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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 22:48 EST, 25 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:47 EST, 26 June 2013 . A 62-year-old skydiver is being treated for burns after landing on power lines during a parachute jump. The skydiver had to be airlifted to hospital at the weekend after landing on the power lines next to a busy road near Sacramento. Friends of Mark Elizondo say he is an experienced skydiver who had taken part in several jumps on Sunday, before falling on the power lines at about 2pm. Crash landing: Skydiver Mark Elizondo is being treated for burns after falling on power lines during a jump . 'It’s a freak thing,' Bill Dause, who owns the Lodi Parachute Center, said. 'He’s jumped here before. He’s . made several jumps today and just did something wrong.' Mr Elizondo's wife, Raedell, said he had been practicing routines with 14 others when the accident happened. She described her husband, who she met while skydiving, as experienced and said he had made more than 1,000 parachute jumps. Mr Dause told KCRA: 'For some reason he just went two far downwind and unfortunately the power line was below him when he turned around and tried to come back.' Witnesses said Mr Elizondo, from Utah, was conscious but had been burned and was in shock when emergency services arrived. Lieutenant Michael van Grouwt added that Mr Elizondo was alert and talking as he was carried away on a stretcher. 'He was fairly stable,' Lieutenant van Grouw told the Recordnet. Air miles: Mark Elizondo, pictured during an earlier skydive, had been practicing a routine before the accident . Mr Dause said wind was unlikely to have led to the accident at the weekend, but other skydivers at the center disagreed. 'It’s happened before and that’s . strictly the pilot of the parachute,' Ed Barr said. 'The wind today . makes it even worse.' The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident and will check the condition of the parachute and whether it was packed properly, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said. FAA records show that the agency recommended citations against the parachute center in 2010 and 2011 for failing to maintain aircraft equipment, according to the Los Angeles Times. An independent instructor at the center also faced the possibility of a FAA fine last year over allegedly not fastening a harness to a student properly during a tandem jump. A video of Laverne Everett celebrating her 80th birthday with a tandem jump shows her slipping out of the harness. However, she landed safely and refused to criticize her instructor, according to the Modesto Bee. Shock: Bill Dause, who runs Lodi Parachute Center, described the power line crash as a freak accident . Mr Elizondo, from Utah, is still being treated for burns in hospital. Fellow skydiver Bill Stanley said: 'Basically, any sport has risks. People get killed in any sport that exists. Quite honestly, my drive out here is more frightening.' Mr Dause added that he could remember only other accident involving power lines since starting his business.

62-year-old drifted on to cables after practicing routine near Sacramento . Utah man was conscious and chatting as medics took him to hospital .

By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 4:30 PM on 30th December 2011 . A 'major' blast has rocked an area around a mosque in the restive northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri. Four people were reportedly killed in the explosion which happened just after Friday prayers. Islamist sect Boko Haram - which killed 42 with a series of Christmas Day bombs outside churches - has been blamed. The city is known to be its stronghold. Blast: A 'major' blast has rocked an area around a mosque in the restive northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri . One resident said: 'There was a loud blast near the mosque just after the Friday prayers as people were trooping out of the mosque. 'Everybody scampered to safety, leading to a stampede.' Army spokesman Brigadier General Isa initially blamed Boko Haram for the attack, but it is not yet known if and why it would attack a mosque. Boko Haram is suspected of having links to Al Qaeda and is believed to want to impose Islamic Sharia law in Nigeria. Nigeria's 160 million people are roughly divided between Muslims and Christians, who mostly live side by side in peace. Boko Haram claimed three bomb attacks on churches on Christmas Sunday, including one that killed 27 worshippers in a Catholic church just outside the capital Abuja, and one in Jos without fatal victims. A car burns outside St Theresa Catholic Church at Suleja, Neigeria, after an explosion on Christmas Day. Five bombs exploded that day at churches in the country . The coordinated strikes by the northern-based Islamist group, whose name translates as Western Education Is Sinful in the Hausa language of the region, appeared aimed at prising open Nigeria's religious faultline in a direct challenge to the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian southerner. 'Boko Haram is seeking to provoke retaliatory attacks on Muslims in predominantly Christian parts of the country,' said former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell. The attacks have led local Muslims to be wary of a possible Christian backlash. 'We are just beginning to live in peace, so we hope our Christian brothers can help us keep that peace,' said Mohammed Kabir, who like many Nigerian Muslims said he resented being associated with violent extremism.

Militant Islamist group Boko Haram blamed . City of Maiduguri known as sect's stronghold .

By . Rob Waugh . PUBLISHED: . 11:59 EST, 6 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:13 EST, 7 June 2012 . Rising populations are driving Earth towards a 'tipping point' where species we depend on die out, says a committee of 22 scientists - hitting industries such as fishing, agriculture, forestry and water. Some areas of the planet may already be so overpopulated as to be beyond hope - and once the planet is more than 50% under tarmac and agriculture, the results could be global disaster. When smaller areas hit levels above 50%, the results are disastrous. If the entire planet hits this 'tipping point', the effects would be impossible for scientists to predict. Rising populations are driving Earth towards a 'tipping point' where species we depend on die out, says a committee of 22 scientists - hitting industries such as fishing, agriculture, forestry and water . The committee calls for 'global leadership' to prevent such a disaster - but warns ome areas of the planet may already be so overpopulated as to be beyond hope. If the entire planet hits a 'tipping point', the results will be impossible for scientists to predict - and the committee calls for 'global leadership' to prevent such a disaster. Professor Anthony Barnosky, the lead . author from the University of California, Berkeley, warns: ‘It really . will be a new world, biologically, at that point. ‘The data suggests that there will be a . reduction in biodiversity and severe impacts on much of what we depend . on to sustain our quality of life, including, for example, fisheries, . agriculture, forest products and clean water. This could happen within . just a few generations.’ Studies of small-scale ecosystems have . shown that once 50-90 percent of an area has been altered, the entire . ecosystem tips irreversibly into a state far different from the . original, in terms of the mix of plant and animal species and their . interactions and usually resulting in species extinctions and a loss of . biodiversity. Currently with 7 billion people about 43 . percent of Earth's land surface has been converted to agricultural or . urban use and with a predicted rise to 9 billion by 2045 it is estimated . that half will be disturbed by 2025. ‘Can it really happen? Looking into the . past tells us unequivocally that, yes, it can really happen. It has . happened. The last glacial/interglacial transition 11,700 years ago was . an example of that,’ Professor Barnosky said. ‘I think that if we want to avoid the most unpleasant surprises, we want to stay away from that 50 percent mark.’ Population density is rising, as seen from this night view of Earth: If the entire planet hits this 'tipping point', the results will be impossible for scientists to predict - and the committee calls for 'global leadership' to prevent such a disaster. The paper, by 22 internationally . renowned scientists, calls for better predictive models based on a . detailed understanding of how the biosphere reacted in the distant past . to rapidly changing conditions - including climate and human population . growth. UC have begun a £2.6 million research . project to develop reliable, detailed biological forecasts, to . understand how plants and animals responded to major shifts. The authors of the review - biologists, . ecologists, complex-systems theoreticians, geologists and . paleontologists from the United States, Canada, South America and Europe . - argue that, although warning signs are emerging, no one knows how . close Earth is to a global tipping point. Professor Barnosky said: ‘We really do . have to be thinking about these global scale tipping points, because . even the parts of Earth we are not messing with directly could be prone . to some very major changes. ‘And the root cause, ultimately, is human population growth and how many resources each one of us uses.’ Co-author Elizabeth Hadly from Stanford . University said: ‘We may already be past these tipping points in . particular regions of the world. I just returned from a trip to the high . Himalayas in Nepal, where I witnessed families fighting each other with . machetes for wood - wood that they would burn to cook their food in one . evening. ‘In places where governments are lacking . basic infrastructure, people fend for themselves, and biodiversity . suffers. We desperately need global leadership for planet Earth.’ They urge global cooperation to reduce . population growth and per-capita resource use, to replace fossil fuels . with sustainable sources, develop more efficient food production and . distribution, and management of land and oceans not already dominated by . humans as reservoirs of biodiversity and ecosystem services. ‘Ideally, we want to be able to predict . what could be detrimental biological change in time to steer the boat to . where we don't get to those points,’ Professor Barnosky said. ‘My underlying philosophy is that we . want to keep Earth, our life support system, at least as healthy as it . is today, in terms of supporting humanity, and forecast when we are . going in directions that would reduce our quality of life so that we can . avoid that.’ ‘My view is that humanity is at a crossroads now, where we have to make an active choice. ‘One choice is to acknowledge these . issues and potential consequences and try to guide the future (in a way . we want to). The other choice is just to throw up our hands and say, . 'Let's just go on as usual and see what happens.' My guess is, if we . take that latter choice, yes, humanity is going to survive, but we are . going to see some effects that will seriously degrade the quality of . life for our children and grandchildren.’ Climate change, population pressure and widespread destruction of natural ecosystems may be driving toward an irreversible change in biosphere with devastating consequences, the prestigious group of researchers say. In just a few generations our food and water supplies could be gravely effected with some plant and animal species being wiped out completely. But we can prepare ourselves by learning lessons from what happened in the past, it is said. The review paper, which will be published tomorrow in the journal Nature, compares the biological impact of past incidences of global change with processes under way today and assess evidence for what the future holds. The results could cause some plant and animal species to disappear, new mixes of remaining species, and major disruptions to crops - leading to global political instability, it is claimed.

If 50% of landscape has been altered by man, Earth may hit 'tipping point' World is already at 43% . Warning from committee of 22 scientists . Some areas may already be so overpopulated as to be beyond hope . Effects on fish and farming could starve whole areas .

A Scottish livestock farmer has become an overnight literary sensation after selling more than 50,000 copies of his first detective novel in a month. James Oswald, 45, wrote Natural Causes, a crime thriller starring Detective Inspector McLean, while tending to his 350 cows and sheep at his farm in the Fife countryside. The tale, which centres around a series of brutal deaths in Edinburgh may not sound ground-breaking, but a combination of creative flair and clever marketing skills have helped make it a bestseller. Ploughing on: Livestock farmer James Oswald has become an overnight literary sensation with the success of his detective novel, Natural Causes, which he wrote while tending to his Highland cattle and New Zealand sheep . Into a new field:  A combination of creative flair and clever marketing has made Natural Causes an overnight success . At first James offered the novel on Amazon for free, but asked readers to pay £2.99 for the follow-up The Book of Souls. Sparkling debut: James Oswald's novel Natural Causes is a crime thriller set in Edinburgh . Within a month his debut had shifted 50,000 copies. It soared to the top of the Kindle bestsellers list where it remains in the top 10. Now James has been signed up by publishers Penguin for a three-book deal worth £150,000. Natural Causes is on the shelves in Waterstones and Tesco and has even been endorsed by Richard and Judy's Book Club. 'The last month has been a whirlwind,' James told MailOnline. 'I'm still trying to catch my breath. This has all happened incredibly quickly. I only self-published the . book about a year ago and I signed with Penguin in last October. 'Friends have been tweeting me saying the book has already sold out in some shops.' But there are no signs he will be giving up his day job - with his first advance, the amateur writer splashed out on a new tractor. James' overnight success has drawn comparisons with the meteoric rise of E.L.James and her Fifty Shades of Gray series. In . fact, he has been writing all his life, starting with comic strip books . while he was a psychology student at Aberdeen University. But . his efforts to replicate the dark, mystical workings of heroes Iain . Banks and Neil Gaiman failed to attract the attention of publishers. When James inherited his farm from his parents David and Juliet in 2008 after they died in a car accident from 2008, he became even more determined to make his writing a success. 'My father had semi-retired and I was thinking I would come to it eventually,' he told MailOnline. Hard days night: James juggles tending to his sheep and cattle with writing in the evening . 'But it has been rather harder work than I expected. I love writing - I would have carried on writing for years even if it had only been myself reading. 'I do a lot of thinking when I'm out in my tractor, or when I'm sitting in the lambing pens. I do the farm work that needs to be done in the daytime and then do my writing in the evening till about midnight. It is pretty tiring.' If his literary career continues to bring rich rewards he hopes to complete a three-bedroom house with partner Barbara and expand his flock of New Zealand sheep and Highland cattle. 'I would love to write more. I have a lot more ideas,' he added.

James Oswald's debut Natural Causes has been an overnight success . Wrote it while tending to his Highland cattle and New Zealand sheep . Offered it for free on Amazon with second novel for £2.99 . 45-year-old has now signed three-book deal with Penguin worth £150,000 .

Sharon West texted a friend at 5.20am before her cellphone died . Texas rancher found skull in an empty canal close to town where she went missing . The body parts of a missing teenage girl have been found scattered across a field, authorities confirmed. Investigators said the remains found in a field last October belonged to Sharon West, 14, who went missing on July 30. The girl had been staying with a family friend when she went missing in Fannett, Texas, a small town of around 100 people, an hour north of Houston. A rancher called authorities three months . later to report he had found a human skull in an empty canal on his . property close to the town. Tragic outcome: The remains of Sharon West, 14, who was missing for six months, were found in a field in Fannett, Texas, close to where she was staying with a friend . The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed last Friday that the remains were of Sharon West, who had been identified using dental records. The girl's mother Sandra West confirmed that pyjama shorts and glasses found with the remains belonged to her daughter. An autopsy was underway to determine the teenager's cause of death along with toxicology reports. Missing: Sharon West as a child (left) and a more recent picture of the teenager . The night before she went missing, Miss West's boyfriend, Austin Meaux, said he had last seen her at the home of the family friend whom she had been living with on a short-term basis while her mother looked for work. He told police that he was still at the home after the rest of the family went to bed at 2am. The last contact with Miss West was at 5.20am when she texted a friend to say she was at a soccer field, a few miles from where she was staying. The spot was a popular hang-out for young people. She sent another text 40 minutes later before the signal for her cellphone died. Desperate search: Sharon West had been missing for six months when police confirmed that the remains found scattered in a Texas field belonged to her . Sandra West had set up a Facebook page while her daughter was missing. On October 20, the mother wrote: 'Sharon has been missing since July 30, 2011. She literally just vanished. There are so many stories, rumors, and scenarios about her disappearance. 'None of that matters. The only thing that matters is finding her. She has family and friends that love and miss her terribly.' A memorial service for Sharon West will be held on January 28 in Hamshire, Texas.

Sharon West texted a friend at 5.20am before her cellphone died . Texas rancher found skull in an empty canal close to town where she went missing .

By . James Chapman . PUBLISHED: . 18:28 EST, 18 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:48 EST, 19 April 2013 . Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants only permanent British residents to qualify for anything other than emergency care . Foreigners travelling to Britain to take advantage of our free health service will be denied treatment under radical plans for a shake-up of the system of personal NHS identification numbers. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants only permanent British residents to qualify for anything other than emergency care free of charge. He believes non-UK residents are granted NHS numbers – which entitle them to free care – far too easily. In many cases, anyone who turns up at a GP surgery is given a number. On referral to hospital, no further questions about their entitlement are asked – meaning that ‘health tourists’ or those who have fallen ill unexpectedly while in this country are given unlimited free access to the NHS, Government sources say. Mr Hunt said the system was ‘completely unacceptable’. He has proposed that in future, anyone with a ‘questionable’ residency status should be issued with only a temporary NHS number. It would mean that if they tried to access anything other than accident and emergency departments, they would be charged. ‘It is completely unacceptable that people are abusing the NHS and accessing free care they are not entitled to,’ the Health Secretary told the Daily Mail. ‘Changing the way the NHS number is used is just one stage of my plan to shut down free NHS care for those who are not entitled to it.’ It is expected that hospitals or surgeries would be under a new obligation to check whether patients are entitled to free care. They would be able to refer cases to a central body – probably NHS England – which would determine what should be charged. Sources said a consultation will determine the best way of requiring people to prove residency, possibly through council tax records or the electoral roll. The Government has promised a crackdown on health tourism, but until now it has been unclear how it would work. Unacceptable: Mr Hunt has proposed that in the future anyone with a questionable residency should be issued with a temporary NHS number . Ministers have also been criticised for underestimating the scale of the problem, with official statistics suggesting it costs taxpayers around £20million a year. But earlier this month the Mail revealed a senior doctor’s warning that the true cost is likely to run into billions of pounds. Professor J Meirion Thomas, consultant surgeon at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, said the NHS had become the ‘world’s maternity wing’ as foreign expectant mothers arrive just to give birth. Thousands of others are flying here for cancer, HIV, kidney and infertility treatment then leaving without paying, he said. He cited one example of a foreign patient arriving in renal failure on a visitor’s visa and had 849 dialysis sessions on the NHS. He called for an overhaul of the system of NHS numbers, saying: ‘Those who work and pay tax here, and have a National Insurance number to prove it, ought to be granted full access to the NHS. ‘But it makes no sense to accord this right to visitors, especially when an NHS number can translate seamlessly into expensive long-term hospital care.’ Mr Hunt will unveil his proposals for an overhaul in a document on health tourism to be published in the next few months. Anyone whose chargeable status was in question would in future receive a number that only gives temporary access, for example if they needed lifesaving treatment. A Department of Health source said: ‘The system and processes we have in place to identify those who should pay are weak or poorly implemented. ‘Often, NHS numbers are allocated after a person registers at a GP practice, where current charging rules do not apply. On referral to secondary care with an NHS number, too often no further questions about entitlement are asked.’ Hospitals in England and Wales are supposed to ensure NHS patients have lived in the UK for the previous 12 months, and chase payment for non-emergency treatment from visitors. But dozens of hospital trusts admit they do not check.

Jeremy Hunt believes non-UK residents are granted NHS numbers too easily . Mr Hunt said the system was completely unacceptable . He proposed anyone with a 'questionable residency' should be issued with a temporary number .

By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 04:45 EST, 3 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:16 EST, 3 December 2012 . Volcanic eruptions could be the source of large changes in the sulphur dioxide levels in the atmosphere of Venus, say scientists studying data from a satellite orbiting the world. Venus is covered in hundreds of volcanoes, but whether they remain active today is much debated, providing an important scientific goal for researchers studying the planet. The planet's thick atmosphere contains over a million times more sulphur dioxide as Earth's. On our own planet almost all the pungent, toxic gas is generated by volcanic activity. Scroll down for video . Heating up: An artist's impression of a volcano on Venus. New evidence from a satellite orbiting the planet suggests that its volcanoes may be active and could be the source of fluctuations in atmospheric sulphur dioxide . Most of the sulphur dioxide on Venus is hidden below the planet’s dense upper cloud deck, because the gas is readily destroyed by sunlight. That means any sulphur dioxide detected in Venus’ upper atmosphere above the cloud deck must have been recently supplied from below. The European Space Agency's Venus Express mission has already found clues pointing to volcanism on geologically recent timescales, within the last few hundreds of thousands to millions of years. Venus Express is a satellite optimised for studying the atmosphere of Venus, from the surface right up to the ionosphere. It has been successfully operating in orbit around Venus since April 2006. A previous analysis of infrared radiation from the surface pointed to lava flows atop a volcano with a composition distinct from those of their surroundings, suggesting that the volcano had erupted in the planet’s recent past. Now, an analysis of sulphur dioxide concentration in the upper atmosphere over six years provides another clue. Fluctuations: The rise and fall of sulphur dioxide in the upper atmosphere of Venus over the last 40 years, expressed in units of parts per billion by volume (ppbv) Immediately after arriving at Venus, the spacecraft recorded a significant increase in the average density of sulphur dioxide in the upper atmosphere, followed by a sharp decrease to values roughly ten times lower by today. A similar fall was also seen during NASA’s Pioneer Venus mission, which orbited the planet from 1978 to 1992. At that time, the preferred explanation was an earlier injection of sulphur dioxide from one or more volcanoes, with Pioneer Venus arriving in time for the decline. Investigation: Venus Express is a satellite optimised for studying the atmosphere of Venus, from the surface right up to the ionosphere. It has been successfully operating in orbit around Venus since April 2006 . Named for the Roman goddess of love and beauty, Venus is the second closest planet to the Sun and completes its orbit every 224.7 Earth days. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, bright enough even to cast shadows on Earth. Venus reaches its maximum brightness shortly before sunrise or shortly after sunset, for which reason it has been referred to by ancient cultures as the Morning Star or Evening Star. The Ancient Greeks believed Venus to be two separate bodies, calling the morning star Phosphoros, the 'Bringer of Light', or Eosphoros, the 'Bringer of Dawn'. The evening star they called Hesperos, the 'star of the evening'. By Hellenistic times, they realized the two were the same planet, which they named after their goddess of love, Aphrodite. Hesperos would be translated into Latin as Vesper and Phosphoros as Lucifer ('Light Bearer'), a poetic term later used to refer to the fallen angel cast out of heaven. Venus has an extremely dense atmosphere, which consists mainly of carbon dioxide and a small amount of nitrogen. Pressure at the planet's surface is about 92 times that at Earth's surface — a pressure equivalent to that at a depth of nearly 1km under the sea. The CO2-rich atmosphere, along with thick clouds of sulfur dioxide, generates the strongest greenhouse effect in the Solar System, creating surface temperatures of at least 462 °C . Dr Emmanuel Marcq of Laboratoire . Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales, France, said: 'If you see a . sulphur dioxide increase in the upper atmosphere, you know that . something has brought it up recently, because individual molecules are . destroyed there by sunlight after just a couple of days.' Dr . Jean-Loup Bertaux, principal investigator for the instrument that made . the detections, added: 'A volcanic eruption could act like a piston to . blast sulphur dioxide up to these levels, but peculiarities in the . circulation of the planet that we don’t yet fully understand could also . mix the gas to reproduce the same result.' Venus has a ‘super-rotating’ atmosphere that whips around the planet in just four Earth-days, much faster than the 243 days the planet takes to complete one rotation about its axis. Such rapid atmospheric circulation spreads the sulphur dioxide around, making it difficult to isolate any individual points of origin for the gas. Dr Marcq’s team speculate that if volcanism was responsible for the initial increase, then it could come from a relatively gentle increased output of several active volcanoes rather than one dramatic eruption. 'Alternatively, and taking into account the similar trend observed by Pioneer Venus, it’s possible that we are seeing decadal-scale variability in the circulation of the atmosphere, which is turning out to be even more complex than we could ever have imagined,' he noted. 'By following clues left by trace gases in the atmosphere, we are uncovering the way Venus works, which could point us to the smoking gun of active volcanism,' added Håkan Svedhem, ESA’s Project Scientist for Venus Express. VIDEO: NASA Scientist discusses agency's research into Venus Volcanoes: .

Scientists have not yet reached consensus on whether the planet's volcanoes remain active . Fluctuations in levels of sulphur dioxide seem to suggest the atmosphere of Venus is being affected by volcanic activity .

By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:40 EST, 11 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:13 EST, 11 June 2013 . Carbon monoxide poisoning is to blame for the death of an 11-year-old boy found in a Boone, North Carolina hotel room on Saturday and the deaths of an elderly couple found in the same room almost two months ago. The body of 11-year-old Jeffrey Lee Williams of Rock Hill, South Carolina was found shortly after noon on Saturday, along with his mother, Jeannie Williams, 49, who was rushed to a hospital in critical condition. Boone Police Chief Dana Crawford told reporters that 'a presumptive test indicated elevated level of carbon monoxide in the room.' Toxicology tests have confirmed that the deaths of Daryl Dean Jenkins, 73, and Shirley Mae Jenkins, 72, were both due to carbon monoxide poisoning . An autopsy on the boy's body found that he died from asphyxia - a severe lack of oxygen. The boy and his mother had been staying in room 225 at the Best Western Plus Blue Ridge Plaza at 840 E. King St. in Boone. Two month ago the bodies of Daryl Dean Jenkins, 73, and Shirley Mae Jenkins, 72, of Longview, Wash., were found in the same room. Autopsies conducted soon after the couple died had been incomplete, but full-blown toxicology tests only concluded this week have confirmed that their deaths were both due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The hotel is currently closed as authorities conduct an investigation into what happened in room 225, which is located directly above a room housing a natural gas heater for the hotel's indoor pool. A March 6 Watauga County Health Department inspectors report, obtained by the Charlotte Observer, showed the pool’s pump was not approved by an industry standards group. The report also found the pool’s chemical and equipment room needed better ventilation. Boone Police Chief Dana Crawford told reporters that 'a presumptive test indicated elevated level of carbon monoxide in the room' where Jeffrey Lee Williams was found dead . 'This needs to be corrected ASAP,' wrote the county health inspector. Such heaters can produce carbon monoxide, an odorless colorless gas that can cause illness and death. The boy and his mother had gone to Boone to pick up his sister from a mountain camp. The mom, Jeannie Williams, 49, has awoken from a medically induced coma but has no memory of what happened. 'We support a full investigation into . the cause of this horrible tragedy and we will not rest until we are . satisfied with the outcome,' said the family in a statement. 'The loss of Jeffrey from our family is . immeasurable.' A family friend told CNN: 'If you had this happen one time, why in hell didn't they do something about it?' The hotel will remain closed by police until at least Wednesday, when inspectors from the State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors are due to arrive. 'The health and safety of guests who stay at our hotel is our number one priority. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those involved. We are cooperating fully with authorities who are investigating this truly tragic incident,' said a hotel spokesperson. Doug Jenkins, a son of deceased couple, is said to be consulting with an attorney. Three people have died in the last couple of months after staying in room 225 at the Best Western Plus Blue Ridge Plaza in Boone, North Carolina . Video: Carbon monoxide linked to hotel deaths .

Jeffrey Lee Williams, 11, died Saturday morning from carbon monoxide poisoning . Two months ago an elderly couple died at the same room - 225 at the Best Western Plus Blue Ridge Plaza in Boone, North Carolina . Toxicology tests have confirmed that Daryl and Shirley Jenkins also died  from carbon monoxide poisoning . Hotel currently closed as authorities investigate a natural gas heater near the room .

Washington (CNN) -- With longtime Republican Sen. Dick Lugar going down in defeat, Democrats were quick to paint the conservative candidate who beat him in Indiana's primary as "too extreme." The result in Indiana was what Democrats had hoped for, but as the old proverb goes: "Be careful what you wish for, it might just come true." Lugar is the longest-serving Republican in the Senate and is known as a moderate who has been willing to reach across the aisle to work with Democrats during his 36 years in the chamber. He was defeated by more than 20 points in Tuesday's primary by Richard Mourdock, the two-term Indiana state treasurer, a much more conservative candidate who enjoyed strong backing from local and national tea party groups, as well as some other leading fiscal conservative organizations. Mourdock says he doesn't anticipate successful compromise in the Senate and hopes bipartisanship will be defined as Democrats backing the Republican agenda following the 2012 elections. "I hope to build a conservative majority so bipartisanship becomes Democrats joining Republicans to roll back the size of government, reduce the bureaucracy and get America moving again," Mourdock said Wednesday morning on CNN's "Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien." He added that those on both sides of the aisle should not compromise their principles, saying that "one side or the other has to win this argument, one side or the other will dominate." Minutes after Mourdock's victory over Lugar, national Democrats were quick to characterize Mourdock as too extreme for Indiana. "Richard Mourdock is a right wing Tea Party ideologue who questioned the constitutionality of Medicare and Social Security, says there should be more partisanship and less compromise in Washington, and actually compared himself to Rosa Parks," declared Guy Cecil, the executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, in a statement. "Tens of thousands of Hoosiers who have voted for Dick Lugar their entire voting lives are going to reject a Tea Party candidate like Richard Mourdock and support an honest, common sense job creator like Joe Donnelly," added Cecil. Donnelly, the Democrats' Senate nominee, is a former small business owner and current three-term congressman who represents Indiana's second district, which includes South Bend and other areas of the north-central part of the state. Cecil compared Mourdock to Ken Buck, the former Weld County, Colorado, district attorney who defeated the more moderate former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton in Colorado's 2010 GOP Senate primary then went on to lose his general election challenge to Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet. National Democrats hope that Donnelly will fare better against Mourdock than he would have against Lugar in a general election, where moderate voters from both parties and independents are crucial in determining who wins and loses. National Republicans quickly rallied around Mourdock. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a statement that Mourdock "has the NRSC's full support and we are committed to helping elect him as Indiana's next U.S. Senator in November." And Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said he fully backs Mourdock and looks "forward to welcoming him to the United States Senate next year." Freshman Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a darling of conservatives, sent an e-mail to his fundraising list Tuesday night, asking people to donate to Mourdock's campaign. While Republicans rally around Mourdock, Democrats have the match-up they dreamed about in Indiana. They suggest that many "disillusioned" Lugar supporters may now cross over and vote for Donnelly. And Cecil said that the Mourdock victory over Lugar "makes the Indiana Senate race a toss-up." But that's not the take right now from two of the top non-partisan political handicappers. The Rothenberg Political Report is keeping its ranking of the contest as "Lean Republican." "Richard Mourdock isn't Christine O'Donnell," says Stuart Rothenberg, the report's editor and publisher. O'Donnell was the tea party-backed candidate in Delaware who pulled an upset in the state's 2010 GOP Senate primary, defeating longtime Rep. Mike Castle, the GOP establishment candidate. O'Donnell lost by 16 points in the general election to Democrat Chris Coons. "While a Mourdock-Donnelly race will start off close, with some Republicans bitter over Dick Lugar's loss, over the long haul, Democrats have a decidedly uphill fight in this Republican-leaning state," Rothenberg added. The Cook Political Report is moving its rating of the race from "Likely Republican" to "Lean Republican." "This race is more competitive than it would have been if Lugar were the GOP nominee. We don't feel that it's in the toss up column now, but there's a potential to get there," saysJennifer Duffy, who covers Senate races for Cook. Then-Sen. Barack Obama won Indiana in 2008, the first Democrat to capture the state in a presidential election in 40 years. But Obama's re-election campaign may not spend a great amount of money and resources to try to keep the state in the "D" column this November, further complicating the Democrats' hopes of capturing Lugar's Senate seat. As for the big picture, the Democrats currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate. But they are defending 23 of the 33 seats up for grabs in November.

Democrats hoped to run against Mourdock, who they say is too "extreme" Mourdock defeated Lugar, GOP's longest-serving senator, in primary . Cook Political Report moved the race from "likely" GOP win to leaning that way . Democrats hope disillusioned Lugar backers will cross lines .

(CNN) -- The tiny principality of Monaco celebrated Friday the beginning of festivities for ruler Prince Albert, who wed his South African fiancee Charlene Wittstock, a former Olympic swimmer. The pair married in a civil ceremony at the palace Friday afternoon, which was followed by a picnic outside the palace and a concert by musician Jean Michel Jarre. A religious ceremony will take place Saturday, with an official dinner and a fireworks display lined up for later in the evening. The guest list for the wedding includes heads of state and the rich and famous, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy, British model Naomi Campbell, fashion designer Giorgio Armani and British business mogul Richard Branson. However, the United Kingdom's royal newlyweds -- Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge -- missed it as they are on an official tour of Canada. Preparations for the lavish event have been overshadowed this week by a report in the French news magazine L'Express that Wittstock was getting cold feet about the wedding after finding her fiance's private life was "not as exemplary as she imagined." The paper's claims were strongly denied by the palace as "false allegations", intended only "to seriously damage the image of the Sovereign, as a result of damaging that of Miss Wittstock, and bear down on this happy event." Albert's adviser, Christiane Stahl, told CNN affiliate BFM-TV that the two were "completely disappointed" by the story. The couple announced their engagement last summer, having first met at a swimming event in Monaco in 2000. The 53-year-old prince and ruler of Monaco, the only son of Princess Grace and the late Prince Rainier, has never married before. Like his 33-year-old fiancee, Albert is also an Olympian, having competed in five Olympic Winter Games -- from Calgary in 1988 to Salt Lake City in 2002 -- in bobsledding. She swam in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In 2005, Albert publicly acknowledged he had fathered a son with a flight attendant, and he has also acknowledged a daughter, now in her late teens. He formally became Monaco's ruler following the death of his father in 2005 and has two sisters, Princesses Caroline and Stephanie. Monaco, a sovereign principality, is one of the smallest countries in the world, measuring just under 2 square miles. It sits on the French Riviera and is bordered on three sides by France. It has a population of about 33,000.

NEW: Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock are wed in a civil ceremony at the palace . A religious ceremony and fireworks will follow Saturday . The lavish event has a star-studded guest list, including heads of state and celebrities .

In the biggest criminal case ever brought in the U.S. over contaminated medicine, 14 former owners or employees of a Massachusetts pharmacy were arrested and expected to be charged Wednesday in connection with a 2012 meningitis outbreak that killed 64 people. The nationwide outbreak - which also sickened over 750 -was traced to tainted drug injections manufactured by the now-closed New England Compounding Pharmacy in Framingham. The facility produced infected steroids, feds say, that were used for medical purposes, mostly as injections for back pain. Barry Cadden, a co-founder of the business, and Glenn Adam Chin, a pharmacist who was in charge of the sterile room, were hit with the most serious charges, accused in a federal racketeering indictment of causing the deaths of 25 patients in seven states by 'acting in wanton and willful disregard of the likelihood' of death or great bodily harm. Scroll down for video . Serious indictiment: New England Compounding Center President Barry Cadden (left) and pharmacist Glenn Adam Chin (right) were among 14 people from the Framingham, Massachusetts, pharmaceutical company arrested at their homes on Wednesday . Arrested: Carla Conigliaro (left), majority shareholder of New England Compounding Center, and her brother Douglas Conigliaro, owner and president of Medical Sales Management, were arrested in Deadham . Among other things, Cadden, Chin and others are accused of using expired ingredients, failing to properly sterilize drugs and failing to test them to make sure they were pure. The other defendants were charged with such crimes as fraud and interstate sale of adulterated drugs. U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz said NECC was 'filthy' and failed to comply with even basic health standards, and employees knew it. For example, she said, they falsified logs on when labs were cleaned. 'Production and profit were prioritized over safety,' Ortiz said. More than 750 people in 20 states were sickened — about half of them with a rare fungal form of meningitis, the rest with joint or spinal infections — and 64 died. The steroids given were for medical purposes, not for bodybuilding; most patients received the injections for back pain. In reaction to the outbreak, Congress last year increased federal oversight of so-called compounding pharmacies like NECC, which custom-mix medications in bulk and supply them directly to hospitals and doctors. Scene: Federal prosecutors say the New England Compounding in Framingham (pictured) manufactured tainted steroids that lead to a fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 64 people across the country . Linda Nedroscik of Howell, Michigan, said her husband, John, survived the tainted injection. But she said the 64-year-old 'still struggles, has nightmares.' 'It's hard to say it's a relief because it doesn't change anything for us in our physical lives,' she said of the indictment, 'but it takes a burden off emotionally.' Chin's lawyer, Stephen Weymouth, said he was stunned that prosecutors charged his client with second-degree murder under the racketeering law. 'He feels hugely remorseful for everything that's happened — for the injuries and the deaths — but he never intended to cause harm to anybody,' Weymouth said. 'It seems to be a bit of an overreach.' Messages were left for lawyers for 11 other defendants. Scathing: U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz told a press conference Wednesday that New England Compounding Pharmacy's high-ranking officials and pharmacists knew batches of injectable steroids were tainted with fungus but shipped the drugs anyway and faked inspection logs to cover it up . Charges will be laid: U.S. Associate Attorney General Stuart Delery speaks as federal officials announce the indictment of the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Boston, Massachusetts, on Wednesday . Lawyers for two defendants could not immediately be located. After the outbreak came to light, regulators found a host of potential contaminants at the pharmacy, including standing water, mold and dirty equipment. The business filed for bankruptcy after it was bombarded with hundreds of lawsuits from victims or their. The owners then established a $100 million fun for victims of the outbreak in 2013, according to CNN. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Delery said the defendants showed 'not only a reckless disregard for federal health and safety regulations, but also an extreme and appalling disregard for human life.' 'Every patient should have the peace of mind knowing that their medications are safe,' he said. Stand back: A Food and Drug Administration Agent stands at the doorway of New England Compounding Center in Framingham in October, 2012, following the meningitis outbreak . Bacteria: Meningitis is a potentially deadly inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord . Gregory Conigliaro, another co-founder, was among 12 of the 14 arrested at their homes around the state. Chin had been charged with mail fraud in September. All those charged were expected to make an initial court appearance later Wednesday. NECC was founded in 1998 by brothers-in-law Cadden and Conigliaro. Cadden earned a pharmacy degree from the University of Rhode Island. Conigliaro is an engineer. According to The Boston Herald, patients who were given NECC’s injectable methylprednisolone acetate began dying in September 2012. Deaths were reported across the country. Among the total were eight in Michigan, seven in Tennessee, three in Maryland, two in Virginia and one in Florida. The other defendants named in the inidictment are NECC Director of Operations Sharon P. Carter of Hopkinton, NECC National Sales Director Robert A. Ronzio of North Providence, R.I., and Alla V. Stepanets of Framingham, Kathy S. Chin of Canton and Michelle L. Thomas of Framingham, Gene Svirskiy of Ashland, Christopher M. Leary of Marlboro, Joseph M. Evanosky of Haverhill, and Scott M. Connolly of Brockton. Some were expected to appear in court later on Wednesday.

14 employees of New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts were arrested at their homes on Wednesday . Tainted steroids manufactured by the pharmacy in 2012 were blamed for a fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 64 people across the U.S. Feds say the drugs weren't sterilized and expired ingredients were used . Mold and bacteria found in the lab where the drugs were produced . 'Production and profit were prioritized over safety,' US attorney said . All facing criminal charges of racketeering, second degree murder, conspiracy, contempt and introduction of adulterated drugs into interstate commerce .

(CNN) -- A study finds that air pollution from Asia directly affects the storm pattern over the Pacific Ocean. Researchers further speculate that this could be driving freak winter weather in North America. "The Pacific storm track is a major driving force over global weather patterns," says the study's lead author Yuan Wang, a post-doctorate fellow at the NASA U.S. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "The modulated storm track can be linked to abnormal weather behavior in the mid-latitudes of the Northern hemisphere, including U.S. and Canada." Results from the decade-long research project were recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Smog central . Reports of high levels of air pollution regularly emerge from the Asia region. In January, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing recorded hazardous levels of particulate matter in the Chinese capital's air, at 18 times the recommended amount by the World Health Organization. Residents were warned to stay indoors. Around the same time, a report by Yale and Columbia sparked debate on whether Indian capital New Delhi had worse pollution than Beijing. Now, Wang and his fellow researchers say pollution in these Asian cities is becoming a global problem. Fossil fuel burning and petrochemical processing in Asia's rapidly developing economies lead to a build-up of aerosols, fine particles suspended in the air. Typically, aerosol formation is thought of as the antithesis to global warming: it cools our Earth's climate. But researchers say, too much of any one thing is never good. "Aerosols provide seeds for cloud formation. If you provide too many seeds, then you fundamentally change cloud patterns and storm patterns," says co-author of the study, Renyi Zhang, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University in College Station. From east to west . The study, which looked at simulated climate models using data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), shows that aerosols from Asia are transported to the Pacific region and intensifying the storm track there. Although the results only show the impact specifically on the Pacific Ocean region, researchers theorize that the full effect reaches around the globe. "We are observing the mid-latitude cyclone system, which transports heat and moisture from low to high latitudes. If this system is changed by air pollution from Asia, then global heat distribution will also be changed. We can expect that weather patterns over other parts of the world can be affected," says lead author Wang. Co-author Zhang further agrees that it is "very possible" that abnormal weather such as extremely cold winters in the U.S. are driven by Asian pollution. The experts will conduct more research to assess the full global impact of Asian pollution, including creating more climate models, monitoring storm patterns by satellite, and conducting measurements in the atmosphere.

Particles in the air known as aerosols are responsible for cloud formation . More aerosols blowing in from Asia to the Pacific Ocean means intensifying storm patterns, says new study . Speculation on intense Pacific storm track driving freak winter weather in U.S., Canada .

Arsenal survived the sending-off of striker Olivier Giroud for a reckless headbutt to beat QPR 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium and close back up on the top four of the Barclays Premier League. Sportsmail's Dave Wood rated the players' performance at the Emirates. Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez was always at the centre of the action against QPR . Arsenal (4-1-4-1) Szczesny 6 . Was a virtual spectator for most of the game and beaten by Austin's well-struck penalty. Debuchy 7 . Real threat down the right, linked up with Sanchez and defended well. Harsh award of penalty after he appeared to get a touch on ball before Hoilett went down. Mertesacker 6 . Found wanting in the air again as Caulker went close with header and sometimes wandered up into attack as a right winger. Tomas Rosicky impressed on his return to Arsenal line-up and scored second goal . Monreal 7 . Solid, unspectacular and important blocks to deny Zamora and Vargas. Gibbs 6.5 . Threat down the left, great cross for Sanchez's header. Stood firm in defence. Rosicky 7 . Impressive on his return, involved in best attacks and capped display with clinical finish. Olivier Giroud overreacted and was sent off for reckless headbutt on Nedum Onuoha . Flamini 6 . Directed operations from just inside QPR half. Protected defence after Giroud was sent off. Cazorla 7 . Neat and tiday, found pockets of space around the box and set up first goal for Sanchez. Sanchez 8 . Too quick, too clever, too good. Difference between the teams. Scored first after winning and missing penalty and set up second for Rosicky. Arsenal held on for victory despite dismissal of Giroud early in the second half . Giroud 4 . Was a real handful before he overreacted and was sent off for headbutt on Onuoha. Stupid. Welbeck 6 . Hustled and bustled but could not fashion an effort on goal. Subs . Chambers (for Rosicky 83) Coquelin (for Welbeck 88) Charlie Austin was starved of the ball and forced to chase hopeless causes . QPR (5-3-2) Green 6.5 . Saved penalty after early wobble and had no chance with either goal. Onuoha 7 . Stong, determined and pace was crucial as Arsenal launched wave after wave of attacks. Ferdinand 6.5 . Kept cool under intense pressure but lack of pace exposed by Welbeck for yellow card . Austin gave his side hope of grabbing a point with a well-struck penalty . Caulker 6.5 . Solid. Last ditch tackle to deny Sanchez and went close with header. Isla 5.5 . Pushed back by Gibbs into back five as Rangers were overrun in first half. Went close with header late on. Mutch 5.5 . Struggled to protect the defence and looked better going forward. Taken off in second half. Henry 5 . Could not get to grips with Arsenal midfield and wasteful on few occasions he got the ball. Armand Traore gave away a penalty with a silly challenge on Alexis Sanchez . Kranjcar 5 . Couldn't get hold of the ball and influence the match even when Arsenal wee reduced to 10 men. Traore 4 . Looked out on his feet after 20 minutes. Dived in to concede penalty and switched off for first goal. Vargas 5 . Chile team-mate of Sanchez told goalkeeper Green which way to dive for penalty save . Austin 6 . Found himself as an auxillary defender in first half. Starved of the ball for most of the game and forced to chase hopeless causes. Smashed in late penalty . Subs . Hoilett 6 (for Traore 62) Saw a lot of the ball, won penalty but final ball lacked quality. Fer 5.5 (for Henry 62) Brought on to inject pace into the QPR attack after sending off. Zamora 5.5 (for Mutch 71)

Alexis Sanchez (8) was difference between the teams and man of the match . Arsenal forward won and missed penalty, scored first and set up second . Olivier Giroud marked down to 4 after stupid headbutt on Nedum Onuoha . Armand Traore (4) gave away penalty and switched off for Arsenal goal .

By . Sam Webb . Police have seized some of world’s fastest and most desirable supercars in a crackdown on uninsured drivers, including a classic Bentley, a Tron-style Lamborghini - and also a £1million crane. Scotland Yard has impounded 100,000 uninsured vehicles in London since October 2011, among them valuable McLarens, Bentleys and BMWs. In November 2013, a six-litre Bentley . Continental GTC was seized in Bromley after the driver was found to be . uninsured, and in October last year, a £400,000 customised Lamborghini . Aventador was taken off the road when the motorist’s insurance policy . was found to not cover such an expensive vehicle. Scroll down for video . Valuable: Three Lamborghinis, including one with an eye-catching Tron-style paint job, are among the supercars seized by police in a crackdown on uninsured motorists . Other supercars seized in the last year include a Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche Boxsters and a Lamborghini Spyder. Uninsured drivers face six penalty points . and a £300, and they could also see their cars either sold at auction . or crushed if they fail to reclaim them in time. A police spokesperson said: 'It needs to . be stressed that the MPS does not just focus on high value cars but any . vehicle that is not being driven in accordance with the law. Plush: A classic Bentley was among the 100,000 vehicles seized since October 2011 . Supercar: In November 2013, a six-litre Bentley Continental GTC was seized in Bromley after the driver was found to be uninsured . 'High value cars are not automatically sent to be crushed. If the owner doesn’t come and collect them within a designated time, they will be auctioned off. 'Uninsured drivers are five times more likely to be involved in a road collision, and many are more likely to be involved in criminal activity.' Since . Operation Cubo began, the Met has raised more than £5.5 million at . auction by selling seized vehicles, including selling a bright orange . Aventador for £218,000. MPS . Commander Stephen Watson said: 'Operation Cubo is strong, visible . action that demonstrates the MPS’ commitment and determination to . serving the public and making London’s streets safer. 'Working . alongside our partners we have achieved significant results through . large scale seizures of uninsured and un-roadworthy vehicles.' Seized: An Aston Martin is loaded up and taken away on a flatbed lorry . Uninsured drivers face six penalty points and a £300, and they could also see their cars either sold at auction or crushed if they fail to reclaim them in time. Pictured, a Jaguar XF . Campaign: The seizures, which included this McLaren, were a result of two operations launched by the Metropolitan Police Service . He added: . 'While in addition making numerous arrests of suspects wanted in . connection to a variety of offences, some of which impact negatively on . our communities such as drugs and firearms related. 'We are targeting criminals by denying them the use of the roads so it’s much harder for them to commit crime. 'We . have arrested robbers, burglars and rapists as a result of Operation . Cubo and will continue to arrest these people as they attempt to travel . around the capital. 'We’re also helping to make London’s roads safer for all that use them and will continue our efforts.' Since Operation Cubo began, the Met has raised more than £5.5 million at auction by selling seized vehicles, including selling a bright orange Lamborghini Aventador for £218,000 . A police spokesperson said: 'It needs to be stressed that the MPS does not just focus on high value cars but any vehicle that is not being driven in accordance with the law.' Pictured, a BMW Z4 .

Supercars including Bentleys, Lamborghinis and McLarens seized by Met . Cars seized may be sold at auction if owners fail to reclaim them in time . One was a bright orange Lamborghini Aventador, sold for £218,000 .

People who use emojis in text messages have more sex than those who don't, according to Match.com's annual dating survey. The Singles in America study polled more than 5,600 single people of all ages, ethnicities, incomes and walks of life; and found that emoji users were more likely to report having sex at least monthly than non-emoji users. The 'wink' is the most widely used emoji overall, but when you separate men and women, men are more likely to pepper their texts with 'kiss' and 'heart eyes' emojis, while women prefer 'smileys'. Score! Match.com's Singles in America study polled more than 5,600 single people of all ages, ethnicities, incomes and walks of life, and found that emoji users were more likely to report having sex at least monthly . According to biological anthropologist Dr Helen Fisher, who helped lead the study, emojis are popular simply because they help us communicate more effectively in a medium (texting) in which sentiments can otherwise fall flat. 'Technology is dramatically changing how we court, but it can’t change the brain systems for romance', she writes for Match.com. Indeed, around 50per cent of men and women agree that emojis 'show personality' and around 35per cent of both sexes say they make 'expressing feelings' easier. Just don't spell your feelings wrong. The study also found that 54per cent of single women and 36per cent of men find misspellings and incorrect grammar to be the biggest text message turn-offs. Poll: The correlation between sex and emoji-use held true for men and women. Pictured (horizontal) emoji use and (vertical) per cent of singles who had sex at least monthly in 2014 . The eyes have it: The 'wink' is the most widely used emoji overall, but when you separate men and women, men are more likely to pepper their texts with 'kiss' and 'heart eyes' emojis, while women prefer 'smileys' Speaking to TIME, Dr Fisher added that women who use 'kiss-related' emojis said they have an easier time achieving orgasms with a familiar partner. The correlation between sex and emoji use held true for men and women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, and the more regularly people use emojis, the more active they reported their sex lives to be. And it's not all about flings and casual sex. Emoji users are also twice as likely to want marriage one day. Or perhaps they're just better at expressing their desires. Good thing there's an 'engagement ring' emoji.

Match.com's Singles of America study polled more than 5,600 single people of all ages, ethnicities and incomes . Emoji users are twice as likely to want marriage than people who have never used one . Women who use 'kiss-related' emojis said they have an easier time achieving orgasms with a familiar partner . Fifty-four per cent of women and 36per cent of men find misspellings and incorrect grammar to be the biggest text message turn-offs .

(CNN) -- After meeting a number black couples in crisis, Nisa Muhammad and Dr. Rozario Slack were inspired to create Basic Training for Couples. Nisa Muhammad, who founded National Black Marriage Day, co-created the Basic Training for Couples program. The eight-week program educates dating, engaged or married couples about the value of commitment, responsibility to the black community, psychological differences between the sexes, sexual intimacy and conflict resolution. Slack created the male-friendly portion while Muhammad, who founded National Black Marriage Day and the Wedded Bliss Foundation, created the female-friendly portion. In the program, couples also learn about the history of the African-American marriage and many for the first time plot their own family tree to trace marriage and divorces. The following is rundown of the eight-week course: Class No. 1: Why marriage? This class teaches the benefits of marriage for men, women, children and the community. It gives the history of marriage in the black community from slavery when marriage was illegal to today's trends. Icebreaker: Q & A: How couples met? Homework: . 1. Choose songs to reflect their love for each other . 2. Marriage family tree . Class No. 2: From I to we; the sweetness of surrender . This class helps couples transition from "I thinking" to "we thinking." It helps them understand the value of making their marriage a priority in their lives. Class No. 3: Communication; getting your message understood . This class helps couples take responsibility for their communication and teaches skills to improve their communication techniques. Main lessons: . • Respecting differences between men and women . • Learning to talk to each other and not at each other . • Format: Teaching session with dialogue. • Activity: The talking stick, during conversation only the individual holding the stick can speak. Class No. 4: Conflict management . This class helps couples understand that conflict needs to be managed, or it will manage you. It helps to normalize some conflict that couples experience with the understanding that some conflict cannot be resolved and can only be managed. Lessons: . • This class targets biases. When there's a difference of opinions, generally the stronger spouse wants his or her way. • How to bring closure to old issues instead of combining them into new issues/conflict. • Agree to disagree and not degrade your spouse for having a difference of opinion. Activity: Break up into gender groups to discuss current conflicts. The group works out ways to solve the issue . Class No. 5: Let's make love . When the sex is good in a marriage, it's only about 20 percent of what's going on. When it's bad, it's a significant problem. This class helps to solve some of those problems. The approach was from a physiological and biological perspective of the differences between the male's and female's body. Discussion included chemical bonding effect in women and men. Class No. 6: From yours and mine to ours . Many couples in the black community bring children from other relationships to their marriage. This class helps to blend the family into one cohesive unit. It also talks about preventing in-laws from becoming outlaws. Class No. 7: Keeping the FIRE burning . FIRE is an acronym for Faithful, Intimacy, Responsibility and Excitement. This class helps couples maintain the FIRE in their relationship. Class No. 8: From this day forward . This class helps couples understand the value of commitment in their marriage and never to make divorce an option. They create their own place for success. Recap of all the lessons together: . • Remembering people gravitate to the applause • Ways to appreciate and affirm your spouse • Setting time for just the two of you • Learning to communicate, getting your message heard and understood . Bonus class: Hot monogamy . Gets couples comfortable to discuss sex with their spouse. Graduation . A ceremony of new beginnings, couples testify what the class brought to their marriage over the eight-week period. Lots of emotions and bonding during this time between husbands and wives. Graduating couples are encouraged to bring a couple from their community or family who needs help.

Nisa Muhammad and Rozario Slack created a Basic Training for Couples . The eight-week program helps dating, engaged and married couples stay on track . Unhealthy relationships give kids inaccurate views of marriage, says Muhammad .

By . Stephen Johns . A jealous husband who thought his wife had cheated on him littered the neighbourhood with racy pictures of her in an act of revenge. Ian Cuthbert stuck the saucy posters on cars and trees and even pinned one on the noticeboard at a local primary school. They showed a photo of Alison Kidd in a provocative pose wearing black lingerie alongside the wording ‘Lock up your husbands’ and ‘Married 16/03/2013 and committing adultery within days’. Couple: Alison Kidd and Ian Cuthbert wed last year but fell out several months later and are now divorcing . Cuthbert, who thought the 34-year-old nursery assistant had cheated on . him with another  man, began his campaign when their marriage faltered . just six months after they became man  and wife. The IT manager had a . number of the leaflets printed, which he nailed to trees and put on car . windshields and through letterboxes. Raunchy: Cuthbert distributed this poster of his estranged wife around their neighbourhood . Mother-of-two Miss Kidd, who is now seeking a divorce, said he was very bitter after she announced she was leaving him. She said: ‘It was an extremely abusive relationship. ‘I’m happy to put it behind  me and try to move on with my  life. It was mental abuse and a  very bad time in my life. I was shocked and embarrassed by what happened, but to be honest I wasn’t surprised he did something like that.’ The couple were married on March 16 last year at the Houston House Hotel in Uphall, West Lothian, but the marriage soon fell into difficulty and Miss Kidd moved out of their home in July last year. In September Cuthbert began distributing the posters of his wife around the East Craigs area of Edinburgh. Miss Kidd added: ‘It was the sort of thing he would do. He’s a nasty piece of work. He was very bitter that I wanted to leave and he was paranoid. I previously received a string of abusive texts and emails from him.’ Cuthbert, 46, pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by putting flyers up near to East Craigs Primary School. Fiscal depute Bruce Macrosson told the court earlier this week that Miss Kidd had been informed about the flyers by friends and contacted police. Defence solicitor, James Kelly, representing Cuthbert, said:  ‘He accepts his responsibility for the offence.’ Guilty: Cuthbert has admitting behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards Ms Kidd . Sheriff Isabella McColl told Cuthbert that his actions were ‘a form of assault’ and called for background reports. Sentencing was deferred. Miss Kidd said her husband’s bail conditions meant he was prevented from approaching her or coming near to where she lives. ‘The police told me they expect he’ll get away with community sentence. I just want to make sure I never see him again.’

Ian Cuthbert and Alison Kidd married in March last year but soon fell out . In September he made a poster of her captioned 'Lock up your husbands' Put up the picture on school noticeboard and pinned it to trees .

By . Becky Evans . Brazilian football hero Ronaldo is to move to Britain to become a student, it was revealed today. The World Cup winner will come to live in London next month and plans to study advertising, according to Brazil's Veja magazine. It is believed the former Real Madrid striker will stay for at least two years and take up a work placement with London-based communications company WPP, under the guidance of Sir Martin Sorrell. Write caption here . Known as The Phenomenon in Brazil, Ronaldo has run his own sports marketing agency 9ine for the past two years. The star, who has houses in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and a private island off the Rio coast, is also on the organising committees for the 2014 Brazil World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics. His spokesman recently confirmed Ronaldo's plans to learn the tricks of the trade with WPP's founder Martin Sorrell. He said: 'He intends to go to England, which he will receive advice and guidance from Mr Sorrell, who's the head of the world's largest advertising company.' WPP is the world's largest communications services group, employing 162,000 people, in 3,000 offices in 110 countries. Multi-millionaire Sir Martin built the business up after taking a stake in Wire and Plastic Products Plc in 1985 and transforming it into an international communications group. The company moved its headquarters to Dublin in 2008 but announced last month that it will now pay its taxes in Britain from January 2 this year. Ronaldo, 36, said in an interview that he could not wait to become a student again. He told Brazil's Meio e Mensagem newspaper: 'Eighteen years have passed and I've hardly studied at all. I feel a great need to become a student again. 'I've learned a lot in life, travelling, living abroad, just in the school of life. The Phenomenon: Ronaldo (centre) scored two goals to help his side to the 2002 World Cup . 'But I also have to immerse myself in something. Learning from Martin Sorrell will be perfect. 'I won't leave him alone, I'll be asking him questions the whole day, just like a striker. He's going to have to tell me everything.' Ronaldo, full name Ronaldo Nazario de Lima, retired from football last year after a glittering career. In 2002, he won the World Cup for his country, scoring two goals in the final.

The World Cup winner plans to study advertising for two years . Star will take up work placement at London-based communications company . Footballer has previously said he has a 'great need' to be a student again .

By . Shari Miller . PUBLISHED: . 10:14 EST, 19 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:14 EST, 19 January 2014 . Fast food-loving newlyweds came up with the perfect way to celebrate their marriage after commissioning special portraits of themselves on a pair of pizzas. Newlyweds Kieran and Natasha Morris, from Bury, Manchester, asked their favourite pizza company, Domino's, to recreate their faces on two large 13inch pizza bases, complete with tomato puree, ham and sweetcorn. The pizza firm turned to celebrity portrait artist, Nathan Wyburn, who has previously appeared on Britain's Got Talent and specialises in creating iconic pictures out of everything from Marmite on toast, to ketchup, sugar, chocolate, toothpaste and even fake tan. Slice of happiness: Kieran and Natasha Morris commissioned these special self-portraits on pizzas to celebrate their wedding day . In just three hours, the pizza perfect creations were ready and presented to the happy couple on Saturday, following the ceremony in Preston, Lancashire. Kieran said they decided to order the unusual dish as a surprise for guests who are always joking about how much pizza the couple eat. He said: 'The pizza-selfie portraits were like nothing we could have imagined - definitely our most unusual wedding present! 'We were completely overwhelmed to see our faces on the pizzas, and the guests absolutely loved them. 'We order Domino's pizza all the time - so it felt right to incorporate them into the most special day of our lives.' Support worker Kieran and student Natalie started dating seven years ago. Kiss the bride (and slice the pizza): Kieran and Natasha asked Domino's to come up with the unusual dishes . Topping it off: The happy couple are known pizza lovers . They are shortly due to enjoy their honeymoon at a nature reserve near Reykjavik, Iceland. Ahmed Faraz from Domino's, said: 'We are really excited that Domino's are able to be a part of Kieran and Natasha's big day in such a unique way. 'It's been really fun working behind the scenes to recreate the pizza-selfies for such big fans and we wish them all the best for the future.' Pizza perfect: Celebrity portrait artist Nathan Wyburn was commissioned to recreate the newlyweds' faces .

Kieran and Natasha Morris asked Domino's to recreate their faces on pizza . Celebrity artist Nathan Wyburn helped rustle up the unusual creations . 'Selfie' pizzas made from tomato puree, ham and sweetcorn .

By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 13:05 EST, 4 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:44 EST, 4 January 2013 . For those of you who enjoy getting sweaty and steamy on the floor mat during strenuous hot Bikram yoga classes, there's a new kid in town. Hot Pilates offers similarly bendy-bodied fun in a toasty chamber heated to 35 degrees Celsius, but this time classes are less focused on practicing calmly meditative Downward Dog poses, and more intent on developing core strength and muscle tone, and banishing chronic aches and pains. Celebrities including Madonna, Jennifer Aniston, Miranda Kerr, Claire Danes and even David Beckham are devoted Pilates fans, and the hot version has even more health benefits than the classic chilled sort. Feel the burn: Like Bikram yoga, hot Pilates is practiced in a room heated to 35 degrees Celsius . Pilate practitioners: Actress Jennifer Aniston, left, and singer Madonna, right, both use Pilates to keep themselves in shape . Where yoga - which originated in India about 5,000 - focuses on strength, . flexibility and breathing to boost physical and mental well-being, Pilates - created by German-born Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s - is an exercise system that focuses on stretching and strengthening the whole body to improve balance, muscle-strength, flexibility and posture. The practice was initially adopted by professional dancers in the US as an effective form of recovery after injury, but is now practiced around the world. And now more and more centres across the UK are introducing hot Pilates, an exercise class already proving to be the hottest trend of 2013. Crank up the heat: Benefits of doing Pilates in a hot room include detoxification and boosting the immune system . The main health benefits of hot Pilates are: . •    Detoxification: sweating on a regular basis allows the body to release toxins and waste from within, providing room for vital nutrients and hydration. Be prepared to sweat in your hot Pilates class! •    Healthy connective tissue: Pilates opens the body’s connective tissue. Hot Pilates enhances this process, allowing the body to stretch more fully, lubricate and renew, resulting in greater flexibility and energy . •    Boosts immunity: viruses cannot survive in high temperatures, so increasing the body’s core temperature fights infections, which are pushed out through the sweat.  Practicing hot Pilates also increases the body’s production of white blood cells, which fight infection. •    Weight Loss: stretching deeper builds more muscle, which burns more fat. Hot Pilates can result in weight loss. Diet also improves as the body craves healthier food when practicing regularly . Scroll down for a few places in Britain where you can sample the sweaty delights of hot Pilates..... Detoxify: Sweating on a regular basis allows the body to release toxins and waste from within, providing room for vital nutrients and hydration . Yotopia, Covent Garden, London . 'The teachers use styles of their own, and incorporate different sequences in the hot yoga and Pilates classes to ensure that no class is the same.  This ensures that the body, and the mind, are constantly challenged by fresh sequencing, and limits the tendency of the muscles to become lazy through too much repetition.' 'Sign up to Boutique Sport at www.boutiquesport.com for access to exclusive free fitness sessions such as hot Pilates every other month' Breeze Yoga, Beckenham . 'Core strength is the foundation of Pilates exercise.  The core muscles are the deep, internal muscles of the abdomen and back. When the core muscles are strong and doing their job, as they are trained to do in Pilates, they work in tandem with the more superficial muscles of the trunk to support the spine and movement.' 'Help yourself tone up and firm up with Hot Pilates. This excercise creates a blend of Yoga, Pilates and heat. So if you are trying to get in shape, or just on a health kick, give it a go. We offer Hot Pilates classes for everyone begginers right through to experts. Check out our timetable or contact us on the details provided.' 'The top benefits doing of Pilates exercise that people report are that they become stronger, longer, leaner, and more able to do anything with grace and ease.'

Madonna, Jennifer Aniston and Miranda Kerr are devoted Pilates fans . Hot Pilates benefits include detox, weight loss and immune system boost . Centres around UK increasingly offering hot Pilates .

Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Haiti's capital awoke to increasing desperation Thursday morning, a day and a half after a devastating earthquake, with covered bodies piling up along streets and modern aspects of life, such as electricity, mostly missing. The streets of Port-au-Prince resembled grainy black-and-white newsreels from World War II that showed the rubble of bombed-out houses in Berlin and London. The devastation was wide and often horrific. A one-hour drive from the airport to a walled-in hotel where the CNN contingent is staying revealed the widespread destruction from Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake. Flattened and severely damaged houses were found on every block, and the streets were choked with pedestrians and residents. They set up overnight camps and slept by the thousands in dark and crowded parks and on sidewalks, for fear of being inside if another powerful quake hit. Numerous aftershocks have rattled the capital. Sporadic gunfire was heard Wednesday night outside the hotel where CNN is lodged. Sirens could be heard at times, but the predominant sounds in the pre-dawn darkness were the shouts and screams from the thousands of people who spent the night in a dark park across the street. A rooster's crowing could sometimes be heard above the din. After electricity in the hotel was shut off at 1 a.m., CNN technicians worked on satellite equipment by flashlight. The hotel resembles a compound, with razor wire topping eight-foot walls and a gated parking lot, guarded by a man wielding an old shotgun. And although the hotel's residents seemed safe, and street violence had not been seen, there was a feeling of apprehension. As dawn broke, residents wandered slowly through the streets, their destination unknown in a city with seemingly nowhere to go. Still, there were glimmers of hope that the situation was inching toward improvement. The airport, damaged by the quake, began to come back to life Wednesday. The Aeroport International Toussaint Louverture had been closed since the quake struck. But by Wednesday afternoon, the first small-plane commercial flights started to arrive. The airport picked up energy and vitality as planes carrying supplies and ferrying search-and-rescue squads began filling the tarmac. Francklin Pierre, manager for Haiti's Copa Airlines, was in his airport office on Tuesday, sending an e-mail to a friend in Trinidad and Tobago, when he felt the tremor just before 5 p.m. He stood up and stumbled out of his office but could not go far because the building was shaking so hard. "It was an eternity for me," he said. "That building was shaking like a paper." His mother and daughter survived, Pierre said, but his father is missing. "We are all still looking for my father," he said. "We can't reach him. We don't know where he is." Lionel Isaac, director of the airport authority, said engineers will examine the structural damage Thursday to see if the terminal can be opened again. The runway and the electricity are sound, he said. If the terminal cannot be opened any time soon, Isaac said, an American Airlines cargo building may be used as temporary terminal. He hopes to have 30-seat commercial airplanes flying into the airport within the next few days. Large military cargo aircraft were landing routinely and often Wednesday afternoon. Several U.S. Coast Guard and Air Force planes stood on the tarmac, their engines running the whole time. One took on a load of passengers and left. International help also started to arrive. Thirty-five members of the Icelandic Search and Rescue Team arrived aboard a large jet. "They will stay here for as long as it takes," said Thorbjorn Johnsson, a counselor from the Icelandic Foreign Ministry who accompanied the team. "We offered to help and Haiti accepted." A Canadian military squad also arrived to drop off supplies and a reconnaissance squad, in preparation for a disaster response team scheduled to arrive Thursday aboard a C-17 cargo plane with two helicopters on board. The Canadian crew planned to leave Wednesday night to make room for other planes on the crowded tarmac. "Once I've dropped that off, I'm just taking up room," said Capt. Wayne Freeland, the plane's pilot. "I've got to make room for everyone else. I'm just a bus driver, my friend." American Airlines, which has been flying into Port-Au-Prince for 40 years, has brought in 30,000 pounds of water and food and plans to bring in more Thursday, said Art Torno, the airline's managing director for the Caribbean. As the sun climbed into the sky Thursday, the din from the park across the street from the hotel quieted, replaced by an occasional car horn and the chattering of residents speaking their rapid-fire French patois. A small crowd of young men gathered at a concrete wall that had toppled at a home next to the hotel. Stooped over, they busted the concrete blocks into smaller chunks, their purpose in doing so not readily apparent.

Bodies pile up in streets; residents wander, apparently aimlessly, in rubble . Many Haitians sleeping outdoors for fear more tremors will collapse buildings . But reopening of airport, arrival of aid bring glimmer of hope . Airport runway and electricity are OK, officials say; terminal being checked for damage .

‘Have you met the Queen? She rides a lot. She should come here and ride with me!’ Mzee’s eyes brightened at the prospect. ‘She likes polo too!’ he added gleefully. ‘We don’t get to do enough of that here!’ But for Mzee – real name David – there’s no shortage of excitement to be found closer to home in southern Kenya’s picturesque Chyulu Hills. While polo might be an occasional treat for him, a bigger treat for me was just around the next acacia bush. ‘Look, look!’ he hissed, standing up in his stirrups. Saddle up on safari: Mawingu (left) with Mzee during a sunlit evening galloping around the savannah . Crashing through the underbrush, its broad grey back seemingly impervious to the spiny shrubs, was an enormous elephant. There was nothing but a short stretch of scrubby grass between it and me. A 100km stretch of volcanic mountains bisected by broad, grassy plains studded with thorny acacia trees, the Chyulu Hills might be a national park but they’re barely known compared to the mighty Masaai Mara to the west and the wildlife-packed Tsavo to the east. As a result, you’re never likely see hordes of vehicles converge on a sighting, if, indeed, you see anyone else at all. What you will find, however, are animals and plenty of them. Within seconds of stepping off the little bush plane that ferried us down to Chyulu from Nairobi’s international airport, we’d spotted a couple of honking wildebeest, a twitchy group of oryx and a dazzle – yes, that is the proper name – of peacefully grazing zebra. Magnificent: A giraffe picks its way delicately through the Chyulu Hills, photographed by Travelmail's Ruth . Sundowner with a difference: A group of local Maasai troop down the hill to dance for visitors at ol Donyo Lodge . But while seeing them from a game vehicle is fun, nothing beats getting up close and personal from the back of a horse. Mine was named Mawingu, a word that means cloud in the local Maa language and given to him on account of his pristine cream-coloured hide. We got along from the start, his nippy turn of pace and eagle eye for thorny bushes dovetailing neatly with my own plans: to see as much of the local wildlife as possible, while beating the zebras at their own game as they galloped across the savannah. With me was Mzee, given the Swahili honorific meaning grandfather by the younger men, and a chap who certainly knows his stuff when it comes to wildlife. Stunning: The lovely ol Donyo Lodge is run by the charming (and very funny) Ray and Alyssa . Striking: During the Great Migration, more than a million wildebeest and zebra stream into the Masai Mara . ‘You see . that?’ he’d ask as my much-younger eyes tried and failed to pick out a . black-backed jackal scurrying along in the distance. ‘You see?’ Sometimes I did, quite often I didn’t. What . I did see a lot of were elephants, many of which came daily to drink . from the watering hole in front of ol Donyo Lodge where I stayed. A . quirky mix of modern cool and Masaai detail, the lodge sits on a huge . private reservation and boasts its own stables, as well as entertainment . in the shape of managers Ray and Alyssa and their lovely staff. My room was vast – easily as big as the average London flat and with a private deck, complete with a personal pool. From . here, I watched as the local giraffes and elephants trudged to and from . the water, scattering smaller game as they made their way through the . trees. Enjoying the view: Along with wildebeest, a balloon ride is a good way to see buffalo and gazelle . Adorable: Daniel unearthed a cute dik dik antelope within 15 minutes of beginning the search . It would have been easy to stay put by that pool but Mawingu was waiting as was Ol’ Donyo’s other big natural attraction – a set of enormous fossilised lava tubes. Perched high on a hilltop, 30 minutes of rugged safari track and regular game sightings away, seeing Ol Donyo’s lava tubes requires sensible shoes – ideally not the suede loafers I had on – and nerves of steel. Down a steep track littered with rocks you go, dodging rock fig roots and keeping a safe distance from the local bats as you do. Inside, the tunnels are dark and vast, massive burned black walls, fractured with streaks of red sandstone. It feels a bit like being in your own Indiana Jones film, albeit that the treasure at the end is emerging, blinking into the light to find sundowners and ‘bities’ waiting for you. Bities, or small canapes, are one of the highlights of a Kenyan safari and Ol Donyo does them especially well. Banana and bacon bites, salty macadamia nuts and tiny goat’s cheese toasts all go down well after a hike deep into a lava tube. Delicious though they were, they tasted best following a sweaty gallop across the plain below with Mawingu and Mzee. On my first horseback safari, I found myself getting unexpectedly close to the natives: sitting quietly as a giraffe passed within feet of us, watching as a jackal – most of which dash off at the first rumbling of a car engine – edged closer, and freezing as an elephant ventured by. Adorable: The Masai Mara is crammed with wildlife, among them the Big Five, hippos and cheetah . ‘If it . charges at us, we’ll gallop away,’ said Mzee, reassuringly, although we . never had to. Lions and other big cats are few and far between in the . Chyulu Hills, not so good for first time visitors to Kenya but better . for those who want to ride. And in any case, there were plenty where we were going next: The mighty Masaai Mara. Lion, cheetah, leopard, hippo, elephant, giraffe and many more, you don’t have to go far to see something. With a Masaai guide like Daniel, the fantastically knowledgeable man in charge of our party, it takes minutes. ‘What do you want to see?’ he asked as we clambered into the car. I . wanted to see a dik dik – an adorably tiny antelope with huge Bambi . eyes. Heavenly: Sundowners with Mara Encounter Maasai guide Daniel came with a spectacular view . By the time we reached Encounter Mara, an open tented camp run by a cheerful South African named Colin and his Kenyan wife Chala, we’d seen one. While you fall asleep to the quiet sound of giraffes brushing through the bushes at Ol Donyo, at Mara Encounter, it’s to the huffing noise of hunting lions and the honking of their prey – wildebeest. It was the same story again at Mara Toto, a tiny tented camp close to the Mara River where each year, millions of wildebeest and zebra pile through the water en masse during the Great Migration. Although we didn’t see a crossing, we did get up early for a balloon flight that gave some sense of the scale of it. Below our silent vehicle, scores of wildebeest dotted the plain like black ants spilling from a termite mound, albeit much noisier. It was a truly incredible sight. But much in Kenya is incredible. From the bright pink flamingos of Lake Nakuru to the gorgeous Indian Ocean beaches of the coast where I ended my trip, it’s hard not to fall in love with the place. Perfect finish: The trip ended with a few days spent relaxing on a gorgeous Indian Ocean beach in Watamu . Sitting in a deckchair at the gorgeous Medina Palms, an idyllic bolthole perched on a sugar sand beach in Watamu, I didn’t want to leave. But it was the Chyulu Hills that proved the real eye opener. Hidden away in a corner of the country rarely visited by foreign tourists, overshadowed by the mighty Mount Kilimanjaro and home to some of the most beautiful beasts on the planet, the national park is a real hidden gem. Much like Mzee in fact. Perhaps he really will get to play polo with the Queen one day. In the meantime, he’ll have to settle for watching the elephants go by with me. Travemail stayed at ol Donyo Lodge in . the Chyulu Hills, where . prices start at £366 ($615) per room, per night. In the Maasai Mara, we . stayed at Encounter Mara in the Naboisho Conservancy, where prices start at £268 ($450) per person, . per night and Mara Toto, . where rooms start at £372 ($625) per person, per night. In Watamu, we . stayed at the beautiful Medina Palms, which boasts . a beachfront setting and where rooms start at £70 ($121) per person, . per night. Flights to Kenya with Kenya Airways from London start at £732.41 ($1,228) return. Internal flights with . Boskovic Air Charters Ltd start at £1,840 ($3,082) for a private plane . seating 12. Flights to Malindi from Nairobi with Air Kenya start from £106 ($179) one way. An air balloon ride with Balloon Safaris costs $450 including a champagne breakfast. - . For more information on visiting Kenya, contact the Kenya Tourism Board on 0207 367 0931 or visit: magicalkenya.com .

Kenya's Chyulu Hills may not be as well known as the mighty Masaai Mara to the west and the wildlife-packed Tsavo to the east, but it's no less exciting . Get there by bush plane from Nairobi and immediately meet majestic beasts . Nothing beats getting up close and personal with wildlife from horseback . ol Donyo Lodge is a quirky mix of modern cool and Masaai detail . Watch local giraffes and elephants from the private pool .

(CNN) -- When Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup there was much pomp and pageantry in the tiny Persian Gulf state. Ever since then, however, the successful bid has been dogged by controversy. Issues relating to the feasibility of playing in scorching summer temperatures, the conditions of migrant workers building World Cup infrastructure and allegations of bribery and corruption have all been raised. The latest are reports from the UK's Sunday Times newspaper claiming a Qatari official paid more than $5 million to secure support for his country's bid. That prompted some of FIFA's main partners -- who are believed to pay around $180 million in sponsorships -- like Adidas and Sony to voice their concerns. "We expect these allegations to be investigated appropriately, and continue to expect FIFA to adhere to its principles of integrity, ethics and fair play across all aspects of its operations," Sony said in a statement. An independent FIFA investigator is looking into the claims and his findings are expected in July. Qatar says they are cooperating in the probe and that it won the bid fairly. But the debate has now raised questions about whether Qatar could lose the 2022 tournament. Some like UEFA boss, Michel Platini, believe a re-vote is necessary if corruption accusations are proven. As a result, doubt has been cast on whether the country should continue its preparations. Work on the first stadium has already begun and the government has earmarked much of this year's $62 billion budget for World Cup infrastructure spending. Without the tournament, some building plans could slow down. "The decline in construction activities is going to have an impact on overall GDP growth," said Farouk Soussa, chief economist for the Middle East at Citigroup Global Markets. "If you look long term, the bigger risk is the loss of brand Qatar." "Qatar has ambitions to be the regional hub for congress, finance, tourism, etc. The world cup was an integral part of that plan," Soussa added. But Qatari officials say plans will go ahead. "First we are confident that the world cup will be in Qatar in 2022. Second nothing will stop, everything will go forward in fast steps," said Rashid bin Ali Al-Mansoori, CEO of the Qatar Stock Exchange. "As we saw in Qatar there are so many projects that started even before the announcement of winning the World Cup ... the hospital, the metro, the stadium, the airports, the new ports, the Lusail cities." "All these are, you know, for the generations to come. It's not only for one event," Al-Mansoori added. Still, the uncertainty sent jitters through Qatar's financial markets after the initial Sunday Times report emerged. Roughly $5 billion was wiped off the main stock exchange in the first two days, although some of those losses were later made back. Yet despite the significant impact of these financial shocks, economists point out the country still has its enormous gas wealth to fall back on. It remains the world largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, a fact that's not expected to change any time soon. "Qatar's cost of extraction is much, much lower than all these new emerging sources are so Qatar always has a cost advantage in terms of providing gas to the market," said Soussa. "The other thing is that of course Qatar has long term contracts in place that are very aggressive in tying in 20, 30 year contracts, so Its market share is relatively stable," he added. Whether this could change for better or worse if the Gulf state loses the right to host the 2022 World Cup, however, remains to be seen.

Corruption allegations have been made regarding Qatar's successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup . Reports claim Qatari official paid more than $5 million to secure support for his country's bid . Experts say claims could damage Qatar's image but economy should remain strong .

By . Liz Hull and Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 07:11 EST, 16 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:12 EST, 17 May 2013 . A flamboyant businesswoman has been charged with drug dealing and money laundering offences after police raided her luxury home. Paula White, an accountant who was once a director of Chester City football club, was arrested at her house in Eccles, Greater Manchester yesterday. Last night police confirmed that the 44-year-old had been charged with conspiracy to supply Class A, B and C drugs and two counts of money laundering. The charges come after a six-month probe into a website which sold nearly £4million worth of mephedrone to thousands of customers. Scroll down to see footage of the raids as they happened... Flamboyant: Paula White had extravagant parties at her luxury £800,000 home . Arrest: Miss White is being questioned by police in connection with a website allegedly selling mephedrone . A £120,000 Aston Martin was seized from White's £800,000 home in a leafy suburb as part of the operation. The businesswoman was last night remanded in custody and was due to appear at Bolton Magistrates' Court today. According to company records, White . served as a director for the now-defunct Chester City football club and . Widnes rugby league club for a same three-week period in March 2007. She has also been involved with a drinks retailer, as well as media and leisure businesses. Seven months ago, she won planning permission to build a new swimming pool, gym and sun room at her home. Luxury: Police officers searched the £800,000 home of Paula White, a 44-year-old businesswoman . Searched: Miss White's £120,000 Aston Martin was also seized by police . Businesswoman: Miss White runs several media and leisure firms and was on the board of Chester City FC . Officers raided 11 addresses across . Bolton, Bury, north Manchester and Salford. They are investigating the . sale of approximately 313kg of mephedrone with the street value of £3.8m . through a website which was run from a unit in Bolton. Those responsible allegedly advertised the . drug as a ‘legal high’ - and officers believe it was the largest online . mephedrone supply network in the UK. Mephedrone, a Class B drug also known as 'meow meow' or MCAT, is a white synthetic powder which was criminalised in 2010. Seven other people have been charged following the raids, and will appear in front of magistrates alongside White. Raid: Footage from inside an industrial unit during police raids in Bolton show boxes labelled with the names of suspected 'legal highs' Huge operation: Police are investigating the sale of drugs through the website wide-mouth-frogs.com . Arrests: Police are questioning 12 people in connection with the website . Netta . Hymanson, 62, of Prestwich, has been charged with conspiracy to supply . Class A, B and C drugs and two counts of money laundering. Aaron . White, 20, of Salford; Christian White, 37, of Salford; Ian Mercer, 45, . of Walkden; Michaela Doyle, 42, of Salford; Sheena Jessop, 45, of . Ramsbottom, and Rudi Chiu, 24, of Manchester have all been charged with . conspiracy to supply Class A, B and C drugs. A . 29-year-old woman, arrested on suspicion of supply of controlled drugs . and money laundering, has been bailed pending further enquiries. The website at the centre of the . investigation sold 35 different products and had processed tens of . thousands of transactions over the past 12 months. Well ogranised: The unit contained several labelled boxes filled with tablet bottles . Boxes: The police video shows boxes labelled with the names of 'legal highs' like salvia . Bottles: Police found hundreds of items which appeared to be pill jars . Powder: A tub full of a white substance was found on a metal sideboard in the unit . Vats: Huge blue tubs containing ingredients like lactose and starch were found in the unit . Although marketed as horticultural . supplies, customer feedback on the site warned that the drugs were too . dangerous to be taken with alcohol. The website has since been closed down. Last month Emma Johnston, 21, and . father-of-one Chris Goodwin, 30, collapsed and died within minutes of . each other after taking a mixture of alcohol, amphetamine and mephedrone . during an all-night party in Bolton. Three other friends were also treated in hospital but recovered. The source of the mephedrone they took is still unknown. Refrigerated: Foil-packed goods appear to have been stored in this fridge . Packages: The warehouse contained several large boxes . Machinery: There were a number of electrical items in the unit . Equipment: Police also discovered machinery inside the industrial unit in Bolton . One neighbour said White always wore designer suits, adding: ‘That was her style. ‘She was obviously very successful and . mingled with the top of society, very successful people. 'She was quite . pleasant but she is also a very tough woman who doesn’t suffer fools or . bad tradesmen gladly. She is very feisty and very confident. ‘She always had personal trainers going to the house and had six dogs, little yappy things. ‘Her house is like something out of Hello! magazine. The interior is absolutely stunning with a designer kitchen and wet rooms. ‘I have a large garden but hers must have been about four times the size. I once got invited to a party. It was very swish. There were men at the door ticking your name off.’ Towed: Miss White's Aston Martin was seized by police . Illegal: Mephedrone, known as MCAT and meow, meow, was a legal high but was outlawed in 2010 . Investigation: Forensic teams searched 11 addresses for evidence . Another local who saw the police . operation said yesterday: ‘I was going to work at about 3pm when I saw . three police units outside her house. ‘By the time I got home, every single light in the house was on. ‘They were emptying boxes and loading them into vans until 10.30pm.’ Greater Manchester Police said the 12 . arrested had been under surveillance since the end of last year after . parcels were intercepted in the post and found to contain illegal drugs. They were traced back to a warehouse in the Farnworth area of Bolton, and on Wednesday officers raided 11 homes. Warehouse: Officers raided an industrial unit in Bolton, believed to be where the website was run from . Search: Forensics teams scoured the site for evidence during the series of raids . Drugs: Police are investigating the sale of 313kg of mephedrone worth £3.8million . Outlawed: Mephedrone is also known as MCAT, bubble or meow meow and was made illegal in 2010 . Record: Police said this was the biggest operation of its kind since mephedrone was made illegal . Gang: Police arrested seven men and five women in connection with a website allegedly selling illegal drugs . Detective Superintendent Jason Hudson, . of the North West Regional Crime Squad, said: ‘These strikes have taken . months of planning and the operation reinforces our commitment to . dismantle organised crime groups and tackle illegal drugs across our . region. ‘Our priority is to disrupt and prevent the supply of drugs. ‘Let this be a reminder to anyone . involved in the supply, that they will not only end up behind bars, but . through the Proceeds of Crime Act legislation, they will also end up out . of pocket.’ Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Paula White charged with multiple offences last night after arrest . Seven other people also facing charges over website selling mephedrone . Mephedrone - known as meow, meow - was made illegal in 2010 . Former Chester City FC director's £120,000 Aston Martin seized by police .

Taking to the water for the first time, the stunning £400million megayacht is one of the largest and most expensive ever to be built. Four years of work have gone into creating the huge boat which is the brainchild of a British designer based, ironically, in landlocked Rutland. But despite the conspicuous size of the yacht, named Topaz, the identity of its owner remains shrouded in secrecy. The stunning megayacht is one of the largest and most expensive ever to be built . At 147-metres, it is the fourth longest yacht ever built and a mere 15-metres shorter than Roman Abramovich's Eclipse, which currently holds the bragging rights. The vessel also boasts a weight thought to be in excess of 12,000 tonnes. Whoever the lucky owner is, they are likely to have very deep pockets. The identity of the billionaire customer . is unknown with Lurssen, the boat's manufacturer, unwilling to discuss personal clients due to . strict confidentiality agreements. The German-built megayacht is thought to be the largest ever - with a gross weight in excess of 12,000 tonnes . Topaz is understood to have been the work of British designer Tim Heywood, who is based in Rutland . The mystery customer is expected to be paying upwards of £300 million for the elegant vessel . As a result, details surrounding the yacht remain sketchy, but a vessel of this size is anticipated to have a price tag of between £300 to £400million. Topaz is understood to have been the work of British designer Tim Heywood. The 62-year-old, who has been in the industry for 40 years, has played a major role in producing some of the world's finest yachts. From his office overlooking Rutland Water, he has designed the likes of the 133-metre 'Mirqab', which was named 2009 yacht of the year, and Roman Abramovich's old boat, the 115-metre Pelorus. Mr Abramovich's latest vessel, the 163.5m Eclipse, is about to be - well - eclipsed by a 180m monster known only as Project Azzam. Ousted: But Mr Abramovich is about to lose his title as the owner of the world's largest private yacht - after this incredible vessel was spotted in Germany last month . On the move: The yacht, which was minus its bow . section, was quickly taken to the larger 220-metre dock so engineers . could continue the awesome project . Huge: Eclipse, owned by Chelsea Football Club owner Mr Abramovich, has two swimming pools, two helipads, a gym, hair salon, dancefloor and a 007-style submarine . It is rumoured the boat, which is longer than some cruise ships, has been commissioned by the Saudi Royal Family. Stunned . photographers captured the vessel earlier this month as it was transported out of the . 170-metre dry dock at Lurssen's yard... because it had . become too large. The . yacht, which was minus its bow section, was quickly moved to the larger . 220-metre dock so engineers could continue the awesome project.

Not the biggest billionaire's plaything but one of the most expensive . Owner's identity remains shrouded in secrecy . At 147m it is STILL 15m shorter than Roman Abramovich's yacht Eclipse .

A teenager battling cancer with just days to live has fulfilled his last wish by taking his girlfriend to his school prom. Jak Trueman was applauded by tearful classmates at the event, organised at the last minute, after doctors told him he was dying. More than 200 teachers and pupils from West Calder High, West Lothian, Scotland, watched the 15-year-old keep his promise to take girlfriend Hannah Boyd, 14, to the prom. The young couple have been going out for almost two years. Scroll down for video . Jak Trueman, pictured at prom with girlfriend Hannah, was applauded by tearful classmates at the event, organised at the last minute, after doctors told him he was dying. And it was the youngster's dying wish to accompany her to their last school event together at Livingston Football Club near his home in Mid Calder, West Lothian. The teenager had to receive much-needed pain relief to make the prom after he deteriorated on Thursday and his family feared he wouldn't survive the night. His mother Alison revealed they were living 'minute by minute, hour by hour' desperate for him to improve. Jak has terminal T-Cell Lymphoma, which was diagnosed in August last year. He was in line to take more treatment until scans showed early last week the cancer had spread throughout his body. 'We will just take it minute by minute hour by hour,' she said. 'The prom was about my boy and Hannah. 'He managed to make the evening for 10 minutes through wonderful courage and determination.' She added: 'Jak and Hannah are exceptionally close and I think it is absolutely magical that the school brought the prom forward, what they have done this for both of them . 'It is overwhelming what the school has arranged.' The youngster's dying wish to accompany Hannha, who he has been dating for almost two years, to their last school event together . Jak vowed to dedicate what time he has left to raising cash for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research charity. Thanks to hundreds of supporters worldwide, he has raised more than £33,000 in less than a week. 'A phenomenal amount for my phenomenal boy - making things a little easier knowing others will benefit,' Mrs Trueman added. He hopes to raise enough cash to set up the charity 'Team Jak' which will offer additional support for youngsters battling cancer. The young goalie will also have his name chanted by thousands of football fans at the Scottish League Cup semi-final between Celtic and Rangers today at the Hampden ground in Glasgow . A call-out went viral on fans' websites yesterday. Jak, a Rangers fan, was desperate to attend the game but family fear he is now too ill to make the journey. Jak has terminal T-Cell Lymphoma, which was diagnosed last August last year and he has since vowed to use his remaining time to raise money for a cancer charity . Breaking the news to his friends, he wrote: 'Well, that's it. 'Worse case scenario has happened. I have been preparing myself for this answer all day although it still came hard to take. 'My very experienced Doctors and Professors have looked at the PET scan from today and the disease has spread into all my bones and organs. 'They have decided not to go any further with any more treatment.' He added that he has not been told how long he has left. 'I am so sorry to give everyone this horrible news but there's no other way to put it. 'I would like to thank all the doctors, nurses and everyone who has helped me over the past 6 months, they have tried their best for me.' Jak, who is a goalie with Mid Calder Colts Under-16s, is desperate to be well enough to attend the Old Firm cup clash at Hampden today. Fans yesterday paid tribute to the youngster with a standing round of applause. To donate to Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, visit Jak's JustGiving page.

Jak Trueman, 15, was applauded by tearful classmates at the event . He has terminal T-Cell Lymphoma, diagnosed in August last year . His dying wish was to take his long-term Hannah Boyd, 14, to prom . Jak has vowed to spend his remaining days fundraising for cancer charity . The teenager has managed to raise more than £33,000 in less than a week .

By . James Rush . The former country retreat of assassinated Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, which later became a hub for sex parties, is expected to fetch up to £10m when it goes up for auction next month. Bhutto and her husband Asif Zardari owned The Rockwood Estate in Surrey from 1995 until 2005 and carried out a series of upgrades. The couple had a master bedroom with a reinforced concrete domed ceiling installed along with a replica of the local pub built in the basement. The Rockwood Estate, set in around 350 acres of Surrey countryside near Godalming, is dominated by the main home which has more than 30 rooms. For sale: The former country retreat of assassinated Pakistan politician Benazir Bhutto, which later became a hub for sex parties, has gone up for auction for £10million . Kitchen: Bhutto, who was killed in a 2007 bombing, owned The Rockwood Estate in Surrey with her husband Asif Zardari. Pictured is the kitchen . Impressive: The politicians had always denied buying the mansion in 1995, which Pakistan authorities believed was paid for with ill-gotten gains . Bathroom: The property features 11 bedrooms, five bathrooms, a great hall, massive drawing room and a 115-foot terrace which overlooks a pond in the grounds . Former president: Bhutto claimed to have never even visited the property but Zardari eventually admitted being behind the purchase in 2004, before it was sold for more than £4 million the following year . There are 11 bedrooms, five bathrooms, . a great hall, massive drawing room and a 115-foot terrace which . overlooks a pond in the grounds. It retains some original features including a wood-panelled study. A domed master bedroom, which is the size of a small home, was apparently made bombproof with steel and reinforced concrete. The . politicians had always denied buying the mansion in 1995, which . Pakistan authorities believed was paid for with ill-gotten gains. Bhutto, who was assassinated in a 2007 bombing, claimed to have never even visited the property. But . Zardari eventually admitted being behind the purchase in 2004, before . it was sold for more than £4million the following year. Grand: The property, which is due to go up for auction next month, retains some original features including a wood-panelled study . The Surrey Mansion: The current owners have never lived in the property, which is better known in Karachi as The Surrey Mansion . Impressive: The Rockwood Estate is dominated by the main home which has more than 30 rooms . Lavish: The couple are believed to have spent incredible figures on furnishings, including £120,000 on a dining table . Reports: Last year the property was in the news when a series of sex parties took place for 'a range of open-minded and wonderful people' They spent incredible figures on furnishings, including £120,000 on a dining table. The . property is now a shadow of its former glory and, while liveable, it is . likely anyone buying it would have it fully restored or knocked down . and replaced with a new mansion. It also has a separate farm, a pool house, two cottages and an airfield complete with hangar and windsock. The current owners have never lived in the property, which is better known in Karachi as The Surrey Mansion. Instead, it has been rented out with one tenant using it for a number of raves and other events. Last . year the property was in the news when a series of sex parties took . place for 'a range of open-minded and wonderful people'. Upgrades: The politicians reportedly had a bomb-proof master bedroom installed along with a replica of the local pub built in the basement . Idyllic setting: The property is set in about 350 acres of Surrey countryside near Godalming . Features: The estate has a separate farm, a pool house, two cottages and an airfield complete with hangar and windsock . Auction: The mansion, available in whole or as 12 lots, will be auctioned off on July 4 by Clarke Gammon Wellers at the Radisson Blu in Guildford . Tennis: The property also features its own tennis court in among the 350 acres . Grounds: The property is set within an impressive 350 acres of land in Surrey . The . mansion, available in whole or as 12 lots, will be auctioned off on . July 4 by Clarke Gammon Wellers at the Radisson Blu in Guildford. It . is expected to sell for around £10million - with the buyer getting . planning permission to replace the main home with a new mansion. Nick . Freeth, from Clarke Gammon Wellers, said: 'Local people know about the . estate and so do people in Pakistan, it made headline news over there. 'The whole estate would suit someone looking for privacy but also be within 40 minutes of London. 'There is also a working airstrip, although I'm not sure I would like to land on it. Value: It is expected to sell for around £10 million - with the buyer getting planning permission to replace the main home with a new mansion . Condition: While the property is liveable, it is likely anyone buying it would have it fully restored or knocked down and replaced with a new mansion . Energy usage: Heating the property is expected to cost about £13,000 a year . Cool sum: The property does however come with 'a highly sophisticated air-conditioning system' which is believed to have cost £750,000 to install . Time gentlemen, please: The couple are believed to have installed a replica of the local pub in the basement of the property . Reinforced: The master bedroom has a domed ceiling with stars which sparkle at night and is also thought to feature reinforced concrete . 'So far we've had individuals and businesses looking at it. The estate would make a great home but also something like a school. 'They . must have spent a lot of money on it but it wasn't until 2004 that . Zardawi admitted they owned it. And Ms Bhutto denied ever even visiting . it. 'There is a highly . sophisticated air-conditioning system which was installed by them and it . is thought to have cost £750,000 to install. 'Heating the place will cost around £13,000 a year so it's not a home for the feint-hearted. 'But at £10million it offers good value. This would only get you a four-bedroom home in Mayfair. Potential: Nick Freeth, from Clarke Gammon Wellers, said the estate could make 'a great home but also something like a school' Location: Mr Freeth said: 'The whole estate would suit someone looking for privacy but also be within 40 minutes of London' Outside seating: The mansion features a 115-foot terrace which overlooks a pond in the grounds . Scenic: The estate has been described as 'a fascinating and unusual property with amazing views' 'The . master bedroom is fantastic. It has a domed ceiling with stars which . sparkle at night. It is also meant to feature reinforced concrete. 'Zardawi went to the nearby Dog and Feather and tried to buy it but they wouldn't sell so he recreated it in the basement. 'It is a fascinating and unusual property with amazing views.'

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and husband Asif Zardari owned the Surrey property from 1995 . They had always denied buying the mansion which Pakistan authorities believed was paid for with ill-gotten gains . But Zardari admitted being behind the purchase in 2004, before it was sold for more than £4 million the following year . The Rockwood Estate, set in around 350 acres of countryside, is now expected to fetch up to £10m at auction .

By . Tom Mctague, Mail Online Deputy Political Editor . David Cameron's chief climate adviser has claimed Britain does not need any more wind turbines to hit renewable energy targets. Lord Deben said the public will be able to choose other ways to create green energy to avoid building ugly wind farms in the countryside. The Tory peer's remark fly in the face of official Government forecasts showing the numbers of wind turbines tripling by 2030 - adding almost 10,000 to the 4,000 onshore wind turbines already built. Onshore wind turbines split the Coalition, with Tory MPs increasingly hostile while the Lib Dems remain in favour. Nick Clegg has blocked cuts to wind subsidies, but David Cameron is planning to take a tougher line in the next manifesto . But the claim comes after David Cameron said there would soon 'come a time' when Britain had built enough wind farms to slash Government turbine subsidies. Last month Mr Cameron said: 'We’ve got the largest offshore wind farm anywhere in the world built off the coast of the UK and another one coming on stream, almost as big very, very shortly.' But he added: 'In terms of onshore wind, obviously there will come a time when we will have built enough to meet all our targets and so I’ve always said with subsidies, we shouldn’t keep subsidies for longer than they are necessary and so that is something we will be looking at.' David Cameron, as leader of the opposition, promised to lead the 'greenest Government ever' but has since come under fire as Prime Minister for the Coalition's support for onshore wind farms . Lord Deben, the peer better known as John Gummer, has gone even further, claiming that the are alreadt enough wind farms with planning permission and no more are needed. He said Britain needed a 'portfolio of different mechanisms'. The peer said: 'I'm happy that we have already got enough onshore wind to 2020 to meet that part of the portfolio.' The peer's remarks come amid claims that the Tories are planning to go into the next election pledging to 'rid' the countryside of onshore wind farms. A source close to the Prime Minister said Mr Cameron wants to toughen planning laws and tear up subsidy rules to make current turbines financially unviable – allowing the Government to 'eradicate' turbines. The Conservatives could make a manifesto pledge to cap the total number of wind farms, toughen up planning rules to make them harder to build or even lower Government subsidies for turbines, it is understood. Former agriculture minister John Gummer - now known as Lord Deben - famously posed with his four-year-old daughter Cordelia tucking into a burger to show beef was safe during the mad cow disease crisis . It comes after the government agreed that subsidies for onshore turbines would be cut by five per cent a year after 2015 under a deal reached by the coalition partners. In 2012, support for onshore wind was cut by 10 per cent after the PM came under pressure from more than 100 backbench MPs, who wrote to him demanding action against windfarms spoiling the landscape in rural areas. In November it emerged that Mr Cameron had ordered aides to 'get rid of all the green crap' from energy bills to bring down costs. The Prime Minister wanted the green levies, which go towards paying for renewables and helping poor people cut energy use, to be cut.

Lord Deben said the Government did not need to sign off any new turbines . PM has said he will slash wind subsidies once enough turbines are built . Tories could promise to 'eradicate' onshore wind farms in next manifesto .

By . David Kent . John Terry took some time out from his intense pre-season training sessions to enjoy a round of golf with some celebrity friends of Monday. The Chelsea captain, who signed a new one-year deal towards the end of last season, has been seen playing golf with his children on his Instagram account this week - but he has now been joined by some more competitive opponents. Chelsea flop Andriy Shevchenko, now a semi-professional golf player, One Direction's Niall Horan and Sportsmail's own Jamie Redknapp were snapped at exclusive The Wisley golf course in Surrey. VIDEO Scroll down to see John Terry looking sharp in pre-season training . On the green: Terry and co took part in a game of golf as he took time off from his pre-season preparation . Terry and Redknapp came out on top against the One Direction and ex-AC Milan pairing of Horan and Shevchenko in a tight round. And that win was rewarded by post-victory coffee, as Terry shared another video showing himself with Horan and Redknapp. Terry has already started training for the new season and will hope to help get Jose Mourinho's team off to the best possible start come their opening game against Burnley on August 16. Winning smile: Terry and Redknapp revel in their golfing victory while Horan snaps the selfie . Tough workout: Terry pushes himself by running in sand at Chelsea's training base in Cobham . Testing: Terry is eager to be in peak physical condition when Chelsea start the new season in August . Captain, Leader, Legend: Terry is already back in training ahead of the Premier League kickoff in August . Challenge: Terry, here with potential new team-mate Diego Costa, will hope for a more successful season .

Chelsea captain is pictured with the boyband star, Chelsea flop and Sportsmail columnist enjoying a day off pre-season training . Terry has been hard at work to get ready for the new campaign after resting up while England flopped at the World Cup . Centre back has been playing at The Wisley golf course in Surrey .

Online: Phil Culling, 41, has become romantically involved with 19-year-old Helena Skelly, who is pictured in a photo from her Twitter account . A deputy head at a leading private girls’ schools has been forced to resign because of an affair with a former pupil. Phil Culling, 41, has become romantically involved with 19-year-old Helena Skelly, an aspiring singer who left Godolphin and Latymer school last summer. Parents at the £17,000-a-year West London school received an email several days ago from headmistress Ruth Mercer, informing them Mr Culling had ‘resigned his position as deputy head with immediate effect’. Mrs Mercer confronted her deputy about the relationship after one of the teenager’s parents allegedly called the school upon discovering that the pair had moved in together. In the letter, the headmistress added: ‘We both recognised that his position had become untenable and the right thing for him to do was to leave. ‘From my point of view and that of the governors, his actions have demonstrated an unfortunate lack of judgment and a failure to uphold the responsible behaviour that we all rightly expect from our staff particularly those in leadership positions.’ Within minutes of his forced resignation, Mr Culling’s picture had been removed from the school website, and two acting deputy heads were installed  in his place. It is understood that the school decided against calling the police because staff had accepted  that the romantic side of the relationship only began once Miss Skelly had left. However, sources at the school said that it was an ‘open secret that the pair were close’. One said: ‘We all knew something was up when she was still at the school. Apparently the headmistress called the girl in to ask if anything was going on but she denied it.’ Duo: Miss Skelly is pictured performing a variety of pop songs while Mr Culling accompanies her on the piano . Prestigious: Miss Skelly left the £17,000-a-year Godolphin and Latymer school (pictured) in London last year . As well as being the deputy head, Mr Culling was head of music and spent many hours helping Miss Skelly with her goal of a career in the industry. In videos posted on YouTube, Miss Skelly is seen singing a variety of well-known pop songs while Mr Culling accompanies her on the piano. In the caption to one video, Miss Skelly says she ‘wrote this song about loving someone who you shouldn’t and just wanting things to be simpler’. In another, she sings: ‘I thought I had been in love, but that was until I met you.’ Aspiring singer: Sources at the school said it was an 'open secret' that Mr Culling and the ex-pupil were close . A source claimed that one of Miss Skelly’s parents called the school when they learned that their daughter was living with Mr Culling in the home of one of her elder sisters. Mr Culling’s estranged wife is thought to work at the school in the development department. They have three children under the age of 13. He is understood to have left their £600,000 four-bed home in Isleworth, West London, a month ago, according to neighbours. One said: ‘Philip hasn’t been around for about four weeks. I used to see him taking the kids out but not any more. And his wife has been looking very upset lately. It’s a real scandal.’ The music teacher acted as a mentor to Miss Skelly, a gifted singer, and also sat on the school’s child protection panel. Miss Skelly currently performs on the pub circuit and regularly sings at an established folk music venue in West London called the Troubadour, where Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell have all appeared in the past. Last night her father Hugh Skelly said he had no idea about his daughter’s relationship. The businessman said: ‘That’s a shock to me. I had no idea. Hel is my daughter, I know the school, she left last year. Alumnae: Godolphin and Latymer School, in Hammersmith, has around 750 pupils between  the ages of 11 and 18. Famous alumnae include Hollywood actress Kate Beckinsale (left) and celebrity chef Nigella Lawson (right) ‘I know him. But [the affair] is not anything that I know about.’ Godolphin and Latymer School, which is in Hammersmith, has around 750 pupils between the ages of 11 and 18. Famous alumnae include celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, Hollywood actress Kate Beckinsale, singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor and TV  presenter Davina McCall. Last night a spokesman for the school said: ‘I can confirm that a teacher has resigned/left the school having failed to maintain the high standards of behaviour we expect from all staff. There is nothing further to add.’ Both Mr Culling and Miss Skelly were unavailable for comment last night.

Phil Culling, 41, has become romantically involved with Helena Skelly, 19 . Miss Skelly is former student of Godolphin and Latymer in West London . Parents at £17,000-a-year school told of Mr Culling's resignation by email . Staff did not call police 'as relationship began after teenager left school' But sources at institution said it was an 'open secret' that pair were close . School's famous alumnae include Nigella Lawson and Kate Beckinsale .

By . Paul Collins . Arjen Robben says there is 'zero chance' of him swapping Bayern Munich for Manchester United this summer. The Dutch winger is one of new manager Louis van Gaal's targets as he looks to bring in players from the Bundesliga and his national team. But Robben insists that while a reunion with Van Gaal would appeal to him, he is happy under Pep Guardiola in Germany. No deal: Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben says there is 'zero chance' he will join Manchester United this summer . Praise: The Dutch winger did however speak highly of new United boss and national team coach Louis van Gaal . New man: Van Gaal will join Manchester United after the World Cup in Brazil . Off his chest: Robben spoke to reporters during the training camp in Portugal . 'The chance is zero that I make the switch,' Robben told Dutch publication De Telegraaf. 'The fact is that I'm at a club where my family and I have a great time.' 'Look, it’s very different when you‘re not completely happy. I would certainly be open to it, because I had a fantastic time with Van Gaal at Bayern and know him well. It is very important for my career. 'But the fact is that I'm at a club where my family and I have great time.' Robben was speaking at Holland's World Cup training camp in Portugal on Friday, and admitted that Guardiola and Van Gaal were the best he had worked with in his career. The 30-year-old also believes United have 'struck gold' with appointing Van Gaal, who could have around £200million to spend in the transfer window. Party: Robben won the Bundesliga with Bayern this season, and says Pep Guardiola (below) is one of the best .

Arjen Robben says he is happy at Bayern and won't leave this summer . Man United were linked with a switch, but winger says there is zero chance . Robben did praise Van Gaal, admitting he would have been open to switch . Was speaking at Holland's World Cup training camp in Portugal .

By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 04:47 EST, 28 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:47 EST, 28 June 2013 . Family chats are becoming a thing of the past as the majority of parents now communicate regularly with their children through social network sites, according to a new report out today. A staggering seven in ten parents have admitted to now using social sites such as Facebook and Twitter as a regular channel of communication in their family. And more than one in ten admit they didn’t have meaningful chats in person with their children at all throughout a typical week. Tech family: A staggering seven in ten parents have admitted to now using social sites such as Facebook and Twitter as a regular channel of communication in their familyis . It has been revealed that the average Brit has just six face-to-face conversations with others in their family each week – that's less than one a day. Instead, we send five emails on an . average week, post on walls three times a week and comment on photos . twice a week via social networking sites. Furthermore, over a third of parents claim to rely heavily on other social websites such as Pinterest and Instagram to really understand what makes their child tick. An overwhelming 62 per cent of those parents quizzed revealed that they checked what their children were 'liking' or 'wanting to be seen in' at least once a day. 80 per cent of those parents who keep an eye on things that their child has shown an interest in online - whether it’s a hobby or an item of clothing or a place to go to - say it has significantly helped their relationship with their child. However, nearly all (98 per cent) admitted to not really wanting to be 'friends' with or 'followers' of their children, but felt that they needed to as this was the only way they would get the quickest response. Prying eyes: Over a third of parents claim to rely heavily on other social websites such as Pinterest and Instagram to really understand what makes their child tick . Andrew Hewitt, co-founder of Iam150/, who carried out the research, said: 'It’s definitely a sign of the times that parents are using social tools as the main way to communicate with and understand their children. 'Who would have thought ten years ago that the web would play such a big part in a family’s everyday life? 'Our research clearly shows that it’s these technically adept parents who are the smart ones as they’ve realised that children can hide the majority of content in their Facebook feed from them so their “friendship” with their child can be meaningless. 'Instead they have turned to things like Pinterest to understand what their children are really about.' Professor Karen Pine, Psychologist at University of Hertfordshire added: 'As children develop and are able to spend more time away from their parents it leaves mothers and fathers ignorant of what their children are doing, and also feeling they know them less well. 'This survey reminds us that it is vital that parents keep up with technology and become familiar with the social tools used by the younger generation. This way the tech savvy parents will be better able to keep tabs on their children. 'By being able to see what their child likes and dislikes online they may also gain better insight into their child's behaviour. This will not only enhance the parent-child relationship but may also help ensure child safety on-line. 'Although face-to-face communication is important for healthy family functioning, we also all have to accept that we live in a digital age and need to adapt to new ways of interacting.' Catching their attention: Nearly all parents admitted to not really wanting to be 'friends' with their children online, but felt that they needed to as this was the only way they would get the quickest response .

One in ten admit they don't have meaningful chats in person with children . Average Brit has just six face-to-face conversations with family per week . Over a third of parents rely on social media to understand their children .

By . Corey Charlton . The Kinks may re-form to release a new album and tour, following the success of a play about the rise of the band in the Sixties. The band, fronted by brothers Ray and Dave Davies, is acknowledged as one of Britain’s most influential rock bands with hits such as Lola. After constant speculation following their acrimonious break up in 1996, Ray has now revealed the band may record and tour together once again. Responsible for such hits as You Really . Got Me and Waterloo Sunset, the violent disputes between the two brothers evolved into one of the longest running feuds in rock 'n' roll. Ray Davies, left, and his brother Dave, right, formed a sibling rivalry that contributed to the band's breakup . 'I met Dave only last week to talk about getting back together again,'  69-year-old Ray told The Sunday Times. 'We've also spoken a few times on the phone and emailed. He's been composing his own songs, but I'd really like to write with him again.' The two formed the band in the early 1960s and their first major hit, You Really Got Me, came along only a year later. They went on to become one of the most . influential rock groups of a generation and influenced countless other . British bands, including Oasis and Blur. The Kinks, composed of the late Pete Quaife (left), Ray Davies, Mick Avory and Dave Davies, found fame a year after their formation with the hit You Really Got Me and their popularity remained until the 1990s . In 1990, The Kinks were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2004, Ray Davies, pictured, was awarded a CBE for services to music. In later years he was labelled a 'narcissist' by his brother Dave . Oasis mirrored them closely in their own sibling rivalry, with brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher frequently falling out and bickering. It is not the first time a Kinks reunion has been mooted. In 2010, Dave said there would never be a reunion, adding: 'Ray sucks me dry of ideas, emotions and ­creativity. It’s toxic for me to be with him. He’s a control freak.' The Kinks were formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Dave Davies and Ray Davies in 1963. Their first hit single, You Really Got Me, came the following year and propelled them to stardom. They went on to write and record dozens of hits, most famously Lola and Waterloo Sunset. In 1990, the four original members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band separated in 1996, due to the creative tension between Ray and Dave and their declining commercial success. During their decades as a band, the two brothers' were known for their bickering and dust-ups, reportedly including fights on stage. Although Dave rubbished reports of a reunion only a few years ago, Ray claims he has spoken to his brother recently about a possible reunion and said he wants to write music with him again. He labelled his brother an 'a**hole and a narcissist'. However, a musical detailing The Kinks' rise to stardom is reported to have been the reason for the latest change of heart. Sunny Afternoon, which ran in Hampstead Theatre earlier this year, detailed the band's rise to fame. The musical received a five star review from Mail Online in May. In 1990, The Kinks were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2004, Ray was awarded a CBE for services to music. The brothers' volatile ­relationship has often been credited for much of The Kinks’ success, but it also drove both brothers half-crazy. Dave sought escape in drugs and more recently in spirituality. And Ray attempted suicide (he was later diagnosed with bipolar ­disorder, also known as manic depression). Dave also suffered a stroke in 2004, describing how his body seized up and he couldn't move his arm or leg. Ray is also no stranger to injury - he was shot by a mugger when visiting New Orleans 10 years' ago. Since the dissolution of The Kinks, Ray has formed a solo musical career. Ray Davies embarked on a solo career since The Kinks split and played at Buckingham Palace in 2002 .

Kinks songwriter claims he has discussed a reunion with brother Dave . 'I'd really like to write with him again': Ray hopes for new songs and tour . The brothers' sibling rivalry could be cast aside for new recording sessions . The band, acknowledged as one of Britain’s most influential rock bands with hits such as Lola, broke up in the 1990s .

American intelligence leaker Edward Snowden met with human rights activists and lawyers Friday in a transit zone of a Russian airport, in his first public appearance since he left Hong Kong on June 23. The event prompted the White House to criticize Russia for giving Snowden a "propaganda platform," and later in the day, President Barack Obama spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The two leaders noted the importance of U.S.-Russian bilateral relations and discussed a range of security and bilateral issues, including the status of Mr. Edward Snowden and cooperation on counterterrorism in the lead-up to the Sochi Winter Olympics," a White House statement said. Snowden told the activists he was requesting asylum from Russia while he awaited safe passage to Latin America, according to a transcript of Snowden's statement to the activists, issued via WikiLeaks. The presidents of Venezuela and Bolivia have said their countries would give him asylum, and Nicaragua's president said he would offer it "if circumstances permit." "I announce today my formal acceptance of all offers of support or asylum I have been extended and all others that may be offered in the future," Snowden's statement said. "As we have seen, however, some governments in Western European and North American states have demonstrated a willingness to act outside the law, and this behavior persists today. This unlawful threat makes it impossible for me to travel to Latin America and enjoy the asylum granted there in accordance with our shared rights." Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence agencies are continuing their contacts with their Russian counterparts to learn whatever they can about Russia's intentions in the Snowden case, and to press for his return to America, a U.S. official told CNN on Friday. White House spokesman Jay Carney warned Russia about providing asylum to Snowden and criticized the country for "providing a propaganda platform" to Snowden. But Carney added the administration didn't want the case to cause undue harm to U.S. relations with Moscow. That platform "runs counter to the Russian government's previous declarations of Russia's neutrality and that they have no control over his presence in the airport," he said. "It is also incompatible with Russian assurances that they do not want Mr. Snowden to further damage U.S. interests." Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, is believed to have been holed up in a transit area of Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport since leaving Hong Kong for Russia. In an invitation to the meeting purportedly e-mailed by Snowden on Thursday, he cited the temporary grounding of Bolivian President Evo Morales' plane last week as he accused the United States of "threatening behavior" on an unprecedented scale. The jet, which had left Moscow, was forced to land in Austria after other European countries allegedly closed their airspace amid suspicions that Snowden was aboard. Snowden said he was submitting a request to Russia for asylum Friday "until such time as these states accede to law and my legal travel is permitted." But the head of the Russian Federal Migration Service, Konstantin Romodanovsky, told Russian news agency Interfax Saturday that no application from Snowden had yet been received. "If we receive an application, it will be considered in due process of law," Romodanovsky is quoted as saying. 'I have no regrets' In his remarks, Snowden also sought to defend his actions in leaking documents to the media that exposed U.S. mass surveillance programs. "I did what I believed right and began a campaign to correct this wrongdoing. I did not seek to enrich myself. I did not seek to sell US secrets. I did not partner with any foreign government to guarantee my safety. Instead, I took what I knew to the public, so what affects all of us can be discussed by all of us in the light of day, and I asked the world for justice," he said. "That moral decision to tell the public about spying that affects all of us has been costly, but it was the right thing to do and I have no regrets." Snowden asked the rights groups present to lobby the Russian government to grant him temporary asylum, said Russian Human Rights Watch representative Tanya Lokshina, who was at the meeting. According to WikiLeaks, Lokshina told Snowden that on her way to the airport, she received a call from the U.S. ambassador to Russia. He asked her to relay to Snowden that the U.S. government does not consider him to be a whistle-blower and that he has broken United States law, the group said. A photograph provided by a Russian Human Rights Watch staffer at the meeting showed Snowden sitting behind a desk, flanked by a WikiLeaks staffer, looking much as he did when last photographed in Hong Kong. WikiLeaks, which facilitates the anonymous leaking of secret information through its website, has been aiding Snowden in his bids for asylum. Russian television aired an amateur video of Snowden delivering remarks to the activists. "A little over one month ago, I had family, a home in paradise, and I lived in great comfort. I also had the capability without any warrant to search for, seize, and read your communications. Anyone's communications at any time. That is the power to change people's fates. It is also a serious violation of the law," he said. "The immoral cannot be made moral through the use of secret law. I believe in the principle declared at Nuremberg in 1945: Individuals have international duties which transcend the national obligations of obedience. Therefore individual citizens have the duty to violate domestic laws to prevent crimes against peace and humanity from occurring," Snowden said. Russian asylum conditions? Snowden's desire to be granted temporary asylum in Russia may represent something of a turnaround. He last week reportedly withdrew an asylum request with Russian authorities after President Vladimir Putin said he would have to "stop his work aimed at harming our American partners" if he wanted to stay in the country. "Snowden did voice a request to remain in Russia," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on July 2, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. "Then, yesterday, hearing President Putin outline Russia's position regarding the conditions under which he could do this, he withdrew his request for permission to stay in Russia." It's not clear if a request for temporary asylum would entail different conditions. But a Russian lawmaker who was at Friday's meeting, Vyacheslav Nikonov, told state news agency Itar-Tass that Snowden had said he did not intend to cause any further damage to the United States. "I've said all I knew and I will not harm the United States in the future," Snowden said, according to Nikonov. The United States has reached out to the Russians regarding Snowden's meeting with human rights groups, two senior State Department officials told CNN. Passport revoked . Snowden has been technically a free man while in Moscow but has been unable to travel after U.S. authorities revoked his passport when he was charged with espionage. The many mysteries of Snowden's transit zone . Sergei Nikitin, head of Amnesty International's Moscow office, who was at the meeting, said he was pleased to voice the organization's support for Snowden in person. "We will continue to pressure governments to ensure his rights are respected -- this includes the unassailable right to claim asylum wherever he may choose," he said in a statement. "What he has disclosed is patently in the public interest and as a whistle-blower his actions were justified." Snowden exposed unlawful sweeping surveillance programs, and states that try to prevent him from revealing such unlawful behavior "are flouting international law," Nikitin said. "Instead of addressing or even owning up to these blatant breaches, the U.S. government is more intent on persecuting him. Attempts to pressure governments to block his efforts to seek asylum are deplorable," he said. Jamil Dakwar, human rights program director for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the United States has a long history of supporting asylum rights, but in the case of Snowden, it "has improperly interfered with the right of asylum by revoking his passport and exerting extraordinary pressure on countries to reject his requests. "Snowden's claims for asylum deserve fair consideration, and U.S. actions to secure his extradition must take place within an acceptable legal framework protecting his right to seek asylum." U.S. accused of 'unlawful campaign' The transit zone meeting with Snowden began at around 5 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET). A CNN team at the airport saw about half a dozen people -- including Russia's human rights ombudsman and representatives of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Russian human rights groups -- enter a door marked "Private" in Terminal E. Police and security officers then kept the media at a distance. The letter purportedly e-mailed by Snowden to invite them to the meeting blasted the United States for carrying out illegal actions against him. In the letter -- posted on the Facebook page of Lokshina, the Russian Human Rights Watch staffer -- the writer praised the "brave countries" that have offered him support, in the face of what he described as "an unlawful campaign by officials in the U.S. Government to deny my right to seek and enjoy this asylum." In her Facebook post, Lokshina said she received the e-mailed invitation close to 5 p.m. Thursday and acknowledged that she did not know beforehand if it was real. A large group of Russian and international journalists gathered at the airport in anticipation of the meeting. Latin American asylum offers . Since his arrival in Moscow, Snowden -- who faces espionage charges in the United States -- has requested asylum in dozens of countries, sparking a surge in speculation about his next steps. Is Snowden worth the risk? Latin America weighs the pros and cons . Snowden has admitted releasing classified documents about U.S. surveillance programs to the media and argues that he did so to expose serious violations of the U.S. Constitution. He is slammed as a traitor by critics and hailed as a hero by his supporters. WikiLeaks said in a Twitter post Wednesday that Snowden's "flight of liberty" campaign was starting, promising further details. But details about where Snowden is going -- and how he'll get there -- have remained hard to come by. U.S. officials told Chinese officials in Washington this week that they're disappointed with the way China and Hong Kong handled the Snowden case, saying their actions undermined trust. China said that Hong Kong authorities acted in accordance with the law.

Snowden has not yet submitted an asylum application, migration chief tells Russian media . White House says Russia is giving "a propaganda platform" to Edward Snowden . Obama, Putin discuss security, bilateral issues including Snowden . Half a dozen rights group representatives meet with him at Sheremetyevo airport .

(CNN) -- When Charity Agbameva went into labor last year there were complications. Realizing she needed medical attention, she traveled from Nigeria, where she was living, to a hospital in Keta, in the Volta Region of her native Ghana. Despite being one of just two hospitals serving the entire municipality, the hospital had only two doctors, each serving 29,000 people, and one nurse for every 1,500 patients. It had no special facilities for women and children. When Charity reached the hospital, medics realized she needed a blood transfusion, but the hospital had no blood bank, and no ventilator to give her oxygen. Charity died in hospital. Last month, her story was broadcast on GTV and TV3, Ghana's leading TV station, to an estimated 8 - 10 million people across the country. It provoked strong reactions in Keta and prompted a major debate on four radio stations lasting several days --- bringing attention to Ghana's staggering incidence of maternal deaths . Ghana has a reputation as a beacon of democracy in Africa. That reputation has been boosted by a rapidly growing economy, and the discovery of oil on our western coastline. So strong are the economic indicators that analysts at the World Bank have conferred upon us that most cherished of things -- Middle Income status. Read more: What Ghana can teach the rest of Africa about democracy . But within government and civil society we know that positive headlines don't tell the full story. One of the biggest challenges -- a real litmus test for Ghana -- is whether we can significantly reduce maternal deaths across the country. In Ghana, 4,000 women die every year and over 200,000 are disabled due to pregnancy related complications. These figures are among the highest in the world. If pregnancy is not a disease or death sentence, why are so many women dying or maimed in the process of giving birth? So how can a country that basks in so much international acclaim be failing its expectant mothers and their children so badly, and what can we do to improve the situation? For a start we have to better understand the social and cultural dimensions of maternal healthcare in Ghana and similarly under-developed countries. And we must respond to them. To make a real difference our awareness campaigns must be aimed at changing the mindsets of our people, especially those living in the rural areas. While doing my research I noticed that previous campaigns were predominantly urban centered and driven by "professional" imperatives. They failed to include the voices of women and the poor, marginalized communities -- those that actually bear the brunt of the maternal tragedy. As a result key concerns have not been addressed. For example, most pregnant women in rural communities rely on traditional birth attendants to deliver their babies. However, following a WHO directive, the Ghana Health Service discouraged this, urging pregnant mothers to give birth in the hospitals instead. But instead of getting skilled care these women have experienced overcrowded hospitals, poor facilities and an acute shortage of qualified staff. Read more: Too many mothers still dying . There is also the issue of infrastructure. Bad roads and poor transport links, exacerbated by the lack of ambulances also mean that pregnant women in emergencies cannot get to the hospital on time. Many are carried by motor bikes and local taxis over considerable distances and die en route. In 2009, I directed "The Lights Have Gone out Again," a documentary that contributed powerful new testimonies to Ghana's maternal health debate. I was so moved by what I saw in the remote, isolated villages that I was determined to "humanize" the maternal death statistics and highlight concerns that are so often excluded from the regular health debate. The documentary was televised and screened across the country, receiving critical applause. It enabled us to start a fresh dialogue on maternal health and triggered our determination to find an inclusive way of mobilizing Ghanaians around the need to reduce maternal deaths and improve maternal healthcare, more generally. We decided to use television for this new campaign because of its widespread popularity as a news and entertainment medium in both urban and rural areas of Ghana. Many families and whole households usually gather round the box for most of the evening. We decided to complement television with a radio series in Ghanaian languages to further extend the educational reach of the project and to maximize its impact. Read more: The American secretary who became a Ghanaian king . With funding from the Embassy of the Netherlands, a long standing supporter of the Ghana health sector and advice from the Ghana Health Service, UNICEF, Marie Stopes International, Ghana Coalition of NGO's in Health and others, the Maternal Health Channel Television and Radio Series was born at an impressive launch in Accra in February 2013. The first two shows, telling the story of Charity Agbameva, provoked a huge response from viewers. Significantly, we also heard contributions from health leaders at the hospital where she died. When the phone lines were opened, callers broadly agreed that a new partnership was needed between government, the hospitals, and the community, and that it was important to complement behavioral change with new policies. Critically, the hospitals urgently need more skilled personnel and improved facilities. The media response has generally also been impressive with great coverage in the newspapers, on radio and television. These are exciting times for the Maternal Health Channel but it's still early days as more people join the renewed debate about lifting Ghana's maternal health burden. So, although we may miss the Millennium Development Goals to reduce the maternal mortality ratio by 75% by 2015, I firmly believe that by being more innovative in our campaigning we can start to turn the corner on this and so many other critical healthcare issues in the years ahead. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dr. Kwesi Owusu.

Every year in Ghana 4,000 women die and over 200,000 are disabled during pregnancy . Dr. Kwesi Owusu launched a television and radio campaign to highlight the issue . Maternal Health Channel radio show broadcasts in a range of Ghanaian languages .

By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:16 EST, 21 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:16 EST, 21 October 2013 . Millions of struggling families across the U.S. will be hit with more financial woes over the holidays when food stamp benefits are reduced in November. The food stamp plan, called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, will be reducing its benefits as of November 1 because the financial boost it received during the recession-era is expiring. SNAP helps over 23 million U.S. households, totaling around 48 million people, which has steadily increased over recent years due to a weak economy and high unemployment. A girl pictured paying for her mother's groceries using Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) tokens, more commonly known as Food Stamps, in New York (file photo) The average monthly benefit per household is $275, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This amount could drop by around $36 less per month after November 1. Exact cuts in benefits will depend on each household’s situation, but the $36 is based on a family of four with no other changes in circumstances, according to the USDA. ‘For those of us who spend $1.70 a day on a latte, this doesn’t seem like a big change, but it does kind of really highlight that millions of families are living on an extremely modest food budget’, VP for food assistance policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities told NBCnews.com. The cuts will bring the benefits back in line to where they were in the mid-2000s, before being boosted during the recession. SNAP data showing households using the program and costs from June 2010 to 2013 . The aim for lawmakers is to slash their SNAP budget over years to come – with a bill passed in September by the House of Representatives to save $39 billion from SNAP over the next decade. This might see some families being cut from the program completely. Associate professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tuffs University said: 'That's neither great, nor terrible. ‘We have a very spare-cash based safety net and we rely a lot on food stamps to give people the resources they need to avoid hunger.

Average monthly benefit per household is $275 - this could be cut by $36 . Benefits to be cut because boost during recession-era has expired . Lawmakers want to save $39 billion from SNAP over 10 years .

A strict limit on sugar in pupils’ lunches is to be scrapped in a major overhaul of school meals, it emerged yesterday. The . decision, which provoked an outcry from health and obesity experts, . comes less than a day after World Health Organisation chiefs demanded a . sharp cut in children’s sugar intake. Critics warned ministers against ignoring the WHO advice and wasting a chance to slash sugar intake. Sweets for my sweet: A strict limit on sugar in pupils' lunches is to be scrapped in a major overhaul of school meals - less than a day after the World Health Organisation called for a sharp cut in children's sugar intake . One MP described the school lunch . proposals, which are almost certain to be implemented,  as ‘puzzling to . say the least’. Prescribed levels of fat and salt – as well as vitamins . and minerals such as iron and calcium – are also set to be abandoned . under the Department for Education plans. Separate rules which dictate how many times certain items such as chips can be served during the week will remain in place. Those . rules will be expanded and updated, for example to specify that . wholegrain food must be offered each week to provide fibre to children. But . more than a quarter of primary schools which trialled the proposed new . system exceeded the old sugar limit – of four teaspoons per meal – by . more than 10 per cent. Nutritionists . said ‘robust’ action is needed to meet a new target from the WHO, a . subsidiary of the UN, to reduce adults’ sugar intake to 12 teaspoons per . day and children’s to six. On . Wednesday UN health chiefs went even further, and said adults should . aim to halve this to six teaspoons and children to less than six. Unveiling . its draft advice, WHO officials said sugar may pose the same threat to . health as tobacco. It is increasingly implicated in obesity, heart . disease and a range of other serious illnesses, they warned. A . single fizzy drink serving could exceed the six-teaspoon daily limit. At present, schools in England must comply with two sets of catering . standards: one covering the frequency that specific items must be served . during the week and another prescribing the levels of 14 nutrients in . school lunches. These . nutrient standards stipulate that an average lunch in a primary must . contain no more than 15.5g of sugar – equivalent to just under four . teaspoons. In secondaries the limit is 18.9g, or four-and-a-half . teaspoons. Maximum limits . are also set for fat, saturated fat and sodium, and minimums for key . nutrients such as iron, fibre, zinc, protein and fibre. The . Department for Education, which commissioned chefs Henry Dimbleby and . John Vincent to review school food, said caterers find current rules . ‘over-complicated’. A . consultation paper published yesterday said they were ‘difficult to . understand’ and led to schools paying £20 for each recipe to be . privately analysed. ‘The nutrient-based standards can restrict cooks . from being creative,’ it added. Under . the plans, schools will no longer be required to prove they meet . nutrient standards and will instead use new food-based standards to . devise menus. These state, for example, that desserts, cakes and . biscuits must be served only at lunchtime. But in a trial of this approach, half of secondaries and a third of primaries failed to stay within the maximum sugar limit. There . would be ‘strengthened practical guidance on portion sizes for . desserts’, in addition to existing limits on the quantity of fruit . juices children can drink. Schools remain barred from offering fizzy . drinks. Special treats: A single fizzy drink serving could exceed the six-teaspoon daily limit advised by the WHO . Professor Susan Jebb, an . Oxford University nutritionist who helped draw up the new rules, said: . ‘If a school meets all of those food-based standards, it ought to be . pretty close to meeting the nutrient standards we previously had. Schools can be confident they will be close to them.’ She . said sugar consumption was already higher than the limit in some . schools since cooks found the nutrient rules difficult to implement. Newly-established academy schools will also be required to comply. Tam . Fry, from the National Obesity Forum, said: ‘These guidelines come just . days after the Chief Medical Officer [Sally Davies] confirmed sugar is . the real disaster. The WHO report was our signpost to crack down on . sugar.’ Katharine Jenner, a . nutritionist at Queen Mary, University of London and Action for Sugar’s . campaign director, said the WHO’s target was ‘such a long way from . where we are’. She added: . ‘Challenging taste preferences in childhood is vital because it affects . the rest of their lives. We would want to look at this in detail and . whether a child’s diet at school will be worse than it was before.’ Labour MP Simon Danczuk said: ‘I believe parents will be extremely  disappointed by this decision. ‘Why . the Government would want to reduce the healthiness of school meals is . puzzling to say the least. The Government is going in the wrong . direction.’

WHO experts says children should have just six teaspoons of sugar a day . Current rules says school lunches can have no more than four teaspoons . But prescribed levels of sugar, fat and salt are now set to be abandoned . New guidelines will instead stipulate how often different foods can be served .

(CNN)Recently, the new on-demand economy met U.S. employment law, and the encounter left both sides dazed and confused. In San Francisco, one federal district judge speculated that the ride-sharing company Uber may have to treat its drivers as employees rather than independent contractors. In another courtroom in the same city, a different judge, hearing a lawsuit brought by drivers for Uber's rival, Lyft, opined that U.S. employment laws actually may not cover the drivers as employees. Neither court has yet issued a final decision, but when they do, both judges will be right. Work -- both its structure and its very nature -- is undergoing rapid change in our country. Major corporations are increasingly using subcontracting structures, like outsourcing jobs, hiring workers through staffing agencies, and franchising. By calling workers "independent contractors," companies hope to divest themselves of their legal responsibilities as employers. At the same time, companies retain enormous control over when, where and how workers do their bidding and build their profits. Companies like Uber and Lyft fit squarely within this paradigm, forcing their drivers (or "partners," in Uber-speak) to bear all of the risk of running their own businesses -- investing in cars, paying for maintenance, insurance and gasoline, but without any guarantee of steady work --while sending much of the rewards to the company. Uber alone is valued at over $41 billion. According to Uber's own survey, the company is comprised of largely part-time drivers making roughly $300 to $400 a week, before paying off their expenses. In the new on-demand economy, companies are turning the Internet into the equivalent of a street corner hiring site and turning workers into day laborers. Hundreds of thousands of people work days-long or hours-long "gigs" -- housecleaning for Homejoy, stocking shelves through Wonolo, or running errands as Taskrabbits. Some gigs last only minutes, and pay as little as a penny per task, including those posted on Amazon's Mechanical Turk. These piece-rate workers do the jobs that computers can't do (yet). They tag online images, write copy for websites or match performers to labels on CDs. Like the Uber and Lyft drivers, workers who take on these kinds of jobs through online platforms are on their own. Unless the courts rule otherwise, they will continue to be treated as independent businesses. That means they will have no access to basic legal rights like minimum wage, overtime pay, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, employer-provided benefits and most critically, the formal right to come together and bargain with the companies for better wages and working conditions. While some workers will, like taxi drivers already have, organize and win fair treatment independent of what the courts rule, that task will be a hard one for workers who work in isolation, cut off from one another. Experts say this is just the beginning of a brave new world in which most workers will have a "portfolio" instead of a job. Even now, Uber claims 160,000 drivers use its application to find customers and earn money. Mechanical Turk claims 500,000 "turkers" across the globe. PriceWaterhouseCoopers estimated last summer that the sharing economy as a whole, valued at $15 billion in 2013, could reach $335 billion globally by 2025. It's not hard to see who wins and who loses in this scenario. More people, working in what former U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Robert Reich calls the "sharing the scraps" economy, will have less to live on, no ability to progress in a job and nothing to live on at the end of their work life. As the San Francisco judges recognize, these developments have implications not only for the way in which work is organized, but for whether or not work delivers decent pay and working conditions, the right to join with other workers to improve jobs and the social safety net on which workers rely when they are between jobs or ready to retire from the world of work. If this is our future, we have to get it right. And we can get it right. We can deliver a decent standard of living for a decent day's work to these workers and those who will follow them. The jury may still be out on whether companies like Uber, Lyft, and Wonolo and platforms like Mechanical Turk may be employers in the traditional sense. Some of them certainly are, and some companies will have to treat their workers as employees. But we have other policy solutions close at hand, because we have seen these structures before. The new platforms operate just like the traditional labor brokers in the agriculture and garment industries, who recruit workers, match them with jobs, and make a tidy profit for themselves in the bargain. Why shouldn't Uber, Lyft, and their kin be required, just like other labor brokers are, to register, pay their workers minimum wage and overtime, limit the commissions they are allowed to keep from each job they arrange and pay the payroll taxes that ensure workers have access to basic benefits like workers' compensation when they are injured and Social Security when they retire? Given the kind of huge revenue being generated in some of these companies, it's not a lot to ask. For the sake of our economic future, we need to make sure that these companies treat workers fairly. America cannot thrive off of a nation of freelancers who are sharing the scraps.

In the new on-demand economy, companies like Uber are turning workers into day laborers . By calling workers "independent contractors," companies reap profits but bear few responsibilities .

An unemployed father of 26 children, who has already raked in benefits worth more than £500,000, says he deserves more money to support his huge family. Unmarried Peter Rolfe, 64, from the Isle of Wight has fathered 14 boys and 12 girls with 15 different women. He appeared on today's This Morning to defend his lifestyle, ahead of a Channel 5 documentary airing this evening sharing his story. His side of the story: Peter Rolfe said on This Morning he only takes benefits for the sake of his children . Presenter Holly Willoughby revealed that Peter is getting £32,678 a year in benefits in the form of child tax credits, family allowance, disability benefits, housing benefits and a state pension. Peter pointed out that the pension is his right given he worked in his youth as a doorman (a role he admitted was largely responsible for him sleeping with so many women and fathering so many children). He apologised if his large family puts a 'strain' on the benefits system but added that he only claims for his children's sake, not for his own. Disabilities: The father of 26 said he would get a job if he could . 'I claim exactly what I can get from the state for my children, not for my self,' he said. He added that he would work if he could. 'I worked until taking the children on and then I became a single father, if someone wants to give me a job I'll do it, even now with my disabilities but noone wants to give a disabled person a job,' he said. While some of Mr Rolfe's children have grown up and left home (his eldest daughter is in her forties), he still regularly has 18 family members staying in his three-bed council house. Six of his children aged three to 19 still live with him permanently. Hard life: Peter Rolfe says he needs a bigger council house and more benefits to support his family . Big brood: The father of 26 with some of his children (he has 14 boys and 12 girls altogether) And the family keeps on expanding - one of his teenage daughters has just had twins. As a result, Mr Rolfe says there simply isn't room for them all, they have to top and tail to share beds while he sleeps on the sofa. 'I would like a house with four bedrooms . big enough to accommodate the children,' he explained on the Channel 5 documentary. He said he has been waiting nine years for a bigger house. 'I'll be dead before they even . think about giving me a house,' he moans. Tight squeeze: Peter's council house on the Isle Of Wight isn't big enough for his family (they do not own the attached garage) Mr Rolfe's feckless behaviour has already invited the ire of taxpayers but he declares himself furious with local council leader, who recently awarded himself a 37 per cent pay rise. 'Why is he entitled to that when I'm . not entitled to a bigger bedroom?' he complains. 'He didn't do anything to deserve what . he's getting. All he's doing is getting money for nothing, what makes . him think he's worth that money?' In addition to demanding more money and a larger home, Mr Rolfe complains that he and his family have been struggling since the benefit cap came in. Furiously, he tells of how his children had to go without computer games because they were only getting £500 a week in benefits. Challenge: Peter said people who criticise him should imagine what it's like being a father of 26 . 'When the cap came in, we lost at least . £200 a week,' he fumes. 'It meant some of my children couldn't have a new pair of . shoes, couldn't have a new pair of school trousers, couldn't have stuff . other children get such as Playstations and Xboxes... None of my children have had . them and that's because we can't afford them. 'Before the cap we were able to live comfortably, it's a major drop that affected us right away. They didn't . drop the price of food, that's going up so you have a lot of worry and . you have to juggle everything you can.' Yet when their benefits were capped, Mr Rolfe and other members of his family decided not to make up the shortfall by getting a job. At the time . the documentary was filmed, his teenage daughter, Rosanne, was the only . one employed - but she quit her waitressing job after five shifts saying it . was too difficult. 'Everyone has judged for for it but I . hated it, I honestly did,' she explains. 'All the people there would talk down to me, I . would prefer to work a simple 9-5, no split shifts.' Upwardly mobile on benefits: Peter has successfully applied for disability allowance which means his family gets £800 a week (and he gets a mobility scooter) Mr Rolfe, who walks using a stick, has now managed to boost his weekly welfare payout to £800 a week again - after successfully claiming disability allowance. But for anyone who thinks he's got it easy, he points out it's hard work being a father to dozens of children. 'I would challenge anybody to come and do what I do for the children. People all criticise me, but come and do what I do,' he said. But following his appearance on This Morning, Peter again received a barrage of criticism from viewers who contacted the show via Twitter. Kim Foster angrily rote: 'Shocking! He gets more than I do, and I'm a full time nurse! Saved wages for a house deposit and it's handed to him!' while Sarah Hawkins said: 'There's just no excuse. The Government needs to be more stricted with benefits. I'm a single parent and work my butt off.' Benefits Britain: Life On The Dole is on Channel 5 on Monday at 9pm .

Unemployed Peter Rolfe has fathered 14 boys and 12 girls with 15 women . His three bed council house on Isle of Wight isn't big enough for his family . He wants a four bed house and says he deserves it and extra money . Has raked in more than £500,000 in benefits already . Appeared on This Morning to defend his lifestyle .

By . Simon Tomlinson . Federal authorities have asked to speak with the wife of suspected Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, her lawyer said. Amato DeLuca also offered new details on Tsarnaev's movements in the days after the bombings, saying 'he was home' when his wife left for work on the last day she saw him alive. Katherine Russell Tsarnaev learned her husband was a suspect by seeing it on TV, DeLuca told The Associated Press. May have answers: Katherine Russell Tsarnaev (left), the American wife of Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev (right), faces questions from the FBI over what she may know about her husband's terrorist connections . Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, and his brother, Dzhokhar, 19, two ethnic Chechen brothers from southern Russia, are accused of planting two explosives near the marathon finish line Monday, killing three and injuring more than 180. A motive remains unclear. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was still hospitalised. Katherine Russell Tsarnaev did not speak to federal officials who came to her parents' home yesterday evening, where she has been staying since her husband was killed during a getaway attempt on Friday. DeLuca said he spoke with the federal officials, but he would not offer further details. 'We're deciding what we want to do and how we want to approach this,' he said. Low profile: Katherine Russell sits in the front passenger seat of a family car driven by her mother, Judith Russell (not pictured), as they leave their home in North Kingstown, Rhode Island today . In the spotlight: Katherine Russell in the car with her mother, Judith Russell (right). Her lawyer said she was 'deciding how to approach' questions from the federal authorities about her husband . When asked whether anything seemed amiss to the wife following the bombings, DeLuca said, 'Not as far as I know.' DeLuca said his client did not suspect her husband of anything. He . said she had been working 70 to 80 hours, seven days a week as a home . health care aide. While she was at work, her husband cared for their . toddler daughter, DeLuca said. 'When this allegedly was going on, she was working, and had been working all week to support her family,' he told the AP. Katherine's . awareness of her then husband's movements, thoughts and plans is under . intense scrutiny as her relation to Tsarnaev and her proximity to both . brothers makes her a key witness  - witting or otherwise. What did she know? A team of . federal agents deliver a package to her home after her mother . reluctantly answered the door. Katherine's proximity to both . brothers makes her a key witness, witting or otherwise . In hiding: The Russell family home in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, where Katherine is staying . The eldest of three daughters, to . emergency physician Dr Warren Russell and nurse Judith, she had an upbringing steeped in the values of family and education. It was while a studying at Suffolk University, Boston, that she met Tsaraev, then a promising boxer and athlete. It . was during that time that she converted to Islam and her youthful priorities . appear to have changed as she left in 2010 without graduating. By then her relationship with Tsaraev was intense. Not even his arrest for violently assaulting her in 2009 could change that. According . to Cambridge City Police Department reports of the incident which took . place in July at the Massachusetts home she once shared with Tsarnaev, . when interviewed she described Tsarnaev as ‘a very nice man.’ Through the years: She had a comfortable upbringing as the eldest daughter of a doctor and a nurse . Involved: Russell, circled, is pictured with her high school dance team, third from right on the back row . As it has already been revealed, Tsarnaev . was on the FBI's radar during that time as they were asked to look into . his potential links to extremist groups. She was living with Tsarnaev when he travelled to Makhachkala in 2011 – a trip now attracting the interest of investigators trying to establish whether he met with Gaczhimurad Dolgatov at that time. Dolgatov was a Dagestani jihadist who died in 2012 after a vicious stand-off with Russian security services. DeLuca said Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was off at college and she saw him 'not at all' at the apartment they shared with her mother-in-law. Katherine Russell Tsarnaev was attending . university in Boston when friends introduced her to her future husband . at a nightclub, DeLuca added. They dated on and off, then married in 2009 or 2010, he said. She was raised Christian, but at some point after meeting Tamerlan Tsarnaev, she converted to Islam, he said. When asked why she converted, he said, 'She believes in the tenets of Islam and of the Koran. She believes in God.'

Katherine Russell Tsarnaev says husband Tamerlan 'was home' when she left for work on last day she saw him . Federal officials came to family home yesterday, but she didn't speak to them . Lawyer: 'We're deciding what we want to do and how to approach this' She says husband cared for their toddler while she worked 70 to 80 hours a week as health care aide .

A speed camera firm which has earned £35 million from British taxpayers since 2006 has paid just £12,000 in UK taxes, accounts for the company have revealed. RedSpeed International supplies digital traffic cameras designed to stop motorists speeding or driving through red lights both in Britain and overseas. According to the latest accounts filed with Companies House, the firm, based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, posted a pre-tax profit of £1.09 million but paid no UK corporation tax. Speed camera firm RedSpeed International has earned £35 million from British taxpayers since 2006 but has paid just £12,000 in UK taxes, accounts for the company have revealed . Daniel Zaydman, 37, (left) founded the leading traffic enforcement technology company, a decade ago. Last year the firm won a contract to supply 600 speed and red light cameras to Transport for London . The company, which is behind a device called SpeedCurb which uses road sensors to measure speed, won a contract late last year to supply 600 speed and red light cameras to Transport for London. Although it manufactures and maintains the speed camera equipment, the firm has no involvement in the day to day operation of the cameras. Daniel Zaydman, 37, founded the leading traffic enforcement technology company, a decade ago. Although it manufactures and maintains the speed camera equipment, the firm has no involvement in the day to day operation of the cameras . Official paperwork shows during that time he has taken home more than £760,000 in pay. The managing director lives outside Worcester in a mortgage-free home, which he bought for£975,000 at the age of 29. Since 2006, RedSpeed International has turned over more than £73 million, including £35 million in the UK, but has paid less than £12,000 in taxes here. The most recent accounts show a turnover for 2013 of £9.3 million, with more than £3.3 million coming from the UK. Despite its £1.09 million pre-tax profit, RedSpeed International paid no UK corporation tax - although it did pay nearly £19,000 in foreign corporation tax. The accounts also revealed that it did not pay any UK corporation tax in 2012, while shelling out £72,565 abroad. The accounts for 2011, 2010 and 2009 also show a zero tax charge, with the bill standing at £262 in 2008, £261 in 2007 and £11,239 for 2006. Campaigner Paul Pearson, of penaltychargenotice.co.uk, said: 'It’s not right these cameras rake in essentially another tax, but the firm behind them does not pay much.' When initially approached, a member of staff at RedSpeed replied: 'No comment.' RedSpeed are yet to respond to MailOnline's further request for comment.

RedSpeed International supplies traffic cameras in both the UK and abroad . Firm won a contract to supply 600 cameras to TfL last year . Recent accounts at Companies House show 2013 turnover of £9.3 million . It also made a 1.09 million pre-tax profit, but paid no UK corporation tax . However, it did pay nearly £19,000 in foreign corporation tax .

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Comic actor Dick Van Dyke and his wife escaped unhurt when their car caught fire on a Los Angeles-area highway, California state police said Monday. Good Samaritans helped the 87-year-old Van Dyke and his wife, Arlene, from his Jaguar after he pulled the car over to the side of the Ventura Freeway in Calabasas, California Highway Patrol spokesman Saul Gomez said. The fire occurred about 2 p.m. Monday, Gomez said. Arlene Van Dyke posted video online of the burned-out car and the actor talking with police. Publicist Bob Palmer said Van Dyke was "fine" but "slightly embarrassed" and was "appreciative of the instant help he got on the road." Fast Facts: Dick Van Dyke . Van Dyke won three Emmy Awards for his self-titled comedy show in the 1960s, won a Tony for his role in the musical "Bye Bye Birdie" and shared a Grammy with Julie Andrews for the soundtrack to the children's classic movie "Mary Poppins." He won another Emmy for a 1976 variety special and starred in the long-running mystery series "Diagnosis: Murder" in the 1990s. CNN's Tory Dunnan and Denise Quan contributed to this report.

Van Dyke's wife posted video of the burned-out Jaguar . Van Dyke's Jaguar caught fire on a freeway north of Los Angeles, police say . Good Samaritans helped the 87-year-old actor and his wife get out . He's "fine" but "slightly embarrassed," his publicist says .

They're called 'snapping' turtles for a very good reason, but this hapless animal lover just had to find out the hard way and ended up in hospital. The Chinese man was reportedly releasing the ferocious-looking creature into the wild but decided he had to give it a goodbye kiss first. Unfortunately the love was not exactly requited and the snapping turtle did what snapping turtles do and snapped him on the lip. The clue's in the name: A hapless Fujian animal lover decided to give a snapping turtle a goodbye kiss before releasing it into the wild . The man, from Fujian province, was left with the turtle dangling from his face refusing to release its powerful, pincer-like jaws. Eventually the animal was prized away from the unfortunate man who was immediately rushed to hospital. A friend then posted the picture on the internet to warn people of the dangers of kissing snapping turtles. A friend then posted the picture on the internet to warn people of the dangers of the dangers of kissing snapping turtles . According to the the Shanghai Daily the animal appeared to be an alligator snapping turtle which are native to North America and known to be highly dangerous. They are the largest freshwater turtles in the world and can grow to more than half-a-metre in length and live to be 160 years old. But they are most known for their powerful jaws which are strong enough to bite through a broomstick handle.

Fujian man wanted to give creature a goodbye kiss before releasing it into the wild .

The Queen met a series of diabetes sufferers - including the teenage daughter of a Premier League football boss - at a reception to mark a charity’s 80th birthday tonight. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, his child Mischa, 19, and Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford were among those attending the event for Diabetes UK at St James's Palace in central London. Rutherford also has a child who suffers from Type 1 diabetes - and both stars lend their support to the cause to raise awareness for the disease. Mischa has had the disease since she was seven. Greetings: The Queen meets Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers at a reception for Diabetes UK in London . In attendance: The Queen (left) was joined at the event at St James's Palace by football boss Rodgers and his 19-year-old daughter Mischa (together, right) who has had diabetes since she was seven . Proud father: Rodgers has lent his support to the cause of Diabetes UK to raise awareness for the disease . Former Swansea City manager Rodgers said: ‘An event like this shows the seriousness of diabetes - if someone like the Queen is patron of the charity and is celebrating the work at that it does.’ At the end of reception the Queen, dressed in a duck-egg blue silk evening suit, was presented with a posy by eight-year-old Amber Clayton, who was just six when she found out she had diabetes. Speaking shortly before the presentation a nervous Amber said: ‘Is this a dream, or is this real?’ Mischa said the charity had been a great support to her and that in the 12 years she had lived with diabetes, there had been great advances in treatment. Your Majesty: Queen Elizabeth II meets Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford (centre) at the reception tonight . Involvement: The Queen met a number of people at the reception, taking a short time to speak with them . ‘I have now got cousins around me who are seven years old. It is only when you look at them that you realise they are babies. ‘They are so young, and so to try and get your head around it, is quite a big thing. It makes you realise how young I was.’ Rodgers said: ‘My role is to support, firstly Mischa. And she has been incredible as a young lady being diagnosed. ‘And then to be able to support the charity is a great honour, and it is a complete honour and privilege to be here tonight.’ The Queen met a number of people at the reception, taking a short time to speak with them and find out about their involvement with the charity. Patron of Diabetes UK: The event at St James's Palace was scheduled to mark the charity's 80th anniversary . Every little helps: Queen Elizabeth II meets Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis at the reception tonight . In discussion: The Queen speaks with the vice president of Diabetes UK, Judith Rich (left). Diabetes UK cares for, connects with and campaigns on behalf of people who are affected by or at risk of diabetes . Diabetes UK cares for, connects with and campaigns on behalf of people who are affected by or at risk of diabetes. There are 3.2million people in the UK diagnosed with the disease. The charity provides information, help and peer support, enabling people with diabetes to manage their condition effectively. It was set up by novelist HG Wells and Dr RD Lawrence, both of whom had diabetes, as The Diabetic Association. It became the British Diabetic Association in 1954 and Diabetes UK at the turn of the millennium. Rutherford said he had been spoken to about his youngest son Harry, now 27, who was diagnosed with diabetes 15 years ago. ‘I have worked with the charity for a while and the more I can do to promote it, the better. It does such great work.’ Amber, wearing a sparkly pink dress that was bought specially for the occasion, said meeting the Queen had been a ‘weird’ experience. She added: ‘I have been very excited and it has been making me feel a little bit sick.’ Simon O'Neill, Diabetes UK's director of health intelligence, said: ‘This event marks our 80th anniversary and it is wonderful to celebrate the important work of the charity and all our achievements so far for people with diabetes. ‘Diabetes affects millions of people in the UK and we are delighted that our patron, Her Majesty The Queen, was able to attend the reception at St James's Palace to meet so many of our committed volunteers and supporters.'

Brendan Rodgers and Mike Rutherford guests at St James's Palace . Queen attends event tonight to mark Diabetes UK's 80th anniversary . Football manager and guitarist have children with Type 1 diabetes . Rodgers's daughter Mischa, 19, has had diabetes since she was seven .

By . Wills Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 13:14 EST, 28 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:41 EST, 28 November 2013 . A farmer’s wife admitted burying her husband and hiding his death from the authorities so she could carry on claiming thousands of pounds of his benefits. Widow Rebekah Sturdey, 56, hid her husband Geoffrey's body on their remote farm in Beth Berith near Tregaron, West Wales, and collected more than £70,000 of state handouts until she was caught in 2012. Mr Sturdey was 60-years-old when he was last seen alive in October 2008, but his body was only discovered by police last year after the Department of Work and Pensions became 'concerned about the farmer’s welfare'. Cover-up: The body of Geoffrey Sturdey was hidden by his wife Rebekah on a remote farm in West Wales . Swansea Crown Court heard how the Iranian-born Mrs Sturdey took disability and pensions allowance in her spouse's name for four years. She pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful and decent burial of her husband and was told she could face jail. Two other women - the farmer’s carer Boqer-Ore Adie, 43, and friend Carmel Adie, 24 - also admitted the same charge. Boqer-Ore Adie’s daughter Hazel Adie, 20, pleaded not guilty which was accepted by the prosecution. The four women lived together at the isolated smallholding with Mr Sturdey. Mrs Sturdey helped on her husband’s 20-acre farm when he became disabled and employed Boqer-Orie Adie as his full-time carer. Family: Hazel and Carmel Adie arriving at Swansea Crown Court. They both admitted to preventing the lawful burial of Mr Sturdey . Prosecutor Jacqui Lis told an earlier hearing: 'All four women were arrested after inquiries had been made by the Department of Work and Pensions as to Mr Sturdey’s whereabouts.' Sturdey and Boqer-Ore Adie admitted fraud by failing to notify authorities they were in receipt of disability allowance and pension credits in the farmer’s name. The court heard Sturdey and Boqer-Ore Adie had claimed £21,700 in disability allowance and £36,000 in pension credits. Boqer-Ore Adie claimed a further £9,400 in carer’s allowance and £10,100 in income support for Mr Sturdey. Judge Keith Thomas adjourned the hearing until next month after telling all three women they could face jail. He said: 'All options, including prison will be open to me.' Sturdey and Boqer-Ore Adie were remanded in custody and Carmel Adie was released on bail.

Rebekah Sturdey, 56, hid her husband Geoffrey's body in 2008 . He died suddenly on their remote farm near Tregaron in West Wales . She then took his disability allowance and pension credit for four years . Was caught in 2012 when the Department for Work and Pensions became 'concerned for the farmer's welfare'

So where does Bradford City’s shock 4-2 victory at Premier League leaders Chelsea rank in the history of FA Cup upsets? There is one man better placed than most to tell us. Here, Match of the Day’s John Motson – who has commentated on the competition since 1972 – runs Sportsmail though his 10 greatest FA Cup giant-killing acts... BBC commentator John Motson has been working on FA Cup games for more than 40 years . 10. York 1 Arsenal 0, Fourth Round, 1985 . There was snow on the pitch but York fancied their chances because manager Denis Smith got a load of volunteers in on the morning of the game to clear it. It was goalless with five minutes left when York got a penalty and Keith Houchen put it away. He then disappeared for a couple of years before popping up and scoring for Coventry in the 87 Final. 9. Bournemouth 2 Manchester United 0, Third Round, 1984 . Ron Atkinson’s United were holders but they got turned over good and proper by Third Division Bournemouth, whose manager was a young Harry Redknapp. United even had England captain Bryan Robson in their side, but Redknapp’s team were deserved winners and scored twice in five minutes after half-time through Milton Graham and Ian Thompson. Milton Graham cracks Manchester United's defence to score Bournemouth's first goal at Dean Court in 1984 . Graham lands and makes his way up off the turf to celebrate his memorable goal in the FA Cup third round . 8. Walsall 2 Arsenal 0, Third Round, 1933 . Herbert Chapman’s team were the outstanding side in the country and this is the greatest pre-war FA Cup upset. Arsenal were so humiliated by Third Division Walsall that, on the train home, Chapman sacked the defender who gave away one of the goals. 7. Wrexham 2 Arsenal 1, Third Round, 1992 . Arsenal were First Division champions at the time and this game had everything, brilliant goals, disallowed goals and drama until the last. Micky Thomas scored that belter of a free-kick into the top corner to equalise before Steve Watkin got the winner two minutes from the end – but there was still time for Arsenal to have a goal ruled out. Micky Thomas (centre), scorer of Wrexham's first, passes David Rowcastle  of Arsenal in 1992 . Steve Watkin (right) scores the winning goal to produce a miraculous FA Cup upset at the Racehorse Ground . 6. Burnley 0 Wimbledon 1, Third Round, 1975 . This was the first time in 55 years that a non-league team beat a First Division side on their own ground. Dave Bassett played for Wimbledon and Dickie Guy – who is club president to this day – was in goal. 5. Sunderland 1 Leeds 0, Final, 1973 . I was at the Leeds hotel on the morning of the game and they were awfully tense. Sunderland, on the other hand, were relaxed and laughing and joking. They were a Second Division side and no-one gave them a chance. But they gave Don Revie’s superstars a helluva game and, although Ian Porterfield got the goal, it’s Jim Montgomery’s double save which stands out in my memory. The late Ian Porterfield (fifth right) fires the winning goal past Leeds United goalkeeper David Harvey . Sunderland's captain Bobby Kerr holds the FA Cup trophy aloft at Wembley in May 1973 . 4. Yeovil 2 Sunderland 1, Fourth Round, 1949 . Sunderland weren’t just a First Division side, they were known as the “Bank of England Club” of that era for the huge sums of money they’d spent on the team. Yeovil, meanwhile, were in the Southern League. Player-manager Alec Stock was a real character, he scored for Yeovil and he went on to manage Fulham in the 1975 Cup Final. 3. Chelsea 2 Bradford 4, Fourth Round, 2015 . Now this would have still been a shock if Bradford had won at Valley Parade – but factor in Chelsea leading 2-0 at Stamford Bridge and it is quite remarkable. Jose Mourinho had never lost an FA cup match at home and, for me, this ranks as one of the greatest upsets of all time. Mark Yeates beats the Chelsea defence and slots home past Petr Cech to make it 4-2 to Bradford . Bradford's players celebrate their amazing comeback after the final whistle at Stamford Bridge . 2. Sutton 2 Coventry 1, Third Round, 1989 . I did this game and I remember Sutton had been practising corners all morning and hadn’t scored from one – then Tony Rains puts them ahead from a corner and Matthew Hanlan scores the winner from a corner. Their manager, Barrie Williams, was a character, a pipe-smoking and poetry-quoting old-school boss. And Coventry, don’t forget, had won the cup just 19 months earlier. Sutton's Matthew Hanlan (No 11) scores the winning goal against Coventry in the FA Cup third round in 1989 . Sutton goalscorers Tony Rains and Hanlan celebrate with champagne after the final whistle . 1. Hereford 2 Newcastle 1, Third Round, 1972 . People forget that non-league Hereford had already drawn 2-2 at Newcastle to earn a replay. Ronnie Radford scored his famous rocket and that has to be the most replayed goal in the history of the competition. I was there and this game is everything which is brilliant about the FA Cup, the pitch was a bog and Newcastle’s superstars such as Malcolm Macdonald had been spouting off in the press, but they got their comeuppance alright. Hereford United fans and players rush to Ronnie Radford after his screamer took the game to extra time . Radford's 40-yard strike hits the back of Newcastle goalkeeper Willie McFaul's net in the 1972 FA Cup .

Bradford City pulled off a shock to beat Chelsea 4-2 at Stamford Bridge . The League One side feature in John Motson's list of giant killings . Motson has been commentating on the FA Cup for more than 40 years . Arsenal's defeat at Wrexham and Hereford's win over Newcastle feature .

Dennis Rodman is apologizing. Again. Last week, he said he was sorry about his bizarre, drunken outburst on CNN about an American citizen held prisoner in North Korea. Now, Rodman says he's sorry about what's going on inside North Korea, a nation renowned for its human rights abuses. But the eccentric former NBA star known as "The Worm" isn't contrite about his latest puzzling visit to the secretive state. He said he did nothing wrong by organizing a basketball game last week at a packed stadium in Pyongyang, an event at which he sang "Happy Birthday" to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "I'm sorry for what's going on in North Korea, the certain situations," Rodman told CNN on Monday after arriving at Beijing International Airport from Pyongyang. He didn't say exactly what those "situations" are. He may have been referring to the reports of horrific human rights abuses by his friend Kim's regime, or to the estimated 200,000 people kept in political prison camps. Or maybe he was talking about Kenneth Bae, the U.S. citizen sentenced last year to 15 years of hard labor by North Korea on accusations that he planned to bring down the government through religious activities. He was certainly less boisterous than when he spoke to CNN's Chris Cuomo last week. In that interview, he appeared to suggest that Bae may have done something to deserve his heavy sentence. After his on-air rant drew criticism from Bae's family and others, Rodman apologized, saying he'd been drinking and was under stress. In Beijing on Monday, returning from a week-long visit to North Korea, he struck a more humble tone. "I'm not God, I'm not (an) ambassador, I'm no one," he said. "I just want to show the world the fact that we can actually get along in sport. That is it!" Rodman later flew back to the United States, landing at Newark, New Jersey, Monday evening. He left the airport there without talking to reporters. 'I love America' Rodman has described Kim, whose once-powerful uncle was recently purged and executed, as a friend and a "very good guy." He said he was happy that by playing basketball with and in front of North Koreans -- an approach dubbed "basketball diplomacy" -- he and the other former NBA players who accompanied him had tried to "do something good for the world." But Rodman said he was sad that "everyone is trying to break this down, to push it on me." "I don't know why," he said. "I haven't done anything wrong. Nothing wrong!" Some observers have said Rodman's "basketball diplomacy" may have positive effects in North Korea by offering the people there a different view of the West, compared with its demonic portrayal in the country's tightly controlled state media. But others, including human rights activists, say it's an embarrassing media sideshow that distracts attention from the North Korean regime's brutality. Rodman rejected suggestions that he had betrayed his country by befriending Kim, a dictator whose regime's rhetoric describes the United States as a mortal enemy. "I love America. I love my country." he said. "I'd never damage my country." Caught in the middle . Retired NBA player Cliff Robinson, who went on the trip, said Monday on CNN's "New Day" that he was surprised by the backlash the trip generated back home and was unaware the game would coincide with Kim's birthday. But he was apprehensive about criticizing Rodman. "Dennis is a great guy. Dennis is going to be Dennis," he said. "I don't want to sit here and ever put someone that I've supported and throw them under the bus. We're grown men." Robinson said he and the other players "could have probably done a little more homework as to what was going on, or ask Dennis questions." Another member of Rodman's team, Kenny Anderson, agreed. "I didn't do my due diligence," Anderson told CNN's "Piers Morgan Live," saying he didn't know anything about the political situation in North Korea. Anderson, a star player for the New Jersey Nets in the 1990s, said he now felt "very bad" about the North Korea trip. He said his children got "approached" at school about his participation in the visit. The money question . Last week, NBA Commissioner David Stern said the former NBA players were "blinded by the payday," but the players have been adamant that North Korea did not pay them. "Absolutely not. I think I am astute enough to understand the dynamics, especially collecting monetary dollars from North Korea. No, we did not get paid from North Korea at all," Rodman teammate Charles Smith told CNN in a lengthy exclusive interview on "New Day Sunday." Smith, who retired from the NBA in 1997 after nine seasons, said an Irish online betting company and a documentary film crew paid expenses for the ex-players turned hoops ambassadors. Last month, the Irish company Paddy Power said it had removed its name from Rodman's project after the execution of Kim's uncle and top aide, Jang Song Thaek. But it said it would honor its "contractual commitments" to the team. Anderson said different players were paid different amounts for their participation. He said he received "a few thousand dollars" but less than $10,000. Pressed by Morgan, he said he would give "a portion" of his fee to charity. But he refused to commit to give it all away. Rodman under pressure . Speaking by satellite from Beijing at the weekend, Smith said it wasn't about the money. He saw it as an opportunity to go to a reclusive country and exchange cultural information with other athletes and citizens. But he didn't see it as a birthday present for Kim. "That's the date that was set. I didn't know it was his birthday," he said in the half-hour interview. "And it didn't matter to me once I found out that it was his birthday." Smith said he felt for Rodman, who asked for his help organizing the trip and who really seemed to want to pull off a big event. "I saw the pressure mount. I saw him change, and it was very difficult keeping him and everyone together" once the controversy over traveling to North Korea began, he said. Smith said that advocating for Bae's release wasn't on their agenda. "We didn't go there for that. We went there to do what we normally do, and that's to be cross-cultural ambassadors and use the game of basketball as a bridge for exchange," he said.

Ex-NBA player Kenny Anderson say he got "a few thousand dollars" for the trip . "We could have probably done a little more homework," teammate Cliff Robinson says . "I'm sorry for what's going on in North Korea," Rodman tells CNN . He stirred controversy last week by singing "Happy Birthday" to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un .

This is the moment a music-lover sparked a mass sing-along by passengers standing on a platform at a London Underground station. An Erasure fan led an impromptu version of the band's 1980s classic 'A Little Respect' while he was waiting for a train at Kentish Town. After breaking into song in what started as a solo performance, dozens of passengers decided to join in. An Erasure fan led an impromptu version of the band's 1980s classic 'A Little Respect' while he was at the Kentish Town underground station in London . The video was posted online by one of the vocal participants and soon proved a hit on social media. Today, the leader of the singalong was revealed as Erasure fan Neil Francis, who sings at venues in and around the Great Yarmouth area in Norfolk. He launched into the rendition on his way back from an Erasure gig at the nearby Forum music venue - and judging by the reaction, some of the passengers had been to the same concert. Video footage first shows him taking on the tune himself, before the camera turns to show hoards of other music fans chiming in. Video footage captured the moment crowds joined in with the singalong after the Erasure fan had started his rendition of the band's 1980s classic 'A Little Respect' Today, the leader of the singalong was revealed as Erasure fan Neil Francis, who sings at venues in and around the Great Yarmouth area in Norfolk . He told the BBC: 'I love the sound of the acoustics in the tube station, so I thought "give it some". 'It went mental, and got louder and louder.' Mr Francis admitted to having one or two drinks before plucking up the courage to start the singalong. But the performance proved so popular that passengers then asked him to carry on once he had got on a train.

Dozens of tube passengers join a singalong of Erasure's 'A Little Respect' Impromptu version of hit took place at Kentish Town underground station . The mass singalong was started by singer and Erasure fan Neil Francis . He started singing the hit after watching the band earlier in the evening . Video footage shows how hoards of other passengers then joined in .

The art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting animal skins is called taxidermy, and it can range from classy to creepy depending on whether your subject is a moose, or, say, a homeless drifter. Of course, proper taxidermy is primarily reserved for hunting and fishing trophies, and it sort of works like this: . Dave drinks two dozen Coors in the woods with friends. Dave shoots bear. Dave pays taxidermist to turn bear into furniture. Dave puts bear in living room. Dave's kids wet bed until they're 33. And that's if the mounting is done well. Because quality taxidermy really depends on the skill of the taxidermist, and a simple hunting mount can turn exponentially more creepy if it isn't done with precision or mild sobriety. "Hey! Hey! Look what I made!" "Is that ... Danny DeVito looking for a contact lens?" "It's a deer." But even for those of us who don't necessarily enjoy the idea of killing animals for the sake of impressing dinner guests, somehow it's not all that difficult to be amused by terrible craftsmanship . So, although I'm sort of weirded out by this practice (and, hey, to each their own) I can absolutely appreciate bad taxidermy. And, now, there's a new, popular Twitter feed about just that. It's called @CrapTaxidermy, and it's completely dedicated to images of the very worst animal mountings. Not to be confused with @MileyCyrus. The Twitter account was started by a guy in the UK named Nish, who requested to only be identified by a one-word name. Like Cher. Or Madonna. Or Steve from accounting. He loves taxidermy and Sheffield Wednesday Football Club. Beyond that, we know very little about the man behind the account. But we do understand that Nish started the Twitter account only about a month ago, and was inspired by something that, really, all of us should get to see at some point in our lives. He explains: "I started the page after I saw the pole dancing polar bear in a museum and thought poorly executed taxidermy might interest others." And it does. Soon, people started catching on to his feed, especially in the last week. Which should help him keep it updated with new images going forward. Nish says, "People send me pictures of creatures they have seen and all I do is post them on my Twitter with a hilarious caption." Good effort! That said, Nish made it very clear to me that he is, in fact, an animal lover and does not condone hunting for sport or animal cruelty. But, you know, if you're gonna do it anyway ... how 'bout a photo? Bad taxidermy on the Web is actually nothing new. For example, about five years ago a woman in New York name Kat Su started a Tumblr blog called Crappy Taxidermy. It's all the same fun, but with an extra "p" and a "y." For those of you keeping score -- and God knows I am -- Crappy Taxidermy boasts itself as "the Internet's oldest and largest image gallery of crappy and awesome taxidermy since 2009." But Su has a wonderfully positive attitude about the new kid in town. "We're completely unaffiliated," she says, adding "I love what they're doing, though!" Su explained that "blogging isn't a zero sum game, and everyone wins when you spread the love for this particular type of taxidermy. I just like making people laugh." And besides, things are going fairly well for Su. She even has a book coming out this fall. However, to confuse matters, the book is actually being titled "Crap Taxidermy." Just like Nish's twitter feed. The plot thickens. The reason for the name change, Su explained, is that her book is actually being published by a British publishing house, and that British people don't use the word "crappy." Which explains Nish's use of the word "crap." Of course, despite Su's carefree attitude toward Nish's Twitter feed, it might ultimately come to blows when the publishers get involved with marketing the book. In the meantime, Su maintains her day job as an active-wear designer, but says she's actually going to have to try her hand at taxidermy. For real. And there's no way out. For the book, she is going to write a tutorial on how to stuff a mouse. And her good friend, Daisy Tainton, happens to be an insect preparatory for the Museum of Natural History, and also a hobbyist taxidermist. Aren't we all? Tainton will be giving Su a private lesson at her apartment, and Su's only real concern is that she'll barf. Which would be bad. But, you know, if you're gonna do it anyway ... how 'bout a photo? Follow @JarrettBellini on Twitter.

A UK man named Nish started his @CrapTaxidermy Twitter feed about a month ago . Since 2009, a popular blog about the same thing has existed under the name Crappy Taxidermy . Kat Su runs Crappy Taxidermy and is working on a new book about the subject .

A 33-year-old man has been shot dead by two police officers after he brandished a knife in front of them. The suspect reportedly lunged at two male Queensland Police officers with a weapon when they visited the house north of Brisbane. They arrived on the scene after numerous hoax triple-0 calls were traced to the Elizabeth Avenue residence in Redcliffe. Scroll down for video . There were reportedly numerous triple-0 hoax calls from the house where the incident happened . Police were interviewing other residents who were in the house when the shots were fired . A police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that police shot because 'the man had a knife' and confirmed two shots were fired. The incident occurred just after midnight on Monday night. The man was from the suburb of Deception Bay, north of Brisbane, about a 15 minute drive from the house where he was shot. The man's flatmate, Adam Sant, says he tried to stop him. Police interviewed the man's flatmate, Adam Sant . 'I've seen the whole thing really,' he told Nine News. 'I've seen him rush the police officers with a knife and I tried to stop him. 'And they've tried to pepper spray him but I ended up getting pepper sprayed and then he rushed them again and got shot.' Police were interviewing other residents who were in the house when the shots were fired. Superintendent Mick Brady told the ABC that it was a violent situation. The Police Ethical Standards Command and the Crime and Corruption Commission is investigating. A man was shot dead on Elizabeth Avenue  in Redcliffe, north of Brisbane . Two male officers fired two shots at the man after he brandished a knife .

A man was shot dead by police at a house in Redcliffe, north of Brisbane . Two shots were fired by officers after the man lunged at them with a knife .

Surrounded by thousands of well-wishers, the widow of Herve Gourdel clutched a single white rose as she openly cried at a gathering in tribute to her husband who was murdered by Islamic extremists. Mr Gourdel's wife, Francoise, was with the mountaineer's parents today as thousands of people, including hundreds of Muslims, took to the streets of France to denounce the killing by Algerian Islamic extremist group Jund al-Khilifa - close allies of ISIS. Many more Muslims gathered outside mosques in cities across France to condemn the barbaric murder of the 55-year-old father-of-two. Scroll down for video . Distraught: The wife of Herve Gourdel, who was killed by an Islamic extremist group in Algeria earlier this week, attended a gathering in tribute to her husband in the southern French city of Nice . Harrowing: Mrs Gourdel clutched a white rose, as did hundreds of others at the large crowd, alongside pictures of the Frenchman who was brutally murdered by Jund al-Khilifa - close allies of the ISIS militant group . The parents of Herve Gourdel, Jean (left) and Genevieve (right) also attended the tribute service to their 55-year-old son, who was visiting Algeria for a walking holiday . Relatives of Mr Gourdel helped his father to stand at the gathering in Nice, where thousands took to the streets to pay tribute to the 55-year-old man . Thousands of people gathered in the southern French city of Nice for a silent walk, where flowers and pictures of the murdered man, were held aloft. Francoise and Mr Gourdel's parents, Jean and Genevieve, were visibly emotional as they lay flowers at the service.C . Candles were lit at a separate service in a square in Montpellier yesterday, as many more congregated in Paris and Nantes. A video of Mr Gourdel's brutal murder, titled 'A Message in Blood for the French Government', followed French airstrikes on ISIS targets in Syria. President Francois Hollande has declared three days of national mourning but says France will not give in to 'blackmail' from terrorists. The flag atop the Grand Palais in France is being flown at half-mast. Dalil Boubakeur, rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, spoke to a crowd of people mainly of North African origin in the French capital, saying: '[Mr Gourdel] was the victim of a cowardly murder. 'Islam demands respect for life. The Koran tells us that to kill one man is to kill all humanity.' The qualified mountain guide had spent years training other guides in Nepal, Morocco and Jordan, and was visiting the country for a ten-day walking expedition . Members of Jund al-Khilafah stand behind Mr Gourdel just before beheading him. In the video, the men pledge their allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, before killing the man . Thousands of people took part in a silent walk in Mr Gourdel's hometown of Nice, with many holding white roses and pictures of the man aloft . President Francois Hollande has declared three days of national mourning but says France will not give in to 'blackmail' from terrorists . The glaring sun beat down on the thousands of people paying tribute as they walked silently along the Mediterranean sea front in Nice, south-east France . Gone but not forgotten: Today's march saw hundreds of flowers and pictures of Mr Gourdel left as a tribute to the man, who leaves behind two grown-up children . The video of Mr Gourdel, a tour guide who was visiting Algeria, shows the man kneeling with his arms tied behind his back before four masked militants. Frenchman Herve Gourdel was a qualified mountain guide. The 55-year-old spent years training other guides in Nepal, Morocco and Jordan, and had visited Algeria before. He lived with his wife, Francoise, in Nice, and had two grown-up children. Mr Gourdel was abducted by the Jund al-Khilifa Islamic extremist group on September 21 - just one day after arriving in Algeria for a 10-day walking holiday. Three days later, the video of his death was posted online. Like previous beheadings by ISIS fanatic 'Jihadi John' in Syria, who has killed two American journalists, as well as British aid worker Alan Henning, the beheading is not shown but the grim aftermath is. The video, released just 30 minutes after Barack Obama's used a speech at the UN urging the world to dismantle ISIS' 'network of death', sent shockwaves through France, with public support for military intervention against ISIS rocketing to 69 per cent following Mr Gourdel's murder. France's five-million-strong Muslim population is the largest in Europe. Some on the French right have suggested the Islamic community has not condemned Mr Gourdel's murder strongly enough. This claim was strongly rejected by its leaders, and was rebutted by the rally in Paris and others across the nation today and yesterday. Dozens of Algerians were among the hundreds outside the Grand Mosque, and more gathered in the cities of Nantes, Montpellier and Bordeaux. 'This is not Islam, what they are doing,' Mohamed Benbouzia, an elderly Parisian man of Algerian origin said. 'It is a perversion, by sick people, murderers, criminals, people who should be sitting in jail. 'The Algerian government must do absolutely everything it can to track down the people who did this and bring them to justice.' Enes Mustafic, 65, said: 'Nowhere does the Quran say other religions or nations must be attacked. Cutting people's heads off is really the most despicable. If airstrikes can stop these fundamentalist, aggressive ideas from spreading, I am all for it.' A service in Montpellier saw hundreds of people gather at the Comedy Square to light candles in the mountaineer's honour, southern France . Candles were lit around a message reading 'Goodbye Herve' during the gathering, which takes place on the second of three days of national mourning across France . Hundreds of Muslims gathered at the Great Mosque in Paris yesterday to pay  tribute to Mr Gourdel. Prominent French Muslims have lent their voice to protests by Muslims in several countries against the campaign of terror waged by ISIS and their allies . Muslims waved Algerian and French flags outside the mosque after Friday prayers, as people protested against barbaric extremist group ISIS . Mourning: The flag at the Grand Palais, Paris, has been at half-mast since Mr Gourdel's death, which was revealed in the video titled 'A Message in Blood for the French Government' by Jund al-Khilifa . The video shows French text, which translates to English as  'BLOOD MESSAGE FOR THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT'. It then shows Gourdel kneeling with his arms tied behind his back before four masked militants. Two have assault rifles. Gourdel appears to have a gash on the front of his throat. He appears calm. One of the men, reading from a script, says: . 'Here is criminal France that is full of hatred for Muslims, coming to us with a new dress. The aggression on the Muslims in Mali was not enough for it, and before that in Algeria, where it destroyed and sowed corruption in the land, violated honor, fought whoever converted to Islam with its laws, prevented the hijab, spread vice and corruption, and killed the Muslims and displaced the weak. 'And today it refused to see the Shariah of Allah be applied in the land, the implementation of proscribed punishments, and the religion be spread. 'So it came with its horses and men to participate in this Crusader war under the pretext of terrorism, as they allege.' 'Let the French people know that their blood is cheap for their president, and it is the same as you made the blood of the Muslim women and children cheap in Iraq and Sham [Syria] and other countries. 'Your blood has been cheapened as an exact recompense.' The militants then push the victim on his side and hold him down. The video does not show the beheading, but a militant holds the head up to the camera afterwards. Just before the militants gave their statement, the Frenchman briefly addressed his family. Zohra Lamloum, a French teacher of Algerian origin at a high school in a Paris suburb, said she was 10 years older than Gourdel and felt like he was her 'younger brother'. Holding up a newspaper and pointing at a photograph of Gourdel, she said: 'He was a healthy man, somebody who went hiking, who lived cleanly, who went to our country with the purest intentions, and this is what happened to him. 'The people who did this are drug addicts, imbeciles, they have no heart.' The rector of Bordeaux's largest mosque, Tareq Oubrou, said French Muslims need not demonstrate in the name of their religion because ISIS is not representative of Islam. The hashtag #pasenmonnom - meaning 'not in my name' - trended on Twitter, as Muslims tweeted their support for the gatherings across the country. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Thursday his country had received 'credible' intelligence that Islamic State militants planned to attack subway systems in Paris and in the United States. U.S. and French officials said then that they had no evidence to back up the prime minister's warning. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Friday there had been no confirmation of the Iraqi information about possible attacks on the Paris subway system by Islamic State militants.

Herve Gourdel was brutally murdered earlier this week by barbaric Islamist group Jund al-Khilifa - close allies of ISIS . A video showed the mountaineer and guide moments before he was killed, just days after he was captured in Algeria . Thousands joined Mr Gourdel's wife and parents to lay white roses after a silent walk along the seafront in Nice . Other services took place in Bordeaux, Nantes and Montpellier, with France in its second of three days of mourning . Hundreds of Muslims denounced ISIS in a protest rally outside the Grand Mosque in Paris after Friday prayers .

Criminals are being locked up for longer as the government keeps its promise to be tough on those who break the law, new figures show. Convictions of celebrity sex abusers are believed to be partly responsible for a larger number of sex offenders being prosecuted, as victims feel more confident about coming forward to expose their abusers. The average jail term now stands at 15 1/2 months, three months longer than the average in 2004, and prisoners are getting longer sentences now than they have done for 20 years, Ministry Of Justice MOJ) figures reveal. Jailed celebrities: Rolf Harris, 84, left, and Stuart Hall, 84, right, were both jailed for indecently assaulting girls . A source close to Justice Minister Chris Grayling told MailOnline: 'Criminals who break the law and ruin the lives of decent hardworking people have to realise they will go to prison. 'A slap on the wrist isn't acceptable for those who make others' lives a misery.' The average custodial sentence length (ACSL), or length of time people are sentenced to, has increased year on year over the last decade, according to the MOJ's new criminal justice statistics update. The new figures, which don't include life or indeterminate sentences, show that while fines are the most commonly given punishment by all courts, offenders who are sent to jail are facing a longer period inside, particularly sex offenders. Criminals jailed for sex offences are jailed for longer than any others, with an average sentence of 58.7 months.  The custody rate for these offenders is also up, with 60 per cent of those convicted of sex offenders being sent to prison, second only to robbers, of whom 64 per cent are jailed. This is thought to be due in part to an increase in the number of celebrity sex offenders being convicted for abuse giving victims confidence to come forward. In the last year alone, celebrity publicist Max Clifford, broadcaster Stuart Hall and former children's television presenter Rolf Harris have all been jailed for sex offences. In July, Rolf Harris was jailed for five years and nine months after being found guilty of 12 indecent assaults against four girls. The 84-year-old artist and children's presenter was jailed by Mr Justice Sweeney, who told him he had taken advantage of his celebrity and had shown 'no remorse'. A source close to justice secretary Chris Grayling, left, says people convicted of serious crimes, like publicist and sex offender Max Clifford, 71, right, will face prison sentences rather than a 'slap on the wrist' Former It's A Knockout presenter Stuart Hall was sentenced to 30 months in jail after he admitted indecently assaulting 13 girls aged between nine and 17 over a period of 20 years. Earlier this year, the 84-year-old was jailed for a further 30 months after admitting indecently assaulting an under-age girl. But the judge told him he would have received a 'considerably greater' sentence had he been prosecuted under current laws. Under his first sentence, Hall would have been due for early release this month at the earliest, but now he will not be eligible for parole until December 2015. Celebrity publicist Max Clifford, 71, was jailed for eight years in May after a jury found him guilty of eight counts of indecent assault against teenage girls and young women between 1966 and 1984. The sentence imposed by Judge Anthony Leonard was far longer than expected, partly, the judge said, because of his 'quite extraordinary' attitude during the trial, in which he was seen laughing and shaking his head as evidence was given. Clifford was told that had some of offences been tried under today's law, they would have been considered as rape or assault by penetration with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The tide of celebrity sex abuse cases is thanks to Operation Yewtree, a national police investigation into decades-old sex crimes perpetrated by television icons such as the late Jimmy Savile and Gary Glitter. The government has introduced automatic life sentences for anyone who commits a second violent or sexual offence, ensuring the most serious criminals are dealt with severely. The justice minister has said he wants criminals to know that a serious offence will earn them a jail sentence rather than a caution. Mr Grayling is currently pushing a bill through parliament to ensure that criminals will no longer receive cautions for serious offences, and for less serious offences they will no longer receive a second caution for the same or similar offence committed in a two-year period.

Convicted criminals are facing longer jail terms as government cracks down . Average jail term is now 15 1/2 months, while for sex offenders it's five years . More sex offenders are being sent to prison too: 60 per cent of them jailed . Tide of celebrity sex offenders jailed thought to be helping conviction rate . New figures are the result of government crackdown on serious offenders . Justice secretary Chris Grayling says a 'slap on the wrist' isn't acceptable . Max Clifford, Stuart Hall and Rolf Harris all jailed this year for sex abuse .

By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:34 EST, 25 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:38 EST, 25 July 2012 . Police are searching for 'despicable' thugs who glued a defenceless kitten’s mouth shut. The five-month-old black cat, which has no name, was spotted by a night-shift worker at the Shell garage, in Peterlee, County Durham, after it had wandered on to the forecourt in the early hours of July 18. The tiny animal, which was wearing a bright pink collar, had its mouth glued shut as well as glue on its paws, probably from where it had struggled to clear it from its face. Police and RSPCA officers are now investigating the barbaric act. Defenceless: This poor young kitten was found after its mouth had been glued shut in a vicious attack . The worker who found the stricken animal alerted Peterlee Police and the RSPCA. She also contacted the Clifton Lodge veterinary practice, in Horden, County Durham, where the cat has since made itself at home. Staff are appealing for its owner to come forward, though the worker who found it is willing to take it in as it is such an affectionate kitten. Sergeant Iain Dickinson, of Peterlee Police, has branded those who left the kitten as 'despicable'. He said: 'This was a despicable act on a defenceless animal and we are conducting a joint investigation to find the person responsible.' Sad: The five-month old, pictured with Kayleigh Huggett at the Clifton Lodge vets in Horden, County Durham, is lucky to be alive . Vet Geoffrey Clifford-Brown, who was called out in the early hours to tend to the kitten, gently removed the glue to allow the five-month-old animal to be able to eat and breathe easier. And he believes the cat is lucky to have survived its ordeal. Mr Clifford-Brown said: 'The people who did this have got a very warped sense of humour and are incredibly cruel. 'I was able to pull the glue off, but fortunately I didn’t need to sedate the cat. 'This could have been even more serious as cats are quite sensitive to poisons.'

The poor cat was found in pain at a petrol station in County Durham . Vets say she is lucky to be alive after the brutal attack .

By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 16:39 EST, 4 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:27 EST, 4 November 2013 . A Minnesota gnraphic designer who made fun of the NSA has found himself in a legal battle with the agency which is trying to ban his creation. Drawing inspiration from the revelations made this year by Edward Snowden, Dan McCall, 38, of Sauk Rapids, created a humorous T-shirt poking fun at the agency’s domestic spying programs, causing the spooks to send him a cease and desist letter. ‘When I got finished I thought, this is pretty good – I thought it was fun,’ the NSA disagreed, forcing the shirts off the market – now Mr McCall is fighting back, according to WCCO. 'Peeping while you're sleeping': This T-shirt drew the ire of NSA lawyers, who called it copyright infringement . Pick a size, any size: The shirts are a classic parody, McCall argues . The funnyman first took the circular NSA logo and emblazoned ‘peeping while you’re sleeping’ across the bottom half. He then put the phrase ‘The only part of government that actually listens’ directly under the parodied seal and started making T-shirts. The spy agency soon caught wind of the shirts and brought an end to the fun. Calling it a violation of their intellectual property rights, the NSA’s cease and desist letter ordered him to immediately stop selling the shirts. It's a classic parody: Dan McCall, the graphic artist behind the shirt, says he is parodying the government - which is protected under the First Amendment . Can you hear me now?: Spooks aren't fond of Mr McCall's spoofing of their spying . Fighting bacl: Mr McCall is suing the spy agency for infringing on his right to freedom of speech . Mr McCall disagrees. ‘Because when you’re pointing straight at an organization or making fun at it, turning it on itself, that is classic parody,’ he told told the station. Saying that he doesn’t want his children to grow up in a country where you can’t poke fun at the government, Mr McCall told WCCO that his First Amendment rights are being violated. The satirist-turned-activist has teamed up with Public Citizen, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, to sue the NSA for the right to sell his shirts. 'It’s bad enough that these agencies have us under constant surveillance; forbidding citizens from criticizing them is beyond the pale,' lawyer Paul Alan Levy said in an online statement. It’s vital ‘that we clarify whether or not these types of laws are consistent with the rights as Americans under the First Amendment,’ he told the station. A message left for comment with Public Citizen has not yet been returned.

The clever shirts were inspired by the Edward Snowden revelations about the NSA's domestic spying . The spy agency quickly sent him a cease and desist letter, on grounds of intellectual property infringement . Dan McCann is fighting back, suing the spooks for violating his First Amendment rights .

(CNN) -- The Saudi lawyer who represented a woman kidnapped and raped by seven men said his license to practice has been reinstated. A protest appeared in India in November against the Saudi sentence. Lawyer and human rights activist Abdul Rahman al-Lahem told CNN's Nic Robertson that the Justice Ministry has reinstated his license. Al-Lahem had previously told CNN that the Saudi judge revoked his license as punishment for speaking to the media about his client's case, which attracted international attention. His client, an engaged teenager, was raped by seven men who found her alone with a man unrelated to her. She has said she was meeting with the man to retrieve a photograph. The attack took place in Qatif in March 2006. The seven rapists were sentenced to two to nine years in prison but she also was sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison for having violated the kingdom's strict Islamic law by being alone with an unrelated man. The woman's sentence provoked outrage in the West and cast light on the treatment of women under Saudi Arabian law. Under Saudi law, women are subject to numerous restrictions, including a strict dress code, a prohibition against driving and a requirement that they get a man's permission to travel or have surgery. In challenging what he said were his suspension and disbarment, al-Lahem said he had received threats on his life from the religious right. Last month, Minister of Justice Abdallah bin Mohammed al-Sheikh, in a phone call to a Saudi Television newscast, said the lawyer's license had never been revoked. "Such decisions are made through institutions in the kingdom," he said. "The punishment of the lawyer or any lawyer does not come from a reaction; it comes from a carefully examined procedure within a special council in the ministry." He said the council charged with deciding law license revocations had not issued any decisions in the case. E-mail to a friend .

Saudi lawyer Abdul Rahman al-Lahem says his license to practice is reinstated . Al-Lahem says license revoked because he publicized rape victim's conviction . Saudi minister last month denied license was ever revoked . Rape victim was convicted of being alone with an unrelated man .

It seems right that different cultures would adapt Santa to suit their own traditions. But when the finished product involves riding a Harley Davidson, dressing in a slick zoot suit and sporting a sombrero you know that your Santa has the cool factor. Meet Pancho Claus, the Tex Mex Santa who usually has black hair, a black beard or sometimes just a moustache. Scroll down for video . Peter Martinez stands in front of his lowrider 'sleigh' in Odessa Texas . Like Santa, he wears a hat — though often it's a sombrero. He dons a serape or a poncho and, in one case, a red and black zoot suit. Pancho Claus likes to make an entrance wherever he goes too, usually on a lowrider or Harley Davidson, led by a pack of burros instead of eight reindeer. The tradition comes from the Chicano civil rights movement, and Pancho Claus is mostly based in Texas US. Rudy Martinez of San Antonio in his Pancho Claus costume . The Pancho Claus' traditionally have a black beard, but draw on their area's cultural flavour too . Pancho Claus Rudy Martinez visits a school in San Antonio Texas . The Pancho Claus tradition was borne of the Chicano civil rights movement in the late 1970s: Rudy Martinez (pictured) cuts a striking figure on a visit to bring some festive cheer to school children . Mesmerized school children enjoy a visit from Pancho Claus . Lorenzo Cano, a Mexican-American studies scholar at the University of Houston, says Pancho was apparently conceived north of the border as Mexican-Americans looked to 'build a place and a space for themselves' in the 1970s. His rise coincided with a growing interest in Mexican art, Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Independence Day and other cultural events. Each of the Panchos has a unique local flavour, and the tradition is adored across Texas. Some . historians believe that the tradition is set to spread to other parts . of the US too, with Panchos being spotted in California already. Children receive gifts from Pancho Claus across Texas, and the tradition aims to bring Christmas cheer to disadvantaged youngsters . In the West Texas plains, Pancho Claus is known as Pancho Clos. Julian Perez, a 71-year-old retired heating and air conditioning . repairman, has been Lubbock Texas' Pancho for 30 years and remembers when . three men, all of whom have since died, first came up with the idea. Mr Perez, who wears a long salt-and-pepper beard, . oversized sombrero and colorful poncho when he assumes the role of . Pancho, said: 'I . wanted to quit, but I just can't. It just makes me want to do something . for the kids.' Robert Narvaiz, vice commander for Lubbock's American GI Forum and coordinator of that city's Pancho project, said: 'Pancho Claus comes from the South Pole, and Santa Claus comes from the North Pole, and every year they get together here in Lubbock. 'Santa ... was he Anglo? Was he black? Was he Hispanic? I guess everybody is trying to do the same thing: Add a little of their own culture.' This city's Pancho dates to 1971, when the local American GI Forum decided to infuse a little Hispanic culture into Santa. They gave him a sombrero and serape, and held a big party at a park, giving out candy and fruit to 3,000 children. Today, Pancho visits schools, churches and supermarkets, but the biggest event — now supported by three different car clubs and dozens of bikers — remains the party at Rogers Park. There, on the Sunday before Christmas, Pancho hands out gifts. In Houston Texas Pancho wears a signature red and black zoot suit, fedora hat and waves to children from the back of a lowrider. Richard Reyes, 62, transformed into Pancho in the early 1980s, blending his interests in theater with his Hispanic heritage and a desire to work with at-risk, low-income children. He took on the mission after his teenage sister was killed in a drive-by shooting. Reyes put his own spin on Pancho, and started producing a short show that that eventually grew into a play with a 10-piece band and hip-hop dancers. Many of the performers were enlisted by Mr Reyes who met them while working in detention and community centres. He said: 'It's grown amazingly. 'Now we give out hundreds of toys, if not thousands, with other agencies and we also have a big Christmas Eve party for about 300 families ... and then on Christmas Day itself we actually go to the barrios with lowrider cars with sirens blaring ... and give out toys there.' In San Antonio Texas Pancho wears a sombrero and serape. He spends the festive season hanging out at  River Walk, and poses in front of the Alamo. His gifts are carried in a cart pulled by trusty 'burritos.' Forget Rudolph's red nose. A head donkey named "Chuy" leads the way for this Claus. In San Antonio, Pancho visits schools and churches to hand out gifts and turkeys with all the trimmings to 50 low-income families. And Pancho, portrayed by Rudy Martinez, has grown so popular he even has a public information officer. His spokesman Patrick Resendez, said: 'The end result is putting a smile on their face.'

The Tex Mex community has its own unique take on Father Christmas . From zoot suits to donkeys Pancho Claus spreads unique festive cheer . Began in the 1970s in conjunction with Chicano civil rights movement .

By . Sara Nelson . Last updated at 4:15 PM on 16th November 2011 . Budget airline passengers could soon be spared the ordeal of a seating free-for-all when they board their flights. EasyJet is to trial allocated seating on selected routes in the spring, following a similar move by rival Ryanair. Travellers are currently unable to choose a seat until they board the plane. EasyJet is to trial allocated seating on selected routes in the spring, following a similar move by rival Ryanair . The allocated seating plan should end the stampede that usually precedes easyJet boarding times . Those who have purchased speedy . boarding or are travelling with young children have priority, but even . there is no guarantee of a particular seat. The . trial of allocated seating is seen as another step on the road to . increasing easyJet’s appeal to business customers. Shares fell 3 per . cent following today’s update. Ryanair currently charges a fee for a seat in the front row and has recently extended its reserved seating trial on 80 routes. Although the move has not made the airline's 25-minute turnaround any longer, a spokesman said the carrier has no plans to extend the programme to the entire plane. The majority of passengers taking part in easyJet’s trial are not expected to pay for their seats, although the airline has admitted it plans to charge for popular spots such as the first few rows and seats over the wings. Chief executive Carolyn McCall said it . was too early to specify how much passengers would have to pay for the . option, nor had the airline decided which routes would take part in the . trial. She told the Financial Times the trial . was dependent on positive customer feedback and added: ‘If it increases . boarding time we won’t do it.’ Carolyn McCall, easyJet chief executive, says the airline is looking at whether allocated seating increases boarding time. Meanwhile, founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has pushed for higher shareholder dividends . The news comes as the airline revealed a rise in profits today but warned it will become harder to pass higher fuel prices on to passengers. The group reported a 31.5 per cent . increase in underlying profits to £248 million in the year to September . 30, which was at the upper end of expectations, after a sharp rise in . the number of business passengers. It . said around 45 per cent of winter seats are already booked - about the . same level as last year - but warned that weak consumer confidence . across Europe will slow the rate at which higher costs can be passed on . to passengers. The . record profits for the group came after it offset a £100 million . increase in its fuel bill by focusing on cost controls and improved . customer satisfaction levels. Its on-time performance improved by 13 . percentage points to 79 per cent. But . the group warned the macro-economic environment remains challenging, . while it is facing higher costs, including increased taxation and a £220 . million rise in its fuel costs. As a result it is taking a 'cautious . approach' to expanding its fleet, which will lead to unchanged capacity . in the first half of its financial year and growth of around 4 per cent . for the year as a whole. Ryanair has already begun allocating seats - and charging extra for the front rows . It . expects first-half passenger revenues to increase by 'mid-single . digits', helped by higher bag charges and other ancillary revenues. The group announced payments to shareholders of £195million, which is about £5million more than previously expected amid pressure from its founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who along with his family is a major shareholder. The Luton-based airline has been expanding its appeal to business customers, which tend to provide higher profits, by flying more to business routes and offering flexible fares. Passengers travelling on business routes increased by one million to 9.5 million in the year. Total revenues rose 16 per cent to £3.5 billion while revenues per seat were up 3.4 per cent to £55.27, helped by a rise in ancillary revenues. Douglas McNeill, an analyst at Charles Stanley Securities, said Carolyn McCall's first full year in charge had been a good one. But he added: 'Cost inflation looks to be greater than we had thought and pricing isn't strong enough to compensate - the upshot is that our full-year 2012 forecasts may have to be reduced.'

Trial of pre-determined seating will start on selected routes in the spring . It follows similar move by rival Ryanair . Passengers could be charged extra for popular spots such as the first few rows .

By . Alfonso Serrano F. PUBLISHED: . 11:46 EST, 15 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:12 EST, 16 March 2012 . A New York girl kidnapped four years ago by her father has been found living in Thailand by FBI agents. Deonna Shipman, who is now eight, was allegedly snatched in July 2007 by Jeffery Shipman, 51, after he was denied custody. She was tracked down to Bangkok two weeks ago after a long-running operation by the FBI and is said to be in good health. Taken: Police say Jeffery Shipman kidnapped his daughter Deonna after losing a custody battle . Her father, who used to work for the state Department of Transportation, was detained in Thailand on international parental kidnapping charges and then transported to Los Angeles, where he was arraigned. Deonna has been returned to her Syracuse-area home, according to Onondaga County Sheriff Kevin Walsh. Shipman, U.S. Marshals say, will eventually be returned to Onandoga County for further court appearances. When her daughter was abducted, mother Lioubov Shipman became what experts call 'the left-behind parent'. She will soon return to the Syracuse area from Russia - the native country where she has been studying nursing - to be reunited with her daughter. Ms Shipman and her ex-husband, Jeffrey, shared joint custody of the little girl since their divorce three years ago. Deonna Shipman, now 8, was found two weeks ago in Bangkok, Thailand . While she had physical custody, Shipman was allowed visitation only. Both parents filed petitions seeking to modify the order in June of 2007 in Onondaga County Family Court. At the family’s last court appearance, Shipman told his ex-wife: 'If I can’t have her, no one will.' 'I took it lightly,' she said shortly after her daughter’s disappearance. 'I thought he was just angry.' Authorities believe Shipman abducted Deonna after one of his court-appointed visits after losing the lengthy custody battle with his wife. International agencies included Interpol searched for Deonna, seen here before her disappearance, and finally found her on February 24 . Police . authorities tracked Shipman's car to Monroe County Airport in Rochester . and later determined he had flown to London. At that point, though, . they lost track of him. He bought tickets to Frankfurt, Germany, also but these were never used. Authoritie believe he bought them to throw them off the scent. But . FBI officials never let up in their search for Deonna, according to . Walsh, finally finding her, and arresting Shipman, on February 24. 'They . got Interpol and all the international agencies involved in trying to . track him down and it wasn't until just this past month that they found . him in Thailand,' Walsh told YNN. 'But they've (FBI) had him on their most wanted list,' added Walsh. It was not clear what led the FBI to Thailand.

Police believe father acted after losing a custody battle . Father had been on FBI's most wanted list .

Sir Stanley Matthews' 1953 FA Cup winner's medal has sold for a staggering £220,000 at auction. The medal stole the show with Ray Wilson and Jimmy Greaves' 1966 World Cup winner's medals also up for sale at Sotheby's auction house in London. Wilson's medal was sold for £136,000 while Greaves' medal, given to him retrospectively in 2009 as he did not play in the final, went for £44,000. Sir Stanley Matthews' 1953 FA Cup medal has sold for a massive £220,000 at Sotheby's . The 1953 match is known as the 'Matthews final' after the stunning display from the Blackpool star (left) Matthews receives his medal from Queen Elizabeth II after dazzling Wembley in the FA Cup final . But it was Matthews' FA Cup winning feat which prompted furious bidding for the much sought-after item - owned by television presenter Nick Hancock who paid just £20,000 for it in 2001. The medal had a guide price of between £30,000 and £50,000 but there was much interest in it before the auctions began. Starting at £50,000, five bidders contested the item on the phone and there were several more in the packed Book Room at Sotheby's. In the space of just three minutes that price had rocketed to £220,000. Matthews (top right) and his captain Harry Johnston were held aloft by their team-mates after beating Bolton . Ray Wilson's 1966 World Cup medal (left) sold for £136,000 while Jimmy Greaves' fetched £44,000 . Greaves tries his luck in the 1966 World Cup group game against France before picking up an injury . It eventually went to an anonymous bidder who purchased it due to Matthews' playing for Blackpool. Matthews finally won the FA Cup with Blackpool after finishing runner-up twice in three years. In front of a 100,000-strong crowd at Wembley - in the first televised FA Cup final - he starred as Blackpool came back from 3-1 down against Bolton to win in extra time. Although Stan Mortensen netted a hat-trick, the game is known as the 'Matthews final' as he put in a magical display on the right wing and set up three goals to win it. Greaves did not play again in the tournament after featuring against Uruguay, Mexico and the French . Greaves, scoring in 5-1 win over Wales in 1960, helped himself to 44 England goals in 57 games . Ray Wilson (centre) throws himself at the ball as West Germany attack during the 1966 World Cup final . Wilson, pictured tackling Frenchman Philippe Gondet in the group game, saw his medal fetch £136,000 . Left-back Wilson's medal had a guide price of between £100,000 and £120,000 – far more than Matthews' – but the bidding was less frantic and it went for £136,000. Greaves' medal was up next and managed to out-do it's guide price of £20,000 to £40,000 by going for £44,000. Greaves picked up an injury in England's final group game and did not play again in the tournament - Geoff Hurst took his place. Tottenham legend Greaves was awarded the medal five years ago after a campaign by fans. All the items in Tuesday's auction went to anonymous bidders. Greaves with his arm round Alan Ball after England's epic win over West Germany at Wembley . Then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, presented Greaves with his medal in 2009 after a campaign . Television presenter Nick Hancock put the Matthews medal up for sale after buying it in 2001 .

Stanley Matthews won the FA Cup with Blackpool in 1953 . The win over Bolton is still known as the 'Matthews final' The medal was expected to fetch between £50,000 and £60,000 . Stoke fan and TV presenter Nick Hancock bought it in 2001 for £20,000 . Jimmy Greaves' World Cup medal sells for £44,000 . Ray Wilson's medal from the 1966 final fetched £136,000 .

Berlin, Germany (CNN) -- Berlin, Germany, mixes the old and the new, the west and the east with creativity and culture. Once the center of attention for a worldwide controversy (remember the Berlin Wall?), it's now an increasingly popular European destination. The city is made up of 23 distinct, character-filled districts and is home to the Reichstag, the Berliner Dome and the Brandenburg Gate. But it's the areas outside the typical tourist locations that offer the real flavor of the capital. CNN International reporter Frederik Pleitgen has lived in Berlin since 2000. He shares his favorite city spots in this CNN Insider Trip Tips: . What's the biggest misconception about your city? That it must be a really expensive place. In fact, there are very few cities that offer more quality of life for very little money. How do tourists stick out, and what's the best way to blend in? Grungy clothes usually help to blend in. Looking too smart is usually a mistake. Dress down to blend in. Which restaurant would you take your loved one to for an anniversary or other special occasion? Hartmanns in downtown Kreuzberg has lovely food at affordable prices and a lovely atmosphere. Where do you go to relax? Café am Neuen See, a beer garden in the Tiergarten (Berlin's Central Park) with a lovely lake in the middle. If you want to work out after having a cold beer, you can rent a rowboat. Travel Snapshots: Berlin . Where is the best place to people-watch? The cafes in Prenzlauer Berg near the Kollwitzplatz are wonderful places to watch people in the summer. Where can you get the best view of the city? The top of the broadcast tower in central Berlin offers a beautiful view of the city, but the Dome in the Reichstag is also wonderful. What is your favorite neighborhood? Why? My favorite neighborhood is Charlottenburg around the Kurfuerstendamm because it offers big city flair and yet is laid-back and easygoing. What essential thing should visitors see/experience if they only have a few hours? Walk through the Brandenburg Gate! What's the biggest tourist trap? Is there a "tourist trap" that's actually worth seeing? The tourist trap worth seeing is the Reichstag, which always has really long lines to queue up, but inside you can see the entire history of Europe in the 20th century. From graffiti the Russian soldiers left when they moved into Berlin at the end of World War II to the great modern architecture of the unified Germany that was built into the shell of the old Reichstag. Where's your favorite place to spend a night out on the town? Panorama, located in Berghain, is one of the coolest clubs in the world. Are there local specialty dishes or drinks that visitors must try? Currywurst from the restaurant Curry 36 -- though that is not everybody's thing. Currywurst is a Berlin dish with a massive cut-up sausage that has ketchup and curry sauce poured over it. You should eat it with fries with ketchup and mayo and a beer.

CNN International reporter Frederik Pleitgen offers his favorite city spots . All visitors should walk through the Brandenburg Gate, he says . He says Panorama, in Berghain, is "one of the coolest clubs in the world"

By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 08:14 EST, 7 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:33 EST, 7 June 2013 . A bungling cat burglar fleeing the scene of a break-in was caught on camera falling head first out of an upstairs window. Stuart Marsden, 48, had shimmied up a drainpipe to clamber through a sash window in the hope of grabbing valuables from a pensioner's upstairs bedroom. But he was forced to flee empty handed when he was disturbed by a relative of the 85-year old householder who had family over for tea. Watch the CCTV below . Bungled getaway: Stuart Marsden is seen dangling out of the upstairs window moments before he fell to the floor headfirst in Blackburn. He is hanging out the window for some time before he fell to the floor . Hopeless burglar: Marsden hangs out of the window for several seconds before eventually plunging to the floor . Drop: Marsden is caught on CCTV falling into the sloping roof before plunging further down onto the floor . Bungling burglar: Stuart Marsden, 48, fell out the window during the burglary in Blackburn . As he tried to make his escape after being disturbed, Marsden slipped as he was grabbed by the legs and fell 15feet - landing on his head as he tumbled from the terraced property. He was caught on CCTV footage falling to the ground before he got to his feet and limped away from the scene. Despite making his getaway, he was arrested after police recovered DNA from a woolly hat he dropped at the scene. Amazingly it was the second time Marsden had survived a fall during a bungled cat burglary. In 2010 he suffered a fractured pelvis, ankle and wrist when he jumped from the first floor window of the home of another pensioner. Today Lancashire Police issued CCTV of . the raid after career criminal Marsden, from Blackburn, was jailed for . 28 months. He pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal. Preston . Crown Court was told the raid occurred in March after Marsden walked . past the victim's house in Blackburn and noticed an upstairs window was . open. Assuming the property . was empty, he clambered up the drainpipe unaware 85-year-old Jean West . was in the lounge downstairs with her daughter, son-in-law and grandson. Son-in-law . Neil Morrison, 38, from Edinburgh, heard Marsden climbing up the . drainpipe and went outside to investigate - only to see the intruder's . legs disappearing through the upstairs window. Mr Morrison then ran upstairs and made a grab for Marsden and a struggle broke out out. He tried to stop the intruder climbing back out of the window only to be kicked repeatedly in the face. But as Marsden broke free he slipped and fell head first onto a porch roof, before landing on the ground below. He was arrested the following month. He claimed he had carried out the burglary in a bid to get money to pay for a deposit on a flat, and to pay for flights to Spain so he could look for work. At Preston Crown Court Marsden, who has 67 previous convictions including 12 for burglary, asked for two similar offences to be taken into consideration. Passing sentence Judge Michael Byrne told him: 'Your recording of offending is appalling.' Fall: Marsden topples off the sloping roof and onto the floor. In total he fell around 15ft . Getaway: Marsden is seen limping away down the street. Although police didn't catch him immediately, he left his hat at the scene and was caught by his DNA . After the case, Mrs West, a widow who has five children and eight grandchildren, said: 'I am just really surprised he survived that fall going out of that window head first like that. It is a real drop but he got what he deserved preying on an old lady like that. 'I'm just glad I had family round at the time because if I had been on my own I think the shock of him being in the house would have killed me. 'We heard a noise. My son-in-law went to check it out and came running back inside saying he had seen a man climbing into my bedroom window. 'Neil ran upstairs and switched on the light as the man dived onto the floor to try and hide between the wardrobe and the bed.' Flee: Marsden thought the property was empty - and didn't realise the 85-year-old woman was in with her family at the time . She added: 'This is the second time I have been burgled. The first time was about two years ago when a man sneaked into my house at tea time and hid under the stairs for hours. 'When I went to bed around midnight it just felt like something was wrong, so I kept getting up. Around 3am the man popped out from under my bed, apologised and ran off. 'That was horrific, especially thinking about what could have happened. To be targeted again is horrible.' Detective Inspector Paul Langley, from Lancashire Police said: 'This CCTV footage shows the lengths opportunist thieves will go to. If they see an open window or door, they will take their chances and, in Marsden's case, risk life and limb to get into your home. 'I hope people are reassured that Marsden is now off the streets and behind bars for a considerable amount of time. 'At the same time, I hope this acts as a warning to residents to make sure they lock their doors and windows before they go out and before they go to bed.' In the previous burglary in Bolton, Greater Manchester in August 2010, Marsden was disturbed by a neighbour of his 76-year old victim after he clambered up a drainpipe to steal her handbag. He assumed the house was empty and leapt out of a landing window to escape only to be seriously injured in the fall. He later appeared in court on crutches after undergoing surgery and was jailed for 16 months.

Stuart Marsden, 48, fell while trying to jump out of an upstairs window . He managed to limp away from the scene but was caught by DNA after leaving his hat behind after the break-in . Footage of his fall in Blackburn, Lancashire, was caught on a CCTV camera . He has 67 previous convictions - including 12 for burglary . Judge jails him for 28 months after he admits the offence .

By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:30 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:52 EST, 8 August 2013 . Accidental death: Adriano Bussandri was found dead in his burnt £1.8m home having taken Class-B drugs . A former oil executive found dead after a fire gutted his £1.8million home was hooked on ‘designer drugs’ bought on the internet, an inquest heard. The badly burnt and wounded body of former finance director Adriano Bussandri, 51, was discovered under debris at the top of the house, near a sharp letter opener and screwdriver. Police initially launched a murder investigation but later decided that cuts found on Mr Bussandri’s arms, sides and back were most likely self-inflicted because he had a history of self-harming. It was unclear how the blaze had started. Mr Bussandri, a British citizen of Italian origin, was a founder of London-based wholesale petrol and bio-fuel supplier Harvest Energy, which made almost £26million  last year. But he resigned from his post  as finance director after it was embroiled in a contaminated supermarket fuel scandal in 2007, which led to £8million in compensation being paid to almost 20,000 Tesco customers after their vehicles were damaged. He was not working at the time of his death and lived separately from his wife, Marisa, 50, and daughter Sabrina, 19, in an exclusive area of Putney, South-West London. Mr Bussandri’s brother Franco, who is managing director of Harvest Energy, attended yesterday’s inquest with his brother’s wife. Caught on camera: Firefighters arrive to tackle the flames on teh night Adriano Bussandri died at his Putney home in south west London . Drug: The dead high-flyer had taken a large amount of MDPV before his death - a Class B designer drug made up from compounds found in bath salts and plant food . Westminster Coroner’s Court heard how . Mr Bussandri started taking non-prescription drugs around 11 years ago . when he suffered a brain haemorrhage following a road accident. A report from Mr Bussandri’s GP stated . he had ‘a history of depression and drug dependency’ and in 2011 he was . treated at The Priory. A post-mortem examination found drugs in his system, which he is thought to have bought from Dutch and German websites. Intense blaze: The fire gutted two top-floors of the property making it hard for investigators to gather evidence . Searching for clues: Police forensic officers investigated the death of the oil executive in February . Detective Sergeant Richard Reynolds told the hearing that he  carried out a full search of Mr Bussandri’s home. He said: ‘Within the property there . were small quantities of chemical-based compounds, unlike the . traditional drugs that are more organic, like cocaine and heroin.’ He described the compounds, which are sometimes extracted from everyday household products, as designer drugs. Probe: At first police considered whether the death may have been murder, but a coroner has ruled it was accidental . The inquest heard firefighters were . called to an intense blaze at Mr Bussandri’s home in the early hours of . February 8 this year, after neighbours raised the alarm. It took around three hours for fire crews to find the body. Pathologist Robert Chapman later . recorded a cause of death as inhalation of fire fumes, contributed to by . the drugs found in Mr Bussandri’s system. Recording a verdict of accidental . death, Assistant Coroner William Dolman said: ‘To an extent, the . deceased was the author of his  own destruction, as we have heard that . the drugs were found in  his system.’

Adriano Bussandri was badly burned and police first thought it was murder . It emerged he'd taken a large amount of MDPV - a drug similar to bath salts . Mr Bussandri had car crash in 2002 that altered his character, inquest heard . To cope he became addicted to drugs like laughing gas bought online . Coroner Dr William Dolman recorded conclusion of accidental death .

By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 1:32 PM on 4th August 2011 . The possibility that man walked much earlier than previously thought has been raised after a study of ancient habitats. Scientists now believe that grassy open spaces - where human predecessors would have been forced to walk - have dominated the East African landscape throughout the whole of human evolution. Until now it was supposed that the region known as the 'Cradle of Humanity' was heavily forested until around two million years ago. Walking not swinging: Areas such as Maasai Mara in the 'Cradle of Humanity' in East Africa are now thought to have had open grassland throughout history . Many experts believe the predecessors of humans only came down from the trees and developed into fully bipedal creatures after the forests receded. But the new evidence, based on chemical signatures in ancient soil samples, shows that savannah-like open habitats have prevailed there for more than six million years. The finding has implications for theories about the pivotal moment when human ancestors started walking on two legs. Humans and chimpanzees parted company on the path of evolution between five and eight million years ago. The findings published in the journal Nature tie into certain aspects of the fossil record. Primitive man: Homo erectus, who walked upright, could have done so much earlier than expected . One . species, Ardipithecus, which is thought to have lived in woody habitats . 4.3million years ago, had a diet which included small amounts of . tropical grasses. 'The fact it had some means it was going into the savannah, unless it was eating take-out food,' said Professor Thure Cerling, from the University of Utah, who led the new research. The study showed that for more than six million years, tree cover has been less than 40 per cent at most of the East African sites where humans evolved. By definition, woodland has more than 40 per cent tree cover and a forest more than 80 per cent. Prof Cerling added: 'We've been able to quantify how much shade was available in the geological past, and it shows there have been open habitats for all of the last six million years in the environments in eastern Africa where some of the most significant early human fossils were found. 'Wherever we find human ancestors, we find evidence for open habitats similar to savannahs - much more open and savannah-like than forested. 'In some periods, it was more bushy, and other times it was less bushy. Hardly anything could have been called a dense forest, but we can show some periods where certain environments were consistently more wooded than others. 'We find hominins (early humans, pre-humans and chimp and gorilla relatives) in both places. 'How early hominins partitioned their time between 'more open' and 'more closed' habitats is still an open question.'

East African region previously thought to have been heavily forested until 2million years ago . Experts thought our ancestors only came down from the trees and walked upright after forests receded .

(CNN) -- Five males armed with guns and sledgehammers robbed a jewelry store at a Memphis, Tennessee, mall Saturday night, prompting shoppers and workers to hide amid the chaos, police said. The robbers targeted Reeds Jewelers in Wolfchase Galleria around 7:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. ET), Memphis police spokeswoman Alyssa Macon-Moore said. The suspects were wearing black clothing -- including hooded sweatshirts -- as they carried guns and sledgehamers into the store. "There are no reported injuries at this time," Macon-Moore said about an hour later. "The scene is active." She said that there were reports of gunshots, and Twitter contained various posts indicating that might have happened. But the mall's general manager, A.J. Coffee, said, "There were no shots fired." After the incident, police received "numerous calls from people in the mall hiding and inside other businesses," according to Macon-Moore. It was not immediately known what, if anything, the alleged assailants stole, where they went or whether any had been taken into custody.

Armed robbery is reported at a jewelry store in Memphis . Suspects were dressed all in black, police say . Many hide in the mall and elsewhere following the incident . Mall's general manager says no shots were fired .

By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 09:02 EST, 21 December 2011 . Hong Kong health authorities have slaughtered more than 17,000 chickens after three birds were found to have died from the H5N1 bird flu strain in the past week. The city is on high alert having raised its flu warning system level to 'serious' after a chicken carcass found at a bustling market tested positive for the virus. It follows the discovery earlier this week of the bodies of an oriental magpie and a black-headed gull, both found at Hong Kong secondary schools, which also tested positive for the virus. Precaution: Workers collect the bodies of slaughtered chickens at a poultry market in Hong Kong after a chicken carcass there was found to be infected with bird flu . Authorities have now banned live poultry imports for three weeks and are trying to determine whether the infected chicken was imported or came from one of Hong Kong's 30 chicken farms. Agricultural officials have inspected all 30 farms but found nothing unusual. H5N1 can occasionally infect people who have close contact with infected poultry and it is fatal in 60 per cent of human cases. However unlike many other flu-strains it cannot be spread by sneezing or coughing. The World Health Organisation says globally there have been 350 human deaths from bird flu cases since 2003. Containment: The slaughter follows the discovery earlier this week of an . oriental magpie and a black-headed gull, found at secondary schools, . which both tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu strain . Taking no chances: A worker disinfects empty cages at a chicken distribution . centre in Hong Kong. The World Health Organisation says there have been . 350 human deaths from bird flu cases since 2003 when it was first . detected . Bags containing the carcasses of chickens potentially infected with the H5N1 bird flu strain are piled together as a worker adjusts a colleague's protective head gear . At its height in 2005, there were fears of a global pandemic with the disease killing hundreds of millions. However the virus was eliminated from most of the 63 countries infected, but it remained endemic in six countries: Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. The number of outbreaks fell from a high of 4000 in 2005 to 302 in mid-2008, but it has risen progressively since, with over 800 cases reported in 2010-2011. Recent months have seen a resurgence of the virus most notably in Cambodia where it has infected at least eight people this year killing all of them. In August virologists warned of a mutant strain of H5N1 bird flu spreading across China and Vietnam for which there is, as yet, no effective vaccine. Deadly: Scientists in the Netherlands have created a super-strain of the disease which can easily be spread through the air . While researchers are uncertain if this new strain - called H5N1-2.3.2.1 - is more virulent in people, they said it was different enough from its predecessor to escape a human H5N1 vaccine that can tackle the parent strain. Virologist Malik Peiris at the University of Hong Kong said: 'There is a human H5N1 vaccine candidate that is a (WHO)recommended vaccine ... But it doesn't confer full protection against the (new variant),' 'But that is not unusual. H5 viruses keep changing and we have to change the vaccine strain.' Hong Kong has experienced a spate a recent of infectious diseases in recent years. In 2003 an out break of the respiratory disease SARS killed 300 people in the city and a further 500 worldwide. And in 2009, 300 people were placed under quarantine at a Hong Kong hotel after a guest contracted swine flu. This month scientists in the Netherlands revealed they had created in a laboratory a super-strain of the disease which can easily be spread through the air. The team who created the so-called ‘Armageddon virus’ said it is ‘probably one of the most dangerous viruses you can make’. By experimenting on ferrets - whose flu symptoms are most like humans – the researchers proved it was possible to change H5N1 into an aerosol-transmissible virus that can be easily spread rapidly through the air. They claim the knowledge would be vital for the development of vaccines and drugs to prevent a possible pandemic. However many argue it should never have been created, warning that the potential if it escaped from the lab is ‘staggering’. There are also fears the technique used to create the strain will be seized on by terrorists looking for a biological weapon. The U.S. government is so concerned that its advisers are trying to block the details of the virus’s manufacture from being published. A warning sign is displayed on a path leading towards a Bernard Matthews turkey farm in England in 2007 . 1996 - H5N1 virus first appears in China . 1997 - The first case of the virus appearing in humans is detected in Hong Kong where it kills 6 of 18 infected people . 1997 - 2005 - Cases of the H5N1 viruses are confined to Southeast Asia, but after it is detected in wild birds in Qinghai Lake, China, the virus rapidly spreads westward . 2005 - H5N1 is first detected in Europe and Africa . 2006 - 65 outbreaks of H5N1 are reported worldwide killing a total of 115 people - the highest number to die from the disease in a single year . February 2007 - 160,000 turkeys are culled after the virus is detected at a Bernard Matthew farm in Norfolk, England. It later transpires the firm had been warned several times about hygiene lapses at the site . January 2008 - A major outbreak of the H5N1 virus in West Bengal, India leads to the culling of 2.6 million birds . June 2008 - Hong Kong orders the slaughter of all chickens in the city's markets after the H5N1 virus was detected in birds for sale . February 2009 - At least 21 dead birds, including ducks and chickens, wash up on beaches in Hong Kong. At least three of them test positive for the H5N1 avian flu virus . August 2011 - Virologists warn of a mutant strain of the virus called H5N1-2.3.2.1 spreading across China and Vietnam for which there is no effective vaccine . November 2011 - Dutch scientists create super-strain of the disease, dubbed the ‘Armageddon virus’ which can easily be spread through the air .

2011 has seen a resurgence of the virus across Asia . Infections are fatal in 60 per cent of human cases .

Created: . 13:22 EST, 13 December 2013 . A gynaecologist who stood behind a patient and groped her breasts claimed it was how he had been taught to do an examination at medical school in India. Dr Angamathu Arunkalaivanan put the woman through ‘three years of hell’ after he carried out a ‘sexually motivated’ examination during an appointment at a private hospital. The married practitioner, who goes by the name of Dr Arun, denied he was at fault and insisted it was how he had been instructed to check breasts while training in Madras. But the 49-year-old patient sought independent advice about whether the way she had been examined was inappropriate. After her suspicions were confirmed the woman, identified as patient A, contacted the police who referred the case to the General Medical Council. BMI Edgbaston Hospital where Dr Arun worked. The married practitioner denied he was at fault . Yesterday the Medical Practitioners’ Tribunal Service in Manchester found Dr Arun, 48, guilty of misconduct . and suspended him for a year. The doctor, who has an NHS post as . consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Birmingham City Hospital, . was also found to be at fault for failing to offer a chaperone or make a . record of the breast check in the patient’s notes. The . panel was told how during the consultation in October 2010 at BMI The . Edgbaston Hospital in Birmingham, Dr Arun asked the woman to lift up her . top and bra, before cupping and squeezing her breasts with both hands . from behind. Patient A told the hearing she still ‘beats herself up’ for . allowing herself to be ‘sexually assaulted’. She . said: ‘I left the room that day and I just ... it just felt so wrong. I . could just not get the examination out of my head and I actually said, . “What just happened in there?” ’ Describing . the doctor’s response to her complaint, she added: ‘He didn’t deny . anything I said. He said that’s how he was taught in India.’ She told . the panel she was so disturbed she could not even bring herself to tell . her husband. The panel . was told that Dr Arun, who qualified from the University of Madras in . 1988, had been questioned over the incident by director of nursing Pat . Munday. He agreed with the patient’s description of what happened, but . said it was the way he had been taught at medical school. The patient was told this by Mrs Munday and offered an apology from the doctor, but felt this was not sufficient. She contacted another breast screening centre, which told her that what she had experienced was not normal, so she went to the police. Panel chairman Sandra Sturdy told Dr Arun: ‘The panel accepted that this is an isolated case and that the breast examination was clinically indicated. ‘However, the manner in which you conducted the breast examination on Patient A was clearly sexually motivated. Your conduct ... amounted to serious misconduct.’ Announcing his suspension, she said it would be ‘disproportionate’ to strike him off the medical register, which would ‘deprive the public of the benefit of your medical services’. On 6 March 2014 the High Court heard an appeal by Mr Arunkalaivanan against the findings by the panel that he had carried out an inappropriate breast examination and that he had been sexually motivated in doing so. The judge concluded Mr Arunkalaivanan had not been sexually motivated, and quashed his suspension.  However, she upheld the tribunal’s conclusion that he had carried out an inappropriate breast examination and sent the matter back to the tribunal for it to decide whether Mr Arunkalaivanan should receive a warning over the examination and his admitted failure to ensure a chaperone had been present. On 1 September 2014 the tribunal decided that while Mr Arunkalaivanan had carried out an inappropriate breast examination and failed to discuss the need for a chaperon, these departures from good medical practice were part of an isolated incident involving a practitioner of previous good character with a career history of 20 years. It also noted that Mr Arunkalaivanan had tried to apologise to the patient and had taken steps to remedy his breast examination technique.  The tribunal decided that the public interest did not require a warning. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Dr Angamathu Arunkalaivanan put woman through ‘three years of hell’ Married practitioner, who goes by Dr Arun, denied he was at fault . Medical Practitioners’ Tribunal Service in Manchester found Dr Arun guilty . On 6 March 2014 the High Court heard an appeal by Mr Arunkalaivanan against the findings by the panel that he had carried out an inappropriate breast examination and that he had been sexually motivated in doing so. The judge concluded Mr Arunkalaivanan had not been sexually motivated, and quashed his suspension.  However, she upheld the tribunal’s conclusion that he had carried out an inappropriate breast examination and sent the matter back to the tribunal for it to decide whether Mr Arunkalaivanan should receive a warning over the examination and his admitted failure to ensure a chaperone had been present. On 1 September 2014 the tribunal decided that while Mr Arunkalaivanan had carried out an inappropriate breast examination and failed to discuss the need for a chaperon, these departures from good medical practice were part of an isolated incident involving a practitioner of previous good character with a career history of 20 years. It also noted that Mr Arunkalaivanan had tried to apologise to the patient and had taken steps to remedy his breast examination technique.  The tribunal decided that the public interest did not require a warning.

President Barack Obama praised the sportsmanship of the San Antonio Spurs as 'a great metaphor for what America should be all about' when the NBA champions visited the White House. Obama hosted the Spurs on Monday in the nation's capital to celebrate their victory in the 2014 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. The President says the Spurs have become the United Nations of basketball teams due to the team's diversity and number of international players on their roster. Scroll down for video . President Barack Obama praised the sportsmanship of the San Antonio Spurs on Monday . Obama hosted the Spurs at the White House to celebrate their victory in the 2014 NBA Finals . Obama smiles as he receives his 'President of the United States' jersey from the Spurs . The President shares the stage with long time San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich . Kawhi Leonard, who was voted as NBA Finals MVP last year, presents Obama with a signed ball . Obama says the Spurs are 'a great metaphor for what America should be all about' Obama also singled the team out for hiring WNBA star Becky Hammon as a coach last year. Hammon became the first full-time, paid female assistant on an NBA coaching staff. Obama praised the Spurs for their public service efforts on literacy and community development in San Antonio. The Spurs defeated the Miami Heat 4-1 in the 2014 NBA Finals to win the fifth championship in their history, all of which have been overseen by current head coach Gregg Popovich. Popovich previously guided San Antonio to NBA success in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007 and is a three-time coach of the year.

San Antonio Spurs visited the White House and met President Obama . Spurs won their fifth NBA championship last season after beating Miami . The President praised San Antonio's sportsmanship as 'a great metaphor for what America should be all about'

By . Ryan Gorman . An eight-year-old California boy with dreams of being a pilot died only two days before Father’s Day from injuries sustained in a plane crash earlier this week. Sebastian Joshua Grewal, of Hesperia, succumbed Friday night to injuries he suffered in the June 9 crash. Pilot Brian Lee, 47, made it to a local hospital but died hours later. Grewal and Lee never stood a chance, the horrific crash saw the single-engine plane slam in the ground and flip multiple times as it left a debris trail of more than 90 feet. The boy’s father held him as he died. Tragic death: Eight-year-old Sebastian Grewal perished from injuries suffered in the crash . Heartbroken: Father Josh Grewal is devastated over the loss of his 'best friend' and 'everything' only 36 hours before Father's Day . ‘Sebastian passed away last evening peacefully in my arms, surrounded by family. I will cherish the 8 years I had with him on this earth and will re-unite with him when it is my time,’ Joshua Grewal wrote on Facebook. ‘I am humbled and comforted by all the love and support from every one… as I go through the most difficult and darkest hour of my entire life.’ The child loved flying and dreamed of one day becoming a pilot himself, his father said. His final flight was when he was airlifted from the scene to a children’s hospital. Doctors performed multiple surgeries to try to save his life, including one procedure meant to relieve pressure on his brain, his father told the Victorville Daily Press. Sebastian Grewal miraculously survived the spectacular crash. He fought five days to stay alive before his body gave out on him. Shattered: Both Sebastian Grewal's mother and father are no coping with the loss of their only child . Nearly unrecognizable: A man walks near the remains of the small plane after Monday's crash . Joshua Grewal initially held out hope his son would survive. ‘My sweet little boy, my best friend, my EVERYTHING suffered extensive brain injuries in the plane crash and they are doing everything they can.’ Sebastian Grewal was on the plane with Lee, a 25-year veteran firefighter with decades of experience flying helicopters for the Los Angeles Fire Department. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the crash, but weather is not believed to be a factor. ‘The pilot began experiencing some . problems…caused the aircraft to go into a nosedive. When he tried to . correct and land the aircraft, the aircraft began doing a couple of . barrel rolls,’ San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson . Randy Naquin told KCAL. Behind the controls: Veteran firefighter Brian Lee was piloting the plane when it went down . Under investigation: Officials comb the accident scene for evidence . Lee was taking several people on short flights, including many other retired firefighters. ‘What we came to find out was the aircraft had been towed here by the firefighters. They were out here, basically, camping,’ Naquin added. Lee is survived by twin daughters. Sebastian leaves behind his mother and father.

Sebastian Grewal was badly injured when the plane crashed June 9 . He battled to all week stay alive before succumbing Friday night severe brain injuries . Pilot Brian Lee, 47, died hours after the accident .

Fort Meade, Maryland (CNN) -- Pfc. Bradley Manning pleaded guilty Thursday to 10 of the 22 charges against him -- but not the most serious one, "aiding the enemy" -- in what the government says is the largest leak of classified documents in the nation's history. And, for the first time, Manning offered his rationale for the crimes. In court, Manning detailed why and how he sent classified material to WikiLeaks, a group that facilitates the anonymous leaking of secret information through its website. He said he passed on information that "upset" or "disturbed" him, but nothing he thought would harm the United States if it became public. Manning said he thought the documents were old and the situations they referred to had changed or ended. Reading a statement for more than an hour, Manning described his motivations, beginning with what he called "sigact tables," documents describing significant actions in Iraq and Afghanistan that he said represented the "ground reality" of both conflicts. He said he'd become "depressed about the situation there" and made copies of the sigact tables in his secure workstation in Iraq. Then, he took them back to the United States and pondered what to do with them. Manning said he first called The Washington Post. He spoke to a woman who he believed was a reporter and told her the kind of material he had. After five minutes, he got the impression she wasn't taking him seriously, he said. He said he then called The New York Times and got nothing but answering machines, so he left a message and his phone number and e-mail address, but never heard back. Manning said he finally decided to send the documents to the WikiLeaks organization. "I believed if the public was aware of the data, it would start a public debate of the wars," he told the court. Manning acknowledged to the court he was not authorized to receive the classified documents he leaked and said he knows that he had other avenues through which he could have expressed his dissatisfaction. Exposing State Department cables, military video . After he sent the documents to WikiLeaks in early 2010, Manning said earlier, he became aware of an online debate about Iceland's financial troubles and its relations with the United Kingdom. He decided to learn more about the issue, using his access to State Department cables. He said he sympathized with Iceland in the dispute and believed that Iceland was being "bullied" by the UK, and that the United States wouldn't help. So he decided to send related information to WikiLeaks. It was published to the world within hours. At that same time, Manning said he learned about Reuters' battle with the U.S. military over video of a helicopter gunship attack on a truck carrying a Reuters news crew in Iraq. Two Reuters staffers were killed in the attack. He said the military told Reuters that the video might not exist, but Manning had seen it. He made a copy of the video and planned to send it to Reuters when his tour ended. Manning said the video and the behavior of the Americans involved was so disturbing, "It burdens me emotionally." He was so upset, he decided to upload the video to WikiLeaks immediately. In that case, Manning said, WikiLeaks did not publish the video right away. Later, while communicating through chat rooms with a person whom he believed to be a top WikiLeaks official, he was told that the video was about to be published, and that he wouldn't be hearing much from them for a while. "I'd have nothing but work to distract me," Manning said. Apparently bored by his regular analyst duties and prodded what he described as a curiosity about geopolitics, he began reading the State Department cables. He decided the American public should know how its diplomats go about conducting foreign affairs. Manning took the most widely distributed diplomatic cables and made copies for WikiLeaks. "I believed that the public release of these cables would not damage the United States, but might be embarrassing," he told the court. The court proceedings . After Manning's guilty pleas, Army judge Col. Denise Lind asked the defendant questions to establish that he understood what he was pleading guilty to. In addition, she reminded him that his lawyer had filed a motion to have the case dismissed on the grounds that he was denied his right to a speedy trial -- a motion that Lind denied Tuesday. By entering guilty pleas, Manning loses his right to have an appellate court consider that ruling, if he chooses to appeal. A military lawyer who follows the case told CNN the tactic is known as a "naked plea," or a guilty plea in the absence of a plea deal. The lawyer said that by using that strategy, the defense apparently hopes the government will feel victorious about the guilty pleas Manning has entered and won't go through the effort of a trial. But prosecutors reiterated that they will pursue the rest of the case against Manning. The judge accepted the guilty pleas, but noted Manning could withdraw them at any time prior to sentencing. He could receive up to 20 years on those charges. Manning said deciding to make the material public was "beyond my pay grade." Manning has asked for Lind, instead of the military equivalent of a jury, to decide his guilt or innocence on the 12 charges to which he pleaded not guilty. The most serious remaining charge, aiding the enemy, carries the potential for a life sentence. The U.S. military initially detained Manning in May 2010, shortly after WikiLeaks published the State Department cables. Manning was turned in by Adrian Lamo, a former hacker, whom Manning allegedly told about leaking the classified records. In December 2011, Manning's Article 32 hearing, the military equivalent of a grand jury hearing to determine whether enough evidence existed to merit a court-martial, began. He was formally charged in February 2012. After a military judge denied Manning's lawyers' motions to dismiss charges in April 2012, the process proceeded, with Manning's court-martial scheduled to begin on June 3. Larry Shaughnessy reported from Fort Meade and Mark Morgenstein wrote this report in Atlanta.

Manning offers his rationale for the crimes, saying he didn't mean to harm the U.S. He has pleaded guilty to 10 of 22 charges against him . Manning did not plead guilty to the most serious charge: aiding the enemy . His court-martial is scheduled for June 3 .

By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 14:55 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:55 EST, 13 January 2014 . Michigan police botched an investigation into a mother's death and wrongly concluded that she had committed suicide, her devastated daughter has claimed. Michelle Romain says she has evidence to prove that her mother, JoAnn Matouk Romain, 55, was actually . murdered before her dead body was found floating in a river in Ontario in 2010. She believes that her . mother was abducted outside a church where she was going to an evening Mass, chloroformed and left in the . water near Belle Isle in Detroit, the Detroit Free Press reported. She said cops in Grosse Pointe Farms and Grosse Pointe Woods made mistakes throughout the investigation and is now urging them to re-open the investigation - but so far they have not. Scroll down for video . Determined: Michelle Romain is urging police to re-open the investigation into her mother's death, which they ruled as a suicide. She claims that evidence reveals that her mother was in fact murdered . Together: Michelle Romain, left, said her mother JoAnn, right, would never have killed herself . 'My mother was murdered, pure and . simple,' she insisted in a press release. 'And I will never be at peace nor will other members of my . family, until this matter is properly investigated and her killer or . killers are brought to justice.' The battle comes exactly four years after JoAnn Romain, who had said she was concerned she was being followed, vanished after she attended an evening Mass at St Paul Catholic Church. Two months later, her body was found in the Detroit River near Amherstburg, more than 50 miles from the church. Investigators in Grosse Pointe Farms suggested that she had walked from her car and climbed over rocks to Lake St Clair, where she drowned. The investigation was then handed over to police officers in Grosse Pointe Woods, where Romain had lived. But Michelle Romain refused to . believe that her mother would have ever killed herself and has since . spent nearly $200,000 hiring her own lawyers and investigators to find . out the truth. She said she . believes her mother was killed because someone had a vendetta against . one of her uncles, to whom her mother was close, the Detroit Free Press reported. Questions: JoAnn's SUV was filled with gas before she went to church - which her daughter believes she would not have done if she was planning on killing herself later that night . Tragic scene: Two months after she vanished in 2010, her body was found in the Detroit River . Three pathologists ruled the cause of death as drowning but the manner of death as undetermined. Missed: JoAnn's daughter believes she was kidnapped by the church and dumped in the river . Attorneys filed lawsuits to get the records of the case and a retired FBI investigator gathered witness statements from the scene. They claim that JoAnn filled up her car with petrol before going to the church service - which she would have been unlikely to do if she knew she was going to kill herself. JoAnn's boots were also immaculate - apart from dirt - suggesting that she did not climb over the rocks to reach the water, and suggesting her body was carried and dumped, they say. They add that her purse was torn and that her body had bruising on the shoulder she carried it. A lead recovery diver who searched for her body told the team there was no current at the time she is believed to have waded into the water, making it impossible for her body to have drifted so far. Michelle Romain claims that police officers told her footprints led from . the vehicle to the water - but they later recanted this after realizing . the ground was dry. She . added that they also failed to pursue claims by witnesses that they saw a . man wearing black clothing and a black scarf along the edge of the . water that night. Family: The Romains have asked police in Michigan to re-open the case - but so far they have not . Her private investigator, Scott Lewis, said at a press conference last Wednesday that after reviewing evidence, he also believes JoAnn Romain was murdered. 'I am convinced that JoAnn Romain did not commit suicide,' he said. 'I think this was a murder.' But the police have so far not agreed to re-open the investigation. Grosse . Pointe Farms Public Safety Lt. Rich Rosati told the Detroit Free Press . that none of the information presented by Romain and her investigator is enough to re-open the case. 'From the police perspective, it does seem to us, . by all the evidence we have seen and what our experience has taught us, . it’s a suicide,' he said. See below for video . Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.

JoAnn Matouk Romain, 55, vanished as she left church in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan in 2010 and her body was found in river 2 months later . Investigators ruled that she killed herself but her daughter Michelle disputes this . JoAnn 'filled up her car tank before her death, had bruising on her body and items of her clothing were torn' Michelle has urged police to re-open the investigation but they have not .

By . James Drummond . PUBLISHED: . 05:09 EST, 3 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:37 EST, 3 May 2013 . A prisoner has been banned from receiving his weekly copy of Shooting Times by jail chiefs because it contained pictures of guns after the Government cracked down on inmate perks. But convict Gregg Hill bemoaned the decision and said he loved flicking through the countryside magazine, which also includes articles on 'farming, conservation and fishing’. Writing in Inside Time this week, ‘the national newspaper for prisoners’, Hill said the decision by bosses came after the recent crackdown on 'holiday camp prisons' by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling. Crack down: A prisoner has been banned from receiving his weekly copy of Shooting Times by jail chiefs in Cambridgeshire because it contained pictures of guns after the Justice Secretary Chris Grayling (right) curbed inmate perks . Mr Grayling announced this week that prisoners will no longer have an automatic right to a TV in their cell, will have all 18-rated DVDs confiscated and be forced to wear a prison uniform in their first two weeks inside. But Hill, who is currently enjoying a stay at HMP Littlehey, a Category C prison in Cambridgeshire, decried the decision and described himself as a ‘country boy’ at heart. He said Shooting Times, which has a weekly circulation of just under 22,200, and was first published in 1882, did not tell him how to make a machine gun. He moaned: ‘Not only are we being treated like impressionable children by being denied the right to buy 18 rated DVDs, but it appears I can no longer get my magazine The Shooting Times because it contains guns. Inside: Prison chiefs at HMP Littlehey, a Category C prison in Cambridgeshire, have banned an inmate from reading his favourite magazine because it contained pictures of guns . ‘The Shooting Times, for these who don't know, is full of articles on shooting, fieldcraft, farming, conservation, fishing, dog breeding and cookery. ‘Nowhere in its pages does it inform you how to make an AK47 out of everyday items you might find in a prison cell.’ ‘I am a country boy and these things are my interest.’ He added: ‘Next they'll be banning performance car magazines in case someone builds a Ferrari out of prison-issue tracksuits.’ Mr Grayling said this week that it was wrong that some prisoners were 'watching daytime television while the rest of the country goes out to work'. He said: ‘For too long, there has been an expectation that privileges are an automatic right, given simply as a reward for staying out of trouble. ‘This cannot continue. Prisoners need to earn privileges, not simply through the avoidance of bad behaviour. 'But also by working, taking part in education or accepting the opportunities to rehabilitate themselves.’ The changes followed a review which criticised the ‘frills’ available to prisoners but unaffordable for ordinary families. A Prison Service spokesperson said today: 'Items such as this are not considered appropriate for prisoners.'

Inmate Gregg Hill banned from reading his favourite magazine . Told prisoner newspaper that he was treated like 'impressionable child' Decision came after Government crack down on 'holiday camp' prisons .

(CNN) -- Jimmy Ellis, who belted out the dance anthem "Disco Inferno" in the 1970s for the Trammps, died Thursday in South Carolina, the funeral home handling arrangements said. He was 74. Ellis' rich baritone powered the funky Grammy-winning tune from the "Saturday Night Fever" album. It is only second to "The Bodyguard" as the best-selling soundtrack album of all time with sales of 15 million. Despite the success associated with the hit movie, Ellis and the band couldn't translate it into mainstream appeal, scoring just three R&B Top 10 hits from 1972 to 1978. But the group still commanded respect in the music community. "But the Trammps' prowess can't be measured by chart popularity. Ellis' booming, joyous vocals brilliantly championed the celebratory fervor and atmosphere that made disco both loved and hated among music fans," the group's biography on allmusic.com says. The Trammps began in Philadelphia in 1972. Ellis' memorial service is scheduled for March 16 at Central Church of God in Charlotte, North Carolina. People we've lost in 2012: The lives they lived .

"Disco Inferno" appeared on the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack . The song won a Grammy for the Trammps . Singer Jimmy Ellis was 74 .

A ship carrying the bodies of Chinese gold miners from New Zealand that sank more than 100 years ago has been found. S.S. Ventnor was discovered near Whangarei, off the northern coast of New Zealand, in 2012 and renewed hopes that the 499 bodies of Chinese miners on-board would be returned home to their families. The ship was on its way back to China so the bodies could be buried back home in line with tradition, the New Zealand Herald reported. Unfortunately, it hit a reef just two days into its journey from Wellington in 1902. Scroll down for video . A school of fish swim past the ship's wreckage, which has been submerged for more than 100 years . Part of the ship's hull is visible in this photograph in 150m deep waters off the coast of New Zealand . Diver Sandy Varin examines the wreckage of the S.S. Ventnor during its discovery . The Chinese miners had been in New Zealand to see if they could get rich during the country's gold rush during the 1860s, which happened in areas such as Otago and the West Coast on the South Island. The find has also raised controversy among New Zealand's Chinese community who have accused the documentary crew who searched for the wreckage of disrespecting the remains of the dead. In photographs, schools of fish are seen swimming around the mast of the ship. To verify it was the S.S. Ventnor, documentary maker John Albert and his team recovered some artefacts from the wreckage. It was found about 20 kilometres west of Hokianga Harbour, in the North Island, in waters 150 metres deep. But the New Zealand Chinese Association say the community is 'outraged' the ship did not remained untouched, the New Zealand Herald reported. The association's Kirsten Wong said there was 'genuine dismay' in the early settler community because of the lack of respect for the 499 people's remains. Fish swim past the propeller of the ship in shots taken from footage filmed by a documentary crew . The ship was discovered just west of Whangarei, off the coast of New Zealand's North Island (pictured) The S.S. Ventnor sunk (illustrated) 20km offshore in 1902, taking with it the bodies of 499 Chinese miners on their way back to China to be buried by their families . Gold miners working at Winding Creek, at the bottom of New Zealand's South Island, during the 1960s . Chinese miners (pictured) arrived in the New Zealand in the thousands to try and cash in on the country' gold rush in the mid to late 1800s . 'The community is also distressed about suggestions that historic artefacts be shipped to China, when they say the artefacts are not only significant for them, but are an important part of all New Zealanders' social and cultural heritage,' she said. But a relative of one of the miners told 3News he was 'excited' to finally have answers. Choie Sew Hoy was 64 years old when he died a year before the ship made its final voyage. Choie's great-great-grandson said he was looking forward to fulfilling his father's dream of honouring his relative. 'It's important for the Chinese custom that your family tend to your ancestors' graves to ensure a good after life for them, but also the ancestors will look after the living descendants,' he said.

S.S. Ventnor hit a reef two days into its journey from Wellington in 1902 . The ship was carrying the bodies of 499 dead Chinese miners . The miners had lived in New Zealand during its gold rush in the 1860s . Documentary makers have now recovered artefacts from the wreckage . But they have been accused of disrespecting the remains of the dead .

By . Cindy Tran . Children as young as six are encouraged to attend school daily to see positive NAPLAN results in the long run, according to a new study. The research found academic achievement on NAPLAN had become worse as attendance rates are high in primary school and fall away sharply during high school. Students who skip a large amount of school days for family holidays, sick days or general absences may not have the opportunity or resources to catch up on missed classes. Academic achievement on NAPLAN had become worse as attendance rates are high in primary school and fall away sharply during high school, a study has found . The research - delivered at the Australian Council for Educational Research's annual conference on Monday - found that a small amount of absence from school may have minimal effect on academic performance. But beyond some threshold attendance level, there is noticeable drop in measured academic performance. Kirsten Hancock, a researcher from Telethon Kids Institute said parents are encouraged to understand the value of regular school attendance for their children. 'Children learn their habits early so if they are taught that they need to 'show up' for school and make that commitment from a young age then they will carry that positive mentality for the years ahead, not only at school but throughout their careers and life generally,' she said. 'We wanted to know how many days of absence kids could 'get away with' before it started to affect how they were doing in at school. The answer was none. 'We also found that the effect of missing days accumulated over time, so that school absence not only impacted in the year, in which the days were missed but in the future years as well.' Students who skip a large amount of school days for family holidays, sick days or general absences may not have the opportunity or resources to catch up on missed classes . Sydney Morning Herald reports the study dispels the common belief there is a safe level of absence students can get away with before their grades will suffer. 'We were able to show that actually every day counts and days that you're missing in year three and year five can detect that all the way through to year nine,' the reports co-author and University of Western Australia Professor Stephen Zubrick said. 'A 10 day period of unathorised absence in a year is sufficient to drop a child about a band in the NAPLAN testing. 'For most children, year one sets the pattern for what school attendance will look like in the future.' Despite all concerns on school attendance, Cabramatta West Public School teacher Mathew Halloran said the concern with children missing school should be how it affects their total school learning, not just the NAPLAN results, which is a one off test every two years. 'Attendance is important for students' welfare and learning the total curriculum,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

The NAPLAN tests is the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy for all students across years three, five, seven and nine . Academic achievement on NAPLAN results have become worse . Attendance rates are high in primary school, according to research . Parents are encouraged to understand the value of regular school attendance for their children .

By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 15:20 EST, 3 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:36 EST, 3 March 2014 . A Super League rugby player may lose an eye after he was punched several times outside a nightclub. Sean Gleeson, 26, got into a row with three men in Wigan, Greater Manchester, in the early hours of Sunday. He suffered serious injuries to his eye and eye socket and was taken to hospital where he remains. Serious: Hull KR player Sean Gleeson risks losing an eye after a brutal attack outside a Wigan nightclub . Greater Manchester Police released CCTV images of three men they want to speak to in relation to the incident outside Ibiza Bar in Wigan, about 4am on Sunday . Gleeson became involved in a fight with one of the men outside Ibiza Bar and the others joined in before they left the Hull KR player in the road and ran away. Police have released CCTV images of three men they would like to speak to in connection with the attack which took place at about 4am. Wigan-born Gleeson signed for Hull KR last year but has had a string of injury problems. He previously played for Salford City Reds, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Widnes Vikings and Wigan Warriors. He has represented Ireland at international level. Detective Chief Inspector Howard Millington, from Greater Manchester Police, said: 'We are now in a position to release images of three people we are very keen to speak to. 'If you recognise these men I would urge you to get in contact. A young man has been left with serious, potentially life changing, injuries as he could lose his eye. Gleeson, pictured with the ball, became involved in a fight with one of the men outside Ibiza Bar in Wigan . The fight took place outside Ibiza Bar (pictured) in Wigan, Greater Manchester . 'Imagine if this was your son, brother, cousin, or close friend who was ill in hospital, you would want answers. 'In addition, if anyone was there that night and saw the assault or if you know something that might be relevant to our investigation I would urge them to get in contact with police. 'You might not have seen the actual attack but you may have seen a group of white men running away. I would urge anyone who thinks they may know who is responsible to come forward and speak to us. 'We all have a responsibility to ensure that a night out is a good experience and does not escalate into drunken violence that compromises people's safety. 'We want people to enjoy the vibrant nightlife in Greater Manchester, but to do it responsibly, and avoid trouble by walking away.'

Sean Gleeson, 26, was punched repeatedly in Wigan on Sunday . He suffered serious injuries to his eye and eye socket . The Hull KR player was taken to hospital where he remains . Police are hunting three men in connection with the attack .

When it comes to beating the buzzer, this is a near-impossible move. During the Utah Jazz’s Friday night game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Trevor Booker managed to do something that has been called everything from a 'circus shot' to 'the craziest thing of the NBA season'. With only 0.2 seconds left on the clock, Booker executed an over-the-head slap of the ball with two hands that landed with a swish, in what will undoubtedly become the basket of the year. Making the move even more incredible is that NBA rules require 0.3 seconds to complete a full catch and shooting motion, so any shot Booker made at the time had to be a tap. Scroll down for video . 0.2 seconds left: Utah Jazz forward Trevor Booker hit one of the quirkiest shots in NBA history on Friday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder . Volleyball: Using two hands, Booker tapped the ball up and over his head . Wait: Theball kept traveling heading straight for the basket . Swoosh: Incredibly, Booker landed the basket, much to the shock of the players and the stadium . Ecstatic: An over-the-moon Booker cheered and yelled after landing the amazing shot . The amazing shot saw Utah take the lead into halftime with 50-44. However, they ended up losing to Oklahoma 99-94. However, as Eric Freeman from Yahoo! Sports blogged, Bookers basket 'probably should have counted for another six points'. After the game, Booker maintained the shot was no fluke. 'I know you won't believe me but I really do practice those shots,' he said, according to Business Insider. 'My cousin Jordan Hill (of the Los Angeles Lakers) texted me after the game, he was like ''they probably won't believe it, but we practiced those shots all the time growing up''.' Another look: Booker maintains he has practiced this exact shot before . Up and over: There wasn't enough time of the clock for him to be allowed to catch and shoot . Boom: The moment has already gone down in NBA history .

Moment occurred Friday night when Utah versed Oklahoma City Thunder . Trevor Booker tapped the ball with two hands for an over-the-head shot . The basket was quickly called 'the craziest thing of the NBA season'

By . Jonathan McEvoy . Roger Federer did not so much wield a racket as wave a wand on the sunlit grass of Wimbledon on Tuesday. It was another masterclass in a tournament of masterclasses from the seven-time champion, in this instance against Tommy Robredo, the usually stubborn Spaniard who was dismissed from the premises in 94 minutes of imperious precision. Comfortable: Roger Federer is through to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon after demolishing Tommy Robredo . Unstoppable: Federer took just 21 minutes to take the first set, and didn't lose a point on serve in the second . It was almost as if time had stood . still and a young Federer in his first bloom was with us again. At 32, . he is no more likely to shrivel away and disappear from the All England . Club than its famous ivy. His . accumulation of statistics is phenomenal; he is the only competitor in . the men’s singles not to have lost a service game in four rounds. None . of his matches has lasted longer. ‘It’s like being a footballer,’ he . said. His serve was . dominant, his net play clean and incisive. Poor Robredo made the fatal . mistake of starting poorly, winning just 13 points in the first set and . committing a horrific series of unforced errors. By the time he was up . and running in the third set, it was way too late. That . was the story of one Swiss victory on Tuesday. The other was unfolding . on Court Two: a fractious contest won 7-6, 7-6, 6-3 by Federer’s . countryman and close friend Stan Wawrinka against Feliciano Lopez. Experienced: But it wasn't Tommy Robredo's day on Court No 1 . The . two men were locked in heated dispute as the match ended, tension having . built as the match developed, but they shook hands in the end and . claimed that everything was mended when they came to speak to the press . afterwards. The upshot is a . Swiss-Swiss quarter-final: Wawrinka versus Federer. Never before has . that country had two men reach the last eight here. More . intriguingly, set against Federer’s long period of success, Wawrinka . outranks Federer – third versus fourth – in the world standings. He is . also the player more recently to have won a Grand Slam tournament, this . year’s Australian Open. Yes they are buddies, but has Wawrinka’s recent success not changed the dynamic between them? ‘Which . dynamic?’ said Federer, leaning on 17 Grand Slam titles. ‘Well, I think . for him the dynamic has changed a lot. Definitely in terms of showing . up for the big moments, believing he can come through them after . previously losing a lot of close matches against many of the top guys. Sunny day: Fans packed into to watch the match at SW19 on Tuesday . ‘People clearly marked him out after the Australian Open, but it started at the US Open and just prior to that. ‘So . I am really happy for him that he’s been able to keep it going strong, . even though he had had some ups and downs that are inevitable after a . big win like the Australian Open.’ These . are heady sporting days for neutral Switzerland. A few hours after the . wins of Wawrinka and Federer, they scuttled back to their TVs – separate . screens, different locations – to watch the World Cup match between . Argentina and Switzerland. A loss, though it lasted a good deal longer than Federer’s match. Well, you can’t have everything. Just . before the match, the big-serving Wawrinka was wearing a t-shirt with . the slogan ‘Stan the Man’. When questioned, he said he wasn’t . necessarily the man – that sounded a bit boastful, he thought. It this . was just a nickname. I suppose a ‘Stan Not the Man’ t-shirt would be . ludicrous. Classy: Federer could be set for a semi-final clash with Rafael Nadal . But can he be the . man against Federer on Wednesday, just as he was in the final of the . Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo? On the negative side, due to the weather . delays on Saturday, will be playing his third match in as many days. ‘That win in Monaco will give me a lot of confidence,’ he said, ‘knowing that I can beat him on the big stage. ‘But . tomorrow it’s going to be a different experience. First time on grass. First time at Wimbledon. Five-set match. Yeah, it’s going to be tough.’ Did that not sound a touch defeatist? He . added: ‘You know when you play Roger at Wimbledon, when he’s fit and . confident and feeling well, it’s one of the biggest challenges in . tennis. It’s like playing Rafa in the French Open. These guys are . playing their best tennis for many years.’ Tommy Robredo will most certainly attest to that in the case of Mr Federer.

Federer took first set in just 21 minutes, and didn't lose a point on serve in the second . Seven-time champion will face Wawrinka in the quarter-finals . He hasn't lost a game on serve throught 2014 tournament .

By . Anna Hodgekiss . A toddler who had the most misshapen head doctors had ever seen has undergone pioneering surgery to prevent her brain from being squashed. Three-year-old Kaydence Theriault  and her fellow triplets Taylor and Kaylin were all born with Crouzon Syndrome, which causes the baby's head to become misshapen. Kaydence had the most severe form doctors had ever seen because her skull was shaped like a cloverleaf. Rare: Kaydence Theriault had the most severely misshapen head doctors had ever seen. She and her fellow triplets Taylor and Kaylin were all born with Crouzon Syndrome, which causes the baby's head to become misshapen. Because of the severity of her case, Kaydence's skull was shaped like a cloverleaf . She needed life-saving surgery to ensure her brain didn't become damaged. A team of expert cranio-facial surgeons came together to save her, and now Kaydence and her siblings are like any playful toddlers who will celebrate their fourth birthday in December. They are suffering no health issues or learning problems and are catching up in height with other youngsters. Their mother Bobbie Jo, 38, of Indianapolis, said: 'The doctors have been amazing. 'When Kaydence was born no-one knew if she would survive. But thanks to their incredible talent we have a normal healthy daughter and we can't thank them enough.' Crouzon Syndrome is a genetic condition that causes the plates of a baby's skull to lock in position too early, before the brain has had chance to grow. Genetic: The triplets, who are now three, their older brother Jayden and parents Bobbi Jo and Jason. Both Mrs Theriault and her son also suffer from milder forms of Crouzon Syndrome, which causes the plates of a baby's skull to lock in position too early, distorting the shape of their head . Most children born with the condition have surgery before they are 18 months old to separate the skull before it fuses. But . Kaydence's condition was so severe the bones were already joining . together, pushing her head into an odd shape at the top and sides, like a . three-leaved clover. Mrs Theriault had no idea there was a problem until her 20-week scan showed one of the triplets had a deformity. She said: 'When the doctors told me about Kaydence having a cloverleaf shaped head, I couldn't picture that. I have never seen it before so I had no idea what to expect.' She and her eldest son Jayden, eight, also have Crouzon Syndrome, which Mrs Theriault inherited from her father. But each of them has a milder form and underwent small operations just before they were one. Emergency: Kaydence needed surgery to open up her skull at two months old so her brain would have room to grow. Then, three months later, a team of expert surgeons came together at to perform a delicate operation to reshape her head . Her husband Jason said: 'The shape of . Jayden's head started changing and that's when we and the doctors . realised he needed surgery. He was in hospital two or three days and . then he was home and that was the end of it and he was completely fine. 'That's one of the main reasons why we had decided to have another child. I didn't want Jayden to grow up without a sibling.' Crouzon . syndrome is a rare genetic condition that causes the early fusing of . the bones of the skull and the abnormal development of the face. It . occurs when some of the bones fuse too early, . meaning the they cannot grow normally and the face becomes misshapen. In babies with the condition, the bones normally fuse prior to birth. Some . are born with an abnormal head shape - a tall and narrow skull with . wide-set eyes - while others develop problems later. Other . abnormalities associated with the syndrome include having a prominent . lower jaw, hearing and spinal problems. The syndrome affects 1.6 people in every 100,000 and is caused by a genetic mutation. Only . one parent needs to be a carrier for a child to inherit the condition - . a person with Crouzon syndrome has a 50 per cent chance of passing it . on to each of their children. About 97 per cent of children with the condition have normal levels of intelligence. The main treatment is surgery to expand and reshape the skull. Source: Seattle Children's Hospital . The . Theriaults were overjoyed when they discovered they were expecting . triplets and say they had 'no idea' that their babies would be in danger . of having a life-threatening form of Crouzon. Mrs Theriault said: 'Jayden had been fine so I thought it would all be okay.' Her husband added: 'But when Kaydence came out I knew she would be the one who would have the most problems. I was just absolutely astounded at the severity of it.' Kaydence needed emergency surgery to open up her skull at two months old, as soon as she was strong enough, so her brain would have room to grow. Then, three months later, a team of expert surgeons came together at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital in Indianapolis to perform a delicate operation to reshape her head. World famous cranio-facial surgery Dr Kenneth Salyer, from Texas, was brought in to help with the surgery, which took place in May 2010 and lasted eight-and-a half hours. Neurosurgeon Dr Ronald Young said: 'The only way to reshape the head is to take that bone apart and put it back together in a different shape and that's what we did.' Mrs Theriault, a health admin worker, said: 'I was scared, I was worried, I was sad. I wanted it to be over, I just wanted to see her. I didn't know how such a small baby could cope with being under anaesthesia for so long.' Dr Young added: 'Our main worry was bleeding. This was a very small child and we were working over a very large blood vessel. After that it was exposing the brain to possible infection or damage during the surgery.' To their relief, everything went well and Kaydence made an incredible recovery and was out of hospital and back with her siblings in a matter of days. Misshapen: An MRI scan of Kaydence's skull soon after she was born, showing the severity of her case . Her cloverleaf shaped head was transformed, and with the help of smaller follow-up surgeries, she is now virtually unrecognisable from how her appearance as a newborn. Taylor and Kaylin, who had a milder form of Crouzon, underwent their surgeries at seven months old and are also doing well. Each child underwent physical and speech therapy to help them catch up with other three-year-olds because of their time spent in hospital. But the girls are expected to start nursery soon and will have no lasting effects. When the triplets are older they will be able to have plastic surgery to help make their face and eye shape more normal if necessary. As a child, Mrs Theriault admits she was teased by schoolmates because of her mildly protruding eyes, but she believes it made her a stronger person and better able to help her own children. Doing well: The girls are expected to start nursery soon and will have no lasting effects. When they are older they will be able to have plastic surgery to help make their face and eye shape more normal if necessary . Her husband said: 'I've know Bobbie Jo since she was 14 and she has always stood up for herself and never backed down from anybody. Mrs Theriault added: 'Children are going to be children. Bullying is everywhere no matter who are. All three of the triplets will probably come across somebody who is going to bother them. But if they do get called names they will have me to help them. 'When Jayden started school he said some of the kids made fun of his eyes. But now he has learned about Crouzon Syndrome and tells people about it. That has helped him stand up for himself. 'We're so happy they can have a normal life," said Bobbie. Jo. "I love those doctors for what they have done for my family.' The story appears in Unlock My Skull: Body Bizarre at 10pm on Monday December 2nd on the Discovery Channel.

Kaydence Theriault and . her fellow triplets Taylor and Kaylin were all born with Crouzon . Syndrome, which causes the head to become misshapen . Kaydence had the most severe form doctors had ever seen - her skull was shaped like a cloverleaf . She needed life-saving surgery to ensure her brain didn't become damaged . Her older brother and mother also suffer from the condition . Now aged three, the triplets are in good health and due to start nursery .

By . Mark Bryans, Press Association . Sam Allardyce is aiming to break West Ham's losing streak over Crystal Palace - but is expecting a tough challenge from a side still likely to play the 'Tony Pulis' way. Former manager Pulis left Selhurt Park less than 48 hours before the start of the new Barclays Premier League season, with Keith Millen taking charge of Saturday's narrow 2-1 defeat at Arsenal. With the furore surrounding Malky Mackay's ongoing wranglings with former club Cardiff, the Scot will no longer be filling the vacancy. Hoodoo: West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is all too aware of his team's recent poor form against Saturday's opponents Crystal Palace. The Eagles are unbeaten since 2003 in fixtures between the sides . Still in charge: Keith Millen is once again likely to take charge of Crystal Palace for the match at Selhurst Park . That means Millen is once again likely to be in charge of first-team affairs for the visit of West Ham - with the Eagles having won four of the last six meetings and remaining unbeaten in the fixture since 2003. But Allardyce, who is struggling with early season injuries and suspension to his defensive line, is hopeful of overcoming their recent south London hoodoo. 'I think they have some better players than last season but they very much stick to the same type of structural organisation,' he said. 'We didn't beat them last year and it will be just as difficult, if not more so, with the players they've brought in. 'The new players have lots of Premier League experience and from that point of view we'll have a tough job. 'There's still lots of excitement around the ground and the stadium, the players know their position now, they know what their job is. At the start of last season they found it difficult to cope with the league, but Tony Pulis came in and structured it accordingly. Defeated: Palace lost their opening match 2-1 against Arsenal, despite Brede Hangeland's headed opener . Late agony: West Ham lost out to a stoppage time Tottenham goal in their opening fixture . 'It'll be a tight game. I don't think there'll be many goals in it, but hopefully it'll be as entertaining as it possibly can be.' The Hammers slipped to two 1-0 defeats at the hands of Palace last season and went on to finish two places lower than the Eagles' final position of 11th. With debutants Aaron Cresswell and Cheikhou Kouyate impressing in the last-gasp defeat to Tottenham last week, Allardyce could hand either Enner Valencia or Diafra Sakho their first starts for the club on Saturday. But, after bolstering his attacking options over the summer, it is in defence where Allardyce will be weakened - with James Collins banned and James Tomkins, Joey O'Brien and Carl Jenkinson unlikely to be completely match fit. First start? Summer signing Enner Valencia could make his first appearance in the West Ham starting XI . New boy: Diafra Sakho could also be handed his first start for West Ham at Selhurst Park . Republic of Ireland international O'Brien is hoping the managerial uncertainty can see the Hammers turn the tables this season. 'Palace did a number on us twice last year, so we want to get one back,' he said. 'In that first year in the Premier League you might wonder what to expect from them, but now everyone knows their players and the situations they create. We know what to expect this year. 'I don't know whether the managerial situation there will affect the players. I watched their game against Arsenal last week and they played really well - they were unlucky to lose the game, so it's a home game for them, their fans will be up for the first home game of the season and we'll have to play at our best.' Revenge: Joey O'Brien is determined to get back at Palace following two losses to them last season .

Crystal Palace have won four of their last six meetings with West Ham . The two teams meet at Selhurst Park on Saturday . Allardyce is expecting a tough challenge from side that play 'Tony Pulis' way . Keith Millen again expected to take charge for Palace . Hammers beaten late on by Tottenham in their opening game . Palace also suffered late heartbreak, against Arsenal .

By . Ray Massey, Transport Editor . PUBLISHED: . 04:51 EST, 12 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:58 EST, 12 June 2013 . A strike by militant French air traffic controllers has left thousands of British tourists and business travellers stranded across Europe. Most major French cities were affected and the knock-on effect is likely to continue into today. Hundreds of services to and from British airports heading for destinations such as Paris, Lyon, Nice,  Toulouse and Marseilles were cancelled yesterday. Nice airport is one of those affected by the air traffic controller's strike that has left thousands of Brits stranded . Flights that cross French airspace were also cancelled or delayed, including holiday destinations in Spain and Portugal. In another black day for the country’s . socialist government, many air traffic controllers stayed at home for . the second day prompting French aviation bosses to order all airlines . using French airports to cancel 50 per cent of their services. Last night Greek air traffic . controllers were reported by airlines to be calling a ‘siesta strike’ – . from noon to 2pm today – which will disrupt and delay some flights. Controllers in both countries are protesting against a planned overhaul . of aviation by the European Commission to create what has been nicknamed . ‘a single European sky’. They fear this plan to centralise air traffic . control across the EU will lead to job losses. Low cost carrier easyJet was yesterday forced to cancel 200 flights – of which 92 were to or from the UK – because of the chaos. Ryanair said around 400 of its flights . had been cancelled across Europe, including many to and from Britain. British Airways cancelled 24 UK flights. All said they hoped to run a . ‘near normal’ service today. The militancy is due to spread to . French railways. French rail unions threatened to cancel up to 70 per . cent of services in protest at reform of their working practices. Easyjet has had to cancel 128 flights due to the industrial action, forcing thousands to make other plans . These include high speed TGV services, with the stoppages due to start last night and to continue into tomorrow. But Eurostar services from London to . Paris are not expected to be affected. Passengers reported a mixed bag . of help from airlines. EasyJet said it had booked 1,800 hotel rooms for . stranded passengers before the strike. But Ryanair customers who contacted . the Daily Mail spoke of ‘shocking customer service’ and a ‘couldn’t care . less’ attitude’ and said they had paid out hundreds of pounds for their . own hotel rooms. Passenger watchdogs said that under EU . rules airlines must look after their passengers if there’s a delay and . put them up in a hotel for a flight the next day when it is impractical . to go home. Publican Matt Edwards, 36, from . Penrith in Cumbria, was stranded at Manchester Airport with his two . daughters Emma, eight, and Mia, seven, and his partner Lisa Gardiner, . when their 3.55pm Ryanair flight to Alicante was cancelled on Tuesday. Mr Edwards said: ‘It was awful. You . can’t blame them for the strike. But their customer service is . appalling. I’ll never fly with them again. I’m hundreds of pounds out of . pocket.’ Ryanair said later that it would . comply with EU rules and urged passengers to keep their receipts for . reasonable out of pocket expenses, including hotels. Watchdogs said those not offered . hotels should keep their receipts and be prepared to complain to the . Civil Aviation Authority, which is now the official passenger watchdog. A spokesman for easyJet said: ‘We . deplore the action of the French air traffic controllers. It is . massively unfair that they should disrupt so many passengers. Passengers . on cancelled flights are able to receive a refund or transfer to . another flight.’

French unions striking over fears of job losses and poor working conditions . All airlines flying to France have been told to scrap half of their flights .

West Brom skipper Chris Brunt is in a race against time to face Aston Villa after admitting he is 'touch and go' for the crunch derby. The captain has been sidelined for a week with a hamstring injury and could miss the clash on Saturday. Brunt limped out of their 2-1 defeat by West Ham last week and missed the Baggies' goalless draw at Hull at the weekend. Chris Brunt (left) limped out of West Brom's 2-1 defeat against West Ham last week . And he could miss out again at The Hawthorns after revealing he is still being troubled by the injury. 'I'm not sure if I'll be fit, I've been doing bits and pieces this week but it'll be touch and go,' said the Northern Ireland midfielder. 'We have a few days to work on it but with the type of injury it is I will need to make 100 per cent sure whether I'm fit or not. 'I'll take advice from the medical staff but it's a game I'm desperate to play in. It's a game I've always enjoyed and one you look forward to. 'It's just a small strain but it depends how I react to the rehab. I felt it go straight away in the game so I knew I had to come off. The captain has been sidelined for a week with a hamstring injury and could miss Saturday's clash . 'I did the right thing but I was disappointed to come off as, as soon as I stepped off the pitch, West Ham scored the second goal.' A derby defeat could see Albion drop into the relegation zone to add more pressure on under-fire boss Alan Irvine. They sit just a point above the bottom three, having won just one of their last 10 games in all competitions, and Brunt knows they must improve. 'Things haven't been going our way at the minute,' said the 29-year-old. Craig Dawson celebrates with Brunt after scoring West Brom's only goal agains the Hammers . 'The lads stopped the rot on Saturday and the clean sheet is always a bonus in the form we've been in - we've been conceding a lot of goals. 'So to get a clean sheet was great and we need to add that little bit more going forward now and hopefully try to build on it. 'I'm sure the gaffer and the lads have been doing as much work as they can. We need to go and win the game, especially at home where we haven't been playing well. 'Three points is a big target for us this week. 'It's a very important one and we need to get some points on the board, especially at home.'

Chris Brunt has been sidelined for a week with a hamstring injury . Brunt reveals he isn't 'sure' if he'll be fit for Aston Villa clash . Baggies captain limped out of his side's defeat against West Ham .

A man has been caught trying to smuggle a Blackberry mobile phone, a recharger, a pair of earphones and a sim car into a Brazilian prison hidden in his bottom. Jean Ferreira Roque, 19, has said he had been hired by the wife of an inmate to smuggle the Blackberry Curve bundle into the Puraquequara jail in Manaus, northern Brazil. Roque was caught passing through an X-ray scan during visiting hours at the prison on Boxing Day. Jean Ferreira Roque was caught trying to smuggle a phone and its accessories into the Puraquequara jail in Manaus, northern Brazil . He claimed he was to receive £45 for delivering the phone, which is 2.36 inches wide. The student told Brazil's Globo G1 website it wasn't the first time he had used the unconventional method to bring in phones for prisoners at the high-security jail. He said: 'I've delivered lots of phones, I delivered a Blackberry to another inmate last week. This is just the first time I've been caught. 'I went to sit down and they must have noticed something wasn't quite right because they asked for me to go through the metal detector. 'That's when they saw the mobile phone.' He added: 'I get paid once the phone is safely delivered. There's a price list, the bigger the phone, the higher the price.' Manaus police chief Debora Mafra today said she has ordered an investigation into the smuggling claims. She said: 'This needs to stop. We will probe as deep as we have to in order to find out who is behind all this.' Roque has claimed he has smuggled phones into the prison in the past and gets paid depending on the size of the handset .

Student Jean Ferreir Roque hid the phone and its bundle in his bottom . Was caught after passing through an X-ray scan at the Brazilian prison . Has said it is not the first time he has used the method to smuggle phones .

Tottenham have severed links with one of their official licensed suppliers after three pitch invasions caused a 10-minute delay to their Europa League clash against Partizan Belgrade and left them facing a UEFA charge. Despite securing their place in the last 32 of the competition thanks to Benjamin Stambouli’s second half goal, the club’s night was overshadowed by the serious breaches of security which led to Ukrainian referee Yevhen Aranovskiy taking both teams from the field four minutes before half-time. All three culprits were wearing shirts emblazoned with the logo of audio manufacturers BassBuds, who sell official branded headphones through the club’s merchandise store. The second of three supporters had his shirt ripped off by Roberto Soldado, before being dragged away by a number of Spurs stewards . The first pitch invader was on the field for five minutes and managed to take a selfie with a frustrated-looking Kyle Naughton . Soldado grabbed hold of one of the pitch invaders, and pulled his shirt off him before he was dragged away by stewards . Soldado did not take kindly to the second pitch invader, ripping his shirt off in anger before stewards reached him to drag him away . BassBuds issued a statement via Facebook that condemned the actions of the pitch invaders. 'We have been made aware of an incident at the Tottenham game tonight,' the statement read. 'We are appalled that the game was interrupted in this manner. We do not condone the interruption of any sporting fixture in this way.' Investigations revealed that all three match tickets for the invaders were bought by the same individual. A fourth ticket was also bought by that person and a member of the crowd who did not make it on the pitch has been identified by the club. The company, who also have licensing deals with Liverpool, Newcastle, West Ham and Aston Villa, have denied that it was a PR stunt. Spurs will investigate the incident further and could take action against the company if they are found to have links to it. UEFA are expected to charge the club over the breaches in security, with a heavy fine the most likely form of punishment. Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino hit out at the farce and admitted that he was concerned for the safety of his players. The Argentine said: ‘I’m very disappointed with what happened in the first half. The club is aware of the situation. ‘You never know what can happen on the pitch, the behaviour of these people was only to go in and show I don’t know what. I’m very disappointed, for all the club’s supporters that love football, it’s a very strange situation.’ The second pitch invader was eventually stopped by Mousa Dembele, who tripped him up to cut short his time on the Tottenham field . Roberto Soldado grabs a pitch invader as referee Yevhen Aranovsky decides to halt the match . The players were taken off the field of play by Ukrainian referee Aranovsky after the third pitch invasion of the first half . 41 minutes had been played when the referee Aranovsky led the players down the tunnel for 10 minutes . Tottenham's manager Mauricio Pochettino watches as players leave the pitch after the referee halts the match before half time . The giant screen shows that the match is suspended due to pitch invaders before half time of the Europa League game . Tottenham issued a statement saying: ‘Three pitch invaders at the match have been arrested and are assisting police with their enquiries. ‘We apologise to fans for the disruptions caused by this totally unacceptable behaviour.’ Shortly before the teams came back out, a tannoy announcement warned supporters at White Hart Lane: ‘Please do not run on the pitch. You will be arrested and banned from future matches. This is a criminal offence and police will prosecute.’ The first invader caught stewards by surprise on 21 minutes, was on the pitch for around two minutes and managed to take three ‘selfie’ photographs with Kyle Naughton, Erik Lamela and Jan Vertonghen, much to the bemusement of players. But it moved beyond a joke when another ran on to the pitch five minutes later and a third followed in the 41st minute. The first supporter took a selfie with Jan Vertonghen before being dragged away after two full minutes of being on the pitch . One of the pitch invaders gestures to the crowd after running on to the pitch and stopping play . One of the pitch invaders is escorted off the pitch by security during Tottenham's game with Partizan Belgrade . Stewards and officials tackle a third pitch invader to the floor during the first half . On Tottenham’s website they posted a competition to win the headphones just three days ago, explaining: ‘The official Tottenham Hotspur BassBuds collection offers Spurs fans a new and exciting way to show your pride for the team wherever you go.’ BassBuds issued a statement via Facebook which read: ‘We have been made aware of an incident at the Tottenham game .We are appalled that the game was interrupted in this manner. We do not condone the interruption of any sporting fixture in this way.’ Opposition manager Marko Nikolic was left stunned by the pitch invasions. ‘Maybe we can hope something like that happen everywhere in the world but not here in England,’ he said. ‘We were a bit surprised, I must say. It was a strange thing to be part of game in England and game stopping three times in one half, then for 10 mins. Maybe that was a little bit disturbing for both sides, for us definitely, but I don’t think it was decisive.’ He added: ‘These strange things are happening around the world and it’s not good for the game. People in UEFA and national federations, government and police who must think about that problem, it’s a big problem.’ One of the pitch invaders runs around the pitch after play was halted . The first of three pitch invaders is grabbed by a security guard after spending two minutes on the White Hart Lane pitch .

Tottenham's match against Partizan Belgrade was suspended after 41 minutes because of three pitch invasions . During the three separate incidents, the men were all wearing 'BassBuds' shirts, a headphone manufacturer . The first pitch invader was on the field for two full minutes and took selfies with three Tottenham players . Ukrainian referee Yevgen Aranovsky took the players to the dressing room for 10 minutes . Tottenham later issued a statement saying 'three pitch invaders were arrested and are assisting police'

By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 09:07 EST, 18 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:39 EST, 18 February 2013 . Court: Actor Steven Berkoff has been banned from driving for six months because he ran a red light last year . James Bond villain Steven Berkoff has been banned from driving after jumping a red light, despite maintaining he was trying to get out of the way of a police car. The veteran actor, writer and director, 75, who played General Orlov in Octopussy alongside Roger Moore, said he had not meant to break the law. In a letter read out at City of London Magistrates' Court he claimed while driving his VW Beetle through Central London: 'I heard a siren in the near distance and turned to get out of its way.' But he still pleaded guilty to failing to comply with traffic signals on October 25 last year, earning himself a six-month ban from driving. Berkoff, who has been caught speeding twice in the last two years and ran another red light in March 2012, already had nine points on his licence. He was handed three more points today, leading to automatic disqualification. 'Mr Berkoff was driving a Volkswagen Beetle motor vehicle in Upper Thames Street, at the junction with Queen Street Place', said prosecutor Varinder Hayre. 'He crossed the stop line when the light had been red for 1.5 seconds, and he was at a speed of 27mph. 'The police did not offer an immediate conditional offer due to the time the lights had been red.' Berkoff, star of movies including Beverley Hill Cop and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, initially gave the court his Californian driving licence number, but checks showed he also holds a UK licence. 'Police were given a DVLA notice with nine penalty points, meaning he is liable for disqualification under the totting up procedure', said Ms Hayre. Famous: The star of stage and screen is perhaps best known for his role as Bond villain General Orlov, shown here in Octopussy . Berkoff's case was in court last month to be dealt with, but it was adjourned so he could be warned he was facing a ban. The star was offered a chance to tell magistrates why he should be spared from disqualification, but he did not show up to court. Berkoff was given six points after being caught speeding on September 18, 2010, and March 11, 2012, and another three points for driving through a red light on March 13, 2012. Magistrates also fined him £300 for the offence, and he was ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge. Berkoff, of Limehouse, east London, pleaded guilty by post to failing to comply with a red light signal.

'I heard a siren and turned to get out of its way,' he told the court . Berkoff had pleaded guilty to failing to comply with traffic signals . Magistrates banned him for 6 months after he reached 12 points . Actor was star of Octopussy and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo .

By . Sarah Dean . Australia's decathlon hopeful suffered an embarrassing 'schoolboy error' at the Commonwealth Games after not one but two false starts in front of 40,000 people. Jake Stein fluffed his start on the sprinting blocks twice ahead of his 100 metre race in Glasgow on Monday. 'I just went a bit too early – twice – just school boy errors really,' Stein said. 'You learn to start when you are seven or eight and I forgot how to do it today.' Australia's Jake Stein (C) through back his head back in despair after false starting for the second time in the Men's Decathlon 100m heats . The athlete dropped to the floor at Hampden Park during the Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, after his second mistake . Stein blamed the second false start on a noise he thought he heard. 'The bloke on my inside was a bit loud and it could have just been him breathing. I knew straight away and punched the ground,' he said. 'I definitely knew it was me, the guys I'm competing against I don’t think they're silly enough to go twice. 'I knew it was me straight away, I could see I was well ahead of everyone and my start is not that good. 'Obviously there were a few nerves being my first senior comp, I got a bit too excited and went twice.' Stein (C) punched the floor in frustration after his 'schoolboy error' Jake Stein was eliminated after the second false start and walked off the track with his hands on his hips . (L-R) Lindon Victor of Grenada, Guillaume Thierry of Mauritius, Jake Stein and Martin Brockman of England look annoyed after the error . The rising star's double mistake is likely to have cost him his promising chance of getting a medal. Decathlon events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. The sprint race would have added valuable points to his tally and Stein has admitted that he considered ditching the competition after the error. 'For a couple of seconds I was like, 'Do I really want to be here?' And then my mind changed pretty quickly 'yes I do - this is what I have trained for for two years I wanted to get back out on the track’, being inside that stadium is ridiculous, (there are) 40,000 people for (the) decathlon,' he said. Stein went on to compete in the Men's Decathlon Shot Put on Monday . He also took on the long jump competition despite originally wanting to quit the Games . After his fail on the track he tweeted some words of encouragement . 'Decathlon is 10 events, not nine not one. I have got eight events now after the long jump, I am looking forward to those, I have got a few throws to show them how Australians compete. 'I felt decent in training. I usually compete well over the whole 10 events at major champs so I don't come here to go away without something to take from it. A medal was definitely in the plan now it is just keep ticking away get a few PBs and a few individual wins - three throws three victories that would be nice.' After his fail on the track he tweeted: '"Tough times come and go but tough people last forever" Robert Lister.'

Jake stein had two false starts ahead of the 100 metre sprint . Happened on the first day of his decathlon at the Commonwealth Games . He was eliminated, losing all hope of getting a medal . Athlete punch the ground in frustration .

By . Wills Robinson . Kenneth Bright , 91, who risked his life on the beaches at Normandy, has been told he can get into the 70th anniversary event for free after initially being asked to fork out £27.50 . A war museum who denied a D-Day veteran free entry to an event marking the 70th anniversary of the invasion have finally agreed to waive his fee. But Kenneth Bright, 91, said the offer has come too late and maintains he is still not going to the event. As part of the Royal Navy’s Landing Craft Infantry, Mr Bright helped ferry troops to the Normandy beaches on June 6 1944, when more than 5,000 Allied troops were killed. He was initially told he would have to pay the full £27.50 to attend a special airshow at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford. Members of the public then came forward and offered to pay for the war hero's entrance fee. Now staff at the venue reversed their decision after hearing 'feedback.' Hearing the museum had changed their mind, Mr Bright said: ''That is very nice of them, but that wasn't the purpose of the exercise. 'They should have invited the veterans to the event and offered tickets at a concession price to us. 'That would have been a much better approach. 'They haven't given me enough notice and my daughter can't drive me there that day so I won't be going.' Mr. Bright, a great-grandfather-of-13 from Cambridge, said he was annoyed he can only get a seniors concession when under-15s are allowed in for free. Before the offer, he said: 'We were there on D-Day but we can’t even get a discount. 'There aren’t many of us left so surely it’s not asking too much to let us in? 'I’m upset that they did not invite us in for free, or at least offer concessions. He was a member of the Royal Navy's Landing Craft Infantry and ferried troops during the D-Day landings. He is pictured with his crew members before they embarked on the mission . More than 5,000 Allied soldiers died during the Normandy Landings on June 6 1944 . Mr Bright (pictured second left with fellow troops in 1945) said: 'There aren't many of us left so surely it's not asking too much to let us in?' 'After all the whole thing is about the veterans and it’s us being shown off to the world.' Widow . Gillian Turner, from Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, whose D-Day veteran . husband Ken died last year, said: 'I think the veterans should get some . sort of concession. 'They did a lot for this country and I think they deserve it.' The event will feature an air show of wartime planes. A spokeswoman for the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, said: 'We . have listened to feedback and now realise that on this special occasion . it is more appropriate to make an exception for our D-Day veterans, and . we would be delighted to welcome them at IWM Duxford this weekend . without charge.' A spokesman for the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, said there were concessions for seniors for day to day admissions, but not during air shows .

Kenneth Bright, 91, was told he would have to pay £27.50 for event . After hearing 'feedback' the museum offered him free entry . But the great-grandfather maintains he is still not going to the event . Risked his life with the Royal Navy's Landing Craft Infantry . He was in the line of fire when he ferried troops to the Normandy beaches . More than 5,000 Allied troops died during invasion on June 6 1944 .

By . Richard Spillett . A new father was tragically killed in a motorbike accident just 12 hours before his first son was born. Michael Coray died in hospital at 3.30am on Saturday after being airlifted to hospital with severe head injuries following a crash three days earlier. Just over 12 hours later, his partner Gemma-Louise Dunne gave birth to his son, Kylan Zane Michael Coray, a name he chose. Gemma-Louise Dunne cradles baby Kylan Coray after returning home the day after the birth. Her partner, Michael Coray, died on the day Kylan was born following a motorbike accident . Miss Dunne said Mr Coray he was an 'amazing dad' to her sons Bradley, eight, and Jayden, seven (left) Looking after her baby at home this week, heartbroken Miss Dunne said: 'My loving partner will live on in our son. 'The day I gave birth to our baby we thought it would be the most amazing day of our lives. Mike was so excited to be a daddy, but that was sadly taken away from us. 'I know he would have made a great dad because he was already an amazing dad to our other children, he took them as his own. 'He was the most loving and caring partner anyone could ask for. He had so much to look forward to.' Mr Coray, 25, died at Royal Aintree Hospital in Liverpool following the crash in his home town of Warrington, Cheshire. Police . say he was riding his Aprilia motorbike when it collided with a black . Ford Focus, whose driver was unhurt in the accident. Baby Kylan Coray and tributes at the scene of Mr Coray's motorbike accident in Warrington, Cheshire . Mr Coray with his cousin, Michelle Coulson, who sat with him as emergency crews arrived after the accident . He . had been with Miss Dunne, 29, nearly three years, and acted as a father . figure to her sons Bradley, eight, and Jayden, seven. His mother Yvonne Coray held Mr Coray's hand in hospital, where he died surrounded by family. Mrs Coray and Mr Coray's father Nigel said: 'Our beautiful son Michael, we have no words to describe how we're feeling. 'He made us laugh, he made us cry, but most of all, he made us happy. We used to look at you and we would be so proud of you. A heartbreaking picture of Mr Coray's mother, Yvonne, holding his hand as he lay in hospital following the road accident . Football-loving Mr Coray as a young boy and with his younger sister Stephanie Coray . 'He . was so happy when he found out Gemma was pregnant, he couldn't stop . smiling. He would have been a fantastic dad to his little boy. He has left a huge gap that will never be filled.' Michelle Coulson, 32, is Mr Coray's cousin but says the pair were 'like brother and sister'. She described the motorbike lover, who could fix cars aged 12, as a 'gorgeous' personality with a 'big heart'. Close . since they were children, Miss Coulson took Mike on his first night out . in Warrington, and went on family holidays to Lanzarote, Portugal and . Wales together. Miss Coulson witnessed the aftermath of the crash and sat with the Mr Coray, who was a welder by trade, as emergency crews . arrived. Mr Coray's father, Nigel, with baby Kylan, who is dressed in a babygrow which says 'I love my daddy' Miss Coulson said: 'He was a cheeky chappy, like a little Del Boy, always wheeling and dealing. 'He . had the biggest heart, everyone adored him, he would do anything for . anyone. I'll miss having him around, his phone calls, him needing me. 'Anywhere I went I'd know I'd see him on his bike, beep and wave and I'll miss his lovely smile. My heart will always be broken.' The family also thanked medical crews at the scene and staff at Aintree Hospital for their 'brilliant' care of Mr Coray. Cheshire Police are investigating the collision on Wednesday which also involved a black Ford Focus.

Michael Coray died on Saturday following a motorbike accident . Later the same day, his partner gave birth to his first son, Kylan Coray . Mr Coray chose the name and 'couldn't stop smiling' about being a father . Partner Gemma-Louise Dunne says he 'would have made a great dad'

By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 21:05 EST, 8 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:05 EST, 8 November 2012 . With bulletproof glass and surveillance cameras, the owner of this liquor store thought his business was well protected. But no matter what security measures he had put in place, it wouldn't have prevented one of the strangest fires local crews in Burnsville, Minnesota, have ever dealt with. Red Lion Liquors was left with significant damage after a row of vodka bottles magnified the sunlight which led to a fire inside the shop. CCTV captures the moment these bottles of Firewater magnified the sun to ignite a blaze inside Red Lion Liquors in Burnsville, Minnesota . The bizarre blaze occurred when the store was closed last Sunday and eventually resulted in 12-foot flames shooting into the air. CCTV cameras capture the moment the fire began. Smoke could be seen emerging from the display of vodka bottles with cardboard then catching fire. The heat became so intense that the tops of the vodka bottles popped off and streams of the strong alcohol spraying all over the store. The heat became so intense that the tops of the vodka bottles popped off and streams of the strong alcohol spraying all over the store . Usually, the only kind of sun the staff at Red Lion Liquors have to worry about is a type of Spanish beer, but one of hottest sellers on the floor got a little too toasty when the store was closed last Sunday . Manager Dave Hautman said: 'We have shades on the windows. We'll pull them down on sunny days to protect the wine on the shelves, never thinking it would ever start a fire . The flames were given an additional boost thanks to a ceiling fan. Manager Dave Hautman said: 'We have shades on the windows. We'll pull them down on sunny days to protect the wine on the shelves, never thinking it would ever start a fire. 'It was just this freak thing.' According to Mr Hautman, even firefighters at the scene were left completely shocked over how the fire started, with many saying they had never seen a blaze like it. Following the fire, the store was closed for almost two weeks. It was left damaged by the intense smoke and also from water which was released from the sprinklers. Since then, the windows have been tinted to prevent a similar incident in the future. The store which has been in Burnsville since 1978 and has occupied the same building since 1978 reopened on Friday.

Red Lion Liquors was left closed for two weeks following the bizarre fire which caused significant damage inside the store . CCTV cameras captured the moment the blaze began, with smoke billowing from the display of vodka bottles .

A petrol station which became the first to sell fuel for less than £1 a litre since 2009 is about to run dry after being deluged by motorists desperate to fill up. The owner of the independent Harvest Energy station knocked 6p off the price of his petrol yesterday afternoon after becoming fed up of supermarkets 'cheating' customers with rip-off costs. But Dr Velautham Sarveswaran, who runs the cut-price garage in Birmingham, had just 500 litres of petrol left earlier this afternoon with four of his eight pumps running dry. Dr Velautham Sarveswaran lowered his petrol prices to 99.7p a litre yesterday but has already almost run dry . The cut-price garage in Birmingham had just 500 litres of petrol left earlier this afternoon with four of its eight pumps running dry . He is now hoping to receive an emergency delivery to keep up with demand, as motorists drive dozens of miles to fill up at his pumps. Dr Sarveswaran said: The next delivery would have been tomorrow morning but hopefully we will get another delivery around 4pm. 'I hoped it would last until tomorrow morning but we have already almost run out.' Drivers queued up this morning to fill up on the cheap petrol after the garage slashed its prices yesterday afternoon. One motorist Kathy Griffiths, 47, from Solihull, said: 'I drove past and was shocked, finally less than a pound a litre. I was going to go up the road to the Shell garage. I definitely pulled in because it was under a pound. It’s a no brainer.' A garage in the West Midlands has slashed petrol prices to 99.7p a litre - the lowest its been in five years . She added: 'I can’t remember it being this cheap. It seems like a lifetime ago.' Cusrtomer service advisor Dave Edwards, 35, from Kings Heath, said: 'I used to use a Shell petrol station but over the last month-and-a-half me and the wife have noticed that the prices here have been coming down gradually. 'We were on the internet last night when we found out that this is the first station to bring it down under a pound. That price is absolutely brilliant. Lowest price I’ve seen since I’ve been driving which is six years.' MailOnline revealed yesterday afternoon that Dr Sarveswaran was cutting his petrol price to 99.7p a litre - the cheapest fuel has been since May 2009. 'I will still be making money by cutting prices and my customers wanted to see me break the £1 barrier. My customers are happy,' he said. 'People travel as far as 20 miles just for my petrol prices. 'The supermarkets continue to make a fortune without passing the price cuts to their customers. It is a scandal. They are cheating people.' Dr Sarveswaran bought all three of his garages in 2002 after they had closed down, bringing the failed businesses back from the dead with a strategy of 'consistent low pricing'. 'The customers have been praising us for the low prices and our customer services and they keep coming back,' he said. 'We respect our customers and were willing to reduce the petrol to 99.7p. Happy customers make us happy and proud. It is a great feeling that we make the customers satisfied.' Drivers queued up this morning to fill up on the cheap petrol after the garage slashed its prices yesterday afternoon . The garage owner ran out of petrol three times over Christmas after lowering petrol to £1.05 and diesel to £1.12 a litre. However, the demand for his fuel is likely to be even higher after his petrol stations became the first to sell fuel for less than a £1 a litre in five years. Petrol last averaged less than £1 on May 31, 2009, when the price was 99.9p. The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil has fallen from $114 l in June to $49.95 on Friday – a drop of 56 per cent. The Government has demanded that petrol retailers pass on the fall in costs swiftly to consumers and petrol now averages about £1.10 a litre. The station lowered its prices following a steady reduction in the wholesale cost of crude oil . A graph showing the average price of a litre of unleaded petrol since 2010. Prices have been rising but began to fall from the beginning of 2014 . The wholesale price of fuel accounts for around 20 to 25 per cent of a litre of fuel at that price, with a further 57.95p in fuel duty, and VAT charged at 20 per cent, added on top. Supermarkets and fuel giants such as BP and Shell have reduced the price at the pump for the consumer however none have cut their prices to under a £1 a litre. On Tuesday Chancellor George Osborne warned airlines and power giants to pass on savings made from plummeting fuel prices to the consumer or face Government sanctions. Osborne insisted they should quickly follow the lead of petrol retailers and slash their charges following the fall in the price of oil. The Chancellor insisted it was ‘vital this was passed on to families at petrol pumps, through utility bills and air fares’. Shock fall: After spending years mainly above $100 a barrel, oil has dived to $50 since the end of summer . The first case of swine flu had just been found in Britain, Bonkers by Dizzee Rascal was number one in the charts - and petrol cost less than £1 a litre. And while it may seem bonkers to believe, especially considering that petrol cost as much as £1.40 a litre not long ago, May 2009 was the last time, on average, that petrol was sold at that price - until today. While today's price cut is at just three stations, it could be a sign of good things to come. The RAC has warned since November that prices would fall below a £1 as the average cost of oil plumetted. Spokesman Simon Williams said: 'What’s currently happening at the pumps with falling fuel prices is something many motorists will not remember seeing before. 'Talk of prices going up like a rocket and falling like a feather could not be further from the truth as retailers have been quick to pass on savings at the forecourt since the RAC forecast on December 6 that prices were due to come down by 7p a litre for petrol and 6p for diesel.'

Price of fuel was slashed to less than £1 a litre for first time in five years . But the first garage to make the plunge has almost run out of petrol . Half of petrol pumps ran dry after deluge of motorists desperate to fill up . The Harvest Energy garage in Birmingham is selling petrol at 99.7p a litre . The owner cut his prices after tiring of supermarkets 'cheating' motorists . Last time average petrol price was less than £1 a litre was in May 2009 .

By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 11:05 EST, 27 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:38 EST, 16 December 2013 . Virtual currency Bitcoin has passed the $1,000 (£613) mark for the first time since it was introduced in 2009. According to the currency's main exchange, Mt.Gox, the price for a single Bitcoin has almost quadrupled since its previous record high of $267 (£165) less than three weeks ago . Analysts claim the demand for Bitcoin . follows increased awareness about benefits of the currency and a drive . to move it into the mainstream. Scroll down for video... Virtual currency Bitcoin has passed the $1,000 (£613) mark for the first time since it was introduced in 2009. According to the currency's main exchange, Mt.Gox, the price for a single Bitcoin has more than tripled since its previous record high of $267 (£165) less than three weeks ago . At the start of the month the currency more than doubled its value within a week - jumping from $100 to $266. It then hit $267 on 6 November. The digital currency is increasingly being treated like gold, with some investors using it to hedge against currency fluctuations and speculating on its rise. Bitcoins can be bought with near anonymity, which supporters say lowers fraud risk and increases privacy. The current rises follow the launch of the world’s first Bitcoin ATM, dubbed Robocoin, in a Vancouver coffee shop. The blue and silver ATM machine, which is operated by Vancouver-based Bitcoiniacs and Nevada-based Robocoin, changes bitcoins to Canadian dollars and vice versa. Users scan their hand to confirm identity, and then funds move to or from a virtual wallet on their smartphone. The ATM, named Robocoin, allows users to buy or sell the digital currency known as bitcoins. Once only used for black market sales on the internet, bitcoins are starting to be accepted at a growing number of businesses . Bitcoin is a distributed peer-to-peer . digital currency that functions without any central authority, such as . the Bank of England. The currency was launched in 2009 and is traded within a global network of computers. Bitcoins can be bought with near anonymity, which supporters say lowers fraud risk and increases privacy. But critics say that also makes Bitcoins a magnet for drug transactions, money-laundering and other illegal activities. A Bitcoin investor, Norwegian Kristoffer Koch, recently made more than half a million pounds after he forgot he bought £17 of currency four years ago. The system limits transfers to $1,000 (£623) a day, in an effort to curb money laundering and other fraud. Bitcoiniacs, the local dealer that operates the ATM, will roll out four other kiosks across Canada in December. By the end of 2014, they expect to roll the technology out worldwide. Bitcoin is not a recognised currency in Canada, so Ottawa's anti-money laundering watchdog, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre, does not monitor its trade. Bitcoin was launched in 2009 and is traded within a global network of computers. It is not backed by a single company or government, but its release is tightly controlled, mimicking a central banking system's control over the minting of money. A Bitcoin investor, Norwegian Kristoffer Koch, made a huge profit, after forgetting he bought £17 of currency four years ago. He recently found out he was sitting on a small fortune now worth more than half a million pounds. Bitcoins are stored in encrypted wallets secured with a private key. Mr Koch had forgotten his password but when he eventually remembered it he was stunned by how much they had jumped in value. Bitcoins can be bought with near anonymity, which supporters say lowers fraud risk and increases privacy. Bitcoins can be bought with near anonymity, which supporters say lowers fraud risk and increases privacy . But critics say that also makes Bitcoins a magnet for drug transactions, money-laundering and other illegal activities. The virtual currency is gaining hold among businesses and consumers, a key step to a bigger role. ‘I think it's definitely going mainstream,’ said Bitcoiniacs co-founder Mitchell Demeter. ‘I think as things progress, and the infrastructure is built, it will become easier for people to buy and sell, and so more people will start using it.’

The price of a single Bitcoin has almost quadrupled in just three weeks . Its previous record high was $267 (£165), double what it was in October . Bitcoins can be bought with anonymity which supporters say lowers fraud . Analysts . claim demand is due to increased awareness about its benefits . It follows the launch of the world's first Bitcoin ATM in Canada last month .

A bus driver threatened to 'run over' a cyclist on a busy Dublin street in a confrontation that was captured on a GoPro helmet camera. The video was filmed and posted to YouTube by the cyclist, named as Liam Phelan, as both he and the bus travelled down Arran Quay in the Irish capital last month. The footage shows the cyclist travelling in the cycle lane before the bus starts to veer towards him. Scroll down for video . The bus driver opens his window to confront the cyclist, who almost clashed on a Dublin street . The incident was filmed by the cyclist as he was wearing a GoPro helmet and the video posted to Youtube . The rider then tells the bus driver that he was in a cycle lane but he replies, 'That doesn't matter.' He then adds: 'You just want to go, do you? If you want to go, I'll run you over.' The bus then pulls away and carries along the road, but when the cyclist catches up with the bus, they both say they will be sending their videos to the police, as the bus drivers says his vehicle has CCTV. The footage showed the cyclist travelling down the cycle lane with the bus alongside him . The bus then seems to veer into the cycle lane almost catching the cyclist on his bike . The clip has currently been viewed online more than 81,000 times. Bus operator Dublin Bus confirmed they were investigating and the Gardai, the Irish police are said to be aware of the incident.

Cyclist was riding through Dublin wearing a GoPro helmet camera . Filmed a bus veering into the cycle lane close to where he was . Bus driver and cyclist begin to argue after they almost clash . Driver says he will 'run over' cyclist during the argument . Bus operator say they are investigating the incident .

Winston McKenzie said letting same sex couples to adopt was a 'violation' of children's human rights . A leading member of the UK Independence Party has likened allowing gay people to adopt to ‘child abuse’. Winston McKenzie, the party’s culture spokesman, said same sex couples should be banned from the adoption process, because it breached the human rights of children. It comes as UKIP defends itself in the row with Rotherham council, which removed three foster children from a couple because they were party members. Today it emerged the siblings have been separated from one another. The boy has been sent to live with one family, while his two sisters – a baby and an older girl – have gone to another home. The couple - who have already bought Christmas presents for the children - has now called on the leaders of Rotherham council to quit after they failed to apologise for what has happened. Mr McKenzie is the UKIP candidate in this week’s by-election in Croydon North. His remarks were condemned by campaigners and the party moved to distance itself from his comments. Mr McKenzie, a former boxer, said: ‘To say to a child, “I am having you adopted by two men who kiss regularly but don’t worry about it” – that is abuse. ‘It is a violation of a child’s human rights because that child has no opportunity to grow up under normal circumstances’ he told Metro. Mr McKenzie is a Christian and said gay adoption was against his religious beliefs. He added: ‘There are people out there who bring up their kids encouraging them to believe they are gay themselves.’ He also used the interview to attack celebrities who come out as gay ‘as a fashion’. David Coburn, UKIP’s London chairman who is gay, insisted Mr McKenzie’s views were not party policy. ‘We entirely, wholeheartedly support equal rights for couples regardless of their sexuality,’ he said. Ben Summerskill, of gay rights charity Stonewall, said: ‘These 19th-century views are not acceptable in the 21st century.' UKIP leader Nigel Farage has ruled out doing a deal with the Tories while David Cameron is still leader . The comments will be especially . embarrassing for UKIP as leader Nigel Farage seeks to prove it is a . mainstream party able to compete with the Tories. He . has this week attacked David Cameron over his 2006 claim that UKIP was . made up of  'fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly'. The two parties have come to blows repeatedly, after Tory vice chairman Micahel Frabricant suggested an electoral pact with UKIP, to stop the anti-EU party snatching votes from the Conservatives which could deprive Mr Cameron of a majority at the next election. Mr Farage rejected the idea, insisting 'it's war' with the Tories, but he left open the possibility that he could do a deal with a different Conservative leader. 'If Cameron went and somebody pragmatic, grown up and sensible like Michael Gove was leader, you might think then we could sit around the table and have a proper discussion... open-minded, doesn't throw abuse around and thinks issues through - he would be the right kind of person,' he said. Today UKIP treasurer Stuart Wheeler, a former Tory donor, claimed to have held secret lunches with eight Tory MPs about defecting. ‘I . have had lunch, secretly if you like, in a completely confidential way . with eight different Tory MPs,' he told the Daily Telegraph. While still . early days, he predicted ‘a few’ could switch parties.Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2238912/Eight-Tories-talks-defect-UKIP-parties-war-electoral-pact.html#ixzz2DRBsme1M . Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook . ‘I have had lunch, secretly if you like, in a completely confidential way with eight different Tory MPs,' he told the Daily Telegraph. While still early days, he predicted ‘a few’ could switch parties.

Winston McKenzie is standing in this week's Croydon North by-election . Former boxer says letting same sex couples adopt is a violation of children's human rights . He also accuses gay celebrities of coming out 'as a fashion'

It was the fire escape where Richard Gere declared his love, the diner where John Travolta shimmied back to stardom, and the New York city streets where Robert De Niro slowly went insane while driving his taxi. These are the beloved settings for some of the cinema's most famous scenes. But what about when the cameras stop rolling - do these landmarks still resemble how they look on the screen? Scroll down for video . The historic Golden Nugget casino, featured in the James Bond film 'Diamonds Are Forever' in 1971, underwent a $100 million renovation . And The Mint, a casino also seen in the film, was sold in 1988 and is now part of Binion's Horseshoe Casino . The images, captured by ScenePast, include side-by-side comparisons from 'Pretty Woman,' 'Pulp Fiction,' 'Taxi Driver,' 'Diamonds Are Forever,' 'Sunset Boulevard,' 'Back To The Future,' 'Fame,' 'It's A Wonderful Life,' 'Broadway Danny Rose,' 'Bullitt,' 'Naked City' and 'Serpico.' Some of the locations have remained almost identical despite the years that have passed. The fire escape that Richard Gere's character climbed in 'Pretty Woman' to declare his love for Vivian, Julia Robert's prostitute with a heart of gold, remains intact at the Las Palmas Hotel in Hollywood. Quentin Tarantino's 1994 film Pulp Fiction transformed a Glendale, California, 44-lane bowling alley into Jack Rabbit Slim's. The location, famous for John Travolta and Uma Thurman's twist dance, has since been shuttered . The fire escape that Richard Gere's character climbed in Pretty Woman to declare his love for Julia Robert's prostitute with a heart of gold remains intact at the Las Palmas Hotel on 1738 Las Palmas Ave in Hollywood . The only difference is a new sign and a palm tree gracing the entrance. Although the stores next to New York's Carnegie Delicatessen featured in Woody Allen's 'Broadway Danny Rose' may have come and gone, the deli on 7th Ave is still standing strong. The police station in 1948 noir 'Naked City' is West 20th Street has also been preserved in the Big Apple, where it remains a NYPD precinct. The New York streets (pictured is 7th Ave and 43rd) have modernized to include a Walgreens and advertisements . Schwab's Pharmacy, featured in 1950 classic Sunset Boulevard, was a real drug store where many movie actors and industry executives hung out. It was demolished in 1983 and a shopping complex featuring a Starbucks stands in its place . And fans hoping to see the McFly residence from Back To The Future will be happy to know little has changed at the Arleta, California home - except for a new basketball hoop. The Martini family's home from It's A Wonderful Life also remains unchanged in Los Angeles, 67 years after the Christmas classic was filmed. The movie's only other filming location that remains intact is the gymnasium where the Charleston dance competition took place. The gym, which has a swimming pool beneath the floor, is at the Beverly Hills High School. Although the stores next to New York's Carnegie Delicatessen featured in Woody Allen's 'Broadway Danny Rose' may have come and gone, the deli on 7th Ave is still standing strong . And fans hoping to see the McFly residence from Back To The Future will be happy to know little has changed at the Arleta, California home . But the film's neighborhood doesn't look exactly the same. A sign reading 'Welcome to Bailey Park' has been removed, and now large trees hide the houses that could once be seen dotting the street. Many other famous locations have also changed, whether they've been forgotten or modernized with the times. The Jack Rabbit Slim's Diner from Quentin Tarantino's 1994 film Pulp Fiction has perhaps changed the most drastically. The Glendale, California location used to be a 44-lane bowling alley that had a cocktail bar, billiard room and even a place for children to play as their parents partied away, according to the Glendale News-Press. The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, on 145 West 46th Street in New York, was used to film the exteriors for the high school in 1980's 'Fame' The Martini family's home from 'It's A Wonderful Life' also remains unchanged, 67 years after the Christmas classic was filmed . But the location where John Travolta and Uma Thurman famously did the twist has now been shuttered. Schwab's Pharmacy, featured in 1950 classic Sunset Boulevard, was a real drug store where many movie actors and industry executives hung out. In an episode of 'I Love Lucy,' Lucille Ball tells Desi Arnez she was going to Schwab's to be discovered. The pharmacy was demolished in 1983 and a shopping complex featuring a Starbucks stands in its place. But the movie's neighborhood doesn't look exactly the same. A sign reading 'Welcome to Bailey Park' has been removed, and now large trees hide the houses that could once be seen dotting the street . Some houses lining the San Francisco streets used in the 1968 Steve McQueen crime film 'Bullitt' haven't even changed their paint job . Transformations in these movie locations also show how the famous cities that hosted them have likewise changed. The historic Golden Nugget casino, featured in the James Bond film 'Diamonds Are Forever,' underwent a $100 million renovation in 2006. And The Mint, a casino also seen in the film, was sold in 1988 and is now part of Binion's Horseshoe Casino. But the same can't be said for the once fire engine-red building seen in Al Pacino's 'Serpico' in 1973 . The police station in 1948 noir 'Naked City' is West 20th Street has also been preserved in the Big Apple, where it remains a NYPD precinct .

Some settings have remained almost identical despite the years that have passed . McFly home from 'Back To The Future' and the Martini residence from 'It's A Wonderful Life' are still intact . The fire escape where Richard Gere declared his love for Julia Roberts in 'Pretty Woman' is also still intact . But the infamous diner from 'Pulp Fiction,' once a 44-lane bowling alley, is now shuttered . And one-time actor hangout Schwab's Pharmacy has been torn down for shopping complex with a Starbucks .

A pilot who flew on a mission to West Africa and began experiencing ‘flu-like symptoms’ when he returned home was tested for Ebola but has been declared free of the deadly virus. The pilot from the 437th Airlift Wing based in Charleston, South Carolina, flew to Liberia on a three-hour mission on October 23. He began experiencing ‘flu-like symptoms' when he arrived back in the U.S but was considered low risk because he never left the plane. Ebola free: Members of the 437th Airlift Wing based in Charleston, South Carolina stand beside their plane, this week one of their pilots was tested for the Ebola Virus . Isolation pod: The patient was transported to the hospital in an ‘isolation pod’ to minimise the risk of spreading any possible infection . Low risk: This week, doctors at the Medical University of South Carolina where he was being treated downgraded him from ‘low risk’ to ‘no risk’ of Ebola. This week, doctors at the Medical University of South Carolina where he was being treated downgraded him from being ‘low risk’ to having ‘no risk’ of Ebola. However, doctors say they will continue to monitor him as an extra precaution. MUSC spokesman Tony Ciuffo said: ’In consultation with DHEC, CDC and the Department of Defense, it has been confirmed that the patient had no contact with anyone in Liberia, and based on this information, he has been determined to have no risk for Ebola.' 'The patient will be removed from Ebola precautions, and no quarantine will be required.’ According to Staff Sergeant Anthony Hyatt, the serviceman, who lives off-base, began experiencing the symptoms on Wednesday, and was transported to MUSC on Friday morning. Officials from Joint Base Charleston coordinated with the state's Department of Health and Environmental Control to exercise ‘the appropriate protocols and an abundance of caution.' According to the U.S. Department of Defense pilots who travel to and from an airfield of a country where an Ebola outbreak is occurring will not be held for controlled monitoring if they meet the following guidelines: . The hospital which is an 'Ebola ready' hospital swung into action to deal with the serviceman according to Fox News Carolina. It is one of three hospitals in the state prepared to take on Ebola patients and has an isolation wing. MUSC spokesperson Heather Woolwine said; ‘Late yesterday evening, we got a patient who required an Ebola medical screening.’ The patient was then transported to the hospital in an ‘isolation pod’ to keep the risk of spreading any possible infection between the patient and attending medical staff to a minimum. He was treated on an isolated ward and anyone who treated him was required to wear protective gear. Hyat said: 'Servicemen who travel to the countries in Africa which have been affected by Ebola are monitored for 21 days, and so far, only the pilot in question has shown any adverse symptoms.’ ‘MUSC followed protective protocol as a precautionary measure.’ ‘The patient remains in isolation and the initial assessment indicates the patient is unlikely to have Ebola,’ MUSC said. No risk: The pilot was cleared of Ebola as he only spent three hours in the region and never left the plane . Monitor: Servicemen who travel to Ebola-affected countries in Africa are monitored for 21 days . Outbreak: The World Health Organization said nearly 5,000 people have died from the Ebola virus disease in the three West African countries at the center of the current Ebola outbreak . ‘However we will continue to monitor the patient closely in the isolation unit.’ The pilot landed at an airport in Liberia which was operated by U.S. personnel who had no contact with Ebola patients. Its American personnel also self-monitor for adverse symptoms twice daily. Hyatt added: ‘Upon landing, the crew left their engines running and remained on the flight deck for the entirety of their three hours and nine minutes on the ground.’ ‘In other words, there were many layers of separation put in place to protect transiting aircrew.’ Hyatt also confirmed that no food from Liberia was served to crews while the plane was on the ground. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 5,000 people have died from the Ebola virus disease in the three West African countries at the center of the current Ebola outbreak. A total of 4,950 people have died of Ebola in the three countries, the WHO said. The United Nations health agency said 13,241 confirmed, suspected or probable cases of Ebola had been reported in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone -  the three worst affected countries.

The pilot was from the 437th Airlift Wing based in South Carolina . He traveled on a three-hour mission to Liberia in October . However, he was considered to be low risk because he never left the plane . Doctors at the Medical University of South Carolina say he has ‘no risk’ but will continue to monitor him .

President Obama praised Estonia's digital accomplishments today, joking that he should have called on the country when setting up his administration's troubled health care website. During a joint press conference in Tallinn on Wednesday with President Ilves of Estonia, Obama called the country a 'vibrant democracy' where independence has been successfully reclaimed after the Cold War. The U.S. leader noted in particular the people's easy accessibility to their government - with each Estonian able to use a 'digital ID' to access public records online. Scroll down for video . President Obama joked during a joint press conference on Wednesday in Tallinn that he needed Estonia's help with healthcare.gov . Obama said: 'Estonians can use their smart phones to get just about anything done online - from their children's grades to their health records. 'I should have called the Estonians when we were setting up our health care website.' Healthcare.gov has been plagued with problems since its launch last fall. Last month, MailOnline discovered 13 web pages on the site which held Latin-language filler text used by web designers instead of important details about health coverage. And in July, 11 out of 12 'secret shoppers' on the health care exchange were able to obtain coverage and subsidies using fake information. Federal investigators from the Government Accountability Office posing as prospective Obamacare applicants were able to successfully enroll in the federal marketplace over the phone and online by providing fictitious Social Security Numbers and proof of income. Since 2002, Estonia has had a mandatory, national ID card system which allows citizens digital access to secure e-services including government databases to check medical records and file taxes, i-voting and pre-paying for travel tickets. Each indvidual's online records is protected by a complex key encryption, according to                   e-estonia.com. Nine out of ten of Estonia's 1.3million residents have signed up to the ID cards. Three co-founders of Skype, the free online voice and messaging service, are from Estonia - Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu and Jaan Tallin. Along with Janus Friis, from Denmark, and Niklas Zennström, from Sweden they provided the backend of the company, which sold to Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5billion. Although the company is based in Luxembourg, almost half of the employees remain in Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia. President Toomas Hendrik Ilves (second left) of Estonia speaks alongside President Andris Berzins (left) of Latvia, President Dalia Grybauskaite (second right) of Lithuania and US President Obama on Wednesday . Obama arrived in Estonia on Wednesday morning as part of a three-day trip set to reassure the country and others in the region that were once under Soviet control, who have been warily eyeing Putin's aggression in Ukraine and fear he could set his sights on their nations next. Unlike Ukraine, the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are NATO members, and have been seeking firm commitments that the U.S. and other alliance powers would come to their defense if Russia were to encroach on their territory. Following a meeting with the leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Obama declared that the U.S. commitment to security of NATO's newest members runs deep. Obama is the second sitting American president to visit Estonia, following President George W. Bush, who traveled here in 2006. Upon his arrival, Obama wrote in a guest book that it was an honor to visit 'a nation that shows what free people can achieve together.' The Baltics were invaded by the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany during World War II. After the Soviet Union crumbled, the Baltic countries turned to the West and joined the European Union and NATO in 2004, much to the chagrin of Russia. Say what? The Obama administration's Healthcare.gov has been glitch-prone since its launch, with users encountering Latin-language filler text used by web designers in August .

The President joked about the state of healthcare.gov during a press conference in Tallinn, Estonia on Wednesday . After praising the ease with which Estonians can access public records online, Obama said: 'I should have called when we were setting up our health care website' Healthcare.gov has been plagued with problems since last fall including missing chunks of crucial text and fake users able to apply for coverage .

By . Rob Waugh . Burrowing tracks made by a centimetre-long prehistoric slug have pushed the earliest traces of animal life back 30 million years. The soft-bodied creature left its marks in a region of silty sediment in central Uruguay called the Tacuari Formation. Rock dating has determined that the tracks are 585 million years old, 30 million years older than any previously known animal traces. Signs of life: Burrowing tracks made by a centimetre-long prehistoric slug have pushed the earliest traces of animal life back 30 million years . Unlike simpler life forms, true animals such as the slug are ‘bilaterian’ and have a front and back as well as an upper and lower side. The new findings suggest that bilaterian animals appeared between ice ages during the early Ediacaran period. This pre-dates the ‘Cambrian explosion’ when life diversified into a myriad different forms. Scientists believe the slug-like creature grazed through sediments at the bottom of a shallow sea. The team, led by Dr Ernesto Pecoits from the University of Alberta in Canada, wrote in the journal Science: ‘It appears as though a maximum interval of 50 million years exists between the earliest definitive evidence of sponges and the bilaterians found in the Tacuari Formation, which implies that early animal evolution took place on a geologically rapid time scale once environmental conditions proved favourable for higher forms of life to colonise the ocean realm.’ Prior to the new discovery the oldest evidence of bilaterian animal life, found in Russia, dated back 555 million years.

Slug burrowed through sediment in Uruguay 585 million years ago . Predates known animal remains by 30 million years .

Two unfinished sketches by Paul Cezanne have been discovered on the reverse side of two watercolors after remaining unseen for almost one hundred years. Officials at Philadelphia's Barnes Foundation museum says the collector who bought the paintings more than 90 years ago probably never knew the hidden sketches were there. The foundation said the sketches — one graphite and the other watercolor — were found during conservation work on the reverse sides of two Cezanne watercolors depicting the landscape of southern France. Two Cezanne drawings were found on the backs of his watercolors undergoing restoration at the Barnes Foundation, including this graphite sketch of houses found on the back of his work Trees . Chief conservator Barbara Buckley (left) and consulting curator Martha Lucy (right) said that Dr Arthur Barnes did not know that he was buying the hidden drawings . Dr Barnes bough Trees (left) and The Chaine de l'Etoile Mountains (right) for $100 each in 1921 from Leo Stein . Officials said that the sketches haven't been seen since at least the early 20th century, 'most likely prior to Dr. Albert Barnes's purchase of the works from Leo Stein in 1921.' 'We've had (the watercolors) out of the frame before. But the backs were covered with brown paper,' said Barbara Buckley, the foundation's senior director of conservation and chief painting conservator, told The Philadelphia Inquirer. 'That's one of the reasons they were sent (for conservation). Brown paper is very acidic, and they needed acid-free paper.' Officials said Cezanne often worked on both sides of the paper in his sketchbooks and on larger sheets, producing thousands of such drawings over the course of his career, but they were usually done 'to experiment with line and color.' Mr Barnes bought the watercolors for $100 each, according to the New York Times. The additional small experiments by the artist, who influenced many 20th century luminaries such as Pablo Picasso, may be worth a fortune. Cezanne's series The Card Players includes one of the most expensive paintings ever sold, a picture that the Qatari royal family bought for $263million. Paul Cezanne, (seen left in 1906, the year of his death and right in 1895 self-portrait) influenced much of 20th century art and his works regularly sell for millions of dollars . His watercolors have fetched up to $25million at auction, according to Art Daily. Ms Buckley said the sketches, which were on the back of watercolors normally on view in one of the galleries, offer a window into Cezanne's artistic process. On the back of 'The Chaine de l'Etoile Mountains,' conservators found that Cezanne had begun a sketch of trees with pencil and then color, but the center of the sketch is so unfinished it's hard to determine what it represents. Marks on the sketch include the word 'non', likely meaning that the work was not complete enough to be sold. On the back of 'Trees,' conservators found a detailed depiction without color of houses and the same Etoile range that was often the subject of the artist's sketches and paintings. 'We had no reason to think there was anything there,' said Ms Buckley, who said nothing was found on the back of another Cezanne watercolor after conservation work in 2007. Barnes officials say 15 unknown Cezanne drawings have been found in the last three decades. The Barnes Foundation, seen in its old building in 2003, also owns one of Cezanne's Card Players series, one of which sold for $263million to the Qatari royal family . Martha Lucy, a Drexel University assistant professor of art and art history and a former Barnes curator, said Cezanne frequently walked along a route that looked out over the Etoile mountains. The range ran near his home in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France. 'Cezanne walked frequently there and did many depictions of it,' Lucy said. Both Ms Lucy and Ms Buckley said they believe that Albert Barnes was unaware that he had acquired, in Ms Lucy's words, 'four for the price of two.' The correspondence between Mr Barnes and Mr Stein, the brother of Gertrude Stein, contains no mention of the drawings, so the seller likely did not know about them either. The foundation plans to display the works in double-sided frames that will allow viewing of both sides from April 10 through May 18, after which the watercolors will be returned to their original locations. The Barnes Foundation was undergoing a multiyear restoration project for its work when the new sketches were discovered .

Philadelphia's Barnes Foundation finds graphite sketch and a watercolor . 1921 buyer Dr Arthur Barnes acquired paintings for $100 each . Post-Impressionist Cezanne's paintings have sold for up to $263million . Sketches that depict French countryside were hidden by brown paper .

By . Mario Ledwith . PUBLISHED: . 18:09 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:54 EST, 1 February 2013 . Parents are making their children commute over huge distances as they engage in an 'arms race' to get their children into the best private schools. The 'madness' of trying to secure places at top schools is 'writing off two years' of childhood, warned the headmistress of one of the UK's top preparatory schools. Jane Grubb, head of Dunhurst - the prep school attached to Bedales senior school in Hampshire - said that drilling young children for entrance tests has an adverse effect on them. Warning: Jane Grubb, head of Dunhurst - the prep school attached to Bedales senior school in Hampshire - said that drilling young children for entrance tests has an adverse affect on them (stock image) Her remarks come as a private tutoring for youngsters ahead of the 11-Plus or Common Entrance exams is becoming increasingly commonplace across the UK. She described the situation, in which some children commute for 10 hours a day to attend fee-paying schools, as a 'bunfight'. Many parents will not send their children to local secondary schools after having attended prep schools as they do not think they are good enough, she said. Alumni: The school boasts a number of famous faces as alumni, including Daniel Day-Lewis, pictured,Kirstie Allsopp and Sophie Dahl . Mrs Grubb said that the pressure often starts when children are eight, with children spending two terms doing practice papers by the age of 10 in an effort to gain entry to top schools. She said that parents in London should send their children to boarding schools outside the capital, rather than engaging in lengthy commutes for a limited number of private school places. Mrs Grubb told the Evening Standard: 'I dread to think of the impact it has on children. Parents genuinely want them to be happy but they need to put their heads . up and see what other life there is. 'The 10 hours they spend commuting . could be spent getting more sleep or seeing their friends.' 'I can’t imagine parents want their children studying into the night and . having personal tutors and writing off two years of their childhood. But some do because they don’t know there is something else out there.' Bedales, charges £30,000 a year for boarders, and £21,000 for those attending the prep school. The school boasts a number of famous faces as alumni, including Daniel Day-Lewis, Kirstie Allsopp and Sophie Dahl. Her comments come as a collection of 13 Buckinghamshire grammar schools is backing a 'tutor-proof' 11-plus exam to be introduced this autumn. Designed by the University of Durham, the test involves sequences, pictures and diagrams, rather than more traditional forms of testing.

Jane Grubb, head of Bedales prep school, warned of an 'arms race' She described 'madness' of parents drilling children in attempt to secure place at top private schools . Said parents of prep school children don't think state schools good enough .

Tour bus driver Rasoul Mousavi has been seeing less and less of his wife this month. Mousavi says a sharp increase in tourists has kept him so busy that for four nights in a row he did something his wife doesn't like very much -- he showed up late for dinner. "My wife isn't very happy but during the past few years, I've rarely seen it this busy," Mousavi said. "Thank God it's getting better. We're getting more tourists." Mousavi's heavy workload comes amid a push by Iran's new president Hassan Rouhani to attract more foreign travelers to Iran, home to some of the world's oldest civilizations and historical sites that date back several thousand years. Iranian officials have announced plans to ease visa requirements for most foreign visitors within the next several months. According to state media, once the new visa guidelines are in place, tourists from most countries will be able to pick up their visas on arrival, with the exception of travelers from at least ten countries -- including the U.S. and the UK. Iran used to be a top destination in the region, but the 1979 Iranian revolution delivered a huge blow to the tourism industry. The number of tourists dropped sharply, due in large part to Iran's political and economic isolation and warnings by Western governments that Iran was a rogue and dangerous nation led by a radical regime . President Rouhani is clearly looking to leave a more positive impression on the international community with a campaign to solve Iran's nuclear dispute and improve relations with the West. According to the Iranian Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization, Iran attracted roughly four million tourists last year and generated about $8 billion in revenue. Tourism officials predict less restrictive visa guidelines and Rouhani's policy of moderation will help those numbers increase significantly. "The number of tourists has been increasing day by day and we're feeling the increase," says Mohammad Eslami, a tour guide for the Tehran-based Azadi International Tourism Organization. On a typical day in Tehran it's not hard to find tour buses filled with tourists weaving through the capital's historic neighborhoods. "People are amazingly warm and generous here. It's been a wonderful," says Ryan Hendricks, who is visiting Iran with his wife and daughter from the Netherlands. "What we see of Iran on TV news is not true," says Finnish tourist Janna Kauppinn. "This is a country full of history with wonderful people and amazing food." The apparent comeback in Iran's tourism industry could mean more late nights for Mousavi. But the tour bus driver says that as long as tourists keep coming and helping the economy and leaving with fond memories, that's perfectly fine with him and his wife. "I really shed tears of joy because they come here and see Iran, and they leave with pride," he says.

Long-isolated Iran to ease visa requirements amid tourism boom . Iran's new president Rouhani has struck a moderate tone with West since taking office . Tourism workers in Iran say numbers of visitors "increasing day by day"

(CNN) -- Rory McIlroy has played down comments made by Australian golfing legend Greg Norman that his emergence as the world's most dominant golfer is intimidating Tiger Woods. Norman's comments have led to Woods jokingly referring to the Northern Irishman as "The Intimidator," says McIlroy. But it's a nickname he neither deserves, nor takes seriously, he says. "No. How can I intimidate Tiger Woods? I mean, the guy's got 75 or whatever PGA Tour wins, 14 majors. He's been the biggest thing ever in our sport," he added. "How could some little 23-year-old from Northern Ireland with a few wins come up and intimidate him. It's just not possible. I don't know where he got that from, but it's not true," he added. But Norman, a two-time major winner, believes a changing of the golfing guard is underway. "When have you ever seen him intimidated by another player? Never. I think [Tiger] knows his time's up and that's normal; these things tend to go in 15-year cycles," Norman told Foxsports.com. Woods and McIlroy have been paired together in the opening round of the Tour Championship -- the final playoff in this year's FedExCup -- which starts at East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta on Thursday. McIlroy will guarantee himself $10 million if he wins the tournament and has a good chance of taking the prize with a top-five finish, according to PGATour.com. PGATour.com FedExCup winning scenarios . Victory in the Tour Championship would also see McIlroy complete four wins from his five most recent tournaments on the PGA Tour -- a sequence which began at the U.S.PGA Championship. "It would just cap off a great year," McIlroy said. "It's hard to compare [the playoffs] to a major championship because it's a year--long thing and it's about being consistent. "You have to play well at the right time like I have the last couple of weeks. It would be nice to have something to recognise that you have played the best golf the whole way throughout the year." "If I win [the Tour Championship], I win [the FedExCup]," he said. "That's the mindset I'm coming in with. I feel like I'm playing well enough to win. I know if I do that, everything else takes care of itself." Meanwhile, McIlroy has revealed he will reconsider his decision to compete for Team GB at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. McIlory, who was born in Northern Ireland, received funding from the Golfing Union of Ireland before turning professional in 2007. His comments that he would rather represent Team GB were criticized in some quarters, but McIlroy says he will make a decision nearer the time. "After everything that happened last week it definitely makes me reconsider my position and reconsider a lot of things," he added. "I think it just really hit home with me how important it is for a lot of people and how important my success has been to them." "Obviously, I've had a lot of support from all sides - from people that call themselves Irish, from Northern Irish, to the whole of the UK, to people over here in the States. "It just hit home with me at how my success is welcomed by everyone. It would be terrible for me to nearly segregate myself from one of those group that supports me so much. "It's four years away - I still have a bit of time to decide. But, I'm very, very appreciative and very grateful of the support that I get from everyone."

World No.1 Rory McIlroy plays down suggestion that Tiger Woods is intimidated by him . Comments made by Australia's Greg Norman have been made light of by both Woods and McIlroy . Woods aiming to beat McIlroy to $10 million prize for coming top in FedExCup overall standings . Tour Championship in Atlanta which starts Thursday will decide winner of $10 million jackpot .