Kansas man struck by lightning hours after buying lottery tickets

A Kansas man was struck by lightning hours after buying three Mega Millions lottery tickets on Thursday, proving in real life the old saying that a gambler is more likely to be struck down from the sky than win the jackpot. Bill Isles, 48, bought three tickets in the record $656 million lottery Thursday at a Wichita, Kansas grocery store. On the way to his car, Isles said he commented to a friend: "I've got a better chance of getting struck by lightning" than winning the lottery. Later at about 9:30 p.m., Isles was standing in the back yard of his Wichita duplex, when he saw a flash and heard a boom -- lightning. "It threw me to the ground quivering," Isles said in a telephone interview on Saturday. "It kind of scrambled my brain and gave me an irregular heartbeat." Isles, a volunteer weather spotter for the National Weather Service, had his portable ham radio with him because he was checking the skies for storm activity. He crawled on the ground to get the radio, which had been thrown from his hand. Isles had been talking to other spotters on the radio and called in about the lightning strike. One of the spotters, a local television station intern, called 911. Isles was taken by ambulance to a hospital and kept overnight for observation. Isles said doctors wanted to make sure his heartbeat was back to normal. He suffered no burns or other physical effects from the strike, which he said could have been worse because his yard has a power line pole and wires overhead. "But for the grace of God, I would have been dead," Isles said. "It was not a direct strike." Isles said he had someone buy him ten more tickets to the Mega Millions lottery on Friday night. While one of the three winning tickets was sold in Kansas, Isles was not a winner. Officials of the Mega Millions lottery, which had the largest prize in U.S. history, said that the odds of winning lottery were about 176 million to one. Americans have a much higher chance of being struck by lightning, at 775,000 to one over the course of a year, depending on the part of the country and the season, according to the National Weather Service. Isles, who is out of work after being laid off last June by a furniture store, said he did once win $2,000 in the lottery and will keep playing. "The next time I will use the radio while sitting in the car," he said

Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll murder trial

PHOTOGRAPHS of the spot where gangland figure Kevin “Gerbil” Carroll was shot dead were shown to a murder trial jury yesterday. The pictures – shown on day one of the trial – included an image of an Audi with smashed windows. The court was told the car was “subject to a significant degree of examination”. Carroll, 29, was shot in the car park of Asda in Robroyston, Glasgow, in January 2010. Ross Monaghan, 30, has been accused of Carroll’s murder. It is alleged that, while masked and acting with others, Monaghan repeatedly discharged loaded handguns at him, shooting him on the head and body. Monaghan is accused of – while acting with others – attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of a revolver, pistol and ammunition in undergrowth in Coatbridge and Airdrie. It is also claimed a car bearing false number plates was set on fire. Monaghan also faces a number of firearms charges. He denies all the charges against him at the High Court in Glasgow and has incriminated Mr X, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and seven others. The trial, before Lord Brailsford, continues.

popular Caribbean dancing style used by adults, known as 'daggering', is sexualising the dance floors of a much younger generation.

 

 Teenagers as young as 11 are modelling sex acts and rape, in the form of daggering, on the dance floor with their peers. Deputy Children's Commissioner Sue Berelowitz said: "there's not a lot separating that kind of behaviour from actual violent, coercive sex." Footage seen by Channel 4 News [see above] shows an under-18s club night in East London. As with all 'under-18s' club nights, everyone is between 11 and 16. Some of the children look much younger. The club is packed. The music: Caribbean dancehall. The dancing style: daggering. It is a style of dancing that any carnival regular will be used to. Aficionados will no doubt, have a more technical description of the style but it mainly involves women bending over and rubbing their backsides up against the men's crotches. During that August weekend in Notting Hill every adult gives it a go. But what's different about this night club is that every child is giving it a go. Spurred on by the DJ, the 'daggering' becomes more enthusiastic, some of it verging on violent. Boys and girls end up on top of each other on the floor simulating sex. Throughout the night someone employed by the club promoter (presumably an adult) is filming it all and uploading it on the club's website via YouTube.

Baggage handlers to strike at Easter

 

Baggage handlers at Stansted Airport are to strike over Easter in a row over pay, the GMB union announced today. The move follows an overwhelming vote in favour of industrial action by 150 GMB members employed by Swissport after the union claimed that shift changes would lead to wage cuts of up to £1,000. The GMB said strikes will be held on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday, threatening disruption to passengers flying on holiday for the holiday break. GMB official Gary Pearce said: "GMB members have voted overwhelmingly for strike action and for action short of a strike. "Up to now the company has been intent on imposing these changes without agreement and this is completely unacceptable, as this vote shows. "GMB has offered several alternative shift patterns and working arrangements but the company refuses to listen so far. "I have notified Swissport of the ballot result and I have asked them for more talks to try to avert action over these pay cuts. "GMB members consider that Swissport is attempting to make savings at their expense and they are not willing to agree to this. "Unless there is urgent talks and a settlement, this vote for action this will result in disruption over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. "The travelling public need to be aware that it has been this aggressive move by Swissport to cut our members pay at a time of high inflation that has led to this strike vote. "If the strike goes ahead, Swissport is entirely to blame for the disruption."

French judges seek arrest of Equatorial Guinea leader's son

 

Two French judges sought an international arrest warrant for the son of Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema on money laundering charges, a judicial source said on Tuesday. The two judges, Roger Le Loire and Rene Grouman, consider there are grounds to suspect that Teodorin Obiang, who is agriculture minister in the small, oil-rich central African country, acquired real estate in France by fraudulent means. The warrant will not be released until a prosecutor has reviewed the request and decides whether to proceed. Teodorin is frequently seen enjoying an extravagant lifestyle abroad with multi-million dollar mansions, jets and yachts. Billboards in the capital Malabo seek to show him at work and in touch with the people, but diplomats and analysts cite his playboy lifestyle as a cause for concern. The French judges, who have been handling the case since 2010 on the basis of "concealment of embezzled public funds," suspect that the properties were purchased with public money from Equatorial Guinea. The judges had previously sought permission from the government of Equatorial Guinea to question Teodorin, but that request was rejected, Olivier Pardo, lawyer for the oil producing nation, told Reuters in Paris. "Unless one wishes to violate the sovereignty of the State of Equatorial Guinea and harm relations between France and Equatorial Guinea, it is absurd to want to launch an arrest warrant," he said. As part of the investigation, French police raided a building belonging to Equatorial Guinea in a wealthy area of Paris in February. After three days they removed art works and fine wines worth several million euros. The building was valued at about 150 million euros and investigators say it housed a nightclub and hairdressers, which suggested it was not being used as a diplomatic residence. Anti-corruption organisation Transparency International had filed the original legal complaint against Teodorin Obiang. On March 1, Teodorin filed for defamation against Daniel Lebegue, the president of the French arm of Transparency, denying he had embezzled funds. President Teodoro Obiang has ruled the former Spanish colony for more than three decades, making him the longest-serving African leader following the demise of Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, with rights groups labelling his regime one of the world's most corrupt. The country produces about 240,000 barrels of oil per day. In January, Teodorin asked a U.S. court to dismiss attempts by the Obama administration to seize some $71 million worth of his assets, denying charges that they were obtained with allegedly corrupt funds taken from his country. He argued he had not violated U.S. or Equatorial Guinea law and called the corruption allegations "character assassination" against him and his country. Equatorial Guinea in October said it wanted to appoint Teodorin as its deputy permanent delegate at U.N. cultural agency UNESCO in Paris, a position that would give him diplomatic status in France. Until now the agency has not received any official documentation to proceed further with that request.

Al Qaeda recruiter and internet propagandist arrested in Spain

 Spanish police today arrested a suspected member of Al Qaeda who was key to the terror group's internet propaganda and recruiting operations, officials said. The suspect arrested in the eastern city of Valencia 'administered one of the world's most important jihadist forums', dedicated to recruiting and indoctrinating Islamic terrorists, Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz said. The name of that forum and the suspect's name were not given, only his initials, MHA. He is Jordanian-born with Saudi citizenship. 'He was known within the organisation as Al Qaeda's librarian,' Mr Fernandez Diaz said, without specifying what that term meant in this case. The suspect worked at home for '8 to 15 hours a day' for Al Qaeda and for two offshoots, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the minister said. 'He spread jihadist ideas and worked to recruit and arrange transportation of possible jihadists to Afghanistan and other countries where terrorism is very active,' Mr Fernandez Diaz said. The Interior Ministry said in a statement he was arrested as part of a probe that determined the man used the Web to distribute videos designed to encourage terrorist acts, the ministry said in a statement. The minister said the raid in which he was arrested was not linked to the recent killings in Toulouse, France. However, he added that gunman Mohammed Merah became indoctrinated thanks to the work of people like the Valencia suspect. Spanish authorities said today's arrest stemmed from a probe that began in February 2011. The suspect was arrested at home on orders from an investigating magistrate in Madrid.

Not everyone is thrilled about the idea of Spain hosting a European Sin City that could attract prostitution and mafia gangs - and add gambling addiction to the woes of already desperate Spaniards.

Creaking under the weight of chronic debt and uncertainty, Spain may not conjure visions of carefree fun and all-night parties.

But salvation may be on its way... in the shape of a Las Vegas-esque vice city, that developers say will boost its flat-lining economy.

Dubbed 'EuroVegas', it will house six casinos, 12 hotels, nine theatres and three golf courses, if America's eighth richest man gets his way.

Sheldon Adelson, however, says he will only go ahead if Spain bends its rules on indoor smoking and caps on soaring skyscrapers.

Spain's savior? America's eighth richest man, tycoon Sheldon Adelson, is laying plans to pump $22 billion into the complex in either Barcelona or Madrid

Adelson is laying plans to pump $22 billion into the complex, in Barcelona or Madrid.

And his money could be just what Spain needs with its shrinking economy and rising unemployment figures.

 

Pedigree: Adelson already owns the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel is shown in Macau

Still, Madrid and Barcelona are both vying to woo Adelson and the $22 billion he wants to invest to erect 'Eurovegas' - an array of six casinos, 12 hotels featuring 36,000 rooms, a convention center, three golf courses, shopping centers, bars and restaurants.

The two sites being eyed in Madrid each cover an area equivalent to 1,000 football fields.

Adelson and his company, Las Vegas Sands Corp., will decide by the summer which city to build in if they reach a deal with Spanish authorities.

The country's jobless rate is around 23 per cent - nearly 50 percent among those under age 25 - and the economy is forecast to shrink by 1.7 per cent this year. First-quarter GDP numbers are expected to show Spain has slipped into its second recession in three years.

Not on our doorstep! An anti-Eurovegas association held a rally in Madrid last week in which Adelson was mocked as an economic messiah, his pockets overflowing with dollars

'At a time like this, with so little to boost the economy, something like this is like manna falling from heaven,' said Gayle Allard, an economist who specializes in labor market issues at IE Business School in Madrid.

Allard said that Spain is already a huge tourist draw, with its sunshine and great beaches, and a casino complex would build on those assets. Spain is regularly one of the world's three most visited countries, along with the United States and France.

Critics argue Eurovegas will bring more criminality to Spain just as the economy goes into a nose-dive. And they warn that while Spain's young people are in dire need of jobs, positions such as hotel maids, waiters and croupiers are not a recipe for success.

Adelson started looking at Spain as a possible site for a European gambling magnet in 2007, but his propsals fell flat with the then-ruling Socialist Party.

But since the more business-friendly Popular Party took power, along with the downturn, Adelson's plans are said to be back on track.

Gambling is legal in Spain. But its casinos, and others in Europe, are associated with a more snooty clientele and ambiance, not the festive, anything-goes atmosphere of Vegas.

'There is no one place in Europe that is fun to go to and play the slots or play tables or have a good time with an adult couple or family,' Adelson said in a meeting with investors in New York last September. 

The hotels and casinos and all the rest would be built in three phases over the course of 10 years. Adelson says the project would create 260,000 jobs, 190,000 of them directly.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. surpassed Caesars Entertainment Corp. last year as the world's largest gaming corporation, posting profits of $1.27 billion in 2011. Sands operates properties in Las Vegas, Macau and Singapore.

Gaming investors have sniffed out Spain before. A few years ago, Harrah's Entertainment Inc. - now known as Caesars - explored the idea of building a casino complex, albeit smaller than the one being considered now, in Ciudad Real, 200 kilometers (130 miles) south of Madrid. But nothing came of it.

An anti-Eurovegas association held a rally in Madrid last week in which Adelson was mocked as an economic messiah, his pockets overflowing with dollars.

Juan Garcia, a spokesman for the association, said a gambling haven is no answer to Spain's crisis.

'I think a casino would be a waste of brain power and labor, and instead endorses an activity that has little do with research, innovation and development,' Garcia said.

Tulisa Contostavlos' ex-boyfriend MC Ultra, real name Justin Edwards, has appeared in court over a sex tape featuring the X Factor judge.

 

N-Dubz star Tulisa is suing her ex-boyfriend for £100,000 in damages for alleged breach of privacy and confidence, after the DJ allegedly leaked the footage online. 

However, Edwards has denied the allegations telling a High Court judge: "I am disgusted it has been, and regret ever allowing the claimant to persuade me that we should film ourselves."

Edwards, 28, added he'd been "brought up better than that".

REX

Tulisa and ex-boyfriend Justin when they were dating

In a written statement, Edwards said Tulisa "persuaded me that we should film ourselves".

Speaking to The Sun, the rapper has denied he ever had the footage, implying it was filmed on the X Factor judge's phone, insisting: "I simply do not, and never have, possessed the film referred to."

Tulisa, who won an injunction last week after the video appeared on the net for download, called the rapper's denial of leaking the tape "hypocrisy" and "deceitful". 
Last week the star admitted she was "devastated" in a video she shared with fans on Twitter explaining the situation. After apologising for any offence caused to her fans the singer explained she had "been in bits for the past few days".

At the preliminary hearing on 26 March, Mr Justice Tugendhat extended the ban on anyone using, publishing, communicating or disclosing the clip to any other person.

Kim Kardashian is reported to have requested a viewing of David and Victoria Beckham's mansion in Hertfordshire, famously dubbed Beckingham Palace by the press.

 

 The US reality TV queen is claimed by The Sun newspaper to be interested in buying the £18 million home in Sawbridgeworth - apparently considering it as a suitable European base for her large family. Posh and Becks have been selling off their assets in the UK now that they have settled permanently with their four children in Los Angeles. Footballer David is also reported to be selling five luxury cars worth an estimated £500k - a Lamborghini Galardo, a Range Rover, two Bentleys and a BMW 645. He and Victoria only paid £2.5 million for their 17-acre Hertfordshire estate in 1999, but have done a vast amount of work on the property - including adding a pool, golf course, gym, helipad, recording studio and stables.

Spain's high-class escorts are refusing to have sex with the nation's bankers

Spain's high-class escorts are refusing to have sex with the nation's bankers - until they open up credit lines to cash-strapped families and firms.

Madrid's top-end prostitutes say their indefinite strike will continue until bank employees 'fulfil their responsibility to society' and start offering bigger loans for struggling Spaniards.

Sneaky bankers were trying to circumvent the protest by claiming to be architects or engineers, the sex-workers said.

On strike: Spain's high-class escorts are refusing to have sex with the nation's bankers until they open up credit lines to cash-strapped families and firms (file picture)

 

Plans: A general strike, like this one in Barcelona in 2010, is taking place across Spain on Thursday in protest against austerity measures

But this was 'not fooling anyone' because, as one escort revealed: 'It has been many years since these professionals could afford rates that start from €300 per hour.'

The capital's largest luxury prostitute trade association, which is initiating the strike, said: 'We are the only ones with a real ability to pressure the sector.

Facebook App Lets You Add Enemies Online

 

Forget friending. A new Facebook app allows users of the social network to identify and share people, places and things as “enemies” for all to see. The app, called EnemyGraph, lets you list anything with a Facebook presence — ranging from “friends,” to foods, to products, movies or books — as an enemy. Since the app launched March 15, it’s seemed to appeal especially to users with a liberal bent. Some of its most-selected nemeses so far include Rick Santorum, Westboro Baptist Church and Fox News. The app was developed by a professor and two students at the University of Texas at Dallas. Dean Terry, who directs the school’s emerging media program, helped conceptualize the project, while graduate student Bradley Griffith and undergraduate Harrison Massey built the app. Griffith said EnemyGraph has so far accumulated some 400 users. But more importantly, its creators say, press coverage has helped meet the team’s goal of sparking a larger conversation about the nature of social media and Facebook in particular. “One thing that has always struck me is the enforced niceness culture,” Terry told Mashable. “We wanted to give people a chance to express dissonance as well. We’re using the word enemy about as accurately as Facebook uses the word friend.” But the app has utility beyond simply sparking a philosophical debate, Terry adds. Researchers and marketers have long gathered information on social media users based on what they support, but at the expense of possibly overlooking another valuable data source. “You can actually learn a lot about people by what they’re upset about and what they don’t like,” Terry says. “And the second thing is that if you and I both don’t like something, that actually creates a social bond that hasn’t been explored in social media at all, except with Kony and some big examples like that.” Terry and Griffith teamed up last year to create Undetweetable, a service allowing Twitter users’ deleted tweets to be uncovered posthumously. That project gained some attention as well but Twitter quickly forced it to shut down. Terry wouldn’t be surprised if EnemyGraph meets a similar fate from Facebook. “My guess is it goes against their social philosophy and purpose,” he says. “It is a critique of their social philosophy for sure.” Do you like the EnemyGraph idea? Let us know in the comments.

socially disruptive narcissists More Facebook Friends You Have, the More Unhappy You Are

 

A  study has discovered a direct link between the number of friends you have on Facebook and how much of a “socially disruptive narcissist” you are—giving us one more reason to tone down our Facebook addictions. Researchers at Western Illinois studied 294 college students and found that those with more friends on Facebook tended to score higher on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory questionnaire. They tended to respond more aggressively to comments, change their profile pictures more often, and updated their news feeds more regularly than others. This may not be all that surprising, but it does provide a bit of motivation to re-evaluate what Facebook does for you, if you fit into one of these categories (and if not, at least you can stop feeling bad about not having very many Facebook friends—it’s probably a good thing). None of this is to say Facebook is inherently bad, of course. It’s still a great way to keep in touch with family and friends, especially after you’ve fixed all of its annoyances—you might just want to dial back on all the photo tagging. While you’re at it, you can also move some of those friends to your Acquaintances list using Facebook’s new tool, which will hide them from your news feed more often.