pics submission about this issue, there's [a link to a decent explanation](_URL_0_) in the comments.", "Contact potential in this case can also be called the voltage drop across the junction, or potential difference between the p-type and n-type (denoted in the link as psi). It is the potential difference that occurs when two materials are brought into contact. This voltage, or potential, difference is the result of mobile charges (in this case, electrons in the n-type and holes in the p-type) moving across the interface to satisfy thermodynamic equilibrium. The thermodynamic equilibrium condition is that the chemical potential (or Fermi energy) must be equal everywhere. [Britney Spears' Guide to Semiconductor Physics](_URL_0_)", "They did use formations. At the onset of the Sengoku Jidai, spears replaced mounted archery as the dominant form of fighting on Japanese battlefields. I don't know if you've ever fought with a spear but one on one it's a bit difficult to use at best, so formation fighting was simply better than non formation fighting. Toss in guns recently introduced by the Portuguese and you can see why fighting in formation simply made more sense. Cavalry charges were also fairly new additions to the Japanese battlefield, which made fighting in formation with spears almost necessary to deal with this new tactic, as well as the previously mentioned mounted archery. Spears needed to be able to cover guns. I can't comment on the samurai charging into battle thing but I have a sneaking suspicion that's another samurai myth, like *Bushido*. Source: *Japan Emerging* edited by Karl Friday", "Yes they really recycle numbers.. There are only so many numbers in the world however, albeit ALOT, but still limited. Britney was the OLD owner of your NEW number.", "You're at a higher level of stress, you become more aware of your surroundings, begin entering into a fight or flight type of mindset and start down a spiral of paranoia and anxiety. Stress will make people do/think crazy things.", "Probably the medication she is taking that results in that stare and shine to the eyes. Antipsychotics can have side effects where they get that stare, shuffle when walking and sometimes smack their lips. I refer to it as the wide-eyed stare. From your description of feeling uncomfortable, it sounds like she needs her meds adjusted, probably too high of a dose. searching images for schizo wide-eyed stare returns a few examples that might be similar what you saw.", "I dont have any numbers or papers to back this up, just wikipedia, but I want to post anyways just to be sure that this is said at least one. She could can and will eventually do severe damage to hers eyes up to the point of blindness. She should not do this, period. _URL_0_", "Do you know [this](_URL_0_) game? It's extremely hard to follow the ball, you try to catch it but you just tire yourself and you overload. Same sort of thing happens in their brains. The brain tries to follow but it can't and gets confused, exhausted and breaks down. It gets so bad their brain confuses sensors (eyes, ears, ...) with actors (musles) and they lose control of their body.", "Its very simple. Say you like cars, so you look up cars on pintrest. You will see a bunch of peoples posts about cars. There are categories as pics, how-to, and a few others. Say you want pics of cars, so you click that. Now you can look and pics of cars, but heres where the magic comes. If you \"like\" a pic, it will try to find similar pics to show you on your front page. So say your favorite car is a mustang, if you \"like\" a lot of pics of mustangs, it will try and only show you those. It may show you others as well, just not as much. TL;DR. It keeps tracks of your likes and finds what interests you.", "hi! there's lots of room for input about the many first-contact experiences, but you may be interested in these earlier posts * [Is there any truth to the commonly cited fact that the Aztecs believed the Spanish were gods?](_URL_0_) * [How accurate is this top comment from r/pics about Quetzalcoatl?](_URL_1_)", "[Here's an excellent article that should answer most of your questions.](_URL_0_) Unfortunately I don't have time to do a summary at the moment, but if there are any questions, I'd be happy to help. It's written in a manner in which I think those without a medical background should get the overall picture. It's quite fascinating.", "To provide a little context/clarity here are links to a few of the images in question: _URL_1_ _URL_0_ _URL_2_", "[Nature article](_URL_0_) Transposable genes is your answer, which leads to a genetic mosaicism. Not sure why I got downvoted. [Pic!](_URL_1_)", "She made a post on r/nsfw explaining the whole r/creepshots fiasco, and she was in someones local newspaper.", "Relevant: See [Dangerous Knowledge (Philosophy, Physics, Mathematics) -BBC](_URL_2_). A documentary of four mathematicians who went \"insane\" trying to study infinity.", "The same reason the rest of the world was. This was the first time someone famous had died due to people constantly taking pictures (also known as the paparazzi). It made people wonder why she was so desperate to get away from the people taking pictures. it made people start to ask whether it was okay to always be taking pictures and videos of famous people.", "With a huge huge servers and datacenters. [Here are some pics to know the scale](_URL_0_). Each of that shelves has a dozen of PCs with huge (I'm talking about terabytes) HDDs. Also there are a lot of techniques how to reduce data amount, like post archiving (notice, that you can't vote or comment on old posts).", "Animals get very bored. That's why dogs tear up furniture, and birds go insane in their cages. I don't think many pet owners realize their pets are incredibly depressed and going insane or already insane. It's sad really.", "That is waaaaaaaay too broad a question to possibly answer since 'insane' covers a multitude of different conditions and disorders, all with their own causes and that's even assuming that we know the causes in the first place.", "The best way to answer your question is to say that \"speed\" is not a good indicator of whether or not something will penetrate skin. If I throw a baseball and a spear at you at 40mph, the spear will penetrate your skin and the baseball won't. The right answer here is that human skin will resist certain pressure, then tear. (That's why spears have pointy tips and not blunt ones!) Pressure = force / surface area Force = mass x acceleration Acceleration = Shrapnel speed / stopping time after it hits your skin So putting all of the above together: pressure = mass x (shrapnel speed / stopping time) / surface area", "It is because of the \"refractive index\". This index describes how the light bends when going through a certain medium. in short. hot air bends light more than normal temperature air. that is why your vision distorts. for example water bends light by quite a bit. that is why it is very hard to actually pin a fish with a spear because the fish is not where it seems to be. _URL_0_", "I'm assuming that this post from a few hours ago is about the same topic: _URL_0_ Summation of the answer: He is crazy and making stuff up.", "Lloyd's Of London Insurance company writes these kind of polices. Because her career is singing and dancing a long with being a public figure, if she loss the use of her legs her million dollar career would be in the tubes. Considering she made over $60 million last year....it's really not much. Pay up LOL" ]

[ "The best stocks for a bear market can be the best ones for bull markets, too." ]

[ "CAPS' best investors go thumbs-down on these hot stocks.", "Turbulence roiled world stock markets again Tuesday, with Asian stocks down for a second day on fears of recession in the US", "With little fanfare, Greece has become one of Europe's best-performing economies and stock markets.", "Tokyo stocks fell Wednesday in the absence of market-moving news at home. The US dollar was down against the Japanese yen. The Nikkei Stock Average of 225 issues closed down 19.", "U.S. stocks to watch: GOOGLE INC. GOOG.O Google shares jumped 18 percent in their long-awaited stock market debut on Thursday after a scaled-down $1.67 billion IPO marked by missteps and lackluster market conditions. The stock closed at $100.34.", "Japan&#39;s stock market was weighed down on Thursday morning by a combination of overnight drops in the US and European markets and a rise in the yen.", "Shares of online retailers rose nearly 80 percent last year, among the best performances in the entire stock market.", "European stock markets were dragged down by a profit warning from Anglo-Dutch consumer goods group Unilever.", "Europe&#39;s main stock markets fell in early trading Tuesday, with London dragged down by oil and mining stocks and following overnight losses on Wall Street.", "Stocks fell on Friday, sending the Nasdaq down more than 1 percent, as investors worried that a diminishing appetite for riskier assets after this week's market rout will drive stocks down even more.", "Turbulence roiled world stock markets again Tuesday, with Asian stocks down for a second day on fears of recession in the US. European stocks fell at the opening but then pared their losses in voaltile trading.", "The stock market tumbled for a second day over fears that inflation is not settling down enough to satisfy the Federal Reserve.", "The ups and downs in the stock market are among the mildest experienced for more than a century, and that is provoking anxiety in some investment advisers.", "Stocks edged down at the opening on Tuesday as disappointing earnings from Best Buy Co. Inc. revived worries about consumer spending.", "Investor's Business Daily - U.S. stock mutual funds in August posted their best month since January, gaining an average 1.91% as the stock market shook off the malaise that has gripped it since May.", "Europe's main stock markets turned down sharply on Thursday as nervous investors awaited the start of Wall Street trading.", "Fiscal 2004 was the best investment year for colleges, universities and other educational institutions since the stock market downturn, according to a survey released Thursday.", "Google Inc. shares jumped 18 percent in their long-awaited stock market debut on Thursday, after a scaled-down &#36;1.67 billion IPO marked by missteps and lackluster market conditions.", "U.S. stock futures pointed to a lower market open on Thursday, weighed down by rising oil prices and a crop of warnings in the chip sector.", "Google Shares Jump 18% In NASDAQ Debut Google stock shares rose 18 percent in their NASDAQ stock market debut yesterday, after a scaled-down $1.67 billion IPO marked by missteps and lackluster market conditions. Google co-founder Larry Page and chief executive Eric Schmidt showed up at the Nasdaq stock market as Google ...", "Markets in Asia were down in early trading, a day after stock prices fell in exchanges from Mumbai to Frankfurt.", "Stocks were little changed at the open on Wednesday as investors scoured the market for beaten-down shares after Tuesday's sell-off.", "CEO tells investors that the company saw some weakness in the consumer market in the fourth quarter; the remarks pushed down the company's stock 4.5 percent.", "Mounting concerns about the subprime mortgage market knocked stocks down from highs on Friday, but major indexes held onto positive ground on a report showing a resilient job market.", "What&#39;s the case for higher stock prices? Let&#39;s examine it, on this slightly down morning, if only to remove some of the incessant gloom I feel surrounds this stock market.", "China&#39;s key Shanghai Composite stock index on Friday posted a strong rebound after the market&#39;s recent pummelling, while in Japan corporate and sector-specific news dominated the Tokyo stock market, leaving the broad Topix index down 0.5 per cent.", "The Japanese stock market edged lower on Tuesday, weighed down by a mildly stronger yen and poor figures overnight on US home sales.", "Weak Japanese data sapped optimism on the economy and dragged the Tokyo stock market down by more than one percent on Thursday, while a deadly explosion in the Indonesian capital rattled Southeast Asian markets.", "TORONTO (CP) - North American stock markets seem poised to rise Monday as Wall Street gets down to business again after the US Thanksgiving break.", "Stocks fell on Wednesday, with the major indexes all down more than 1 percent, on worries about troubles in the subprime mortgage market spreading.", "TORONTO (CP) - Stock markets were slightly higher Wednesday morning as US markets wind down ahead of the American Thanksgiving holiday Thursday and a half-day of trading in New York on Friday.", "We zero in on some of the best utilities stocks." ]

[ "Peeled the paint off my walls after being on there for 6 months. Had to pay when we moved out of the apartment" ]

[ "The paint on the handle of this rush cracked and began to peel off after only two weeks of use. :-(", "Oh no used this a few times and the moisture from the warm air coming through\nthe holes started pealing the paint off my wall. Now I have to paint the walls. Not worth the money!!!", "I'm very unhappy with this purchase. After using the ball and thinking that I loved my new ball..., I propped it up on a piece of furniture next to the wall to get it out of the way until the next day. When I came back to get the ball, it had eaten/dissolved the finish on my brand new piece of furniture and peeled the paint off the wall it was touching. Very very unhappy about this.", "It arrived on time and works perfectly. But after cleaning it the paint started peeling off. I have had it for 2 months and already the paint has peeled off from all the areas where the water flow. I just cleaned it twice very gently with soap and water. I would not recommend it.", "Still works good but here the wax sits peeled badly and bubbled up.had to scrap off the paint in guessing before I could reuse", "These will rip not only the paint off your walls but also the underlay. Horrid products that you are either too scared to put weight on or(as i now am) scared to ever use them again after they destroyed walls during removal. Just use nails and get filler. These guys do expensive damage.", "This is a very nice mural, it looks so nice in my son's bedroom ... he loves it and I like the fact that you don't have to worry about the paint of the walls because it just peels right off.", "It's very easy to put up. Gives you numbers and a chart to following only problem is they are peeling off the wall and I have to keep applying them. My walls are clean and were newly painted about 3 months ago. It bothers me they keep curling up. If it keeps happening I'm going to have to take it down. Of anyone has suggestions on how to keep them from peeling it would be very helpful.", "This tape may marginally help keep what you're painting in a straight line, however it's absolutely worthless when it peels the paint off of the surface that you were trying to protect in the first place. This tape was not left on for weeks, but less than a single day. Low adhesion my ass. Would give it negative stars if possible.", "It does its job fairly well, but after a few weeks of mild use and being hand washed, the protective paint started to peel off. Also it is showing signs of rust at the ventilated knob opening. I can't recommend this product.", "The size of this wall decal in the image provided is deceiving. It looks much larger than it actually is and applying was a headache also . It was like peeling a bandaid off a wound real slowly.", "It is really funny...\n it is sticky so stick well...so far it has been just a day...will wait to see if the steam from heated water doesnt Loosen the stickiness.\n\nYou gotta be really patient while peeling off the transparent layer. Solution: press the letter doen and then peel. So takes patience.\n\nDoesnt really stick to rough wall. So had to do it that way. Chck the pic.\n\nWill update if the letters start peeling off due to steam or moisture in bathroom", "These decals were great at first but quickly the larger decals began to peel from the wall. The smaller decals held their own for a longer period of time but it was a huge disappointment to have the large and medium stickers peeling within a week of application. I ensured that the walls were clean and smooth but at each of the points curling occurred. I wouldn't recommend this product to another user and wouldn't repurchase.", "We bought these mural stickers almost 3 years ago for our daughter's room when we moved into a rental house. We wanted to decorate her room with something that could easily be removed when we moved out. I've just tried to remove them, and they tore the paint and the drywall off the wall. In the places where the wall and paint are still intact, there is a residue left behind showing exactly where the stickers were. Now we will have to repair the drywall and paint the room. It says on the package, \"stickers that can be removed and repositioned without leaving any damage or residue.\" We enjoyed the look of these stickers, but they do not live up to their billing!", "RoomMates wall decals are the best!!! I am a pediatric nurse and use these at home in my kids rooms and in my office. I purchased a bunch of RoomMates wall decals last August (2014) and placed them on my office walls. This past summer, I had my office painted. We peeled the decals off the wall and placed them on wax paper. After painting reapplied them and they look just like new!! They are super easy to apply and look amazing!!! All the kids LOVE THEM!!! Especially the frozen and Minion ones I put up. Will buy these again in the future!", "Not sure if it was me or the defuser but after using it for about a 1/2 hour with my tagine the paint bubbled and chipped off. Still worked well. However, don't like the paint thing. Not sure why it has the paint in the first place.", "used this to cut out circles and put on my wall in my apartment. made a very nice interest in my rental and came off the wall clean.", "Very cute but that's about all. These didn't stick to our textured walls at all. By the time I finoshed applying them the ones I had stsrted with were already peeling off.", "This didn't come with instructions and I can't peel off the back part. It would have been nice on my wall.....", "Quality seemed great however the front paper was completely peeled off due to being rolled up. Was unable to transfer it to the wall.", "There was orange paint stains that was highly visible before I even open the clear baggie it came in. I don't know how to remove paint so I never even tried it on I still can't believe that ppl put this I guess I should be used to it by now....", "Took the cover off and used a dark cherry aerosol toner from Master's Magic to get it to match up with the doors and trim in my house.", "Cute design but very hard to get onto transfer paper then on the wall. After I finally get it all on it doesn't stick to the wall very well and is peeling off.", "These are the best telescoping roasters i tried. They don't bend under the stress of a CubScout and you can turned them with two fingers while holding the handle (one hand turning is awesome). The only downside is that I put them on the dishwasher and the paint started to peel off. I don't mind the paint being off.", "Flimsy vinyl with a clear border. Difficult to apply. Didn't stay on walls long before peeling. I've used a lot of vinyl wall decals and this has been the worst. Too bad. It's super cute.", "This was very colorful, but had some crease marks where the curtain had been folded that are permanently ruining it.", "Looks fantastic on the wall but it was more difficult than I thought it would be to apply it. The backing was difficult to get off and some of the lettering cracked and came off where it wasn't supposed to and had to be applied separately.", "They are gorgeous and adorable, which prevents them from getting 1 star. However, unlike our wall clings for our first kid, these things refuse to stick on the wall. Already, 24 hours after being up, one has fallen off and I find myself constantly smoothing 3 or 4 of the clings to get them to stay on. It seems ridiculous that this is an issue this early. Especially since the ones peeling wnet on the first time with no adjustment.", "Wow, this really sucks! The print in the front immediately peeled off after the first wash! I should've just gotten plain tank tops for my baby because after peeling them off that is what it is. Really bad items.", "Very easy to install and works great for the 12-hole double-gang keystone wallplates I'm using. Just note that you'll probably want to score the drywall a bit around the outer perimeter and peel off any paint and scrape off some of the paper if necessary so that it'll be recessed in a bit and flush with the wall. I also had to slice off those little bumps on the side to get the wallplate to go in all the way.", "I am very pleased with this product. My poor old GSD Mischa, was suffering from months of loose stools and flatulence that could peel the paint off your walls. Since I have started her on this probiotic, she has shown a marked improvement with her GI symptoms.", "These guages are not my best friend I thought they were glitter and when I sterilized them and cleaned them the paint came off I am not a happy customer with these guages :[" ]

[ "The 40-strong group is a mile offshore between Jaywick and Brightlingsea. The mammals are not often seen close to the coast, a British Divers Marine Life Rescue spokesman said.\nThe pod was initially spotted off the Norfolk and Suffolk coast last week, and near Kent at the weekend.\nMembers of the public have been asked to keep their distance.\n\"We don't want to whales to get spooked by noises, as that could cause them to strand,\" the spokesman said.\nIt is believed some of the whales in the pod are young.\nThe area where they have been sheltering, near the Blackwater Estuary, has a number of mud and sand flats, which could lead to the whales becoming trapped when the tide goes out.\nThe British Divers Marine Life Rescue and Essex Police's marine unit are using their boats to try to herd the whales back out to deeper water.\nPilot whales are usually found in waters around Scotland, and in oceans around the world, but are not often spotted in southern England, the spokesman said.\nStacey Belbin, who runs boat trips in the area, said she saw the pod at Thirslet and Stone, near St Lawrence Bay, before they made their way out on the tide to the Bench Head, near Brightlingsea, after passing Mersea Island.\n\"We watched as they rounded up the fish as a pod to feast in the shallow water before heading off into deep seas,\" she said.\n\"It was a truly amazing sight, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.\"" ]

[ "An area south of Felixstowe Pier in Suffolk has been sealed off after a 30ft (9m) female whale washed up on the beach there.\nThe first whale, a minke calf, was spotted on a mudbank in the River Ore, near Felixstowe, on Saturday afternoon.\nAnother dead adult whale was seen in the water off Harwich, Essex. Coastal volunteers believe they could be part of a much wider pod.\nFor whale updates, visit BBC Local Live: Suffolk\nJohn Cresswell, from the Felixstowe Volunteer Coast Patrol Rescue Service, said it was normal for porpoises to wash up on the shore, but not whales.\n\"This is very sad,\" he said. \"It is such a loss to the ocean life.\n\"They are such amazing mammals.\"\nHe said council officials were planning to call in a special company to dispose of the whale that washed up on the beach, after plans to tow it up the coast and \"let nature take its course\" were abandoned over fears the carcass could become a hazard.", "Many of the whales died overnight at Farewell Spit at the top of the South Island, but those that survived are now swimming in the bay off the beach.\nHundreds of locals managed to rescue the survivors after forming a human chain to refloat the whales.\nThe incident is one of the worst such cases the country has seen.\nOn Friday, a number of the whales that had been refloated returned to the beach overnight, but high tide and the arrival of a new pod of pilot whales on Saturday morning improved rescue efforts.\n\"Fingers crossed, the new whales are going to lead them out into deeper water,\" said Andrew Lamason, the department of conservation's regional manager.\nHowever, he added that there was still a chance that they might turn back into Golden Bay.\nMr Lamason said improved weather and clear waters also helped with the latest rescue attempt, but added that he had to warn volunteers about the possibility of stingrays and sharks after one of the dead whales appeared to have bite marks.\nOfficials on Saturday were also considering how best to dispose of the whale carcasses. Mr Lamason said that simply towing them out to sea could be problematic as they may become gaseous and buoyant and float into populated bays.\nScientists do not know what exactly causes whales to beach themselves.\nBut it sometimes happens because the whales are old and sick, injured, or make navigational errors particularly along gentle sloping beaches.\nWhales that become beached will send out distress signals attracting other members of their pod, who then also get stranded by a receding tide.\nThe latest incident in New Zealand was first reported on Thursday evening, but conditions were too dangerous at the time to launch a rescue operation.\nThe surviving whales were kept alive after \"being kept cool, calm and comfortable\" by medics and members of the public.\nNew Zealand has one of the highest stranding rates in the world, with about 300 dolphins and whales ending up on beaches every year, according to Project Jonah.\nMany of these incidents happen at Farewell Spit. Experts say its shallow waters seems to confuse whales and hinder their ability to navigate.\nIn February 2015 about 200 whales beached themselves at the same location, of which at least half died.", "Rescuers managed to return three other beached whales to the sea.\nFire crews sprayed the whales with seawater as local teams tried to return them to the sea.\nExpert Jacky Karpouzopoulos, of the Centre for Marine Mammal Research at La Rochelle, said the beaching may have followed the death of a dominant male in the pod.\nHe told La Voix du Nord newspaper that the whales could have been one family of which the dominant male died at sea and the others followed his body to the shore.\n\"The group was in the middle of a deep-sea migration towards the Faroe Islands to reproduce and feed,\" he said.\nMr Karpouzopoulos described the beaching of so many whales as \"exceptional\".\nAbout 400 local residents went to the beach to try to help the rescue operation, La Voix du Nord reported.\nIt said that two of the rescued whales stayed close to the shore, as if waiting for the others to be returned.\nThe largest of the dead whales was a male more than 5m (16ft) long.\nAutopsies will be carried out at the University of Liege to determine the cause of death.", "The killer whales are the same animals recently seen off Caithness.\nThe group is known in Scotland as the Northern Isles community and moves between Iceland and Scotland to hunt and raise young.\nPippa Low, of Findhorn-based North 58° Sea Adventures, photographed the orca in the firth earlier this week.\nShe was guided to where they were by marine life observers Adele Sutherland and Alan Airey, who were documenting the orcas' behaviour from locations along the firth's coast, including Burghead.\nMs Low said: \"I had just got back to Findhorn Marina, cleaning up after a busy day on the water, when I got a call from Alan Airey to say there were orca in the firth.\n\"So we squeezed out of Findhorn on the low tide and headed across the firth towards Portmahomack Lighthouse - expertly directed by Adele Sutherland, Alan and the rest of the team.\n\"We encountered the pod at approximately 8pm, seven miles north-west of Findhorn.\"\nShe added: \"The pod has been identified by the Icelandic Orca Project as a pod which winters in Iceland.\n\"Individual identification of each animal is still being confirmed. However, this is the furthest south that these particular whales have ever been recorded by the research group, which makes it an even more interesting sighting.\"\nKathy James, sightings officer with conservation charity Sea Watch, said: \"Although this sighting is now the furthest south that individuals from the Icelandic population have been confirmed, other killer whale sightings have occurred in the Moray Firth and further south on many occasions.\n\"It may well be that amongst these, were unidentified Iceland killer whales. One must remember that clear photographic evidence is required to recognise individual orcas.\"\nShe added: \"We don't know very much about the movements of killer whales around Britain.\n\"Members of a pod that has numbered up to 14 can be seen annually around the Hebrides of west Scotland, mainly in summer.\"", "The whales were found on the Lincolnshire coast - two at Gibraltar Point and another in nearby Skegness.\nThe operation to remove the animals took more than six hours and involved a team of 14 workers.\nEast Lindsey District Council said they were taken away and \"melted down\", not sent to landfill as previously stated.\nJames Gilbert, from the authority, said the 30 tonne animals were taken to a rendering plant, where the carcasses were recycled.\nHe said the operation was carried out with \"the greatest of respect\" and had been \"incredibly sad\".\n\"From talking to people in Skegness I think it has really touched the community,\" he added.\nThe sperm whales are believed to be from a pod spotted off the Norfolk coast.\nPrior to the Skegness find, a whale washed up on a beach in Norfolk.\nAnother was later found on the site of a former bombing range near Wainfleet in Lincolnshire.", "Six whales died after washing up on the east coast of England in Skegness and Hunstanton.\nThe others were found beached in France, Germany and the Netherlands.\nDr Peter Evans, director of the Sea Watch Foundation, dismissed suggestions man-made objects had affected the animals' ability to navigate.\nHe said: \"We've now had 30 animals stranded around the southern part of the North Sea - making it the biggest we've ever had.\n\"The animals which were first stranded in Holland had quite a lot of a particular species of squid in their stomachs - which they can catch, up in the Norwegian Deep.\"\nHe said they \"got into danger\" after heading south, possibly following shoals of squid.\n\"What happens, particularly south of Dogger Bank, is that the depths are much shallower than anything they are accustomed to.\n\"They normally live out in very deep waters, about 3,000 metres deep - south of Dogger Bank it's mainly less than 50 metres - and can be less than 20.\"\nSperm whales, which normally live off the west coast of Norway, rely on sonar to navigate. They send out sound pulses, which bounce back off distant surfaces. In shallow waters their ability to navigate is affected.\nDr Evans said once the whales had swum south of Dogger Bank there was little chance of them surviving.\nHe also dismissed speculation man-made objects such as wind turbines interfered with how the mammals navigate.\n\"I can understand why people look for some human factor that may be causing these strandings, but there is certainly no evidence.\"\n\"Whale strandings occurred as far back as the 16th Century,\" he added.\nExperts previously ruled out boat-strike or entanglement, which is a common cause of strandings.\nAll the whales were thought to have come from the same bachelor pod.", "About 300 have already died at Farewell Spit, on the South Island, in one of the worst such cases in the country.\nHundreds of locals and conservation department staff have been trying to save the survivors since early Friday morning, and have formed a human chain to refloat the whales.\nScientists do not know what exactly causes whales to beach themselves.\nBut it sometimes happens because the whales are old and sick, injured, or make navigational errors particularly along gentle sloping beaches.\nSometimes when one whale is beached, it will send out a distress signal attracting other members of its pod, who then also get stranded by a receding tide.\nThe conservation department said it had received a report about a possible stranding on Thursday night, but did not launch the rescue operation until Friday morning as it was too dangerous to attempt a rescue in the dark, reported the New Zealand Herald.\nAndrew Lamason, the departments regional manager, said it was one of the largest mass beachings recorded in New Zealand.\nNew Zealand marine mammal charity Project Jonah. which is leading efforts to save the whales said a total of 416 whales were stranded.\nIt said the surviving whales are \"being kept cool, calm and comfortable\" by medics and members of the public.\nSome of the refloated whales tried to swim back to shore, and the human chain was trying to herd them out to deeper waters, said volunteer Ana Wiles.\nShe told news outlet Stuff that there were \"so many fins in the air, no breathing\".\n\"We managed to float quite a few whales off and there were an awful lot of dead ones in the shallows so it was really, really sad.\"\n\"One of the nicest things was we managed to float off a couple [of whales] and they had babies and the babies were following,\" Ms Wiles added.\nNew Zealand has one of the highest stranding rates in the world, with about 300 dolphins and whales ending up on beaches every year, according to Project Jonah..\nMany of these incidents happen at Farewell Spit. Experts say its shallow waters seems to confuse whales and hinder their ability to navigate.\nIn February 2015 about 200 whales beached themselves at the same location, of which at least half died.", "It was reported to be \"alive and thrashing about\" near Mundesley, about 50 miles away from Hunstanton, where a whale died on Thursday.\nHowever, the coastguard ended its search after there were no further sightings following the initial report.\nIt said the whale had hopefully returned to deeper waters.\nLive: Updates on whale search here\nThe whale was spotted 300-400 yards off shore by a member of the Happisburgh and Mundesley Coastguard Rescue Team, which contacted the UK Coastguard just after 10:00 GMT.\nKeith Griffin, station officer for the team, said: \"We've carried out an extensive search and are confident that if the whale was in that search area, we'd have found it.\n\"Low tide has now passed so with a bit of luck it will return to deeper waters and stand a chance of survival.\"\nThe next low tide, when the whale could become stranded, is expected at 02:00 GMT on Wednesday.\nMembers of the public were earlier advised to keep at a safe distance from the whale, so as not to cause it any distress.\nThe British Divers Marine Life Rescue said it was investigating the latest sighting and was told the whale was \"still free-swimming.\"\n300,000\nsperm whales in the world\n30 sperm whales washed ashore across Europe in 2016\n6 sperm whales beached in Norfolk and Lincolnshire in 2016\nA sperm whale that died last week was the sixth one to die off the British coast this year and the 30th to die in the North Sea in 2016.\nThe whales that have died this year in British waters all washed up on the east coast of England in Skegness and Hunstanton.\nThe last whale to wash up in Hunstanton died despite the efforts of experts to rescue it.\nSpecialist contractors have now been brought in to remove the carcass to a disposal facility.\nThe other whales were found beached in France, Germany and the Netherlands.\nMarine experts said it was probably due to a pod, which normally lives off the west cost of Norway, straying into shallow waters while hunting squid.\nIn a separate incident, a dead minke whale washed up on a beach in Essex last month after being hit by a ship.", "It follows the death of a beached whale in Hunstanton, Norfolk, on Friday and the discovery of three carcasses near Skegness over the weekend.\nThe sperm whales are believed to be from a pod spotted off the Norfolk coast.\nThe fifth whale was found at Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, on Monday afternoon, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency reported.\nIt was found on the site of a former bombing range, and warnings have been issued for people to stay away.\nThe Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust tweeted: \"There is no public access to the area and it is extremely dangerous with tidal creeks and the potential for unexploded ordinance. Many of the lanes to the marshes are private and not accessible.\"\nWhy do sperm whales wash up on beaches?\nMarine biologists were using a probe to examine one of the Skegness whales earlier on Monday when there was a \"huge blast of air\", said BBC reporter David Sykes.\nThe letters CND had also been spray-painted by someone on the whale's tail.\nCND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) said the action was not carried out by the organisation at a national level.\nThe word \"fukushima\" - presumably a reference to the stricken Japanese nuclear power station - was also written on the side of the whale's body.\nOne of the Skegness whales is at the end of Lagoon Walk, with the other two towards Gibraltar Point.\nThey have been cordoned off to prevent crowds of people touching the carcasses.\nPeople are also being prevented from going too close to the Hunstanton whale.", "The whales were spotted along a stretch of beach on Monday evening.\nLocals together with teachers and students of a local college tried to float the whales back out to sea, but they kept returning to the shore.\nThe last time such an incident occurred in Tuticorin, was in 1973 when 147 whales died.\n\"At least 45 whales are dead and about 36 others which were rescued and pushed back into the sea are still in the vicinity of the shore,'' Dr Patterson Edward, director of the Tuticorin-based Sugandhi Devadasan Marine Research Institute, told BBC Hindi's Imran Qureshi.\nWhale expert Kumaran Sathasivam said it is \"very difficult\" to rescue stranded whales because they all need to be pushed into the sea at the same time.\n\"Otherwise, they will return to be with the whale that is in distress. The whales emanate a sound that is not audible to human beings and that makes them return to the shore,\" he said.\n\"Also, because of their weight they are not able to get back into the water and their bodies gets overheated, and they die on the shore. You need to constantly pour water on them because their bodies are covered in a layer of fat.\"\nHe said it was hard to know if the whales that had been pushed back would survive because there was a strong possibility that they would be too exhausted to swim out to sea.", "British Divers Marine Life Rescue said 18 of the animals were floated back out to sea at about 04:00 on Tuesday. Two more were later floated.\nHowever, several of the whales then stranded on the shores of nearby Staffin Island.\nIt was understood that eight of the whales have died and nine remain stranded on the small island.\nThe coastguard said it could be high tide at 19:00 before those animals could be pushed back into open water.\nIt was believed the stranding was caused by a female whale getting into difficulty while calving. The calf died.\nHebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust raised the alarm after seeing whales in distress on Monday afternoon.\nEnvironment Secretary Richard Lochhead said the Scottish government was offering assistance to the effort to save the whales.\nHe said: \"I am very concerned to hear about this stranding of pilot whales on Skye.\n\"Marine Scotland and British Divers Marine Life Rescue are currently working hard to alleviate the situation.\n\"We have a patrol vessel and other staff on-site and I am being kept informed of the situation.\n\"Sadly it appears that some of the whales have already died and the situation is becoming increasingly difficult as the outgoing tide is leaving the stranded animals out of the water.\"", "13 June 2017 Last updated at 06:48 BST\nEvery year pods of orcas make a journey from Iceland to Orkney and John O'Groats in Scotland.\nThe underwater mammals migrate every year for food and it gives people the chance to spot them up close.\nScientists want people to look out for the orcas, as they want to learn more about their migration patterns.\nKathy James from the Sea Watch Foundation explains: \"It's relatively easy to see land animals and the habitats they're using, but it's more difficult to see animals that live under the sea. The only way we can see where they are and what they're doing is if people report that to us.\"\nAyshah went to meet some young whale watchers at a special event called Orca Watch to see what she could spot.", "Thirty-six whales were rescued and pushed back into the sea at Tuticorin on Tuesday, but 28 of them floated back to the shore and died on Wednesday.\nEarlier, 45 whales died after 81 of the animals were stranded on Monday.\nThe last time such an incident occurred in Tuticorin was in 1973 when 147 whales died.\nLocal fishermen, helped by officials, have been using mechanised boats to float the stranded whales back into the sea, but many of the animals have returned to the shore, BBC Hindi's Imran Qureshi reports.\n\"This is a well known phenomenon. When there is mass stranding, whales return ashore. Pilot whales are very social animals and they live in groups. They are very aware that some of their group members are in distress on the shore, possibly dead, so they don't wish to go back into the sea,\" whale expert Dr Kumaran Sathasivam said.\nThe dead whales are being buried near the shore at Tuticorin, officials say.", "It was discovered by people walking along the beach on Friday.\nIt was encouraged back into the sea by the Loughs Agency on Friday but it washed up on Tuesday due to its emaciated condition.\nThe dead whale has been removed from the site by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Loughs Agency.\nA spokesperson for the Department of Environment (DOE) said: \"We assessed the situation and noted that the animal was an unweaned calf about three months old and apparently separated from its mother.\n\"The calf was severely malnourished and had suffered extensive injuries during its several standings.\n\"The animal's carcass has now been removed from the shore by council.\n\"DOE Marine Division staff have been able to recover some bone material for scientific and educational use.\n\"Minke whales are the most common whales in Irish waters, with young animals born mid-winter.\n\"They are not weaned until six months old and remain with the mother for up to three years to learn essential social and foraging skills.\n\"Despite local enquiries about any link with the pilot whale stranding event in Scotland, this is an isolated incident with no correlation.\"\nRichard Gillen, the countryside officer for Causeway Coast and Glens District Council, said: \"The water is shallow in that part of Myroe so I can see how it happened.\n\"There are baby whales out there in the water along the north coast, but this one seemed to like the Myroe and Magilligan area.\n\"It really wouldn't have survived.\"\nA nine-metre (29ft) long minke whale was found dead at Magilligan Point in November 2013.\nThe Irish Whale and Dolphin Group said the minke whale is Ireland's smallest and most commonly-recorded whale species.", "The killer whales were captured on mobile phone footage off the Shetland coast.\nDiver and photographer Richard Shucksmith filmed the pod as they entered a small gully three miles north of Lerwick.\n\"It's the best orca sighting I've ever experienced,\" said Mr Shucksmith. \"A big bull killer whale a metre away.\"\n\"I can only imagine they were hunting seals or fish, trying to flush something out.\n\"They came right in to the shoreline. They stopped in the gully for half an hour.\"\nMr Shucksmith operates nature photography tours in Shetland, but it was pure chance that the orcas surfaced at his location.\nHe had been diving on a separate photography project when the whales appeared on Monday afternoon.\n\"I grabbed my camera, but I only had my big lenses. They were so close I needed a wide angle lens, but that was in the car.\n\"My mobile phone was the only way I could film them.\"\nMr Shucksmith watched the orcas with a local family. He estimates there were about seven whales in the group.\nThe community runs a 'Shetland Orca Sighting' group on WhatsApp to share sightings around the islands.", "The pod is known in Scotland as the Northern Isles community and moves between Iceland and Scotland.\nSix of the group were spotted off Duncansby Head in Caithness on Monday afternoon and were photographed by wildlife watcher Karen Munro.\nScotland also has the West Coast community, a pod of older animals and the UK's only resident orcas.\nThe killer whales from Iceland include a calf thought to be only three months old.\nScientists and wildlife watchers in Iceland and Scotland are able to identify individual orca from markings on their bodies and the shape of their dorsal fins.\nMs Munro told the BBC News Scotland website: \"I knew straight away as I was looking through the lens taking photos who one of the whales was as she has a very distinct notch in her dorsal, I could also tell she had a very young calf with her due its orangey colouring and size.\n\"The adult is known as Number 19, or Mousa to some. She spends winter in Iceland feeding on herring and was photographed there this March with her newborn calf by Marie Mrusczok in Iceland, so it is only around three months old.\"\nMs Mrusczok and another Icelandic scientist, Filipa Samarra, were also able help Ms Munro and other Scottish orca watchers to identify three of the others in the group.\nThey included 19's older calf who is about four-years-old.\nEarlier this year, it was found that the West Coast community killer whales had lost one of their number.\nA killer whale known as Lulu was discovered dead on Tiree in the Inner Hebrides on 3 January. Only eight orca are now thought to survive in the pod.", "The Nottinghamshire swimmer started the Ocean's 7 Challenge in 2008 with a swim across the English Channel.\nHe has since conquered seas in Gibraltar, Hawaii, New Zealand, USA and Japan.\nThe final leg of his challenge saw him swim from Northern Ireland to the west coast of Scotland.\nHe completed the 21 mile (33km) swim on Wednesday.\nMr Walker said it was a great feeling to finally complete all of the swims, during which he had been stung by jellyfish, encountered sharks and been protected by dolphins.\nThe 35-year-old has been raising money for marine charities.\nDuring the swim across the Molokai Channel in Hawaii, Mr Walker was stung in the face by several jellyfish and \"nearly shot out of the water\" after being stung by a Portuguese man o'war.\nHe also came close to a large tiger shark during the 17-hour challenge.\nHe said: \"I was stung after 14 hours and I can only describe it like someone had slashed me repeatedly across the front of my stomach and down the side.\n\"I was shouting in agony for around two minutes and then realised I had a 5in (12cm) tentacle stuck to my stomach, which I ripped off.\"\nWhilst swimming the Cook Strait in New Zealand, Mr Walker said he was lucky enough to swim with a pod of dolphins.\nHe said he also spotted a large shark swimming beneath him and thought the dolphins had come to protect him.\nMr Walker described it as \"a real privilege\".\nAs well as seeing numerous sharks during his swims, Mr Walker has also swam close to a pilot whale in the Straits of Gibraltar.\nHe said the sea temperature on the latest leg across the North Channel was the coldest of the lot.", "The minke whale was spotted near Orford on Saturday, but the inaccessibility of the River Ore's mud flats meant experts could not carry out post-mortem tests on it.\nThe whale was towed to a quay at about 12:00 BST and taken away by lorry by an authorised contractor, New Orford Town Trust said.\nIt was one of three dead whales, but experts said they were not linked.\nMore on this and other news from Suffolk\nThe minke, which was \"less than 20ft in length\", weighed about one-and-a-half tonnes, Kara Reed, clerk of the Trust, said.\n\"In 13 years of working for the trust I have never had to deal with a whale,\" Ms Reed said.\n\"It was very sad.\"\nThe whale had been tethered on the mud flats since Monday to stop it from floating away and was towed about one mile by boat at high tide, she said.\nIt was taken to Orford quay and then removed by lorry for \"disposal\".\nThe minke was the first of three dead whales to be seen along that part of the Suffolk coast.\nOn Wednesday the body of a 30ft (9m) female fin whale which washed up on the beach at Felixstowe on Sunday was removed.\nThe third whale, believed to be a sperm whale, which was spotted off the coast on Monday is thought to have floated back out to sea.\nScientists from the Cetaceans Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) said the three deaths were \"coincidental\" and not thought to be in any way linked.", "The whales were found on the Lincolnshire coast over the weekend - two at Gibraltar Point and another in nearby Skegness.\nJan Smith, who led a team of 14 workers to remove the 30-tonne animals, said it had gone more smoothly than expected.\nThe work took place at night to keep disturbance to a minimum, he said.\nMr Smith said he expected the \"delicate operation\" to take up to eight hours, but all were removed by 01:30 GMT. The process started just after 20:00 in Skegness.\n\"It's gone very well, really,\" he said.\n\"The last one where the flaps had been cut open for the autopsy was hard work.\n\"You can't really plan what you are going to do because you don't know if they are likely to blow up or something. All that you can do is treat them with the utmost respect.\n\"It's a delicate operation.\"\nThe whales were positioned on to three low-loaders before being taken away. They will be buried in a landfill site in Sheffield.\nThe public were being warned to keep their distance while the work took place because of safety concerns.\nThe warning came after one of the whales \"decompressed rather spectacularly\" while scientists were carrying out tests on it.\nHundreds of people have turned out to see the mammals since they were discovered.\nFootage has emerged showing what could be two of the whales swimming in the North Sea on Saturday.\nTwo other whales washed up on the east coast - one is on the site of a former bombing range near Wainfleet in Lincolnshire. Another was found in Norfolk on Friday.", "HM Coastguard said two of the whales were found on a beach near Skegness at about 20:30 GMT on Saturday, while a third was discovered on Sunday morning.\nThe Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme will examine the bodies.\nThe pod was spotted off the Norfolk coast on Friday before the Hunstanton whale became stranded and died.\nJames Gilbert, from East Lindsey District Council, said the death of the whales was \"unbelievably sad\".\nHe added: \"We had heard about the whale that came ashore in Norfolk, so we had an early insight that there may be potential for some to arrive on our coast as well.\n\"All three are massive, beautiful animals, and it's just such a shame to see them on the beach in that way.\"\nOne of the whales is at the end of Lagoon Walk, with the other two towards Gibraltar Point.\nThey were cordoned off to prevent people from touching the carcasses.\nWhat happens after a whale is beached?\nMr Gilbert said the council needs to contact the relevant authorities to see if they want to examine the carcasses before they are removed.\n\"I know from previous occurrences they have wanted to do so, which does delay the process for us slightly in removing them from the beach, but our teams are geared up ready to do that as soon as they are given permission,\" he said.\nThe Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the Skegness whales are believed to be from the same pod as the Hunstanton whale, but the whereabouts of the rest of the pod is unknown at this stage.\nUK Coastguard Richard Johnson said: \"We believe the three whales at Skegness died at sea and then washed ashore.\n\"We are advising members of the public to stay away from the beach.\"\nAdam Holmes, the RNLI station press officer for Skegness, said the town was \"as busy as a bank holiday\" as crowds gathered to look at the bodies.\nScientists from the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, which coordinates the investigation of all whale, dolphin and porpoise strandings in the UK, will carry out post-mortem examinations.\nUp to five whales were seen at Hunstanton on Friday before one of them became stranded. It died despite efforts to rescue it.\nRob Deaville, programme organiser from the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, warned the others were also at \"considerable risk\" of being stranded.\nHis team has taken samples of skin, blubber, teeth and blood from the Hunstanton whale and will carry out similar tests on the ones at Skegness.\nSperm whales are deep sea animals and do not belong in the shallow waters of the North Sea.\nHe said: \"Every year we get 600 strandings of cetaceans in the UK and a handful, about five or six a year, are sperm whales.\"", "A 30ft (9m) decomposed whale washed up on the beach at Felixstowe on Sunday and the body of a minke whale was spotted near Orford on Saturday.\nScientists from the Cetaceans Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) say there is now a third dead whale off the coast.\nThey do not think the deaths are linked.\nThe third whale floating off the Suffolk coast is thought to be a sperm whale, Rob Deaville, from CSIP, said.\nMore on this and other news from Suffolk\nHe believes the whale on the beach at Felixstowe is a fin whale and a large injury on its body is the result of it being struck by a vessel \"some time ago, perhaps hundreds of miles away\".\nCSIP - which attends cases of whales, porpoises and dolphins that become stranded on the UK coastline - is currently examining the Felixstowe whale.\nIt is too decomposed to carry out a full post-mortem test but samples have been taken to assist with analysis in terms of whale population, Mr Deaville said.\nThe Orford whale stranded on mud flats on the tidal River Ore will be \"tricky to get to\", Mr Deaville said.\nHowever, he does not believe the deaths are in any way related.\n\"Three very different species, and in my opinion, they're not linked,\" he said.\n\"It's a series of coincidental events.\n\"We see hundreds of strandings a year, it just happens that these three are in close proximity.\"\nA spokeswoman for Suffolk Coastal and Waveney Councils said contractors were expected to remove the whale from the beach at Felixstowe on Wednesday.\nIt is not yet known when the body of the Orford whale will be moved.", "It was found at Weybourne in Norfolk on Tuesday and is now known to be a whale which washed up almost a month ago.\nNorfolk cetacean recorder Carl Chapman said a species of giant squid could have matched its description.\n\"The theory that [sperm] whales were chasing squid remains valid,\" he said, although there was no evidence as yet.\n\"When we heard it might be a giant squid, we thought this could be significant.\"\nHe said: \"I think at the moment people are very aware of the whale sightings and we are receiving a lot of reports which come to nothing.\"\nLive: Latest Norfolk whale updates\nThe minke whale carcass was washed off the beach at high tide on Wednesday morning and found at Sheringham.\nThe false alarm came after a seventh whale was seen in trouble off the coast at Mundesley on Tuesday morning.\nThe coastguard launched a search but could find no further trace of the creature.\nIt is hoped the whale safely returned to deeper waters.\nA sperm whale died at Hunstanton last week, the second to die there recently, and four others were found dead in Lincolnshire.\nThere have been 30 sperm whale deaths in the North Sea this year.\nThe Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, which examines all whale, dolphin and porpoise strandings in the UK, is working to establish why the whales came ashore and how they died.\nThis could help answer why the whales, thought to have come from the same bachelor pod normally living off the west coast of Norway, were in the North Sea.", "It was found on Saturday evening on the shoreline near Lowestoft.\nCoastguards believe the mammal - in an advanced state of decomposition - may have been struck by a boat.\nThe Maritime and Coastguard Agency has passed on details to the Receiver of Wreck.\nIt is hoped the carcass will refloat at high tide.\n\"On arrival and investigation it was found to be a harbour porpoise approx 5ft long,\" a statement from HM Coastguard Lowestoft and Southwold said.\nIt was deemed the mammal \"had been struck by a vessel's prop, potentially in and around the Lowestoft Harbour.\"\nPorpoises are smaller than dolphins and lack the distinctive beak.\nThe harbour species is so-called because it is often found in more shallow coastal areas and estuaries.\nThree whales have been discovered beached along the nearby coastline in recent days.\nThe first, a 20ft minke calf, was spotted on a mudbank at Orford, on 20 May.\nAn area close to Felixstowe Pier was sealed off on 21 May after the decomposed body of a 30ft fin whale washed up.\nThe third, believed to be the remains of a sperm whale, was spotted off the coast on Monday and is thought to have floated back out to sea.\nScientists from the Cetaceans Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) said those three deaths were \"coincidental\" and not thought to be in any way linked.", "The whale was one of a number that have been feeding off the north coast of Mull.\nLast week, the whale was spotted dead in the sea off the island and later washed up on a remote shoreline of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula.\nStaff of the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust were able to reach its carcase on Tuesday.\nScientists at the Inverness-based Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme were able to confirm from tissue samples and photographs the entanglement was the \"most likely\" cause of its death.", "The sperm whale was found at about 07:30 GMT at Hunstanton on Thursday. Rescuers kept the bull comfortable and hoped it would refloat when the tide came in, but it died at about 20:00.\nScientist Rob Deaville said it had \"died fairly quickly\" and there would have been little chance of saving it.\nHis team examined the whale earlier.\nSamples taken from the carcass will now be taken to a laboratory for testing.\nIt is the 30th sperm whale to have died this year after becoming stranded on beaches in northern Europe and the east coast of England.\nRead more on this as it happens\nThey are thought to have all been from the same bachelor pod.\nMarine conservationists said it was possible the male whales, which normally live off the west coast of Norway, could have taken a wrong turn into the North Sea, while heading south to find females or been lured by food.\nMr Deaville, from the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme - which examines all whale, dolphin and porpoise strandings in the UK - took samples from the Hunstanton earlier.\nBeached whale: How the story unfolded\nHe said it could takes months to \"try and work out why these whales have come into the North Sea in the first place\".\n\"There are many possible reasons and we're keeping a very open mind about the whole investigation.\"\n\"This is the question everyone is asking.\"\nBut Mr Deaville, who has examined all six sperm whales that washed up on the east coast, says the answer may never be known.\n\"We'll be working very closely with our German, Dutch and French colleagues, gathering data about what might have been going on in the north Atlantic to potentially - potentially - bring them into the North Sea.\"\nThere are currently two schools of thought, he says:\nThe second theory is \"more worrying because that would suggest there's a systemic problem out there in the north Atlantic,\" Mr Deaville says.\n\"If that's the case this isn't the end of what we might see.\n\"Potentially there'll be more coming in, and that is more concerning. I hope that isn't the case.\n\"In a way the first is the better outcome because that would suggest there's a finite number of whales in the North Sea.\"\nMr Deaville, who arrived at the beach between Old Hunstanton and Holme-next-the-Sea moments after the whale died, said seeing the 14m-long (46ft) bull had \"quite an emotional impact\" on him.\n\"This dim shape appeared out of the gloom. You got closer and closer and there was this whale, lying on its side on the sand... it had been alive just an hour earlier.\"\nAsked if the whale had suffered, he said: \"No doubt it probably was suffering on shore, but it was probably very compromised by being stranded for such a long time.\n\"There would be no chance of being refloated or rescued, which is what a lot of people hoped would happen - and it wouldn't have been a good outcome here.\n\"So probably the best outcome in terms of the welfare of the whale is that it died fairly quickly.\"", "The whale became entangled in fishing equipment at around 12:00 GMT off the coast at Blackpool Sands.\nIt was freed by volunteers from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR).\nThe whale was originally spotted three weeks ago in Start bay and has been attracting visitors from across the UK.\nDave Jarvis from BDMLR said ropes \"had been cut\" to free the humpback which \"moved off at speed\".\nEarlier an RNLI lifeboat was launched to assist the whale, which was entangled around 500 yards (457m) off shore.\nJames Wright, curator of the National Marine Aquarium, said it was \"very surprising\" to see the whale in Devon.\nHe added: \"We would expect to see four or five around the Scottish Islands, but not necessarily around here.\"", "Efforts have been under way to save the sperm whale since the UK Coastguard received a call just after 07:30 GMT. It is thought it became stranded overnight.\nThe 14m-long (46ft) bull was found between Old Hunstanton and Holme-next-the-Sea, about two miles east of where another sperm whale died on 22 January.\nThe British Divers Marine Life Rescue said the whale died at about 20:00.\nBeached whale: How the story unfolded\nHigh tide arrived at the beach at 14:50 submerging the whale, but it was unable to right itself.\nMr Copeland, who helped in the rescue bid, said earlier that possible internal injuries meant the whale was unlikely to survive and their main focus was on keeping the animal comfortable.\nThe British Divers Marine Life Rescue said the mammal became stranded at Hunstanton overnight and was the 29th sperm whale to be washed up across Europe in the last few weeks.\nStephen Marsh, operations manager for the group, said there was nothing it could do to help.\n\"It's likely to be between 25 and 30 tonnes,\" he said.\nSperm whale strandings - 2016 timeline\n12 January: Five sperm whales found on Texel Island, The Netherlands\n22 January: Sperm whale stranded at Hunstanton, Norfolk\n23-24 January: Three further sperm whales found on the shore near Skegness\n25 January: Fifth sperm whale washed ashore at Wainfleet, Lincolnshire\n1 February: Eight whales beached at Germany's Wadden Sea national park\n2 February: One whale discovered stranded in France\n3 February: Further two found in Germany\n4 February: Second sperm whale discovered near Hunstanton - the 29th beached across Europe this year, according to experts\nRob Deaville, project manager at the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, said the number of strandings was \"unprecedented\" in his 20 years' experience.\n\"We know why the whales have died because they die through the process of live stranding,\" he said.\n\"Obviously what has brought them into the North Sea in the first place is a question everyone wants to answer but that will take many weeks to months to try to address.\"\n300,000\nsperm whales in the world\n29 sperm whales washed ashore across Europe in 2016\n6 sperm whales beached in Norfolk and Lincolnshire in nearly two weeks\nAccording to Dr Simon Ingram, a marine conservation lecturer at Plymouth University, it is possible the male whales, which normally live off the west coast of Norway, could have taken a wrong turn while heading south to find females or been lured by food.\n\"At some point probably a group of whales have entered the North Sea,\" he said.\n\"It's possible that they have turned left too soon,\" he said.\n\"They don't know where to go, they're not in familiar habitats.\n\"They are exhausted, lost and end up on beaches.\"\nThe whale became beached about 1.5 miles out on the sand.\nJeremy Littlewood from UK Coastguard said it was the sixth beached whale the agency had dealt with in the area recently.\n\"It is obviously a very distressing scene and we would advise members of the public, for their own safety, to keep at a safe distance,\" he said.\nExpert analysis: Ben Garrod, broadcaster and Anglia Ruskin University lecturer\nIt is always tragic to see something like this, but it does seem like it is a naturally occurring event.\nIt is a massive pod and they have washed up in Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.\nThe ones that have been dissected from mainland Europe have had very, very empty stomachs.\nThey are exhausted anyway and they come into these very shallow waters in the Wash and by the time they start to beach themselves they are in a cardio-vascular collapse.\nBy the time they start to wash up, they are in big trouble anyway.\nThis represents the largest sperm whale stranding episode in England in the last hundred years.\nFive other sperm whales became stranded and died on beaches in Skegness, Lincolnshire, and Hunstanton last month.\nThe Receiver of Wreck and the Zoological Society of London have been informed of the stranding.", "The whale, which is thought to be about 10-15m long, was spotted off Mundesley on Thursday.\nCarl Chapman, cetaceans recorder for Norfolk, said it spent most of the following day off the coast of Walcott.\n\"I'm absolutely thrilled,\" he said. \"Its features very much resemble those of the whale here last year.\"\nMr Chapman said he spotted the humpback from Minsmere, Suffolk, two weeks ago and has been watching the Norfolk coast \"avidly\" since.\nHe said the whale was about 3km (1.8 miles) off the coast and had been spotted below a group of gannets.\n\"They're after the same food source, herring,\" Mr Chapman said. \"It breached earlier - came out of the water. It was spectacular.\"\nMr Chapman said the whale's arrival, almost a year to the day since it was spotted in 2013, gave him hope that it could become an annual event.\nHowever, he said he was concerned that the whale was \"horribly close\" to the shipping lane and could be in danger of being hit.\nLast year's sighting of the whale was the first in written record, experts said.", "The whale was spotted near North Stradbroke Island, about 80km (50 miles) east of Brisbane, early on Wednesday morning.\nHer distressed calf was later seen apparently pushing her as she splashed in the water to get free.\nAbout 40 minutes after getting stuck, the whale was able to dislodge herself.\nQueensland Parks and Wildlife Services (QPWS) personnel were despatched to help the pair and planned to stabilise them until a team from Sea World, further along the coast, could arrive to help free them.\nBut incoming tides and the efforts of the young whale helped the mother get off the sandbank before they arrived.\n\"The whale was able to free itself and the adult and the calf were able to swim away,\" a spokesperson for QPWS told the BBC, adding that they successfully helped the pair out through shallow waters to the open sea.\n\"The mother was a bit tired and distressed\".\nWhales are common at this time of year on the Queensland coast, where many go to give birth and begin rearing their calves before heading back to Antarctic waters.", "They were among the 36 whales who were rescued and pushed back into the sea on Tuesday.\nAt least 45 whales died after more than 80 of the animals were stranded on the shore at Tuticorin.\nThe last time such an incident occurred in Tuticorin, was in 1973 when 147 whales died.\nLocal fishermen, helped by officials, used mechanised boats to float the stranded whales back into the sea on Tuesday, but five of the animals returned to the shore early on Wednesday, BBC Hindi's Imran Qureshi reports.\n\"We were expecting [some of the whales] to return to the shore. We have again used boats to take them back into the sea,\" Dr Patterson Edward, director of the Tuticorin-based Sugandhi Devadasan Marine Research Institute, said.\nScientists say they are unsure about the reasons behind the whales coming to the shore.\n\"We can't say the exact reason. They could have come chasing a prey and lost their way,\" fisheries official A Srinivasan told BBC Hindi.\n\"It is also possible that the water current could have changed when the low tide replaces a high tide and they could have lost their way in the low depth region and reached ashore. They lose their orientation when this happens,\" he said.\nMeanwhile, the 45 dead whales are being buried near the shore at Tuticorin, officials said.", "Media playback is unsupported on your device\n9 May 2012 Last updated at 15:54 BST\nGray whales migrate north along the west coast of the USA in the spring and although it is known the vulnerable young are often targetted by killer whales, it is rarely captured on film.\nIn this clip the end of the killer whale attack can be seen, followed by the \"agitated\" humpback whales trumpeting.\nThe gray whales are being followed for the Planet Earth Live series, known as 24/7 Wild in the US, which continues on Wednesday 1930 BST on BBC One in the UK.", "Media playback is unsupported on your device\n16 September 2015 Last updated at 15:36 BST\nA humpback whale launched itself from the water and landed on their boat.\nTom Mustill and Charlotte Kinloch from London were saved by their life vests and other kayakers, who were paddling just outside Monterey Bay.\nThe moment was captured on camera by Sanctuary Cruises." ]

[ "William Inge" ]

[ "Doctor Who" ]

[ "First off, *víkingar* raided all over Europe, from Scandinavia to Spain and Russia, and would have definitely told of other places when they returned home. The trade links between Scandinavian countries and Islamic states indicates that Scandinavians were definitely aware of other, warmer climes, but there migrating - then as now - is not an inexpensive task, and it's exceptionally difficult when you have no guarantee of land to work or food to eat in your new place. Itinerant populations are generally frowned upon by settled groups, as well, which would lead to conflict over resources, and would result in either intermittent raiding - as *víkingar* did. This also could result in the colonisation and settlement of territory, as happened in in France with Neustria - which eventually was renamed Normandy after the Latin term for the Scandinavians (*Nortmanni*)" ]

[ "The effect of the coriolis force is very small at \"normal speeds but will actually make a difference in fuel consumption of airplanes travelling north/south for a few thousand miles. The Earth's spin is VERY important for rockets. All the efforts of Space-X trying to land on the water (much more difficult than land) are to take advantage of the earths spin.", "Vikings certainly traveled by coast but attacked towns farther inland as well. A town might be aware of Vikings near by based on news from neighboring towns or by sighting viking visitors on the coasts. The frequency of attacks were more based on accessibility of the town and its resources. If you had rich farmland, were located at a key trading point, or were just pretty well off, you would be at a greater risk of having viking guests. The time of the Vikings went on for several hundred years, so their movement was more a gradual spread than a continent wide attack. A greater awareness of Vikings were known, many towns were even controlled and inhabited by them, through trade routes and migration.", "There are not many sources on the Viking and Native American interactions in North America. Both archaeological and textual sources are few in number and many of those sources are rather questionable in themselves. To my knowledge, there are not currently any finds that would suggest that the Native Americans did try to create sea faring ships after their interactions with the Vikings. If you are interested, there is more discussion of textual and archaeological sources on this [post](_URL_0_) that goes more in depth. The focus is more on the saga sources, Viking settlement, and their interactions with the native peoples.", "They did. We've even found [one of their settlements](_URL_0_). It's called L'Anse aux Meadows, but that wasn't its name back in the 11th Century. The Sagas mention two settlements in Vinland, the land south of Markland, which itself was west of Greenland. L'Anse aux Meadows might be one of those, or a separate site unrecorded by the Sagas. Eventually though, the settlements in Vinland had to be abandoned due to constant conflict with the \"Skraelings\", the Norse name for the indigenous population of the region.", "Electric vehicles are more practical when they only have to travel short distances and have easy access to charging facilities. A bus that makes the same 1 mile loop every day fits that description. A bus that travels a couple hundred miles a day, not as much.", "\"During the day, MF (medium frequency) signals travel by groundwave, diffracting around the curve of the earth over a distance up to a few hundred miles (or kilometers) from the signal transmitter. However, after sunset, changes in the ionosphere cause MF signals to travel by skywave, enabling radio stations to be heard much farther from their point of origin than is normal during the day.\" Skywave just refers to the propagation of radio waves reflected back from the ionosphere. Since the ionosphere is not limited by the curvature of the earth", "To my knowledge, they didn't. The Adriatic sea is a relatively warm sea and I believe that the salinity, which is slightly higher than in the rest of the Mediterranean, further prevents freezing. Also, the air temperatures rarely fall under the 0C. There is, however, a strong northern wind called Bora or Bura, depending on who you ask which can make you feel as if it were below zero, but to my knowledge it has never contributed to anything save a very bumpy boat ride.", "Mainly because of the sheer size of America. I've spent time in various different corners of the USA, and I thought the subway in New York is excellent, as is the urban railway system in Chicago. I've travelled on Amtrak between New York and Washington DC, and found that to be a similar experience to using the national rail services at home in England. I've also used Amtrak to travel from Chicago to New York. That is a ridiculously long way to go by train, IMHO - I enjoyed the experience, but if it wasn't for wanting to experience it, I'd have been much better off flying. And that's a really tiny journey across a little corner of north-east USA. Once you start talking about travelling cross-country, the distances involved are far, far too long to consider travelling any way except by air. I expect most Europeans would agree with that. We rarely travel by train for anything more than a few hundred miles - but a few hundred miles is often enough to get us comfortably into the next country!", "What makes you think they didn't? For instance, in his novel \"The Mysterious Island\", Jules Verne describes a discussion about the future of civilization after coal runs out.", "I belive it actually has to do with the jet-stream, which is a layer of air that is moving at several hundred miles per hour relative to the surface, but in a more objective sense, this air is not moving (much) with the earth's rotation. This makes west-to-east air travel more efficient and faster than east-to-west air travel because of the difference in air resistance from the jet stream.", "I'm not sure how long it would take for the piece of silk, but it's 4,600 miles and takes at least half a year to travel if you're just traveling it, according to the New York Times. \"(The Silk Road) s some 4,600 miles long and takes at least half a year to traverse. And it passes through regions whose temperatures range from minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit to more than 120. In ancient times (as in our own) weapon-wielding robbers ambushed travelers, and tribal armies clashed over shifting frontiers.\" _URL_0_ For the piece of silk, given that traders didn't really set out from China and end up in Rome, it could take a year or more, I'd imagine. It would have been handed from trader to trader as it progressed further west.", "Well, back when we were migratory creatures, we wouldn't. Head north during the warner months and south fir the cooler months. But once we decided that settling down was better. The amount of fertile land and other natural resources was tempting enough for the settlers to brave a few cold months.", "The sun is over 93 million miles away, going up a few hundred feet is pretty much no closer.", "We didnt, we lived in warmer climates until we learned how slowly over time as we moved north", "Check out [this ](_URL_0_) thread on a similar question from a few hours ago.", "If they did think about it, we have no way of knowing. The majority of commoners in early modern Europe were illiterate, so they didn't write down their thoughts on the matter. What we do have is the fanciful-styled literature (based in experience or otherwise) written in reaction to the New World that the more well-to-do and literate people consumed with vigor. If anyone is aware of sources that somehow get that viewpoint across, please share with us!", "this was discussed a few weeks back with some good answers here: _URL_0_", "I was looking for a question just like this only yesterday, here's a previous answer I found: _URL_0_", "The assumption that they didn't know it was coming is probably false. Even fairly primitive cultures have basic knowledge of weather patterns, and the Native American empires were not particularly primitive (keep in mind that the people Europeans ran into while expanding were the remnants of a people absolutely ravaged by the worst plague in human history). Plenty of tribal cultures live in the Arctic, anyway, where these temperatures are common. Good insulation + fire does a lot.", "If you are at the north pole it doesn't matter where you go; you always go south. So you make your mile south and now you are exactly one mile south of the north pole. If you walk west (or east) it won't change that you are exactly one mile south of the north pole. So then you walk north, and you end up exactly at the north pole again, which is where you started. The second location is a bit more complicated. It's actually not a single location but it can be any location on a path which is a ring that lies a short distance to the north of the south pole. Now if you walk a mile south from that location you end up being at a spot that is so close to the south pole that when you walk exactly one mile west (or east) you'll end up at that exact spot again. So because you end up at that spot again you can then travel your mile north back to where you started originally. EDIT: [Here](_URL_0_) is a illustration to make it more understandable. Please excuse my horrendous Paint skills.", "A few hundred millions of years ago, the more \"uniform\" chimera wasn't as uniform as you think... equator always get much more energy than tropics. Also Pangea, the super continent had everything out of the poles, even the now South Pole continent was way out of the polar circle... that's how it had forests.", "They actually did. That is how they conquered northern China. They went up into the Northern Desert that was assumed to be impassable and swept down into China.", "As far as I can tell there is zero evidence to suggest it is real. We have access to a Viking saga or two which describes them fighting the \"Skraelings\" of North America: _URL_0_ There is also archaeological evidence of the Vikings in NA such as buildings and artefacts: _URL_1_ If the Vikings had travelled south and discovered an urbanized and sophisticated culture, the sagas would have recorded it. There has been no archaeological or literary evidence of the Vikings going that far south. Such theories also are a tad elitist in nature since they are normally presented as \"advanced white people come and educate the primitive natives\", and represents are belief that non-Christian/Non-European people could have achieved such civilization on their own.", "The math isn't overly complex, but the short answers is \"not much\". Sound doesn't take a lot of energy to produce, even at the volume a car produces before the muffler. A few hundred watts at most. A car engine is in the range of a few hundred kilowatts, so only roughly 0.1% of the cars power is turned into sound. Most of the loss is in the form of heat that's pumped out to the radiator. An engine that is designed to hold all that heat in is much more efficient, but the temperatures would destroy the engine unless it was made of some exotic heat-resistant material.", "Yes, they did. Here's a site that details somewhat: _URL_0_ They view it in a very spiritual way.", "Those accents came about from hundreds of years of small isolated communities. People were born, lived and died in the same village without travelling more than 10 miles. So lots of local words and different pronunciations began to develop.", "Just about every white race can be traced back to Europe. The east/west geography of Europe allows for easier travel and sharing of ideas. When different groups of people travel more and share ideas, they develop their technology better, and in turn can take over other groups of people more easily. In the Americas and Africa, the landscape is more of a north/south orientation. Traveling in those lands would take you through vastly different climates...so people didn't travel as much, which meant less sharing of ideas and development. Source: I took a course on civilization when in college and this is one of the few things I remember from it. Of course, it all was a theory, but of all the theories we read trying to explain why Europe developed so much faster than the rest of the world, this made the most sense to me.", "The wave doesn't actually visibly appear until it hits the coastal shelf, about a few hundred or so meters from shore, depending on the local geography. Until that point, it doesn't hardly protrude above the surface at all, and is traveling at hundreds of miles an hour. So, yeah, in a lot of places that don't have massive, shallow, shelves, people don't know a tsunami is coming until it's less than a mile away coming at them faster than a Formula 1 car.", "The pilgrims' original destination was not New England but the Hudson River (around where New York is today). After being battered at sea by storms, thrown off route several hundred miles, and with low supplies, they made landfall. They could not sail farther south because they lacked supplies and the moral. They also did not anticipate New England having bad weather. Since Massachusetts is 600 miles south of London and on the same longitude as Madrid, they actually anticipated a Mediterranean climate when they arrived. [source](_URL_0_) edit: extra word", "I've answered this a few times, check out these two threads: [Did the Sami and the Vikings Fight](_URL_1_) [Relations between Vikings and Sami](_URL_0_) Also, the periodization I am answering for (what you call the \"Dark Ages\") is more correctly called the \"Germanic Iron Age\" (c. 400-c.800) and the \"Viking Age\" (c. 800-1100). Maybe someone else can give you some more to go on for the later medieval, early modern, and modern periods.", "I've talked about this question (exactly, more or less) [here](_URL_0_).", "There was a similar question brought up 18 hours ago that might be of interest. _URL_0_" ]

[ "['dizziness or lightheadedness as your body adjusts to the medication,', 'stomach pain,', 'back pain,', 'tired feeling,', 'skin rash,', 'runny or stuffy nose,', 'sore throat, or.', 'dry cough.']" ]

[ "Facial swelling is a common side effect of some drugs, including: ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure (enalapril, lisinopril, ramipril) ARBs for high blood pressure (irbesartan, losartan, valsartan) Corticosteroids.", "What is hydrochlorothiazide and losartan? Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic (water pill). Losartan is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist (sometimes called an ARB blocker). Hydrochlorothiazide and losartan is a combination medicine used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).", "What is Hydrochlorot? Hydrochlorothiazide is an antihypertensive diuretic drug used in the treatment of high blood pressure and/or swelling. Hydrochlorothiazide is also known as HCT, HCTZ, or HZT.", "Losartan and Losartan Potassium are the same thing.", "What are side effects? Side effects are unwanted symptoms caused by medical treatment. They're also called \"adverse effects\" or \"adverse reactions\". All medicines can cause side effects, particularly if you don't use them as advised.", "by Drugs.com Losartan and Losartan Potassium are the same thing. Losartan Potassium is the full name including the salt (potassium). Both will deliver the stated amount of losartan.", "Spun HCT and Spun PCV are different names for the same thing (both are derived by the same method—determined by centrifugation of anticoagulated whole blood). Calculated HCT is determined by automated hematology instruments (impedance cell counters). It calculates HCT using the following formula: MCV x RBC count/10.", "Haematocrit (Hct) (%) is usually defined as three times the value of haemoglobin (Hgb) (g/dl), while the clinical definition of anaemia is related to either an abnormal Hct or Hgb value.", "What are the common side effects of taking Mefnil? Vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping are the most common side effects of using Mefnil. The other common side effects include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.", "What is the difference between side effects, adverse effects and contraindications? The terms “side effects” and “adverse effects” are often used interchangeably. This may be correct in many contexts, but the two terms do not mean exactly the same thing. Side effects are effects seen on the side in clinical use.", "What Side Effects Are Associated with Mydayis? The most common side effects of Mydayis are as follows: Adolescents (ages 13 to 17): insomnia, decreased appetite, decreased weight, irritability, and nausea.", "What are some common side effects of vaccination? Some of the most common mild side effects seen after immunization include: Redness, mild swelling, and tenderness at the vaccination site.", "What are the side effects of lap band surgery (LAGB)? Side effects include nausea and vomiting, ulceration at the band site, esophageal reflux (indigestion), weight regain, and dehydration.", "What side effects can I get with Ocrevus? Common side effects include: infusion related reactions such as headache, rashes, fever and nausea.", "What is Cozaar? Cozaar (losartan) is an oral angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) prescribed for the treatment of hypertension.", "What Are Side Effects of Tirosint? Common side effects of Tirosint include hair loss, changes in menstrual cycle, and appetite or weight changes.", "A: Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HCT) is one of the most commonly prescribed blood pressure drugs in the world. It is considered safe and cost-effective. Nonetheless, HCTZ could have led to your mother's low sodium and potassium levels.", "The desired effect is also called the therapeutic effect. This means that the medication is doing what it is supposed to. Almost all medications that have a systemic effect on the body will cause side effects. Some medications that have a localized effect on the body can also cause side effects.", "The following medicines may reduce the blood level of losartan and could make it less effective: fluconazole (although taking a single-dose of fluconazole to treat thrush is unlikely to have a significant effect)", "Losartan potassium/Hydrochlorothiazide is indicated for the treatment of essential hypertension in patients whose blood pressure is not adequately controlled on losartan or hydrochlorothiazide alone. Losartan Potassium/Hydrochlorothiazide may be administered with other antihypertensive agents.", "Losartan is available in generic form. You need a prescription from your doctor to obtain losartan.", "What are the side effects of oral antibiotics for acne? The side effects of oral antibiotics depend on the medication, but they can cause problems like upset stomach, dizziness, skin color changes, and sun sensitivity.", "Is losartan an ACE inhibitor or a beta blocker? Losartan is an angiotensin receptor blocker. It is not an ACE inhibitor or a beta blocker.", "First-line drugs are first administered for diseases, and are usually chosen due to less side effects and high clinical effectiveness. Then what are second-line drugs? They are used when first-line drugs show no effect for the disease or when it is difficult to continue the treatment owing to the side effect.", "Side Effects: Headache, neck/shoulder pain, muscle cramping, pain in left side rib area, bad anxiety and depression, I was near ready to commit suicide before realizing what was causing my symptoms. Side Effects: Slight headache, only the first time.", "The agency has also created a page that lists the drugs that have not been recalled. Losartan. In December, the FDA announced a voluntary recall of losartan potassium tablets USP. An addition eight lots of Torrent Pharmaceuticals' losartan tablets were added to a previous recall in January.", "Side effects of Accutane: Side effects are almost always reversible and will go away after treatment is complete. There are many options to help minimize or prevent side effects. There is no relationship between the presence or severity of side effects and the effectiveness of the medication.", "What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Cialis? The most common side effects with Cialis are: headache, indigestion, back pain, muscle aches, flushing, and stuffy or runny nose. These side effects usually go away after a few hours. Men who get back pain and muscle aches usually get it 12 to 24 hours after taking Cialis.", "What are the possible side effects of omeprazole? Your child may have some of these side effects while they take omeprazole. Check with your child's doctor if your child continues to have any of these side effects, and they do not go away, or they bother your child: watery bowel movements (diarrhea)", "What are the side effects of saw palmetto? Side effects are uncommon and typically mild. The most common are: Men taking saw palmetto have also reported erection problems, testicular pain, and tenderness in the breasts.", "Short story: Minoxidil is clinically proven to help regrow hair by up to 35%. What are the side effects? Although this drug is generally safe, like any medication, it can be associated with rare but serious side effects. You can read more about minoxidil's side effects here.", "Losartan potassium: Uses and warnings. Losartan potassium is a medication that doctors prescribe to treat high blood pressure or hypertension. Losartan potassium works by relaxing the blood vessels to allow the blood to flow more efficiently, which reduces a person's blood pressure." ]

[ "Nearly half of Americans who use the Internet have used a video-sharing site such as YouTube, and daily traffic to watch or post video doubled last year, a new survey finds." ]

[ "More than half of digital video recorder users fast-forwarded through commercials while watching prime-time network fare, according to the first study of DVR users watching ads.", "Advertising.com, Inc. today announced the results of its online video study examining consumer perceptions, usage and response to online video and corresponding advertising.", "According to one recent study, people are spending more time on the Internet than usual during the Hollywood TV writers' strike. According to another survey, more than half of all the people on the Web have watched online videos.", "Owners of digital video recorders still see two-thirds of commercials, a Nielsen study finds.", "Nearly half of people who regularly watch online video spend less time watching TV, a survey suggests.", "Blog: Video-sharing site enables users to combine media, such as video clips, photos and music.", "Another Web browser usage survey is showing a familiar trend: Mozilla&#39;s share is rising at the expense of Internet Explorer. Global usage share numbers released Monday by OneStat.", "IBM user group SHARE has released a study acknowledging mainframe usage in service-oriented architecture.", "Nielsen//Netratings released their statistics on search engine market share and usage today which ranked the search engines by usage and growth. Google still dominates the American search engine market with almost half of all US searches taking place via Google.com and its partners. Google also enjoys more than double the amount of searches than Yahoo, [...]", "Blog: Women are the primary user of digital SLRs in more than half of households surveyed, new study data shows.", "More than 100 million Americans, or three out of every five Internet users, viewed video online in July, a new study finds.", "According to a recent study from Nielsen//Netratings, Yahoo &#038; Ask.com are growing faster than Google in terms of search engine usage. While Google still undoubtedly holds the number one spot for the amount of searches at over 3 billion searches in the past year, or 49.6% of the search engine market share; Yahoo search usage grew [...]", "Laptop Usage Can Lead to Low Sperm Count and Infertility Laptops may be one of the most useful inventions in the world, even more useful than TiVo and Jiffy Pop. However, a quite frightening study was released yesterday that linked laptop usage to infertility in males. The study, released by the ...", "Shorter is better on the web A survey of US internet users shows that while video content is popular, films are not. Only 5% of those who regularly watch video content on the internet have sat through a whole film sitting at their desk.…", "WebSideStory, a provider of on-demand Web analytics, in its latest independent study has said that in the one-month period from November 5 to December 3, 2004, Firefox&#39;s online usage share has grown from 3.03 percent to 4.06 percent in the US alone.", "Roger Clemens posts a video repeating his denials of steroid usage, and says he will sit for a \"60 Minutes' interview.", "Fighting the app-independent tide with video plug-ins WAN optimisation specialist Packeteer is offering free WAN application performance evaluations, plus software to track video usage over the network.…", "YouTube founders received more than a half-billion dollars in Google stock when the search engine bought the video-sharing website last year, regulatory documents revealed.", "Blog: File sharing is a much more popular way to obtain video than ripping DVDs.", "New survey on Internet attitudes says nearly a quarter of Americans believe the Internet could take the place of a partner for a time.", "The boom in online video has started to reduce the hours people spend watching television, a survey said on Monday.", "More than half of U.S. residents want the government to regulate Internet video in some way, according to a poll released Wednesday.", "LOS ANGELES -- Despite evidence that sharing music and movies online remains popular, a report issued yesterday by a committee of entertainment and university leaders says universities have made strides the past year in curtailing online piracy.", "If you think you've been spending more time watching video online, you're not alone. A new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, released this week, said that the daily traffic to sites such as YouTube doubled in 2007, and that nearly half of all adult Internet users have visited such sites.", "According to a recent study, a Chicken and a Human share half of their genes. Although the chicken genome contains considerably less DNA than the human genome, it has about the same number of genes.", "Widely used anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen could help reduce the risk of heart attacks, while abruptly halting the usage increases the risks, according to a large UK study.", "Although full-length movies are becoming increasingly available for download, relatively few internet users are jumping at the opportunity, a new poll finds.", "GenVec Inc. shares lost almost half their value Thursday after the Food and Drug Administration halted a study of its lead product candidate because the anti-cancer drug may increase blood clots in patients.", "Hot spot usage is surging worldwide, paced by business users logging on more frequently from travel-related venues such as airports and hotels, a new study shows.", "Blog: AT&T is taking its video sharing service nationwide.", "More than half (51%) of the American online population accessed the Internet via broadband connections in July--up from only 38 percent in July 2003, according to estimates released Tuesday by Nielsen//NetRatings.", "According to a survey conducted by the market research agency Nielsen/Netratings these days more than half of European Internet users are surfing the Net via a high-speed connection." ]

[ "For security reasons, we may limit the amount, number, and type of transactions you can make on your Card and any funding or reload of your Card. You may withdraw up to a maximum of $3,000 per calendar month from ATMs and up to a maximum of $3,000 per calendar month from teller transactions, unless otherwise indicated." ]

[ "There's few withdrawal rules when it comes to TFSAs. For the most part, you can take money from your TFSA as you like. While there's no penalty to withdrawing money from your TFSA, you'll get taxed if you exceed your contribution limit. The government limits how much money you can put into a TFSA every year.", "Your 401(k) withdrawals are taxed as income. There isn't a separate 401(k) withdrawal tax. Any money you withdraw from your 401(k) is considered income and will be taxed as such, alongside other sources of taxable income you may receive. ... You can calculate how much you'll owe for income tax to help plan ahead.", "Withdrawals from IRAs are taxable income and Social Security benefits can be taxable. Whether you actually owe taxes and how much depends on a number of things. ... If you never made any nondeductible contributions to any of your IRA accounts, all of the IRA withdrawal is counted as taxable income.", "['Find the first home of your dreams. ... ', 'Check that you qualify to make a withdrawal. ... ', 'Work out how much you can take out of KiwiSaver. ... ', 'Apply to make a first home purchase withdrawal. ... ', 'Put the money towards your first home purchase.']", "The IRS rules on retirement withdrawals from your IRA don't set any specific required amount of annual withdrawals between age 59 ½ and 70 ½. You can take out as much or as little as you like. If yours is a traditional IRA, you will owe income tax on your retirement withdrawals.", "Making withdrawals from your RRIF. Two key decisions you have to make with a RRIF are how much money to take out and when. While there is a minimum amount you have to take out each year, there is no maximum amount. All withdrawals are fully taxable.", "This is how to check or see how much money you have made on TikTok, which is your Diamond balance, and withdraw the cash from your wallet. It is located in the Privacy and Settings menu, 3 options down in Wallet.", "Which symptoms you experience and the severity of these symptoms depend on how much sugar you were consuming. Withdrawal symptoms can last from a few days to two weeks. The longer your body goes without sugar, the less intense your symptoms and cravings for sugar will be.", "How does an RRSP work? Contributions you make to an RRSP are tax-deferred, meaning the money is only taxed when you withdraw it. For most, withdrawing from your RRSP at a later point in life means paying much less tax. Any money put into an RRSP, up to the annual limit, reduces your taxable income for that year.", "Yes you can withdraw cash without a cheque. You can use withdrawal slip available in bank for the purpose. Though banks ask lots of questions before allowing withdrawal using withdrawal slip if you have a cheque book. Other way you can withdraw money (as from where/medium is not specified :P) is from ATM.", "How long does a withdrawal from my Wealthsimple account take. Withdrawals can take up to 5-7 business days from the time they are requested to the time the money arrives back in your bank account.", "USAA ATMs. There's no withdrawal fee when you get cash from ATMs with the USAA logo, regardless of the type of account you have or how many withdrawals you make. For your convenience, you can also deposit cash at ATMs in select locations. There's no deposit slip or envelope required.", "How Long do Effexor Withdrawal Symptoms Last? The half-life of EffexorXR is anywhere from approximately 9 to 27 hours, and Effexor withdrawal symptoms can begin within a few hours of the last dose.", "How do I update or withdraw my consent to organ and tissue donation? You can update or withdraw your consent at any time at www.BeADonor.ca by simply choosing “Check or Update Registration” on the home page. You can also visit any ServiceOntario centre to update or withdraw in person.", "There's a simple way to calculate how much you'll need to have saved up before you can retire. Take your desired annual retirement income, and divide it by 4% (the maximum amount you will withdraw from your savings each year to pay for your living expenses in retirement). For example: $50,000 ÷ 4% = $1,250,000.", "Your withdrawals will be taxable In North Carolina, qualified Roth distributions are not taxed.) So keep that in mind when deciding how much to withdraw. Generally speaking, the less you withdraw each year — keeping your RMD in mind — the less you'll owe in income taxes each year, and the longer your money will last.", "Look at how much you can earn! According to codeinwp, an average WordPress developer can charge as much as $50 per hour! So, if you are already traveling on the path of making a living from WordPress, knowing how to maximize the revenue is advisable.", "You can apply to withdraw benefits with Social Security form SSA-521. ... You can no longer withdraw from benefits, but when you reach full retirement age, you can voluntarily suspend your retirement benefits.", "If you're in the US and you do not have a bank account, the alternative option to withdraw money from your PayPal account is to withdraw money by check. Here's how to withdraw money from your PayPal account by check: Log in to your PayPal account. Click Transfer to your bank under your PayPal balance.", "You can withdraw Roth IRA contributions at any time with no tax or penalty. If you withdraw earnings from a Roth IRA, you may owe income tax and a 10% penalty. If you take an early withdrawal from a traditional IRA—whether it's your contributions or earnings—it may trigger income taxes and a 10% penalty.", "How to transfer funds from PayPal to PayMaya. Now that you've linked your PayMaya to your PayPal account, you can now transfer funds from PayPal to PayMaya. 1. To withdraw funds, click “Transfer money”.", "How long does a withdrawal take? All withdrawals are pending for approximately 24 hours. In this time our verifications team will review the pending withdrawal. Once the pending withdrawal is processed the time in which you receive it depends on the method that you have requested.", "PayPal Fees: How much does PayPal charge? Here's a roundup of the most common withdrawal costs you need to know about, to get you started. Free. 3%-4% currency conversion fee (exchange rate markup).", "Yes, you can withdraw money from your NRE account in India. You can even withdraw money abroad from your NRE account. ... However, you can only deposit a foreign currency into your NRE account, you cannot deposit INR.", "How long do steroid withdrawal symptoms last? Typically, steroid withdrawal symptoms can last anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks. Your body has become used to the effects of steroids and it can take time to rid your system of the substance.", "If you want to get money out from your PayPal account, you can withdraw funds to your own bank account online or using the PayPal app. ... Click Withdraw money option. Choose the account you want to send money from, and select a linked bank account. Confirm the amount to withdraw, and click continue.", "Your Available Balance As you check your bank balance, pay attention to the type of balance that you see. When you go online or use the bank's app, most banks show an available balance (which tells you how much you can afford to spend or withdraw today) as well as a total account balance.", "YES, but there are tax implications. You can withdraw funds from an HSA at any time. Withdrawals used for qualified medical expenses are not taxed, but withdrawals for any other purposes will be subject to income tax. And, if you're under 65, the amount you withdraw is also subject to an additional 20% tax penalty.", "You can make a withdrawal from your RRSP any time1 as long as your funds are not in a locked-in plan. The withdrawal, however, is subject to withholding tax and the amount also needs to be included as income when filing your taxes. There are situations in which tax-deferred withdrawals can be made from your RRSP.", "How to Inherit Retirement Assets in Massachusetts. Retirement accounts, unlike almost any other asset that a person can inherit, are subject to income tax. That means that if you inherit an IRA or a 401(k), when you withdraw the money, you'll have to pay income tax on these withdrawals.", "Age 59½ and over: No withdrawal restrictions Once you reach age 59½, you can withdraw funds from your Traditional IRA without restrictions or penalties.", "There is no penalty for withdrawing money from a TFSA as such. You can withdraw from it at any time. The only restriction is that you can't put the money you took out back in the same year (unless you have sufficient contribution room for it to be considered an additional contribution)." ]

[ "Saskatoon can look forward to another day of warm weather on Wednesday as the Environment Canada forecast is calling for a high of 5 C with mainly sunny skies.\nInto the evening some clouds, paired with a 20 kilometre per hour wind blowing in from the south, are expected to roll over Saskatoon, resulting in a low temperature of -2 C.\nWednesday’s high and low temperaturesare far out of the norm when compared to the average temperatures for Feb. 15, which are a high of -7.7 C and a low of -18.1 C, but unfortunately Saskatoon will still fall just below 5 degrees short of breaking the record of 9.4 C that was set in 1931. The record low was setin 1903 when the mercury dropped to 144.4 C." ]

[ "Irish weather forecaster Met Eireann has issued a new mid week High Temperature weather warning for a number of counties across the country, mainly in the midlands.\nA Status Yellow High Temperature warning is in place for Laois, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Galway, Leitrim, Roscommon, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary.\nThe warning is valid on Wednesday until 7:00pm as temperatures are expected to soar to 27 or 28 degrees during the day.\nMeanwhile, a drought or near-drought weather warning is in place until Friday.\nHeatwave sparks Red alert fire warning to be extended in Ireland.\nMET EIREANN FORECAST\nWednesday will be very warm and sunny with afternoon temperatures of 23 to 28 degrees, highest across the midlands. In the afternoon and evening cloud will develop across the south of the country and a few showers may break out. Light winds with local sea-breezes.\nWednesday night will be dry and clear for the bulk of the country with lows of 11 to 13 degrees. Later in the night cloud will increase over the northwest of the country and will bring patchy mist, drizzle and light rain.\nTomorrow will be generally cloudier and a little cooler for the north and west with highs of 17 to 22 degrees and occasional light rain or drizzle during the morning. Much of Leinster and Munster will be warm again with hazy sunshine and highest temperatures of 22 to 26 degrees.\nNationally it will continue largely dry, sunny and warm, but cloudier and cooler in the northwest at times.\nMainly dry on Friday and becoming warmer in northern parts with maximum temperatures recovering into the low twenties. Highs in the mid-twenties, generally, further south, warmest in the midlands.\nThe day will bring a mix of cloud interspersed with warm sunny periods. Isolated light showers may develop in the afternoon, though the risk is considered to be quite low at this stage, with largely dry conditions prevailing. Winds generally light, with sea breezes developing, keeping the coasts a little cooler.\nHigh pressure is expected to build again over Ireland this weekend. Warm and mostly sunny conditions on Saturday, with any early mist patches clearing rapidly.\nThere will be a little more in the way of patchy cloud over western areas with perhaps a few light showers about Ulster and north Connacht in the afternoon, but most other areas will be dry with long sunny periods.\nMaximum temperatures will be in the mid to high twenties with locally hot conditions signalled for parts of Leinster and east Munster. A little cooler and fresher in the Atlantic coastal fringes, and on coasts generally, due to local sea breezes.\nOn Sunday a weak weather front approaches the northwest coast, giving cloudier intervals and some patchy rain or drizzle for a time in northwestern areas on Sunday, but elsewhere the warm, fine and sunny conditions continue, with locally hot temperatures signalled in parts of the east and south. Again it will be a little cooler and fresher in the Atlantic coastal fringes.", "AFTERNOON UPDATE...\nToday will be seasonably warm and dry, with some filtered sunshine… high level cloudiness will act as a veil to the sunshine.\nA stalled frontal boundary to our south will drift northward as high pressure moves offshore -- this will bring in a chance for a few showers overnight toward daybreak Tuesday. Tomorrow will also feature a chance for some afternoon showers or a storm, but the threat looks pretty low/slim… most of what develops will likely be across Northern New England as a disturbances passes through the region. It will be muggier, regardless. Wednesday will be quite warm and we could take a run at 90 inland. It will be dry through Thursday… but a slow moving system could bring cloudier/showery weather Friday and perhaps linger into the first half of the weekend.\nLooking ahead to next Monday, for the eclipse here in CT: looking good, storm-free and mainly clear… pretty ideal conditions, at least as of now.\nMeteorologist Mark Dixon\n--------------------------------------\nCONTINUED PLEASANT TODAY\nToday should turn out to be another pretty good looking day. High pressure will remain firmly in control, bringing partly to mostly sunny skies and low humidity. The models are now suggesting there may be a period during the midday when high-altitude clouds overtake the sky for a time as a system moves mainly to our south. Either way, high temperatures will once again be seasonably warm – if not slightly above norms. Highs will be in the middle 80s in most towns, but a few warm spots may top off at 87 or 88. Tonight will again be quite comfortable, with mainly cloudy skies and lows 60-65 degrees.\nQUESTIONS TUESDAY\nWe still think Tuesday will also be mainly pleasant; however, some models are starting to paint a different picture. At the very least, the morning and early afternoon will be partly sunny and pleasant with just a gradual elevation of humidity. During the afternoon and evening, a few showers and thunderstorms will be possible as a cold front advances toward the area from the northwest. The Storm Prediction Center has also highlighted northwestern Connecticut as a part of an area of “marginal risk” for severe-level wind and hail in a few thunderstorms. This risk amounts to a 5-10% chance of such an event in the area.\nHigh temperatures will once again be in the middle or higher side of the 80s.\nSLIGHTLY MILDER WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY\nThe temperatures will back off a few degrees midweek, making for nearly perfect weather to spend time outside. After Tuesday evening’s front passes, the system will turn the wind direction to the northwest and usher in pleasant weather. The humidity will go down, the dew point temperatures will drop into the upper 40s and lower 50s and highs will only reach the lower 80s despite abundant sunshine. Thursday will be similar, with mostly sunny skies, very low humidity, and high temperatures in the lower 80s.\nThe cooler air mass will also be noticeable Wednesday night as high pressure will be firmly overhead. Skies will be clear and winds will be light, which will allow temperatures to drop well down into the 50s. As clouds increase Thursday night, temperatures will not get as cool; lows will be in the 60s.\nUNSETTLED FRIDAY AND SATURDAY\nFriday will feature showers. A storm system will glide into southern New England from central Pennsylvania. It will bring clouds and showers that will affect the morning commute and bring off and on showers during the afternoon. Clouds and scattered showers are expected to linger Saturday as the storm moves to the east then.\nIMPROVING SUNDAY\nSunday will become partly sunny and warm. High pressure will return, supporting partly sunny skies and highs in the 80s.\nWATCHING TROPICAL STORM GERT\nTropical Storm Gert is way to the east of Florida. Luckily, this storm will be far enough east and out to sea to have much impact on our weather in southern New England. The Hurricane Center expects the storm to remain a strong tropical storm, possibly gaining Category 1 Hurricane status by mid week.\nMeteorologist Mike Cameron with Scot Haney\n“Copyright 2017 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved”", "BIG WARM-UP: After starting off the day below freezing, temperatures are generally in the upper 50s and low 60s across Alabama this afternoon with sunshine in full supply.\nTomorrow will be another sunny day, but a clipper passing north of here will bring down colder air, and the high will drop into the 48- to 52-degree range, about 10 degrees colder than today. We drop down into the 20s early Wednesday morning with a clear sky.\nWEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY: The weather will stay dry with mostly sunny days and fair nights. Expect a high in the 50s Wednesday and Thursday, then another clipper will bring cooler air Friday as the high drops into the 49- to 53-degree range.\nTHE ALABAMA WEEKEND: We are forecasting a good supply of sunshine Saturday; we begin the day down in the 20s, but the high will be in the 50s. Clouds will increase Sunday, and we will mention a chance of showers late in the day and Sunday night. But that is a low-confidence forecast because of model disagreement. The Global Forecast System suggests the chance of rain along a cold front, but the reliable European global model is dry. The high Sunday afternoon will be close to 60 degrees.\nNEXT WEEK: For now it looks like a decent part of the week will be dry with seasonal temperatures — highs mostly in the 50s, lows mostly in the 30s.\nCHRISTMAS WEATHER? Needless to say, it’s way too early for a specific forecast. And we are seeing conflicting model data, not giving much clue. The European ensemble mean suggests temperatures around here will be near average for late December, but some control runs show cold air. Just too early to know.\nBEACH FORECAST: Click here to see the AlabamaWx Beach Forecast Center page.\nWEATHER BRAINS: You can listen to our weekly 90-minute netcast anytime on the web, or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including meteorologists at ABC 33/40.\nCONNECT: You can find me on all of the major social networks:\nFacebook\nTwitter\nGoogle Plus\nInstagram\nPinterest\nSnapchat: spannwx\nFor more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit AlabamaWx.", "'Anti-cyclone' in Melbourne will bring grey skies, drizzle before sunny weekend\nHeatwave caused by hot winds from big high pressure system in the Bight\nAlmost 40C temperatures forecast for Perth and\nAustralia is set to sizzle once again with temperatures nearing 40C forecast this week after a mild start to the new year.\nPerth and Adelaide will bear the brunt of the heatwave, while Sydney and Melbourne's dreary weather will continue with forecast drizzle.\nThe WA capital will scorched with 39C on Tuesday before cooling off after Thursday but staying sunny.\nAustralia is set to sizzle once again with temperatures nearing 40C forecast this week after a mild start to the new year\nPerth model Bridget Malcolm enjoys the WA summer which is set to continue with a heatwave of up to 39C this week\nNorthern parts of the state will be even hotter, peaking on Thursday at 46C in the mining town of Marble Bar - one of Australia's hottest towns.\nThe warm weather then moves on to Adelaide which starts at 29C before rising steadily to a stifling weekend with 39-degree temperatures.\nA big high pressure system moving through the Great Australian Bight is the source of the heatwave, bringing hot winds only abated by the sea breeze.\nNorthern parts of the state will be even hotter, peaking on Thursday at 46C in the mining town of Marble Bar - one of Australia's hottest towns\nThe warm weather then moves on to Adelaide (pictured) which starts at 29C before rising steadily to a stifling weekend with 39-degree temperatures\nA big high pressure system moving through the Great Australian Bight is the source of the heatwave, bringing hot winds only abated by the sea breeze\nBy contrast, eastern capitals will have continued mild and uninspiring weather stuck in the mid-20s for most of the week.\nMelbourne will experience an 'anticyclonic gloom' where a system similar to a cyclone but swirling anticlockwise with mild winds and stable conditions.\nIt will bring constant gloomy skies with drizzle and possible showers until Friday when sunny skies and temperatures up to 36C return.\nSydney will have grey skies bringing consistent light, infrequent showers and maximums in the mid-20s.\nBy contrast, eastern capitals like Melbourne (pictured) will have continued mild and uninspiring weather stuck in the mid-20s for most of the week\nMelbourne will experience an 'anticyclonic gloom' where a system similar to a cyclone but swirling anticlockwise with mild winds and stable conditions\nIt will bring constant gloomy skies with drizzle and possible showers until Friday when sunny skies and temperatures up to 36C return\nNights in the low 20s are forecast for Brisbane (pictured) with maximums ranging from 27C to 29C accompanied by showers every day until they clear on the weekend\nCanberra will be spared the rain except for a possible shower on Friday, and enjoy higher temperatures in the high 20s and low 30s, peaking at 32C on Saturday.\nQueensland will be gripped by its usual tropical conditions with monsoonal rain hitting most of the coast and some inland areas.\nNights in the low 20s are forecast for Brisbane with maximums ranging from 27C to 29C accompanied by showers every day until they clear on the weekend.\nAustralia's temperature forecast for Tuesday with Perth gripped by a heatwave\nAustralia's temperature forecast for Wednesday with with western heatwave intensifying\nAustralia's temperature forecast for Thursday as the hot weather moves east towards Adelaide\nAustralia's temperature forecast for Friday as the hot weather leaves Perth and scorches Adelaide\nAustralia's temperature forecast for Saturday with drier conditions across the country's south\nFarther north the rain will increase, as will the heat with Cairns above 30C all week peaking at 34C on Wednesday.\nIt's a similar story in Darwin with a week full of thunderstorms and temperatures hovering around the low 30s.\nHobart continues its usual mild summer with a few showers over the week and until a sunny weekend with a top of 27C", "James Spann: Alabama stays dry through Friday from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.\nCOLD START: Temperatures are below freezing over the northern half of Alabama early this morning; colder values are over east Alabama, where many spots are in the mid 20s. We warm nicely today with a sunny sky; the high should be in the mid 50s. The average high for Birmingham on Dec. 11 is 57.\nREST OF THE WEEK: A clipper will pass north of Alabama tonight and pull down slightly cooler air into the Deep South. Tomorrow will be sunny with a high in the upper 40s, almost 10 degrees below average for mid-December. The weather stays dry for the rest of the week with mostly sunny days and fair nights; the high Wednesday will be near 50, followed by mid 50s Thursday. Another clipper brings down cooler air at the end of the week, dropping the high Friday back into the upper 40s.\nTHE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Saturday looks like a very pleasant day with ample sunshine; after a cold start down in the 20s, we warm nicely with a high close to 60 degrees. Clouds increase Sunday ahead of a cold front, and we will mention a chance of rain, possibly a thunderstorm late in the day and into Sunday night. We do note, however, that the European model (ECMWF) is much drier than the Global Forecast System with little, if any, rain with the front, bringing forecast confidence down a bit. The high Sunday will be in the 57- to 60-degree range.\nNEXT WEEK: Any lingering showers should end early Monday, followed by a clearing sky along with a high in the 50s. The weather will be dry through midweek with seasonal temperatures.\nVOODOO LAND: Three of the 20 GFS ensemble members show some hope of a little snow at Christmas, but, of course, that means 17 members show nothing. It’s too early to know, and the statistical probability of a “White Christmas” here is less than 1 percent based on climatology, so don’t get your hopes up.\nBEACH FORECAST: Click here to see the AlabamaWx Beach Forecast Center page.\nWEATHER BRAINS: You can listen to our weekly 90-minute netcast anytime on the web, or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including meteorologists at ABC 33/40.\nCONNECT: You can find me on all of the major social networks:\nFacebook\nTwitter\nGoogle Plus\nInstagram\nPinterest\nSnapchat: spannwx\nFor more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit AlabamaWx.", "CONTINUED PLEASANT TODAY\nToday should turn out to be another pretty good looking day. High pressure will remain firmly in control, bringing partly to mostly sunny skies and low humidity. The models are now suggesting there may be a period during the midday when high-altitude clouds overtake the sky for a time as a system moves mainly to our south. Either way, high temperatures will once again be seasonably warm – if not slightly above norms. Highs will be in the middle 80s in most towns, but a few warm spots may top off at 87 or 88. Tonight will again be quite comfortable, with mainly cloudy skies and lows 60-65 degrees.\nQUESTIONS TUESDAY\nWe still think Tuesday will also be mainly pleasant; however, some models are starting to paint a different picture. At the very least, the morning and early afternoon will be partly sunny and pleasant with just a gradual elevation of humidity. During the afternoon and evening, a few showers and thunderstorms will be possible as a cold front advances toward the area from the northwest. The Storm Prediction Center has also highlighted northwestern Connecticut as a part of an area of “marginal risk” for severe-level wind and hail in a few thunderstorms. This risk amounts to a 5-10% chance of such an event in the area.\nHigh temperatures will once again be in the middle or higher side of the 80s.\nSLIGHTLY MILDER WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY\nThe temperatures will back off a few degrees midweek, making for nearly perfect weather to spend time outside. After Tuesday evening’s front passes, the system will turn the wind direction to the northwest and usher in pleasant weather. The humidity will go down, the dew point temperatures will drop into the upper 40s and lower 50s and highs will only reach the lower 80s despite abundant sunshine. Thursday will be similar, with mostly sunny skies, very low humidity, and high temperatures in the lower 80s.\nThe cooler air mass will also be noticeable Wednesday night as high pressure will be firmly overhead. Skies will be clear and winds will be light, which will allow temperatures to drop well down into the 50s. As clouds increase Thursday night, temperatures will not get as cool; lows will be in the 60s.\nUNSETTLED FRIDAY AND SATURDAY\nFriday will feature showers. A storm system will glide into southern New England from central Pennsylvania. It will bring clouds and showers that will affect the morning commute and bring off and on showers during the afternoon. Clouds and scattered showers are expected to linger Saturday as the storm moves to the east then.\nIMPROVING SUNDAY\nSunday will become partly sunny and warm. High pressure will return, supporting partly sunny skies and highs in the 80s.\nWATCHING TROPICAL STORM GERT\nTropical Storm Gert is way to the east of Florida. Luckily, this storm will be far enough east and out to sea to have much impact on our weather in southern New England. The Hurricane Center expects the storm to remain a strong tropical storm, possibly gaining Category 1 Hurricane status by mid week.\nMeteorologist Mike Cameron with Scot Haney\n“Copyright 2017 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved”", "Residents of B.C.’s South Coast are enjoying a stretch of warm sunny weather, and the best few days are yet to come.\nGlobal B.C. meteorologist Mark Madryga says aside from the cloudiness Tuesday, especially in the B.C. Interior, a predominantly sunny stretch of weather will hold through Friday.\n“Temperatures on the South Coast will rise into the low 20s [Tuesday], and into the mid-20s on Wednesday and Thursday as warmer air aloft slides in from southern latitudes,” says Madryga.\nBy Friday it will be slightly cooler and by Saturday temperatures will fall several degrees and there will be a chance of showers.\nREAD MORE: Flood fears: B.C.’s hardest hit areas are most vulnerable as weather warms\nIn the B.C. Interior, temperatures will continue to rise through the week.\nMadryga says the hottest days in the Interior will be Thursday and Friday, with maximum temperatures into the mid to upper 20s in most areas.\nThere is concern about the melting snowpack, however.\nOngoing snowpack accumulation in the southern part of the province means regions like the Similkameen, Okanagan, Boundary area and the Kootenays are at risk of flooding, according to Dave Campbell, head of the B.C. River Forecast Centre.\nThe snowpacks are near or above 150 per cent their normal height in the Upper Fraser West, Okanagan, Skagit, Boundary and Similkameen regions.\nREAD MORE: Snowpack in Okanagan still 150 per cent of normal\n“Areas that would normally be melting [in] early April are just starting to now and we really haven’t seen any melt in the upper elevations now, so we are expecting that to turn the corner as we get into the warmer weather later this week,” Campbell said.\nWATCH: The forecast for hot, sunny weather for much of this week is raising more concerns about flooding across B.C. Geoff Hastings explains why, and who’s most vulnerable.\n“This high-pressure ridge is the strongest we’ve had in a long time, so [expect] an extended period of warm weather,” Madryga said.\n“If there is a silver lining to sort of slow the snow melt during the week across the B.C. Interior it’s that the nights will still be cool and in the single digits for lows, especially in the mountains where the snow is. So while we have very warm afternoons, it cools at night.”\n-With files from Neetu Garcha, Geoff Hastings and Kelly Hayes", "WASHINGTON — Sunday’s quiet, comfortable weather was certainly welcomed by most.\nIt was all courtesy of a ridge of high pressure that is now heading out to sea, and just like that, humidity started climbing back Sunday night on southeasterly winds and the humidity will keep climbing, making for a real tropical feel to the air in the coming days.\nTemperatures at first won’t be too hot, but that may change by the weekend. Along with the increased humidity, there will be chances for thunderstorms.\nClouds and thunderstorms will likely block enough sun that temperatures stay close to seasonable averages, especially the first half of the week.\nAfter Wednesday, however, more of a straight southerly or southwesterly flow will potentially get us back into the low 90s, and the humidity will make it apparently even hotter.\nThe mention of hot weather for the end of the week is a bit of a change from previous thinking as it is just now starting to show up in the longer range computer models.\nThe large scale pattern is somewhat complex, complicating some of the computer models. There is therefore a lot of uncertainty after Wednesday and the specifics in the actual forecast will be evolving during the week.\nEither way, it is not anticipated that any weather this week will be cooler than our averages which are in the mid 80s.\nThese snapshots from the RPM computer model show the dew points climbing on Monday through Tuesday, followed by a potential break in the humidity temporarily Tuesday night into Wednesday. Remember, the higher the dew point, the higher the amount of moisture in the air. When dew points start getting into the 70s, it starts to feel uncomfortable to most. (Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4).\nDaily weather highlights:\nMONDAY:\nMostly cloudy, warm and muggy\nScattered thunderstorms developing near the mountains and near the Bay\nTUESDAY:\nMostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms through midday\nWarm and very muggy\nHumidity dropping a bit late in the day\nWEDNESDAY:\nPartly sunny and hazy\nVery warm and with increasing humidity\nGetting close to 90 again\nTHURSDAY and FRIDAY:\nPartly sunny\nHazy, hot, and humid\nIsolated late-day thunderstorms\nHighs in the low 90s possible with Heat Index in upper 90s\nEditor’s Note: The WTOP Workweek Weather Blog is intended as an in-depth yet plain language summary of the business week’s weather potential in the D.C. area along with an explanation of the contingencies and uncertainties that exist at the time of publication. For the latest actual Storm Team 4 forecast, check out the link on the main WTOP Weather Page.\nLike WTOP on Facebook and follow @WTOP on Twitter to engage in conversation about this article and others.\n© 2017 WTOP. All Rights Reserved.", "Britain has been boiling in a prolonged heatwave that has consistently sent temperatures soaring above 30C over the past few weeks.\nBut from today, low pressure from the south is forecast to bring thundery showers and cooler temperatures to parts of the UK.\nForecasters have warned of a “real drop” in temperatures overnight on Wednesday and Thursday in some regions as low pressure from the south dislodges high pressure to the north.\nLatest weather prediction charts show southern England, namely London and and south-east England, will mainly be affected by the showers on Wednesday and Thursday.\nSarah Kent, forecaster for the Met Office, said the low pressure will set in motion a change in the weather in the coming days.\nWX CHARTS DOWNPOURS: Britain is forecast to be lashed by showers on Wednesday and Thursday\nShe said: \"It's a little bit of a change for the southern areas today.\n\"The south-west will have some scattered showers during the day, and there will be showers in London from mid-morning with the chance of some heavy showers during the afternoon.\"\nShe said the intense heat engulfing Britain is causing the showers, which are forecast to be “hit and miss”.\nCloud and heavy rain could lash areas of southern England on Thursday despite temperatures in the high 20Cs, she said.\nShe added: \"It will be another warm day with some thundery showers in Devon, Cornwall, Kent and London in the afternoon.\"\n“It will be another warm day with some thundery showers” Met Office Carol Kirkwood, forecaster for the BBC, said the weather will feel “cooler” overnight in southern regions of the UK on Wednesday and Thursday.\nShe said: “Once again, we will have more cloud coming in from the North Sea across eastern areas and we have got a weather front coming in from the Atlantic, which by the end of the night will be straddled across parts of northwest Scotland and Northern Ireland.\n“Tonight’s temperatures [will be] roughly 10C to about 16C.\"\nBrits beat the heatwave by hitting the beach Many are making the most of the scorching temperatures and sunny weather 1 / 11 SWNS.com Newquay Surfer girl Lucie Rose Donlan, 20, enjoys the hot weather\nShe added: “Tomorrow we start off with that cloud across northwest Scotland and Northern Ireland – very slowly through the day it is going to push eastwards.\n“It will weaken as it does so. You could see the odd shower coming out of it in parts of eastern or southern Scotland.\n“For the rest of the UK, a lot of dry weather, fair bit of sunshine, more so in the southeast and as a result temperatures will be higher.”\nWEATHER OUTLOOK SHOWERS: Rain will mainly lash parts of southern England this week", "Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe See our privacy notice Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email\nTemperatures are expected to reach 28C in parts of Ireland today, making it hotter than Morocco.\nIn comparison, the African hotspot will see the mercury struggle to get above 23C.\nThis comes as Met Eireann have issued a weather warning for 14 counties and said Ireland's sweltering heatwave will last \"well into next week\".\nThe following counties come under the Status Yellow 'High Temperature' alert: Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Galway, Leitrim, Roscommon, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. It is in place until 7pm this evening.\nWarning what is to come, the national forecaster said: \"Highest temperatures on Wednesday expected to reach 27 or 28 degrees.\"\n(Image: SWNS.com)\nMeanwhile, the nationwide forecast for today is more of the same although there's a risk of rain in some parts.\nMet Eireann said: \"Warm or very warm today, Wednesday. Patchy cloud will develop in southern areas and a few showers will occur in these parts this afternoon and evening. Elsewhere will remain dry and mostly sunny.\n\"Top temperatures of 23 to 28 degrees Celsius, warmest in the midlands. Winds will be mostly light and variable, with local sea breezes, but a moderate northwesterly breeze will develop along Atlantic coastal fringes.\"\n(Image: Facebook/CarlowWeather)\nLooking ahead to Thursday and Friday, the forecaster continued: \"Somewhat cloudier conditions tomorrow Thursday, with a few light showers possible, but the cloud will tend to thin out allowing spells of hazy sunshine through. Much cooler in northern parts of Connacht and Ulster with patchy morning drizzle or light rain and daytime highs of 16 to 18 degrees.\n\"Still warm elsewhere, with highs of 20 to 26 degrees, warmest of all in the southeast. Winds mainly light northwest or variable, with local sea breezes developing on east and south coasts.\n(Image: Collins)\n(Image: simon mcdermott)\n\"Mainly dry on Friday and becoming warmer in northern parts with maximum temperatures recovering into the low twenties. Highs in the mid-twenties, generally, further south, warmest in the midlands. The day will bring a mix of cloud interspersed with warm sunny periods.\n\"Isolated light showers may develop in the afternoon, though the risk is considered to be quite low at this stage, with largely dry conditions prevailing. Winds generally light, with sea breezes developing, keeping the coasts a little cooler.\"\n(Image: Andrew Downes/xposure)\n(Image: Philip Fitzpatrick)\nAn area of high pressure is expected to build again over Ireland this weekend.\nMet Eireann continued: \"Warm and mostly sunny conditions on Saturday, with any early mist patches clearing rapidly. There will be a little more in the way of patchy cloud over western areas with perhaps a few light showers about Ulster and north Connacht in the afternoon, but most other areas will be dry with long sunny periods.\n\"Maximum temperatures will be in the mid to high twenties with locally hot conditions signalled for parts of Leinster and east Munster. A little cooler and fresher in the Atlantic coastal fringes, and on coasts generally, due to local sea breezes.\nVideo Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now\n\"A weak weather front approaches the northwest coast on Sunday, giving cloudier intervals and some patchy rain or drizzle for a time in northwestern areas on Sunday, but elsewhere the warm, fine and sunny conditions continue, with locally hot temperatures signalled in parts of the east and south. Again it will be a little cooler and fresher in the Atlantic coastal fringes.\"\nThe early indications for next week are for \"a continuation of this rather exceptional spell of settled weather seems likely with high pressure continuing to dominate our weather pattern well into next week\".", "MONDAY RECAP\nToday started out sunny, but clouds increased as the day progressed. Skies have been partly to mostly cloudy across much of Connecticut. Temperatures are seasonably warm this afternoon, ranging from the upper 70s to the lower 80s. The normal high at Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks for August 14th is 83 degrees. Humidity levels were moderate this afternoon, with dew points ranging from the upper 50s to the middle 60s across the state.\nMOSTLY CLOUDY TONIGHT, SHOWER POSSIBLE LATE\nThe clouds will hang on as we go into tonight as Tropical Storm Gert – which will remain well offshore – pushes a frontal boundary towards us from the south. Showers will be possible towards daybreak as the front gets closer. The clouds will keep us warmer than we were last night, with lows within a few degrees either side of 65.\nSHOWERS/T’STORMS POSSIBLE TUESDAY\nThe front will stall nearby tomorrow, while at the same time a disturbance tracking well to our north will drag a cold front towards us. That will give us two chances of showers and maybe a rumble or two of thunder. The first will come in the morning with the front to our south, and the second one later in the day with the second front. We are not expecting anything close to a washout, though, and think that there will be periods of sun in between any showers or storms that do develop. High temperatures will once again be seasonable, with lower to middle 80s expected.\nThere may be more trouble than that scenario, if our Futurecast afternoon run is correct. Futurecast thinks that the moisture from the front to our south, possibly aided by moisture from Gert, will get close enough to give us a soaking that would last much of the day! This would also keep high temperatures significantly cooler than what we are forecasting. This outlook is in stark contrast to the other major model runs this afternoon and it’s not clear what is driving this departure from the “pack of models.” We’ll keep our eyes on this situation.\nBy tomorrow night, Gert will move off to the northeast far offshore of New England, allowing both fronts to move off to our southeast. Skies will clear out and temperatures will drop into the lower and middle 60s.\nNICE WEATHER WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY\nThe cold front will have cleared New England by Wednesday morning and an area of high pressure will move towards us, bringing mostly sunny skies and a northerly to northwesterly breeze. The cool air will lag the front, so Wednesday will be quite warm, with highs in the upper 80s even at the shoreline! The good news is that the dew points will be well down into the 50s – with even a few upper 40s possible in some places – thus it will still feel quite pleasant.\nThe cool air will arrive for Wednesday night as the high builds in overhead. Skies will be clear, winds will be light, and temperatures will tumble into the 50s by Thursday morning. It will be a great night to open the windows and turn off the air conditioner!\nThursday will once again be mostly sunny with low humidity. High temperatures will be a little cooler than Wednesday, with lower to middle 80s expected.\nUNSETTLED FRIDAY AND SATURDAY\nOur nice weather will unfortunately not continue into Friday. A low pressure system will drag a warm front towards Connecticut, which will bring lots of clouds along with showers and periods of rain. Combined with an onshore flow, this will keep our high temperatures only in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees. That said, we are not expecting a total washout and there could even be a break or two of sun at some point on Friday. The warm front will pass us by Friday night, bringing an end to the showers. That will set us up for a mild and muggy night, with lows in the upper 60s.\nBy Saturday, the system’s cold front will approach from the west, bringing mostly cloudy skies and chances for showers and thunderstorms, especially during the afternoon hours. Right now, we think there will be enough clouds to hold high temperatures in the lower to middle 80s, but if we get more sunshine than we are forecasting, highs could be several degrees warmer.\nIMPROVING SUNDAY & MONDAY\nSunday will definitely be the pick of the weekend for outdoor activities! The front will have cleared us, which will provide clearing skies and lowering humidity on a northwesterly flow. It will still be quite warm, though, as high temperatures will be in the middle to upper 80s. The normal high at Bradley Airport for August 20th is 82 degrees. Sunday night will be a very pleasant night for sleeping as lows dip into the 50s.\nMonday will be mostly sunny and continued pleasant with highs in the lower to middle 80s. If this forecast holds, it will mean very good viewing for the solar eclipse! We will see roughly 65-70% totality with the eclipse which will begin around 1:45 P.M., peak at roughly 2:45 P.M. and finish up around 4:00 P.M. States such as Tennessee and South Carolina will see 100% totality, meaning the sun will be completely behind the moon!\nChief Meteorologist Bruce DePrest & Intern Meteorologist Nathaniel Clark\n“Copyright 2017 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved”", "YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)\nWHAT WE’RE TRACKING\nA cold front will push through overnight dropping temperatures with rain or snow showers. Snow accumulation through morning will be light. Watch for slippery spots as temperatures drop below freezing. Colder and blustery Wednesday with scattered snow showers. The heavier snow showers will be in the afternoon into Wednesday night. These will be Lake Effect snow showers that will result in bursts of snow over isolated locations. The colder weather will end by late week with a big warming trend into the weekend.\nForecast:\nTonight: Rain/Snow showers developing late evening. Mixing to snow showers. Less 1”. (90%)\nLow: 27\nWednesday: Mostly cloudy. Blustery. Scattered snow showers. Around 1” or less. (80%)\nHigh: 31\nWednesday night: Scattered snow showers. Blustery. Trace to 2” if caught under heavier Lake Effect snow bands. (70%)\nLow: 20\nThursday: Mostly cloudy. Snow showers early. (40%)\nHigh: 27\nFriday: Partly sunny.\nHigh: 40 Low: 17\nSaturday: Partly sunny.\nHigh: 55 Low: 30\nSunday: Party sunny.\nHigh: 56 Low: 38\nMonday: Party sunny.\nHigh: 58 Low: 38\nTuesday: Partly sunny. Chance for rain showers. (40%)\nHigh: 58 Low: 44\nWednesday: Mostly cloudy. Chance for rain showers. (40%)\nHigh: 49 Low: 40\nWKBN is your source for the Valley’s latest weather information. Download our app for Apple and Android devices and sign up for weather text alerts.", "CLOSE A strong cold front that fueled winter storms in the southeast brought chilly overnight temperatures to the Treasure Coast. Wochit\nDecember's average temperatures (Photo: CONTRIBUTED IMAGE BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, MELBOURNE)\nThe chill goes on.\nSunday's average temperatures were about 16 degrees below normal and Monday is shaping up to be about the same.\nMonday's early morning lows dipped to around 40 for the second night in a row from southern end of a wide-ranging cold front that has dumped snow over much of the eastern United States.\nBoth Vero Beach and Fort Pierce briefly dipped to 38 around dawn Monday. Stuart's low was 41.\nTemperatures are to warm somewhat on Tuesday — to a forecast daytime high of 73 — then dip back down on Wednesday and Thursday when a reinforcing cold front moves in.\nDuring pre-dawn hours Thursday lows could again dip to around 40, eight degrees above freezing.\nOnly in north Central Florida has it been getting cold enough for the National Weather Service is issue freeze warnings. In Florida the only snow fell near Pensacola in the western Panhandle.\nMore: Thursday marks anniversary of last snowfall in region | Video\nMore: Cold front brings taste of winter to Treasure Coast on Sunday\nThe cold is bringing more than relief from a year of warmer than normal temperatures. This week's weather outlook is for largely clear blue skies and very low humidity, helping dry out soggy soils during what is normally the start of the annual winter dry season.\nMorning lows\nSunday Monday\nMelbourne 40 39\nVero Beach 40 38\nFort Pierce 39 38\nStuart 44 41\nSource: National Weather Service, Melbourne\nTemperatures are to rise to the lower 70s on Friday and Saturday, making the days cool but not chilly. Winter officially begins Dec. 21. During December daily high average 74 degrees and overnight lows are around 55 on most of the Treasure Coast, records show.\nRead or Share this story: http://www.tcpalm.com/story/weather/2017/12/11/sunny-cool-weather-continue/939652001/", "*** A DENSE FOG ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10AM. ***\nToday will be warm and breezy with highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s under partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies.\nLows will drop to the low 60s under partly cloudy skies. Highs tomorrow will soar to the low to mid 80s under mostly sunny skies with a powerful south wind. A few storms are possible in northwestern Oklahoma late in the day with large hail and damaging winds as the main threats.\nA cold front will move south across the state Thursday, sparking widely scattered showers and thunderstorms. The front will lift as a warm front Friday bringing a better chance for heavy rain and severe weather. Large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes are possible. Heavy rain may result in flooding through early Saturday. A cold front will follow, cooling highs to the upper 50s for Saturday with a powerful north wind. Stay tuned for updates on the risk of severe storms!", "The video will start in 8 Cancel\nGet daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe See our privacy notice Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email\nThe Met Office is forecasting thundery showers in Birmingham today AND tomorrow.\nAt the time of writing, the agency has not nailed down a specific time for the torrid weather.\nBut forecasters have warned: \"The odd thundery shower is possible in the south this afternoon, but most will stay dry.\"\nAny early mist patches will soon clear to leave another fine and largely dry day, with plenty of warm sunshine.\nThe maximum temperature on Wednesday will be 25C.\nAfter a fine and sunny evening it will be a dry, mild night with plenty of clear spells.\nThe odd mist or fog patchy may develop by dawn.\nThursday will be a mostly dry day with plenty of very warm sunshine once more.\nThe odd thundery shower is again possible in the south in the afternoon, but most will stay dry.\n(Image: Birmingham Mail)\nAs Birmingham basks in the hottest summer for 40 years, including scorching temperatures of 30C, people are using millions more litres of water every day.\nDue to the high demand seen across the country, Severn Trent Water is pumping emergency water supplies into the network.\nOne suggestion is to make sure we shower for no more than four minutes.\n(Image: Birmingham Mail)\nDoug Clarke of Severn Trent said: \"Demand for water is massively up thanks to several weeks of extremely hot weather.\n\"While we have lots of water available and our reservoir levels are healthy and we're putting millions of extra litres of water into the system, people are using water as fast as we can treat and pump it into supply.\n\"This is particularly the case during peak demand in the morning and evenings when we want to ask customers to restrict their supply so we can avoid areas of low pressure.\"\nDays of hot, sunny weather are expected for some time with no end in sign to the heatwave and very little rainfall on the horizon.\nLatest long-term forecasts predict the above-average temperatures to continue towards the middle of July with high pressure remaining in control.\nIt could get even hotter next week with the mercury predicted to surge upwards above 30C - even in the north of England and parts of Scotland.\nThe hot spell will be prolonged with the highest values in the south and west but most locations will enjoy blazing sunshine with barely any cloud.\nHowever there may be outbreaks of rain in northern Scotland with the chance of some cloud as a succession of weak fronts pass by.\nLong-range computer models indicate there will be little immediate respite from the stifling heat for most of Britain.\nTemperatures overall are likely to remain several degrees above normal for the time of year, regularly hovering around 30C in the south, and there could be some very warm spells of weather.\nHowever, there is still a risk that more changeable conditions from the Atlantic may force the heatwave to break down, but this seems unlikely at the moment.\nThe UK record temperature for the month is 36.7C registered at Heathrow on July 1, 2015.\nVideo Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now\nBookmakers have slashed the odds of records being broken.\nCoral is offering 2/1 that the hottest-ever July temperature is recorded and 3/1 that the UK’s hottest day is reached this year - eclipsing the 38.5C from back in 1976.\nLadbrokes is quoting just 4/6 that 35C is hit anywhere in the UK over the coming days.\nBefore then, scattered showers are possible in the south and far north-west​ as pressure builds towards the weekend​.\nForecaster Amy Hodgson, of The Weather Channel, said: “Weakening high pressure on Wednesday will allow for scattered showers to develop across the British Isles, although it will remain dry with partly cloudy skies for most.\n“Showers will become more widespread over Britain on Thursday but still with plenty of sunny intervals.”", "Monday is expected to bring above normal temperatures to Long Island again — but not as high as the 82 degrees seen Sunday at Long Island MacArthur Airport, forecasters say.\nThe launch of the workweek is looking to reach 73 degrees or so, which is still well above the 58 degrees that’s normal for the day, according to the National Weather Service. Partly sunny skies are also in the forecast, along with winds from the northwest of around 7 to 17 mph.\nadvertisement | advertise on newsday\n“Warm again today, but not as warm as Easter Sunday,” with its temperature that was “more typical of late July,” said Rich Hoffman, News 12 Long Island meteorologist.\nGiven warm temperatures combining with dry fuels, low relative humidity and gusty winds in the afternoon, there’s also an enhanced threat of the spread of brush fires, the weather service said.\nAs of just before 10 a.m. the temperature at Long Island MacArthur Airport was 69 degrees under overcast skies, with northwest winds from the west of 12 mph.\nAfter overnight lows mostly in the low 40s, Long Islanders should be prepared for a close to a 15-degree drop for Tuesday’s high temperature, expected to be around 60 degrees.", "GETTY The UK is set for a two-day thunderstorm\nThe mercury will start to fall tonight as Britons still glowing from the scorching weather are warned to wrap up for frosts. Thermometers will plunge to low single figures by the weekend as overnight lows of -2C (28.4F) grip Scotland and the north, forecasters warn. Torrential downpours over the next three days will dump more than an inch of rain in parts triggering a splattering of flood alerts. Stormy weather from the Atlantic will arrive as sun-tans start to fade after the near record April heatwave. The Met Office has warned of a very unsettled week ahead as high pressure responsible for the glorious spring weather is booted away by low pressure and weather fronts from the west.\nGETTY Stormy weather is set to batter the UK over the next few days\nThese will bring lightning, hail and some really quite heavy downpours which could occur anywhere really over both days. John West\nMeteorologist John West said: “There is a real risk of thunderstorms across the whole of the UK on Wednesday and Thursday and this is the real point of [the weather] over the coming days. “These will bring lightning, hail and some really quite heavy downpours which could occur anywhere really over both days. “Tomorrow is also when we see a cooler airmass cover the whole country with temperatures then expected to drop off through the week.” Unsettled weather will roll in from the Atlantic today with central and western regions braced for the heaviest downpours. Southern Britain will hold onto milder temperatures as the mercury starts to nosedive from the north, experts say.\nMr West said Britain will be split into three zones over the next 24 hours – Showery and sunny in the north; rainy and grey across central England and cloudy and mild to the south. He said: “High pressure sat over the UK which brought us the warmer temperatures at the weekend is now being won out by the momentum of the Atlantic. “We are now at the mercy of the Atlantic bringing a series of weather fronts across the UK leading to a much more unsettled picture. “We are likely to see 30mm [1.2 ins] of rain over parts of Wales over the next 24 hours “A showery Polar maritime airmass will also bring much lower temperatures.” Britons hoping for a return to the warm weather in the next week will be disappointed with a dreary weekend on the cards, he warned.\nUK hit by spectacular lightning storms, in pictures Wed, July 19, 2017 The UK was hit by the most spectacular lighting storm in recent years last night, as these pictures show Play slideshow Twitter/Ch0kka 1 of 21 Lightning over Worthing\nHe added: “There is a big question mark over this weekend, however we currently think the north will remain showery with some sunshine as the weather turns much more unsettled in the south. “We expect to see wind and rain spreading across the region and this could put a big dampener on people’s weekend plans. “Generally the weather is looking very changeable.” Daytime temperatures in southern Britain will hover around 15C (59F) or 16C (60.8F) over he next couple of days as the north nudges into single figures. Thermometers will dip to freezing overnight in the north with lows of -2C (28.4F) by the weekend threatening a touch of frost and the odd wintry shower over the hills.\nGETTY Lightning, hail and even snow could hit the UK", "People try to enjoy the beach at San Carlos Beach Park before rain returns to the Monterey Peninsula. (Vern Fisher - Monterey Herald)\nMonterey >> The latest weather system that passed through the Monterey Bay area Sunday and into Monday dropped a small amount of rain compared to what has come down earlier this season, .31 inches for both Monterey and Salinas by 4 p.m. Monday afternoon, said the National Weather Service.\n“But expect a second system on its heels throughout the day Tuesday,” said Steve Anderson, NWS meteorologist.”But Wednesday will be sunny and dry” and expect about the same “through the end of the weekend.”\nThat is good news for event organizers, fans and participants of two big festivals this weekend – the Sea Otter Classic and Pebble Beach Food & Wine.\nThe Sea Otter Classic, held at the Laguna Seca recreation area, starts Thursday and is four days of bike races, trade shows, exhibits, stunts, and kid rides and activities. And the 10th annual Pebble Beach Food and Wine, also starting Thursday, is four days of an epicurean event with 250 wineries and 100 celebrity chefs.\nTuesday’s forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before noon, then mostly cloudy with temperatures in the 60s for Monterey and Salinas. It will turn mostly clear overnight with lows in the 50s.\n“It will be sunny Wednesday through Sunday with a slow warming trend to near normal temperatures in the low 70s for Salinas and the mid-60s for Monterey,” said Anderson. “King City will be around 80.”\nWednesday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with temperatures in the high 50s for Monterey and low 60s for Salinas, turning to partly cloudy overnight with lows in the upper 40s to low 50s.\nThursday will be mostly sunny with highs in the 60s, and mostly clear overnight with lows in the upper 40s to low 50s.\nFriday, Saturday and Sunday call for sunny skies with highs in the 60s and overnight lows hovering around 50 degrees.\n“It’s excellent timing for both events,” said Anderson.\nJames Herrera can be reached at 831-726-4344.", "James Spann: Cold rain for Alabama tonight, possible strong storms on Gulf Coast from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.\nCOLD MORNING: Some communities like Gadsden, Cullman, Haleyville and Fort Payne are starting the day below the freezing mark, with mid to upper 30s elsewhere. But we warm up nicely today, with a high in the 60s this afternoon. Clouds will steadily increase ahead of a storm system to the west, where rain covers much of Texas this morning. In fact, a tornado watch is in effect for parts of Southeast Texas, including Houston.\nTONIGHT: Rain should enter West Alabama tonight sometime between 8 and 10 p.m. and become widespread after midnight. A surface low will track right across Central Alabama overnight, meaning we could see strong storms over the southern half of Alabama. The Storm Prediction Center has a “marginal risk” of severe storms defined as far north as Tuscaloosa and Alexander City, but the core threat tonight will be along the immediate Gulf Coast, where SPC has the standard “slight risk” outlined.\nA few storms over South Alabama late tonight and early tomorrow could produce strong, gusty winds and hail, and the tornado threat will be mostly along and south of U.S. 84. The northern half of Alabama will simply see a cold rain, with amounts between one-half and 1 inch for most communities.\nTOMORROW: Rain will end from west to east pretty early in the day, and we might even see some sun breaking through by afternoon. It will be a cool day with a high only in the mid 50s.\nTHURSDAY/FRIDAY: We expect a low in the 28- to 32-degree range early Thursday morning; the day Thursday will be sunny with a high in the mid to upper 50s. Friday looks nice, with ample sunshine and a high in the 60s.\nTHE ALABAMA WEEKEND: A wave aloft will bring clouds to the state Saturday, and we will mention the chance of a few scattered showers, but nothing especially heavy or widespread. The latest Global Forecast System output suggests the best chance of a shower will come Saturday morning; the day should be mostly cloudy with a high in the 60s. Then, Sunday looks delightful, with a partly to mostly sunny sky and a high not too far from 70 degrees.\nNEXT WEEK: Seems like the next chance of rain will come Tuesday night into Wednesday; a few thunderstorms could be involved, but too early to determine if severe weather will be an issue. Then, dry and mild weather is expected for the latter half of the week. Still no sign of any extremely cold Arctic air shows for the Deep South through the rest of February.\nWEATHER BRAINS: You can listen to our weekly 90-minute netcast anytime on the web, or on iTunes . This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including meteorologists at ABC 33/40.\nCONNECT: You can find me on all of the major social networks:\nFacebook\nTwitter\nGoogle Plus\nInstagram\nPinterest\nSnapchat: spannwx\nFor more weather news and information, visit AlabamaWX.", "Connecticut may have to let go of the old adage that March comes in like a lion but goes out like a lamb as yet another nor-easter is set to bring snow and wind along with the potential for power outages and coastal flooding.\nWednesday’s storm would be the fourth nor-easter to hit Connecticut along with the rest of New England since March began.\n“It’s going to be the same old rigmarole all over again,” said Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist at Western Connecticut State University. “And the signs are this may not be the end, more snow may come over the weekend and into next week.”\nEstimates of how much snow is possible vary. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch from early Wednesday through Thursday morning and is calling for five to eight inches of heavy, wet snow. Lessor said he thinks between six and 12 inches is possible, with some parts of Connecticut getting more. But depending on the storm’s track and how warm it is on Wednesday, southeastern Connecticut may see less accumulation and a mix of snow and rain, he said.\nGusty, northeast winds will also be a factor on Wednesday, according to the weather service. Lessor said sustained winds of 15 to 25 miles per hour are likely, with gusts of 40 to 50 miles per hour possible.\nMonday was sunny but clouds will move into the state on Tuesday, Lessor said. Precipitation is expected to start early on Wednesday and continue through the day.\n“It’s hard to get snow in March but we have a lot of cold air banked in Canada that keeps coming down at the right time to give us snow,” Lessor said.\nTwo of the previous three nor-easters left widespread power outages in their wake that took days to fix, including one on March 7 that left 140,000 utility customers without electricity.", "By Ashton Altieri\nDENVER (CBS4) – This first week of the new year will look and feel very wintry. A strong cold front will pass over Denver by early afternoon on Monday and temperatures will quickly tumble.\nAfter starting the day with sunny skies on Monday, clouds will increase as the front passes. In addition it will become windy at times with gusts up to 30 mph in the metro after Monday afternoon. In the mountains, expected scattered snow showers with gusts to 40 mph.\nA lack of moisture at lower elevations means mostly dry weather is expected for Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins and the Eastern Plains through Tuesday. The exception may be a few flurries Monday night.\nMeanwhile periods of snow will continue in the mountains all week. Snow may also spread east over the urban corridor and onto the Eastern Plains Wednesday afternoon. At this time the chance for snow in the metro area appears to be less than 50% and any accumulation should be less than 3 inches.\nBrighter weather will return Friday with mostly sunny skies and highs near freezing. A more significant warm up will occur for the weekend with highs close to 40° on Saturday and 50° by Sunday. It should also be sunny and dry for the weekend.\nAshton Altieri is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist. Watch him on the CBS4 Morning News weekdays from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. Connect with Ashton on Facebook and on Twitter @AshtonCBS4.", "Rainy Weather Hasn’t Stopped CSA Farms from Thriving\nSunny Weather Between Rainy Days Has Been the Saving Grace\nWRENSHALL, Minn.- Despite the rainy weather and even storms that have hit the Northland this summer, Community Supported Agriculture farms are still thriving.\nRick Dalen, the farmer at Northern Harvest Farm says a saving grace of the rainy weather has been the warm and sunny days that have followed the rain. This season Northern Harvest Farm has also planted Almost 200 apple trees and is in the process of creating an apple orchard.\n“One of the great things about farming is that you’re always learning. It’s just a constant learning process. You’re never going to master nature, you’re never going to master mother nature, so everything is always changing,” said Dalen.\nThis season, The Northern Harvest Farm is delivering fresh and organic produce to 130 households each week.", "The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow for parts of Yorkshire.\nAfter a freezing weekend, Yorkshire is expected to experience snowfall at the beginning of next week.\nA cold weather front is set to move south on Monday, bringing snow later in the day and into the early hours of Tuesday.\nThe Met Office warning states: \"Snow is likely to be confined to hills above 100 metres over Northern Ireland, but to low levels elsewhere. Away from coasts, 1-3 cm of snow is possible with up to 5 cm above 200 metres.\"\nREAD MORE: Dramatic and beautiful photos of Yorkshire covered in snow during January\nThe Met Office forecast for Yorkshire:\nSunday:\nAfter a frosty start, a mixture of sunny spells and isolated wintry showers is expected. However most places will stay dry. Remaining cold, especially away from the North Sea coast. Maximum temperature 5 C.\nOutlook for Monday to Wednesday:\nCold, frosty start Monday, then sunny intervals and isolated wintry showers. Staying cold Tuesday, with some snow spreading southeast, however only slight accumulations expected. Very cold Wednesday, but largely sunny.", "Here is the week’s weather forecast for East Yorkshire and Ryedale.\nThis week will be mostly dry with patchy showers and rain on Thursday and Friday.\nMonday 14 August: Early brightness giving way to cloudier conditions with a chance of patchy rain.\nTuesday 15 August: Dry with sunny periods.\nWednesday 16 August: Fine, dry and warm with sunny spells.\nThursday 17 August: Bright spells and the risk of patchy rain at times.\nFriday 18 August: Unsettled with showers or longer spells of rain. Cooler.\nNext weekend: Dry with sunny spells. Warmer on Sunday.", "The weekend weather will be a bit mixed. Saturday is the best day for anything outdoors. Expect highs around 52 with a partly sunny sky. Clouds will be on the increase Saturday night with rain arriving overnight through Sunday. No severe weather is expected due to the lack of instability. Widespread wet weather is likely on Sunday with the heaviest rainfall before noon. Temperatures Sunday afternoon will reach the mid-50s.\nMonday should be mostly sunny and mild. Highs will reach the lower 50s. Another wet system will arrive later in the day on Tuesday and will continue through Wednesday. By Thursday, we'll see mostly sunny skies with highs in the lower 50s. Late next week looks dry for now.\nCopyright 2018 WBRC. All rights reserved.", "Tuesday, 18 April, 2017 - 11:44\nNew Zealand has been hit by three significant wet events in the past six weeks, with each event bringing one to three months worth of rain in just a few days for some areas.\nThe entire North Island is now wetter than average and with the exception of dry Southland same goes for most of the South Island - the country is becoming saturated.\nLuckily, WeatherWatch.co.nz has some good news.\nHigh pressure this week will dominate out in the Tasman Sea. While this is not directly over New Zealand it will reach us bringing a pattern of drier, sunnier, weather to the country. It's not perfectly dry, being on the outskirts of the centre of the high means there may be a few coastal showers here and there - but compared to the first half of April the next week ahead looks much drier and sunnier.\nThis coming weekend also looks mainly dry - perhaps a few showers in the Far North due to an easterly flow, but again big long periods of dry weather or sunny weather (or both) right across the nation.\nEven with the odd shower, the waterways across New Zealand will drain more than they gain.\nThe centre of the high will start to shift from the Tasman Sea to over New Zealand this Sunday and the start of next week - but as it departs midway through next week the rain may return, with isolated heavy falls around next Wednesday or Thursday - worth keeping an eye on.\nBut for this week and weekend at least 80% of the country, if not more, should be mainly dry and fairly sunny.\n- WeatherWatch.co.nz", "'Son of the Beast' snow pictures from across Ireland on March 2018\n'Son of the Beast' snow pictures from across Ireland on March 2018\nGet daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email\nThe 'Beast from the East' weather front could be back for a THIRD time as forecasters predict a blast of bitter air from the Arctic just in time for Easter.\nWhile Met Eireann says there is a more immediate end in sight for the freezing temperatures this week, forecasters in the UK are predicting more snow to return, warning of a 'White Easter' later this month.\nThe current cold snap should stop as southwesterly winds will take charge on Wednesday, bringing milder weather.\nBut icy, cold winds are thought to be headed for the UK - and therefore Ireland - during the run-up to Easter, as high pressure builds in the north of Britain.\nThat means there's a chance of snowfall for the third time - after the second bout of snow fall dubbed the \"mini beast from the East\" came at the weekend.\n(Image: PA)\n(Image: PA)\nBBC weather presenter and meteorologist Simon King joked about a possible further bout of snow fall on social media.\nPosting on Twitter he said: \"Who likes trilogies? When you get a sudden stratospheric warming event like we saw in Jan, it often means you can get more than one/two/three bouts of colder weather. #BeastFromTheEast to be continued...?\"\nThose replying to his post said they hoped snow would not be on the way and that they are ready for Spring to come.\nAnd another said: \"It's more common to have a white Easter than a white Christmas and with Easter early this year I wouldn't bet against that continuing to be honest.\"\n(Image: Getty Images Europe)\n(Image: Getty Images Europe)\nIreland has been gripped by freezing temperatures recently thanks to chilly easterly winds.\nMet Eireann says that by Thursday, temperatures will \"be around normal for this time of the year\".\nBut first we'll have to struggle through another few days of freezing weather.\nThe Met Office in the UK has also said: \"There remains some uncertainty in the forecast for the Easter Weekend, but we are likely to see slow moving weather systems across the UK, with wetter weather more probable in the south, and with drier, colder conditions in the north albeit with a risk of snow at times.\"\nHere's what Met Eireann have to say with their latest five day weather forecast:\nMonday\n(Image: Collins)\nMet Eireann wrote on their website: \"It will continue to brighten up this afternoon with sunny spells developing. Staying dry with highest afternoon temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees in moderate to fresh northeast winds.\n\"With clear skies and light variable winds tonight a widespread sharp to severe frost will form. Temperatures will fall widely to minus 3 or minus 4 degrees, perhaps locally to minus 5.\"\nTuesday\n(Image: Dylan Vaughan)\nA forecaster continued: \"Early frost will lift to leave a dry day with long spells of sunshine and light variable breezes. Highest afternoon temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees.\n\"Tuesday night will continue dry with light variable winds becoming southwesterly by the end of the night. Temperatures in the east will fall below freezing, down to as low as minus 3 degrees in places, but further to the west the strengthening southwesterly wind will bring slightly milder conditions and temperatures will remain mostly above freezing there.\"\nWednesday\n(Image: Collins)\nThe weather chiefs said: \"Temperatures will begin to improve on Wednesday as those southwesterly winds take charge, reaching between 9 and 11 degrees in the afternoon.\n\"There will be some patchy rain, mostly affecting northern counties, but the bulk of the country will remain dry with bright or sunny spells, the best in the south.\n\"Wednesday night will be mostly dry too and temperatures will be above freezing for most in light to moderate southwest winds.\"\nThursday\nMet Eireann said: \"Thursday will start out mainly dry with some brighter weather for the east in the morning, but thickening cloud will bring rain in to western coasts by the end of the morning, spreading eastwards in the afternoon.\n\"Temperatures around normal for the time of year and staying above freezing at night. Freshening southwesterly winds will back southerly during the day.\"\nFriday\n(Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire)\nA forecaster said: \"Friday will see further outbreaks of rain and winds of variable direction as a complex area of low pressure moves over the area. The winds will become northwesterly in the second half of the day.\"\nThis weekend\n(Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire)\nMet Eireann concluded: \"The outlook for the weekend is for mostly dry conditions but with mostly westerly winds there's likely to be some showers at times.\"\n(Image: PA)\n(Image: PA)\nFor the UK, conditions will become unsettled with temperatures starting to edge upwards later this week with periods of drier and bright weather coupled with some heavy rain.\nBut the mercury may fall again during next week as the holiday period approaches.\nForecaster Eleanor Bell, of The Weather Channel, said: “Temperatures are expected to gradually rise this week as high pressure sinks southwards.\n“This will bring in milder air from the west. It will be a dry start to the week before it becomes more unsettled.”\nThere is still uncertainty for the run-up to the Easter Weekend but computer data suggests that the area of high pressure lodged to the north of the country will allow colder Arctic air to plunge downwards towards Britain with the possibility of some wintry spells returning.\nThere is also a risk of rain.\nBut frontal systems from the Atlantic will be locked in a battle for supremacy with the cold air.\nThis will probably bring a spell of unsettled, wet and windy conditions in the south and a risk of more snow at times in the north when moist air from the west collides with the colder blast.\nAlmost all forecasts agree that temperatures will be mostly below average. There is still some uncertainty in the long-range outlook but many computer models are predicting colder, more unsettled conditions to continue well into April.\nBritish Summer Time begins at the weekend when the clocks go forward by an hour, but it is highly unlikely that conditions will mirror the change.\nThe Met Office has also said: \"There remains some uncertainty in the forecast for the Easter Weekend, but we are likely to see slow moving weather systems across the UK, with wetter weather more probable in the south, and with drier, colder conditions in the north albiet with a risk of snow at times.\"", "A Wind Chill warning is in effect for the counties North of St. Joseph. Very cold air is moving into the area this afternoon with temperatures dropping through the day. Lows tonight will bottom out in the single digits to below zero.\nScroll for more content... Couple the wind with the very cold temperatures tonight and we will experience dangerous wind chill values ranging from 15 to 25 below zeroAfter a couple of days of mild above normal temperatures, we'll briefly be in the low 50s on Wednesday with an increase in cloud cover as a cold front passes through, allowing our winds to change to the northwest helping to dip down temperatures into the upper 20s by Wednesday night. After a couple of days of mild above normal temperatures, we'll briefly be in the low 50s on Wednesday with an increase in cloud cover as a cold front passes through, allowing our winds to change to the northwest helping to dip down temperatures into the upper 20s by Wedn\nHappy Fourth of July northwest Missouri & northeast Kansas! No rain to worry about on this holiday, but it will be a hot one. A Heat Advisory will continue through 7 pm as the heat index will be between 100 to 105 degrees. Please once again take precautions to stay cool!\nFor your Independence Day, high temperatures will remain in the middle 90s with mostly sunny skies. It looks like it will be a nice & warm evening for some firework displays as temperatures will be in the upper 80s by showtime.\nStorm chances return to the forecast Thursday and Friday as a cold front pushes through with highs in the 90s. We do cool down, a bit this weekend into early next week with highs in the upper 80s. It will be less humid and pleasant out there with mostly sunny skies. The summer heat will again make a comeback by the middle of next week.\nMAPS: Local, Regional & National Radar Maps\nMORE: Hourly Forecast\nLIVE: Interactive Radar\nCLOSINGS: School & Business Closings & Delays\nLOCAL: WeatherCall\nTRAVEL: Traffic & Road Conditions Map\nYOUR LOCAL WEATHER AUTHORITY: Extended Forecast\nDOWNLOAD OUR WEATHER APPS: iOS | Android", "It's going to be a dry but cold start to our weekend with high pressure to our south. An approaching storm system will bring a snow/rain mix transitioning over to rain to the region Sunday afternoon into Sunday night.\nHigh pressure will pass to our south today and offshore during the day. We should see a mostly sunny sky with a bit of a breeze kicking up again to add a chill to highs in the 20s. Wind should relax by Saturday evening and high clouds drift in ahead of our next storm system. Temps fall early Saturday night, then will start rising after midnight. By Sunday, a few snow showers are possible in the morning, but very spotty.\nA southerly wind increases Sunday, warming temperatures into the middle and upper 30s during the afternoon. Most of the wet weather we are tracking will arrive Sunday afternoon across southern New England, beginning as snow in the hills and Berkshires and possibly as all rain for the valley. At times, a rain/snow mix may occur, but rain will take over for the valley, keeping snow accumulation at little to nothing. It may be a different story for western Franklin, northern Berkshire county if snow continues and a couple of inches may accumulate through Sunday night. It's a tough forecast and one that we will be keeping a close eye on.\nA cold front comes through Monday morning bringing an end to precip before sunrise. We turn colder and windy behind the front. Some black ice is possible Monday morning as temps dip to around 30 degrees. We stay dry and cold through Tuesday, then our next storm system moves in late Tuesday night and Wednesday. Precip may begin as snow, which could impact the Wednesday morning commute, but everyone should change to rain for most of the day. Again, western Franklin, northern Berkshire could see more accumulating snow. One to watch. We return to dry, cold weather to end the week.\nCopyright 2018 Western Mass News (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.", "Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email\nBritain is set for a soaking as rain is forecast to affect the country every day this week, after Mediterranean air lifted temperatures up to 10C above average.\nThousands of Brits headed outside to bask in the summer-like conditions over the weekend as values soared above 20C in many places.\nHowever, temperatures dropped sharply yesterday, with the weather on course to return back to more typical conditions for the time of year.\nAn area of low pressure positioned to the west of Britain will bring plenty of wet and breezy weather over the coming days.\nAccording to forecasts, April showers are set to return as well as risk of thunderstorms.\nCooler air from the Atlantic will send temperatures tumbling back towards normal April averages during the first half of the week as the tropical blast fizzles out.\nBut it could turn even cooler during the second half of the week with temperatures falling below average and possibly sinking close to freezing in parts.\nDr Michael de Villiers, senior meteorologist at The Weather Channel, said conditions will become more typical of April over Europe with temperatures tending toward normal after last week's mini-heatwave.\nHe said: \"Weather conditions in the UK will start to become more typical of April, with a mixture of sunshine and afternoon showers or thunder showers.\n\"Dominant high pressure with mostly sunny and dry weather and temperatures considerably above normal will give way to lower pressure in the north and a milder and moister westerly air flow.\n\"Showers and thundershowers, associated with a cold front, will pass over Europe Monday, but cooler air following in the north-west where there will be nearer to normal temperatures.\"\nShowers will become more widespread on Tuesday as a large mass of rain edges eastwards from the Atlantic, potentially falling as sleet or hail in north of Scotland.\nMore of the same on the way on Wednesday as washout conditions take charge across the majority of the UK for most of the day.\nA deep area of low pressure will also be associated with stronger winds in the west, making it quite a blustery day and feeling much fresher as the mercury lingers a few degrees above 10C.\nSome heavier showers are likely over Wales and the Midlands in the afternoon with a risk of thunder.\nVideo Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now\nBy Thursday temperatures are predicted to stoop below average under the influence of volatile Atlantic pressure systems, with a threat thunder over Scotland in the afternoon.\nHowever, high pressure is set to gradually build further east and this will drive drier and brighter spells towards Britain later in the week.\nDr Michael de Villiers added: \"It will be sunny and dry on Friday with showers along western coastal areas in the morning, although extending to the north-east of England.\n\"Maximum temperatures will be 11-15C in the south down to 10-12C over Scotland and Ireland.\"\nThe changeable outlook is likely to persist into the weekend.\nDouble figures are expected to plunge into the low single figures and potentially hit lows of -2C in parts of Scotland by Saturday.\nThe forecaster said: \"Widespread normal temperatures are expected over Europe and even less warm to the south under the increased effect of milder air from the Atlantic.\n\"The British Isles even seeing temperatures drop slightly below average in some areas.”", "SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The Bay Area is welcoming February with spring-like weather.\nTemperatures are forecast to break records in parts of the Bay Area, like San Francisco and Oakland, according to the National Weather Service.\nThe weekend will be sunny and dry with temperatures in the 70s.\nDry weather is forecast for at least the next 7 to 10 days.\nA few record highs possible today. Temps are currently warm and getting warmer. 🌞#CAwx pic.twitter.com/kib10ufn6N — NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) February 2, 2018\nOn Thursday, San Jose, the San Francisco Airport, Livermore and Half Moon Bay all set record high temperatures.\nWHAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON:\n>>MORE STORIES", "MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - Our region gets a brief break from the cold temperatures before another short, but intense round of cold moves in for the middle of the week.\nMonday night will see mostly clear skies and chilly temperatures, but not as cold as Sunday night. Inland temperatures will drop into the middle and upper 30s, with temperatures across the Grand Strand dropping into the upper 30s to lower 40s. A little patchy frost will be possible across the Pee Dee.\nTuesday will continue to see a warming trend as temperatures reach the upper 50s to near 60 under mostly sunny skies. Despite the warming trend, a strong cold front will push through the region in the afternoon. As the front moves through, gusty winds will develop by late in the day as much colder air moves in.\nTuesday night into Wednesday morning will see temperatures drop into the upper 20s to near 30. Gusty winds will remain with early Wednesday, with wind chills dropping into the lower 20s.\nWednesday will be sunny, breezy and cold, with afternoon temperatures only into the lower and middle 40s.\nThe very cold air doesn't stick around too long. Temperature will rebound back into the 50s by Thursday into the weekend.\nBe sure to download the WMBF First Alert Weather app to stay updated with the latest forecast: http://bit.ly/Zl2QUJ ?\nCopyright 2017 WMBF News. All rights reserved." ]

[ "By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 10:45 AM on 21st July 2011 . Two drunk men who broke into a police van to fool around were arrested - when they got locked inside. Real-life 'Dumb and Dumber' Jeffrey Olson, 22, and Ryan Letchford, 21, had been at a party on Friday night when they spotted the empty patrol vehicle. The pair decided to climb inside and began to play with the equipment and take pictures of each other pretending to be arrested. Dumb and Dumber: Jeffrey Olson, 22, and Ryan Letchford, 21, were arrested after breaking into a police van, the authorities said . But disaster struck for the pair when they really did end up in handcuffs when they became locked inside. Police arrived at the vehicle in South Jersey, Philadelphia, in the early hours of the morning and arrested the criminals. The two men were charged with attempted theft of a motor vehicle, public drunkenness and criminal mischief, police said. 'It was un-freaking-believable,' Constable Mike Connor, whose van the men are said to have burgled, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. The pair hatched the bizarre plan after getting drunk at a nearby party at a condominium in Radnor. It is understood that a door of the vehicle had been left unlocked and the men entered through that. Once inside the police vehicle they began smoking cigarettes and there was also evidence that they had spat on the ground. They also used their cameras to take pictures of each other pretending that they were being arrested. Letchford and Olson soon realised they were stuck inside and tried to kick through the metal cage that separates the rear of the vehicle from the driver's compartment, police said. A friend who became worried when the pair did not return to the party wondered outside and noticed the pair were inside the van. He wasn't able to open the door, which is understood to have had an automatic locking mechanism, called police at 3:57 a.m. Connor was woken up by the authorities and he attended his van , promptly arresting the two men inside. Police said that inside the van officers found cigarette butts and 'a large amount of saliva'." ]

[ "By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:24 EST, 30 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:09 EST, 30 April 2012 . A son was killed in a car crash as he raced to hospital to visit his mother who had already died in a road accident several hours before. Mary Moore, 45, died when she was struck by a vehicle on Sunday while lying in the road after it was believed she had been drinking. Her 24-year-old son Thomas Olson was killed several hours later when the car he was traveling in hit three parked cars and flipped over in West Allis, Wisconsin. Double tragedy: Thomas Olson, 24, (pictured left) died after the car he was in flipped over as he tried to get to his mother Mary Moore (right) who had been involved in a hit-and-run in West Allis, Wisconsin . According to West . Allis Deputy Chief Charles Padgett, Mr Olson may not have been . aware that his mother had already died when he was rushing to see her. The driver of the car the young man was riding . in was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. He and two . other passengers suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Mrs Moore was hit after it was believed she was lying drunk in the street. A motorist following the car that struck . her told police it looked as though the vehicle hit a speed bump, . according to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's report. The witness did not realize that it was a person until getting closer, the report said. Deputy Padgett said: 'It's emotional. We want to get there fast and sometimes disregard our safety. Crash site: Mr Olson was killed after the car he was a passenger in flipped over while racing to hospital . 'I use it to remind people that regardless of the circumstances, be aware of the speed.' Padgett said Mrs Moore had been drinking before she was hit, but it's not clear how much. An autopsy was expected to be carried out today. The driver that hit the woman drove off, but officers later found and arrested a suspect. That driver may also have been drinking, authorities said. Deputy Padgett added: 'In my 24 years (of law enforcement), I've seen a lot of strange things, but don't specifically remember a case like this.'", "(CNN)A selfie taken by a homicide suspect posing with his alleged victim and later posted to the social media site Snapchat \"was a key piece of evidence that led investigators to the defendant,\" John Peck, district attorney for Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, said Monday. The photo shows the victim, 16-year old Ryan Mangan, sitting in a chair with a gunshot wound to his face, according to police documents. A male taking the photo faces the camera with the victim behind him. According to the criminal complaint, Mangan was found dead by his mother last Wednesday after he was shot in the face inside his home. When police searched the home, they found a 9 mm shell casing but no firearm. A couple of days after Mangan's body was discovered, police received a call from a mother whose son received a Snapchat photo from the suspect, 16. The photo had the suspect's first name across the top, and it matched the description of the crime scene. Peck says authorities plan to charge the suspect as an adult. CNN is not naming him because he is a minor and has not yet been formally charged. The mother said her son also received messages from the suspect that said, \"Told you I cleaned up the shells\" and \"Ryan was not the last one.\" Authorities executed a search warrant at the suspect's home, where they found a 9 mm handgun in the basement hidden under the steps. Police say he confessed to using the firearm to shoot Mangan in the face and leaving him in his room. He is accused of homicide and a firearms count. A preliminary hearing for the suspect has been scheduled for February 19. CNN's Karan Olson contributed to this report.", "Alfred Tedford, 37, from Houston, is charged with improper photography . A husband is accused of secretly filmed his wife's friend in the shower after allegedly hiding a camera in a pencil box. Alfred Tedford, 37, from Houston, is charged with improper photography. His wife's friend stayed overnight at the couple's home on October 29. She did not notice anything unusual until the next day when she saw the pencil case after taking a shower and thought it was in a strange place, it is reported. She found the phone inside, but thought it may belong to her teenager son because children at the home had been playing with it earlier and turned it off, reports Chron.com. When she turned it on later she was horrified to discover the video of herself in the bathroom. She told authorities the video also showed Tedford setting up the phone on the counter, records state. Tedford admitted to authorities that he hid his phone inside the pencil box and put it in the bathroom with the intention of making a video recording of his wife's friend, according to Harris County Sheriff's Office investigators. He is being held in the Harris County jail on a $2,000 bond. When the friend found the phone, she was horrified to discover it showed a video of herself in the bathroom (stock photo)", "By now we're all familiar with the term Bitcoin, the notorious digital currency with dozens of copycats. But most of us would find it difficult to imagine actually using this crypto-currency or even picturing what it looks like. In fact, only a handful of venues in bustling London actually accept Bitcoin as a means of payment. That could be changing though, as the UK's first Bitcoin ATM machine arrived earlier this year at The Old Shoreditch Station café and bar in modish East London. CNN set out to find out more about the machine which allows customers to buy coffees and cakes in the café. Jaguarshoes Collective founder and café owner Nick Letchford was already using Bitcoin as a form of currency when he decided to install the machine after meeting a fellow enthusiast who pitched the idea to him. \"I am quite a sci-fi enthusiast and well, immediately I was captivated by the idea of it. I saw it as very much the way forward,\" Letchford told CNN's Nina Dos Santos, at the café in London. \"I mean, a virtual currency or a digital currency is definitely the way the future of finance is headed,\" he said. The owner of the machine, Joel Raziel, said he had the idea to install a machine in Letchford's café after seeing one at a convention several months ago. \"I was so amazed by the machine. I thought someone might bring one to the UK,\" said Raziel. \"The reason I really like Bitcoin is our financial system is very limited. We can send music, we can send messages, we can send any type of information, the only thing we can't send is money without having to go through banks,\" Raziel told Dos Santos. If it sounds too much like a movement of the anti-establishment, Raziel is quite sure it's grown into something much greater than that. \"It's about freedom, it's not about trying to go against something, it's just about trying to make the world a financial place we'd like to operate in,\" he explained. So how does it work? \"We can put a 5 pound note into the Bitcoin ATM and it will give you a value of Bitcoin that exchanges to that value of 5 pounds,\" explained Letchford. Letchford said he trades in thousandths of a Bitcoin, meaning it is perfectly acceptable to pay for coffees by paying 0.001 of a Bitcoin. Each milli-Bitcoin is a thousandth of a Bitcoin. \"It's a very simple process,\" said Raziel, who explained that after pressing the start button, the consumer then scans a QR code on their phone which is linked to their Bitcoin wallet online. The final step is to simply insert money into the note acceptor. While only about 1-2 per cent of Letchford's customers currently buy with Bitcoin, he still sees this as the way forward. Raziel couldn't agree more. \"We now have online banking, we now have chip and pin, we pay with wire transfers over the internet. In fact, very few people are using cash these days,\" says Raziel. \"Bitcoin is just a smarter step into empowering ourselves to control this digital money,\" he said.", "By . James Rush . Tributes have been paid to Rio Andrew, 15, who died after falling ill at an illegal rave . Tributes have been paid to a 15-year-old boy who died after falling ill at an illegal rave, which police knew about two weeks before it was held. Rio Andrew was among 2,000 revellers who descended on a disused sorting office in Croydon, in the early hours of Sunday. The teenager, who was described by his school as 'destined for academic success', was taken from the venue by ambulance to hospital where he died yesterday afternoon. The teenager is understood to have drunk from a bottle of beer which is believed to have contained the illegal drug ketamine, the Croydon Advertiser reported. Scotland Yard said the cause of death has still to be confirmed and a post-mortem examination was being arranged. Borough Commander Simon Letchford confirmed police believed Rio had an 'adverse effect' to drugs taken shortly before his death. He said: 'We've got a number of lines of inquiry that we're following but we believe he's taken some sort of drug that's had an adverse effect on him. 'We want to identify who's provided that to him, where he's got it from and, if we can identify the individuals concerned, we'll look to prosecute them.' The force has launched an internal review after it emerged officers received intelligence about the illegal rave two weeks before it took place but took no further action. Tributes have been paid to Rio, from Notting Hill in London, who was described as 'a much-respected student' and an 'exceptional sportsman', particularly in shot put. The teenager is understood to have drunk from a bottle of beer which is believed to have contained the illegal drug ketamine, the Croydon Advertiser reported . The Year 10 pupil at Holland Park School in Kensington, west London, was chosen to be part of the Jamaican national team's guard of honour at the 2012 Olympics. In a statement posted on its website, Holland Park School said students and staff 'deeply regret this sad loss of a much-respected student'. 'Rio was an able scholar, destined for academic success,' the school said. 'He was also an exceptional sportsman and due to be awarded this Friday a prestigious sports award. 'The school wishes to send its collective sympathies and respect to all of Rio's family and friends. He will be greatly missed by the school community.' Tributes flooded on to Twitter following his death. Tributes have been paid to Rio, from Notting Hill in London, who was described as 'a much-respected student' and an 'exceptional sportsman', particularly in shot put . The rave was spotted by officers on routine patrol who saw 'large numbers of people inside, outside and heading towards' the disused building where music was being played on Saturday at around 9.40pm . One friend wrote: 'Today I lost one of my closest friends, Rio Andrew. Words cannot even explain how heartbroken I am. Love you dude.' Another tweeted: 'RIP Rio Andrew. You were so talented and amazing and it's such a shame. You were my mate since primary and it's heartbreaking to let you go.' One friend said: 'Rio Andrew, 15, my best friend dead. It's times like this where we won't be scared but we look at the world from a different angle.' 'The school wishes to send its collective . sympathies and respect to all of Rio's family and friends. He will be . greatly missed by the school community' - Holland Park School statement . A 19-year-old man who became ill at the illegal rave after reportedly drinking from the same bottle is still in hospital in a stable condition. Scotland Yard said it was aware of six other people who were taken to hospital. All six have been discharged. The rave was spotted by officers on routine patrol who saw 'large numbers of people inside, outside and heading towards' the disused building where music was being played on Saturday at around 9.40pm. Violence broke out after police clamped down on the rave by trying to stop more revellers getting to the building. Scotland Yard said a number of people in the crowd became violent, and missiles were thrown at officers. The window of a police vehicle was also smashed. Officers continued to surround the venue until they raided it on Sunday at about 8.30am. Fourteen people were arrested for a range of offences including drugs, violent disorder and money laundering. Rio Andrew was chosen to be part of the Jamaican national team's guard of honour at the 2012 Olympics . Two men have been charged with violent disorder and drugs offences, and a 47-year-old man and a 30-year-old man were given adult cautions for possession of class A drugs. Another three men were arrested on suspicion of money laundering, a 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and a 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. All five have been bailed pending further inquiries. Scotland Yard said another five men are still in custody after being arrested for handling stolen goods and criminal damage offences. Mr Letchford admitted he would have expected 'a bit more to have been done' after police were tipped off about the illegal rave two weeks beforehand. Speaking outside the Scotland Yard headquarters, he said: 'About two weeks before, we had a single piece of intelligence that suggested that there may be an event on at this venue. It was assessed at the time and no further action was taken. 'I've now asked for a review into the decision-making around that, why we didn't take any further action. I would have expected a bit more to have been done. I'll need to find out why that wasn't done at the time.' Mr Letchford said police allowed the rave to continue to avoid trouble spilling out on to nearby streets. 'Officers became aware a significant number of people had turned up at a disused venue in Croydon,' he said. 'Unfortunately, a number of those people then became violent and started to attack officers, throwing fire extinguishers. 'We think we had 2,000 people in a potentially very volatile situation. Officers continued to surround the venue until they raided it on Sunday at about 8.30am . 'The commanders on the ground made a very difficult decision to allow them into the premises and contain them into those premises, rather than allow them to go out into the streets and potentially cause significant damage to residential and business property.' He added: 'These events are, by their very nature, criminal. We're going to do everything in our power to identify those responsible.' Mr Letchford said police were not aware of a particularly dangerous batch of drugs linked to Rio's death but stressed that anyone taking illegal substances is putting themselves at risk. Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact Croydon CID on 020 3276 2264. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.", "Los Angeles (CNN) -- Los Angeles police believe they've caught the person who made a fake emergency call claiming that several people had been shot at Ashton Kutcher's Hollywood home. A Southern California juvenile, who was not identified, is suspected of being behind the October 3 \"swatting\" incident at Kutcher's home and targeting Justin Bieber's Calabasas, Caifornia, home a week later, according to a police statement. \"The comments of the call advised that there were individuals inside the location with guns and explosives, and that several people had been shot,\" the police said. Dozens of emergency personnel rushed to Kutcher's residence only to find workers inside and no emergency, police said. Kutcher, who was on the set of his TV sitcom \"Two and a Half Men,\" also rushed to his home. \"Swatting\" is when \"computer hackers utilize their skills to place false emergency calls of serious crimes in progress to law enforcement and fire dispatch centers, thus causing a large number of first responders\" to arrive, police said. \"The swatting practice is extremely dangerous and places first responders and citizens in harm's way.\" Hollywood division detectives worked with the FBI and police in Long Beach, California, to find the suspect, who was arrested on December 10, police said. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case to decide how to prosecute the youth, police said. Other incidents that may be linked to the suspect have also been identified, police said.", "By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 11:52 EST, 14 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:03 EST, 14 January 2014 . Waving wads of cash, these career criminals appear to be having a the time of their lives in jail. At least, that's what it looks like on Facebook. Two inmates, Timothy Forte and Earl Caldwell, were eventually charged over the snaps, which appeared to be selfies posted online from their prison. Kentucky inmates Timothy Forte and Earl Caldwell posted selfies online holding wads of cash online . A third was not charged. In the snaps, the group are seen posing with cash in their jailhouse jumpsuits in what is believed to have been a bizarre prank. But jail administrators in Christian County, in the south west of the state, still don't know how it got by them. The pair allegedly charged other inmates so they could make 'off the record' phone calls with the same cell phone from jail. Christian County Jailer Brad Boyd said: 'They've had years of practice; they're very good at what they do. It's a constant con. 'It's a constant game to see how they can one-up authorities or one-up the system.' The pair also allegedly charged other inmates so they could make 'off the record' phone calls with the same cell phone from jail . Jail administrators confiscated the phone. Forte and Caldwell were charged with promoting contraband. Caldwell plead guilty and Forte fought the charges and won, Fox17.com reported. The convicted felons are currently sitting in federal prison serving sentences on drug charges.", "By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:21 EST, 5 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:30 EST, 5 September 2012 . It sounds like a plot straight out of Hollywood. But the reality was a lot grimmer for two teenage boys who faked an arrest in Port St Lucie, Florida, as a cover for allegedly stealing $20 of Yu-Gi-Oh!-themed game cards. According to a police report, Brandon . Rhoads, 17, posed as a plain clothed policeman and strolled into a . Walmart store with a gun in a holster, flashing a wallet with a badge to . store manager Laura Dougherty, 52. Brandon Rhoads, 17, pictured, and friend, 14, faked an arrest to cover up theft . The Walmart store manager raised the alarm after noticing the teenagers . The teenager then 'arrested' his underage friend, 14, before marching him out of the store with the Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. However, the pair caught the eagle eye of Dougherty, who followed them out of Walmart and watched Rhoads unlock a set of toy handcuffs from his friend's wrists. The duo bolted when they realised Dougherty was following them. Cops . nabbed the two teenagers as they ran across a car park. Rhoads was . carrying a black wallet containing a badge and silver toy handcuffs. Officers also found a pellet gun that Rhoads had thrown into bushes. Rhoads . was charged with impersonating a police officer, a felony and resisting . an officer. His friend was charged with theft and resisting an officer. Police officers caught up with pair after they fled the Walmart store . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.", "(CNN) -- A man who paraded his cloaked 16-year-old nephew around a busy Phoenix intersection with a fake rocket-propelled grenade launcher was found guilty Monday on endangerment and terrorism hoax charges. Michael David Turley, 40, posted a video on YouTube last year showing the teen walking around the streets covered in a sheet and pointing the fake weapon at cars. The video went viral with more than 250,000 hits. In the video, a man says he and an actor are trying to test how police would respond to such a scene at a busy intersection. Turley's attorney, Brad Rideout, said the ordeal stemmed from some simple horseplay. \"He was in the house and the nephew put on the sheet and started fooling around,\" Rideout said. \"He took his still camera and started taking photos. He put up the video like he was testing the police department, but he really wasn't. This was completely impulsive. He didn't intend to make the police come out. He didn't intend to make it look like a terrorist act.\" When asked if he thought 911 callers were actually scared, the attorney responded, \"If someone comes to your front door with a samurai sword on Halloween, you would still be scared even though it is Halloween.\" Turley faces up to five years in prison. Sentencing is set for August 8.", "Six journalists were taken into custody while covering the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, on Monday and early Tuesday, aggravating what one press freedom group has called a \"concerted, top-down effort to restrict the fundamental First Amendment rights of the public and the press.\" The incidents bring the total number of journalists arrested during the mid-August protests to 11. Other journalists reported being threatened with arrest and affected by tear-gas on Monday night. Authorities tried to restrict members of the news media to a designated area away from the protests, sometimes nicknamed a \"press pen.\" The latest arrests came on the same day that President Barack Obama reaffirmed his support for journalists on the ground in Ferguson. \"Let me also be clear that our constitutional rights to speak freely, to assemble, and to report in the press must be vigilantly safeguarded, especially in moments like these,\" the President said at a Monday afternoon news conference. A couple of hours later, Getty Images photographer Scott Olson was arrested. Getty, one of the main suppliers of photos to news outlets around the world, immediately condemned the police action. Olson was released without charge after a few hours. Pancho Bernasconi, Getty's vice president for news, said in a statement that Olson later told him: \"I want to be able to do my job as a member of the media and not be arrested for just doing my job.\" Kerry Picket, a reporter for the conservative website Breitbart News, was arrested around the same time as Olson. She was held for \"several hours,\" the website said. \"Picket was released when it was discovered that the trooper misunderstood directions from his superiors and was told to not allow vehicle traffic through but to allow foot traffic through. Both the arresting officer and his lieutenant apologized to Picket,\" Breitbart News added. The first arrests of journalists came last Wednesday when Ryan Reilly of The Huffington Post and Wesley Lowery of The Washington Post were arrested inside a McDonald's in Ferguson. They were released 45 minutes later without being charged. Three other reporters were detained for a few minutes on Sunday night. Complete coverage of Ferguson shooting and protests . Last week, a number of press advocacy groups decried the initial spate of arrests. The American Society of News Editors called it a \"top-down effort to restrict\" First Amendment rights; the group's president, David Boardman said \"the police have made conscious decisions to restrict information and images coming from Ferguson.\" Of course, Boardman added, \"For every reporter they arrest, every image they block, every citizen they censor, another will still write, photograph and speak.\" Three journalists from German newspapers were also taken into custody on Monday evening. Two of them, Ansgar Graw and Frank Herrmann of the newspaper Die Welt, were detained for three hours and then released without any charges. \"This was a very new experience,\" Graw wrote, according to an English-language translation of his German-language account. \"I've been in several conflict zones: I was in the civil war regions in Georgia, the Gaza strip, illegally visited the Kaliningrad region when travel to the Soviet Union was still strictly prohibited for westerners, I've been in Iraq, Vietnam and in China, I've met Cuba dissidents. But to be arrested and yelled at and be rudely treated by police? For that I had to travel to Ferguson and St. Louis in the United States of America.\" Another German reporter, Lukas Hermsmeier of the newspaper Bild, was arrested early Tuesday morning, along with Ryan Devereaux, a reporter for The Intercept, an online news start-up best known for covering NSA mass surveillance. Hermsmeier and Devereaux met Monday when they were seated in the same row on a flight to Missouri. John Cook, the editor in chief of The Intercept, said it was unknown why Devereaux was detained. \"But needless to say, it's an outrage that he was stopped and handcuffed by police in the course of lawfully doing his job on the streets of Ferguson,\" Cook said. Devereaux's last Twitter message before the arrest came around 2 a.m. ET Tuesday. \"So much smoke in this neighborhood right now, seems like the police succeeded in clearing out the rest of the demonstrators,\" he wrote. He said around 9:45 a.m. that he had been released. \"Out of jail. Too many still in there,\" he wrote. Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson said at a news conference early Tuesday morning that 31 people had been arrested amid Monday night's protests. When asked about the journalists, he said, \"In the midst of chaos, when officers are running around, we're not sure who's a journalist and who's not. And yes, if I see somebody with a $50,000 camera on their shoulder, I'm pretty sure. But some journalists are walking around and all you have is a cell phone because you're from a small media outlet. Some of you may just have a camera around your neck.\" \"So yes, we are -- we may take some of you into custody,\" Johnson said. \"But when we do take you to custody, when we've found out you're a journalist, we have taken the proper action.\" Magazine: The Aftermath in Ferguson . Read more about the flash point in the Heartland at CNN.com/US .", "(CNN) -- Police have forensic evidence linking a pair of escapees from an Arizona prison to the investigation of a couple found dead in New Mexico this week, an official with the New Mexico Department of Public Safety said Saturday. The fugitives, who escaped from prison eight days ago, are suspects in the investigation into two burned bodies found in a camper Wednesday in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, according to Peter Olson, communications director for New Mexico Public Safety. New Mexico police have yet to positively identify the burned bodies, but believe they are Linda and Gary Haas of Oklahoma, whose truck was found 100 miles away in Albuquerque, New Mexico, according to Olson. Forensic evidence found in that truck links John McCluskey and Tracy Province, the two escaped prisoners, to the investigation into the burned bodies, Olson told CNN. He would not elaborate on the nature of the evidence. Earlier Saturday, authorities arrested McCluskey's mother and charged her with aiding the escape. Claudia Washburn, 68, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to facilitate escape and hindering prosecution, Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas Henman told CNN. The inmates, who authorities describe as armed and dangerous, have been at large since fleeing an Arizona prison on July 30. Washburn allegedly provided \"financial and other aid\" to her son and the second escapee and to a woman who was helping them, Henman said. Washburn was arrested in Jakes Corner, Arizona. A nationwide manhunt continues for McCluskey, 45, who was serving 15 years for attempted second-degree murder and other charges, and for Tracy Province, 42, who was serving a life sentence for murder and armed robbery. The two are believed to have left Arizona but to still be in the United States, Henman said. In an interview with CNN Arizona affiliate KTVK, Washburn's husband said that he'd shoot his stepson McCluskey if he saw him again. \"I told the U.S Marshals I haven't got that long to live,\" Jack Washburn said. \"[I'd] serve my time.\" \"You think you're Bonnie and Clyde,\" he continued, referring to the two escapees. \"You're not. No comparison.\" A female accomplice helped Province, McCluskey and a third inmate, Daniel Renwick, escape by throwing cutting tools over a prison fence, said Charles Ryan, director of Arizona's Department of Corrections. Authorities have identified the suspected accomplice as Casslyn Mae Welch, 43. Welch is Claudia Washburn's niece and is McCluskey's cousin and fiancée, KTVK reported. Renwick was captured Sunday in Colorado after getting in a shootout with authorities. After the break, the inmates and the accomplice abducted two truck drivers at gunpoint on Interstate 40 outside of Kingman, Arizona, and hijacked their 18-wheeler, according to the Mohave County sheriff's department in Kingman. The truck drivers and the rig were released five hours later in Flagstaff, about 135 miles to the east. The fugitives were later believed to be driving a 2002 silver Volkswagen Jetta purchased last Saturday in Phoenix. They were later spotted on a security camera in a bank inside a grocery store in Goodyear, Arizona, according to Barrett Marson, spokesman for the Arizona Department of Corrections. CNN's Chuck Johnston and Christine Sever contributed to this report.", "The model whose multimillionaire husband hired a hit man to kill her has revealed she still fears he will come back into her life. Dino Guglielmelli was jailed for nine years in June 2014 for plotting the murder of Monica Olson, his wife of almost a decade and mother of his two daughters. The lengthy court case in Los Angeles heard recorded phone calls in which Guglielmelli, a vitamin tycoon whose business greatly benefited from his wife's skin care line, said he was '100 per cent' sure he wanted Olson dead. Now, half a year later, Olson tells 48 HOURS: 'I know his intention is to reunite himself with the kids and take those children away from me. 'Do I think about it? Yes.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Fears: Monica Olson, left, said she knows her ex-husband who tried to have her killed, Dino Guglielmelli, right, will try to take her kids away from her when he gets out of jail after his sentence . Whistle-blower: Hired hit man Rick Fuhrmann took recordings of phone calls with Guglielmelli to the police . She said she is fully aware of her former husband's plans: 'He wanted to make it look like a drug killing. Like I had been kidnapped in Mexico. He wanted me raped, and he wanted my head cut off. 'It's the Hunger Games; it's kill or be killed.' But in a phone call from prison, Guglielmelli told the documentary he is the victim. 'I've been criminalized, Troy,' he told 48 HOURS reporter Troy Roberts. 'It's just destroyed my life. And I don't get it, I don't understand why everyone wants to attack me, and this guy set me up.' Guglielmelli was ultimately sentenced after the court was played phone calls between him and his hired hit man Rick Fuhrmann, who went to the police. Shocked that Guglielmelli 'had it all' and still wanted to commit such an act, Fuhrmann says he deliberately stalled the operation - even pretended he had infected Olson with AIDS. He said Guglielmelli was constantly dating other women and contacted him when the marriage started to break down. Fuhrmann told the program: 'He wanted her dead and he didn't care how it was done - beat her up, cut her head off, put her in ditch.' Instead he handed in his recorded messages to the district attorney. 'Happy family': The couple had two daughters and a seemingly blissful life before it broke down . Plot: Guglielmelli, who the court heard was consistently unfaithful, hired Fuhrmann to kill Olson . One included: . Rick Fuhrmann: 'You're positive?' Dino Guglielmelli: 'That what?' Rick Fuhrmann: 'You want her dead?' Dino Guglielmelli: 'Oh, I'm...' Rick Fuhrmann: '100 percent?' Dino Guglielmelli: 'Why wouldn't I?' Rick Fuhrmann: 'Why wouldn't you? Good question.' According to Monica, Dino's mood started to change when she tried to start her own skin care line - which was ultimately a success - for he wanted her to stay at home. 'Monica is lucky because, in the end, Rick Fuhrmann is not a killer. He is someone that might bend the truth or omit the truth, but he's not a killer. And that's what saved Monica,' said Los Angeles Assistant District Attorney Emily Cole. Despite the guilty verdict, which Guglielmelli is unable to appeal, two of Dino's six older brothers are determined to defend their sibling - slamming a recorded phone call between Dino and the hit man as unconvincing. Career woman: Olson, a model with a degree in international business, said her husband's mood changed . Tearful: In court at her husband's sentencing Olson wept as she described her shock . Speaking to 48 HOURS, Gino and Emilio Guglielmelli dismissed their former sister-in-law as a 'gold digger' and said they were unconvinced by the evidence heard in Los Angeles Superior Court. 'I really didn't think anybody was going to be dead,' Gino insists, slamming a tape which purported to show Dino dealing with the hit man as flimsy proof. Emilio says of Olson: 'I didn't care for her. I thought she was a gold-digger, and had other motives.' The brothers, who grew up on a Washington State farm, describe Olson as a trophy wife. Gino said: 'She wanted her lifestyle that wasn't sitting at home. You know, her lifestyle was to go to Hollywood, and whatever they do in Hollywood. 'They had nannies ... people with the girls, you know, all day long. ... So he's probably spent more time with 'em. Because when he'd come home from work, sometimes she wouldn't come back ... until later in the evening.' Unconvinced: Emilio Guglielmelli believes his younger brother's ex-wife Olson was a 'gold digger' Last year, the brothers filed character testimonies to court for Dino, saying that he started his working life in 1984 sweeping factory floors before rising through the ranks to become an office manager in just three years. He studied for a business degree in his spare time before spending seven years as an executive for a waste disposal company. They said he cashed in $130,000 worth of stock he'd acquired in the company to start his own beauty supplements business Creation's Garden. At it's height, the firm employed 250 people, had four factories and made $48 million a year. One of the most successful lines was Monica's skin care brand. But immediately after his arrest, Guglielmelli gave his brother Gino power of attorney and filed for bankruptcy citing debts of just over $1 million. The firm, whose assets included $8 million worth of stock, was eventually sold off at auction.", "By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 13:37 EST, 21 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:24 EST, 22 July 2013 . They say imitation is the best form of flattery. Following in the tradition of Spain’s annual La Tomatina festival, thousands flocked to Brooklyn Saturday to toss tomatoes at each other in the sweltering heat. A food fight for the ages, everyone in the massive crowd was covered from head to toe in tomato. Holy Tomato!: 5,00 people attended the hour-long tomato bash in Brooklyn . An estimated 5,000 people attended the hour-long tomato toss, according to reports. Some wore goggles, other rode on the on shoulders, but no one left Brooklyn's Aviator Sports and Event Center at Floyd Bennett Field clean. It didn’t take long for the ground to turn into a sea of warm tomato juice on the almost-100 degree day. What a mess: 5,000 people tossed 100,000 tomatoes at each other in only one hour . Pow!: The tomato thrower was nailed in the head by a thrown tomato . Revelers paid $50 each for the privilege of covering each other in crushed tomatoes, plus $10 for a shuttle from a local subway station. Over 100,000 tomatoes were used, but organizers said they were all overripe and would otherwise have been thrown away, according to reports. Incoming!: A woman riding on the shoulders of another festival goer tries to take cover while tomatoes rain down from all directions . La Tomatina, Spain’s tomato festival held every August in the small town of Buñol, was the inspiration for Saturday’s sea of red. It normally sees tens of thousands of revelers pitching tomatoes at each other. There was only one rule for the day, all tomatoes had to be crushed prior to being thrown. Cheese!: Jessica Podhaisky, 22, and Kelly Olson, 22, both of Brooklyn, take time between hurling tomatoes to pose for a quick picture . Get us out of here!: These two girls look like they've had enough tomatoes for a day . You'll get yours!: This tomato thrower looks to be out for revenge . No escape: Revelers were covered head to toe in nearly rotten tomatoes . All types: People from all over came to Brooklyn to throw tomatoes at each other in the excessive heat . Picture perfect: A group of tomato tossers poses for a picture in the midst of the mayhem . Never better: This festival-goes is a picture of calm while chaos reigns supreme around her .", "A 14-year-old Pennsylvania boy was arrested after he posed as a woman on Facebook and tricked 48 boys into sending him nude photos and gift cards. The teen created a profile under the name of Jessica Carabello and promised to provide naked photographs of 'her' if they sent images of themselves in return. The unidentified boy was charged with theft by extortion, transmission of sexually explicit images and solicitation, according to the Pocono Mountain Regional police. A 14-year old Pennsylvania boy was arrested after he posed as a woman on Facebook and tricked 48 boys into sending him nude photos and gift cards (file photo) In 2013, 18-year-old Mitchell Franklin Louws (pictured) posed as a woman online and solicited compromising photos from boys as young as 13 . He then threatened to post the boys' images online if they did not continue to send photographs. The teen used similar threats to extort gift cards. Officials said the teen sent messages to at least 100 additional boys who did not respond. He has been released into his parents' custody and will appear in juvenile court next month. In 2013, an 18-year-old boy from North Carolina was arrested after posing as a woman online to solicit compromising photos of boys as young as 13. Mitchell Franklin Louws also promised the boys he would have sex with them if they 'passed a test' and had sex with a man, according to WRAL.com . He then told the boys he would post their images online and send them to their family members if he did not receive more. Louws pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a minor and extortion. He served eight months in jail and had to register as a sex offender.", "By . Darren Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 08:08 EST, 12 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:51 EST, 12 March 2014 . A burglar carried out a string of 30 burglaries because he could not face his 'boring' life and needed to steal cars to get a 'kick' out of joyriding, a court has heard. Layabout teenager Ryan Legge, 19, looted victims’ homes for pleasure after he decided he wanted to 'alleviate' his humdrum life. In a two-year crime spree he targeted properties with unlocked doors or open windows, usually when the occupants were asleep in bed or watching TV. Ryan Legge, 19 (left) targeted houses even when the owners were at home along with his accomplice Alex Riley, 22 (right). Both men were jailed today for four years at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester . In many cases he also stole the household car using keys left on open view. Jobless Legge was arrested after his fingerprints were found on property stolen from a home in Royton, near Oldham, Greater Manchester. He later claimed he was motivated into burglary by the 'need to alleviate boredom' rather than to fund a luxury lifestyle. He claimed his criminal behaviour was 'grafting'. Pictures on Legge's Facebook page showed him posing with champagne and vodka and others . showed him bare-chested and flexing his muscles and posing with a . glamorous female friend. Ryan Legge, 19, posing on Facebook with a bottle of vodka with friends before he was jailed for his part in a two-year crime spree . Ryan Legge, (left), posing with an with a cross around his neck while (right) he flaunts his muscles on his personal Facebook profile. Today, victims of Legge reacted with anger to his excuses after he was locked away for four years at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester. He had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary and a further count of taking a vehicle without consent, and asked for 34 other offences to be taken into consideration - 28 of them burglaries. Post office worker Trish Clune, 46, who had her Vauxhall Astra stolen in a raid on her home in Chadderton, Oldham, said after the hearing: 'I think his excuse is disgusting. I have never been burgled before and it was absolutely terrible. Ryan Legge, who stole a £1,300 pug dog during his crime spree showing-off his watch on his Facebook profile . 'These people want their fingers chopped off. If they are that bored then go and find a job like most folk - not rob people’s houses. My son is 20 and he has a job. It was devastating - it took me a long time to get over it.' She added: 'This boy and his mate took the Vauxhall Astra and also the keys for the other two cars and then they tried to return for those. 'It’s incredible to think they had the cheek to come back round the corner afterwards. It’s just lucky someone saw them and they ran off. 'Being burgled is a horrible experience and the worst bit is not necessarily having something taken. It’s the fact we had an intruder invading our house. To say he was bored is no excuse whatsoever.' Earlier the court heard how during the burglary spree householders were wakened in the early hours to find they had been burgled. At one at a house a Citroen C4 was stolen and the homeowners knew nothing of the break-in until the next morning. In one raid on the home of a couple, their son-in-law who lived opposite spotted two men in the garden, one filling a bag with bottles of champagne and spirits. A pug dog valued at more than £1,300 was also stolen but later recovered. In mitigation for Legge his counsel Ben Knight said his client got a 'kick' of joyriding in stolen vehicles which were always recovered undamaged. Jobless: Ryan Legge flaunting a bottle of champagne (left) while (right) he poses with an unnamed female friend . Mr Knight added: 'He was motivated by a need to alleviate boredom rather than to fund an extravagant lifestyle. The houses were not ransacked and the methods of breaking in were opportunistic and unsophisticated.' Legge’s accomplice Alex Riley, 22, was found guilty by a jury of two charges of burglary and two offences of taking vehicles without consent. He was also jailed for four years. Both men were each ordered to pay £120 victim surcharges. Judge Jeffrey Lewis told them: 'You’re not afraid of entering houses at night when they are occupied yet you have not got the faintest idea of the devastation that can be caused by your actions. 'You both have formidable records and are seriously at risk of spending a great deal of your adult lives in custody.' Legge’s family have since moved out of their home in the Fitton Hill area of Oldham. A neighbour said: 'They weren’t here that long but it sounds like we are well rid.’", "By . Daily Mail Reporter . They're not the first pair of police officers to be called into action while off-duty. But they’re almost certainly breaking new ground by making an arrest while dressed in zebra and monkey onesies. PC Tracy Griffin and PC Terri Cave were on their way to a fancy dress party when they encountered a man making threats to kill in a Coventry supermarket in March. Law of the jungle: Terri Cave and Tracy Griffin were on their way to a fancy dress party in these wildlife onesies when they were suddenly called upon to tackle a man making threats to kill in a supermarket in Coventry . The pair wrestled the man to the ground outside the Co-op store and told staff to dial 999. The man was arrested and later charged with public order offences. The two officers, who are based in Solihull, West Midlands, spent the rest of their evening filing reports at the police station rather than heading to the party. On hearing the news of the arrest, their colleagues at the @SolihullPolice Twitter account tweeted: ‘Man threatening to kill people didn’t expect to be wrestled to the ground by our off-duty officer in a zebra onesie. We go that extra mile.’ PCs Cave and Griffen have now been commended for their actions, described as ‘brave in the extreme’ and ‘in accordance with the highest traditions of British policing’ at a ceremony this week. The offender, Brian Eustace, 49, was handed a community order and ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work over the incident. At a ceremony in Edgbaston, Birmingham, they received a Chief Constable’s Commendation in front of family, friends and colleagues – this time dressed in their official uniform. Brave: PC Cave and PC Griffin as they are more usually dressed when performing their policing duties . Chief Superintendent Alex Murray, from Solihull Police, said: ‘There was a lot of interest in this particular case for obvious reasons but, joking apart, PCs Griffin and Cave were faced with a very dangerous man in difficult circumstances and they stepped up to the plate. ‘Let’s not lose focus on the risk they exposed themselves to, without any protection, in tackling this man. ‘Whether they were in fancy dress or not, the fact is they chose to put a member of the public’s safety above their own and then cancelled their night out to make sure that a professional job was done.’", "(CNN) -- Some people just can't handle the truth. Others have a tough time with the lies, too. Civil police in the northeast Brazilian city of Recife arrested Ricardo Sergio Freire de Barros after he tried to open a bank account using a fake ID with a picture of Jack Nicholson. Just a small problem: the 41-year-old Barros looks nothing like the 74-year-old Oscar-winning American actor, one of the most-recognizable men in the world. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award 12 times, and has won the Best Actor Oscar twice -- for \"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest\" and for \"As Good as It Gets.\" He also picked up an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for 1983's \"Terms of Endearment.\" Before his arrest on Tuesday, police had been tracking Barros for three months, following multiple reports of fraudulent activity, police Chief Erivaldo Guerra said. He said the suspect was using the fake IDs to open bank accounts and credit cards with high limits, and then defaulting on the debts. He also took out a business license. When Barros was arrested, he had six different IDs and various checkbooks and credit cards, police said. To his credit, Barros didn't use Nicholson's name, instead signing the card Joao Pedro dos Santos. He's charged with use of false documents and falsification of a public document. Barros is being held in jail awaiting trial.", "By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:38 EST, 18 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:17 EST, 18 October 2013 . Police are investigating a tangled case of rape and extortion that involves two men who have both been married to the same woman. The blackmailing was revealed after one man demanded sexual favors from the other and threatened to kill him if he refused. Police have charged Michael Bruce Seach, 49, with forcible sodomy and rape. Arrested: Michael Seach, 49, has been charged with forcible sodomy and object rape, both first-degree felonies under Utah law . The alleged victim told police that for the past seven to 10 months, Seach has demanded that the victim pay him off to prevent him from releasing some undisclosed information that he obtained from being married to the victim's former wife. 'Through that relationship, the suspect had gained some information on the victim and was using that information to extort him for money. And then had eventually used that information to extort him for the sexual assault and then had threatened his life if he did not participate,' said Riverdale Police Lt. James Ebert. Scene of the crime: The rape allegedly took place at this motel . Evidence: When police arrived, they found the victim with a blindfold around his neck . The victim initially declined the sexual proposals. Seach then threatened to kill him if he didn't follow through with his request. Last weekend the man was sexually assaulted at the Motel 6. After managing to escape, the man ran into the lobby of the motel to call the police. When they arrived, they found him with a blindfold around his neck. Cops say the victim gave Seach money and signed over his car to him. Investigators have said they believe the allegations to be true but that there are even more 'unusual parts of the case' that will come out in the near future.", "(CNN) -- Police say guilt was written all over their faces. Police received a call Friday night that two men with hooded sweatshirts and painted faces had tried to break into a man's home in Carroll, Iowa. When police stopped a vehicle matching the caller's description blocks away, they were stunned by the men's disguises. There were no ski masks or stockings pulled over their heads; instead, Matthew Allan McNelly, 23, and Joey Lee Miller, 20, streaked their faces with permanent black marker. Carroll Police Chief Cayler told CNN the strange disguises made it easier for his officers. \"We're very skilled investigators and the black faces gave them right away,\" Cayler said jokingly. \"I have to assume the officers were kind of laughing at the time. I've never heard of coloring your face with a permanent marker.\" Cayler said police believe one of the alleged burglars targeted the home because he suspected his girlfriend had a relationship with the man who lived there. \"They probably were just not thinking straight and figured we'll go out and scare the guy or whatever,\" Cayler said. \"[They were] being dumb and combine that with alcohol and it was the perfect storm.\" Both men were charged with attempted burglary, and McNelly was charged additionally with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Lawyers for the two men could not be reached for comment. Cayler said he's been fielding calls about the case from news media outlets from all over the country -- mostly because of their funny-looking mug shots. \"I've been chief here almost 25 years, been with the department 28½ years and I've seen a lot of things that make me laugh and weird things but this was probably the best combination of the two -- strangely weird and hilariously funny all at the same time.\"", "San Francisco, California (CNN) -- They've been committed to each other for eight years and have four sons together, but there's a component missing in one Berkeley, California, couple's life that's out of reach for them: getting married. Kristin Perry and Sandra Stier's partnership is one that has taken center stage because of the ongoing debate on same-sex marriage in California. On Monday, the spotlight will be even brighter, when a trial challenging California's Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage, begins in U. S. District Court in San Francisco. Demonstrators are expected to be out in force. Plans had been made to have a camera in the courtroom, and the proceedings distrubuted on YouTube, but the ballot initiative's sponsors prevailed in their 11th-hour bid to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to restrict distribution of video of the trial -- at least temporarily. The justices wrote in their terse order that they need until at least Wednesday afternoon to consider the camera issue. Perry and Stier, along with Jeffrey Zarrillo and Paul Katami, of Los Angeles, are the two couples at the heart of the case, arguing that California's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. They are asking Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker to issue an injunction against Proposition 8's enforcement. The case will likely head to the U.S. Supreme Court no matter what the outcome. It is expected to set legal precedents that will shape society for years to come and result in a landmark court decision that settles whether Americans can marry people of the same sex. Do you think Prop 8 is constitutional? In legal circles and across the Internet, it has been dubbed this generation's Brown v. Board of Education, the case that led to the Supreme Court decision that outlawed segregation in schools. Some say it could be the biggest ruling since Roe v. Wade, which tackled abortion. It also closely echoes the Supreme Court case that overturned bans on interracial marriage. The debate over Proposition 8 has been fueled by emotions on both sides. For Perry and Stier, Zarrillo and Katami and their supporters, the issue is simple. They say the case boils down to nothing more than equal protection under the law and that their sexual orientation should not prevent them from getting married. \"It does not weaken the fabric of our communities to grant them these basic familial rights -- it strengthens them,\" said Chad Griffin, President of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, when the lawsuit was announced in May. \"It does not undermine marriage to extend to these loving couples -- it affirms it.\" \"This is one of the threshold civil rights issues of our generation,\" he said. \"Justice is on our side and we're about to reclaim it.\" Representing them are two high-powered attorneys, Ted Olson and David Boies. They're an unlikely pair -- former courtroom adversaries best known for being on opposing sides of the \"hanging chad\" dispute of the 2000 presidential election in Florida. Olson, a staunch political conservative who defended the government's positions as solicitor general, was a choice that surprised many supporters of the case for same-sex marriage. He said there's nothing inconsistent about him fighting for the rights of same-sex couples. \"They call it a teaching moment these days,\" he said. \"This gives us an opportunity to explain how wrong it has been to deny rights to individuals on that basis.\" Republican California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state's Democratic Attorney General Jerry Brown are defendants in the lawsuit because of their positions in California government. However, both have said they would not defend the suit. Brown filed a legal motion saying he agreed with the position advanced by Olson and Boies. Schwarzenegger has taken no position. Andrew Pugno, a lawyer for an organization called Protect Marriage, the group that came up with Proposition 8, said he believes the issue was solved when the people of California made their voices heard in the voting booth. \"Seven million Californians voted to preserve or restore what marriage has meant since the beginning of time,\" he said. \"If they're not permitted to do something as basic as that, then there's something, really something, wrong with our system.\" For Pugno and supporters on his side of the issue, keeping the definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman is what makes sense. \"Marriage legally and socially has always been a social public institution that affects far more than the adults involved,\" he said. \"We are taking a position that society has a very good reason for limiting marriage the way it does. ... The relationship of a man and woman bears a relationship to child-rearing that no other relationship can duplicate.\" The Proposition 8 vote is part of a long line of seesaw rulings, court cases, debates and protests in California over the issue. After California's Legislature approved same-sex marriages, voters took to the polls in November 2008; a slim majority -- 52 percent -- approved of banning the marriages. In May 2009, California's highest court upheld the ban, but allowed about 18,000 unions performed before the ban to remain valid. For same-sex couples, especially those who did not get married before the ban, the ruling was hardly comforting. Several liberal celebrity activists, led by former director and actor Rob Reiner, have bankrolled the first federal challenge to the voter-approved ban on gay marriage. The nation's eyes will be on the court's eventual ruling. Olson and Boies said they believe the case is simple based on their reading of the U.S. Constitution. \"The first thing to think about is the right to marry is a fundamental right in the United States,\" Olsen said. \"It's a right protected by the Constitution. The Supreme Court has held over and over again that it may be one of the most fundamental rights to unite with the person you love to form a partnership.\" For Boies, the case follows a sad tradition in American history: the denial of rights to people because certain groups blindly see them as undeserving. \"This lawsuit is about the courts saying no matter how blind people may be, the Constitution guarantees that everyone deserves the equal rights that every human being is entitled to,\" Boies said. \"And we go to court because that is the place those equal rights have been established time and again over the last 100 years.\" CNN Supreme Court producer Bill Mears contributed to this story.", "By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 16:11 EST, 19 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:38 EST, 19 June 2013 . A 14-year-old boy who allegedly murdered his great-grandmother has told a court how he and a friend took turns hitting her with a hatchet and a hammer so they could kill her and steal her money. Antonio Barbeau gave the chilling details as he testified in the trial of his friend Nathan Paape, who has pleaded not guilty to the grisly crime in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in September last year. Barbeau told the court that the weekend before the murder of 78-year-old Barbara Olson, he and Paape had talked about ways to get money and how they could steal from his great-grandmother. On the day of the murder, they asked Barbeau's mother for a ride to 'a . friend's house' and then they walked two miles to the home, where Olson found them in the garage. Testimony: Antonio Barbeau raises his hand to take the oath before testifying during a trial for his friend Nathan Paape, with whom he allegedly killed his great-grandmother last year . 'We were going to try to scare her to . get money and use force if needed,' said Barbeau, who has already been convicted in the case and is now awaiting his sentencing. When asked what type . of force they planned to use, Barbeau said: 'An . attack, I guess to kill.' She invited them into her home and as she turned her back to call Barbeau's mother, Barbeau hit her on the head with the hatchet, the Shaboygan Press reported. He said he then ran to the bathroom as he was feeling sick but that when he emerged, he saw Paape hit the woman with the hammer multiple times. 'Accomplice': Nathan Paape, pictured right with defense attorney June Spoerl, has pleaded not guilty . Weapon: Sheboygan Falls Police officer Nicole Schmelter holds up an axe allegedly from the crime . 'She was still yelling when I went to the bathroom, but had stopped when I returned,' he said. Barbeau then hit Olson with the hatchet again, and said Paape then took the weapon from him and hit her once or twice too. Victim: Barbara Olson, 78, was found in a pool of blood at her home last September . The account came in stark contrast with Paape's, the Shaboygan Press reported. Paape claimed the robbery and . murder were Barbeau's idea and that he only hit Olson twice . with a hammer because he feared his friend would turn on him. Paape thought Barbeau was joking about killing Olson, his lawyer said. But Barbeau said his friend never suggested he thought it was a joke. He has pleaded not guilty but if convicted, he faces life in prison and a minimum 20 years in prison. Barbara Olsen's body was found in a pool of blood outside her home last September. Once the teens realized Olsen was . dead after the horrific attack, they attempted to drag her body to the . car, leaving a trail on blood through the house, police said last . September. After failing to load Olsen into the vehicle, they dumped her in the garage. The boys then allegedly stole several items, including a purse, loose change and jewelry. The . perpetrators then hopped into Olson's car and sped off. They eventually . dumped the vehicle in the parking lot of a local bowling alley and . walked to a nearby eatery, where they shared a pizza. Savage: Barbeau, left, and Paape, right, provided conflicting stories about who was behind the attack . Investigation: The teens were arrested just 12 hours after the woman's body was discovered at her home . The . teens later returned to the abandoned car and tried to wipe off their . fingerprints, the complaint states. They left some of their loot in . plain sight, along with the car keys, hoping that someone would steal . the vehicle and get blamed for Olsen's murder. They locked the weapons in the trunk of the car, along with a bloody piece of cloth. Olsen’s body was discover in the driveway of her Westridge Drive home and 12 hours later, the boys were arrested.", "By . James Daniel . PUBLISHED: . 07:59 EST, 7 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:12 EST, 8 June 2013 . He got off, whilst driving off! When police in Philadelphia tried to arrest a man for openly masturbating in the street, he wasn't going to come easily. Charles Dockery led cops on a high-speed chase through the streets of Upper Darby before crashing his car. Charles Dockery, 36, was found sitting in the passenger's seat of his car with the door open and no pants or underwear on . Jelly to Jail: Police chased Dockery for masturbating in public and when they finally captured him a tube of KY Jelly fell out of his car . As he tried to escape on foot, a tube of KY Jelly fell out of his car. Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said police began receiving calls around 6pm on Tuesday about a man exposing himself to passersby. Police were greeted by the site of Dockery, 36, sitting in the passenger's seat of his car with the door open and pleasuring himself with no pants or underwear on. As police came to arrest him, Dockery attempted to get out of the sticky situation by jumping into the driver's seat and droving. As he did so, he almost ran over an officer. During the chase, two other cars were struck along with a third parked car. When Dockery jumped out of the car, the KY Jelly fell to the floor. Climax: The car chase ended here at 69th Street & Walnut as a tube of KY Jelly spilled out onto the road . Dockery was arrested and charged with open lewdness and aggravated assault on police. 'I'm sure the KY jelly is being held for evidence,' said Chitwood to the Philadelphia Inquirer. 'I don't think we did a forensic exam on his penis.'", "By . Luke Salkeld . PUBLISHED: . 06:54 EST, 19 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:00 EST, 20 August 2012 . Controversial: Cannibal killer Graham Fisher, 39, has had a gastric band operation on the NHS in a private £1,000-a-night hospital after ballooning to 23-stone . A cannibal who weighs 23 stone has received gastric band surgery in a private  hospital – paid for by the NHS. Graham Fisher, 39, who killed two women, requested the operation after becoming obese on a diet of crisps and cake. The procedure – from which he is said to be recovering in a private room – is thought to have cost taxpayers £15,000. Fisher, who ate the flesh of one of the women he killed, put on weight at the high-security Broadmoor Hospital. After complaining to staff that he was too fat and unfit, he was given permission to have the £8,000 operation. He was reportedly taken by guards to a private hospital in Oxfordshire last week after being on a waiting list for just three months. It is expected he will recover from the surgery in a private en-suite room for several days, bringing the cost of the entire procedure to £15,000. Fisher’s first victim was Clare Letchford, 40, in January 1998. He killed the recluse at her flat in Hastings, East Sussex, before cutting flesh from her arm and eating it. Eight days later, Beryl O’Connor, 75, was found dead at her home nearby. Both of the victims – who had been former neighbours of Fisher – were strangled before Fisher set the bodies on fire.Just days later Fisher attempted to rape and murder a 19-year-old Czech student on a train. It was not until 2010 that he was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court to 21 years for the manslaughter of Miss Letchford and Miss O’Connor. Fisher had confessed to his psychiatrist after being  transferred to Broadmoor during a five-year jail term for indecently assaulting two Spanish students at knifepoint in Eastbourne, East Sussex, in May 1998. He was transferred to Broadmoor under the Mental Health Act following concerns that he was a ‘grave danger’. Lewes Crown Court heard he confessed because he knew he remained a danger. Prosecutors said Fisher targeted lonely women, some of whom he knew, to satisfy what one psychiatrist described as a ‘sexually sadistic’ aspect to his personality. Robert Oxley, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said the extraordinary case would ‘go down poorly with ordinary people’ who are struggling financially. A spokesman for West London Mental Health NHS Trust, which is in charge of Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire, said: ‘People receiving treatment for mental illness are entitled to the same level of care as anyone else.’ Eight thousand surgical weight-loss operations were carried out in England on the NHS last year, most of them using a gastric band – in which a silicone band is fitted around the stomach to make it smaller. The other major operation is a gastric bypass, where a small pouch is created at the top of the stomach and connected to the small intestine, bypassing the rest of the stomach and bowel.The aim is to reduce appetite and speed up feelings of fullness. Dead: Fisher's first victim was Clare Letchford, left,  in January 1998. Eight days later, Beryl O'Connor, 75, right, was found dead at her home nearby . Ballooned: Graham Fisher, 39, piled on weight after feasting on crisps, cakes and chocolate at the high security Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire, pictured .", "(CNN) -- From Yellowstone National Park to the Everglades, America's 391 national parks are in need of repair -- and thanks to the economic stimulus signed into law, help is now underway. President Obama and his family visit the Grand Canyon in Arizona, a national park. President Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus plan passed in February and designated $750 million dollars to the national parks. But not all of the stimulus money is being used -- and the parks are facing a $9 billion backlog in maintenance projects. So far, nearly 10 percent is in the pipeline. \"We are picking away at it as much as we can and we've been fortunate to have the recovery act money,\" said Jeffrey Olson of the National Park Service. Olson said half of the $9 billion is slated to go for road repairs. \"Half of that [$9 billion] is roads and about $2 billion of that are the most pressing needs -- those we get some help from the stimulus. The president's budget proposal is calling for more maintenance and construction money,\" Olsen said. Dan Wenk, the acting director of the National Park Service says most of those pressing needs include, \"camp grounds, camp sites, it's amphitheaters for evening programs. It's the bathrooms. It's literally everything we have to make our visits enjoyable.\" And those needs, Ranger Rocky Schroeder hopes, will be fulfilled soon. Watch more on the national parks facelift » . Schroeder patrols Prince William Park, about 35 miles outside the nation's capital. It has more than a dozen historic cabins slated for repair and is just one of the 250 national parks getting a face lift because of the stimulus package. \"The stimulus will help keep our visitors here, keep them happy and keep them coming back,\" Schroeder added. And the numbers are good for national parks. As of the end of July, attendance at the parks is up roughly 3 percent from the same time last year, according to the parks service. In 2008, nearly 275 million people visited the national parks compared to 272 million in 2006. At Prince William Forest park, officials are hoping to start putting the money to use next month -- and said they've had overwhelming interest. For these stimulus projects, they need to hire six additional people. So far, they've received nearly 200 applications. The Interior Department estimates the stimulus allocation will create around 8,000 jobs over two years -- though many will be temporary. \"It's stimulus because we are putting people to work ... but it's also stimulus because we're creating a better place ... increasing the visitor experience,\" Wenk said. Some Republicans, however, are skeptical. \"Clearly we need to improve our national parks ... but nobody should confuse that with economic stimulus. I mean frankly that's just false advertising,\" Rep. Jeb Hensarlin, R-Texas, says. For Ron Tipton of the National Parks Conservation Association, the funding is vital. \"We must ensure our national parks are well funded to address the parks' crumbling historic buildings and trails, enhance the Park Service's ability to protect wildlife, and provide needed public education and services,\" he said on the association's Web site. Olson believes that when economic times are tough -- especially during the current recession -- parks are an economically friendly alternative to more expensive getaways. \"We rise above other things like theme parks,\" he says. \"When times are tough economically, people turn inward and ask some really basic questions and there is nothing like being in a national park to ask those questions.\" Olson adds that 147 parks in the United States and in the nation's territories have an entry fee, which ranges from $5 to $25; 244 do not have an entry fee. But when it comes to this money, the key question being asked: How is the stimulus money being used? Nearly $56 million is for Washington landmarks, which some say are in dire need of repair. More than $14.5 million is going to Mesa Verde National Park and nearly $11 million has been allocated for the Grand Canyon. Schroeder said he is confident the infusion of stimulus dollars is a worthwhile investment. \"The national parks are our past, our history.\"", "A man charged with impersonating a University of Washington employee and attempting to kidnap a student continues to display increasingly disturbing behavior. Jonathan Gears was wheeled into a Seattle court Thursday tied to a chair and was forced to wear a spit guard. According to KIRO 7 TV, he laughed through proceedings, addressed the judge in a British accent, and later thanked President Obama for his work. On January 16, Gears allegedly tried to kidnap sophomore Maddy Greenfield on the University of Washington campus around noon. Scroll down for video . Creepy: Jonathan Gears, who is accused of trying to kidnap a University of Washington student, was wheeled into a Seattle court Thursday laughing and tied to a chair. He was also forced to wear a spit guard (pictured) Greenfield said Gears approached her and introduced himself - in a British accent - as a member of staff. He shook her hand but then refused to let go, Greenfield said. 'I said, ''Please let go''. And he grabbed my arm, and said ''you're coming with me'' and tried to pull me away,' Greenfield told KIRO. Greenfield kicked and screamed to get away, and when Gears grabbed her backpack, she quickly took it off and ran. Other students witnessed what was happening and chased Gears down, helping police to arrest him. Victim: Sophomore Maddy Greenfield said that Gears approached her on the university campus on January 16 claiming to be a college employee before attempting to abduct her . During his arrest, he reportedly said he was HIV positive and attempted to bite officers several times. Gears has no connection to the University of Washington. His attorney says he suffers from mental issues. Gears has been charged with assault with attempt to kidnap. Disturbed: Gears' attorney says he suffers from mental issues. They did not elaborate on the spit guard . Prosecutors say he is dangerous and should not be let out on bail. The judge set his bail at $250,000. KIRO7 found he does have a criminal history that includes an arrest for assaulting a police officer. There is no more further information on Gears' background.", "By . Rosie Taylor . PUBLISHED: . 09:19 EST, 26 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:25 EST, 26 April 2013 . Two off-duty police officers wearing animal onesies on their way to a fancy dress party made a detour to arrest a drunken yob. West Midlands Police constables Terri Cave and Tracy Griffin were walking through Coventry dressed as a monkey and a zebra when they heard a drunk man allegedly yelling threatening abuse in a supermarket. The officers sprang into action - still wearing their onesies - and wrestled the man to the ground once he left the Co-op shop. Off-duty police officers Terri Cave, left, and Tracy Griffin arrested a drunken yob while on their way to a fancy dress party . The officers surprised colleagues at Solihull Police Station by carrying out the arrest while dressed as a zebra and a monkey . They restrained the man and called for help from their colleagues, who collected him in a Fiat Panda and took him a police station. The pair's stunned colleagues tweeted: 'Off duty officers dressed in . zebra and monkey onesies arrest a violent man in the street - . @SolihullPolice keeping you safe whatever it takes. 'Man threatening to kill people didn't expect to be wrestled to the . ground by our off-duty officer in a zebra onesie. We go that extra . mile.' A man was arrested in connection with the incident and is due to make a second appearance at Coventry Magistrates' Court next month. Superintendant Sally Bourner, centre, was delighted by the quick thinking of her off-duty officers Terri Cave and Tracy Griffin .", "For decades Wally has eluded millions of children in the classic book series - and he’s likely frustrated a number of adults too. To make finding the bespectacled Wally - or Waldo, as he is known in the US - easier, a Michigan-based computer scientist has devised a strategy using machine learning and algorithms. By plotting the character's location across the series, Randal Olson created the path needed to travel around a typical page and find Wally in the quickest way possible each time. Mr Olson used an algorithm to approximate the ‘optimal search path’ (pictured). He then divided the path into four sections, the first part is shown in blue, the second is orange, the third is green and the final section is shown in red. This path represents one of the shortest possible paths to follow on the page to find Wally . The method built on a previous strategy by Ben Blatt from Slate magazine in November 2013. During this research, Mr Blatt plotted Wally’s 68 locations across seven books. Mr Olson took these plots to create a so-called kernel density estimation. This established the probability of Wally being found in certain parts of a page. From this, Mr Olson discovered that Wally is rarely located in the top left-hand corner, or along the edges, to account for the box that typically described the setting and for printing inconsistencies. Wally was also never found on the bottom of the right-hand page. Next, Mr Olson used what is known as the ‘travelling salesman problem’ to check every possible Wally location in the shortest time possible, with the least repetition. By following this method, Mr Olson was able to ‘zoom through most illustrations’ (example pictured) in less than 10 seconds. He also discovered that on at least four occasions, book one in particular had instances or ‘outliers’ in which the strategy didn't work . To make finding Wally - known as Waldo in the US - easier, a computer scientist plotted all of the character's 68 locations across seven of the classic books (pictured). The method built on a previous strategy created by Ben Blatt from Slate magazine in November 2013 . ‘In computer terms, that means we’re making a list of all 68 points that Wally could be at, then sorting them based on the order that we’re going to visit them,’ explained Mr Olson on his blog. ‘Those 68 points can be arranged in ~2.48 x 1096 possible ways. To provide some context, that’s more possible arrangements than the number of atoms in the universe.’ Due to the complexity of the task, Mr Olson used machine learning to approximate the ‘optimal search path’ based on an algorithm. Randal Olson used an algorithm to plot the shortest path required to find Wally (pictured). But also revealed tips to make the process easier . Randal Olson used an algorithm to plot the shortest path required to find Wally. But, Mr Olson acknowledged that humans are unable to remember a path as easily as a computer and revealed tips to make the process easier. Wally is rarely located in the top left-hand corner, or along the edges, for example. He is also rarely found on the bottom of the right-hand page. Start on the bottom half of the left-hand page.If Wally isn’t on the bottom half of the left page, 'then he’s probably not on the left page at all'. The upper quarter of the right page is the next best place to look and Mr Olson said 'Wally seems to prefer to hide on the upper quarter of the right page.' Next check the bottom right half of the right page. Mr Olson added Wally has an aversion to the bottom left half of the right page and searchers shouldn't bother looking there until they're exhausted the other hot spots. He ran this algorithm for five minutes and created a solution that divided the path into four sections:  the first part is shown in blue, the second is orange, the third is green and the final section is shown in red. ‘This path represents one of the shortest possible paths to follow on the page to find Wally,’ continued Mr Olson. ‘So if we followed this path exactly, we’d most likely find Wally much faster than someone following a more basic technique.’ But, Mr Olson acknowledged that humans are unable to remember a path as easily as a computer and revealed tips to make the process easier. He said searchers should start on the bottom half of the left-hand page and if Wally isn’t on the bottom half of the left page, 'then he’s probably not on the left page at all'. Mr Olson used these locations to create a kernel density estimation (pictured) and establish the probability of Wally being found in certain parts of a page. From this, Mr Olson discovered Wally is rarely located in the top left-hand corner, or along the edges. He was also never found on the bottom of the right-hand page . To create the path, Mr Olson ran an algorithm for five minutes (demonstrated) to find the solution . The upper quarter of the right page is the next best place to look and Mr Olson said 'Wally seems to prefer to hide on the upper quarter of the right page.' Next check the bottom right half of the right page. Mr Olson added Wally has an aversion to the bottom left half of the right page and people shouldn't bother looking there until they're exhausted the other hot spots. By following this method, Mr Olson was able to ‘zoom through most illustrations’ in less than 10 seconds. He also discovered that on at least four occasions, book one in particular had instances or ‘outliers’ in which the strategy didn't work. ‘This was all done in good humour and I I don’t recommend actually using this strategy for casual ‘Where’s Wally?’ reading,' concluded Mr Olson. ‘As with so many things in life, the joy of finding Wally is in the journey, not the destination,’", "(CNN) -- Jon Opsahl said he doesn't think domestic terrorist-turned-housewife Sara Jane Olson served nearly enough time for his mother's murder, but he's relieved the saga ended with Olson's Tuesday release from prison. Sara Jane Olson was released from a California prison Tuesday after serving seven years. Olson, a member of the self-styled revolutionary Symbionese Liberation Army -- perhaps best known for kidnapping Patricia Hearst -- was released from a California prison after serving seven years, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said. She was released to her husband just after midnight and is expected to serve her yearlong parole term in Minnesota -- over the the objections of police unions and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Her sentence stems from her involvement in the 1975 attempted bombings of two police cars and the slaying of Myrna Opsahl during a bank robbery that same year. Back then, Olson went by her birth name, Kathleen Anne Soliah. After her 1976 indictment in the attempted bombings, she changed her name and started a new life in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was not apprehended until 1999. \"I've really got nothing to say. She did her time, as minimal as that may have been,\" said Jon Opsahl, who was 15 when his mother was killed. \"One of those years -- just one -- was for the murder of my mom and the bank robbery up in Carmichael.\" Myrna Opsahl, a mother of four, was depositing money at the Crocker National Bank for her church when she was shot by Olson's co-defendant Emily Montague Harris, according to court documents. Harris was sentenced to eight years; she served four and was released on parole in February 2007. Jon Opsahl, now 49, said he never understood why it took so long to bring his mother's killers to justice. While charges were filed in the bombings within months, no charges were brought in his mother's murder until 2002. \"You expect thugs to do what thugs do, but you don't expect the district attorney to turn a blind eye to the murder of an upstanding citizen,\" Jon Opsahl said Monday. Olson's release Tuesday will cap an oft-strange storyline that spans more than three decades and which saw Olson wear the hats of college student, 1970s radical, housewife and philanthropist. Attorney Andy Dawkins met Olson, now 62, shortly after she moved to St. Paul through friends in the reggae band, Pressure Drop. Fred Peterson, Olson's husband, played trumpet in the band, Dawkins said. \"She did good deeds everywhere. She raised three wonderful daughters. It was always a shock to all of us that the Sara we know had that past,\" Dawkins said. After attending the University of California, Santa Barbara, Olson moved to Berkeley in the early 1970s. There, she met Angela Atwood in 1972, and the two became best friends and roommates, Olson told L.A. Weekly in a 2002 interview shortly before she was imprisoned. After Atwood and five other SLA members were killed in a 1974 gunfight with the Los Angeles Police Department, Olson appeared at a memorial in Berkeley's Ho Chi Minh Park to eulogize her friend. \"SLA soldiers, although I know it's not necessary to say, keep fighting. I'm with you, and we are with you,\" Olson told the crowd. Almost a year later, Olson took part in two bank robberies to help fund the SLA, according to court documents. During the Carmichael robbery, Olson \"entered the bank with a firearm and kicked a nonresisting pregnant teller in the stomach. The teller miscarried after the robbery,\" the documents said. In August 1975, Los Angeles police found homemade bombs under two squad cars. They were designed to explode when the car moved, but neither device detonated. Authorities cast the attempted bombings as payback for the bloody shootout that left Atwood and other SLA members dead. A probe into the gunbattle helped police arrest Hearst, the granddaughter of publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst, who claimed she had been kidnapped, raped and brainwashed by the SLA. In her book \"Every Secret Thing,\" Hearst put Olson at the center of the Carmichael robbery. Olson soon left California. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, \"she evaded capture for 23 years, and in the meantime, became a doctor's wife, mother of three, community volunteer, veteran of charity work in Africa and practicing Methodist living in an upscale neighborhood in St. Paul.\" Though authorities said a 1999 \"America's Most Wanted\" episode marking the 25th anniversary of the L.A. shootout led to Olson's arrest, the show's Web site mentions neither Olson nor Soliah among its almost 1,100 \"captures.\" Her Minnesota friends and neighbors were shocked, even incredulous, when she was arrested. They pleaded with a judge to grant her bail. The Sara Olson Defense Fund began selling cookbooks, titled, \"Serving Time: America's Most Wanted Recipes.\" It would help that Olson was generous with her time. She was active in the church. She volunteered for political campaigns. Dawkins said he had a blind client to whom she used to read The New York Times. Olson's philanthropy, coupled with the connections of her husband, a respected emergency room doctor, made raising the $1 million bail relatively easy, said Dawkins, who remembers that some members of the community had so much faith in Olson they put up their children's college funds. On October 31, 2001, Olson pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to ignite a destructive device or explosive. She later tried to rescind the plea, saying \"cowardice\" prevented her from telling the truth. A superior court judge, however, denied her request and in January 2002 sentenced her to 20 years to life in prison, a sentence the parole board later reduced. Olson was charged with Opsahl's slaying that same week and pleaded guilty in 2003 to second-degree murder. Olson received a sentence of five years to life. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement that Olson's sentence was reduced for good behavior and for her work on a maintenance crew that cleaned the main yard of the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla. Dawkins said \"it's right\" that Olson served time, but he is glad she is being released. He expects many hugs await her in St. Paul and that she will soon be back to her generous ways. \"I really believe who we knew in St. Paul was the true Sara Olson,\" he said. The Los Angeles Police Protection League disagrees and has loudly opposed her early release. Sgt. Paul Weber, the league's chief, called her a sociopath who \"never said she was sorry.\" He also lashed out at those who rush to defend her. \"Enough with the BS that she was unfairly targeted by law enforcement for her youthful indiscretions -- she is a criminal,\" Weber said in a Monday statement. Corrections officials say it's important that she be reunited with her family during her parole -- it helps reduce recidivism -- but Minnesota legislators, the governor and the St. Paul Police Federation have asked Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to keep her in California over the next year. \"Letting a domestic terrorist like Kathleen Soliah set the terms of her parole is an insult to the memory of Myrna Opsahl and all the men and women of LAPD past and present,\" the St. Paul union said in a letter last week. Jon Opsahl, however, just wants to put Olson out of his mind. \"Get her out of here,\" he said. \"I don't want to see or think about her again.\"", "(CNN) -- A former member of the radical 1970s group Symbionese Liberation Army is back in custody after a clerical error miscalculated her prison release date, a California Department of Corrections spokesman said Saturday. Sara Jane Olson wipes away a tear at a Los Angeles courthouse in 1999. Sara Jane Olson was freed Monday. But her earliest release date is now March 17, 2009, Chief Deputy Secretary Scott Kernan said, calling the error \"an aberration.\" \"Our department immediately rearrested her, and she will serve her full sentence,\" Kernan said. He described Olson as cooperative and said the arrest took place \"without incident.\" She will serve the year at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla, California. \"The department is sensitive to the impact such an error has had on all involved in this case and sincerely regrets the mistake,\" Kernan said. Watch explanation for mistaken release » . An investigation is under way to find out how the error happened, he added. Olson had served about six years behind bars for her role in incidents in 1975: the attempted bombing of two police cars and the shooting death of a customer during a bank robbery. Prosecutors said she was part of an SLA plot to murder Los Angeles police officers by planting bombs under their squad cars. One of the cars was parked outside a crowded Hollywood restaurant. The bombs did not go off, and no one was hurt. The SLA is best known for its 1974 kidnapping of newspaper heiress Patty Hearst. A parole board hearing in 2004 reduced the sentence related to the attempted bombing charge, but \"an administrative error failed to take into account\" the second-degree murder charge for the shooting death, Kernan said. David Nickerson, one of Olson's attorneys, said he and co-counsel Shawn Chapman Holley intend to file a petition with Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday. Olson cannot be treated as \"yo-yo\" in regard to the law, he said. Chapman Holley called her return to custody \"ridiculous.\" \"It's like they make up all new rules when it comes to her,\" Chapman Holley told The Associated Press. \"It's like we are in some kind of fascist state.\" The administrative error was verified late Saturday morning, Kernan said, after a thorough review of Olson's case. He said \"concerns\" about her release date prompted the review. Olson was taken into custody at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday night, Kernan said. Olson had been granted interstate parole and was on her way to Minnesota, where she lived for more than two decades as a fugitive before she was arrested in 1999, Nickerson had said. From the Los Angeles airport, authorities took Olson to her home in Palmdale, California, where she remained until she was arrested midday Saturday, when the review was completed, Kernan said. Originally named Kathleen Soliah, Olson fled California after authorities began looking for her and then changed her name and lived for more than two decades as a fugitive before she was arrested in 1999 in Minnesota. She had married and was raising three daughters. Many residents rallied to Olson's cause and helped post bail for her. But one group in California, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, denounced her release. \"She needs to serve her full time in prison for these crimes and does not deserve time off for working in prison,\" the group said. \"After participating in one killing and attempting two more, she managed to elude authorities and live a guilt-free middle class life for decades. Criminals who attempt to murder police officers should not be able to escape justice simply because they have good lawyers.\" E-mail to a friend . CNN's Irving Last contributed to this report.", "(CNN) -- Oh, those cheekbones, those piercing eyes, that hint of danger. Move over, Jeremy Meeks, there's a new bad boy in town when it comes to lawbreakers the Internet lusts after. You might remember Meeks, the California man who -- despite a rap sheet littered with charges related to gang membership, firearm possession and grand theft -- became a viral sensation in June because of his attractive mugshot. Now, Sean Kory has stolen the social media spotlight after his alleged Halloween escapades and subsequent police photograph. Police in Santa Cruz, California, said the 29-year-old dreadlocked man attacked a person dressed as a Fox News reporter during the city's downtown festivities on October 31. Kory \"attacked the victim telling him he 'hates Fox News' \" and then \"grabbed the victim's microphone and placed (it) down the front of his pants and proceeded to rub the microphone on his crotch,\" according to the police report. Police said Kory then attacked the victim with an aluminum tennis racquet. The victim was not injured and reported the incident to police, who chased down the fleeing Kory, the report continued. Kory's mugshot sparked numerous reactions on Twitter, many from women praising his looks or comparing him to Meeks. Kory wasn't the only Halloween reveler to get in trouble in Santa Cruz over the weekend. Among the other notable mischief makers in the coastal California city was a resident dressed as Edward Scissorhands who got a little too into character and was cited \"for mutilation of city trees.\" Meanwhile, as much of the Internet glorifies criminal behavior, we'll be over here trying to get a sexy humanitarian portrait to go viral.", "(CNN) -- A wide-eyed, open-mouthed model of a dinosaur hatchling, the theft of which apparently was captured by surveillance cameras, is safely back in its nest at a North Carolina museum exhibit. Police said the statue was inside a bag left Wednesday night near a rear service entrance at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. Museum officials estimated the value of the 12- to 14-inch-long model at $10,000. Logan Todd Ritchey, 21, and Alyssa Ann Lavacca, 21, turned themselves in Thursday morning, according to the North Carolina State Capitol Police. They have been charged with two felony counts of theft or destruction of property of museums. In surveillance images taken Monday, a male in striped shorts is seen climbing over a low glass barrier into a museum exhibit and bending down. He then hops back out over the barrier and puts something in a large, multicolored purse carried by a female accomplice. Security guards discovered the replica was missing the next day. Police also suspect the pair in a similarly odd theft of items at the North Carolina Museum of History. Inventory missing from that museum included a prop cabbage head, a prop corn cob and prop doilies, along with a real medicine bottle, said Jackson Marshall, associate director of the history museum. They were later found at the sciences museum, Marshall said. Police said the suspects have been cooperative in the investigation. \"I doubt these two individuals realized the seriousness of tampering with artifacts and exhibits in a public museum,\" said State Capitol Police Chief Glen Allen.", "(CNN) -- Well played, fake Scott Weiland. A man arrested July 26 by Beverly Hills police on suspicion of shoplifting at a local Rite Aid and alleged drug possession was somehow able to convince police he was the Stone Temple Pilots frontman. But the real Weiland -- upon seeing a report on TMZ's website posted Thursday that he was in jail -- quickly recorded a video and posted it on his Facebook page to prove that he was free. \"I just got done reading something very interesting, a nice piece of fiction from TMZ saying that I was in jail and have been for four months,\" the musician said in the video. \"I've actually been touring, writing and recording my new album.\" Weiland has had run-ins with police before due to problems with addiction. For its part, TMZ said that -- after seeing an obviously not incarcerated Weiland -- the site \"then called the Sheriff's Dept. back but they were unwavering, telling us they did a 'physical check' on the inmate and insisted Scott 'was definitely in custody.' \" \"The BHPD got back to us late Thursday night and said they made a BIG mistake ... the inmate is actually a 44-year-old guy named Jason Michael Hurley,\" TMZ reported. \"They discovered it through belated FBI fingerprint analysis, even though he's been locked up since July 26.\" According to the Los Angeles Times, Hurley gave police the name and birthdate of Weiland and now probably also face charges of giving false information to officers. Hurley remains in the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles. Weiland had a few arrests in the 1990s for drug possession and completed a stint in rehab in 2008 after being arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of drugs." ]

[ "We use these to outline our walk for an Election Return party. They could easily be used for any patriotic holiday party, inside or out, with battery candles. Although the party wasn't as festive as we hoped the luminaries did the job." ]

[ "A must buy for any independent filmmaker thinking of submitting to festivals, Film Festival Secrets is the brainchild of one of the experts in the fields, Chris Holland. Whether you have been on the fest circuit before or a veteran, there are great tips from filmmakers and more importantly, festival coordinators, on inside secrets. Before you mail that ratty torn package with a DVD that you wrote the title with a Sharpie, or before you type your 32 email to the festival you are waiting to hear from, READ THIS BOOK!", "Purchased these for a music festival and am sad to say that they don't \"glow\" very well. The brightness of the glows ticks once activated were very dim and they did not last more that 2 hours. Disappointed. I wrote to the seller and never heard back.", "The most important thing is that the battery charger works pretty fast and the batteries last quite a while in the camera. I've had batteries quit after half a day at a street festival, but one of these lasted all day in Disneyland.\n\nThe other things in the kit work well too.", "After recently returning from the 2003/2004 falls festival this cd was a great reminder of the brilliance of the music that is played at such a great festival, the only drawback to this cd is the lack of live music recorded at falls. Nevertheless, this is certainly a cd with excellent songs to sing along to or simply have a boogie, highly recommended", "From the preface: \"There is a great dearth of literature on Indian fairs and festivals, except negligiable treatises in our vernaculars that too are mostly sectoral in treatment and very few standard books for English readers are now made available. Here for the first time in one compact volume reader is offered a ready-reference kind of book, conveniently organised so that the relevant materals can be easly retrieved from a single source book.\n\n\"In this handy volume, primarily the attention has been paid to all Pan-Indian festivals, but efforts been also made to cover every leading regional festivities alongwith select headings on vows, rituals, temples, centres of pilgrimage, holy cities, deities etc. The work caters not only to Hindu celebrations, but the festivities of the Buddhist, Jaina and Sikh religions emanated from this land and also Christian. Jewish and Zoroastrian festivals embraced by this secular country are included. Apart from festivals in vogue, we have tried to provide valuable vestiges of our past customs and traditions now relinquished with the time. We hope, this will be an ideal companion for all who wish to have a glimpse of Indian life through its colourful festivals, fairs, rituals, vows, customs, religious and seasonal celebrations. The materials for this book is culled from the writings of many learned authors, a select reference is provided at the end for further readings. The encyclopaedia is profusely illustrated containing numberous cross-references for readers convenience. There must be many lapses and omissions in such major project, but reader must accept that this is both a pioneer attempt and an individual endeavour.\"", "When you live that music festival life and have to deal with those music festival portos this has been a pleasant game changer (and the realization of bringing your own tp in). Definitely make sure you practice beforehand and make sure the clothing you wear will \"accommodate\" using this in those 3x3 plastic smelly upright coffin hell holes.", "Good bag. Wish the magnets were a bit stronger. Using it as a daily man-purse to/from work, plane travel, and music festivals.", "Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICITON's Pack Alpha - Michelle:\n\nChristmas Ever More was a wonderfully written festive novella full of hope, renewal, love, and new beginnings. If you're a fan of Christina's Lady Forsaken series, this is a must. Even if you aren't caught up, this stands well enough on its own to be a lovely addition to your holiday reading list.", "Around here the weather has started to have a crispness to it and the leaves are just beginning to hint at the colors to come. With these changes come the many fall festivals that we love to attend as a family.\n\nOur family isn't the only one that loves a good harvest festival. The residents of Bear Country are eagerly anticipating the first ever Chapel in the Woods Harvest Festival at Farmer Ben's farm. We meet up with the Berenstain Bear family as Mama and Papa are readying their yard for a winter's rest. Papa mentions the Harvest Festival and the whole family decides to attend.\n\nAlong the way it is mentioned that \"mother nature puts on her best clothes and dishes up her finest food.\" At first this little phrase made me cringe. But in the next pages the following exchange takes place between the Bear family:\n\n\"Would you say mother nature is putting on a good show for us?\" said Brother, kicking up a drift of leaves.\n\"Well,\" said Mama, pointing to the heavens, \"you know mother nature works for someone a bit higher up.\"\n\"Yes,\" agreed Papa. \"And harvest time is about much more than just enjoying the season. It is a time to give thanks to God for all his blessings--for the food that grows in his good, rich earth and for the wonders of nature that he has created.\" (pg. 10)\n\nI appreciated the follow-up that pointed out the true Creator. I'm still not thrilled with the \"mother nature\" reference but not enough to pass on the book.\n\nOnce the Bear family arrives at Farmer Ben's they participate in apple picking and pumpkin picking and then a hay ride. At the end of the day there is a feast for the entire community where Preacher Brown gives a wonderful prayer about celebrating the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops that have been sown.\n\nThis newest Berenstain Bears' book is a good one to add to your family library for fall reading.\n\nI received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.", "One of the joys God gave me early on was a love for Israel, I have always been grateful for this. I believe that every Christian needs to understand his/her Jewish roots. The Jewish Festivals are wonderful prophecies that beautifully reveal Messiah Yeshua \"Jesus\". Ken Johnson as done a wonderful job here of opening up to us the understanding of these festivals and their relationships to Messiah. A wonderful tool to increase your understanding of how important it is for a Christian to love and support Israel.", "Chick Bowdrie was attending a Corn Huskers Dance Social while waiting to transport $12,000 out of town. It was a hot July night. Suddenly gunshots end the festivities. A horse beats a quick tatoo out of town and into the desert. Bowdrie races to where the money was being held by the station master John Erwin. Erwin is dead and the $12k is gone! Sheriff Sam Butler, his deputy and Bowdrie begin the chase. Bowdrie gets to show off his tracking skills. But, by the time the unravel this particular crime, more than one murder will have been committed!\nThe audio is crisp and clear, easily understood in an automobile environment. The voice characterizations are well cast, and the special effects are teriffic. Well worth the purchase price. Run time: 60 minutes.", "Love this pack. With all the heighten security this transparent pack is great for every occasion. Most security events require clear or transparent packs or bags. This pack I take it to music festivals and sporting events.", "Saw it at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, south of France\nGreat acting by Tara Gerard, Alex Quinn and Vanessa Viola\nGood movie for all Horror Fans!", "Will the cats take over the farm in Andalucia? Pregnant alpacas, flamenco dancing, festivals, life at the Olive Mill is never dull! This book is entertaining from the first to the last page.", "What a gorgeous book! Not to wear out that old phrase \"a picture is worth a thousand words\" - but here it is true. In this large volume you will find every page is a beautiful photo of people smiling, laughing, meditation, and generally having an experience of Bliss at a \"Transformation Festival\" such as Rainbow Gathering and Burning Man, among many others. These are photos of \"neohippies\" - those who still resonate with the soul of what Hippie has always represented - oneness with eachother and the Universe. There are no words with these photos - there doesn't have to be. At the end, there are a few short stories of experiences from people who go to these festivals. Many of the people in this book go to as many festivals as they can, keeping in touch with their \"family\" and their sense of \"being home\". It's awesome to know that people still have that sense of Bliss, and Hope, and devotion to saving the Earth and loving eachother and all of humanity with all of it's beauty and flaws. This book is a joyous celebration. It is truely beautiful. A bit of a warning - there are several pictures with full and partial nudity (people mediating, dancing, etc) but no sexual situations. Just real, beautiful, free people. It will take you back, it will take you forward. There are no words, because \"There are no words\".", "animal crossng amiibo festival for the wii u is the greatest video game in the universe a true classic the best of the best animal crossing amiibo festival for the wii u rocks all the games nintendo made from the 80s,90s,2000s,2010s,2015 and 2016 are the greatest video games in the universe there true classics the best of the best all the games nintendo made from the 80s,90s,2000s,2010s,2015 and 2016 rocks all the video game consoles that nintendo made from the nes to wii u are the greatest video game consoles in the universe there true classics the best of the best all the video game consoles that nintendo made from the nes to wii u rocks ^_^", "2yrs later. I am still use this cart.\n\nMaryland Sheep and Fiber Festival 2-4 May 2014. I had order this on Tuesday 30April 30, this arrived 2May2014, it came by FedEx. Packing was great. When I finally open the cart, I thought goodness me I wonders it this too big, I am going to use it anyway. This is a great utility cart. I had so many complements about this fantastic cart. I will say this was the best Sheeps and Fiber Festival, I did not have any bags to carry. I didn't have to pull the cart, I pushed the cart, and people moved out my way. When I close the top, I place my roving, and yarn on the top. I still had plenty room to keep shopping, by 12 noon it was becoming far to crowed so I call it a day. The wheels, help me through rock areas. There are two carry handles on the side. If you have to go in deep grass, you just pick up the cart. I have not tried it with heavy items, I am sure it will work as well.", "A camper van,a festival, dogs, drugs and the open road - this is a saga quest for the post credit crunch world. If you like crime stories and can smile then this is one for you. Trevor may not be an obviously epic hero but he combines sufficient underdog courage with quaking rebellion to make the reader like him and want him to succeed. His level of incompetence ensures that very little is going to go well for him and his scrapes stay just short of the excrutiating but well into the hilarious. If you check out the author's biography link it seems that he spends his time growing olives in Greece when he isn't writing. Something in the water must be working because this really is very good stuff. I can't wait for the sequel.", "I saw them live in Amsterdam once in the Melkweg, probably on November 8, 1998, and this concert had nothing to do with the North Sea Jazz festival, which then took place in The Hague, which is 50 km from Amsterdam.\n\nDoes anybody know if this is the Amsterdam show or the North Sea one?", "I do tarot readings at a Renaissance Festival; I normally use Robin Wood for readings, but whenever I have a \"kid\" reading (say 13 or younger), I use the Hanson-Roberts. The images are very family-friendly.", "Gotenna provided us with seamless and effortless connectivity during Bonnaroo music and arts festival. It was great being able to send locations, group messages, and direct messages without service.\n\nBattery life was great, the product is slim and easy to carry at all times, and looks great too!\n\nWould recommend it to anyone trying to communicate in congested areas both urban or rural.", "This is a superior reading resource tying Old Testament Festivals and prophesy foreshadowing with Jesus' fulfillment in the New Testament. This Biblical scholar is thorough, yet accessible to everyday Christians. Comfort comes to the reader searching God's revelations and purposes in tumultuous times of American and World history in the 21st century.", "First of all, let it be known that this is a \"short\" independent film, 12 minutes to be exact. It is however, in my opinion, something that deserves watching. The first reviewer got this film confused with another film or TV series... so they were obviously disappointed. I really liked the plot and wished that the writer and/or director would have made it into a full length movie. Maybe that idea is still in the works... let's hope so. To the best of my knowledge, the film was shown at the \"Short Film Corner\" during the Cannes Film Festival in May 2008, and it got \"rave\" reviews. To be included in this venue, a director's film can usually be no longer than 12 minutes, so that explains the running time of the DVD. Bottom line: if you can afford the current price of $10... go for it! Of course... you can always forget the DVD and buy 3 gallons of gasoline instead...", "Each song is tabbed twice: once by bob carlin as closely to kyles original recordings as possible, and then again by dan in a more modern format - basically 'how most people play it'. Gives you a lot of good options for learning the tune. Most of the tunes in this book are pretty well known and still played a lot at festivals, etc. I feel that this book is more useful for learning popular tunes than the similar Wade Ward book, which includes a lot of lesser known tunes that I don't encounter as much when playing out with people.\n\nNo basic instruction here, the book is only the tab, so if you are learning to play this is not where you want to start. For existing players, this is a great resource of useful tunes.", "These are my favorite flip flops. I wear them to concerts, amusement parks, and festivals. When one pair runs down, I order the same type again. I love the fabric straps too, they don't rub like most rubber ones. Perfect flip flops!", "I am a very short adult (under 4'9\"), and this did not work for me. I bought it to take around with me at an all-day festival, but I quickly discovered that the handle was too short to use comfortably for more than a minute or two. The bag itself seems fine, but I can't speak to its durability too much, as I've only used it for about for or five days total. This might be fine for a little kid.", "My sister saw \"Four of Hearts\" at a festival screening in Chicago last year and couldn't stop raving about it. As a fan of some of the actors, I decided to give it a try...and it was truly entertaining. A very interesting spin on marriage and \"experimentation\" in relationships. See it with someone(s) you love!", "If you liked the dvd's of Eric Claptons Crossroads Guitar Festivals then you will love this album! This is a Grammy worthy album all the way. It's a Sonny Landreth & friends type album but all the music is fantastic. Great production & well recorded & well balanced album. Highlights for me are ,When i still had you & ,Storm of worry, with Eric Clapton. , The going on, with Vince Gill & then a sonic instramental ,The milky way home, with Eric Johnson & the very fast instamental that Sonny played at the Crossroads concert ,Uberesso. Too bad i just found out about this album. Sonny Landreth is such a great player & he should be much more well knowen. They need more publicity & promotion for his albums because this album is so good it should of won a Grammy. I just wish i knew about this album sooner.", "This travel book provides the visitor with an introduction to Vietnam by concisely highlighting the country's must see areas to allow the visitor to make the best use of their time on holiday. This book will put your doubts of whether going to Vietnam is worth it. The magical country has so much to offer for holiday visitors in terms of activities, festivals, food, drinks, sightseeing, beaches and more.", "I purchased this siddur about 2 1/2 years ago. I love this siddur however the print is too small. I understand that the publisher wanted to fit just about everything in this compact, one-stop-shop siddur, and I appreciate that; but I struggle to read the text, even with glasses. Perhaps Koren should split its siddur to offer one for weekdays and another for Shabbat and Festivals. I do, however, love the prayers, blessings, commentaries and guidance offered in this siddur.", "What a great invention! I bought the Matador Pocket Blanket for a 3 day music festival and it was PERFECT! Folds down easily, to pocket size. Its lightweight and can comfortably seat two people. I would highly recommend this to outdoor concert goers or anyone that need a pocket sized blanket to sit on.", "I saw this film at a film festival and was deeply moved - by W.S. Merwin's poetry and also his choices in life. The fact that he's been planting a tree every day for over 40 years, and now cares for one of the largest private collections of palms in the world is remarkable. The film will speak to anyone with an interest in poetry, environmentalism, Buddhism, the creative process, how to live a moral life... I can't recommend it highly enough!" ]

[ "Call AT&T,try to get hold of a public relations dept.They sould be real ready to welcome the chance." ]

[ "AS SALAM O ALAIKUM HOW R U PAPA I HAVE BEEN PLANNING TO WRITE TOYOU FOR MANY DAYS BUT COULD NOT FIND TIME TO DO SO.MY EXAMS R DRIVING NEAR AND I M BUSY PREPARING FOR THEM.I M A LITTLE BIT WEAK IN PHYSICS. SO I DECIDED TO HAVE TUTION OF PHYSICS,FOR THIS I HAVE TO GO TO JAAM ACADEMY WHICH IS FOR AWAY FROM MY HOSTEL. SO I NEED A CYCLE FOR THIS I HAVE NO MONEY COZ I HAVE SHOR OF MONEY SO PLZ SEND ME ATLEAST ONE THOUSAND RUPEES SO THAT I,LL BE ABLE TO GET A CYLE. I SHALL BE VERY GREATFUL TO YOU. URS FAITHFULLY MUHAMMDA SAFDAR", "I think having one best friend of each sex helps. You have to find some one you can trust. I have a best friend who is a girl and she knows everything and is always there for me. I have a best friend who is a guy that I can be comfortable around I don't have to pretend. And if I need guy questions answered he's the one I would go to. So I think both is good.", "No, I;ve never had a friend like that. True friends don't do that to each other. Find you some new friends, you don't need any like this one.", "try www.videocodes.com that is where i find videos to on myspace. I hope this helps. If that doesnt help find a friend on myspace who does a video up, there is usally a link to that video site under the video. click there, and it should take you where you want to be.", "really? wow where do u live? just kidding! :) maybe try some self love (this thing would not let me say the m word) b4 u go to bed. if the deed is already done maybe it might not happen again later?\\ni guess u think this is a real bad thing, but i think its cool, do you have like real good dreams & it happens or no dreams when it just happens? \\n\\nsorry to ask so much. I can barely have one when i am awake, but i have been unhappy. it sure has never happen in my sleep even when i was happy! does this happen to woman to? \\n\\ni say try to take matters into your own hand(s). or find a lady friend to help with all that uh stress!", "B. There are two important concepts. One is that the cell cycle goes round and round until it's stopped by stimuli. The other is that the cell cycle checkpoitns are the 'breaks' that stop the cell cycle. There are two main checkpoints, at G1/S boundary, and at G2/M boundary. Halts to the cell cycle can be in response to lack of nutrients (G1/S), DNA damage (G1/S), unreplicated DNA (S), spindle damage (M), unattached kineticores (M). G1/S is the first checkpoint, and is called the restriction point in mammals and start in yeast. S is the next, within S phase. G2/M is the next, and can be due to cell/DNA damage. Since the checkpoint system is intigral to cancer formation, alot (tons and tons and tons) of research has gone into finding out all about them, and finding out how to stop the cell cycle (to help kill cancer cells)", "i will donate some but not all the money to charity bcs we dont know when will i be needing it", "I think everyone has felt that at some point. It helps to put yourself in a situation where you are independent or vulnerable, for instance moving to a new city where you don't have any family or friends. This will allow you to find your core beliefs and your way of life without any pressure or expectations from others. When you do \"find yourself\" you'll find true happiness.\\n\\nHope this helps. It worked for me!", "As the others stated I've always learned we light one. Some people also have tradition to give a little bit of charity on behalf of deceased. It is significant for their soul. Also one can say \"Kaddish\" (a short paragraph on behalf of the deceased) in a synagogue. If you need help finding a place to say Kaddish feel free to e-mail me or check out www.chabad.org where you can put in a zip code and find a \"Chabad Center\" near you. They will have a Rabbi who can help you say Kaddish. Best of luck, and may you be comforted.", "You need therapy baby,seriously they could help you understand why you think this and maybe help you help yourself.Good Luck! I`m not trying to get ya! If you go to a shelter or battered woman you will be a victim forever,there is no marriage they can`t find where a woman isn`t a victim.Go to professional therapists.", "There is only one person that you can depend on to be there when you need them and that is you. It seems that all my Friends call me when they are in a fix but when I need some help I have to pay for it. I just gave up on friends and go to a contractor any more. And if thoes so called friends call me I tell them that it will caust them for my help. Got rid of a bunch of free loaders.", "No- I used to ride on the back of a bike. I feel as thought I am one of them, still. Bikers aren't hoodlums trying to attack you while on their bike! Most bikers are the most respectful, heartfelt people you will find. Many of them ride for charity in their area- with the highest charity being for children. I think the movies make us all believe bikers are dangerous people, when in fact, they love riding around to feel the wind in their hair, the sun on their backs and enjoy some beautiful scenary. ( Or maybe get a better parking spot and save some gas )", "The previous answer is correct, but not how to do it. First thing you need to do is determine the number of M&Ms in the bag. The easiest was to do this is to find the weight of an M&M, from the source below we get the weight of 10 plain M&Ms to be 0.878 g and 10 peanut M&M's to be \\n1.674 g. So the weight of a single M&M is 0.0878 g for plain and 0.1674 g for peanut, now since all M&M bags are measured in oz convert to oz, and divide into the size of the bag. Now you have the number of M&Ms per bag. \\nNow from here you can do two things.\\n1. take samples\\n This means buy some M&Ms take out 2c of them, where c is the number of colors found in each bag, and I don't remember how many there are now. Do this several times, either replacing your sample in the same bag, or if you really like M&Ms sample several bags, each one serperatly, with or without replacement, depending on the number of samples you want to take (And I was assuming the small vending machine sizes, if you're getting the family size pack you can take mulitple samples without replacement)\\nAverage your samples, this is your probrobility\\n2. Mathematically\\nSo you know that they are n M&M in a bag and c colors of M&Ms the take n C c (if your know familar with my notation I am using the combination function with is n!/((n-c!)*c!)\\nIf you are in a statistics class or have had statistics you'll know what to do know.", "you can make a photo album in yahoo 360 and also webshots... both are free services. if you are needing instructions on the actual process for one of these two sites, I M me or send me an e-mail and I'll see what i can do to help you.", "I dont think there is much to do in Utah, you better find some of your friends that have no where to go and just hand out..... Or get together with them and take a road trip.", "If I knew where it came from I would give it to that person. If it was a large sum of money I would give to police. If only small and no way to find out who owns it. I would take it but probably donate other money to a charity.", "warrents issues you dont have to pay for. (I believe..) I know with a great many things in the courts.. documents that sort of thing. you need to pay for copies. Go to the public library and see what they can do to help. some have services where they can find that sort of thing out. whether you have to pay for it or not i am not sure but its an option.", "I'm not a woman, but I am a man who has been happily married to a wonderful, supportive wife for 11 years now. In spite of this, I do have feelings of lonliness. Part of this, I feel, is due to the fact that I have always had a male best friend but am lacking one now. Also, I have recently had some friends stop calling me, and that leads to insecurities and lonliness. \\n\\nThe best way for me to deal with those feelings is to do volunteer work. I also look to see if I can help out older friends and family who might need help around the house or yard. Diverting my energy toward helping others rather than self-pity is the best cure for the blues for me. It might work for you too.", "it depends where you live, but if you are in the US, then there are many free credit report services online. just google \"free credit check\" and you can find one that fits you. there is also some for the UK as well. (please rate as \"best answer\" - i need your help too!)", "You can find online friends and even make real friends from that if they live close enough. Not knowing your age, and well heck I even know women of years that should never even be need to be told. Just be careful... This is all very anonymous, so in reality you really don't have a clue who you are speaking with. \\n Again not knowing your age I don't know where to direct you. \\n For myself I made some good online friends in game rooms, like poker or something, where you can actually play and chat at same time.\\n I also have made friends in forums where I hold personal interests. Like my health...\\n It really depends this is a very open question.\\n I can offer my hand in friendship but I am uncertain about listing my email address on this site. Because you would not be the only one to see it. \\n So be aware there are people who would love to be your friend and there are also some you need to be careful of. I hate to sound negative, but its a fact . Take care and stay here and maybe somehow we can get together again. I am a female, married and 48 just to let you know.. take care", "Now we are talking. I was a telemarketing manager for a timeshare company. This is by far one of the hardest jobs I can think of because all people want is for this profession to go away! When I was training my sales reps I went be an easy format. F.R.E.S.H\\nF=Friends-make friends with the person and find somthing you both have in common.\\nR=Rebuttals-NEVER take no for an answer. The average customer says no 4 times before they buy.\\nE=Energy-If you dont have enthusiasm about selling, how do you expect them to be enthusiastic about buying.\\nS=Script=Stick to the script. It was designed to help you get the deal.\\nH=Help-Ask for help if you need it.\\nYou would be shocked at how succesfull some of these telemarking offices are. But even though everyone hates them please try to at least be friendly, they are only doing there job. ITS NOT AN EASY ONE!!!!", "I have been where you are. My therapist said leaners do not like the insecure feeling they get when their leaning post starts leaning. You need some friends who are as strong as you. Best Wishes", "i don't get bored with my friends but i do need some alone time sometimes and i just tell my friends that and they understand. it's perfectly normal to not want to spend all your time with your friends", "Hello there!\\n\\nI wish i knew Mark and could help you find him, but i think i have suggestions that might help.\\n\\nyou can try asking around.. asking your friends or relatives who know him.. and as many people you can who might know a clue where he is now, and especially hot to connect with him.\\n\\nalso, there are websites that could help you find him. i've put 2 or 3 in the space for 'sources'.. so you could go there and try.. all you have to do is enter in his email address, or his name, and search. if he's registered with these websites, you'll likely find him, and get details like his address, if he's in the UK or where he's if he's not there, his phone number and other info that can help you connect with him. also, since you know his wife and daughter's names, you could enter their names to search too.. cos i guess if there's info on his wife or his daughter, then u find info on him.\\n\\ni guess there are other websites that i havent put down.. you could also ask around if anyone knows more about how to find a person. also, if you have friends living near where you suspect he could be living, they can help you out, i guess. it you dont have friends there, you could make one or two.. they might be able to assist you. i do wish you luck!\\n\\ntake care.", "well sorry i have never been kissed by any one i m also going nuts coz i m 16 now and never been kissed may be i m in gals school. well i think oh leave it this wont help", "I have a few that I think you should keep in mind...\\n1)Listen to what she is saying\\n2)Don't force her to do all the things you want to do, take some nights where she picks what to do, and some nights where you pick what to do\\n3)Give her some space when she needs it--trust me, all women like to have their own space sometimes, and need to just be with their friends\\n4)(Kinda goes with the last one) don't be too clingy--don't get me wrong, women like to be held and like to cuddle, but don't overdo it\\n5)Just be yourself from day one, and if she doesn't like you for who you are then move on", "You be a lucky one, first you need to identify where you would like the weight and when you figure that out, you need to find a exercise program to build up the muscle there. It will entail some of the diet, but I do not recommend you just eating junk food to gain weight, it will go where you do not want it and then it will refuse to leave. Do it intelligently and be thankfull you have that ability.\\n\\nJohn B.", "I dont know everyone that got one. I do know that it was given to people that were involved in in his 25th anniversary show. If you have one I would be willing to buy it! I know that David Allan Coe got one bc he has the album \"Johnny Cash Is A Friend Of Mine\" that is where Johnny got the idea. Hope I could help!", "Jealousy is a failure to see the truth. I am jealous of something or someone when either I think they are better than I am or that they have something I do not have. Neither is true. If I am jealous of someone who is beautiful, I too must have some component of beauty in me - otherwise I could not see or appreciate the beauty in something or someone else. If I am jealous of someone who is wealthy, I need to look at my own life to find where I am also wealthy. Maybe I have a wealth of undeveloped talent, or a wealth of friends, or a wealth of wisdom. So jealousy, is really an opportunity to find and appreciate that quality that I actually have, but think I do not have.", "I feel for you. If you're in pain,something is definitely wrong. I would look for a specialist and don't take no for an answer. I know you're in pain, but sometimes we have to take our health in our own hands these days. Maybe you have a friend or a loved one who can help you find a specialist and do some in depth research. I wish you all the best. God bless", "I need to know ,,,Is there anyway I need to find personal loan not payday loan where I can reach out with my poor creidt history where I can find it", "I am completely opposite and have a friend that is just like you. We get along perfectly...she helps me see the things I don't notice (like the details!!) and I help her be more spontaneous and impulsive...and I help her give up some of the control. I think by surrounding herself with more friends like me, she has found that it has challenged her way of thinking and allowed her to get outside her comfort zone to some degree. I respect her need for control..so don't get me wrong...I don't try to GODZILLA her with everything. But I do ask her to try new things without having everything planned to the gnat's eyelash..(haha). We are a great balance together and have a great time. Find someone who brings out some of those things in you but also respects your boundaries. Good Luck!" ]

[ "So how do you know you are ready? You should be able to run/walk 90 minutes. Covering the distance doesn't necessarily mean just running, but you need to be able to continue to move for 90 minutes. If your goal is to run the entire race, it's recommended you are able to run for 90 minutes without stopping." ]

[ "What does GHP mean in running? Goal Half-Pace – Whereas MGP is marathon goal pace and HMP is half-marathon pace, a goal half-pace is a combination of the two terms. It refers to the goal runners set for completing a half-pace marathon.", "A marathon is 26.2 miles or 42 kilometers. ... Races that are shorter or longer in distance have different names (such as 5K, 10K, half-marathon, or ultra-marathon). Before you attempt to run a marathon, it's a good idea to be running for at least 6 months and run at least 3 times a week.", "The Best HOKA Shoes for Full or Half Marathons Fortunately, HOKA has a great line-up of shoes that we think are perfectly suited for marathon distances, whether you're tackling the half or full.", "About the age of 12 years, children can run a half-marathon.", "It takes about two hours to walk 10K at a moderate pace. Half-Marathon: 13.1 miles or 21 kilometers. It can take up to 4 or 4.5 hours to walk a half-marathon without stopping, but some walkers can finish the distance in 3–4 hours. Marathon: 26.2 miles or 42 kilometers.", "['Chevron Houston Marathon. Carlos Alvarez / E+ / Getty Images. ... ', 'Los Angeles Marathon. Harry How / Getty Images Sport. ... ', 'Boston Marathon. Getty Images. ... ', 'Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. WireImage / Getty Images. ... ', 'Portland Marathon. ... ', 'Bank of America Chicago Marathon. ... ', 'Detroit Free Press/Talmer Bank Marathon. ... ', 'Marine Corps Marathon.']", "The Omagh Half Marathon is organised by the Omagh Harriers Running Club and is their flagship event. Running through the streets of the surrounding town the Omagh Half Marathon was originally a hilly race. ... Runners start and finish at Omagh Leisure Complex.", "Since the inaugural Great Wall Marathon in 1999, the field has grown steadily to a sellout event with 2,500 runners from over 60 nations. The Great Wall Marathon event offers three distances: A marathon, half marathon and a 8.5km Fun Run. BOOK NOW TO SECURE YOUR DISCOUNTED GREAT WALL MARATHON 2021 ENTRY!", "A good time to find a girlfriend is when your ready for that time in your life. You know you're emotionally ready when you feel it. you feel that you need someone to fill the void in your life. Only you know when your ready.", "5K, Half-Marathon, Marathon, Triathlon race fees … the race is organized to raise funds supporting a local or national charity. ... If you can get the race director to tell you, and provide you with a receipt, for the per person cost associated with the race, the amount exceeding the entry fee would be deductible.", "It is the time you run each mile in a 5K race. So if you run a 5K in 24 minutes your pace is about 8 minutes per mile. You have a range of paces; how fast you run 800 meters is different from how fast you run a mile which is different from how fast you run a half marathon. ... 5K Pace: about 12:55.", "The adidas Ultra Boost fit is perfect if you've got high arches and are looking for a high-mileage shoe that makes you feel like you're running on a trampoline. You're probably training for your next half-marathon, full marathon, or you simply need the world's most cushioned shoe for all your workouts.", "You need to be patient. The process of just the hamster acclimating to his new environment could take up to 3 weeks. How will I know when my hamster's ready for me to handle it? He'll never be ready if you don't handle him regularly.", "It really depends on the day, but it can take me anywhere from 25 mins to an hour and a half to get ready in the morning. Most of that is dependent on how much time I've left myself after working out and how focused on actually getting ready I am.", "If you date a Delta, you will always be a half hour late because you had to wait for her to get ready so she can look perfect. If you date an AKA, you will always be a half hour late because you have to change clothes. You know she's not going anywhere with you looking like that.", "Now, you may also see stickers like these with numbers. So, what do those mean? Generally, these are used by runners and can indicate a distance ran, such as 26.2 for a marathon or 13.1 for a half marathon. You may also see higher numbers for those who may have completed a triathlon or other athletic event.", "['Do you have an inspirational way of sharing what the future looks like? ... ', 'Are you ready to talk about why the change is important? ... ', \"Have you thought about what's in it for them? ... \", 'Do you know how to make the change? ... ', 'Are you ready to provide support?']", "A: The Marathon, Half Marathon and Team Relay race will start at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens on 969 Garman Rd., Akron, OH 44303 at 7:30 am. The Wheelchair Division will start at 7:29 am.", "1/1 - 3/31/21 – on sale 7/14/2020! Runners can race through the \"galaxy\" on a course in their own hometowns during the Star Wars Virtual Half Marathon. Participants of the Virtual Half Marathon can break up their 13.1 miles over multiple days or rack up the mileage all at once.", "Recreational runners tend to concentrate on either relatively short races, such as 5K and 10K, or get hooked on the marathon. In between, there are the longer endurance distances of the half-marathon (13.1 miles) and the 20K (12.4 miles).", "The United Airlines Rock 'n' Roll Washington DC Half Marathon & 5K will take place on November 7, 2020.", "Because even though the first race isn't as fast as the second race, they're running for a longer period of time so it evens out. A 200-pound person who runs a half marathon in two hours will burn 1,981 calories. A 100-pound person who runs a half marathon in two hours will burn 991 calories.", "So, how long does it take to run a full marathon? There is a vast difference between the time it takes the fastest marathon runner to complete a marathon (around 2 hours) and a slower runner completing over 26 thirteen-minute miles (5.5 hours). On average, most people complete a marathon between 4 and 5 hours.", "Watching finishers: Half Marathon winners are expected to finish at 8:35 a.m. and the awards ceremony at Canal Park Stadium will be at 9:20 a.m. Akron Marathon winners are expected to finish at 10 a.m. and the awards will be at 11 a.m. There is no awards ceremony for relay finishers.", "['The Flying Pirate Half Marathon.', 'The Outer Banks Bike Week & Music Fest.', 'Flying into Spring & Easter Eggstravaganza.', 'The Annual Duck & Wine Festival.']", "Pacemakers are experienced runners tasked to complete the course in a given time. Usually between 1:30 and 2:30 for a half marathon and 2:45 and five hours for the marathon. They carry a flag of some description, and are generally capable of running a lot faster than the pace they are assigned to.", "[\"Travel solo. We cannot stress how valuable this is, even if you're in a relationship.\", 'Take a class to learn a new skill. ... ', 'Master cooking at least three dishes. ... ', 'Run a half marathon. ... ', 'Go skinny dipping. ... ', 'Learn to speak another language. ... ', 'Learn how to read a wine list. ... ', 'Throw yourself a birthday party.']", "All the best. Before you can ask a girl to be your girlfriend you have to know if she is ready to be your girlfriend. It is not a matter of how long you have dated. When a girl is ready to get serious she will always give you some signs that she is, if she does not the do not tell her yet.", "To know if you are ready, ask yourself if you are prepared for the following changes; If you don't want changes to your finances, lifestyle or traditions then you are not ready for divorce; If you cannot accept your children's sadness and anger then you are not ready for divorce.", "[\"1) Unconscious Incompetence. You don't know what it is and you don't know how to do it. ... \", \"2) Conscious Incompetence. You know what it is, but you don't know how to do it. ... \", '3) Conscious Competence. You know what it is and you know how to do it! ... ', '4) Unconscious Competence.']", "While you do need more calories when you're training for a half marathon, you don't need to go crazy with eating. Generally, you should add an extra 200 to 300 calories per hour that you work out.", "The Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) is a series of six of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world - Tokyo Marathon, B.A.A. Boston Marathon, Virgin Money London Marathon, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon." ]

[ "In some cases, the local power company will need to install a new power supply and meter to meet the property's new electrical needs. Meters cost $300 to $500 to replace. Small materials like fittings, connectors, and fasteners usually total less than $100. The panel itself will be the biggest expense." ]

[ "How much does it cost to use your electric lawn mower? An electric mower typically costs between 20 cents and 60 cents per hour to run, depending on the wattage of the mower and how much you pay for electricity.", "How much electricity does a dishwasher use and how much does it cost? Dishwashers run on electricity, and an average machine uses around 1.5 kWh to clean a typical load of dishes (around 12 place settings).", "How Much Does Electricity Cost. Nationally, the average cost of electricity in the United States is 10.54 cents per kWh. This means that at an average use of 608 kWh per month, you can expect to pay about $64.00 a month.", "And how much does it cost to install and run? Expect underfloor heating to cost anywhere from: $33 per square metre for an electric in-slab electric underfloor heating system. $68 per square metre for a hydronic in-slab underfloor heating system.", "['Is the venue available on my target date? ... ', 'How much does it all cost? ... ', 'Is the location convenient? ... ', \"What's the capacity? ... \", 'What does the space look like? ... ', 'How much work will we have to put into decorating the space?']", "How much does a standard auto electrical service cost? Hiring an auto electrician near you will cost between $80-$120 on Airtasker, depending on the complexity of the problem.", "How much does a full charge of the batteries cost? At home, to fill up the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV with electricity, it will take about 70¢.", "How much does it cost to put Freon in a central air unit? It costs between $100 and $60 to put Freon in a central air system. The price varies based on the size of your unit and the type of refrigerant you use.", "How Much Do Electric Gates Cost To Run? Electric gates don't cost much to operate, and their running costs will depend on how much they are used. In standby, an electric gate system will use about 100 watts per day. With electricity costing around 15p per KWh this translates to 1.5p per day.", "How much does it cost to start a small farm? Starting cost of a small farm are between 600-10000$ and more. The cost greatly depends on your expectations, equipment, how much manual labor and time you want to put into it, and if you already own a property or just want to rent one.", "Electric systems cost less than 10p per square meter to run at full power for six hours. Electric underfloor heating in a standard-sized 3.5 square meter bathroom, run for two AM hours and two PM hours, will cost £3.16 a month to run.", "How much does it cost to charge the Nissan Leaf? The average cost of electricity in the US is $0.1285/kWh, meaning it costs only $5.14 on average to recharge your Nissan Leaf to the full 149-mile range.", "Your electricity meter can hold up to a total of £255, as can your electricity key. This means at any one time you can have a maximum of £510 on your meter and key. Gas meters have no limit, so you can top up as much as you like. For electricity meters, you can top up from £5, and with gas from as little as £1.", "How much does it cost to run an electric fireplace per hour? Based on the national average kilowatt-hour (kWh) rate of 12 cents, a 1,500-watt electric fireplace will cost around 18 cents per hour with all settings at maximum.", "How much does it cost to send a postcard? It costs the same to send a postcard as it does to send a letter.", "How much does it cost? At this time, the cost of the euthanasia is $126.85.", "How much does it cost to install my range hood? In general, plan on about $200 to $500 depending on the complexity of your installation. This includes the labor cost of installing a new vent hood and does not include parts, adding or modifying ductwork, or electrical work.", "How much does it cost to add washer and dryer hookups? On average, the price to add hookups runs between $350 and $600, but it could cost up to $2,000 if a lot of plumbing and electrical work is needed.", "US smart meters: The basics Essentially, they are modern gas and electric meters that wirelessly send data to the utilities that own them, meaning utilities don't have to send employees to your home to check on how much gas and electricity you used in a given time frame.", "Most water systems report paying $800 to $1,200 per connection for labor and materials. Water systems can use Drinking Water State Revolving Funds to install meters, but only if they are part of a larger improvement project. We don't recommend billing customers for a one-time cost of the installation.", "How much does a Tesla car cost? The current Tesla car line (Model S, Model X, Model 3) ranges in cost from $35,000 – $124,000 before tax incentives for electric cars.", "5K is five kilometers which is 5000 meters. This is just over three miles. Or, $5K would literally mean five thousand dollars I guess. Maybe you mean how much does a 5K race cost?", "How much does electricity cost per month in NJ? According to the EIA, the average residential electricity rate in New Jersey is 15.28 cents per kilowatt-hour. Considering a household with an estimated monthly energy consumption of 900 kWh, the average electricity bill would come to $ 142.38.", "How Much Electricity Does a Space Heater Use? Most space heaters use 1500 watts of electricity per hour.", "[\"What's the motorcycle's purpose? Is it made for the street or for playing in the dirt? ... \", 'How heavy is it? ... ', 'How popular is it? ... ', 'How much power does it have? ... ', 'How much does it cost to insure?']", "How much electricity does a laptop use per hour in the UK? A laptop typically uses about 50 watts of electricity, the equivalent of 0.05 kWh. This means that if a laptop is on for eight hours a day, it will cost 5p a day to run the laptop (based on an average energy unit cost of 12.5 p/kWh).", "What are the installation costs for commercial EV charging stations? The installation costs for a commercial station can vary greatly depending on electrical needs, distance to the circuit panel and how the station is mounted. The cost can range between $1,000 to $10,000 per station installed.", "The cost of switching from a prepayment meter If your credit history isn't ideal, an alternative would be to pay a deposit to the supplier. This will usually be equivalent to the cost of energy over a three-month period, typically between £150 and £300 depending on your household's size and location.", "How much electricity does a PC use in the UK? A desktop PC typically uses around 100 watts of electricity, the equivalent of 0.1 kWh. This means that if a PC is on for eight hours a day, it will cost 10p a day to run the laptop (based on an average energy unit cost of 12.5 p/kWh).", "How much does an electric car cost to buy? Electric cars are usually more expensive to buy than gas-powered equivalents. Prices run around $30,000 to $40,000, but some provinces offer incentives and discounts that can make them more affordable.", "How much does a fridge cost to run? A typical fridge of about 400-500 litres can use around 495kWh of electricity each year, which equates to a cost of about $163.35, based on an energy usage rate 33c/kWh.", "You can expect to pay between $700 to $1500 for the entire process. While some materials are more expensive than other brands, you don't want to skimp on quality – use a licensed electrician that doesn't cut corners with pricing. Unfortunately, if your home is older, you may need to have it rewired at the same time." ]

[ "Oxidative phosphorylation The energy released by electrons flowing through this electron transport chain is used to transport protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane, in a process called electron transport. This generates potential energy in the form of a pH gradient and an electrical potential across this membrane. This store of energy is tapped when protons flow back across the membrane and down the potential energy gradient, through a large enzyme called ATP synthase; this process is known as chemiosmosis. The ATP synthase uses the energy to transform adenosine diphosphate (ADP) into adenosine triphosphate, in a phosphorylation reaction. The reaction is driven by the proton flow, which forces the rotation of a part of the enzyme; the ATP synthase is a rotary mechanical motor." ]

[ "Electron transport chain Electron transport chains are used for extracting energy via redox reactions from sunlight in photosynthesis or, such as in the case of the oxidation of sugars, cellular respiration. In eukaryotes, an important electron transport chain is found in the inner mitochondrial membrane where it serves as the site of oxidative phosphorylation through the action of ATP synthase. It is also found in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast in photosynthetic eukaryotes. In bacteria, the electron transport chain is located in their cell membrane.", "Cellular waste product In aerobic respiration, oxygen serves as the recipient of electrons from the electron transport chain. Aerobic respiration is thus very efficient because oxygen is a strong oxidant. Aerobic respiration proceeds in a series of steps, which also increases efficiency - since glucose is broken down gradually and ATP is produced as needed, less energy is wasted as heat. This strategy results in the waste products H2O and CO2 being formed in different amounts at different phases of respiration. CO2 is formed in Pyruvate decarboxylation, H2O is formed in oxidative phosphorylation, and both are formed in the citric acid cycle.[3] The simple nature of the final products also indicates the efficiency of this method of respiration. All of the energy stored in the carbon-carbon bonds of glucose is released, leaving CO2 and H2O. Although there is energy stored in the bonds of these molecules, this energy is not easily accessible by the cell. All usable energy is efficiently extracted.", "Electron transport chain According to the chemiosmotic coupling hypothesis, proposed by Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Peter D. Mitchell, the electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation are coupled by a proton gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane. The efflux of protons from the mitochondrial matrix creates an electrochemical gradient (proton gradient). This gradient is used by the FOF1 ATP synthase complex to make ATP via oxidative phosphorylation. ATP synthase is sometimes described as Complex V of the electron transport chain.[6] The FO component of ATP synthase acts as an ion channel that provides for a proton flux back into the mitochondrial matrix. It is composed of a, b and c subunits. Protons in the inter-membranous space of mitochondria first enters the ATP synthase complex through a subunit channel. Then protons move to the c subunits.[7] The number of c subunits it has determines how many protons it will require to make the FO turn one full revolution. For example, in humans, there are 8 c subunits, thus 8 protons are required.[8] After c subunits, protons finally enters matrix using a subunit channel that opens into the mitochondrial matrix.[7] This reflux releases free energy produced during the generation of the oxidized forms of the electron carriers (NAD+ and Q). The free energy is used to drive ATP synthesis, catalyzed by the F1 component of the complex.[9] Coupling with oxidative phosphorylation is a key step for ATP production. However, in specific cases, uncoupling the two processes may be biologically useful. The uncoupling protein, thermogenin—present in the inner mitochondrial membrane of brown adipose tissue—provides for an alternative flow of protons back to the inner mitochondrial matrix. This alternative flow results in thermogenesis rather than ATP production.[10] Synthetic uncouplers (e.g., 2,4-dinitrophenol) also exist, and, at high doses, are lethal.[citation needed]", "Reactive oxygen species ROS are produced intracellularly through multiple mechanisms and depending on the cell and tissue types, the major sources being the \"professional\" producers of ROS: NADPH oxidase (NOX) complexes (7 distinct isoforms) in cell membranes, mitochondria, peroxisomes, and endoplasmic reticulum.[6][7] Mitochondria convert energy for the cell into a usable form, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The process in which ATP is produced, called oxidative phosphorylation, involves the transport of protons (hydrogen ions) across the inner mitochondrial membrane by means of the electron transport chain. In the electron transport chain, electrons are passed through a series of proteins via oxidation-reduction reactions, with each acceptor protein along the chain having a greater reduction potential than the previous. The last destination for an electron along this chain is an oxygen molecule. In normal conditions, the oxygen is reduced to produce water; however, in about 0.1–2% of electrons passing through the chain (this number derives from studies in isolated mitochondria, though the exact rate in live organisms is yet to be fully agreed upon), oxygen is instead prematurely and incompletely reduced to give the superoxide radical (•O− 2), most well documented for Complex I and Complex III.[8] Superoxide is not particularly reactive by itself, but can inactivate specific enzymes or initiate lipid peroxidation in its protonated form, hydroperoxyl HO• 2. The pKa of hydroperoxyl is 4.8. Thus, at physiological pH, the majority will exist as superoxide anion.", "Chemiosmosis ATP synthase is the enzyme that makes ATP by chemiosmosis. It allows protons to pass through the membrane and uses the free energy difference to phosphorylate adenosine diphosphate (ADP), making ATP. The generation of ATP by chemiosmosis occurs in mitochondria and chloroplasts, as well as in most bacteria and archaea, an electron transport chain pumps H+ ions in the thylakoid spaces through thylakoid membranes. The energy from the electron movement through electron transport chains cross through ATP synthase which allows the proton to pass through them and use this free energy difference to photophosphorylate ADP making ATP.", "Cellular respiration Nutrients that are commonly used by animal and plant cells in respiration include sugar, amino acids and fatty acids, and the most common oxidizing agent (electron acceptor) is molecular oxygen (O2). The chemical energy stored in ATP (its third phosphate group is weakly bonded to the rest of the molecule and is cheaply broken allowing stronger bonds to form, thereby transferring energy for use by the cell) can then be used to drive processes requiring energy, including biosynthesis, locomotion or transportation of molecules across cell membranes.", "Electrochemical gradient In biological processes, the direction an ion moves by diffusion or active transport across a membrane is determined by the electrochemical gradient. In mitochondria and chloroplasts, proton gradients are used to generate a chemiosmotic potential that is also known as a proton motive force. This potential energy is used for the synthesis of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation or photophosphorylation, respectively.[2]", "Cellular respiration Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway that takes place in the cytosol of cells in all living organisms. This pathway can function with or without the presence of oxygen. In humans, aerobic conditions produce pyruvate and anaerobic conditions produce lactate. In aerobic conditions, the process converts one molecule of glucose into two molecules of pyruvate (pyruvic acid), generating energy in the form of two net molecules of ATP. Four molecules of ATP per glucose are actually produced, however, two are consumed as part of the preparatory phase. The initial phosphorylation of glucose is required to increase the reactivity (decrease its stability) in order for the molecule to be cleaved into two pyruvate molecules by the enzyme aldolase. During the pay-off phase of glycolysis, four phosphate groups are transferred to ADP by substrate-level phosphorylation to make four ATP, and two NADH are produced when the pyruvate are oxidized. The overall reaction can be expressed this way:", "Anaerobic glycolysis Anaerobic glycolysis is the transformation of glucose to lactate when limited amounts of oxygen (O2) are available. Anaerobic glycolysis is only an effective means of energy production during short, intense exercise, providing energy for a period ranging from 10 seconds to 2 minutes. The anaerobic glycolysis (lactic acid) system is dominant from about 10–30 seconds during a maximal effort. It replenishes very quickly over this period and produces 2 ATP molecules per glucose molecule or about 5% of glucose's energy potential (38 ATP molecules). The speed at which ATP is produced is about 100 times that of oxidative phosphorylation.", "Metabolism One central coenzyme is adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the universal energy currency of cells. This nucleotide is used to transfer chemical energy between different chemical reactions. There is only a small amount of ATP in cells, but as it is continuously regenerated, the human body can use about its own weight in ATP per day.[17] ATP acts as a bridge between catabolism and anabolism. Catabolism breaks down molecules, and anabolism puts them together. Catabolic reactions generate ATP, and anabolic reactions consume it. It also serves as a carrier of phosphate groups in phosphorylation reactions.", "Carbohydrate catabolism Glycolysis, which means “sugar splitting,” is the initial process in the cellular respiration pathway. Glycolysis can be either an aerobic or anaerobic process. When oxygen is present, glycolysis continues along the aerobic respiration pathway. If oxygen is not present, then ATP production is restricted to anaerobic respiration. The location where glycolysis, aerobic or anaerobic, occurs is in the cytosol of the cell. In glycolysis, a six-carbon glucose molecule is split into two three-carbon molecules called pyruvate. These carbon molecules are oxidized into NADH and ATP. For the glucose molecule to oxidize into pyruvate, an input of ATP molecules is required. This is known as the investment phase, in which a total of two ATP molecules are consumed. At the end of glycolysis, the total yield of ATP is four molecules, but the net gain is two ATP molecules. Even though ATP is synthesized, the two ATP molecules produced are few compared to the second and third pathways, Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. [1]", "Mitochondrial matrix In the mitochondrion, the matrix is the space within the inner membrane. The word \"matrix\" stems from the fact that this space is viscous, compared to the relatively aqueous cytoplasm. The mitochondrial matrix contains the mitochondria's DNA, ribosomes, soluble enzymes, small organic molecules, nucleotide cofactors, and inorganic ions.[1] The enzymes in the matrix facilitate reactions responsible for the production of ATP, such as the citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, oxidation of pyruvate and the beta oxidation of fatty acids.[1]", "Substrate-level phosphorylation The first substrate-level phosphorylation occurs after the conversion of 3-phosphoglyceraldehyde and Pi and NAD+ to 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate via glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase. 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate is then dephosphorylated via phosphoglycerate kinase, producing 3-phosphoglycerate and ATP through a substrate-level phosphorylation.", "Electron transport chain The function of the electron transport chain is to produce a transmembrane proton electrochemical gradient as a result of the redox reactions.[1] If protons flow back through the membrane, they enable mechanical work, such as rotating bacterial flagella. ATP synthase, an enzyme highly conserved among all domains of life, converts this mechanical work into chemical energy by producing ATP,[2] which powers most cellular reactions. A small amount of ATP is available from substrate-level phosphorylation, for example, in glycolysis. In most organisms the majority of ATP is generated in electron transport chains, while only some obtain ATP by fermentation.[citation needed]", "Cellular respiration Aerobic metabolism is up to 15 times more efficient than anaerobic metabolism (which yields 2 molecules ATP per 1 molecule glucose). However some anaerobic organisms, such as methanogens are able to continue with anaerobic respiration, yielding more ATP by using other inorganic molecules (not oxygen) as final electron acceptors in the electron transport chain. They share the initial pathway of glycolysis but aerobic metabolism continues with the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. The post-glycolytic reactions take place in the mitochondria in eukaryotic cells, and in the cytoplasm in prokaryotic cells.", "Mitochondrion The most prominent roles of mitochondria are to produce the energy currency of the cell, ATP (i.e., phosphorylation of ADP), through respiration, and to regulate cellular metabolism.[14] The central set of reactions involved in ATP production are collectively known as the citric acid cycle, or the Krebs cycle. However, the mitochondrion has many other functions in addition to the production of ATP.", "Metabolism Fats are catabolised by hydrolysis to free fatty acids and glycerol. The glycerol enters glycolysis and the fatty acids are broken down by beta oxidation to release acetyl-CoA, which then is fed into the citric acid cycle. Fatty acids release more energy upon oxidation than carbohydrates because carbohydrates contain more oxygen in their structures. Steroids are also broken down by some bacteria in a process similar to beta oxidation, and this breakdown process involves the release of significant amounts of acetyl-CoA, propionyl-CoA, and pyruvate, which can all be used by the cell for energy. M. tuberculosis can also grow on the lipid cholesterol as a sole source of carbon, and genes involved in the cholesterol use pathway(s) have been validated as important during various stages of the infection lifecycle of M. tuberculosis.[38]", "Fatty acid metabolism Acetyl-CoA is formed into malonyl-CoA by acetyl-CoA carboxylase, at which point malonyl-CoA is destined to feed into the fatty acid synthesis pathway. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase is the point of regulation in saturated straight-chain fatty acid synthesis, and is subject to both phosphorylation and allosteric regulation. Regulation by phosphorylation occurs mostly in mammals, while allosteric regulation occurs in most organisms. Allosteric control occurs as feedback inhibition by palmitoyl-CoA and activation by citrate. When there are high levels of palmitoyl-CoA, the final product of saturated fatty acid synthesis, it allosterically inactivates acetyl-CoA carboxylase to prevent a build-up of fatty acids in cells. Citrate acts to activate acetyl-CoA carboxylase under high levels, because high levels indicate that there is enough acetyl-CoA to feed into the Krebs cycle and produce energy.[40]", "Potassium cyanide Potassium cyanide is a potent inhibitor of cellular respiration, acting on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, hence blocking oxidative phosphorylation. This prevents the body from oxidizing food to produce useful energy. Lactic acidosis then occurs as a consequence of anaerobic metabolism. Initially, acute cyanide poisoning causes a red or ruddy complexion in the victim because the tissues are not able to use the oxygen in the blood. The effects of potassium and sodium cyanide are identical, and symptoms of poisoning typically occur within a few minutes of ingesting the substance: the person loses consciousness, and brain death eventually follows. During this period the victim may suffer convulsions. Death is caused by cerebral hypoxia.", "Flavin adenine dinucleotide FAD has a more positive reduction potential than NAD+ and is a very strong oxidizing agent. The cell utilizes this in many energetically difficult oxidation reactions such as dehydrogenation of a C-C bond to an alkene. FAD-dependent proteins function in a large variety of metabolic pathways including electron transport, DNA repair, nucleotide biosynthesis, beta-oxidation of fatty acids, amino acid catabolism, as well as synthesis of other cofactors such as CoA, CoQ and heme groups. One well-known reaction is part of the citric acid cycle (also known as the TCA or Krebs cycle); succinate dehydrogenase (complex II in the electron transport chain) requires covalently bound FAD to catalyze the oxidation of succinate to fumarate by coupling it with the reduction of ubiquinone to ubiquinol.[11] The high-energy electrons from this oxidation are stored momentarily by reducing FAD to FADH2. FADH2 then reverts to FAD, sending its two high-energy electrons through the electron transport chain; the energy in FADH2 is enough to produce 1.5 equivalents of ATP[18] by oxidative phosphorylation. There are also redox flavoproteins that non-covalently bind to FAD like Acetyl-CoA-dehydrogenases which are involved in beta-oxidation of fatty acids and catabolism of amino acids like leucine (isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase), isoleucine, (short/branched-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase), valine (isobutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase), and lysine (glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase).[19] Additional examples of FAD-dependent enzymes that regulate metabolism are glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (triglyceride synthesis) and xanthine oxidase involved in purine nucleotide catabolism.[20] There are other noncatalytic roles that FAD can play in flavoproteins such as structural roles, or involved in blue-sensitive light photoreceptors that regulate biological clocks and development, generation of light in bioluminescent bacteria.[19]", "Anaerobic respiration In aerobic organisms undergoing respiration, electrons are shuttled to an electron transport chain, and the final electron acceptor is oxygen. Molecular oxygen is a highly oxidizing agent and, therefore, is an excellent electron acceptor. In anaerobes, other less-oxidizing substances such as sulfate (SO42−), nitrate (NO3−), sulphur (S), or fumarate are used. These terminal electron acceptors have smaller reduction potentials than O2, meaning that less energy is released per oxidized molecule. Therefore, generally speaking, anaerobic respiration is less efficient than aerobic.", "Cahill cycle The Cahill cycle is less productive than the Cori cycle, which uses lactate, since a byproduct of energy production from alanine is production of urea.[4] Removal of the urea is energy-dependent, requiring four \"high-energy\" phosphate bonds (3 ATP hydrolyzed to 2 ADP and one AMP), thus the net ATP produced is less than that found in the Cori cycle. However, unlike in the Cori cycle, NADH is conserved because lactate is not formed. This allows for it to be oxidized via the electron transport chain. This pathway requires the presence of alanine aminotransferase, which is restricted to tissues such as muscle, liver, and the intestine. Therefore, this pathway is used instead of the Cori cycle only when an aminotransferase is present, when there is a need to transfer ammonia to the liver and when the body is in a state of catabolism (muscle breakdown).", "Photosynthesis Although photosynthesis is performed differently by different species, the process always begins when energy from light is absorbed by proteins called reaction centres that contain green chlorophyll pigments. In plants, these proteins are held inside organelles called chloroplasts, which are most abundant in leaf cells, while in bacteria they are embedded in the plasma membrane. In these light-dependent reactions, some energy is used to strip electrons from suitable substances, such as water, producing oxygen gas. The hydrogen freed by the splitting of water is used in the creation of two further compounds that act as an immediate energy storage means: reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the \"energy currency\" of cells.", "Intermembrane space The intermembrane space (IMS) is the region between the inner membrane and the outer membrane of a mitochondrion or a chloroplast. The main function of mitochondrial intermembrane space is oxidative phosphorylation.", "ATP hydrolysis ATP hydrolysis is the reaction by which chemical energy that has been stored in the high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is released, for example in muscles, by producing work in the form of mechanical energy. The product is adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and an inorganic phosphate, orthophosphate (Pi). ADP can be further hydrolyzed to give energy, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and another orthophosphate (Pi). ATP hydrolysis is the final link between the energy derived from food or sunlight and useful work such as muscle contraction, the establishment of electrochemical gradients across membranes, and biosynthetic processes necessary to maintain life.", "Cryolite It was historically used as an ore of aluminium and later in the electrolytic processing of the aluminium-rich oxide ore bauxite (itself a combination of aluminium oxide minerals such as gibbsite, boehmite and diaspore). The difficulty of separating aluminium from oxygen in the oxide ores was overcome by the use of cryolite as a flux to dissolve the oxide mineral(s). Pure cryolite itself melts at 1012 °C (1285 K), and it can dissolve the aluminium oxides sufficiently well to allow easy extraction of the aluminium by electrolysis. Substantial energy is still needed for both heating the materials and the electrolysis, but it is much more energy-efficient than melting the oxides themselves. As natural cryolite is too rare to be used for this purpose, synthetic sodium aluminium fluoride is produced from the common mineral fluorite.", "Light-dependent reactions The final product of PSII is plastoquinol, a mobile electron carrier in the membrane. Plastoquinol transfers the electron from PSII to the proton pump, cytochrome b6f. The ultimate electron donor of PSII is water. Cytochrome b6f proceeds the electron chain to PSI through plastocyanin molecules. PSI is able to continue the electron transfer in two different ways. It can transfer the electrons either to plastoquinol again, creating a cyclic electron flow, or to an enzyme called FNR (Ferredoxin—NADP(+) reductase), creating a non-cyclic electron flow. PSI releases FNR into the stroma, where it reduces NADP+ to NADPH.", "Fire Once ignited, a chain reaction must take place whereby fires can sustain their own heat by the further release of heat energy in the process of combustion and may propagate, provided there is a continuous supply of an oxidizer and fuel.", "Reactive oxygen species In aerobic organisms the energy needed to fuel biological functions is produced in the mitochondria via the electron transport chain. In addition to energy, reactive oxygen species (ROS) with the potential to cause cellular damage are produced. ROS can damage lipid, DNA, RNA, and proteins, which, in theory, contributes to the physiology of aging.", "ATP synthase The formation of ATP from ADP and Pi is energetically unfavorable and would normally proceed in the reverse direction. In order to drive this reaction forward, ATPase couples ATP synthesis during cellular respiration to an electrochemical gradient created by the difference in proton (H+) concentration across the mitochondrial membrane in eukaryotes or the plasma membrane in bacteria. During photosynthesis in plants, ATP is synthesized by ATPase using a proton gradient created in the thylakoid lumen through the thylakoid membrane and into the chloroplast stroma.", "Deamination In the human body, deamination takes place primarily in the liver, however glutamate is also deaminated in the kidneys. In situations of excess protein intake, deamination is used to break down amino acids for energy. The amino group is removed from the amino acid and converted to ammonia. The rest of the amino acid is made up of mostly carbon and hydrogen, and is recycled or oxidized for energy. Ammonia is toxic to the human system, and enzymes convert it to urea or uric acid by addition of carbon dioxide molecules (which is not considered a deamination process) in the urea cycle, which also takes place in the liver. Urea and uric acid can safely diffuse into the blood and then be excreted in urine.", "Light-independent reactions Photosynthesis occurs in two stages in a cell. In the first stage, light-dependent reactions capture the energy of light and use it to make the energy-storage and transport molecules ATP and NADPH. The Calvin cycle uses the energy from short-lived electronically excited carriers to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic compounds[4] that can be used by the organism (and by animals that feed on it). This set of reactions is also called carbon fixation. The key enzyme of the cycle is called RuBisCO. In the following biochemical equations, the chemical species (phosphates and carboxylic acids) exist in equilibria among their various ionized states as governed by the pH." ]

[ "Gift arrived very quickly. My Grandmother celebrated her 82nd birthday, she is very fond of tea and enjoyed the gift." ]

[ "I was first introduced to these candies by my Grandmother, who is Austrian. She brought them back from her one of her trips to Europe and I was hooked. They are small balls of deliciously smooth chocolate covering a hollow crystalized sugar center which holds the liquid alcohol. Great for gifts, entertaining or just a treat! They were very hard to find at a reasonable shipping price so thanks Amazon for offering this product. I have ordered two shipments already and will probably need another for Christmas presents soon!", "all chocolate chip cookies taste alike, right? Wrong. I heard all the great reviews about Tate's cookies, and so had to order some for myself. The cookies can only be described as \"how grandmother would make them.\" Thin, not chewy, but crunchy. The taste is \"home-made\" or as close to home-made as you are going to find. I could really taste the butter ingredient in the cookie, which gave it a pleasant taste. The chocolate chips themselves and the cookie itself was great.<br /><br />makes a great gift as well....highly recommended.", "I use my great-grandmother's recipe for molasses cookies. She died in 1915 and the recipe has been handed down. My grandmother always used Bre'r Rabbit green label. Tonight I used a substitute after a fruitless search of the local supermarkets for the real thing. The difference was profound. The substitute produced cookies that are nearly inedible. I'll be using only Bre'r Rabbit from now on.", "I have eaten this candy since I was a small child and my grandmother gave it as special treat at Christmas and I'd save the little boxes. I'm now retired and still love torrone, but it's hard to find locally except at Christmas. Bought this as a gift for my 90 yr old dad when he said he had a nostalgic yearning for some torrone- it was gone in one day!", "I remember eating these breadsticks with my Italian grandmother. They are just as good today as they were then. They are imported from Italy and some (actually most) of the breadsticks break in shipping. They're great right out of the box.", "I purchased these for my 93 year old Grandmother. She loves pine nuts. She has seen many pine nuts in her 93 years. She declared Klein's Naturals Pine Nuts (Chinese Grade) to be the best she has ever tasted. She likes them so much she wants to give Klein's as gifts just to show off. She indicated the flavor, freshness and appearance make this a very high quality product.", "Mix this with your mayo or sourcream to make the BEST potato salad ever. It is one of those products in your mom's and grandmother's kitchens that will never disappoint. Full of flavor and a good keeper, too.<br /><br />Make a little basket with a pound of pasta, some dried herbs and a nice can of Coleman's mustard. Who wouldn't enjoy a pasta salad kit as a gift? You won't be disappointed.", "My husband never cared much for my homemade biscuits. I didn't make them often enough to really get it right like my mother and grandmother used to do. Then I tried the Betty Crocker Bisquick Mix and WOW what a difference it made. We like the rolled method better than the drop, but either way these are easy, quick and consistently great biscuits. As good a true southern biscuit as even my grandmother used to make! My husband is now a very happy man when I make his favorite sausage gravy & biscuits breakfast.", "My Italian paternal grandmother used to mail a box of Torrones to each of her children and their families every Christmas. It was a tradition, and all the cousins and I anxiously awaited Nana's annual gift of these yummy nougat candies. She passed away 20 years ago, and every year Dad and I talked about how we missed Nana's Torrones. I was so surprised and pleased to find them available on Amazon! I ordered a box as a special surprise Christmas gift for my Dad when he visited this Christmas....he was so happy, there were tears in his eyes. We ate a few together, and through a chorus of mmmmMMMMMs, we agreed that these tasted just like the ones Nana used to send. Thanks, Amazon!", "My grandmother used to travel home to Japan in the 70's and bring this back with her and then we found a grocer in DC that sold S&B products..... They have since closed and I was so happy to find it online. The spice is great on everything! Good memories!", "I sent these as gifts to mom and grandmother. My mother called to tell me what was in the basket and how late it was received. She told me that she felt bad, but wanted me to know considering what was paid. The items were tasty though, according to her. The items seemed shorted as to what was pictured. I've ordered baskets before, from two other companies on Amazon, and got much better reviews from the recipients, including mom. Broadway seems much better.", "ASIN:B0037QTLFY Chow Chow - 2-16 Oz Jar - Hot]]<br /><br />This is the 2nd time I have ordered this delicious chow chow. Yummy on anything...Brats, burgers, veggies (black eyed peas)- well, anything when you want to add some \"Zing\". I am now giving it as a hostess gift!!!<br /><br />A little goes a long way...<br /><br />A-stay-at-home-grandmother-with-excellent-taste...mac", "I ordered this fudge for my step father and ailing grandmother. They told me it was some of the best fudge they had ever eaten, and believe me, they eat a lot of fudge. The price was great, and it arrived within days of my ordering it.", "This mince pie filling is absolutely wonderful!! Best since my grandmother's mince pie. Excellent!!", "This has been a wonderful product. My grandmother has bad insomnia we tried several prescription sleep aids that did not work. This drink has her sleeping regularly with no drowsiness in the morning. Great product!!", "This is an excellent product- It enables me to use and old German recipe for poppy bread which my Grandmother used to prepare...she grew her own poppies in the garden and took great pride and great care in preparing the bread. Well this product allows me to recreate a decent rendition of her recipe without all of the work...great product at a great price!", "I buy this tea in a local gourmet coffee/tea shop by my home. It's delicious! I usually drink it with cream but it's great without as well. It's a really nice dessert drink, but I drink it anytime. I brought it to my grandmother's for Christmas and we served it during desert and it was a hit.", "This is the very same coffee my grandmother perked on her stove back in the 1920's. Still the best! It's a tradition in our house.", "My Grandmother used to give this exact box of candy every Christmas. I was so excited to see the familiar box on Amazon.com! The candy tastes exactly as I remember it, but the pieces are much smaller and the edible paper on the sides is much lighter. It was still good enough for a great trip down memory lane!", "I bought several boxes of these cookies for Christmas gifts and had one box left over. I decided to try them with my coffee one morning and got the surprise of my life. THESE ARE THE BEST COOKIES, THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN! I've never tasted anything quite as good. They're simple little bite size cookies, but surprisingly they do take you back...back to a time when things were simpler, and happier. As cookies go, these are quite a healthy choice. I tend to look for products using wheat flour. They made me remember my grandmother's kitchen, as she baked special treats for the family. All I can say is they are simply amazing, and you'll do yourself a great disservice if you don't try them. It'll take care of that need for \"something sweet\", without all the calories. I promise, you won't be disappointed.", "My great-grandmother made it, my grandmother made it, my mother made it, and now I make it! (I hope my daughters will make it and this chain will never end, connecting one generation to the next through food.)<br /><br /> It is perfect for Thanksgiving.<br /><br />Here's the best recipe that is NOT printed on the packaging:<br />Pour the corn into a big saucepan. Pour milk over the corn (my mother uses whole milk, I use skim. No one can taste the difference.). Cover the pan and put it in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, put it on the stove and add butter (a stick for about three bags of corn. A third of a stick for a single bag, etc.) Add salt, pepper and about a quarter cup of sugar (for three bags of corn). Put the heat on low and stir every now and then for HOURS. Seriously. HOURS. Like, maybe, four hours. Or six hours if you want. It doesn't matter, you just let it stew, making your whole kitchen smell like family and warmth and happiness and love. Add more milk every now and then when it gets too dry. Add more sugar every now and then, just a bit. Add more salt and pepper before you serve it. It should be the consistency of thick oatmeal. Not runny at all. You can eat it with a fork. It will make you happy. It will make you somehow, through the strangeness of the internet, connected to my family. I'll be happy knowing there are other people out there eating my great-grandmother's recipe.<br />Happy Holidays!", "In the age of Michael Pollan's, \"In Defense of Food\", these are traditional candy bars that even our grandmothers would recognize. They make great party favors, and are good for that special occasion. They came quickly and were just what we had expected.", "These were great high quality peanuts. Every peanut in the bag was fresh and looked great. We followed the Sugar Coated Peanut Recipe on the bag. My grandmother used to make these every Christmas for years. They were amazing... just like the sugar coated roasted nuts you would find on a street corner in NYC. The nuts were received only a few days after ordering. I will buy these again in the future.", "EIGHT O'CLOCK COFFEE PURCHASED FROM AMAZON<br /><br />Eight O'Clock Coffee is an old family favorite. My parents used to buy the bean variety, and ground it in my Great Grandmothers (hand cranked) coffee grinder. When I saw that I could buy it on Amazon, and at a great price, I just couldn't resist. Now I am enjoying the same great coffee my parents did and I really enjoy it. I've tried many brands and this is the best.", "Tried these as an experiment. It was a bit random that I found them, and they looked like something that would be fun to try out. And I have to say, they were actually quite good. I offered some to my Mother and Grandmother and my Mother hated it, but my Grandmother said it was different and ate it.<br /><br />I'm giving this 4 Stars because, even though I loved them, some in my family didn't. So some shoppers may not enjoy it.<br /><br />The taste is a bit bitter at first, but once you get passed the unfamiliar taste you're good to go. Enjoy!", "I know how to cook fresh food, but have a soft spot for this product.<br />Sometines you just want one of the original \"fast foods\" that your mother/grandmother heated up. Great with any kind of meat.", "This is a wonderful breakfast. It taste like grandmother made it. Both this and the cranberry are wonderful whether they are healthy or not.", "I first ordered as a Birthday gift to my daughter.She loved it so much I then\"gifted\"one to myself!Now I'm thinking,what a great gift for Mother's Day!They are so charming!", "was making an easter dish and was glad to find this ingredient. The price seemed like a lot, but it is hard to find. and made the dish taste just like my grandmothers", "I have ordered these particular pickles several times from Amazon. My hometown used to carry them but quit doing so five plus years ago. I love these pickles. They are a little salty but this is to my liking. The shipping is a little high. It cost more to ship than to buy the pickles. However, they are worth it. If you like the pickles your grandmother or mother used to can, these are for you. They remind me so much of my grandmother's canned pickles which I loved. I will keep buying these as long as Amazon can get them.", "Bought this set for my daughter and husband, as a house warming gift. They said it arrived in very nice shape and they really thought it was a great gift.", "Im addicted to it now. just got grind and brew. my grandmother had used \"8 o'clock when she was around.So I figured I'd try it. I have tried them all, so far this is the best!" ]

[ "Taiwan" ]

[ "country to country", "The World from the Side of the Moon", "that which burns", "that which purifies", "Voices from the Other World", "health", "the state from which the territory wishes to secede", "that which is heard", "the program in which they are enrolled", "For Your Country and My Country", "jewelry which has been assembled and formed by hand", "from", "morning assembly", "speed at which they expand", "inline assembler", "changes in health resulting from exposure to a source", "that which is done by an agent", "Assembled Brands", "Unlawful assembly", "Assemble Entertainment", "Dragon Country", "assembly language", "Edison Assembly", "assembly line", "any situation in which a person rises from poverty to wealth", "An Assembly of Notables", "country music", "assembly connector", "Sutter Health health system", "Avengers Assemble", "Skeena Country", "the speed with which the object moves away from or approaches the Earth" ]