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A modern day rag and bone ban has been ordered to pay more than £1,200 for using a noisy loudspeaker on his truck. Scrap metal collector Gareth Banner ignored repeated warnings from council bosses about noise nuisance. He has been found guilty, in his absence, of using a loudspeaker to advertise his business – Taffy's Scrap Metal Collection. Scrap metal collector Gareth Banner ignored repeated warnings from council bosses about noise nuisance. He has was found guilty of using a loudspeaker to advertise his business. File picture . He was prosecuted by East Staffordshire Borough Council under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. Despite these warnings Banner was witnessed by the Community and Civil Enforcements Officers sounding his loudspeaker in the street from his truck. Banner failed to attend Stafford Magistrates' Court and the case was heard in his absence. He was fined £200 with costs of £986.52 and a victim surcharge of £20. Banner failed to attend Stafford Magistrates' Court and the case was heard in his absence. File picture . Councillor Sonia Andjelkovic, deputy leader for regulatory services, said: 'This will send a clear message out that the illegal use of amplified equipment to advertise services in public places will not be tolerated. 'East Staffordshire Borough Council is committed to investigating complaints of noise nuisance, which includes noise from loudspeakers used to advertise entertainment, trade or business. 'If any residents witness any collectors using amplified equipment, we would ask them to contact the Pollution Team in the first instance, detailing as much information as possible including the vehicle registration number, date, time and location.'

Scrap metal collector Gareth Banner ignored repeated warnings . Banner used a loudspeaker to advertise his scrap metal business . He was prosecuted under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 .

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By . David Mccormack . and Snejana Farberov . Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston has been hit with fresh accusations of stealing. The current holder of the Heisman Trophy, Winston, 20, is rapidly earning a reputation for his off-the-field bad boy antics as well as his sporting prowess. Surveillance video footage emerged last week showing Winston shoplifting $30-worth of crab legs from a Tallahassee supermarket and now he has been accused of stealing soda. Scroll down for video . Florida State quarterback and current holder of the Heisman Trophy Jameis Winston, 20, has been accused of stealing soda from the Burger King restaurant last July . Audio of a phone call made to a non-emergency police hotline by the assistant manager at a Burger King near the Florida State University campus on July 21 last year has been made public by TMZ. According to cops, Winston allegedly entered the burger joint with three other men and began to fill ketchup cups with soda without paying for it. The assistant manager, who is female, can be heard telling the operator that she told Winston what he was doing was a crime but 'he said he didn't care.' The employee also said that Winston was 'causing a big scene out front' and 'fighting with me and refusing to leave.' The case was later dropped when the BK manager decided not to prosecute. Caught on camera: Officials in Florida released this surveillance video showing FSU quarterback Jameis Winston, 20, leaving a Publix supermarket without paying for an order of crab legs and crawfish . Audio: Listen to Burger King employee's call to the cops in 2013 . Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. Last week officials in Florida released a surveillance video Winston shoplifting crab legs from a Tallahassee supermarket. The . silent clip recorded inside a Publix grocery store on April 29 showed . the star football player saunter into the supermarket dressed in shorts . and sandals, and heading to the back. Winston . could be seen picking up a $32.72 order of crab legs and craw fish . served on a tray wrapped in plastic from the seafood counter. He then stopped by the dairy section to . pick up a pack of butter and headed out the door after allegedly waiting . for an off-duty sheriff's deputy to pass. Winston . told deputies he walked out and forgot to pay for the 3lbs worth of Old Bay . seasoned steamed crab legs and a pound of Cajun seasoned crawfish. Watchful eye: Winston dressed in black is seen picking up a $32.72 order of seafood from a counter (left) and then heading to the dairy section for butter . But he said he didn't take the butter. He said he decided on the way out of the store that he didn't need it and placed it in a sale bin instead of returning it to the dairy cooler. Leon County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Crego who reviewed the security video wrote in a report that the quarterback and FSU baseball closer appeared to hang back at the exit to avoid walking in front of a law enforcement official. ‘Mr. Winston paused visibly near a . series of sale bins and allowed Deputy Graves to pass in front of him. The pause appeared to be an attempt to avoid walking in front of Deputy . Graves,’ Crego wrote . ‘Mr. Winston then walked behind Deputy Graves, passed all points of sale, and . exited the store without paying for the merchandise.’ The . report goes on to state that deputies were unable to determine whether . Winston took the butter or placed it in the sale bin. Evasion tactic: Officials say Winston paused at the exit to avoid being seen by this off-duty sheriff's deputy . Getaway: The 20-year-old college football star marched out of the store without paying for his food - but he later told police he simply forgot . Winston signed a civil citation admitting he committed petty theft and was suspended from FSU's baseball team for three games until he completed 20 hours of community service. ‘Mr. Winston apologized repeatedly and stated he wanted to “make it right,"’ Crego wrote. The 20-year-old Alabama native also released a public apology. 'I went to the supermarket with the intent to purchase dinner but made a terrible mistake for which I'm taking full responsibility,' Winston said in a statement issued on April 30. 'In a . moment of youthful ignorance, I walked out of the store without paying . for one of my items,' continued the youngest ever Heisman winner. 'I . realize that I am in the public spotlight and my conduct needs to be . above reproach.' Officials pointed out that the college student made no attempt to contact the supermarket and alert someone at Publix to his mistake. Hungry? Quarterback Jameis Winston #5 of the Florida State Seminoles pictured here after the 2014 Rose Bowl victory over Auburn, is likely not currently celebrating after news broke Wednesday of a criminal citation he received Tuesday for allegedly shoplifting crab legs from a Florida grocery store . Winston has had . previous run-ins with the law, including a 2013 investigation over an . alleged rape for which he was never charged. 'Over the last year I've learned that my accomplishments on the fields can be a wonderful thing for my school, teammates, friends, and family,' the athlete's statement said. 'At the same time, I must realize that my mistakes are magnified and can bring great embarrassment to all those who support me every day.' Winston was not arrested. Unless he fails to show up to community service, his record will remain clean. 'He got an adult civil citation,' a police source told Tomahawk Nation of the arrest alternative usually reserved for juveniles. 'If he completes the sanctions it will never show up on his record,' said the source. 'They are now doing it for minor misdemeanors for adults to lower crime rate.' The source also revealed the quarterback will be fined $30. No arrests: The current Heisman trophy holder also has an impressive record pitching for his school's baseball team, but he has a history of near misses with the law outside the alleged seafood incident . The incident allegedly occurred at a Publix, a staple in Florida grocery stores . According . to the SB Nation report, Winston has also faced police questioning over his alleged involvement in a long-running BB gun battle. News of Winston's wrongdoings come just weeks after the NCAA changed its rules to allow colleges to offer their athletes as much free food as they want. There was previously a cap placed at three free meals per day. The announced rule change came after Connecticut basketball guard Shabazz Napier's announcement during the Final Four in which he complained of players 'starving.' Winston is the nation's top-rated passer . and has led the top-ranked Seminoles (13-0) to a spot in the BCS . championship game against No. 2 Auburn on Jan. 6, his birthday. The . former five-star recruit from Bessemer, Alabama, made college football . look easy from his very first game. Hungry: UConn guard Shabazz Napier complained early in April that he often goes to bed hungry because he can't afford food. Days later, the NCAA announced a lifting of restrictions on free food provided to college athletes . On Labor Day night, on national television, Winston went 25 for 27 for 356 yards and four touchdowns in a victory at Pittsburgh. 'I . can't explain how truly intelligent he is,' Florida State coach Jimbo . Fisher said. 'He always wanted to know why he had success or why he had . failure so he could either repeat it or fix it.' There . wasn't much failure on the way to becoming the third Seminoles . quarterback to win the Heisman. The last was Chris Weinke in 2000. Winston and . Florida State were cruising toward an undefeated season when news broke . of an unresolved sexual assault complaint against him made to the . Tallahassee Police Department last December. The . dormant case was handed over to the state attorney's office for a full . investigation. A female student at Florida State accused Winston of . rape. Winston's attorney said the sex was consensual. During . three weeks of uncertainty, Winston continued to play sensationally, . while other contenders stumbled or failed to distinguish themselves.

The latest allegations against the Florida State quarterback are that he stole soda from Burger King last July . Audio has emerged of a Burger King manager speaking to police and telling them that Winston said 'he didn't care' about breaking the law . Last week video footage showed him take $32.72 worth of steamed crab legs and craw fish from a supermarket without paying for it . Sheriff's report states Winston apologized repeatedly and said he wanted to 'make it right' The 20-year-old will serve community service, be suspended from his side gig on the baseball team and faces a $30 fine .

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By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 04:53 EST, 22 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 07:03 EST, 22 January 2014 . Simon Gamble is believed to have died one hour after he had been sent home from hospital with chest pains for a second time . A builder died just one hour after he had been sent home by doctors with chest pains after they diagnosed him with anxiety, it has been alleged. Simon Gamble, 46, is said to have been sent home twice from Clacton District Hospital, in Essex, in the 24 hours before his death. His mother Chrissie Westgate has now called for a review of the hospital's procedures following the death of her son, of St Osyth, Essex, who leaves two children, aged nine and seven. Mrs Westgate, of West Mersea, Essex, says her son's 'heart just stopped'. She said: 'It was horrendous. He had been to Clacton Hospital twice, the day before and the day he died, with pains in his chest. 'Both times he was sent away because they told him he was suffering from anxiety. 'He came out of hospital, went home on his own where within an hour, we think, he died. 'That's awful for us because if only he had phoned us. We might not have found him alive but you don't know. 'We intend to follow it up but can’t until we have the post-mortem examination report.' Mrs Westgate said her son, who died on January 2, was not an anxious person and did not have underlying heart problems. She said: 'The coroner phoned and said it was not a heart attack, she said his heart just stopped beating.' Mr Gamble, who was a keen musician, is said to have been sent home twice from Clacton District Hospital, in Essex, in the 24 hours before his death . Mrs Westgate said the post-mortem examination will be available in three weeks. She said: 'I wouldn’t dream of suing anyone or anything like that. 'But to send him home twice - why didn’t they send him to Colchester hospital? 'I wasn’t there and I don’t know what he said to them, but somebody should have sent him for further tests. Mrs Westgate said her son visited Clacton District Hospital (pictured) twice with chest pains . 'We are not the sort of people that are . going to start shouting and screaming, but we will voice our concerns by . writing a letter to say in the future we would like their procedure . taken seriously.' A spokesman for Anglian Community Enterprise said: 'We would like to offer our sincerest condolences to the family of Mr Gamble on their loss. Mr Gamble's mother Chrissie Westgate has now called for a review of the hospital's procedures . 'Patient confidentially regulations do not allow us to publicly discuss an individual patient’s condition and treatment. 'However, we will investigate the . circumstances of Mr Gamble’s visit to Clacton Hospital’s minor injuries . unit on January 2 and if his family wishes to contact us we will, . naturally, discuss with them any concerns they may have.' Mr Gamble, who was a keen musician, grew up in Mersea and went to school in Colchester. His nine-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter live with their mother in Cornwall. He also leaves his mother Mrs Westgate, father David Gamble and stepmother Valerie, who live in Colchester, and sister, Victoria. His passions were music and building. He played the guitar, banjo and trombone, which he also taught himself to play. Mrs Westgate said: 'He was a person who lived totally in the moment.  If he didn’t want to go to work one day, he wouldn’t, he would sit and play guitar. 'Riches didn’t interest him, he just loved life. A friend said to me, however long he lived, no-one was ever going to clip his wings.' Mrs Westgate said she had received about 160 sympathy cards. She said: 'Everybody knew him. We have never had so many people phone up and come round and offering condolences. I have been astounded by it, it is humbling.' About 500 people are expected to attend his funeral in West Mersea on Friday.

Mother alleges her son died an hour after he was sent home from hospital . Simon Gamble went to Clacton Hospital twice in 24 hours before his death . Chrissie Westgate told by coroner her son's heart 'just stopped beating' Mrs Westgate is now calling for a review of the hospital's procedures .

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We've seen some odd flavours of ice cream recently. There's been olive oil from Ginger Comfort Emorium, watercress delight from Purbeck Ice Cream, and even a brussel sprout offering from London restaurant Vivat Bacchus. But Britain has been beaten once again in the food stakes by the Japanese. A few months ago Femail reported one Tokyo restaurant was serving a menu seasoned with fresh dirt. And now, Kobe's Torimi (Bird) Cafe is serving a line of three ice creams modelled on breeds of small bird - java sparrow, parakeet and cockatiel. Would YOU try some bird flavoured ice cream? One Japanese cafe thinks you should . Served at the Osaka Small Bird Expo in the Hanshin Department Store, Torimi Cafe sees visitors flock to be surrounded by 36 pet birds in their unique space. The cafe say they use all natural ingredients which cost 'a little more than normal ice cream ingredients' to make their wacky dairy treats. They were using the expo as a test run to see if the ice cream would sell well enough to recoup the costs, according to Rocket News 24. If successful these ice creams would be sold at their shop in Kobe and through delivery. Torimi Cafe initially announced: 'Once in your mouth, the aroma of a parakeet would spread intensely.' If you're wondering how exactly the cafe found out what these cute birds taste like... read on for a run down of the three flavours. The . java sparrow is a small chubby bird which feeds on grains and seeds. In . that spirit, you are treated to vanilla ice cream with grains mixed in. As the ice cream melts in your mouth . you might feel something squishy rolling around, just like a java . sparrow on your tongue. That would be the marshmallows hidden inside. According to Torimi Cafe: 'It’s the feeling of pressing the breast of a java sparrow into your mouth.' Perhaps you could enjoy this tasty treat with your pet bird? The cafe hasn't confirmed it fit for bird consumption . Parakeets are known to be more lively . and active birds and as such the mellow taste of the java sparrow ice . cream is jazzed up with some honey and apple. There are still some grains mixed in, but to a lesser extent. As Torimi Cafe put it, 'it’s like . eating some vanilla ice cream in one hand and then taking a whiff of a . parakeet in your other hand.' Cockatiel ice cream remains lively . with the taste of honey-apple, but rather than grains, is mixed with . larger pumpkin and sunflower seeds. The effect is a rumbling and bouncy . taste which, in the words of Torimi Cafe, is like 'when you’re sleeping . with your mouth open and your cockatiel runs over your face and gets its . leg in your mouth.' Cockatiel (l) and parakeet (r) and two flavours offered up at the Small Bird Expo in Japan . Java sparrow, parakeet and cockatiel are three flavours that could be sold through Torimi Cafe's shop in Kobe .

Torimi Cafe, Osaka, introduces bird flavored ice cream at Small Bird Expo . Comes in three 'tropical' flavours: Sparrow, parakeet and cockatiel . Cafe simulates bird flavours with marshmallow, fruit, seeds and honey .

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More than 100 people have fallen severely ill following a major food poisoning outbreak at a Chinese restaurant in Queensland. Authorities have shut down Chin Chin Chinese Restaurant in Springwood, south of Brisbane, after customers ended up hospitalised when they ate at the establishment on the weekend. A Metro South Health spokesman said many people had been hospitalised and patient testing indicated a salmonella outbreak, likely from contaminated egg products. Scroll down for video . Authorities have temporarily shut down Chin Chin Chinese Restaurant in Springwood, south of Brisbane . More than 100 people have been fallen severely ill following a major food poisoning outbreak . Patient testing indicates a salmonella outbreak, likely from contaminated egg products . 'There have been a lot of people who had the deep fried ice cream who got sick,' the spokesman said. 'But other people didn't have the ice cream and have still gotten sick.' The spokesman said patients had been presenting at Queensland emergency departments with extremely severe stomach cramps, exacerbated by dehydration. 'In some cases people have been hospitalised and in hospital for a number of days,' he said. 'The age is from very young children to the elderly. Amy Herbst, 18, was at the restaurant on Sunday with nine others for her grandmother's birthday . Ms Herbst (left) at the restaurant with brother Ryan, father Jason (who was hospitalised) and mother Rebecca . 'Their conditions are quite serious, we don't want people underestimate the problem.' People who dined at the restaurant on Saturday, Sunday and Monday night have been affected. Customers have made formal complaints to Queensland Health and have bombarded the restaurant's Facebook page with angry comments. Amy Herbst, 18, was at the restaurant on Sunday with nine other family members for her grandmother's birthday. The family ate the banquet and all 10 got sick, with her father and cousin ending up in hospital. 'Seven of us got severely sick and the other three got it for 24 hours or so,' Ms Herbst told Daily Mail Australia. Contaminated egg products, including those in deep fried ice cream, are believed to have caused the outbreak . Patients have been presenting at Queensland emergency departments with extremely severe stomach cramps, exacerbated by dehydration . 'We're still exhausted, we're still all sick and it's just pretty upsetting. 'We've all had to take time off work and it's been really hard because it's been so severe.' A Logan council spokeswoman said a temporary closure was placed on the restaurant to ensure no further risk while the investigation is being completed. 'We also encourage people who would like to report any other alleged cases of illness to contact Queensland Health,' she said. The council and Metro South Health say the closure order doesn't mean the restaurant is to blame for the outbreak as it may have been supplied with contaminated food.

Authorities have shut down Chin Chin Chinese Restaurant in Springwood . More than 100 people severely ill following a food poisoning outbreak . Egg and deep fried ice cream believed to be contaminated by salmonella . Diners hospitalised with severe stomach cramps and dehydration .

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(CNN) -- Russia Today, RT for short, is funded by its namesake government, even promoted as a top media source on the foreign ministry's website. Its own site contains story after story defending and explaining Moscow's take on world crises -- chief among them now, what's unfolding in Ukraine. The Columbia Journalism Review notes it is best "known as an extension of former President Vladimir Putin's confrontational foreign policy." In other words, it's about the last place you'd expect to hear these words: "What Russia did is wrong." Yet that is exactly what one of RT's anchors, Abby Martin, said Monday night at the end of her "Breaking the Set" program. Moscow was not her lone target -- she also expressed disappointment over coverage and "disinformation" emanating "from all sides of the media spectrum" -- but it was clearly the most noticeable. Apparently, her bosses took notice. The Telegraph reported -- and Martin herself acknowledged -- that the network told her to go to Crimea, the peninsula on the Black Sea where Russian troops reportedly played a part in besieging Ukrainian military bases in the days after that country's Russian-leaning president was ousted. "But I am not going to Crimea despite the statement RT has made," Martin tweeted. Martin is still working for the network, even taking the air again Tuesday night. As RT noted in a statement, Martin called it "kind of a sad commentary that" -- while she's regularly spoken out against military intervention -- "my only criticism of Russia's actions was picked up" by the media. The network said that Martin "has not been reprimanded" for voicing her opinion, something it said that all "RT journalists and hosts are free to express." The whole saga has offered an interesting glimpse into the volatile situation in Ukraine, Russian state media and RT, in particular. The Ukrainian crisis has been brewing since last November, when protesters were angry about then-President Viktor Yanukovych's move away from a European Union trade pact and toward an apparently closer relationship with Moscow. Other issues -- including how much control a president should have and his government's treatment of dissenters -- also came into play. Finally, after a few days of violent confrontations between demonstrators and security forces, Yanukovych fled to Russia, and a new pro-Western government took over. That's when Russia reportedly stepped in. Yuriy Sergeyev, Ukraine's U.N. ambassador, claimed Russia used planes, boats and helicopters to flood the peninsula with 16,000 troops. And Ukrainian officials say disguised Russian troops have laid siege to military installations around the Crimean peninsula. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday denied sending any more of his country's troops into the country, or that any of the up to 25,000 troops who are stationed there have played any part in the standoff, according to the state-run RIA Novosti news agency. Many don't believe him, including various Western officials and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. And, apparently, Martin -- who touts her art on her website and has surmised the U.S. government was complicit in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks -- is among them. In her end-of-show commentary, Martin said she wanted "to say something from my heart about the ongoing political crisis in Ukraine and Russia's military occupation of Crimea." "I can't stress enough how strongly I am against any state intervention in a sovereign nation's affairs. What Russia did is wrong. "I admittedly don't know as much as I should about Ukraine's history or the cultural dynamics of the region," she added. "But what I do know is that military intervention is never the answer. And I will not sit here and apologize (for) and defend military aggression." Martin -- a native Californian and San Diego State University graduate, according to the citizen journalism initiative Media Roots she founded -- prefaced her remarks by saying that, "just because I work here for RT doesn't mean I don't have editorial independence." That claim may have been belied by the network reportedly ordering Martin to go to Crimea to "better her knowledge," according to the Telegraph report. RT did retweet multiple messages about Martin's rant from Glenn Greenwald -- the former Guardian reporter known most recently for his work revealing the U.S. National Security Agency's spy policies through former government contractor Edward Snowden, who has since been granted asylum in Russia. Among them: "Who was the @AbbyMartin of @RT in the US television media for Iraq? Do we have one for today's wars?" And video of her statement was still up on RT's website -- alongside stories about the swelling "self-defense forces" in Crimea and Putin saying Russia reserves the "right" to use military force -- well after she gave it. That includes her last words: "Above all, my heart goes out to the Ukrainian people who are now wedged as pawns in the middle of a global power chess game. They are the real losers here. "All we can do know is hope for a peaceful outcome to a terrible situation and prevent another full-blown Cold War between multiple superpowers. Until then, I'll keep telling the truth as I see it."

NEW: RT didn't reprimand Martin; she says it's "sad" media only reported on this critique . Washington-based Abby Martin is an anchor of a Russia Today program, "Breaking the Set" Russia Today, or RT, is funded by and oft seen as in lockstep with Russia's government . Martin slams "Russia's military occupation of Crimea," refuses to defend "military aggression"

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(CNN) -- New York police are weighing whether to pursue hate crime charges in the vicious beating of a white man last week. The suspect in the beating, who is black, was heard making statements similar to "I'm going to punch the first white man I see," according to New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. The department's Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident. The 62-year-old victim, identified by a neighbor as Jeffrey Babbitt, is in critical condition at Bellevue Hospital after the Wednesday attack, Kelly said. Two other men were also assaulted as they tried to help Babbitt, police said. Lashawn Marten has been charged with three counts of assault, one of them a felony. He was being held in the Manhattan Detention Complex as of Sunday, according to its website. Robert Pizzimenti, a neighbor of Babbitt's, described the man as "a lovable guy." "He was the kind of guy who always was doing favors for people. If you needed a ride to an appointment. You could call Jeff and he'd say, 'Yeah,i'll take ya,'" Pizzimenti said.

A white man was severely beaten by a black man, New York police say . The suspect was heard saying he would "punch the first white man I see," police said . The victim was in critical condition; his neighbor called him "a lovable guy" Lashawn Marten has been charged with three counts of assault .

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By . Travelmail Reporter . A couple who had their first date at a theme park nine years ago have got engaged at the foot of their favourite ride. Stephen Kelly, 25, surprised Danielle Manton, 25, by popping the question at Thorpe Park - where they have visited on her birthday since they were seventeen. Danielle was stunned when Stephen got down on one knee at the bottom of Nemesis Inferno - surrounded by her friends and family. Big question: Stephen proposes to Kelly at the foot of their favourite ride at Thorpe Park . She said yes! Stephen and Kelly hug and kiss after he pops the question at Thorpe Park . Rollercoaster fans: The couple have visited Thorpe Park every year since their first date nine years ago . The couple from Poole, Dorset, met in psychology class at school and bonded over their love of rollercoasters. Eventually a then 17-year-old Danielle plucked up courage to ask Stephen to visit Thorpe Park with her for her birthday. Danielle, 25, said: ‘I met Stephen at school and instantly fell in love with him - I really wanted to ask him on a date, but didn't have a clue how to do it, or where to go. ‘I suggested Thorpe Park, my favourite place in the world and he said yes, I was so excited I could hardly contain myself - we arranged to go for my birthday. Happy couple: Stephen places the ring on Kelly's finger after she says yes to his proposal at Thorpe Park . Favourite ride: Nemesis Inferno rollercoaster at Thorpe Park . Family outing: The couple with their two children - Bella (l) and Connie - on a trip to their favourite theme park . ‘I spent the car journey with my stomach in knots, not because I was scared of the coasters, but because I was sat next to him. ‘We arrived, and the first ride we went on was Nemesis Inferno - we got together at the end of that day - just after riding Nemesis Inferno for the last time.’ Since that day, the couple have returned to the park, in Surrey, on May 11 every year, now with their two daughters, Bella, four, and Connie, eight-months-old. Stephen, who waited until he had completed his apprenticeship as a carpenter before proposing, planned the stunt in secret and invited the couple's closest friends and family to meet them as they came off the ride. Scream if you want to go faster! Stephen and Kelly pictured on their first date at Thorpe Park in 2005 . First date: The couple at Thorpe Park in 2005 - after Kelly asked Stephen on a date . Stephen said: ‘Danielle had no idea at all, I've been waiting so long to propose - it had to be in the right place at the right time. ‘I thought about doing it at the theatre, but Thorpe Park is such a special place for us, it just felt right to do it then and there. ‘My daughter was there and she told Danielle to close her eyes and open her hands, when she opened her eyes I was down on one knee.’ Stephen and Danielle are now hoping to hold their wedding reception at the park - which nine years later remains one of their favourite places. Young love: Stephen and Kelly pictured when they first starting dating in 2005 - bonding over their love of rollercoasters . Honeymoon plans: Stephen and Kelly, pictured with their children Connie (l) and Bella, want to get married at Thorpe Park . Danielle said: ‘I fell pregnant with my first daughter Bella when I was still at university and it was really hard - without my great friends and Stephen I wouldn't have been able to get through it. ‘We have always struggled with money and being able to afford to get engaged is a massive step for us. ‘When Stephen proposed I couldn't believe this amazing thing was happening - we are both incredibly happy and excited to get married.’ Zoe Cartell from Thorpe Park said: ‘We were thrilled to hear that Thorpe Park has played such a romantic part in Danielle and Steve's engagement and we're speaking to them about their wedding day plans and a honeymoon in our new Thorpe Park hotel.’

Stephen Kelly and Danielle Manton visit park every year on her birthday . He popped the question at the foot of their favourite rollercoaster . Couple plan to marry at Thorpe Park - and have their honeymoon there .

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(CNN) -- U.S. golfer Stewart Cink has promised a "fiercely competitive" defense of his British Open title at St Andrews next week. Cink, the world number 34, was a surprise winner of the Claret Jug last season, beating veteran Tom Watson in a play-off to land his first major title. The British Open will celebrate its 150th anniversary at the sport's spiritual home in Scotland when the event gets underway on Thursday, July 15. "St. Andrews will be special," Cink told CNN's Living Golf. "Obviously it will be my third Open that I've played there. I just have so much respect for it, the way it has developed over the years and it's [...] amazing that it's remained this good for this long. "It will also be a time to be fiercely competitive because I really don't want to give that up again." A year ago at Turnberry, Cink finished level with five-time champion Watson on two under par, before storming to a six-shot victory in the four-hole play-off. Ranked 33 at the time and with only one previous top-10 finish at the championship, Cink says he was inspired by fellow American Lucas Glover, who shocked better-known rivals to land the U.S. Open title last year. "I looked back and thought, well, if Lucas Glover can win the U.S. Open then why can't I win a major? What's stopping me? "At the end of a major championship, there's always one guy that just seems to have the poise to come and step through the threshold -- that was me that Sunday. It was humbling and satisfying." Cink will playing at a St Andrews Open for the third time and thinks he knows the secret to success on the Old Course. "You need to avoid the bunkers, that's the main thing" he said. "It's probably got the most severe set of bunkers of any Open venue. You really have to position your second shots." While Watson will be making another bid for his sixth title at St Andrews, another of the sport's legends won't be there. Australia's Greg Norman, the 1986 and 1993 winner, has pulled out of the tournament because of a shoulder injury. The 53-year-old, who finished joint third at Royal Birkdale in the 2008 Open, has not played an event since undergoing shoulder surgery in September. "I'm disappointed that I will not be able to participate in this year's Open Championship, but unfortunately, it is taking me longer than expected to regain my competitive form," Norman told the Open's official website. Norman has been replaced in the field by his fellow Australian Jason Day, who won the Byron Nelson Championship in May at the age of 22.

Stewart Cink promises "fiercely competitive" British Open defense at St Andrews . Cink says he was inspired by Lucas Glover in 2009 Turnberry success . The Open will celebrate its 150th anniversary at the home of golf next week . Two-time winner Greg Norman pulls out of tournament with a shoulder injury .

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By . Hannah Ellis-petersen . PUBLISHED: . 16:05 EST, 10 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:56 EST, 11 August 2013 . The BBC’s National Lottery game show is embroiled in a fakery row after two contestants accused bosses of cheating them out of £22,000 in prize money. The women, who appeared on last night’s episode of ‘Break The Safe’, have revealed that the end of the show was secretly changed to produce different results. Friends Helen Griffiths and Rina Evans say the BBC’s decision to alter the ending has denied them prize-money and betrayed viewers. Scroll down for video . Lost out: Helen Griffiths (left) with friend Rina Evans on last night's Break The Safe Lottery show . The women have revealed that the end of the show was secretly changed to produce different results, denying them a £22,000 prize . Rina, 40, said: ‘The episode is a fake – it’s complete deception for the viewer. It is not something I would ever have expected from the BBC and people need to know the truth.’ The Mail on Sunday can reveal the show, broadcast to millions of viewers, was in fact filmed twice – and the contestants were ordered not to tell anyone. The two versions, with different end results, were then put together and broadcast as a single, continuous episode. Helen, also 40, said: ‘We had no expectations of winning but what we did expect was fair play. 'Instead, they have made it look like the whole thing had been filmed on one day – it is plain trickery. 'We even had to wear the same clothes and have our hair exactly the same. The whole thing was completely staged.’ Last night’s TV audience witnessed Rina, a mother-of three, and Helen dramatically lose out on £44,000 in the final round of the tense game show presented by Nick Knowles. However, the pair, from Ammanford, Wales, have revealed the ending shown on BBC1 last night was ‘switched’ from the original and the rules were changed. If the same rules had applied to both episodes, they would have won £22,000. Last night's TV audience witnessed Rina, a mother-of three, and Helen, both from Ammanford, Wales, dramatically lose out on £44,000 in the final round of the tense game show presented by Nick Knowles (above) Rina  said: ‘We got a call from Stuart Harrison, the producer, literally the day after we had come all the way back to Wales to say they had decided the format was too difficult and they wanted to change the rules. 'However, in order for that to happen he said they needed us to fly back to Glasgow that night – which was the last thing we wanted to do. And he kept specifying on the phone, you must not tell anybody.’ Under the initial rules, the pair of contestants who make it to the final both had to push separate buttons at the same time in order to win prize-money accrued in the safe. Only Helen had succeeded, meaning the friends had initially walked away with nothing. But the day after they had filmed the first episodes on June 26, the production company admitted to the contestants the ‘flawed’ format made it ‘impossible’ to win. Under the new rules, only one contestant needed to hit the button to win half the prize money – meaning the Welsh pair had been entitled to £22,000 prize money the first time. ‘The new rules meant we had won the first time, so we thought they just wanted to re-shoot the final scene to show that,’ said Helen, a primary school teacher. ‘Instead they made us do the final round all over again. The crew kept drilling us about what we could say and what we couldn’t say. They even styled our hair exactly the same and made us say exactly the same lines as if we were actors. It was all about deceiving the audience.’ Rina added: ‘It was done in front of a skeleton audience of about 50 people at the most. All morning they said they were in a complete panic about finding people to sit in the audience. They were phoning friends and family and just grabbing people off the streets. The whole atmosphere was a sham.’ Helen said: ‘By that time, there was no natural reaction from either of us because it felt like a staged moment. We were expected to act out a natural, impromptu scene but we couldn’t because we aren’t actors. We came off the set feeling that we’d been used by the BBC to help fix their failed format. We went back to the hotel and cried.’ After returning to Wales ‘physically and emotionally exhausted’, Helen contacted the BBC to express her frustration at their treatment, and even asked for their episode to be scrapped. The BBC last night denied any wrongdoing and said the show had fully complied with their editorial guidelines. ‘This is absolutely not a deception of viewers or contestants,’ said a spokeswoman.

Friends Helen Griffiths and Rina . Evans say BBC’s decision to alter last night's ending has denied them . prize-money and betrayed viewers . Mail on Sunday can reveal the show, . broadcast to millions of viewers, was in fact filmed twice – and the . contestants were ordered not to tell anyone .

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By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 05:05 EST, 18 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:50 EST, 19 October 2012 . AA patrolmen are now being trained as plumbers under new plans which could see them unblocking toilets when they are not jump starting cars. It is part of a trial which was launched in Northern Ireland over summer. The scheme aims to boost the AA’s home repair service, and could be rolled out across the UK following a trial over the summer in Northern Ireland. But the move has been branded a cost-cutting exercise by unions. Plumbing patrol: AA patrolmen are being trained as plumbers to boost their home repair service . The plan comes after reports that AA, one of Britain’s best known brands, could soon be up for sale for about £5 billion. Acromas, owner of the 107-year-old . motoring organisation, has appointed accountants Ernst & Young to . look at options for the sale which is not expected to start until early . next year. Patrols as plumbers has the potential to be introduced in other parts of the UK, Operations Manager Keith Munns said. According to The Sun, an internal memo from Mr Munns said: ‘We have trained up a number of roadside patrols to carry out basic plumbing activity. For sale: The plans comes after reports that AA, one of Britain's most iconic brands, could soon be up for sale for about £5¿billion . ‘By the time we get to winter we will . know whether that has worked and it may well be that we have rolled . that out a little bit further.’ The plumbers training is designed to . strengthen AA’s Home Emergency Repair service which launched two years . ago promising ‘trusted and skilled tradesmen’ that can fix leaks, burst . pipes and toilets in the home. But Paul Grafton of GMB union said: ‘This is all about money.’ Earlier this month, the company . announced that they expected more than 400 jobs to be lost at the AA . call centre in Cardiff, blaming the rise in online transactions. Some 3,000 staff left the company in 2004 during the restructure of AA when it was sold by Centrica, the company that runs British Gas, to CVC and Permira. Acromas was then formed in 2007 when the AA . merged with Saga, an over-50s insurance, financial services, holidays and healthcare specialist. Since then, the AA has grown . from around 7,000 to 8,500 employees. The Automobile Association (AA) formed in 1905 when a group of motoring enthusiasts met at the Trocadero restaurant in London’s West End. The group initially intended to champion the motorist’s cause and help drivers avoid police speed traps. The AA’s 100 members in 1905 grew to 83,000 by 1914. The first AA patrols used basic pedal cycles and had no uniforms. They patrolled Brighton and Portsmouth roads where their official duties were ‘indicating dangers on the road and helping motorists who had broken down’. In 1907 the first AA insurance policy was launched and by 1912 AA was inspecting and classifying hotels. The AA then opened the first roadside filling station in 1920 at Aldermaston in Berkshire and by 1932 they opened ten more. With the introduction of the two-way radio after WWII, the night-time breakdown service was launched in 1949. In 1950 the AA hit the one million members milestone. An advertising campaign in the 1990s branded the AA the fourth emergency service. The AA joined the Centrica group, the company that runs British Gas, in a £1.1billion acquisition in 1999 before its acquisition by private equity firms CVC and Permira for £1.75billion.

The company has already trialled the scheme in Northern Ireland . Unions have branded the move a cost-cutting exercise .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:08 EST, 6 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:40 EST, 6 July 2012 . A husband arrived home to find his wife murdered, stabbed in the back in what police are investigating as a home invasion robbery gone wrong. The body of Simeonette Mapes-Crupi, 29, a New York City social studies teacher, was found on Thursday afternoon by her husband Jonathan, 30, at their home on Staten Island. Reports said that Mrs Mapes-Crupi was found face-down with several stab wounds in her back by the door to their apartment. Couple: Simeonette Mapes-Crupi was found dead by her husband Jonathan in their Staten Island condo on Thursday afternoon . The murder occurred in a quiet, tree-lined street in New Springville, across from a golf course where neighbours say crime is scarce. Police told the Staten Island Advance that there did not appear to be any signs of forced entry at the home, which had been ransacked. The murder has left the community in shock. As news of the murder spread, numerous onlookers gathered around the couple's apartment, which had been sealed off by police tape. Local resident Gabrielle Blinderman, 19, told the Advance: 'I don't think anything has really happened like that [in the past].' Neighbours reported that they didn’t see or hear anything suspicious until her husband made the horrific discovery. One onlooker, who declined to be identified, told the New York Daily News: 'He’s like, "She’s dead! I came home! It was hot! She was dead! Area: Mrs Mapes-Crupi's body was found near the door of the couple's apartment in this condo complex on Staten Island . 'She’s dead! She’s dead! It was hot! I wasn’t here. I had to work!"' Another witness told the paper that he came out of the home screaming, 'My wife was murdered!' Another neighbour, Rachel Havia, 43, said the victim had recently celebrated her birthday, adding: 'Her husband brought her flowers and balloons.' Another woman, who works nearby and who came across a large crowd on her lunch break, said: 'At first I thought it was a fight. 'Then I thought someone was hurt, because they were like hugging and crying, and people were screaming.' Gabrielle Blinderman, 19, called the murder 'surreal'. She said: 'I don't think anything has really happened like that in the past'. Her friend Chris Tobias, 18, added: 'That's terrible.' Linda Tanen also said that the idea that it could have been a random home invasion was especially frightening. She added: 'Nothing happens here. You're across the street from a golf course, and all you have is people golfing. Everybody is in their own world.' Mrs Mapes-Crupi was a teacher since 2009 at an East New York high school called School for Classics: An Academy of Thinkers, Writers and Performers . It is described as a 'tough' high . school, where her husband also teaches English. Last month, she received . a Master of Science degree in adolescent education from the College of . Staten Island, according to Advance records. Just last week, Mrs Crupi spoke of a scary incident when she posted on Facebook that she and her husband had witnessed a shootout near the school they teach at. She wrote on June 28: ‘[My husband] and I survived a shoot out today...Thank God we are ok, I'm sure over summer school we'll find out what the fighting was about' 'To all the wanna be gangstas of Staten Island (who say they are from Brooklyn but really aren't), be grateful you have what you have and stop trying to live a lifestyle you will never understand.' Her friends made several comments on her post, to which she replied: 'It’s just a hazard of working in East NY, Brooklyn. Things like this makes you appreciate all the blessings you have.'

Body of Simeonette Mapes-Crupi found by her husband Jonathan . Reports said she was face-down with several stab wounds in her back . House is in quiet, tree-lined street, across from a golf course .

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An animal sanctuary in Australia has a found novel way of utilising cleaning cloths – using them as blankets for injured bats. The Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Center near the Gold Coast uses the yellow dusters to comfort orphaned pups. A video has been released showing worker Trish Wimberley binding up the bats at the facility in Queensland. According to a spokesperson for the facility, the blankets are used to pacify the bats, which have been separated from their mother at a young age. An animal sanctuary in Australia has a found novel way of utilising cleaning cloths – using them as blankets for injured bats . The Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre near the Gold Coast uses the yellow dusters to comfort orphaned pups . The seven bats in this video were separated from their mothers during a recent extreme heat wave that killed thousands of bats in eastern Australia. The clinic looks after hundreds of orphaned baby bats and rears them until they can be released into the wild. The seven bats in this video were separated from their mothers during a recent extreme heat wave that killed thousands of bats in eastern Australia. The caregivers refer to the animals as ‘little flying foxes’ and work to ensure that the orphans are well fed and nurtured, with her typical day consisting of feeding the bats and carrying out health checks.

Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre cares for orphaned bats . The yellow cleaning cloths are used to comfort the animals . The animals are eventually released back into the wild when they are well . Were orphaned during a recent heat wave that killed thousands of bats .

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(CNN) -- The third installment of our Going Green series looks at cutting-edge ideas from around the globe. Once again, Philippe Cousteau brings his expertise to CNN reporting on sea turtle conservation on the east coast of the United States. The declining population can be traced in part to man-made problems like the fishing industry and pollution. However, a major problem is the destruction of sea turtle nesting grounds by development and coastal erosion. New study maps sea turtle danger zones . Cousteau takes a helicopter ride above the coast of South Carolina to view the turtles' declining habitat from the sky before getting an up-close view of their most protected nesting grounds. He also visits the nearby Sea Turtle Hospital to see for himself the negative effects of human interaction on adult sea turtles and how biologists are nursing injured turtles back to health before returning them to the ocean. U.S. beefs up conservation efforts of endangered sea turtles . The half-hour special will also be showcasing some of the ideas and people impacting the green movement, including a record-breaking solar boat in Hong Kong and a South Korean steel plant which is forging a greener path. Show times: . Saturday October 8: 13:00 & 20:00 . Sunday October 9: 09:00 . Tuesday October 11: 09:30 & 17:30 . All times GMT .

Going Green returns to look at cutting edge green projects happening all over the world . From solar boats in Hong Kong and South Korean steel plants to "upcycling" in the United States . Host Philippe Cousteau examines plight of loggerhead sea turtles off South Carolina coast .

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By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 13:54 EST, 22 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:58 EST, 22 October 2013 . Expelled: Pupil Leonarda Dibrani was detained on a schoolbus and told to leave France along with the rest of her family . A 15-year-old girl who was detained on a schoolbus and expelled from France has turned down an offer to return to the country - unless the rest of her family can come with her. Earlier this week Leonarda Dibrani was detained by police as she got off a bus . from a school trip. The schoolgirl was then expelled from France along with the rest of her family, who entered the country illegally in 2009. Today president Francois Hollande spoke on national television to say the girl could return to France to study - but her family must remain in Kosovo where they are being persecuted for being Roma. Leonarda refused the offer - and accused Hollande of having 'no heart'. The unusual case has caused outrage across the country - with some left-wing and green politicians comparing the incident to the roundups of Jews under Nazi occupation. The story has since become more . complicated, with the girl's father admitting he lied in his asylum . application when he said the entire family fled Kosovo, where they were . persecuted for being Roma, or gypsies. Leonarda, and most of her . siblings, were born in Italy, though they do not have Italian . citizenship. A government . report found that the police followed the law, although . the report said they didn't seem to realise the sensitivity of what they . were doing. Hollande went today tried to walk the line between maintaining a tough stance on illegal immigrants and showing compassion for the girl caught up in the storm. Refusal: Leonarda, pictured with her younger sister Medina, has snubbed Hollande's offer for her to return to the country to study unless the rest of her family can come with her . Family: Leonarda, second right, with her family - from left: mother Xhemile, father Resat and sisters Medina, centre, and Ljaria, right, near to their shelter in Kosovo . He said Leonarda, considering the circumstances of her detention, could come back to France to go to school, if she wishes. But only she can come back. He said: 'She will be welcomed back, and her alone.' In Mitrovica, Kosovo, where the family is now living, Leonarda told reporters she would not come back without her family. Her father threatened to return to France, even if it was illegal. She said: 'Mr Hollande has no heart for my family? He has no pity?' She had earlier said that she was deeply ashamed when the police took her away in front of her classmates. Her words come as police in Kosovo say the girls parents, Resat and Dzemila Dibrani, were accosted Sunday by another Roma couple. Vulnerable: The family, Leonarda and brother Ronaldo pictured, are being persecuted for being Roma in Kosovo - and the girl's parents were recently attacked . Dzemila, who was briefly hospitalized before being discharged, sustained unspecified injuries when the Roma man inquired about the fate of a child from their past romance, a Kosovo official said on condition of anonymity. Both couples are being questioned by police. In his broadcast Hollande also said local authorities would be told that, from now on, no such detentions can happen while children are in the care of their schools, whether inside the building, at the exit, on a bus or in after-school activities. Although polls show that the majority of French people don't think the family should be allowed to return to France, some say the case has threatened to destabilise the Hollande government. Thousands of teenagers rallied in central Paris on Friday after shutting down their high schools the day before to protest against expulsions like Leonarda's.

Leonarda Dibrani detained by police as she got off a schoolbus in France . Was expelled from the country, where she had lived in Levier in the east of the county since 2009, along with her family . President Hollande said girl can return but family must stay in Kosovo . 15-year-old turned down the offer and said Hollande has 'no heart'

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In a stunning speech on the Fox News Channel, commentator Greg Gutfeld predicted that if a bank taxation scheme like the one that shocked Cypriots should come to America, gun owners would aim at government officials -- and shoot to kill. 'While Cypriots can own guns, it’s a bear to get them,' Gutfeld noted on the popular talk show The Five. 'There is no . gun culture there, which then allows the government to wonder of its . docile populace: "What are they gonna do -- shoot us?"' 'Well, in America,' he sniped, 'yes, we will shoot you.' Scroll down for video . The cast of Fox News Channel's The Five includes (L to R) Andrea Tantaros, Bob Beckel, Eric Bolling, Dana Perino and (far right) The Joy Of Hate author Greg Gutfeld, who predicted 'war' if US government officials ever levied taxes on existing bank accounts . Gutfeld, who also . hosts the late night news-comedy show Red Eye, is author of the . snark-filled book The Joy Of Hate. Americans learned Monday that Cypriots would be subject to a 6.75 per cent tax on bank accounts of €100,000 ($129,500) and below. Amounts above €100,000 will incur a 9.9 per cent tax, which goes up to 15 per cent for balances over €500,000 ($647,000). 'The wholesale robbery has caused citizens to rush to get their money out. The response? The banks closed. So how can a government assume that it can get away with this? Because they assume they can get away with this.' 'Gun control advocates mock gun owners over their belief that guns will protect us from government tyranny,' said the popular Fox News host. 'But ask yourself this: What would happen if the government here tried to take over your bank account? War. It would be on.' The Second Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees that 'the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.' But new gun . control measures have popped up at the state and federal level in the wake of the December Newtown, Connecticut school shooting, which left 20 children and six adults dead. Among the advocates of tighter restrictions on guns is Vice President Joe Biden, who claimed during a Feb. 19 Facebook event that women could protect themselves from attackers by firing a loaded shotgun into the air. Gutfeld isn't impressed. Gutfeld said Americans would revolt with their firearms and shoot government officials if the US economy ever needed a bailout like the one that the EU has extended to Cyprus. That plan requires a tax on all bank accounts in the country, seizing as much as 15 per cent of account holders' money . With a holstered gun on his side, David McElroy (left) participates in an anti-Obama administration protest rally in defense of the US Constitution's Second Amendment. Vice President Joe Biden (right) has supported bans on the sale of high-powered rifles, telling women they should fire shotguns into the air to scare off attackers . 'Cyprus just proved that Joe Biden's notion of "all you need is a shotgun" is deeply flawed,' he said. 'Sadly, though, this "steal from the rich" mentality is alive and well in America. Remember Occupy Wall Street? And how different is the Cyprus solution from the class warfare rhetoric that demands your wealth gets spread around? 'The defense against this toxic ideology isn't only reason, but it's reason with a rifle. So, yeah, it'll never happen here. And you have the good sense of our founding fathers to thank for it.' Biden's advice about firing shotgun warning-shots became the subject of a YouTube parody video, showing women knocked backward by the force of firing a shotgun. It quickly racked up 1.6 million views.

EU bailout will force Cypriots to sacrifice up to 15 per cent of their savings . Pundit predicted 'war' if armed Americans were taxed on bank accounts . Says unarmed Cypriots make it easy for government to seize assets . Newtown massacre brought new calls for gun control from VP Biden .

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By . John Hall . Thousands of travellers are arriving in the small Cumbrian town of Appleby this morning as they prepare to take part in the annual horse fair. The week-long event attracts members of the gypsy community from around the world, and has previously been featured in popular Channel 4 show My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. However this year's Appleby Horse Fair has already been hit by a row over an 'invasion', as a large number of traveller families have pitched cars, caravans and horse buggies on the town's privately owned golf course. Scroll down for video . Tradition: Thousands of travellers have descended on Appleby in Cumbria for the annual horse fair which has been running since 1685 when James II granted a charter . Occasion: Girls wear their finest attire for the fair which was traditionally a place for marriages to be arranged while the family reorganised their collection of animals . Kitted out: The participants dress up in their gladrags for the event in Cumbria, like this woman who opted for a leopard-print jumpsuit and Timberland boots . Popular: The six-day event attracts members of the gypsy community from around the world, and was recently featured in Channel 4 show My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding . Unconventional: While many arrived in horse-pulled carts, these two neon-clad men decided to make their way in a modern sports car . Part of the fun: The uniformed duo then switched their ride for a pony-drawn trolley to parade the so-called 'mad mile' in Appleby with other travellers . Spectacle: Residents stared as the travellers arrived this morning for the week-long trade event by taking their horses and carts onto the main roads . King James II granted a Royal Charter in 1685 allowing a horse fair to be held 'near the River Eden', and every year thousands of travellers come from around Britain and the rest of the world to take part. The horse fair, which runs from today until next Wednesday, is the largest and one of the oldest fairs of its kind anywhere in Europe. Travellers and horse dealers gather at Appleby, in Westmorland, in the Eden Valley, Cumbria, to meet old friends, conduct business, but primarily to trade horses. Traditionally they bathe the horses in the River Eden before grooming them and riding them fast along the 'mad mile' to show them off to potential buyers. As well as horses, the fair also features market stalls selling food and other merchandise, as well as fortune telling, palm reading and other live entertainment. Activities: With thousands of horses gathered, travellers take them into the lakes surrounding the plush fields between striking deals to buy or sell . Clutching a rope for her own horse, the woman prepares to ride neck-deep into the lake with her companion who apparently intends to wash the horse . Three-year-old Tilly-Raine Barnes from Lancashire sits with her dog Pip on the steps of a bow top caravan as gypsies and travellers gather during the annual horse fair . Roots: A young traveller in a flat cap and tweed jacket is seen driving a simple buggy along a country road near Appleby. The horse fair, which runs from today until next Wednesday, is the largest and one of the oldest fairs of its kind anywhere in Europe . History: Many travellers wear traditional dress during the week-long event. King James II granted a Royal Charter in 1685 allowing a horse fair to be held 'near the River Eden', and every year thousands of travellers come from around the world to take part . Learning the business: A young traveller and his father bring one of their horses under control. Every year thousands of travellers gather in the town to trade the animals. Traditionally they bathe the horses in the River Eden before grooming them and riding them fast along the 'mad mile' to show them off to potential buyers . The event remains one of the largest and oldest events in Europe and gives the opportunity for travelling communities to meet friends, celebrate their music, folklore . Tradition: Trevor Jones from the Wirral has a cup of tea as he sits on the steps of his Bow top wagon where gypsies gather to buy and sell horses . Buy or sell: The festival took over the entire town, with horses tied up to barriers along the streets for would-be buyers to have a look at . This girl galloped into the water fully-clothed to give the black and white horse a wash before she takes to the field to barter . Ahead of . this year's fair, pubs and off-licences in Appleby have agreed to limit . opening hours in the hope of reducing anti-social behaviour. It . is thought that up to 10,000 travellers and an additional 30,000 . spectators will arrive in the small town over the next few days. The sheer number of people, plus previous incidents of drink-related disorder, have encouraged local businesses to agree to only serve alcohol between midday and 11pm over the course of the week. Police are out in force to control the event, which caused havoc last year. Pubs and restaurants have agreed to stop selling alcohol at 11pm to quell the hype . While many bring their horses and other fare in wheel-driven caravans, locals cart over the Eden valley in rickety carts that perilously scale the hills . Anger: The Appleby Horse Fair has already been hit by a row over an 'invasion', as a large number of traveller families have pitched cars, caravans and horse buggies on the market town's privately owned golf course. The fair runs until next Wednesday, so it is unlikely the vehicles will be moving anytime soon . Perfect pitch: The arrival of the travellers at the golf course has caused anger among local residents. Every year Appleby suffers from drink-related disorder, anti-social behaviour and a build-up of discarded litter and human waste during the week-long event . Large numbers: It is thought that up to 10,000 travellers and an additional 30,000 spectators will arrive in the small town over the next few days. Ahead of this year's fair, pubs and off-licences in Appleby have agreed to limit opening hours in the hope of reducing anti-social behaviour . Trouble: Police keep a close on those taking part in the Appleby Horse Fair. The event has gained a reputation for violence in recent years, leading to a heavy police presence. Last year officers arrested around 20 people who were on their way to Appleby on suspicion of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm . The Appleby Horse Fair has been held every year in early June since 1685 when King James II granted a Royal charter in 1685 allowing a horse fair 'near to the River Eden'. However many gypsy historians say it has been taking place for at least 500 years with some believing it goes all the way back to Roman times. Originally an event for trading livestock of all types it became known as a specialist horse fair owing to its popularity among gypsy traders. It traditionally begins on the first Thursday after the first Tuesday in June and ends on the following Wednesday. In 1965 Westmorland Borough Council attempted to shut down the event but were forced to back down after a huge outcry. Deals are made by one-to-one bartering rather than a traditional auction and are clinched with a slap on the hand. Robin . Hooper, Eden District Council's chief executive, said: 'A great deal of . preparation has gone into the planning of this year's fair to help . people enjoy the event safely.' 'This . work includes pubs and off licenses signing up to a voluntary charter . and having the street cleansing operation in place throughout the fair, . so that the impact of this event on the local community is minimized as . much as possible,' he added. With its rolling hillsides and lush green pastures the countryside around Appleby is some of the most beautiful in Britain. But last year's event was blighted after some of the travellers left piles of rubbish, including used nappies and broken bottles strewn around hedges and fields prompting a flurry of complaints from locals. With bin bags, cardboard boxes and scraps of food lining the hedgerows and roadsides, local people and the authorities faced a massive clean-up operation. Many were left furious with the mess left behind with some accusing Eden District Council of not doing enough to clean up. One irate local described the scene as being like 'an open sewer' claiming the portable toilets were overflowing. The man, who did not wish to be named, said: 'They got serviced once a day. 'They are filthy and overflowing. You wouldn't let your dog use them.' Mr Hooper said that, in response to these concerns, Eden District Council has allocated additional street cleaning facilities both during the fair and to assist the clean-up operation afterwards. The event has also gained a reputation for violence. Last year police arrested around 20 people who were on their way to Appleby on suspicion of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm. That followed a series of bare knuckle brawls in 2011 when several arrests were made. The 2009 event saw over 100 arrests mostly for drunkenness, drugs and disorder with police seizing cocaine, cannabis and 127 ball bearing guns. 27 of the arrests were made after rival gangs were involved in a mass brawl. Entire clans come together to the specialist horse fair, where deals are made by a slap on the hand and a simple exchange of livestock . Thoroughfare: Horses were not the only animals to sweep the Cumbrian town - this woman, and many others, also brought household pets such as dogs . Despite the cast-over weather, travelling and Romany crowds flocked to the fields to parade their caravans, a tradition dating back to 1685 . Preparations: The fair is Europe's largest gathering of Gypsies which the community spends months preparing for . Travellers look delighted to be riding horses in the lush green pastures of Appleby (left). Here (right) a blacksmith fixes a horse's shoes before he starts to barter . Concern: Last year's event was blighted after some of the travellers left piles of rubbish - including used nappies and broken bottles - strewn around hedges and fields, prompting a flurry of complaints from locals. Many were left furious with the mess left behind with some accusing Eden District Council of not doing enough to clean up .

Thousands of travellers and tourists are arriving in Appleby, Cumbria to take part in the annual horse fair . The event - the largest of its kind in Europe - runs for a week and has been taking place for hundreds of years . But there is already anger over this year's event - with dozens of travellers camping on the town's golf course .

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A drug dealer has been jailed after police found Class A drugs stashed inside children's Kinder Surprise eggs at his home . Police discovered 30-year-old Warren Christopher had concealed a large amount of the illegal class-A drugs inside the plastic containers that come with the children's treat. Christopher was also found to have a gun and ammunition at his home in Epsom, Surrey during a raid in August. Drug dealer Warren Christopher (left) hid heroin and crack cocaine in the containers which come with children's Kinder Surprise eggs (right, file photo) He is now beginning a five-year prison sentence, after pleading guilty to seven drug and firearm offences, all committed which all breached a suspended sentence. Officers searching his home found a number of drug wraps stuffed inside the yellow containers that hold the prizes contained inside the beloved children's chocolate egg. More wraps were found in his bedroom as well as a handgun concealed in a sock, a large quantity of cash and ammunition. The raid took place after police were tipped off by a suspicious local. Investigating officer Detective Constable Hannah Millyard said: 'This sentence demonstrates that when members of the public come forward with their concerns about illegal activity in their community, we will act. 'Drugs have a hugely damaging impact on people who use them and in turn on the neighbourhoods where they are used, with their use often leading to other criminal behaviour.' Christopher was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Monday, after admitting two counts of possessing a class A drug with intent to supply, possessing a firearm without a certificate, and possessing a firearm when prohibited. He was also sentenced for possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate, and two further counts of possessing class A drugs. Police uncovered the carefully-hidden stash of drugs when they raided Christopher's home. File photo . The plastic containers, like that used by Christopher, usual hold prizes and toys meant for children. File photo .

Police raided Warren Christopher's home in Epsom, Surrey in August . They found drugs hidden in Kinder Surprise eggs, guns and ammunition . Christopher has now pleading guilty to seven drug and firearm offences . 30-year-old was jailed for five years at Guildford Crown Court this week .

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(CNN) -- The July 2011 deadline to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan is unrealistic and unhelpful, Afghan Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad told CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday. "First, if you over-emphasize a deadline that is not realistic, you are making the enemy a lot more bold," Jawad said. "You are prolonging the war. That deadline should be realistic. The line should be based on the reality on the ground and we should give a clear message to the enemy, to the terrorists who are a threat to everyone, that the United States, NATO, Afghans are there to finish this job." He continued, "If that's not the feeling, we lost the support of the Afghan people, and also make the neighboring countries of interest a lot more bolder to interfere in Afghanistan." President Barack Obama and Gen. David Petraeus, who has replaced Gen. Stanley McChrystal as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, have said they would begin withdrawal in July 2011 depending on conditions on the ground. Appearing on ABC's "This Week," Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, questioned the wisdom of a firm deadline to start withdrawing forces. "I'm all for dates for withdrawal, but that's after the strategy succeeds, not before," said McCain, the Republican presidential candidate in 2008 who was in Afghanistan for the Fourth of July weekend. For now, McCain described the strategy as one that hasn't gone as well as hoped. "The president should state unequivocally that we will leave when we have succeeded," he said. "If you tell the enemy that you're leaving on a date certain, unequivocally, then that enemy will wait until you leave." McCain's GOP colleague, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, echoed those thoughts in a separate interview from Afghanistan broadcast on the CBS program "Face the Nation." "If you send a signal to your enemy you're going to leave at a certain date, they'll wait you out," Graham said. However, he expressed optimism that the counterinsurgency strategy now being led by Petraeus can show progress in turning over security to Afghan forces in some areas by July 2011. "I do believe next summer we can have transition in certain parts of Afghanistan," Graham said. "Other parts will still need fighting and a firm commitment." Overall, Graham said, he found morale on the ground "pretty good" as Petraeus assumed command of the mission. His trip coincides with the visit to Afghanistan by Vice President Joe Biden, and Graham said Biden had assured him that any withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country would be "conditions-based" instead of launched purely for the sake of getting out without consideration for the status of the mission. Graham joined McCain in urging Obama to clarify the conditions-based approach so that the nation's allies and enemies understand the U.S. commitment to the war. Last week, some Democrats in Congress supported an amendment to a military spending bill that would have required Obama to give Congress a new intelligence report on Afghanistan by January and a plan for withdrawing troops by April. If Obama fails to carry out his pledge to start bringing troops home by July 2011, Congress would need to approve additional funding for the war, the amendment said. The measure failed in a late-night vote after the White House threatened to veto the bill if it contained the amendment, but the language showed some restlessness among Democrats about the war strategy.

NEW: Sen. Lindsey Graham: withdrawl should only begin when conditions warrant it . Afghan and U.S. critics say troops should stay until success is assured . Obama has said withdrawal would start in July 2011 . Withdrawal also depends on situation on ground, Obama says .

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One of Ukip's biggest donors has threatened to stop funding the party unless the disgraced former Tory Neil Hamilton is given a parliamentary seat, it was claimed last night. Stuart Wheeler's alleged intervention has sparked a furious reaction – with his replacement as party Treasurer Andrew Reid insisting that 'nobody gets to buy a seat' for their friends. The row blew up on Wednesday night after a letter to Mr Hamilton asking him to explain his expenses was leaked – forcing him to pull out of a contest to become the party's candidate in a winnable seat in next year's election. Ukip's deputy chairman Neil Hamilton lashed out at party insiders over a 'dirty tricks' campaign being run against him . Mr Hamilton only saw the letter as he arrived at a hustings event in the Essex constituency of Basildon South – one of Ukip's top targets for 2015. He then withdrew his candidacy – and slammed the letter as part of a wider 'dirty tricks' campaign against him. But many others in Ukip believe Mr Hamilton is getting unfair leg up due to his close relationship with the millionaire party donor Mr Wheeler. One member of the party leadership told the Financial Times: 'I don't care how powerful his patron is, we are not caving [in] to this.' Andrew Reid, who took over from Mr Wheeler as the party's treasurer six months ago, added: 'Nobody gets to buy a seat for someone else in Ukip.' Mr Hamilton, a former Tory minister, lost his seat in the 1997 Labour landslide to the anti-sleaze campaigner Martin Bell, who stood as an independent. It came after he was forced to resign as a Tory minister after allegations that he received cash for asking questions in the Commons. He denied the claims, but a parliamentary inquiry found that he took cash for questions. Nigel Farage appearing BBC Question Time with the Hollywood star Russell Brand is facing growing civil war . The dispute could prove expensive for the party as it approaches its most important general election, at which it hopes to break through as a serious challenger to the big established parties. Mr Wheeler has made more than £700,000 worth of registered donations to Ukip over the past five years, and was expected to remain an important donor over the coming months. Mr Hamilton would not comment on the events. Mr Wheeler would not say whether he intended to donate more money before the election, or whether he had threatened not to if Mr Hamilton was not accepted as a parliamentary candidate. He told the FT: 'I cannot tell you what internal conversations have gone on.'

Stuart Wheeler threatens to stop donations if Hamilton not given seat . But Ukip Treasurer Andrew Reid says 'nobody gets to buy a seat' Row blew up after a letter asking him to explain his expenses was leaked . Hamilton claims there is a 'dirty tricks' campaign against him in the party .

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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Pregnant women infected with the H1N1 virus are more likely to be hospitalized from it and perhaps even more likely to die from it, according to a federal study released Wednesday. A federal study released Wednesday says the H1N1 virus seems to be affecting pregnant women more severely. The authors of the study suggest that pregnant women infected with the virus, commonly known as swine flu, take antiviral drugs to protect themselves and their fetuses. "If they feel sick, they need to call their health care provider and their health care provider needs to prescribe antivirals promptly," said Dr. Denise J. Jamieson, lead author of the study and a medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some doctors are reluctant to prescribe the drugs to pregnant women because they are concerned about their possible effect on the fetus, but Jamieson urged them to put aside those concerns. "We know, in this situation, the benefits very likely outweigh the risks, because pregnant women could get pretty darn sick with influenza," the obstetrician-gynecologist told CNN. In fact, they could get more than sick. Of the 45 H1N1 deaths reported to the CDC between April 15 and June 16, six (13 percent) were among pregnant women. All of them had been healthy before infection, and all went on to develop viral pneumonia, leading to acute respiratory distress that required them to be placed on ventilators, Jamieson said. She acknowledged that the numbers are small, but said data collected since then are still reason for concern. Of the 266 H1N1 deaths investigated by the CDC to date, 15 (6 percent) were among pregnant women, she said. That's six times the percentage of U.S. women who are pregnant at any given time. In addition, pregnant women infected with H1N1 were four times as likely as sick people in the general population to be hospitalized for it, she said. But the study cautioned that part of that increase may be because of doctors being more likely to hospitalize a pregnant woman than a nonpregnant person with similar symptoms. Still, the apparent disproportionate impact of H1N1 on pregnant women is not surprising, given the body changes that occur during pregnancy, she said. "As the uterus grows and pushes the diaphragm up, there is less room for the lungs," affecting a woman's ability to breathe, she said. Pregnancy's impact goes beyond structural; it affects the body's ability to fight off illness, she said. "A pregnant woman has to accommodate this foreign body of the growing fetus, so there is an immunological shift that occurs in pregnancy," she said. Though it is not clear whether that immunological shift translates into a greater likelihood of contracting the virus, there is no doubt that it can result in more severe illness among pregnant women who are infected with it, she said. "They are more severely affected, and that is consistent with what we are seeing with this H1N1," she said. Still, Jamieson said she is not recommending that pregnant women avoid crowds or take any other precautions that would affect their daily routines. She said she hopes to continue to track what happens to the H1N1-infected pregnant women in the report, though the details have yet to be worked out.

Of 45 H1N1 deaths between April 15-June 16, 13 percent were pregnant women . Pregnant women with swine flu more likely to be hospitalized, federal study says . Authors of study suggest pregnant women with H1N1 take antiviral drugs . Body changes during pregnancy may make these women more vulnerable .

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(CNN) -- Despite some high-profile bombings in recent days, Iraq's security forces are ready to take over for U.S. forces this week to stabilize the nation's major cities, the U.S. commander in Iraq told CNN on Sunday. Except for soldiers in advisory roles, all U.S. combat troops will leave Iraqi cities and towns by June 30. Army Gen. Ray Odierno said he's seen a "constant improvement" in both the security situation and governance in Iraq to prepare for the June 30 deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from major cities. "They've been working for this for a long time," Odierno said on CNN's "State of the Union." In a separate interview on "Fox News Sunday," Odierno said all U.S. troops already were out of Iraq's major cities before Tuesday's deadline. "We have already moved out of the cities," Odierno said. "We've been slowly doing it over the last eight months. And the final units have moved out of the cities over the last several weeks." Watch CNN's Michael Ware on the U.S. withdrawal » . The shift is part of the security agreement that former President George W. Bush's administration signed with Iraq. In the CNN interview, Odierno blamed the recent violence in Iraq on "extremist elements using the timeframe and date to gain attention to themselves and divert attention from the success of Iraqi security forces." The 131,000 U.S. troops in Iraq still will "maintain full coordination with Iraqi forces inside the cities" and continue to have intelligence capacity, Odierno said. With approval from the Iraqis, they also will carry out operations in major cities as necessary, he said. Odierno said his goal is to help provide security that allows Iraq to hold planned national elections leading to the eventual removal of all U.S. troops by the end of 2011. He said his biggest worry is a breakdown in stability such as a "consistent increase in violence" or a situation that Iraqi forces can't handle. "I don't see that" happening, Odierno said. "I think we're on the right path." Odierno also said Iran continues to "interfere" in Iraq, including training insurgents and paying surrogates. But he said his mission is limited to providing security within Iraq, no matter the provocation from Iran or elsewhere. "I'm not authorized to do anything outside the borders of Iraq," he said. Iran's government has repeatedly denied fomenting violence inside Iraq.

Gen. Ray Odierno sees "constant improvement" in security, governance in Iraq . Iran continues to "interfere" in Iraq, Odierno says . Iranian government repeatedly denies instigating violence inside Iraq .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 9:45 AM on 21st November 2011 . A noisy group of Wall Street protestors gathered near Michael Bloomberg's home to show their displeasure with the New York mayor's decision to evict the Occupy Wall Street movement from Zuccatti Park. Banging drums and blaring musical instruments the protestors got about half a block away from Mayor Bloomberg's east-side New York townhouse near Central Park Sunday. A live-streaming video from one of the protestors shows about a dozen people gathered on a street reveling and dancing. Some held signs others waved American flags. Noisy: Protestors showed their anger at Mayor Michael Bloomberg by staging a drum circle near his New York townhouse . Uniformed New York police officers stood by, watching them from barricades they had erected. It was unknown whether Mayor Bloomberg was home at the time. Meanwhile, cops arrested five people at Zuccatti park over the weekend, including a man who had a handgun and a protestor who tried to pack in sleeping gear. Cops said Joshua Fellows, 32, faces criminal possession of a weapon after they found a .45-caliber handgun and 32 rounds of ammunition in a truck he rented in North Carolina. Officers originally arrested Fellows Thursday after seeing about 40 people jumping in and out of a Budget rental truck. When they searched the vehicle Saturday, they found the gun and tracked Fellows down to the same area, where they arrested him again. Standing guard: It's unknown whether Mayor Bloomberg was actually home during the protest, which actually took place down the street from his house . Standing watch: Police officers guarded the townhouse where Mayor Bloomberg lives. He does not release his schedule on the weekends . Another man, Zach Breur, 22, was also arrested Saturday after he allegedly groped the breasts and buttocks of a 22-year-old woman. He was charged with two counts of forcible touching. Michael Doe, who cops said was homeless, was arrested Saturday evening and charged with criminal mischief after officers saw him tampering with Christmas lights at the park. Another homeless man was arrested at the park after he thew an unknown liquid in a police officer's face. Finally, Star Bun, a 24-year-old Brooklyn woman, was charged with criminal trespass and resisting arrest when she tried to pack sleeping gear into Zuccatti park. District of Columbia . police on Saturday evening arrested 11 protesters and planned to charge . them with unlawful entry after officers entered and cleared an abandoned . city-owned building that had been occupied by a group inspired by . Occupy D.C. Supporters of the protesters . cheered as officers led demonstrators from the downtown Washington . building in handcuffs and into two police vans. The . group Free Franklin began occupying the four-story Franklin School on . Saturday, protesting the lack of housing for homeless people. The . historic building served as a homeless shelter until 2008. Participants . with handkerchiefs over their faces lowered a banner from the roof that . said "Public Property under Community Control." More than 60 supporters . gathered in a park near the red-brick building and cheered the . protesters. The building is two blocks from Occupy D.C.'s encampment. Marching on: Protestors planned to drum outside the mayor's townhouse for 24 hours because they are angry he decided to evict them from Zuccatti Park . Group spokeswoman Abigail DeRoberts said earlier Saturday that protesters plan to remain in the building indefinitely. Police watched as protesters hung the banner and later called firefighters and more officers to the scene. Protesters . said police and firefighters then entered the building with crow bars . and other instruments. Supporters blocked alleys around the building . and chanted, "We are the 99 percent." Demonstrators . blocked alleys next to the building even after police officers went . inside. By early evening, the banner had come down. Busted: Several people were arrested at Zuccatti Park this weekend, including this man, who tried to pack a sleeping bag in so he could camp out . A . spokesperson for Mayor Vincent Gray told ABC7 in Washington that the . protesters in the building at 13th and K Street, NW "will be removed and . arrested." Louis Cannon, chief of the D.C. Protective Services Police, told The Associated Press that 11 protesters . were arrested inside the building, including eight men and three women. Each will be charged with unlawful entry and could face up to a year in . jail and a fine if convicted of the misdemeanor charge. He said none . put up any resistance when they were arrested. "We . did a sweep of the building and they were all on the roof," said . Cannon, whose agency protects D.C. government-owned, -leased and . -managed facilities and property. The chief said the building is now boarded-up and welded shut, and police are investigating how the protesters gained entry. He . said the building has been vacant since 2008. Cannon said his agency . was called to the scene at about 3 p.m. and had cleared the building by 7 . p.m., with help from dozens of officers from the Metropolitan Police . and U.S. Park Police . Following the arrests, . more than 50 protesters remained in the middle of 13th Street, NW, which . was blocked off by dozens of police cars. Some chanted, "Our children's . future is not for sale." More officers arrived at the scene, but the . crowd began to break up after the building had been cleared and the . arrested protesters taken away.

Police arrest man in Wall Street area after finding handgun and ammunition in his rented truck . 11 arrested in Washington after breaking into abandoned building . Drum circle stopped from standing in front of mayor's house and must stay a block away .

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(CNN) -- At long last, the royal baby has arrived! The queen can finally depart for her summer holiday at Balmoral. The paparazzi who have been littering the streets in front of St. Mary's Hospital can now train their long lenses on a topless (albeit nursing) mother. To Kate and William, I pass on the most consoling words I received when my daughter was born: The first month of parenthood isn't for the faint-hearted. Everyone's got advice for new parents. The French -- we are told -- raise happier and better-behaved children, thanks to their self-assured authority and bans on snacking. Tiger moms, so the legend goes, breed successful children because of rigorous discipline and unflinchingly high standards. Gwyneth Paltrow's children prosper because they are deprived of carbohydrates. But in a clamorous field of conflicting advice-givers, the members of Britain's royal family are notable no-shows. While many have an opinion about how the new royal baby should be brought up -- nanny or no nanny, Charles and Camilla or the Middletons holding grandparently sway -- there is no volley answering back from the Palace. Little wonder, since a Royal Guide to Parenting sounds like a Monty Python skit, with the dotty royal ancestors alternately misplacing their progeny and browbeating them for breaches of arcane infant protocol. 'Wicked' author: Royal baby stands for hope . It's not that royal parents lack a plan. Kate and Prince William reportedly want a "normal" childhood for their offspring. Prince William's mother, Diana, said the same thing. For Diana, that meant unscheduled playtimes, the occasional meal at McDonald's, nursery school with other children. But if a trip for the royal heirs to Disney World was a novelty, the longing for ordinariness -- or seeming ordinariness -- is in fact a much older aspiration. It was Prince William's great-great-great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria and her German consort, Prince Albert, who recognized the adulation that might be inspired by a royal family (the term was Albert's own coinage) cast in the mold of middle-class virtues. Unlike her dissipated uncles, Victoria and her family would be paragons of bourgeois domesticity. Albert was present at the birth of his children. The education of Bertie, their second-born son and heir, was approached with the utmost seriousness. Distrustful of the lax and inattentive royal parents of the past, Albert elected to superintend every detail of Bertie's upbringing himself. Opinion: Why I wouldn't want to be royal baby . Still, all of this parental care came, as Jane Ridley's fascinating new biography of Edward VII reveals, at a high price. Bertie could never live up to his parents' expectations of him. He was rebellious, a slow learner and -- or so his father feared -- marked by the congenital weaknesses in Victoria's line. In the hope of instilling regular habits, Albert spied on his son constantly. Both of his parents issued a constant stream of corrections, Tiger Mothers before the fact. "I had no boyhood," Bertie later lamented. From Victoria and Albert onwards, contemporary claims to normality and ordinariness jostle up against retrospective assessments of secrecy and isolation. Was Charles' father, Prince Philip, really doing a "splendidly modern job on the upbringing of his son," as the Daily Mirror reported when Charles was 13: "No effete, out-dated Eton, with its tailcoats, fancy waistcoats, slender watch chains and high-pitched accents"? Or was young Prince Charles, as is now often suggested, the hapless victim of distant parents who subjected him to an education unsuited to his personality? Opinion: Baby helps make a monarchy better . As Prince Albert presciently recognized, family life does provide common ground, even a point of identification and sympathy, between royals and their subjects. While few live in a castle, the vast majority of us have parents of some sort. But contrary to Albert's fond hopes, the royal family has proved itself most normal in the late 20th century not by exemplifying middle-class virtues but by enacting the same fallout from the sexual revolution as most other Western families: adultery, divorce, confession and intergenerational conflict. That sort of normality, however, doesn't endear you to taxpayers. For extraordinary people to make themselves ordinary is a conjuring act, one that requires a certain suspension of disbelief on the part of their audience. It's role-playing on our part as well as theirs. So, Kate and William: We wish you many perfectly ordinary sleepless nights, changing diapers and worrying over test scores. But we'll only know you're really normal when you tell the rest of us how to raise a baby -- and, on the basis of results achieved, some are willing to listen. The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Deborah Cohen.

The Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to a boy on Monday . Deborah Cohen: Everyone's got advice for new parents, but the royal family has been mum . She says Kate and Prince William reportedly want a "normal" childhood for their child . Cohen: For extraordinary people to make themselves ordinary is a conjuring act .

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Washington (CNN)In his upcoming State of the Union speech, President Barack Obama will call on Congress to simplify a tax code he deems overly complicated and weighted toward wealthy Americans, administration officials said Saturday. The moves -- likely to meet resistance from Republicans in Congress -- are meant to pay for the long slate of new programs the President began laying out two weeks ago designed to bolster the middle class, including offering two free years of community college to qualified students. Obama's aides have been seeking ways to expand a robust economic recovery beyond top earners, who have been buoyed by record closes on Wall Street. Despite reams of positive economic news, most Americans still say economic conditions in the country are only fair. And, if they see improvement, they aren't crediting the White House. "The middle class has yet to experience the prosperity shown in the recovery, and what you'll see Tuesday night is the vision for finishing that job," a senior administration official said. Obama is set to propose Tuesday a $500 tax credit for married couples who each hold jobs; the intention, officials say, is to help alleviate the costs of child care and commuting that lead some spouses -- usually women -- to determine it makes more financial sense to stop working. He'll also spell out ways to simplify the way taxpayers apply for education and child care credits, including increasing the top child care credit to $3,000. The total cost for the new provisions: $235 billion, according to administration officials, who spoke anonymously ahead of the plan's official unveiling. For the first time since becoming president, all of Obama's changes would need to be approved both by a GOP House and a Senate with a new Republican majority. Looking to increase capital gains rate . To pay for the changes, the administration is proposing about $320 billion in new revenue over the next decade. Obama wants to wring more taxes from investment income -- capital gains and dividends -- which are taxed at a lower rate than ordinary earnings. Since wealthy Americans are more likely to derive income from investments, they'd bear the overwhelming weight of a higher rate on that type of profit. The tax rate for capital gains now stands at 20% for the highest-earning Americans. Officials said Saturday that Obama will call for that rate to increase to 28% for those taxpayers. He will ask lawmakers to close a loophole allowing capital gains on inherited funds to go untaxed -- a so-called "trust fund" loophole the White House says allows billions of dollars in capital gains to go untapped by the government every year. "This proposal is doing what it is intended to do, which is to make sure that the large, accumulated, unearned wealth of the wealthiest Americans is actually subject to tax," an Obama administration official said. "We are quite confident that we can do this in a way that achieves that objective while in fact helping middle-class families by putting those resources to better use." The arguments against raising tax rates on investment income are well established: opponents argue it poses a "double tax" scenario, since the corporate profits that drive stock prices are already subject to taxes. And they stress some portion of investment gains is driven by inflation. But Republicans aren't necessarily opposed to altering how investment income is taxed: last year's proposal from the top Republican on the House tax writing committee, Rep. Dave Camp, called for applying ordinary income tax rates on 60% of capital gains and excluding the other 40% altogether. That put the top rate at 21%. In his speech Tuesday, Obama also plans to all for a new fee on large financial institutions which administration officials estimated would bring in $110 billion; Camp's plan called for an excise tax on large banks. "I would say that a number of the ideas that the President is outlining in this new proposal do have --already have -- clear congressional bipartisan support," a senior administration official said Saturday. Republicans were dismissive of the tax initiatives unveiled Saturday evening. "This is not a serious proposal," Brendan Buck, spokesman for House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan, told CNN. "We lift families up and grow the economy with a simpler, flatter tax code, not big tax increases to pay for more Washington spending." Obama has spent the last two weeks offering up an advance look at his State of the Union address, including the community college proposal, a plan to expand high-speed Internet and reducing rates of federally backed mortgages. The early look is meant to introduce Americans to each scheme individually, said administration aides, who determined the yearly laundry-list of plans -- combined with updates on America's foreign policy -- wasn't digestible during a single prime-time event. That doesn't mean, however, the speech will necessarily be any shorter than the 65-minute address Obama delivered last year. "It will still be a healthy speech in terms of breadth and length," one official said. Why Obama's going to India after his State of the Union speech .

Republicans criticize tax initiatives . Obama to unveil new tax proposals during Tuesday's State of the Union . New plan would offer middle-class credits; wring more from rich . Plan needs approval from Republican-controlled Congress .

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By . Jennifer Smith . The sweltering British summer has led to an early apple harvest with fruit growers heralding one of the 'juiciest' crops on record. As well as apples, strawberries, plums and wheat are all being harvested weeks earlier than in 2013, after basking in glorious sunshine for the past two months. But with predicted showers and the tail end of a hurricane on the way, farm hands are getting to work before the scorching summer becomes a distant memory. Heavy rain is expected across much of the country today, with downpours and thundery storms predicted in central and northern regions as the tail end of Hurricane Bertha hurls towards the south coast. Scroll down for video . Farm hands pick Braeburn apples from trees at Stocks Farm near Malvern in Worcestershire during one of the earliest fruit and crop harvests in living memory . Hot temperatures over long periods of time improves the taste and crunchiness of the fruit say farm hands at Stocks Farm who promise a 'juicy and delicious' produce . The soaring temperatures have brought the apple harvest forward by three weeks from last year with some varieties of the fruit already appearing on shop shelves . Strawberries (Three weeks early) Apples (three weeks early) Plums and cherries( two weeks early) Rapeseed oil (four weeks early) Wheat (two weeks early) While shoppers will have to wait until September to see some popular varieties of the fruit on shelves, others are ripe for the picking and have already popped up in local shops across the country. The mild spring and warmer sunny weather has meant good news for all types of growers, with stone fruit like plums and cherries, and pears all doing well. This summer was also the earliest oilseed rape harvest since the crop was first grown in the UK 30 years ago. Specialist grains such as Maris Otter Barley, used for real ale brewers, have also flourished. Adrian Barlow of English Apples and Pears said conditions had been kinder to apples than the last couple of years, which had been beset with poor weather, but it was too early to make comparison’s with 2011’s peak. 'Last year we had a very late crop, and we lost three to four weeks of varieties not being on the shelf at the supermarket so we lost that shelf space, and that made life difficult. 'But this year, all told, things are looking very promising for the coming season. 'Quality is extremely good, we’ve had a lot of sunny weather, meaning taste will be very good, and the texture and colour will be extremely good. English Apples and Pears said the high temperatures had been kinder to apples than in recent years but that it was too early to tell if this summer was better than the fruit's peak in 2011 . Braeburn apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley are being pulled from the trees in what is known as a 'late thinning' carried out to give other fruit a healthier chance of long-term growth . “As far as the shopper is concerned they’ll be very happy with the eating quality. 'The apples will have great crunchiness, lots of taste, and a good size.' Early varieties set to appear on shop shelves include Galmac, Delbar Estival, followed by Worcester Pearmain. Mr Barlow said chefs’ favourite the Bramley apple was also 'looking good', adding 'people will enjoy cooking with that variety this autumn'. At Stocks Farm in Suckley near Malvern in Worcestershire, the Capper family grow 100 acres of apples some of which go to supply HP Bulmer and are also used in the manufacture of Magners cider. Alison Capper who runs the farm with husband Richard just a few miles from the rolling Malvern Hills, said: 'On the whole it’s looking like a really nice crop and it’s all down to the weather. The sun rises over  Quantock Hills in Bridgewater, Somerset, this morning after a humid night.  Temperatures are expected to drop next week across the country . Most of the country will see showers today after a long stint of warm, dry weather with thundery storms expected later in the weekend as Hurricane Bertha approaches . 'We've had lovely weather, we've had rain when we’ve wanted it,although some parts of the country have been drier than we’d have wanted. 'We've had some disease pressures which we always get with our climate, which might mean the skins aren't absolutely perfect in some cases. 'But generally-speaking, the crunch is going to be juicy and delicious.' While the good weather has brought about a record-breaking produce, sunny summer days will soon be a thing of the past with thrashing rain and thundery storms expected in some parts of the country this weekend. 'Today there are yellow warnings for the southeast, the midlands, the north west and northern Ireland  for rain. We're looking at maybe 20-33ml within those areas with chances of heavy, sharp downpour and thunder and lightning because of the humidity,' said Nicky Maxey, a spokesman for the Met Office. 'Tomorrow for most is better with areas of prolonged sunshine.' Temperatures in London will reach the mid 20s while northern regions will remain in the high teens. 'It'll be a nice pleasant day but people need to keep an eye on the forecast for Sunday which is when the weather really moves in,' she added. The storm could spread further north than previously expected with 50ml of rain predicted in some parts if it hits. 'It's still volatile at the moment, we're still watching and it may modify and change. It may miss us but it's very difficult to tell exactly where the storm might hit.' Craig . Woolhouse, Environment Agency Flood Risk Manager, said: 'Heavy rain on . Sunday may lead to localised surface water flooding in some parts of . England and Wales. 'On . Sunday and Monday a combination of high spring tides and strong . westerly winds bring a risk of large waves and spray and possible . flooding to the south west coast of England and along the Severn . Estuary. 'However, the forecast remains uncertain so we advise people to regularly check the flood risk situation over the next few days. 'If you're travelling to or from holiday then check your flood risk before setting off and don't drive through flood waters.' Temperatures will lower next week with cooler nights and less humidity on the way. 'There's certainly a cooler feel next week, we're not returning to the high 20s that we've enjoyed so far.'

Scorching summer temperatures have brought fruit and crop harvests forward by as much as three weeks . Growers say balmy weather has produced one of the 'tastiest and juiciest' crops on record . Good weather will soon be a distant memory with heavy showers and thundery storms expected this weekend . Tail end of Hurricane Bertha could see a month's worth of downpour fall in a matter of hours on the south coast . Met Office has issued yellow warnings for rain in parts of the south east and central England today and on Sunday .

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(CNN) -- Ebola is no laughing matter, especially not at airports or on planes, where screenings have gotten tighter. So, when a man on a flight on Wednesday may have joked that he had been to Africa and had the deadly disease, he received a special escort off the plane. Four officials in blue plastic hazmat suits boarded U.S. Airways Flight 845 to retrieve him after it landed in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. "I was just kidding," he could be heard saying in a video posted to social media. "I ain't from Africa!" he continued, as he walked with the officials down the aisle of the plane. The Dominican officials had met the plane coming from Philadelphia on the tarmac "due to a possible health issue on board," U.S. Airways said in statement. "We are following the direction of, and strictly adhering to, all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines in place for airlines in response to the Ebola virus," the airline said. Changes coming to airports in Ebola scare . Before the men came aboard in their bubble-like suits, a flight attendant prepared passengers for what they were about to see. Sit down and listen, she told them. "It's going to look worse than it is," she said over the PA system. The glow of cell phone cameras filled the cabin and videos of what happened later hit social media. The attendant spared the passenger who made the comment no indignity. She had seen nothing like this in 36 years of flying, she said. "I think the man that has said this is an idiot, and I'll say that straight out, and if you hear me that's fine," she announced. Then she introduced the men wearing hazmat suits over bulky breathing apparatuses. Passengers reacted with astonishment, anger and fear. "He was coughing and hacking the whole time ... that's not something you joke about," said Bree Manning, a passenger sitting directly behind the man. "People started getting annoyed and just wanted him to be taken off by the police, at the very least," said Manning. Complete coverage on Ebola . Others covered their faces and scooted away in their seats."Don't touch this guy," someone could be heard saying. A boo or two went through the cabin as the man walked by. Once he was off, the officials checked the plane then gave it clearance. CNN has not been able to confirm the comment the man allegedly made, but according to local media reports in the Dominican Republic citing the airport's director of operations, it was: . "I have Ebola. You're all screwed." Opinion: Get proactive about screening for Ebola .

A man on U.S. Airways Flight 845 made a comment about having Ebola . The plane was met by officials in hazmat suits . As they escorted him from board, social media video recorded him . He tells them that he was joking, that he is "not from Africa"

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By . Sophie Borland . UPDATED: . 03:15 EST, 3 February 2012 . Patients admitted to hospitals at weekends are far more likely to die than those taken there on weekdays, a major study has confirmed. Chances of recovery are jeopardised because senior doctors are absent and tests and scans are not immediately available. A study of over 14million NHS admissions found that Sunday patients are 16 per cent more likely to die within the next 30 days than those brought in on a Wednesday. Worrying: Patients admitted to hospitals at weekends are far more likely to die than those taken there on weekdays, a major study has confirmed . Patients admitted on a Saturday are 11 per cent more likely to die in 30 days. Alarmingly, the researchers warned that patients who go to hospital at weekends tend to be sicker – making it crucial that they receive the highest standard of medical attention. This is due to a higher number of road accidents, drink-related injuries and poor out-of-hours GP care that means patients’ deteriorate while treatment is delayed. Earlier this week, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley ordered a ‘fundamental rethink’ of how hospitals are run at weekends. Responding to this study Mr Lansley said: ‘It is unacceptable that patients admitted to hospital on a Saturday or Sunday stay longer and have worse results. ‘Much of the rest of the country continues to be open for the public’s needs at weekends – an NHS that revolves around patients should be the same. ‘By opening some services seven days a . week, more patients will get the care and treatment that they need when . they need it. In some parts of the NHS, this is already happening. Concerned: Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said it is unacceptable that patients admitted to hospital on a Saturday or Sunday stay longer and have worse results . 'On Saturdays and sometimes Sundays, some services have scanners open to provide tests, are doing operations, and have more senior staff around.’ Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: ‘The NHS exists to ensure that its users are given the best possible care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is simply not acceptable for somebody to face an increased risk of death just because they were unfortunate enough to suffer an injury or get sick on a Saturday or Sunday as opposed to any other day of the week.’ Researchers from University College London – whose work was commissioned by the Department of Health – looked at 14.2million hospital admissions in 2009/10. Writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, the researchers concluded: ‘There may be aspects of care associated with weekend admissions which disadvantage patients. ‘Some urgent conditions require prompt treatment and in some cases the way weekend care is organised may lead to delays which can adversely affect the outcome.’ The study backs up a report in November by Dr Foster Intelligence linking a higher death rate at weekends with poorer staff levels. Most consultants tend to work office hours and at weekends the wards are left in the hands of junior doctors. In addition, departments responsible for certain scans and blood tests are shut until Monday. The researchers pointed out that patients admitted at weekends may be more seriously ill. Some who become seriously ill on Friday try and hang on until Monday, during which time they deteriorate further and end up needing urgent treatment. There are also more injuries from road accidents, alcohol and self-harming at weekends. Dr Andrew Goddard, of the Royal College of Physicians, said: ‘This study is further evidence that patients admitted at weekends are more likely to die following admission than patients admitted to hospital during the week. ‘There are many reasons for this, but the two most important are that the patients are more ill and there are fewer doctors available.’ David Stout, deputy chief executive of the NHS Confederation said: ‘There is no doubt that this is something the NHS has to improve. 'Patients should never have to worry about what is the "right" time to visit their local hospital.’

Chances of recovery are jeopardised because senior doctors are absent and tests are not always available . Study finds that Sunday patients are 16 per cent more likely to die than those admitted on a Wednesday . Health Secretary Andrew Lansley says the findings are 'unacceptable'

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A Detroit-area woman, a member of a select group of the living to have been born in the 19th century, is celebrating a birthday on Friday. Her 115th. Jeralean Talley, who was born May 23, 1899, went fishing last year and still gets around on her own with the help of a walker. She is the oldest living American in the United States. Happy birthday! Jeralean Talley, pictured, turned 115 on Friday . The Inkster resident plans to celebrate with family and friends at a local church on Sunday. On her actual birthday - Friday - Talley is going to the doctor for a checkup, although she says she doesn't feel sick. But Talley's knees occasionally hurt, her right hand shakes, she has a hard time hearing and her memory comes and goes. Her answer as to why she has lived so long hasn't changed over the years. 'It's all in the good Lord's hands,' Talley told the Detroit Free Press. 'There's nothing I can do about it.' Birthday girl: Jeralean Talley, pictured, is the oldest-living American in the United States . Talley is the oldest-living American and the second-oldest person in the world, according to a list maintained by the Gerontology Research Group, which tracks the world's longest-living people. The Gerontology Research Group verified Talley's age using census data. Japan resident Misao Okawa, 116, tops the list. Talley, born Jeralean Kurtz, was married to husband Alfred Talley for 52 years before his death in 1988 at age 95, Time reported last year. Talley is cared for by a 76-year-old daughter who lives with her. Five generations of the family are living in the area, including a great-great-grandson.

Jeralean Talley was born on May 23, 1899 and is the oldest living American in the United States . Says her health is 'all in the good Lord's hands' and she can't do anything about it . Talley is also the second-oldest person in the world .

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(CNN) -- Popular apps for the iPhone and iPad, some of which usually go for up to $20, were being offered for free in Apple's online App Store on Monday, possibly in conjunction with the store's fifth anniversary. Popular games were in abundance on the list, with "Infinity Blade II," "Where's My Water?" and "Tiny Wings" among them. The steepest discount appeared to be Traktor DJ, a suite of tools for mixing and recording music that usually goes for $19.99. MapMyRide+, photo-text app Over and recipe app How to Cook Everything also were among the apps being offered for free Monday. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for more information about the free apps. In May, the App Store passed a staggering 50 billion downloads, according to Apple. It seems likely that the apparent promotion will be part of an effort to commemorate July 10, 2008, the day the App Store went live as an update to iTunes. It increased the appeal of the iPhone, and later the iPad, and created a sales model that has been adopted by rivals like Google, Microsoft and BlackBerry in the years since. That's led to Apple to trademark the term "app store" in an ongoing effort to protect the term. In 2011, Apple filed a lawsuit against Amazon, which rolled out the Amazon App Store along with its entry into the tablet market with the Kindle Fire. Last month, the two companies failed to come to an agreement after new rounds of negotiations. Apple argues that Amazon infringes on its trademark by calling its store that sells apps an "app store." Amazon argues that the words constitute a generic description. The term "app," as applied to computers, dates at least to the 1980s. Google's app store, for users of its mobile Android operating system, is called Google Play. BlackBerry has BlackBerry World, and Microsoft's merely says "Windows Phone" at the top of its mobile store's homepage.

Top iPhone, iPad apps being offered for free . Change comes as Apple App Store's five-year anniversary approaches . Games like "Infinity Blade II," tools like "Map My Ride" on list . Priciest freebie is the normally $19.99 Traktor DJ .

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By . Beth Stebner . PUBLISHED: . 14:59 EST, 4 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:00 EST, 4 October 2012 . Ninety-one people including doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals have been charged with committing $430million in Medicare fraud in seven U.S. cities, Attorney General Eric Holder said on Thursday. An investigation coordinated by the U.S. Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services uprooted alleged false billing schemes involving $230million in home health services, over $100million in mental health services, and $49million from ambulance transportation. Charges range from healthcare fraud and conspiracy to wire fraud, kickback violations, identity theft and money laundering. The number and cost of the alleged fraud makes it the largest bust of its kind, Mr Holder said. Scroll down for video . Serious charges: Dr Robert Kolbusz in Chicago, left, and Dr Joseph Megwa of Dallas, right, were among those indicted for Medicare fraud . Health and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, second right, Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer, second left, FBI Associate Director Kevin Perkins, right, and HHS Inspector General Daniel Levinson listen . Mr Holder . said in a news conference today that the case reveals an alarming trend . of criminal attempts to steal billions of taxpayer dollars for personal profit . The frequency with which Medicare fraud happens – and its scope – is alarming. The strike force team charged 107 doctors, nurses, and other licenced medical care professionals in May 2012 for schemes totalling more than $452million in false billing. There was another takedown by the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) in 2011, involving 115 defendants in nine cities. They were charged with more than $240million in false billings, according to reports. The government has taken significant steps to prevent such fraud. For instance, the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act has required several new requirements –such as teaching senior citizens to identify and report fraud, as well as putting in place fraud detection systems. The FBI names Medicare fraud between three and 10 per cent of all health care billings, according to independent website The Medicare Newsgroup. It is estimated by the organisation that fraud costs between $16billion-$55billion, part of the $590billion Medicare system. 'Today’s enforcement . actions reveal an alarming and unacceptable trend of individuals . attempting to exploit federal health care programs to steal billions in . taxpayer dollars for personal gain,' he said. Assistant Attorney Lanny A. Breuer agreed, adding: ‘Today’s coordinated actions represent one of the largest Medicare . fraud takedowns in Department of Justice history.’ He continued : ‘We have made it one of the Department’s missions to hold . accountable those who abuse the Medicare program for personal profit. Medicare . Fraud Strike Force operations targeted health care workers in seven . cities – Brooklyn, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los . Angeles, and Miami. According to Mr Holder, one doctor alone was writing 33,000 prescriptions for some 2,000 patients between 2006 and 2011. Dr Joseph Megwa, who practices in Dallas, allegedly signed off these documents without reviewing them, causing $103.3million in false billings. According to the Dallas Morning News, the 58-year-old’s alleged defrauding was the costliest. The doctor, who works at Raphem Medical Practice in Arlington, was indicted on conspiracy and health-fraud. The Justice Department alleges that he helped patients in their homes while he was instead travelling abroad. Bilked: Doctors, nurses and other medical professionals in seven different cities allegedly bilked $430million out of Medicare, the largest fraud of its kind . Two nurses, Ferguson Ikhile, and Ebolose Eghobor, were indicted along with the doctor. The three remain in federal custody. Similarly, dermatologist Dr Robert Kolbusz of Chicago was charged with falsely diagnosing his patients and billing Medicare for treatments that were not given, the Chicago Tribune reported. Seven individuals in Houston were . charged for giving kickbacks of cigarettes, coupons, and food to . Medicare recipients who would in turn just watch TV or play games . instead of receiving the services that were billed to Medicare. 'Today's enforcement actions reveal an alarming and unacceptable trend of individuals attempting to exploit federal health care programs to steal billions in taxpayer dollars for personal gain.' -Attorney General Eric Holder . It allegedly led to $158million in fraudulent billing. The announcement marks the latest case in a concerted crackdown against Medicare fraud by an inter-agency Medicare fraud strike force. In Miami alone, 33 suspects were arrested and charged with fraud of more than $200million, according to NBC Miami, though little else is known about those charged in the city. Mr . Breuer said that owners and . operators at one Miami psychiatric hospital gave cash kickbacks to . owners of assisted living facilities in order to obtain more patients. They then billed the social insurance . plan more than $67million, often for services that were never offered, . or patients they never actually had. Mr Breuer added that these 33 medical . professionals then billed Medicare for the cash they used as kickbacks . for their false patients. Mr . Holder condemned the fraud as one that ‘siphons precious taxpayer . resources, drives up heath care costs, and jeopardizes the strength . of the Medicare program.’ He added: ‘They also victimise the most vulnerable members of society, including elderly, disabled, and impoverished Americans.’ The . strike force was created under the healthcare reform law as a means of . curbing waste, fraud and abuse within the $590billion Medicare program . that provides healthcare benefits to nearly 50million elderly and . disabled beneficiaries. In . February of 2011, 111 medical practitioners were charged in a . $225million Medicare fraud, which was then the largest of its kind.

Called largest Medicare fraud takedown in history of program . Medicare Fraud Strike Force targeted seven cities: Brooklyn, Baton Rouge, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami . In Miami, 33 suspects were charged with more than $200m of fraud . In many cases, medical professionals allegedly offered kickbacks to patients, and would bill said kickbacks to Medicare . Many arrested after 24-hour indictments .

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(CNN) -- The legendary Bjorn Borg fueled his success with a daily diet of steak and potatoes. Hell raising stars of the recent past were not adverse to sinking more than a few beers after a tough match. But the modern tennis star is more likely to be teetotal and to stick to a gluten free diet -- avoiding the red meat and carbs which five-time Wimbledon champion Borg apparently ate every day. Doubles stalwart and ATP Player Council member Eric Butorac should know. He's been on the circuit for nearly a decade and rubs shoulders with the likes of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic both on and off the court. "I think the top players have cut alcohol completely out of their diet and the rest of the players to stay competitive have mostly followed suit," Butorac told CNN's Open Court program. "It's funny because actually our tour sponsor is Corona -- so there are Coronas available wherever we want, in the locker room and in the players' lounge but it's surprising that at the end of the week they are often not even touched. Serious endeavor . "For the most part guys treat their bodies like a temple and take it very seriously." Butorac believes the established "Big Four" of Rafael Nadal, Djokovic, Andy Murray and Federer have permanently raised the bar as regards fitness and diet issues and there is no going back. With the rewards for success so large -- $31 million on offer at the 2014 season opening Australian Open -- any small margins gained can be worth a small fortune. "If you look at the amount of money that can be won at the top of the sport or any major sport so you know that line between No.1 and No.5 in the world is worth millions and millions of dollars so I think you see these guys doing every little thing they can to achieve that," added Butorac. Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash said that the move to a great emphasis on fitness and diet started during his glory years in the 1980s and 90s, but his predecessors were not so careful. "I heard stories that the old Aussie greats used to play hard and drink hard and used to have steak and potatoes," said Cash. "I once asked Bjorn Borg 'what did you eat?' and he said 'every day I had a steak and I had potatoes' and he used to play five sets of practice every day and back it up day in day out with steak and potatoes!" Gluten free . Modern superstars such as Djokovic would not dream of that approach and it was the Serbian who started a trend with his gluten free diet, cutting out wheat and treats such as chocolate. "This particular diet changed my life really in a positive way and affected positively my career and my overall feeling on and off the court," Djokovic said. As he charged to No.1 and went through 2011 with just a handful of defeats, others took notice and followed suit. "Novak really made that popular when he really rose to the top," said Butorac. "I don't know if it's a fad or if it's here to stay but it's definitely a thing that a high percentage of the guys on tour now are gluten free or almost primarily gluten free. "I watch them taking strolls around the breakfast bar in France, bypassing the croissants and the pain au chocolats, all the different tempting things and actually staying away from it. It's pretty impressive to see them do it!" They are helped by the more healthy offerings available at the ATP and WTA's official tournaments and with players on the road for half of the year, maybe more, this is vital. "Players are looking to eat a lot of salads, a lot of fruits, pastas and then white meats, chicken and fish are really popular," Butorac said. Healthy options . "The cuisine can vary tournament to tournament but also normally what the tournaments week in week out provide is some really healthy options that allows us to stay very fit." But with this austere regime -- fat free and alcohol free -- has the sheer joie de vivre gone out of the game? "I believe the fun on the tour has dropped," said American Butorac. "There is very little alcohol consumed as players take their matches and practice very seriously. "But the tour is still a great place to be and there is plenty of fun to be had, though the stories we hear about what it was like 'back in the day,' it isn't even close nowadays." The 1987 Wimbledon champion Cash, who retired in 1997, said in his era there was still a high degree of professionalism but the difference has been advances in sports science. "You know more about nutrition. In my day it was all about carbo loading and I think it's slightly different now, it's not just about having carbohydrates because you need protein for your muscles to recover as well," said the Australian great. Butorac, who is 32, has had to battle to earn a living on the ATP Tour and establish himself as the No.3 American doubles player behind the incredible Byran brothers (Bob and Mike). A recent victory in the doubles at the Malaysian Open with Raven Klaasen was proof he is still a force at the top level and aside from attention to diet, Butorac, like many others, is training smarter. "I have become more attuned to listening to my body, when it needs rest, icing, stretching, massage and addressing minor injuries. Inspiring veterans . "Almost every player on tour is hurt or dealing with some sort of minor injury. However, players have all become great at managing these niggles." Butorac takes inspiration from the likes of Tommy Haas -- "playing some of his best tennis in his mid thirties" -- not to mention the 32-year-old Federer, who is the long-time president of the Players Council. Butorac is a vice president on the 10-member board and the group meet about half a dozen times a year to address issues such as prize money, draw sizes and the tour calendar. Player "burn out" has been a hot topic in recent years, making attention to diet and fitness all the more important with the increased demands placed on them. "Players are taking their health very seriously," said Butorac. "Fitness programs have reached new standards and along with that players' diets have become very healthy. "I haven't seen actual chefs with players yet, but I have seen nutritionists who are getting the food for the player out late at night buying specific products that they want to have in their players' body the next day. Modern trend . "And a physiotherapist is often in charge, making sure you have the protein shakes right after the match and also a specific diet that has probably been pre-arranged by a chef or nutritionist." Tennis is not alone in this obsession with fueling the body with the right stuff. "I think this is a trend in all sports though. I hear Steve Nash is a vegetarian and Kobe (Bryant) takes incredible care of his body," said Butorac. At 39 and 35 years of age respectively, the LA Lakers basketball stars serve as a powerful reminder that careers can be prolonged in the most demanding of sports by taking care what you eat.

Modern tennis players stick to rigorous diet plan . Most have cut out alcohol says doubles star Eric Butorac . Novak Djokovic set trend with gluten free diet . Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal lead the way .

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By . Kieran Corcoran . A man whose pregnant partner was killed by their two pit bull-type dogs has walked free from court. Lee Horner, 34, could have been jailed for his illegal dogs’ brutal attack – but was given a community order instead because of the emotional distress of losing his partner. The dogs – named Bella and Dollar - killed 27-year-old Emma Bennett while she was pregnant with her fifth child. Freed: Lee Horner, left, was given a community order and a dog owning ban rather than a custodial sentence because he felt remorse that his illegal dogs killed his pregnant girlfriend Emma Bennet, right . Horner was out at the time, but a neighbour heard Miss Bennett shouting and called police. Officers arrived at the house in Leeds to find the dogs with bloodied snouts, and their victim with severe head and shoulder injuries. Horner admitted breaking the Dangerous Dogs Act by owning the pets, and was sentenced today at Leeds Magistrates’ Court. He was given a community order and 280 hours unpaid work on account of his remorse. He was also banned from keeping dogs for life. Relatives of Miss Bennett say they wish he had been given a custodial sentence. Her brother David Garside said: ‘I’m no graduate of law but I would have at least liked to have seen him sentenced to some time behind bars. ‘I’m worried the authorities won’t be able to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t have dogs.’ Deputy District Judge Tim Spruce made clear the case ‘crossed the custody threshold’ but said he felt it was not appropriate to jail him given the personal loss he had suffered. When Horner appeared before magistrates last month, prosecutors described how Horner was out when police arrived at the house he shared with Miss Bennett in Dawlish Avenue after being alerted by neighbours who heard a noise they first thought was an argument. Miss Bennett was heard to shout: ‘No, no, no.’ Banned: Experts confirmed the two dogs, Bella and Dollar, were illegal pitbull-type animals (file photo) The two officers went inside after getting no response and found the two dogs acting excitably with blood on their snouts. They tried to resuscitate Miss Bennett, who had suffered severe injuries to her face and head, but she did not survive. Prosecutor Vincent O’Malley told the court how two women social workers visited the house in July last year and Horner told one of them: 'Shut it or I’ll set the dog on you.' He said that Horner told the other social worker, who was eight months pregnant at the time: 'What you looking at? Wait until I get the dog and see if you continue looking at me like that.' Sentencing today, Mr Spruce said the legislation was designed to protect the public from certain breeds 'because these animals are inclined to be unpredictable in nature and often with devastating consequences'. The district judge said: 'That unpredictability, those consequences could not be more solemnly illustrated than in the unique and tragic circumstances of the case before the court today. 'Two dogs with no previous recorded history of difficulty, danger or harm have set up their owner in circumstances which may never be entirely clear.' Mr Spruce said: 'This was a truly shocking, tragic and disturbing episode.' He told Horner: 'No sentence this court can impose could possibly compensate or make good or recompense for the loss of a beloved granddaughter, sister, daughter and mother.' The district judge said he was satisfied the defendant did not know the dogs were banned . but also that he made no effort to find out. He said he was 'ambivalent' to the possibility of the risk they posed. 'Those risks are now catastrophically obvious,' Mr Spruce said. He told Horner: 'The devastating consequences of your decision making, Mr Horner, are something you will have to live with for the rest of your life.' Mr Spruce banned Horner from keeping dogs for life. He ordered him to pay £500 towards the destruction of the two dogs and their housing since the incident. He will also have to pay £240 in prosecution costs and a £60 victim surcharge. Horner left court without comment, referring all questions to his solicitor.

Lee Horner, 34, owned illegal dogs which mauled his girlfriend to death . Emma Bennett, 27, was found by police officers next to bloodied dogs . Miss Bennett was eight months pregnant at the time with her fifth child . Horner had previously threatened to 'set the dog on' visitors . Horner was spared jail because of his remorse at losing his partner . After sentencing in Leeds, victim's brother said he wished Horner were jailed .

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By . Ben Endley . PUBLISHED: . 05:20 EST, 25 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 07:28 EST, 25 February 2014 . For many people approaching their 85th birthday, the ideal present is a jumper, socks or a new pair of slippers but Ken Partridge went for something altogether more adventurous. The retired joiner, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, who has battled prostate cancer, celebrated the day by jumping out of a plane at 15,000ft. Ken, who served with the Royal Army Medical Corps and was attached to the elite Ghurka regiment during his national service in 1947, vowed to do a parachute jump himself after seeing sky divers in action on TV. Ken, who served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was attached to the Gurkha regiment in Malaya during his national service in 1947 came up with his sky diving idea after vowing his 85th birthday would be one to remember . After Ken got the go-ahead from his doctor he set up a Just Giving page with a sponsorship target of £2,000 to be donated to Cancer Research - he has already raised more than £700 . Great grandfather Ken comes in to land at the jump centre in Cockerham, Lancaster after exiting a plane 15,000 feet above . Old soldier Ken with an instructor after completing his 15,000ft skydive at Cockerham, near Lancaster last week . Now a great grandfather, he used skills he had learned on a computer course he did for his 80th birthday in 2009 and build a Just Giving donation webpage in the hope of raising £2,000 for Cancer Research UK. On the page Ken joked: 'It will be an . exciting and thrilling experience for me, it will raise much needed . money for a fantastic cause - and it will save money on burial costs . should the chute fail to open!' The widower first mentioned the idea to friends early last year and says they all thought he was mad and daughter Shirley Hutchinson, 60, also took some convincing. Ken in 1948 in Nee Soon during his stint with the Royal Army Medical Corps - he was attached to the Ghurka regiment . Ken (right) with a friend. Before jumping he joked 'it will save money on burial costs should the chute fail to open' Former soldier Ken spurned traditional offers of a jumper and a new pair of socks - and instead completed a parachute jump in aid of charity Cancer Research UK . Ken during National Service in 1948 in Malaysia - he came up with his skydiving idea after vowing his 85th birthday would be one to remember . Ken (right) relaxes with fellow troops in Taiping Perek during his national service in Malaya . A supply drop in Taiping Perek 1948 during Ken's stint with the Royal Army Medical Corps . Ken who has two children, five . grandchildren and five great grandchildren, said: 'When I told Shirley . about the skydive she was dead against it. 'She said "over my dead body will you do a sky dive". But she had to come round to the idea because I was so determined. 'She . wouldn't come and watch me so I had to get my son Keith and my . grand-daughter's husband to all come along. I'm sure they all think I am . mad. 'My grandchildren kept . saying "you're too old grandad" and others called me a daft old bugger . but there was no way I wasn't going to do it once I had my mind set on . it. 'My wife Alice died five . years ago and if she was still here now I don't know what she would say. 'I don't think she would be letting me do it either. As far as I'm . concerned you're never too old to do anything, you've just got to enjoy . yourself.' Last weekend Ken completed his mission at Cockerham, near Lancaster to raise money for cancer research - although daughter Shirley was too nervous to watch. Ken with grandaughters Lauren (left), Emma (second left), Kirsty (centre), great grandson Kieron (front), wife Alice and great grandaughter Amy (right) Then and now: Ken during national service in Malaya (left) and a recent photo of the 85-year-old . Ken with wife Alice, who died five years ago, pictured here in 1986. He has two children, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren . He added: 'I had seen people sky dive on the TV and in films and its something I had always wanted to do but never got round to it. 'Eighty-five is a milestone birthday and I just decided wanted to do something that I would never forget. 'I first mentioned it to my friends at the liberal club on my 84th birthday last year and they all thought I was mad. 'I don't think any of them thought I would go through with it. But then I rang around a few clubs to see if they would take me. 'Most of them only take people under 70 but then I found the Black Knights Parachute Centre. They said they would have me as long as I had a couple of tests and my consultant said it was ok. 'When I told my friends I had been for tests to see if I was fit enough to do it they all asked if I had gone to get my head tested too.' Ken boards the plane at the Black Knights Parachute Centre in Cockerham, near Lancaster . The plane climbing to 15,000ft from where Ken Jumped. He said: 'As far as I'm concerned you're never too old to do anything, you've just got to enjoy yourself' An army medal (left) awarded for Ken's service with the Royal Army Medical Corps and on holiday with late wife Alice in 1985 (right) After Ken got the go-ahead from his doctor he set up a Just Giving page with a sponsorship target of £2,000 to be donated to Cancer Research. He has already raised over £700 on his Just Giving page but says his fundraising isn't over yet. He added: 'The skydive was absolutely fantastic. When we got up there it was freezing. It was about minus 20 outside but I was well prepared for it with all the gear. 'The free fall was out of this world. It was like nothing I had ever experienced. 'It was a clear blue sky and it was just amazing. I can't describe how it felt when I hit the ground. I would definitely do it again, no matter what my age is.' 'One of the instructors told me that I am only the second oldest person to have done the free fall with them because a few years ago a 93-year-old woman did it. 'That means I will just have to go back when I am 94 to make sure I beat her. I am looking at abseiling now. The skydive has given me the adrenaline bug, I'm definitely not going to stop yet.'

Ken Partridge jumped last weekend to raise £2,000 for Cancer Research UK . The retired joiner from Oldham, Greater Manchester, beat prostate cancer . He was attached to elite Ghurka regiment during national service in Malaya . Before jumping he joked: 'I'll save money on burial costs if the chute fails'

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By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 11:06 EST, 20 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:10 EST, 20 March 2013 . From the single person on £75,000 to a couple on £17,000 with two children, this graphic lays bare how you will be affected by tax changes from April. Chancellor George Osborne announced today that the £10,000 personal tax allowance threshold will be reached in 2014, a year ahead of schedule. But one analyst said the Budget largely ignored individuals and warned that the gains for all groups in this graphic do not take account of inflation. Graphic: One analyst told MailOnline that the Budget largely ignored individuals and warned that the gains for all groups in this graphic do not take account of inflation . Tim Gregory, partner at Saffery Champness chartered accountants, told MailOnline: ‘Take something like “married couple with two schoolage children”. ‘If they've got gross income of £50,000, . their gain of £113 is 0.2 per cent. Take out the inflation and they're . worse off to the tune of about 2 per cent.’ He added: ‘There was much more done (in the Budget) at the lower level of income and it was positive. There was virtually nothing done, either positively or negatively, for those on higher income. ‘You've also got the new employment allowance allowing a £2,000 cut in national insurance for an employer who's taking on new employees. ‘I don't think there’s any particular incentive to have children, but there is more help. People are encouraged financially if they do have children.’ Mr Gregory used the graphic to compare the unmarried couple with two schoolage children and the married pensioner couple under 75. He said: ‘You can see that the couple with the children are benefiting a lot more. The incomes are broadly similar. So that suggests additional help.’ Another graphic (right) also showed a highly-paid professional earning less than twice the other one will be gaining more than twice the other. Mr Gregory said: ‘It's simply because the richer one is currently paying tax at 50 per cent on far more of their income than the other one. ‘So the cut to 45 per cent will benefit that person, so it's really only to be expected as a result of the tax cut coming in next month.’ Bringing forward the allowance rise to £10,000 will mean a cumulative cash benefit for typical basic rate taxpayers of £705 since the Coalition began. From April, it will go up as planned to £9,440 - a £200 boost for 24million taxpayers. The basic and higher rates of income tax will remain the same. It will also mean 2.7 million working age adults have been taken out of income tax altogether in the new financial year. Mr Osborne said: ‘It's a historic achievement for this government and for hard-working families across the country.’ The Government has also stuck by its decision to reduce the top rate of tax on earnings over £150,000 from 50p to 45p next month. Campaign group the TaxPayers' Alliance said the personal allowance increase would help to ease the burden of high living costs.

Single person earning £15,000 will gain £286 in 2013/14 ++ Single person earning £6,000 with one child will gain £165 . Unmarried couple on £17,000 with two schoolchildren will gain £636 ++ Married couple earning £55,000 will gain £571 . Married couple with two schoolchildren on £50,000 will gain £113 ++ Single professional earning £75,000 will gain £65 . Saffery Champness analyst Tim Gregory says of Budget: 'Much more done at lower income level and it was positive'

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Chelsea have the highest calibre team in world football when measured in terms of the number of stars who have made full international appearances in 2014. Jose Mourinho’s first-team squad, currently top of the Premier League, favourites for the title and still on course for an historic quadruple, is comprised of a group where almost four in five have played for their countries this year. And those who haven’t, like captain John Terry, are recent full internationals or current age-group internationals. Chelsea, with the likes of Gary Cahill (left) and Cesc Fabregas, have the highest calibre team in world football when measured in terms of the number of stars who have made full international appearances in 2014 . Chelsea’s ‘active internationals’ percentage of players is 78.3 per cent, according to new figures published in a ‘digital atlas’ by expert analysts from the Football Observatory in Switzerland. This places Chelsea at No 1 in Europe - and the world - ahead of Real Madrid in second place. The richest team in on planet football may be able to splash more money than anyone else on stars from Gareth Bale to James Rodriguez but ‘only’ 77.3 per cent of their squad have played full internationals this year. Barcelona are in third place (74.1 per cent), Bayern Munich in fourth (73.1 per cent) and Borussia Dortmund in fifth place (71.4 per cent). Both of those German teams contain multiple members of the triumphant World Cup-winning team this summer. The leading five clubs are followed by three more from England in Manchester City (70.8 per cent), Liverpool (68 per cent) and Arsenal (66.7 per cent), with PSG of France (65.2 per cent) and Zenit St Petersburg of Russia (58.3 per cent) rounding out the top 10. Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United do not appear on the list until 15th place (53.6 per cent, the same as Tottenham - and below Everton (55.6 per cent). The ‘active’ element of the measurement is key because it indicates that the players concerned are at the top of their game, being picked for their countries, not retired, and not merely ‘up and coming.’ United’s ratio of full active internationals is so relatively low because Van Gaal has been forced - or has chosen - to use so many young players this campaign, uncapped as yet by their countries at senior level. Among them are Tyler Blackett, 20, Jesse Lingard, 22, Paddy McNair 19, Tom Thorpe, 21 and 19-year-old James Wilson. Real Madrid are in second place with the likes of James Rodriguez and Cristiano Ronaldo picking up caps . Chelsea’s ‘active internationals’ which includes Andre Schurrle (above) percentage of players is 78.3 per cent . Louis van Gaal's Manchester United side don't feature until No 15 on the list with 53.6 per cent . Premier League squads collectively have a higher ratio of full ‘active’ international players than any other top division in Europe. Of all English top-flight players, 43.5 per cent have played for their countries this year. Germany’s Bundesliga is next best (34.1 per cent) followed by Russia’s top division (26.2 per cent) then Serie A (25.3 per cent), France's Ligue 1 (22 per cent) and La Liga (21 per cent). Within the Premier League, Chelsea are clear of City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton, Tottenham and United and then a surprise contender fills eighth place in England - Stoke City, where half the current squad have won full caps this year. West Brom’s multi-national team is next then Southampton. The teams with the lowest amount of active internationals in England are Burnley (15.4 per cent), West Ham and QPR (both 17.9 per cent). The digital atlas is free to use and allows anyone to compare the relative strengths and weakness of more than 500 teams across 31 European top-flight leagues. Sergio Aguero's Manchester City are in sixth place with 70.8 per cent .

78.3 per cent of Chelsea squad made full international appearances in 2014 . Chelsea top active internationals list with Real Madrid in second . Manchester United in 15th place with just 53.6 per cent . Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund feature in top five . Premier League has more internationals than any other league .

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Theirs were the faces that stood out in the chaotic helicopter evacuation off the Sinjar Mountains. Tears streamed down the cheeks of 15-year-old Aziza Hamid and her 17-year-old sister, Dunya, who were among a lucky few to fight their way onto an Iraqi helicopter, a scene captured this week by a CNN crew on the flight taking food and water to thousands trapped by extremist fighters. Two days later, CNN's Ivan Watson tracked the girls and some of their family members to the third floor of a derelict building in Zakho, Iraq, a makeshift shelter where roughly 1,000 Yazidis with nowhere to go have taken refuge. Inside, the girls, their brothers and their 16-month-old cousin are confined with their meager belongings to a few feet of bare concrete. "You no have food. You no have drink. You no have sleep. It is very, very poor," the girls' brother, Kareem, told Watson on Wednesday. "It's no good." 'Heroic' mission rescues desperate Yazidis from ISIS . Their plight, like so many, began more than a week ago when they fled into the surrounding mountains when ISIS fighters stormed the town of Sinjar. Thousands are believed to be on the mountain, trapped without food, water or medical care in the summer heat. U.S. President Barack Obama ordered targeted airstrikes last week, partly to protect the Yazidis and others fleeing ISIS. He also ordered humanitarian airdrops. A mass evacuation of Yazidis is unlikely following an assessment by the U.S. State Department and military that found far fewer people were trapped than previously feared. Once believed to be in the tens of thousands, the number of Yazidis in the mountains is "now in the low thousands," Brett McGurk, a deputy assistant secretary of state, told CNN on Wednesday. Part of the reason for the drop in the number trapped is the airstrikes and humanitarian airdrops, as well as Iraqi helicopter evacuations, McGurk said. For now, those escaping continue to do so either by helicopter or a treacherous journey on foot. Who are the Yazidis? ISIS fighters have vowed to kill the Yazidis, calling them "devil worshipers." Yazidis, one of the world's smallest and oldest religious minorities, are members of a pre-Islamic sect with its roots in Zoroastrianism. It has ties to Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. When ISIS advanced on Sinjar, an ancestral home for many Yazidis, the Hamid family was forced to flee. "I was happy we survived, but I was sad and worried about my father," Dunya told Watson. The girls' father, like so many, refused to leave their hometown of Sinjar ahead of the ISIS advance. "We all tried hard to convince my dad but he refused to leave the house," the girls' other brother, Thabed Hamid, said. "He said it would be a humiliation. I decided I couldn't let them capture girls and the women. So we left." The family didn't make it far in their car before they ran into ISIS fighters, who were shooting at fleeing Yazidis on a bridge. Who are the religious and ethnic groups under threat from ISIS? "I jumped out of the car and off the bridge," Aziza says, "because I was scared of ISIS." From there, they made their way up the mountain in the sweltering Iraqi summer heat. "If we were able to find a tree where we could rest in the shade, we were lucky," Dunya said. "For the first four days we had no food, only water. Any bread we found we fed to the little kids to keep them alive." It would be days before they learned their father's fate. On Tuesday, they learned in a cellular telephone call their father was still alive. He escaped Sinjar and is on the mountain, the girls told Watson.

Far fewer Yazidis are trapped than previously feared, officials say . Sisters Aziza and Dunya Hamid escape mountain in a helicopter rescue . CNN's Ivan Watson tracked them down at a makeshift shelter in Zakho . They found out their father, who stayed behind, was safe .

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By . Lizzie Parry . A gene linked to obesity is thought to trigger hunger pangs and affect a person's ability to resist impulse eating, a new study has found. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. said it could explain why people with the gene struggle to maintain a healthy weight as they age, suggesting some people are predisposed to becoming obese. Various studies have linked versions of the FTO gene to chronic obesity, but scientists have struggled to determine how the gene affects a person's likelihood to be obese, Ruth Loos, director of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York told CBS News. The new study has found middle-aged and older people with one or two copies of the FTO gene, appear to eat more high-calorie and fatty foods as they get age. Scientists at the National Institutes for Health in the U.S. have found a gene linked to obesity could trigger hunger pangs in carriers, and affect their ability to resist the impulse to eat high-calorie, fatty foods. File picture . Scans of the 700 participants in the study found lower brain function in the parts of the brain that govern a person's impulsivity and perceptions of food texture and taste. Senior author of the report, Dr Madhav Thambisetty, chief of clinical and translational neuroscience at the National Institute on Aging's Laboratory of Behavioural Neuroscience said: 'Sure enough, people who carry one or two copies of the FTO variant show increased intake of high-calorie or fatty food as they age. 'There may be a common biological factor underlying both the risk for obesity during aging as well as obesity-related behavior like your ability to resist impulse eating.' The findings, published in the journal of Molecular Psychiatry, found 45 per cent of participants had at least one copy of the FTO gene. Around 16 per cent of those taking part had two copies of the pro-obesity gene - giving a greater risk of a person becoming obese. A person's body mass index increased in those participants with one or two copies of the FTO gene variant. Researchers then compared the brain scans of those with the gene, and those without, to detect differences in brain function. The findings suggest those carriers of the FTO-gene have a predisposition to becoming obese . The results showed people with the FTO-variant had lower activity in the part of their brains scientists believe controls impulses and the response to taste and texture of food. A final step in the study saw the scientists review participants' personality and dietary habits. They found those with a genetic risk of becoming obese, those with the FTO gene, were more likely to be more impulsive and eat more fatty foods as they aged. The results mean for those with a greater genetic risk of obesity will face an uphill battle to maintain a healthy weight. But Ms Loos said the study does not prove a genetic predisposition to obesity means a person will be obese. She said: 'You may be genetically susceptible, but by living a healthy lifestyle you can overcome your genetics. You are not destined to be obese.'

Scientists in the U.S. have found carriers of the FTO gene are more likely to succumb to impulsive hunger pangs and prefer high-calorie foods . Study could explain why people with the gene struggle to maintain a healthy weight as they get older . Findings suggest some people are predisposed to becoming obese .

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By . Daniel Mills . Lance Corporal Todd John Chidgey died in a non-combat incident in Afghanistan . Lance Corporal Todd Chidgey, the Australian who died in Afghanistan from a 'non-combat related incident,' was a consummate gentleman who always remembered birthdays and loved Manchester United - but never spoke of wanting to join the army. The family of the soldier, who was found by friends with a gunshot wound about 2pm on Tuesday, said they were bewildered at Todd's decision to join the special forces in 2006 in a statement they released after the soldier's death on Tuesday. Parents Kerrie Baker and Adam Chidgey said although he became accustomed to the discipline, structure and camaraderie of military life, they were mystified when he told them of his plans to pursue a military career back in 2006. 'The reason is still a mystery to us,' Ms Baker and Mr Chidgey said. 'But Todd had his heart set on joining Special Forces, so he put his heart and soul into the selection process.' As well as a fighter, they said Todd was a man who put his family first and would often be found playing in the park with brothers Adam and Paul or cheering on his favourite NRL side the Canterbury Bulldogs with cousin Gareth. 'If you were his friend, he'd stick by you and he was a champion of the underdog ... he was just so loyal and seemed to have been born mature,' they said. Lance Corporal Chidgey was on his sixth tour of Afghanistan when he was found dead in the Australian headquarters at the main coalition base in Kabul on Tuesday. He was farewelled during a special memorial in Kabul and a ramp ceremony will be held when his body is returned to Australia. A special memorial service was held for Lance Corporal Todd Chidgey this week at Kabul . Todd Chidgey was found by his military friends on Tuesday with a 'non-combat' gun shot wound . Defence has refused to go into the details surrounding the 29-year-old's death while an investigation is pending, but in the meantime Todd's parents have sent their heartfelt appreciation to his 2nd Commando Regiment who found him injured inside the Kabul administration building. 'We would like to take this opportunity to praise the 2nd Commando Regiment for the support they've given us during this sad time,' the statement said. 'They have become extended members of our family, and our hearts are with them as we all deal with the loss of Todd.' More... Bomb disposal team shut Brisbane streets after police found taser, fireworks and wires in paper bag in hotel room . Moving images depicting prisoners of war, walking wounded and acts of kindness from the First World War go on display to mark its centenary . Defence said he was a 'consummate professional' who earned the respect of his comrades through dedication and hard work. 'Lance Corporal Chidgey's colleagues in the 2nd Commando Regiment have described him as a brilliant bloke to know and work with, who was loyal to the core and would do anything for his mates,' Defence said in a statement. The decorated soldier was born in Gosford, NSW and joined the Australian Defence Force in 2006. He was posted to what is now the 2nd Commando Regiment, serving in Afghanistan on tours ranging from two weeks to six months. At the time of his death, Lance Corporal Chidgey was part of the protective security detachment providing protection for a senior Australian officer. The lance corporal was found by colleagues in an administration building at the Kabul base with the gunshot wound about 2pm on Tuesday (file photo) He is the 41st Australian soldier to die in Afghanistan. Australia has now ended involvement in combat operations in Afghanistan but about 400 personnel remain in a variety of jobs, including headquarters staff and Afghan National Army mentors. Lance Corporal Chidgey is survived by his mother, father, brothers and partner. Defence Force chief Mark Binskin on Wednesday said after the incident he soldier was taken to a nearby medical facility for emergency treatment. 'Sadly, the soldier's injuries were too severe and he later died surrounded by his mates,' he said. Defence Force chief Mark Binskin would not reveal what happened to the solider but he is Australia's 41st soldier to die in Afghanistan . The base was in lock down last night so evidence could be collected and the Defence Force has since launched an investigation. 'It is critical that we let this investigation take its course, to examine the evidence and establish the facts rather than to speculate about the details or circumstances surrounding the incident,' Air Chief Marshal Binskin said. Defence offered its condolences to the soldier's family and friends. So did Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss who described the incident as tragic considering Australia's engagement in Afghanistan had largely ended. 'We don't know a great deal about the details as yet but I certainly extend sympathy to the family and friends of the soldier whose life has been lost. Our feelings are with the family,' he said. Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss described the incident as tragic considering Australia's engagement in Afghanistan had largely ended . Australia has now ended involvement in combat operations in Afghanistan but some 400 personnel remain in a variety of jobs, including headquarters staff and Afghan National Army mentors. There's also a significant security presence to guard against both Taliban or insider attacks. The last Australian soldier to die in Afghanistan was another Commando, Corporal Cameron Baird, killed on June 22, 2013 and subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross. When asked about post-traumatic stress disorder in the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Binskin said: 'I am confident in what Defence does in the mental health space'. In 2013, former Middle East commander, retired major General John Cantwell, warned of a looming tsunami of PTSD among those who have served in recent operations. Australia has now ended involvement in combat operations in Afghanistan but some 400 personnel remain in a variety of jobs, including headquarters staff and Afghan National Army mentors .

Parents Adam Chidgey and Kerrie Baker said Todd's decision to join army was a 'mystery' to the family . A family statement said he loved Canterbury Bulldogs and spending time with family . Lance Corporal Todd John Chidgey was found by colleagues with a gunshot wound at Kabul base at 2pm on Tuesday . Defence Force hasn't revealed details about the incident . Soldier was taken to a nearby medical facility but later died from injuries .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 7:58 PM on 11th January 2012 . Hero: Gareth Bellingham died after going to the rescue of an injured Afghan civilian . A hero soldier was shot dead as he went to the rescue of an Afghan civilian injured by a land mine. Private Gareth Bellingham died in a hail of bullets after being ambushed by insurgents in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province. The 22-year-old had heroically broken cover to help aid the stricken civilian injured by an explosive device on June 18 - but was fatally hit in the neck. An inquest on Tuesday into Pte Bellingham's death heard how the soldier - who was serving with the 3 Mercian . (Staffords) - was on a patrol providing protection for a meeting between . his commanding officer and local nationals. His role was to clear a path for the patrol using a metal detector to find improvised explosive devices (IEDs). But when a civilian was injured by an IED outside of the patrol zone, Pte Bellingham was sent to clear a path to the man. Captain Matthew Hickmott, who was in charge of the unit, said: 'He moved from his position, but he hadn’t gone very far when there was small arms fire. 'Our unit returned fire, and I radioed base and gave them as much information as possible. 'There was at least two of them firing at us. One with a machine gun and one with an automatic rifle. Devastated: Private Bellingham's parents, Les and Kimberley, look on as their son's body is repatriated in June . Tribute: Flags and a cross are pictured at a memorial to Private . Bellingham, described by his father as a 'proud, upstanding soldier' 'I shouted three times to Pte Bellingham but he did not respond. I went towards him and he was completely unresponsive.' As the fire fight continued around him, Cpt Hickmott administered first aid to Pte Bellingham, before being relieved by the unit’s medic. Send-off: Hundreds of friends and colleagues gathered to pay tribute to Private Bellingham at his funeral in Newcastle-under-Lyme . Once the fight was over, Pte Bellingham’s colleagues carried him to a point where he could be transported back to his base. Cpt Hickmott added: 'It’s a testament to Gareth’s character how hard everyone worked to save him, including the Afghan National Army, and even some local nationals. 'I hadn’t known Pte Bellingham very well before deployment, but we had built quite a close working relationship. 'He . had developed a reputation for being an excellent operator of the metal . detector. He had set the record for the number of sweeps he could do in . a short space of time.' Following the inquest yesterday, Pte Bellingham’s dad, Leslie, paid tribute to his son. The . 50-year-old, also from Clayton, Stoke-on-Trent, said: 'Gareth’s death . has left a void in our lives, but I would like people to remember him as . a proud, upstanding soldier. 'We already knew how the Afghans had worked hard to save him, but hearing it in evidence brought it home.' North Staffordshire coroner Ian Smith ruled Pte Bellingham, from Clayton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs, was unlawfully killed.

Gareth Bellingham died in Helmand Province in June . Soldier hit in the neck after heroically breaking cover .

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A guard who lost his job after taking a photo during a visit from President Obama has spoken out about being fired - saying it was 'unjust'. Kenneth Tate, 47, a security guard who worked at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, embarrassed the Secret Service and was thrown into a political firestorm last month - but has said all he wanted out of the encounter was a picture to show his 81-year-old mom. He was fired from his $42,000 job after getting too close to the President's security detail during a visit on September 16, and taking a picture of the assembled cars. 'Injustice': Kenneth Tate, 47, said he unfairly lost his job after he took a photograph during a visit by President Obama - and also embarrassed the Secret Service by riding next to him in an elevator while armed . Speaking to the New York Times in the wake of the sacking, Tate called the events which lost him his position 'a nightmare' and 'unjust'. He also spoke out about the scandal that erupted when it emerged he was armed during the encounter with Obama - contrary to rules which state that only Secret Service agents can have firearms in the President's presence. The revelation came as an embarrassment to the service, which was still reeling from accusations of incompetence after letting a man armed with a knife hop the White House fence and charge inside. Secret Service Director Julia Pearson resigned soon after. Tate says he was never told to surrender his gun, and was in the elevator because it was his job. He told the Times: 'From the reports, I was some stranger that entered the elevator. I mean, I was appointed.' 'Tarnished': Tate is now unemployed after losing his CDC job, and says his good name has been smeared . Before it emerged the day had cost him his livelihood, Tate said he was proud to have met the President - who shook his hand and asked his name. A Secret Service agent apparently quipped that this was remarkable, as he had never been acknowledged by Obama in two years. But speaking later, he said the day tarnished his reputation. He said: 'It's a nightmare. My whole life's been changed upside-down.' 'How do you go anywhere when it seems like the doors have been closed on you, your reputation tarnished, the embarrassment? Recalling the encounter, he said: 'He [Obama] acknowledged me, he asked me what my name was and extended his hand and shook my hand. 'I was trying to get a picture of them leaving, and I was unsuccessful. 'At the end part I tried to take a picture of them leaving. The motorcade was driving, they were parked, getting ready to leave. 'I tried to get a picture for my mom, she's 81 years old, just to show that I had met the President. 'When I got back the agents stated that somebody was going to lose their job, because nobody ever got that close to the motorcade. 'I didn't know it was going to be me. 'Two days later I was told to bring my statement in - when I was bringing my statement in the captain told me I didn't need it because the CDC had already taken me off the contract.' Tate, who is now unemployed, has never been given an official explanation for his sacking. He was not directly employed by the CDC, but worked for a company called Professional Security Corporation. His son, who also worked at the CDC headquarters, also lost his job two weeks later - which the organization blamed on 'downsizing'. A Secret Service source indicated that Tate's account is a fair summary of what happened that day - though an executive at his old company told the Times his description was 'not correct' - but would not elaborate. Embarrassment: Revelations about Obama's CDC visit came as the Secret Service was under fire - and resulted in the resignation of its director, Julia Pearson (pictured)

Kenneth Tate, 47, was a security guard with the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia . Was on duty when Obama visited - and met the President in an elevator . Embarrassed the Secret Service when it emerged he was armed at the time . Later that day he took a picture of Obama's motorcade to show his mom . Was told he had breached security protocol taking picture, and lost job . Says the action was 'unjust' as he did not disobey any instructions .

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(CNN) -- "My thighs cramping up on the very first day ... the mental trauma ... physical adversity ... I felt a great deal of fear wondering how I would make it through the next month," says Akshay Nanavati. The 30-year-old American businessman and former Marine is describing his 28-day run across Greenland in 2012, dragging a 190-pound sled. "Waking up, swallowing down the most disgusting freeze-dried food, packing up our tents and skiing for up to 12 hours a day in temperatures so cold that on some days my entire beard would be covered in ice. "This was my life for one month, except for the five days we were stuck in storms so powerful, the inside of our tent sounded like a washing machine." Nanavati finally completed the journey 20 pounds lighter in bodyweight, with mild frostbite on his fingertips, a swollen ankle and a sunburned nose. And he's going to do it all again, about 190 times. His mission is to run across every country in the world in the next 20-25 years. There is no globally accepted definition for the number of countries in the world. The United Nations puts the figure at 193 and the U.S. State Department puts it at 195. But that's a lot of running, whichever authority you listen to. It's the first time this specific feat has been attempted, though other similar attempts have been recorded, and this former Marine is doing it in reaction to a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) diagnosis he received after returning from a seven-month deployment in Iraq. "When I returned home from Iraq, the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) diagnosed me with PTSD," Nanavati tells CNN. "I see now that it is not PTSD but post traumatic growth that has led to my decision to run across the world, because I choose to do something that inspires me to wake up every morning in order to make my life and the world better." Making history . Tom Denniss became the fastest person to run a loop around the globe -- more than 20 countries -- from 2011 to 2013. Robert "the runningman" Garside trekked across 30 countries in five years during the late 1990s. (Editor's note: An earlier version of this story included information about Garside's run that has since been removed.) Starting with four crossings covering 125 miles (201 kilometers), around the Caribbean islands -- Barbados, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda -- in June 2014, Nanavati aims to complete 20 countries by May 2015. The runner's troubled history . "I began running at the age of 18 after recovering from a life of drugs that killed two of my friends," he says. "Running and physical fitness became my way out of that life and into the Marines. "It replaced the high I got from drugs." The adrenaline junkie then discovered skydiving, mountain biking, scuba diving, rock climbing, ice climbing; "anything that forced me to face my fears," he says on his website. Then came the Marines, Operation Iraqi Freedom and the PTSD diagnosis. If the runs themselves don't sound tough enough, Nanavati also plans to do it all while still running his current business, Existing2Living, which aims to help people achieve their potential. That business will help with the funding of the trips, and he has some small sponsorships too, from running shoe manufacturers. The most challenging trip will be one crossing Israel and Jordan, a 550-mile (885-kilometer) run planned for December 2014. "Running allows me to experience the spectrum of the human condition: ultimate bliss, extreme suffering, complete stillness where there is no past and future and everything in between. "In one run, I get to experience an entire human life." His most hotly anticipated run will be across Rwanda, currently planned for August 2014. "I wrote my history thesis about the genocide and am very fascinated by the resilience of humanity displayed by the people in [Rwanda]," says Nanavati. "Not only will that trip involve the run across Rwanda, it will involve working with genocide survivors as well -- the overall mission of this project is about connecting with humanity." Pain, fear and extra shoes . His mission will depend on meticulous planning and a willingness to embrace fear, he says. "Every time I look at my itinerary and realize how much work I have to do, not just in terms of training, but also in terms of logistical planning, it terrifies me," says Nanavati. He replace shoes every 350 miles (560 kilometers), requiring at least two pairs on each run. "I have to not only plan for my next few runs, but plan for the ones after that as well to ensure success. "On a 50-kilometer (31-mile) run last weekend, I went through many moments where I asked myself, 'Do I really want to do this for the rest of my life?'" "But as soon as I got back home, I found a 50-miler (80-kilometer run) that I want to run next because, despite the pain, there is nothing like that feeling of reward that comes with accomplishing something that pushed your mind, body and spirit to its limits."

Akshay Nanavati plans to run across every country in the world . He aims to complete around 20 countries by May 2015, with the whole project likely to take up to 20 years . The toughest run will be the one crossing Israel and Jordan while Rwanda's run is his most anticipated trip . Nanavati says meticulous planning, positive attitude towards fear and extra shoes will help to fulfill his mission .

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OLLANTAYTAMBO, Peru (CNN) -- Stand anywhere in the Peruvian town of Ollantaytambo and look up. If your eyes don't fix on a magnificent Andes mountain peak, then you will surely be looking at one of the Incan ruins in the immediate area. Ollantaytambo offers spectacular views of a charming village, ancient ruins and magnificent mountains. No need to worry about a crick in your neck; the view at eye level is just as pretty. There are no neon signs, no hotels or restaurants with names that you will recognize, just charming local businesses set on cobblestone streets. Narrow chutes frame the streets and carry water from the mountaintops through town, toward the railroad tracks, and into the Urubamba River. The locals are easily recognized in their brightly colored hand-woven clothing -- bright blue, orange and red shirts and skirts -- as they go about their daily business, whether tending the nearby fields or guiding a mule carrying firewood. When planning a trip to the area's star attraction -- the mountaintop Incan ruins of Machu Picchu -- this gem of a town in Peru's Sacred Valley is not to be missed. The Sacred Valley is the area between Cusco -- the historic capital of the Incan Empire and the tourism gateway -- and Machu Picchu, which was recently voted one of the new seven wonders of the world. Typically, visitors who plan to stay overnight in the Sacred Valley are trying to adjust to the altitude before heading to the higher and larger city of Cusco. Acclimating to elevations of more than 11,000 feet above sea level is a good reason to head directly down to the valley after arriving at the Cusco Airport, but the tiny town called Ollantaytambo is another great reason to set aside at least a couple of your vacation days. Ollantaytambo is one of those rare places where you'd rather look at the beauty through the naked eye than through the lens of a camera. The camera just doesn't seem to capture the "wow" factor. During the dry season from April to October, the sky between the surrounding peaks is often a piercing azure blue. But visitors can't be expected to stand on a street corner taking in the view all day, and thankfully, there is plenty to do in this old Incan village. The main attraction, the Ollantaytambo Ruins, a former Incan fortress, attracts busloads of day trippers that unload by the market. From down the street, you can see the tourists climbing the many terraces that, during Incan times, were used for agriculture and decorative purposes. The highest point on the hill is where you will find the unfinished Temple of the Sun. On tours, visitors learn that these ruins were built in the shape of a llama, and guides will point out the face of the Incan sun god carved on the side of the neighboring mountain. You need to purchase a ticket to visit this site. Across town are other Incan sites, also visible from the town's cobblestone corners, where you can hike up to the ruins free of charge. There are many nice walks around the town, and the local museum has a display on the wall that lists the time they should take and the area to cover. If you want a break from the ruins, try white-water rafting, mountain climbing or horseback riding. And if you can't get enough of the natural beauty, opt for a bicycle trip down the Ambra Malaga Pass. Bicycle trip organizers will drive you up and drop you off on an asphalt road at about 14,000 feet above sea level, and you ride -- or really glide -- down on bicycles. Make sure your body has acclimated to the altitude of Ollantaytambo, which is about 9,186 feet, before you embark on this tour. The ride offers great views of the snow-capped Mount Veronica, and you'll see livestock grazing and patches of land being tended by farmers. The entire trip takes from three to four hours and costs about $40 per person. Once you have worked up an appetite, you can easily find a good meal in Ollantaytambo. A hearty local dish, lomo saltado, is served in most restaurants. This Peruvian dish is a stir fry that includes steak tidbits, white rice, french fries, onions and tomatoes in a brown gravy. If lomo saltado isn't adventurous enough for you, try alpaca or cuy (guinea pig). You can wash your meal down with a Pisco sour, the national drink in Peru, made with Pisco brandy, sugar, lemon juice and an egg white. There are enough restaurants to choose from, and in some establishments, the food is as good as the fancy places you will find in Cusco. There are several trains a day between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu, so it's feasible to do a day trip to visit the main attraction. It's about a two-hour drive to get to Ollantaytambo from the airport or Cusco's city center, and it costs no more than $30 U.S. by taxi. Buses are available and cost a lot less. Whether you take the bus, train or taxi, consider a stop in this impressive Incan town as you check the nearby world wonder off your list.

In Ollantaytambo, Peru, you can see magnificent mountains and Incan ruins . The Temple of the Sun is at the highest point of the Ollantaytambo Ruins . Nearby, you can go white-water rafting, mountain climbing or horseback riding .

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Earlier this month, the Mawer family jetted off on their summer holiday from Gatwick. Instead of getting up horrendously early for the three-hour drive from Bath to the airport, we chose the far more civilised option of staying in a hotel at Gatwick the night before. We booked in to the new Hampton by Hilton London Gatwick Airport (hamptoninn3.hilton.com), paying £84 B&B for a family of four. Scroll down for video . Enjoy a lie in: The Hampton by Hilton hotel is joined to Gatwick's North Terminal by a 50-yard walkway . Good night's sleep: Rooms at the Hampton by Hilton London Gatwick Airport are sound-proofed . In terms of convenience, the location is hard to improve on. The hotel is joined to Gatwick's North Terminal by a 50-yard walkway, and even if your flight is from the South Terminal, it's still a great location: the shuttle train between the terminals is a short walk away. The hotel's bedrooms are perfectly sound-proofed and comfy, with big walk-in showers. In our room, the sofa bed was a bit of a squeeze for our two boys, but the moment I politely pointed this out to the receptionist, she gave us a second room at no extra cost - thanks to the chain's no-quibble satisfaction guarantee. After a very decent breakfast, we made our way in leisurely fashion directly to airport security. We'd checked in our bags the previous evening - another advantage of staying overnight at the airport. If you fancy doing the same this summer, here are my tips for booking affordable airport hotels... A night at the Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport will cost £49 to £63, room-only, if you book for a night in the next few weeks. But book now for January and the cost is £35 on most nights . Short stroll: Guests can walk to Gatwick's North Terminal or catch the shuttle train to the South Terminal . BOOK WELL AHEAD . Though the price at the Gatwick Hampton by Hilton doesn't vary much, at other hotels rates can be a good deal cheaper if you book well ahead. For example, a night at the Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport (premierinn.com) will cost £49 to £63, room-only, if you book for a night in the next few weeks. But book now for January and the cost is £35 on most nights. At the Premier Inn London Heathrow Airport (Bath Road), the rates for January are as low as £29. COMPARE THE DEALS . Go to Holiday Extras (holidayextras.co.uk), an agent specialising in airport hotels. Its website shows you at a glance the rates on your chosen night at a wide selection of hotels - along with detailed information on each hotel and hundreds of guest reviews. Also look at gosimply.com, which compares airport hotel rates from other agents. At some airport hotels, a night's stay plus parking can cost little more than the cost of parking on its own . Cutting the cost: The Premier Inn Heathrow Airport was charging £114.85 for a 15-night Sleep, Park, Fly package in early September . CONSIDER PARK-AND-STAY . At some airport hotels, the cost of the night's stay and a week or fortnight's parking can come to little more than the cost of airport parking on its own. In early September at the Premier Inn Heathrow Airport (Bath Road), I was quoted £114.85 for a 15-night Sleep, Park, Fly package. Parking on its own would cost £106.26. BEWARE 'CHEAPER' OPTIONS . Staying at a 'cheaper' hotel a few miles from the airport can be a false economy. Lengthy transfers from the hotel to the airport can not only waste time but also cost extra. The website holidayextras.co.uk usefully indicates the time and cost of the transfers.

Overnight stay is a civilised option and bags can be checked in night before . Hampton by Hilton London Gatwick Airport costs £84 for family of four . Rooms are sound-proofed and hotel offers no-quibble guarantee . Cost of stay can come to little more than cost of airport parking . But staying at a hotel a few miles from the airport can be a false economy .

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Giglio, Italy (CNN) -- The captain of the ill-fated Costa Concordia may have made "significant" errors that led to the vessel's wreck Friday and subsequent deaths of at least five people, the cruise line said late Sunday. "The route of the vessel appears to have been too close to the shore, and the captain's judgment in handling the emergency appears to have not followed standard Costa procedures," Costa Cruises said in a statement. The ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, was detained Saturday for alleged manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship while passengers were still on board, chief prosecutor Francesco Verusio told Italy's ANSA state news agency. Schettino himself joined Costa Cruises as a safety officer in 2002 before being appointed captain four years later, the company said. First officer Ciro Ambrosio was being detained for questioning on similar charges, prosecutor Verusio said. Even with its admission that mistakes were made, the Genoa-based cruise company -- whose parent firm, Carnival Corp., did not respond Sunday to requests from CNN for more information -- defended the ship's crew in the face of criticism. "It is becoming clear that the crew of the Costa Concordia acted bravely and swiftly to help evacuate more than 4,000 individuals during a very challenging situation," the company said, adding all crew members are trained, and the passengers earlier took part in an evacuation drill. Survivors have described the scene -- after the ship hit rocks near the island of Giglio, off the coast of Tuscany, and turned over on its side -- as "chaos." "It was just battling, mad scrambles," U.S. student Brandon Warrick said of the fight to board lifeboats, describing it as "a giant every man for himself." His sister Amanda said she feared she was going to die as they waited for up to two hours for rescue. "Waiting was definitely the worst. Because we didn't know who was going to be coming, how much longer we would have to wait," she said. Authorities have said at least 20 were injured due to the incident, in addition to those killed. That death toll includes two elderly people whose bodies were found, with their life jackets on, near one of the ship's restaurants, Italian Coast Guard spokesman Capt. Cosimo Nicastro told reporters Sunday. Hours earlier, crews rescued a ship employee trapped in a ship restaurant. The man -- an Italian purser whose name was not released -- was suffering from hypothermia when rescue crews found him, said Commander Filippo Marini, a spokesman for the Port Authority of Porto Santo Stefano. Earlier Sunday, before the two bodies were found, Giglio Mayor Sergio Ortelli said at least six ship workers and 11 passengers still had not been located. Authorities are reviewing passenger lists to confirm the exact number of missing people, said Giuseppe Orsina, a spokesman with the local civil protection agency. Many of those rescued in the early hours were taken to small churches and other buildings around the island for shelter. Some were still wearing the pajamas and slippers they had on, as the ship went down. "These people could be still on the island of Giglio, in private houses or in hospitals," Orsina said. The U.S. Embassy in Italy, on its Twitter feed, said two of the 120 Americans who were aboard the ship still had not been accounted for. It was not clear Sunday as to the nationalities of other missing people, with CNN affiliates having reported Italians, Peruvians, Brazilians, French and Britons were all represented on the ship. There were fears the death toll could rise as rescuers searched the ship, which was nearly 50% submerged and had a gash in its hull, authorities said. As the search for survivors continued Monday, questions and criticism continued about what caused the shipwreck and the adequacy of the response. Speaking on Italian television, the ship's captain insisted the rocks that the Concordia hit were not marked on his map. "On the nautical chart, it was marked just as water," Schettino said, adding that the ship was about 300 meters from shore. But Nicastro, the Coast Guard spokesman, insisted that the waters where the ship ran aground were well-mapped. Local fishermen say the island coast of Giglio is known for its rocky sea floor. "Every danger in this area is on the nautical chart," Nicastro said. "This is a place were a lot of people come for diving and sailing. ... All the dangers are known." He said the Coast Guard was investigating why the ship took the course it did. "We know where the ship was," he said. "We know it was too close to the island. ... We don't know why." Like a scene out of the film 'Titanic,' chaos consumed listing ship . Italian prosecutors seized the ship's data recorders Saturday, and expect to analyze them within days. Costa Cruses said Sunday that it can only access that information with authorities' permission. Built in 2006, the Concordia had been on a Mediterranean cruise from Rome with stops in Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Cagliari and Palermo. The ship was carrying about 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew members when it ran aground and began taking on water Friday night. The crew kept going because they believed the vessel could continue sailing normally, said Nicastro, the Coast Guard spokesman. Realizing there was a significant safety problem, the commander steered the Costa Concordia closer toward the port of Giglio, he said. Authorities are looking at why the ship didn't send a mayday during the accident. Besides the two elderly people, the dead include two French tourists and a crew member from Peru, port authorities in Livorno said. One of the victims was a 65-year-old woman who died of a heart attack, authorities said. Rescuers overnight Saturday reached two South Korean passengers who had been trapped in the ship for more than 24 hours, authorities said. "It's a miracle that we found the Korean couple alive, and we hope we'll find more people," said Nicastro of the Italian Coast Guard. The couple, both 29, were found in a cabin after they heard rescuers calling out and managed to make contact, according to Italy's ANSA news agency. Video showed the couple, reportedly on their honeymoon, being taken ashore and loaded into a waiting ambulance. CNN's Alexander Felton, Marilia Brocchetto, Livia Borghese, Hada Messia, Michael Martinez, Melissa Gray, Phil Gast, Chelsea J. Carter and journalist Barbie Nadeau contributed to this report.

NEW: 2 of 120 American passengers aren't accounted for, the U.S. embassy says . It appears the ship's route was "too close to the shore," Costa Cruises says . The captain insists that the rocks his ship hit were not marked on his map . Two elderly people are found dead, bringing the death toll to 5 .

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Acrobats, dancers and singers -- under normal circumstances, a festival featuring such tried and true attractions might not send you rushing to the Internet to book travel. But when more than 120,000 gymnasts gather in one of the world's most secretive nations to perform a highly synchronized, 90-minute spectacle of song, dance and Cold War-style propaganda, it's something worth looking into. Massive state-sponsored entertainment is a big part of the lure of North Korea's annual Arirang Festival, or "mass games," and it's drawing foreign visitors in increasing numbers. The Arirang Festival began Monday at Pyongyang's May Day Stadium and will run until September 9. The festival features four mass performances each week. Its profile perhaps boosted by recent visits from Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt and professional bizarre human being Dennis Rodman, North Korea is gaining popularity as a travel destination; a record number of foreigners is expected to attend this year's festival. "More people visiting is creating a snowball effect," says Troy Collings of Young Pioneer Tours, one of a handful of travel companies that organize visits to North Korea. "Most people think they can't go. As more people do go, the more word gets around, so people suddenly start seriously considering a visit to North Korea. "It's hard even to approximate the increase in tourists until it's all over, but our numbers are up by about 30% at this point." According to Uri Tours, which specializes in North Korea travel, close to 1,000 Western tourists traveled to the country to attend the Arirang Festival last year. Koryo Tours, another of the few North Korea tour operators, estimates 1,200 to 1,500 international visitors will attend this year's event. "More travelers are discovering that the people and culture of [North Korea] go beyond what is seen in the everyday media," says John Dantzler-Wolfe of Uri Tours. "Through word of mouth, [travelers] are getting comfortable with the idea of going and experiencing this unique country firsthand." What is the Arirang Festival? Arirang revolves around three primary events -- gymnastics, music and what the festival itself calls "backdrop." Backdrop? Sounds weird, but it's one of the most intriguing and spectacular aspects of the festival. "Backdrop" is supplied by tens of thousands of people in May Day Stadium working together in precision fashion. Backdrop participants are given large booklets with pages printed in different blocks of color. Held aloft in various combinations, the pages create gigantic images. When pages are flipped in concert, new images are created, making the entire stadium a sort-of human mosaic. The 90-minute, 120,000-strong extravaganza will be repeated at performances throughout the festival. An annual theme, the history of North Korea is expected to be particularly robust this year, which marks the 60th anniversary of the armistice that ended military hostility in the Korean War and the 65th anniversary of the founding of the country.

Arirang Festival began Monday at Pyongyang's May Day Stadium; runs until September 9 . Record number of foreigners expected to attend . 90-minute spectacle featuring 120,000 gymnasts will be repeated throughout festival .

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By . Leslie Larson . PUBLISHED: . 10:56 EST, 31 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:56 EST, 31 January 2013 . Mark and Mary Gundrum of Milwaukee, Wisconsin just celebrated the seven-month birthday of the baby they were told would only live a few hours. During a routine ultrasound last February, they learned the baby that Mary was carrying had a facial cleft which had allowed brain tissue to seep out and form a golf ball-sized sac on his face. Baby Dominic Pio was born on June 18 and, beating the odds, began to develop normally. The baby boy is now recovering at home after ground breaking reconstructive surgery to repair his face. Anxious: The Gundrums were told baby Dominic would only live a few hours after his birth . Walking miracle: The Gundrums are overjoyed at Dominic's recovery . Brothers: Dominic's brother comforts the baby after his surgery . One year ago, the Gundrum's world turned upside down. The . couple, already parents to seven children, were eager to find out the . sex of the baby Mary was pregnant with and went for an ultrasound in February . 2012. With five girls and two boys, they were excited to learn that their new addition would be a boy and they decided they would call their 8th child Dominic. But their excitement turned to fear when they learned the baby's skull . hadn’t formed properly and there was a triangle-shaped gap from his lip up to . his forehead, called a Tessier midline facial cleft. With a gap in his head, brain tissue had seeped out and formed a golf . ball-sized sac, called a encephalocele, that was resting near his forehead. Complications: A routine ultrasound showed that the child had a massive sac of brain tissue growing on his face . Clinging to hope: After Mary Gundrum learned last Feb. that the condition might be fatal for the child, her other children began praying that Dominic would survive . Doctors prepared the parents that the child would likely not . survive the extremely rare condition, only found in an estimated one child . every two to five years born in the U.S. It was expected that Mary could carry . the baby to term and that he would be born alive but would likely die within . hours. 'At first we were told he would probably die within a few . hours and that we should do our best to enjoy the pregnancy,' Mark Gundrum said. 'Over time his prognosis got better, and the doctors agreed . he'd survive birth. But after that, they had no idea what may happen to him. It . was a real no man’s land territory for all of us.' The Gundrums, who are strong . Catholics, leaned on their faith and spiritual . community as they tried to wrap their heads around what was happening. They shared . with their seven children that the baby would likely not live and while . the baby grew in Mary's womb, she wrestled with the tragedy that likely . lay before her. Family: The seven Gundrum children have welcomed their baby brother with open arms . Faith: The Gundrums leaned on their faith and the support of their spiritual community . Love: Dominic's older siblings having fun with their younger brother . Digesting the pain, shock and disappointment, Mary poured out her heart about . the emotional roller-coaster ride she experienced in a series of heart . wrenching journal entries, weaving in scripture as she worked through her . emotions. 'My hope is that people will not feel sorry for us, but please join us in . our hopefulness. Please join us in hoping and praying for God's will to be . done in us and Dominic … Of course please pray for us for the grace to trust,' the then-pregnant mother asked her readers shortly after she learned of the baby's condition. In the course of the pregnancy, after a discouraging medical appointment, the mother clung to hope and wrote, 'Today . my heart says, yes, I believe in miracles! I believe, if we pray, miracles will . come out of Dominic's short life. I believe God has a miracle in store, what . exactly that will be, I do not need to know.' With the devastating prognosis, the family waited out the pregnancy and faced an uncertain future. Then Mary gave birth via C-section on June 18 and Dominic Pio weighed 7 lbs, 8 . ounces and measured 20 1/2 inches long. He . lived longer than a few hours and overwhelmed his parents and the medical . team as he began developing normally, despite the prominent bubble on . his face. Miracle: Dominic Pio stunned doctors with his miraculous survival . Growing: Dominic began developing normally after his birth . Touching: Dominic's big sister snuggles the little miracle . ‘Things with Dominic are going so much better than what they could have, we . rejoice at every little victory!’ the family shared with their friends after . Dominic survived the delivery. In the months following Dominic’s birth, the parents were directed to Dr. John Meara, plastic surgeon-in-chief at . the Boston Children’s Hospital, who advised them to come to Boston so Dominic could undergo facial reconstruction surgery. Dr Meara and a team of brain specialists worked for weeks to run through . scenarios and prepare for possible complications in the lead to the December operation. They feared . the blood loss during the procedure would be too much for Dominic’s tiny body in addition to the possibility . of an infection but after weeks of preparation, felt confident at the prospects of a successful outcome. Joy: The Gundrums said they fell in love with Dominic's face and had to adjust to his new look after his surgery . Then on December 18, a team of 15 doctors gathered in an operating room at . 9:30am to remove the brain tissue and fluid that had pooled inside Dominic’s . encephalocele. With the sac removed from his face, Dr Meara then performed . reconstructive surgery on the baby’s face to repair the clef and align the . skull. The procedure ended at 3:30pm. The surgery ended up going more smoothly than expected and Dominic spent the next three weeks in ICU recovering. 'Everything went according to plan thanks to the amazing efforts of the whole team,' Dr Meara said. The Gundrums said they owe so much to the efforts Dr Meara, who was optimistic about Dominic's condition when no one else was. Doctor: Dr Meara with his little patient after the surgery . 'This doctor believed in Dominic's life as being valuable and worth all that went into saving him,' Mary wrote in thanks. 'This doctor made it possible for us to come out for a second opinion . and then he made it possible with insurance for Dominic's surgery to be . covered.' With his condition stabilized after three weeks, the parents returned to Wisconsin. As the family and their church continue to pray, they are thanking God for the miracle that is unfolding in Dominic. 'The day Dominic was born, a group of friends had a tree planted in our yard in his honor,' Mark said. 'I remember thinking, 10 years from now, I’m either going to look at that tree and think of the son I lost, or watch him climb its branches. Right now, thanks to so many wonderful people at Boston Children’s and beyond, I'm excited to watch him hanging from that tree as they both grow bigger and stronger.'

During routine ultrasound Mark and Mary Gundrum discovered the baby she was pregnant with had a sac of brain tissue growing outside his skull . The Milwaukee couple were told the baby would only live a few hours . Dominic Pio was born on June 18 and began to develop normally . On Dec. 18, doctors in Boston removed the golf ball -sized bubble . Baby Dominic is now recovering at home .

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FAO director-general Jose Graziano da Silva says 'progress' has been made 'in reducing hunger' By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:42 EST, 9 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:58 EST, 10 October 2012 . The United Nations has admitted that its headline-grabbing announcement that one billion people in the world were going hungry was wrong and the number is actually significantly less. The UN Food and Agriculture . Organisation made headlines in 2009 when it announced that one billion people — one sixth of the world’s population — were undernourished. But it now places the figure at closer to 870 million after admitting the original projection was incorrect because of flawed methodology and poor data. Poverty stricken: The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation announced in 2009 that one sixth of the world's population were undernourished . 'We were wrong': FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva, pictured speaking at the FAO headquarters in Rome, said the good news is that progress is being made in reducing hunger . It now claims to use a much more accurate set of parameters . and statistics to calculate its annual estimate of the world’s hungry. FAO decided to set the record straight about the number of the world’s undernourished people, applying the more accurate data retroactively to 1990, in its 2012 state of food insecurity report released on Tuesday. And according to the report, the number of hungry people has actually been declining steadily — rather than increasing — over the past two decades. But it added progress has slowed since the 2007-2008 food crises and the global economic downturn. FAO director-general Jose Graziano da Silva said: 'We have good news, we have made some progress in reducing hunger.' The organisation argues that positive action taken now to boost economic growth and invest in agriculture, particularly in poor countries, could reduce the world's hungry by one-half by 2015. The report stated: ‘In today’s world of unprecedented technical and economic opportunities, we find it entirely unacceptable that more than 100 million children under the age of five are underweight, and are therefore unable to realize their full socio-economic and human potential.' Decreasing: The UN FAO has now lowered the number of undernourished people in the world to 870 million . The group of Eight pledged $20billion for seeds, fertilizers and tools in 2009 to help prevent rising numbers of undernourished people . The FAOs announcement in 2009 sparked a high-level summit including the pope and the UN chief went on a daylong hunger strike to show solidarity with the one billion. The Group of Eight devoted much of its summit that year to pledging $20 billion for seeds, fertilizers and tools to help poor nations feed themselves. But the projections were off because they were calculated using figures from non-UN sources that were fed into the UN’s number-crunching model. Jomo Kwame Sundaram, FAO’s assistant director-general for economic and social development, said: 'There was considerable fear that that . combination of lower incomes and higher prices was going to cause . significant undernourishment. 'No one really knows for sure if at any particular period whether that one billion figure was actually reached or not.' He said the goal of the state of food insecurity report is to assess chronic hunger over time, rather than spikes caused by temporary food shortages and price hikes. He added that the UN couldn’t predict how well governments would respond to the crises to protect their poorest and whether individual families would make sacrifices to make sure they had enough food on the table. Helping the hungry: Children receive free food distributed outside a cafe, early morning in Karachi, Pakistan . Going to waste: One third of all food produced is wasted along the distribution line . Pietro Gennari, the statistics director for the FAO’s economic and social development department, added: 'So it was in a way a mistake, an error, that we have made with many other organizations at the time.' FAO officials said the new number of 870 million hungry people for 2012 was based on revised figures from 1990. They calculated this using new population data from the UN Population Fund. China’s population estimate for the 1990s, for example, has been revised upward by some 25 million people, whereas Bangladesh’s population has been revised downwards by 17 million people. That affects hunger statistics because food production figures are divided by population figures and estimates of food loss at the retail level. Previously, FAO considered the amount of food produced as the amount of food available to feed the world. The agency didn’t take into account that one third of all food produced is wasted along the distribution chain, either because it spoils, is eaten by rodents or is otherwise inedible. The 2012 survey takes into account these losses.

UN Food and Agriculture . Organization claimed one-sixth of the world’s population were undernourished in 2009 . New report has revised the figure to nearer 870 million hungry people . FAO director-general Jose Graziano da Silva says 'progress' has been made 'in reducing hunger'

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By . James Chapman . PUBLISHED: . 18:13 EST, 23 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:26 EST, 24 June 2013 . Defence firms have been caught trying to charge the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of pounds for Christmas parties, magicians and even ‘anticipated car accidents’. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has uncovered a string of startling claims submitted as part of multi-million-pound defence contracts. He said firms had got away with billing the Ministry of Defence for ‘inappropriate activities’ because they did not have to provide a breakdown of what their charges were for. Looking for savings: Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, left, and Chancellor George Osborne, right, have agreed a deal over the weekend to cut down on profligacy in MoD spending . Such profligacy, however, will be squeezed under a spending deal agreed between Mr Hammond and Chancellor George Osborne over the weekend. A review ordered by Mr Hammond  has revealed extraordinary examples of ‘expenses’ which firms attempted to charge to the taxpayer, but have now been rejected. They included £16,500 for ‘depreciation costs for executive flats’ and £25,000 for ‘cake, flowers and catering for a commissioning ceremony’. Other examples included £9,500 for ‘staff team building’, £650 for ‘2 x magicians’, £24,000 for ‘mugs for a launch ceremony’, £200 for ‘attending Christmas party’, and £8,000 for non-specified ‘entertainment’. Perhaps the most bizarre attempted charge under a defence contract was £50,000 for ‘anticipated car accidents (two a week at £500)’.  Defence sources said that it appeared many such claims were waved through without proper checks under the last government. Meanwhile, the Chancellor said yesterday he had reached agreement with Mr Hammond over the MoD budget for 2015-16 as part of the Coalition’s spending review, to be unveiled on Wednesday. There will be up to 2,000 further job losses among civilian personnel working for the ministry, but front-line servicemen will be protected from further cuts. Mr Hammond is also proposing a new independent watchdog to ensure that the taxpayer receives value for money from lucrative defence contracts which are currently not put out to tender. A system dating back more than four decades allows UK companies to bid for some military contracts without competition, on the grounds that they are sensitive to national security. Mr Hammond said: ‘It’s vital that we get value for taxpayers’ money in times of increasing financial pressures  … Increased transparency on single-source contracts will help ensure tight resources are being spent properly while still allowing industry fair profits.’ Mr Osborne told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that he had now finalised a settlement with the MoD over its spending plans for 2015-16 after months of semi-public wrangling. The deal will mean between 1,000 and 2,000 further job losses – but no further reductions in military manpower. Furthermore, around £250million in fines from banks guilty of rate-rigging will be used over the next 25 years to support troops and veterans.

Philip Hammond said firms were billing the MoD for ‘inappropriate activities’ Mr Hammond and George Osborne will be clamping down on MoD spending .

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Even grizzly bears let the catch of the day slip through their claws every now and again. These spectacular photographs capture the moment a huge brown bear struggled to get his paws on some fast food as he hunted salmon. The hungry grizzlies showed off their fishing skills just inches from the camera after descending on the river in Ni'iinlii'njik Territorial Park in Yukon, Canada. Photojournalist, Peter Mather, had set up his equipment level with the waterline to capture the salmon desperate attempts to swimming away whilst the bear, above water, eyes it up. One underwater shot even shows a fish moments before a bear feasts on it. Catch of the day: This huge grizzly bear was captured on camera salmon hunting in Ni'iinlii'njik Territorial Park in Yukon, Canada . What a whooper: The brown bear sinks its teeth into a large salmon after pouncing on the fish . The one that got away: Fishing is even a slippery business for bears as this beast appears to lose his lunch . Mr Mather spent ten days at Bear Cave Mountain camp in the park so he could get up close and personal with the bears to take pictures of them. The 39-year-old, who lives in Yukon, was lead by guide Phil Timpany whilst on the trip. 'Fifteen hundred miles upriver from the Pacific Ocean and sitting dead centre on the arctic circle is the most unusual of ecological reserves,' he said. 'Surrounded by tundra and stunted black spruce forest you'll find the Fishing Branch Territorial Park. 'It's an arctic oasis where trees grow three or four times higher than the surrounding ecosystems and where grizzly bears and salmon play out a life-cycle thousands of years old. 'I spent 10 days at Bear Cave Mountain Eco-Adventures camp with guide Phil Timpany. 'To get to the lodge and park, I had to drive 500 kilometres north of Whitehorse to Dawson City, Yukon. 'From there it was a two hour helicopter ride North to the Lodge which is located on the Arctic Circle. It is one of the remotest locations in North America. 'To get the close-ups that I got I used a remote camera set up in an underwater housing. 'In the morning, I'd go down to the river with Phil and set my camera. Many of the bears were exceptional fishermen. The salmon were captured on camera desperately trying to swim away from the predators as he stalks the water . Hungry hunter: The grizzly bear wades through the freezing river water to get his claws on the salmon . The bear is captured charging into the water where he would aim to catch half a dozen fish . When one came near the camera, I'd be about 25 feet away at a viewing platform, and I'd use my remote to take pictures. 'Some of the bears were great at catching fish, and some had little luck. 'Some would charge into the river fast and pounce on them. One bear would snorkel through the deep water and catch them and others would walk the shoreline above the river and jump down on the fish. 'Normally, the bears would come down to the river for an hour and catch half a dozen fish, then they would go into the forest to nap for three hours and return to fish when they woke up. 'It was a once in a lifetime experience to be so close to these giant bears. We would be on viewing platforms not 10 feet away, and the bears would ignore us. 'It was quite a beautiful experience and special to be able to interact so closely with the bears in a very safe situation. It was definitely more exciting than scary. 'Often I'd put my camera down and just watch in amazement as these grizzlies finished off salmon right in front of you.' The bears would spend around an hour-and-a-half catching the salmon before heading back to the forest for a nap . Mr Mather said some of the bears were great fishermen, but others were not so skilled .

Grizzly bears captured salmon fishing at Territorial Park in Yukon, Canada . Camera set up level with waterline by wildlife photographer Peter Mather . Bears spend an hour-and-a-half hunting fish in the icy river water . He said some bears were great at catching fish, but other had less luck .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:33 EST, 11 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:38 EST, 11 March 2014 . A Washington state high school has been playing Justin Bieber's hit song 'Baby' on repeat between classes to torture the students into donating money to charity. On Monday morning, student government president Connor Stakelin announced he was going to blast the pop song through the halls of Tenino High School until pupils raised $500. But it didn't take long for it to work: they had raised $915.64 by first period on Tuesday. Scroll down for video . Cruel: Tenino student government president, Connor Stakelin, preps the school's intercom system to play Justin Bieber's 'Baby' on loop on Monday as a way to raise $500 for an orphanage in Ghana . Success: Stakelin (in green) watches as sophomore Lucas Edwards collects change for the unique fundraiser on Monday - but by Tuesday they had surpassed their goal, raising more than $900 . 'For some of them it's incentive to donate because they don't want to hear it anymore,' Stakelin told King5 after he pressed 'play' on Monday. 'Oh my God my head is about to explode . right now,' student Zack Chamberlain said as the song played. 'I'm pretty sure I've had . five Ibuprofen already.' Another student, Jasmine Moore, said: 'It's getting very bad. I just want to go home.' By Monday afternoon, they had raised $332 and the final total was reached by Tuesday morning. The . unique fundraiser, which played the song on repeat during passing . periods and at lunch, will help improve the lives of 254 orphans at a . school in Ghana. Plan: Stakelin writes down the latest total on Monday after playing the song on loop during lunch . Plea: Edwards encourages fellow students to drop change in his bucket to stop the music . The community has been supporting the African school on the suggestion of Tenino Elementary School Principal Dave Ford and now the high school hopes to raise at least $1,200 in total. They say this will be enough to provide food and school supplies for the orphans at Crossover International Academy through April. 'They don't even have a bed to lie on at night and in their school they don't even have more than one piece of paper per day,' Stakelin told King 5. Ford added: 'We kind of have this forest fire of . passion, compassion and empathy. They understand the . connection between needs, wants and other people’s reality.' The song of choice, 'Baby', was released in January 2010 and became the most viewed video on YouTube in July 2010 - before it was overtaken by PSY's Gangnam Style in November 2012. See below for video .

The song played between classes at Tenino High School on Monday - and by Tuesday morning, students had raised more than $900 . The money will buy food and school supplies for 254 Ghanaian orphans .

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By . Julian Gavaghan . PUBLISHED: . 09:26 EST, 30 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:33 EST, 30 May 2012 . Sacrifice: Plamen Petkov, 32, died after diving into the sea after a mother cried for help to rescue her daughter . The devastated family of a hero who drowned at sea saving the life of a five-year-old girl have spoken of their immense pride. Plamen Petkov, 32, had been on a day out to the beach with a friend on Saturday at West Wittering, West Sussex when tragedy struck. His family said he rushed to the help of a mother who was shouting for help because her daughter was drifting out to sea on an inflatable ring. They said Mr Petkov - a British Citizen of Bulgarian origin - dived into the water ‘without second thoughts’, followed by his friend and another woman from Guildford, Surrey. But the hero, who was not related to the . youngster, had a suspected heart attack and drowned just 16ft from the shore . moments after delivering the unharmed child to safety. Shocked beachgogers attempted to save his life using CPR for 40 minutes before an air ambulance arrived. The family of Mr Petkov, an electrician who lived in Sutton, Surrey, said they welcomed calls by members of the public to award him with a posthumous honour for his bravery. In a statement they said: ‘We are all incredibly sad to have lost such a special person from our lives but we are also immensely proud that Plamen was able to save the life of this young child. ‘His display of concern for others was typical of the man we all knew and the way he lived his life. ‘Plamen always made time to help others, and as a family we have all been touched by his kindness and generosity which he displayed each day. ‘We are grateful for the messages of support from everyone Plamen came into contact with both in and out of work - he leaves a huge gap in our lives and will be missed by us all. ‘We would like to thank his friend and the woman for the huge effort they made to try to save Plamen’s life and to people for the kind comments made about Plamen and his part in returning the child safely to the shore. In vain: Lifeguards trying to resuscitate the man after he was rescued from the sea . The children rescued is pictured on the left and the body of the man who rescued her is in the middle surrounded by people . ‘In response to the many people who . have been moved by his brave act, the family would like to release his . name and picture to be commemorated. ‘We also appreciate suggestions to award Plamen with a posthumous honour for his actions.’ The . family have also called for stationed lifeguards on beaches with . dangerous waters to prevent similar tragedies in the future. In . their statement they added: ‘In these extremely difficult days, . Plamen’s family want to use this unfortunate opportunity to stress their . concern with the dangerous waters like those at West Wittering around . the UK coast and are keen to call for additional positive safety . measures to be put in place, such as stationed lifeguards, and to not . just rely on signage in order to prevent future tragedies of a similar . nature occurring again. ‘The . family are looking at how they might support the local community in . this area who share this concern in the hope that these changes might be . an appropriate way of honouring Plamen’s name and courageous act.’ The family issued their own version of events in the statement . They . said when Plamen reached the child, she jumped from the inflatable into . the arms of Plamen - who by this point was exhausted and trying to keep . the child’s head above water. The man, who was not related to the youngster, had a heart attack and drowned just 16ft from the shore in West Sussex . They . said Plamen’s friend was next to reach them. By this point Plamen was . holding the child above the water as he was being dragged under by the . current and his friend tried to pull him to the surface and helped to . support the child until the women arrived and took the child and swam . with her to the shore while Plamen’s friend brought him to the shore . unconscious. The family added when they arrived at the shore the woman started the attempt to resuscitate him with CPR until help arrived. The . family say the attempt continued for around 40 minutes until an air . ambulance arrived but they were unfortunately unable to save him. Plamen worked for Vulcan Building Services, based in Sutton, Surrey. Staff at the firm have been left stunned by his death and have been comforting his family. A . company spokesman said: ‘Plamen was an extremely conscientious and . hardworking person, who was universally liked and respected by both his . workmates and clients alike. ‘He . had always shown himself to be a thoughtful and caring man and while . the news of his death came as a terrible shock for everyone at the . company, the fact he tragically lost his life in a completely selfless . act to try and help somebody in trouble came as no surprise at all. ‘It was so typical of a person who had become a friend as well as a colleague to all of us, and he will be very sadly missed.’ The . spokesman added: ‘His actions are an outstanding example of what true . heroism is all about; ordinary people doing amazing things to help . others in trouble or less fortunate than themselves, without any thought . of the dangers involved and expecting nothing in return. ‘Unfortunately . for his family, friends and colleagues, Plamen has paid the highest . possible price for his bravery and the world is much poorer for his . passing. ‘Every member of staff would like to pass on their sincere and heartfelt condolences to his family at such a very sad time.’

Electrician Plamen Petkov died after racing into water 'without second thoughts'

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By . Mark Duell . Jailed for 14 years: Floyd Evans, 19, went on a drink and cocaine binge before arming himself with a knife . A homophobic teenager who left a gay man fighting for life after he stabbed him in the heart during a drug-fuelled ‘hunt’ for homosexuals was jailed for 14 years today. Floyd Evans, 19, went on a drink and cocaine binge before arming himself with a knife and wandering over to a well-known meeting point for gay people on the Roman city walls in Chester. He then used a trick to ambush 35-year-old Brazilian cleaner Francisco Nascimento while the victim was talking to another man - and plunged the knife into his chest. The blade pierced Mr Nascimento’s heart and cut an artery. A policeman who arrived to help applied pressure to his wound before paramedics took him to a specialist trauma unit. The victim was given life-saving surgery at the Royal Liverpool Hospital and was kept in for 11 days - four in intensive care. He has recovered physically but was left ‘mentally distraught’. Evans - whose brother is gay - had deliberately gone to the crime scene to attack a homosexual for kicks, Chester Crown Court was told. The teenager was arrested as he was about to take up a job at a council highways department. He was charged with attempted murder but convicted of the lesser charge of wounding with intent. Scene: Evans went to a well-known meeting point for gay people on Chester's Roman city walls (file picture) Giving him an increased sentence due to the stabbing being a ‘hate crime’, Judge Elgan Edwards said: ‘It is a terrible thing to see a man of just 19 - only 18 when you committed this crime - standing in the dock. But your behaviour that night was quite disgraceful. ‘You armed yourself with a knife, wandered round the streets of Chester and found your way deliberately to the walls at a place you knew well was a meeting point for homosexuals. ‘I’m quite satisfied this was [a] pre-meditated, homophobic attack - you did not have that knife on you for any other reason. All this man was doing was talking to his friend, but he ended up nearly dead.' Earlier, the court had heard how Evans had a history of causing trouble and in the months before the attack made a 999 call in which he threatened to stab police officers and set them on fire. Famous area: The victim encountered a friend on the city walls in Chester (file picture), whom he chatted to for 40 minutes, but both noticed Evans approaching wearing a hat and a hoodie . He later claimed he only did it . because he had a row with his brother about living arrangements and . wanted to get himself arrested to have a free bed in police cells. Sentencing: Judge Elgan Edwards said Evans had committed a 'pre-meditated, homophobic attack' On . the night of the stabbing on October 21 last year, Evans was drunk on . lager and spirits and had been snorting cocaine in the toilets of a pub . in the city. Mr Nascimento, who has lived in the UK since 2005, had been shopping at a Tesco store in Chester but had decided to walk along the city walls, in the hope of finding ‘someone to talk to’. He encountered a friend on the city walls . named Gareth Davies, whom he chatted to for 40 minutes, but both . noticed Evans approaching wearing a hat and a hoodie. The teenager appeared to give a signal used by gay men but then attacked Mr Nascimento without warning. Police were alerted and an officer - who later won a commendation - gave emergency first aid whilst waiting for paramedics. Evans calmly walked away after the attack but was arrested three weeks later after a policewoman identified him from CCTV footage taken on the night of the assault. He denied carrying out the attack, saying: ‘I have no anti-gay views. Everyone is equal. My brother is gay and I’m perfectly happy with that.’ Violence: Evans 'went to the city walls that night because he thought his victim was gay, the local CPS said . From above: Chester's city walls were first built by the Romans and later extended in the Middle Ages . He claimed cocaine made him ‘stupid not aggressive’, and said he could not remember carrying out any attack. Walkaround: A map of Chester's Roman city walls . In a statement Mr Nascimento said he was suffering anxiety, paranoia and insomnia and is awaiting counselling. He is also reluctant to go swimming - something he did regularly before the attack - because of the scarring on his chest. After the case, he said: ‘I hope that . Floyd Evans realises that he could have been facing a murder charge had . it not been for the lifesaving skills of the police, paramedics and . surgeons. ‘I thank God and the amazing people . who saved my life. I will never forget the incident and will always have . the scars, but I am also very grateful to still be alive.’ Cheshire . Constabulary Detective Inspector Helen Spooner, who led the . investigation, said: ‘The victim almost died as a result of the actions . of Floyd Evans. This was an unprovoked and violent attack on a man not . known to him, which left him fighting for his life. ‘Physically . the victim has recovered from this ordeal but mentally he is destroyed. He will have to live with what happened to him for the rest of his . life. The experience has been traumatic.’ Chief . Superintendent Phil Jones, who is in charge of policing in Chester city . centre, said: ‘Violent crime of any kind is not acceptable and this . particular case was treated as a hate crime. ‘We . hope that verdict reassures both the victim and those in the local . community that hate crime is treated extremely seriously and will not be . tolerated.’ 'I will never forget the incident and will always have the scars, but I am also very grateful to still be alive' Francisco Nascimento, victim . Richard Riley, Senior Crown Prosecutor with Mersey-Cheshire Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘We have always believed that Floyd Evans stabbed My Nascimento because he thought he was gay and that Evans went to that part of the city walls that night for that very reason. ‘Evans is clearly a violent man, quite possibly harbouring sinister feelings towards certain sections of our community. This was what we describe as a hate crime and the Crown Prosecution Service is determined to bring those responsible to justice. ‘Mr Nascimento had done nothing wrong on the night he was attacked. Evans now has several years in prison ahead of him to reflect on the violence and recklessness of his actions on that night.’

Floyd Evans went to well-known meeting point for gay people in Chester . Stabbed Francisco Nascimento, piercing his heart and cutting an artery . Evans, 19, has a gay brother - and was about to take up job at council . Judge: 'I’m quite satisfied this was pre-meditated, homophobic attack' Victim: 'I'll always have the scars, but I'm very grateful to still be alive'

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"7-Eleven killed the minibar." The sentiments of one hotel manager in Hong Kong could well extend to hotels around the world. The hotel minibar, loved and cursed at by millions of desperate midnight snackers/drinkers, is on the decline. Hilton Hong Kong installed the world's first hotel minibar in 1974 by stocking liquors and fridges in each of its 840 rooms. The move reportedly led to a 500% increase in room-service drink sales and a 5% boost to the company's net income that year. Soon, the minibar became a near-universal industry standard. But Hilton recently started backtracking in some of its properties, removing the booze and leaving the fridges in its rooms, for guests to fill themselves. Other hotel giants, including the Grand Hyatt, Starwood and Marriott brands, are also phasing out this once ubiquitous in-room feature from some of their properties. It's because we just don't seem to enjoy them as much as we once did. TripAdvisor recently released a survey that found the minibar ranked least popular among all hotel amenities -- just 21% of respondents found the room fridge an important feature compared with 89% that wanted a free wireless connection. PKF Hospitality Research found that in the United States, revenue from minibars, which represents just 1% of total hotel revenue, fell 28% from 2007 to 2012. Robert Mandelbaum, the firm's director of research information services, says properties in the United States have adapted their food and beverage offerings, installing food outlets that resemble "grab and go" mini-markets. The trend for "convenience eating" is also contributing to a decline in the traditional hotel restaurant that serves three meals a day, he says. They're being replaced with casual food outlets offering items such as pre-packaged salads. It's all part of what Mandelbaum calls the "Starbucks phenomenon," a property design and management philosophy that enables and encourages interaction between strangers. Combine this with the emergence of sociable "millennials" who prefer to mingle in the hotel lobby than order room service, and you have an industry and consumer move away from imbibing in the room. Is this such a bad thing? For those who think inflated prices on items like tiny bags of macadamia nuts and mediocre chocolate bars are offensive, especially when nearby convenience stores offer the same stuff for a fraction of the price, the stocked in-room bar has always been an irritant. Simon Dell, vice president of operations of Thailand-based ONYX Hospitality Group, agrees. "We don't want to sell mini-macadamia nuts for $8.50. It's not what people want," he says. What's more, by eliminating minibars from rooms, hotels can actually save costs, says Dell. "When (we) remove any content from the minibar it takes a considerable number of tasks out of every (housekeeper's) day, so there's time saved, headcount saved, therefore money saved, which is reflected in the overall price (of rooms)," he says. Better for a property to focus on amenities guests prioritize, such as Internet access. "Connectivity is as ubiquitous as the telephone 20 years ago, when it had to be in the room, or like your own shower or bathroom has to be in the room." $10 Coke 'not right' Others think the minibar simply needs to evolve to changing needs of guests. "We can't just give hot and cold running water," says Dean Winter, area director of operations of Hong Kong Hotels & China Projects at Swire Hotels. Take the example of Swire's Hong Kong property, Upper House -- each room features a complimentary selection (beer, soda, healthy juices, coconut water and snacks) and a separate, chargeable wine fridge. "We wanted to differentiate ourselves to appeal to discerning business and leisure travelers without following the traditional routes of five-star hospitality," explains Winter. He thinks "charging $5-10 for Coke is not the right thing to do," as people remain price conscious. "People appreciate a complimentary minibar or Wi-Fi or movies, and paying a rate and not all these add-ons," he says. Less hard booze . Today there's far less hard liquor, complimentary or not. Ten years ago, JW Marriott yanked the petite bottles of liquor out of its chargeable minibars in its Hong Kong hotel, citing low consumption. At The Mira Hong Kong, miniature spirits were phased out in 2011. According to the property, "the hard liquor was removed as we prefer to tempt our guests with drinks and entertainment at our open air lounge bar Vibes, and cocktail bar Room One with a live band." Only corporate or high-paying guests get the fully complimentary minibar. Cheap trumps convenient . The minibar is also increasingly part of an all-inclusive package. At Hong Kong's Ovolo Hotel, the complimentary scheme is extensive: guests get a free minibar, breakfasts, plus two-hours free booze daily at its O Lounge, including all spirits and wine. Removing the prices has also helped remove the headache of arguing with guests over what exactly they did or did not consume, says the hotel manager in Ovolo's Aberdeen branch, Chum Roa. "It was a source of many disputes in hotels," he says. "If the customer persists they had nothing, often hotels absorb the cost to not ruin guest relations over minibar items." Now, he doesn't have to deal with that. Roa imagines a future in which the traditional minibar is extinct. "The competitor of the minibar isn't nearby hotels but the 24-hour stores where one can get everything you need a few blocks away," he says. The convenience of having a cold drink in your room isn't quite enough if you have to pay three times as much for it, it seems. Will you miss minibars in hotel rooms or say good riddance to shockingly priced beer and M&M's? Leave a comment.

Many hotel giants are phasing out minibars in rooms . Revenue from minibars in the United States fell 27% in five years . Nearby convenience stores are now preferred by guests .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Car service costs can range from a modest £60 to an eye-watering £360, a report reveals today. The research by consumer watchdog Which? was based on the cost of an annual service for a Ford Focus. ‘Depending on where you live, and whether you opt to have your car serviced at a franchised dealer or an independent garage, the variations in cost can be enormous,’ a Which? spokesman said. Choosing a franchised dealer or independent garage can affect the price of a car service, according to the research (file picture) The research also showed that by shopping around, car owners could save as much as £230. The lowest price was £60 in Southend. The most expensive quote was £360 in Luton and Reading. The lowest five places for average quotes were Belfast £123, Sunderland £129, Liverpool £132, Southend £134 and Bolton £136. The findings were based on the costs of an annual service of a Ford Focus, file picture . The highest were Preston £196, Aberdeen £200, Central London £207, Luton £214 and Reading £227. Which? says that while there are differences between individual makes and  models of car in terms of what needs to be covered in each service, there are some general rules of thumb. They also added it’s important to understand the difference between a minor service and a major one.

Car service costs can range from a modest £60 up to £360, report says . Places offering lowest average quotes include Southend and Belfast . Highest quotes for a service came from Reading and Luton . Which? say drivers can save up to £230 by shopping around .

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By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 06:44 EST, 21 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:07 EST, 21 October 2013 . A school has shamed a parent by publishing a photograph in its newsletter of her car parked on double-yellow lines outside the gates. Fed-up teachers at Cottesmore St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, in Hove, East Sussex, say the driver of the Honda CRV constantly parks on zigzags and double yellows. When challenged about her behaviour, the woman driver was allegedly 'unforthcoming and apparently somewhat rude', the newsletter says. Caught: Cottesmore St Mary¿s Catholic Primary School published this photograph of the car in its newsletter . The school decided to publish an image of the vehicle illegally parked alongside a polite request for drivers to be more considerate. The letter reads: 'It was reported, by a parent, that this car parks on the zigzags or the double yellow lines every day. 'Apparently, on Wednesday the lady car owner was asked to move off the zigzags pre-end of day pick up. 'She then apparently had moved onto the double yellow lines, making it difficult to turn the corner and thus making it dangerous for the children to cross the road. 'Apparently the lady driver was asked to move again by a parent but was unforthcoming and apparently somewhat rude. 'If this car belongs to you or someone you know, please do pass on our concerns about illegal parking and the impact it can have on the safety of our children.' A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said he could not comment specifically on the incident at the school. But he added: 'Zigzags are usually in place where it is dangerous for people to park, for example outside a school entrance or on the lead up to a crossing. 'Zigzags are enforceable 24 hours a day seven days a week unless there is a sign that states otherwise. 'We are now issuing tickets by post for these offences. 'This means that if you are seen, by a CCTV operator or a Civil Enforcement Officer, to be parked on a zigzag a penalty charge notice will be sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle.' Cottesmore St Mary's Catholic Primary School has begun shaming parents who park on double yellow lines outside the school in its newsletter . A Sussex Police spokesman added: 'Parking in restricted areas for the sake of a few minutes’ walk is just laziness and is plainly hazardous to children arriving at or leaving school. 'Officers from the neighbourhood policing teams and road policing regularly check schools around starting and finishing times and vehicles parked illegally will be ticketed. 'Any schools experiencing parking problems should speak to their school liaison officer or local neighbourhood team.'

Cottesmore St Mary's Catholic School published photograph of parent's car . Teachers say the driver constantly parks on zigzags and double yellow lines . Rachel Holland is headteacher of the school in East Sussex . Parking on a zigzag line can result in three points on driving licence .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The archbishops of Canterbury and York are recommending that churches stop sharing the chalice at communion over swine flu fears, the Church of England said Thursday. The Church of England's leaders are recommending parishoners don't share the chalice. The archbishops wrote a letter to all Church of England bishops with the recommendation. It follows government advice not to share "common vessels" for food or drink so as not to spread the virus. In the Anglican Church, worshippers commonly drink from the same chalice during communion. The chalice is wiped before the next person drinks from it. For churches that still wish to offer both bread and wine, the archbishops recommend the priest dip communion wafers in the chalice before handing them out to those taking communion. "The Department of Health have recently advised us that 'in a pandemic it makes good sense to take precautions to limit the spread of disease by not sharing common vessels for food and drink,'" the archbishops write in the letter. "In the light of this advice, we recommend those presiding at Holy Communion suspend the administration of the chalice during this wave of pandemic flu. For those who still wish to offer in both kinds, we recommend the practice whereby the presiding minister, whose hands should have been washed with the appropriate alcohol-based rub before handling the elements and the vessels, personally intincts all wafers before placing them in the hands of communicants." Watch more on Australian vaccine trial » . The archbishops note that this practice is widely observed in Anglican churches throughout Africa. "Communicants receiving in this way need to be confident that the clergy and all assistant ministers follow the relevant guidance on hygiene," they write. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Church, the second-largest Christian denomination after the Roman Catholic Church.

Archbishops of Canterbury and York recommend churches stop sharing chalice . Follows government advice not to share "common vessels" for food or drink . Church says move is to help stop spread of swine flu .

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Ai Weiwei is at it again. This time, the controversial Chinese artist-activist has taken his first venture into music, releasing a heavy metal single and music video inspired by his harrowing detention by the government two years ago. A perpetual thorn in the Chinese government's side, Ai, whose projects have spanned art installations, film, photography, writing, and architecture, was en route to Hong Kong in April 2011 when he was taken into custody at Beijing's international airport. He was detained for 81 days amid a government crackdown on political activists, widely believed to stem from government fears of a potential uprising inspired by the Arab Spring. Upon his release, Ai was subjected to severe restrictions on his movements and later accused of tax evasion -- charges which he rejected and unsuccessfully challenged in court. Entitled "Dumbass," the five-minute music video features the burly, bearded artist recreating his time in jail to expletive-laden lyrics denouncing government repression. "The idea (for this song) first came to me while I was in detention and the guards watching me quietly inquired if I could sing," Ai told CNN. "That was when I realized that both the guards and I were being detained; in their three years in the army, they had never been allowed to leave this place." "For young people around the ages of 19-20, music can spark their imagination and passion, and this small incident moved me. After I was released, I thought I should write my own song," he added. Ai penned the lyrics to "Dumbass," while rock musician Zuoxiao Zuzhou composed the music and Australia's Christopher Doyle directed the video's cinematography. Ai said the dark visuals, from the artist being taken into jail with a black hood to being perpetually accompanied by two guards while eating, sleeping, and using the bathroom, mirrored his ordeal. Some of his jabs at government repression in the video materialize in defiant fantastical elements, such as the river crabs scampering over the toilet ("hexie" is a pun for "harmonization" -- a government euphemism for societal repression) and the horse sitting in for the artist bound to a chair ("caonima" is a pun for cursing someone's mother). Ai said the "dumbasses" and "f**kers" he denounced in his lyrics also refer to scholars and intellectuals in China who "don't have a clear understanding of China. Despite going through so many disasters, they are still deluded. I find this ridiculous." In one scene, the artist's head is shaved by a child -- a reference to his then two-year-old son whom Ai said he constantly thought of during his detention and whom he feared would no longer recognize him by the time he was released. He said the song may help him overcome the trauma of his detention, which he described as "extremely difficult." At the same time, he said he has no regrets over his actions, believing that people have a responsibility to bring hope and warmth into the world -- and that as an artist, he has certain platforms of expression that he should use to this end. "Many people are still imprisoned, many for much longer (than me) because we all expressed a difference of opinion and were accused of incitement to subvert state power," he added. "So I have to speak out for them." Meanwhile, the artist addressed another pressing problem in China -- mainland Chinese, spooked by a scandal over melamine-tainted baby milk formula, have snapped up tins in Hong Kong, leading to a public outcry over the resulting shortage and the institution of a two-can (1.8 kg) cross-border limit in March by the city's authorities. "Milk Formula" debuted at a Hong Kong exhibition Friday -- a 10 meter by 8 meter map of China created with 1,815 tins of various brands of baby formula. "Although China's economy is developing, China's food products and the environment have already been completely sacrificed because of deteriorating ethics," Ai said. He described the situation of people needing to seek milk formula outside their own country to feed their children as "absurd." While Ai professed no solutions, saying that the purpose of art is raise questions, he said the problem of milk formula should be resolved by the people rather than through harsh legal measures. "It shows that the 'one country, two systems' [policy] is extremely contradictory and difficult to coordinate," he added. "Dumbass" is one of six songs on the topic of Ai's detention -- the rest will be released next month as part of an album based on his personal experiences.

Chinese artist-activist Ai Weiwei releases heavy metal song, music video inspired by government detention . Music video recreates Ai's ordeal in jail, with expletive-laden lyrics denouncing government repression . Ai Weiwei also debuted art installation in Hong Kong on hot-button, cross-border issue on milk formula . Ai Weiwei will release music album next month .

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Roy Hodgson's England couldn't handle the heat of the kitchen in Brazil but at least his side can claim to have had a hand in a late winner for ITV with their defeat by Uruguay beating Great British Bake-Off for the year's most watched telecast. England were watched by an average of 13.9 million people back home in the UK as they fell victim to the brilliance of Luis Suarez, returning from injury to deliver a first-half header and a winner with six minutes to go either side of Wayne Rooney's first World Cup goal. Luis Suarez celebrates scoring Uruguay's second goal against England in the most watched telecast of 2014 . Steven Gerrard is consoled by former Liverpool team-mate Suarez after the defeat seen by 13.9m back home . Roy Hodgson holds his head in his hands and Wayne Rooney's disappointment shows after the defeat . The match is the only broadcast to better the BBC's Great British Bake-Off finale, which attracted an average audience of 13.5 million as 60-year-old grandmother Nancy Birtwhistle claimed the title, though that figure also includes catch-up viewing and recordings over the following week. England v Uruguay's audience in that June defeat peaked at 20.29 million viewers, a 70.7 per cent share of viewers, and was reported to be the biggest TV audience for the UK since 2012 London Olympics. While thousands packed the Arena de Sao Paulo, a peak audience of 20.29m viewers watched in the UK . Great British Bake-Off winner Nancy Birtwhistle (centre) with judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood . With no other broadcast likely to overtake that World Cup 'triumph' in the closing fortnight of 2014, it looks set to top a podium of Bake Off and BBC1 drama Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which attracted 12.7 million viewers on New Year’s Day - however Christmas Day special are on the way for dramas Call the Midwife and Downton Abbey. England's loss, their second in a row in Group D after first falling to Italy, effectively ousted Hodgson and his charge from the tournament before even facing Costa Rica.

England's World Cup loss to Uruguay was watched by average 13.9million . The telecast from Brazil is the only show to beat Great British Bake-Off . With a fortnight left in 2014, the Cup broadcast is set to top the year in TV .

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(CNN) -- The U.S. Army said Monday it "regrets" an incident in which a U.S. solider was shot after allegedly refusing to stop for South Korean police, leading to a car chase through Seoul late Saturday night. The 23-year-old private first class was shot in the shoulder after midnight on Saturday during the incident, according to Yonhap, a government-affiliated South Korean news agency. South Korean police claim the soldier tried to run over a police officer on a dead-end street, according to Yonhap. The officer fired a warning shot and three shots into the car, but the car sped away and was later found near the Yongsan Garrison, home of the 8th U.S. Army in South Korea, Yonhap said. The shooting victim -- whose name has not been released -- is in stable condition at the Brian Allgood Community Hospital in Seoul, according to the 8th U.S. Army Public Affairs office. U.S. forces received a subpoena Monday morning for the two other individuals involved in the incident, U.S. military officials told CNN. The pair met with South Korean police later in the day, officials said. The U.S. Criminal Investigation Command, who is responsible for investigating criminal incidents among U.S. forces anywhere in the world, are helping the Korean National Police with the investigation, the spokesperson said. The serviceman was tested but "initial results do not indicate the presence of alcohol," the army said. "Although the details of this incident are unclear, we take all incidents involving U.S. service members in the local community very seriously and will work closely with the Korean National Police as they continue their investigation," said Brig. Gen. Chris Gentry, Eighth Army deputy commanding general, in a news release. The incident began when police received calls American soldiers were threatening people with an air rifle near Itaewon subway station, local police told Yonhap. The soldier, a U.S. Army staff sergeant and his wife then fled in a vehicle, beginning a high-speed pursuit with local police. A police officer and two bystanders suffered minor injuries and four cars were damaged in the chase, Yonhap reported. "Eighth Army's relationship with the Korean community is very important and we regret this unfortunate incident," the 8th U.S. Army Public Affairs office said in a news release. "We are thankful for the continued support to our soldiers and families by our Korean hosts as we continue to enforce the highest standards of professionalism among our service members." There are about 28,500 U.S. soldiers in South Korea, a military ally of Washington. U.S. troops have been in the region since the Korean War, in which an armistice was signed in 1953 but a peace treaty never ratified. Tensions still flare on the Korean peninsula, as seen by the recent North Korean rocket launch and underground nuclear testing.

The U.S. Army said Monday it "regrets" an incident in which a U.S. solider was shot . Yonhap: Soldier allegedly refused to stop for South Korean police and shot in shoulder . The solider and two others were involved in a late Saturday car chase through the streets of Seoul .

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By . Alex Greig . A Phoenix teenager is facing charges after a child he was babysitting was injured last weekend and later died. Justin Hoskins, 16, is behind bars and being charged as an adult after the five-year-old he was caring for, Ian Blair, was rushed to hospital with severe brain injuries before dying. Police say the teen originally was arrested Sunday on suspicion of child abuse and may face further charges following the child's death on Wednesday. Teen babysitter: Justin Hoskins was looking after five-year-old Ian Blair and two other small children when he became enraged and shoved the boy so hard he died later of his injuries . Police were called Sunday night to Phoenix Children's Hospital after the victim's mother says she found her son unresponsive in bed after she got home from work. The child was airlifted to the hospital in extremely critical condition. According to AZ Family, the mother of five-year-old Ian, his three-year-old sister and four-month-old brother, left the children in the care of Hoskins, the son of her live-in boyfriend, a frequent occurrence in the household in which both parents worked full-time. Ian and his sister got in a food fight on the afternoon of May 18, and Hoskins allegedly became angry with the child and sent him to stand in the corner as punishment. When he refused, Hoskins shoved the boy in the chest so hard that his head buckled back, he lost his balance and he fell over, hitting his head on the ground, according to police. Little boy lost: Ian Blair's mother thought her son was napping but realized something was terribly wrong when she couldn't wake him for dinner . Court records show that instead of calling for help, Hoskins picked up the unresponsive boy and carried him to his bedroom. He noticed the boy had vomited on himself, but put him in his bed anyway and left him there. Hoskins's father came home from work and saw that the smaller children were napping and he too took a nap. Ian Blair's mother came home and looked in on the sleeping children. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she too took a nap. At least five hours passed before Ian Blair's mother went to wake the child for dinner and noticed something was terribly wrong. Quiet street: Neighbors were shocked to see the home of Ian Blair and his family turned into a crime scene Wednesday . Immature: Looking after three very young children proved too much for Justin Hoskins, with a violent and tragic outcome for little Ian Blair . She found him covered in vomit and urine and couldn't wake him. According to court documents, Ian was suffering from 'extreme hematoma to the right side of the brain, bilateral retinal hemorrhages, swelling in the eyes and face,' and bruising on his body, reports AZ Family. He was bleeding from his eyes. Ian Blair was placed on life support and kept alive long enough for his family to say their final goodbyes. Hoskins gave three different versions of what happened to the child, first claiming ignorance, then blaming the family dog for knocking the boy down and finally admitting to shoving the little boy. The teen was taken to the Maricopa County Juvenile Detention Center and is facing child abuse charges but could face additional charges now that the little boy is dead.

Justin Hoskins, 16, is facing charges in the death of five-year-old Ian Blair . He was babysitting the boy as well as Ian Blair's three-year-old sister and four-month-old brother . Hoskins's father is the live-in boyfriend of the children's mother . Police say Hoskins became angry with the boy after he had a food fight with his sister and sent him to stand in the corner . The little boy refused and Hoskins shoved him so hard in the chest that his head buckled back and he fell over, knocking his head . Hoskins then picked up the unresponsive child, who had vomited on himself, and placed him in his bed . When Hoskins's father and the child's mother arrived home from work, they assumed the boy was napping . Ian's mother found him unresponsive and covered with urine and vomit five hours later . He was airlifted to hospital where he was found to have suffered 'extreme hematoma to the right side of the brain, bilateral retinal hemorrhages, swelling in the eyes and face'

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(CNN) -- They're young, fabulously wealthy and have blue blood coursing through their veins. Meet the "20 Hottest Young Royals" in the world, compiled by influential fortune tracker, Forbes magazine. Britain's Prince William has been named "Hottest Young Royal" in the world by Forbes magazine. The magazine used the "winning combinations of looks, money, and popularity on the Web" to come up with the list, it says. Only unmarried royals under the age of 35 were considered. The Forbes list proved to be a Royal knockout for British royalty. They came in the top four of hottest young royals in the world. With his piercing blue eyes and lantern jaw, reminiscent of a movie star, Britain's Prince William, perhaps unsurprisingly, came in at Number 1. The magazine describes him as having: "international intrigue and unparalleled media attention," combined with a "graceful public persona." Although his crown slipped somewhat recently when he was accused of abusing his newly-acquired flying skills by "joyriding." Watch who people on the street think is the hottest » . His relationship with girlfriend Kate Middleton is the subject of feverish speculation and an engagement announcement is eagerly anticipated by the British media. Seemingly always languishing in William's shadow, his brother, Prince Harry, placed second on the list. Harry has always been known as the "bad boy prince" because of some rather unroyal behavior, such as brawling with paparazzi outside nightclubs and going to a fancy dress party dressed in Nazi regalia. However, he has latterly re-invented himself as the "Hero prince" after a tour of duty in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban in March. Sound off: Is Prince William the world's hottest young royal? William and Harry's cousins Zara Phillips and Princess Beatrice also came in at No. 3 and 4 respectively. The inclusion in the list should be good news for Princess Beatrice, who recently attracted unkind comments from Britain's newspaper columnists about her curvy figure and her dress sense. The sight of Beatrice, 19, pictured on holiday in a bikini proved too much for Daily Mail newspaper columnist Allison Pearson, who wrote: "Can't someone buy that girl a sarong? For her sake, as well as ours." This led to an angry counterattack from Beatrice's mum, Sarah Ferguson, who thundered at a news conference to promote a reality show: "Touch me, fine, but don't touch my children." The 20 featured on the list represent almost $60 billion in wealth and 15 royal lineages from around the world-- including some rather obscure names that even the most ardent royalist might be hard pushed to recognize. Princess Sikhanyiso of Swaziland anyone? Coming in at Number 20, the eldest daughter of King Mswati III of Swaziland, Africa's last absolute monarch, is currently a speech and drama major at Biola University in California. A controversial princess who raises eyebrows in her homeland with her Western-style clothes and a decision to hold a drinking party to celebrate the end of a chastity decree in 2005 resulted in a beating with a stick. Fourth in line to the Monaco throne, Charlotte Casiraghi, is the only non-Brit to make it into the top 5. A style icon, who is known for her impeccable taste in fashion and her good looks--much like her grandmother, Hollywood icon, Grace Kelly and mother Princess Caroline. Her brother, party prince Andrea Casiraghi, also makes an appearance on the list at Number 10. But it seems even his Hollywood lineage -- as well as his sun-kissed surfer looks were not enough to give William and Harry a run for their money in the pin-up stakes.

Prince William tops list of 'Hottest Royal' list compiled by Forbes magazine . British young royals came in top four spot of the list . Forbes: List based on combinations of looks, money, popularity on the Web .

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(CNN) -- Hundreds of inmates in Mississippi whose fight among themselves spiraled into a riot were back in their cells Monday afternoon, leaving authorities to mourn the death of one guard and express thanks that things didn't turn out worse. "When we first ... learned of the situation, I had a high degree of anxiety because there were so many guards who were unaccounted for," Adams County Sheriff Chuck Mayfield said, praising the efforts of law enforcement and those with the private company that runs the facility. "I know it when I see it when something is handled correctly." By Monday afternoon, all of the roughly 2,500 inmates at the Adams County Correctional Facility in Natchez were secure in their cells on lockdown, which Mayfield said will continue indefinitely as the investigation continues. Guard killed, several others injured in riot at Mississippi prison, officials say . It was a far different scene about 24 hours before. Mayfield said that, about 2:40 p.m. Sunday, a fight broke out either among members of one gang or between members of rival factions in a prison yard and soon ballooned out of control. With a core group of about 300 inmates involved -- meaning most others were simply caught up in the chaos -- the disturbance quickly spread through the grounds. "It turned into a mob mentality, and ... it just expanded so quickly," the sheriff said. Sometime early in the riot, a guard was assaulted and ended up on the roof of a building, Mayfield said. That guard -- later identified as Catlin Carithers, 24 -- was brought out through the facility's gates within an hour, only to be later pronounced dead due to blunt head force trauma, according to the county coroner. The disturbance continued for hours more around the western Mississippi facility, which houses illegal immigrants from around the region who are serving time after convictions for both violent and nonviolent crimes. The Tennessee-based Corrections Corporation of America operates the facility and employs all those within. At one point, inmates pulled out some mattresses, rags and other materials into a prison yard and started a fire. Others used an array of weapons, such as mop and broom handles, in their fight. Meanwhile, the facility's employees at once tried to maintain order and take cover. Mayfield said earlier Monday that at least 24 or 25 hostages were being held at one point. County and state authorities were on site within an hour to maintain the perimeter and help the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) bring the situation under control, according to Mayfield, who noted that FBI agents were also there. No gunshots were ever fired, and Mayfield praised the "restraint" by law enforcement. Authorities did use "pepper balls," which the sheriff said are shot from something akin to a paintball gun. "The whole thing was probably over by 11 or 11:30 p.m. Sunday," at which point all the inmates had been forced out into a prison yard, Mayfield said. But it wasn't until 3:30 a.m. Monday that every prisoner had been searched and brought back to his housing unit. In addition to Carithers, about 10 workers at the facility were injured, including one who suffered head trauma and was transported about 100 miles northwest to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, according to the sheriff. CCA, meanwhile, has reported that 16 of its staffers at the prison were treated and released from the hospital. Four inmates had to be taken to area emergency rooms for treatment -- for injuries such as a stab wound, a concussion and rib injuries -- though Mayfield said he didn't think any of them needed to be admitted. CCA had said three inmates received such treatment. The sheriff stressed that the public was never in danger, as the riot was confined within the facility and there were no breaches of its perimeter. While he didn't know what exactly caused the riot, Mayfield did say that, "from the outside looking in, I can't see anything that would have prevented it." He lavished praise on the decisions made by Corrections Corporation of America and law enforcement, saying, "I don't think they could have handled it any better." The sheriff added that the facility has "not had anything of this magnitude at all" since opening in 2009. "This could have happened anywhere, anytime," Mayfield said. Yet the American Civil Liberties Union said the riot wasn't surprising because companies like the Corrections Corporation of America "have incentives to cut corners even at the expense of decent and safe conditions"; they employ "too often poorly paid and trained" staff; and they run facilities with conditions that "are often woefully inadequate." "This weekend's riot should make clear to Mississippi and every other state that for-profit incarceration must end," the advocacy group said in a statement. "We need to save taxpayer money by ending the nation's addiction to incarceration, not give money to private companies whose profit depends on locking up as many people as possible."

NEW: The ACLU blasts "for-profit incarceration," says the riot wasn't surprising . The riot began with a fight among prisoners, a sheriff says . Guard died due to what the coroner thinks was blunt force trauma . The sheriff praises law enforcement efforts and the private firm that runs the prison .

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Google has launched one of its most addictive doodle’s yet as it celebrates the 40th birthday of the Rubik's Cube. An animated version of the popular puzzle has been created by Google engineers allowing anyone to solve the frustratingly-difficult game by clicking below, or visiting Google's homepage. There are 43 quintillion versions of how the cube’s 54 coloured squares can be arranged over the six faces - but every Rubik’s Cube is logically solvable in 20 moves or less. Scroll down for video or click below to play . Single time: Mats Valk of the Netherlands in March 2013 with a time of 5.55 seconds at the Zonhoven Open in Belgium. Average time: Feliks Zemdegs at the Melbourne Cube Day 2013 with a 6.54 seconds average solve time. One-handed solving: A time of 9.03 seconds was made by Feliks Zemdegs at the Lifestyle Seasons Summer 2014 . Feet solving: Fakhri Raihaan solved a Rubik's Cube with his feet in 27.93 seconds at the Celebes 2012. Robot: Cubestormer 3 solved a Rubik's Cube in 3.253 seconds - beating the Cubestormer 2's record of 5.27 seconds. The Rubik's Cube was invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik, but was not released until 1980 when it became a phenomenon. In Google’s version, the cube is at first shown performing a simple loop. Clicking on the animation causes the cube to become enlarged fully coloured. The user then rotates the rows and columns horizontally and vertically, and manipulates the cube by clicking and dragging it in different directions. Numbers on the bottom left corner reveal how many moves have been taken. And the old trick of carefully steaming off all of the stickers and then re-sticking them in the right position won’t work here. On the Google homepage, the user can rotate the rows and columns horizontally and vertically, and manipulate the cube by clicking and dragging it in different direction. Numbers on the bottom left corner reveal how many moves have been taken . The Guinness World Record for solving a Rubik's Cube in the fastest time was smashed in March a robot. The Cubestormer 3 solved the cube in a speedy 3.253 seconds. The robot's record-breaking time beat the previous non-human record of 5.27 seconds - set by the machine's predecessor, the Cubestormer 2. The fastest human time to solve a cube was set in March last year by Mats Valk of the Netherlands who completed the challenge in an impressive 5.55 seconds. Amazingly, some talented fans can complete the cube with one hand - such as Feliks Zemdegs who holds the single-handed completion record of 9.03 seconds. The official website of the Rubik's cube recommends seven steps: . 1. Get to know your cube. For example, you should know that white is . opposite yellow, orange is opposite red and green is opposite blue. The . centre piece colours are always opposite each other. 2. Solve the white cross. The Rubik's website recommends you aim to create . a white cross on the top face of the cube first of all. This will make . the next phase easier. 3. Solve the white corners. Corner pieces will have one white side plus two other colours. 4. Solve the middle layer, so the bottom two layers of your cube match in colour. 5. Solve the top layer. Try and get a yellow cross on the top face of your . cube. Next, you should try and get all the yellow on the top face. 6. Position the yellow corners correctly. Twist the top face, which should . be yellow, until at least two of the corners are in the right location. 7. Finally, correctly place the centre pieces. Another top solver Fakhri Raihaan can complete the toy with his feet in just 27.93 seconds . Last month, USA Today spoke to Ernő Rubik, inventor of the Rubik's Cube, about its legacy. ‘The Cube is full of contradictions,’ Rubik said. ‘Humans like contradictions, because that makes life interesting and enjoyable. The Cube is very simple and very complex at the same time.’ Rubik added that when it first came out, it was much tougher to solve without access to Google or other websites. ‘Nowadays it's different,’ he said. ‘You can learn it; you can find lots of things on the internet. The combined power of the mind is much stronger than individual ones.’ The fastest human to ever complete a cube - which was invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor Erno Rubik, is Mats Valk of the Netherlands in March 2013 with a time of 5.55 seconds .

Game can be played by clicking on the image below or visiting Google . Users rotate the rows and . columns horizontally and vertically, and manipulate the cube by clicking . and dragging it in different directions . There are 43 quintillion ways the cube’s 54 coloured squares can be arranged over the six faces . But experts claim the cube is logically solvable in 20 moves or less . In March, Cubestormer 3 solved the cube in a speedy 3.253 seconds .

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And the Golden Globe nominees are... The Hollywood Foreign Press has announced the nominations for the 72nd annual Golden Globe Awards, a ceremony that has a history of predicting the movies that will win big on Oscar night. Birdman - starring Michael Keaton as a has-been actor - squawked loudly, flying away with a leading seven nominations, which were revealed by actress Kate Beckinsale in Beverly Hills on Thursday. Scroll down for videos... Golden girl! Kate Beckinsale took the honor of announcing the nominees in Beverly Hills on Thursday . Meanwhile, dramas Boyhood and The Imitation Game trailed with five nods apiece. Those two films led a Best Drama category that also included Foxcatcher, Selma and The Theory of Everything. David Fincher's thriller Gone Girl earned an impressive four nods, including Best Actress in a drama for Rosamund Pike, Best Score, Best Screenplay and Best Director. British star Rosamund - who won widespread acclaim for her part as Amazing Amy in the movie - will have to compete with Jennifer Aniston for Cake, Reese Witherspoon for Wild, Julianne Moore for Still Alice and Felicity Jones for The Theory Of Everything. Taking the lead: Michael Keaton's drama Birdman, about a washed-up Hollywood actor who once played the superhero Birdman, has been nominated seven awards . Marion Cotillard, who has won many critics awards for her leading role in Two Days, One Night has been snubbed in the category. Selma - starring Oprah Winfrey and David Oyelowo - had been ignored at the Screen Actor's Guild nominations a day earlier. In the Best Picture, comedy or musical, category, Birdman was joined by St. Vincent, Grand Budapest Hotel, Into the Woods and — in a surprise — the independent British film Pride. Strong category: Rosamund Pike's thrilling performance in Gone Girl has been recognized in the Best Performance by an actress in a motion picture (Drama) Defining role? Jennifer Aniston will no doubt look a lot happier than her character in Cake when she finds out about her Golden Globe nod in the Best Actress for a drama category . Second-time's the charm? Golden Globe and Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon is up for her role in Wild . One of the surprise winners of the day was Grand Budapest Hotel. Along with a Best Picture nod in comedy, it earned nominations for Ralph Fiennes as best actor, and Wes Anderson for screenplay and director. Jessica Chastain - who was also snubbed at the SAG nominations - is recognized in the supporting actress category for her role in A Most Violent Year. However, she will have to battle it out in that category with Patricia Arquette who has been also nominated for Boyhood. Buzz: Patricia Arquette has been nominated for Best Actress in a supporting role (Drama) for Boyhood . Will they crack the code? The Imitation Game has been nominated for a total of five Golden Globes . Impressive: David Fincher's Gone Girl has received four nominations including Best Director, Best Actress, Best Score and Best Screenplay (by the book's author Gillian Flynn) Surprise! The Grand Budapest Hotel received a Best Picture nod in comedy, and nominations for Ralph Fiennes as Best Actor, and Wes Anderson for Best Screenplay and Director . Keira Knightley and Emma Stone have also received supporting nods, and Meryl Streep has notched up her 29th nomination for Into The Woods. The nominees for Best Actor in a television comedy series are: Don Cheadle, House of Lies; Louis CK, Louie; Ricky Gervais, Derek; William H. Macy, Shameless; and Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent. The for Best Actress in a television comedy series are: Lena Dunham, Girls; Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep; Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin; and Taylor Schilling, Orange is the New Black. Standing out:  Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne have been nominated for their outstanding performances in The Theory Of Everything . Her time? Julianne Moore has been winning critics over with her performance in Still Alice, and has been nominated for the role at the Golden Globes, as well as another nod for Maps To The Stars . However, it was HBO who remained the biggest winner in terms of nominations, with their shows accumulating an impressive 15 nods. Uzo Aduba was also nominated for her role as 'Crazy Eyes' in the popular Netflix show Orange is the New Black. The Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor in a musical or comedy are: Michael Keaton, Birdman; Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel; Bill Murray, St. Vincent; Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent Vice; Christolph Waltz, Big Eyes. The Golden Globe nominations for best television drama series are: The Affair, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife and House of Cards. And the nominees are! Kate was also joined by Entourage star Jeremy Piven at the event . Golden touch: British actress Kate looked stunning at the event in a floral-inspired ensemble . Cheers! Kate Beckinsale, Jeremy Piven, actress Paula Patton and actor Peter Krause toast the nominations . George Clooney will also receive the Cecil B. DeMille award on the star-studded evening. Last year, the awards almost mirrored the Oscars, by naming 12 Years A Slave as the big winner, and also handing out gongs to Matthew McConaughey and Cate Blanchett. The 72nd annual Golden Globe Awards will be presented Jan. 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and airing live on NBC. Announcement: Kate was also joined by actresses Greer Grammer and Paula Patton on Thursday . Celebrate: Kate certainly looked in the mood to party, despite the early call time . BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA . BOYHOOD . FOXCATCHER . THE IMITATION GAME . SELMA . THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING . BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA . JENNIFER ANISTON - CAKE . FELICITY JONES - THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING . JULIANNE MOORE - STILL ALICE . ROSAMUND PIKE - GONE GIRL . REESE WITHERSPOON - WILD . BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA . STEVE CARELL - FOXCATCHER . BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH - THE IMITATION GAME . JAKE GYLLENHAAL - NIGHTCRAWLER . DAVID OYELOWO - SELMA . EDDIE REDMAYNE - THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING . BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL . BIRDMAN . THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL . INTO THE WOODS . PRIDE . ST. 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Lyrics by: John Legend, Common . MERCY IS — NOAH . Music by: Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye . Lyrics by: Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye . OPPORTUNITY — ANNIE . Music by: Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck . Lyrics by: Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck . YELLOW FLICKER BEAT — THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1 . Music by: Lorde . Lyrics by: Lorde . BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA . THE AFFAIR - SHOWTIME . DOWNTON ABBEY - PBS . GAME OF THRONES - HBO . THE GOOD WIFE - CBS . HOUSE OF CARDS - NETFLIX . BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA . CLAIRE DANES - HOMELAND . VIOLA DAVIS - HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER . JULIANNA MARGULIES - THE GOOD WIFE . RUTH WILSON - THE AFFAIR . ROBIN WRIGHT - HOUSE OF CARDS . BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA . CLIVE OWEN - THE KNICK . LIEV SCHREIBER - RAY DONOVAN . KEVIN SPACEY - HOUSE OF CARDS . JAMES SPADER - THE BLACKLIST . DOMINIC WEST - THE AFFAIR . BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL . GIRLS - HBO . 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Birdman lead the way with seven nominations including Best Actor for Michael Keaton . 11-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis nominated for Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) for Annie . Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Julianne Moore, Rosamund Pike and Felicity Jones will battle it out for Best Actress (Drama) Meryl Streep receives her 29th nomination for Into The Woods .

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MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Fashion designers are giving new life to worthless candy wrappers, newspapers and plastic bags; turning trash into trendy tote bags, purses and jewelry. Target stores objected to this Timbuk2 purse which included plastic bags with its bull's-eye logo. From "post-consumer and industrial waste" comes durable, funky accessories reportedly worn by celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan, Cameron Diaz and Petra Nemcova. One self-described eco-fashion label, Ecoist, has partnered with Coca-Cola, Luna Bar and Aveda to create handbags made from misprinted and discontinued packaging. "We tap into that source of waste because it is reliable, and unfortunately, it's abundant," Ecoist co-founder Jonathan Marcoschamer said. "We believe that for the next few years, there's going to be a significant amount." How about 7.6 billion tons of waste? That's how much American companies toss each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. During the past four years, Ecoist said, it has sold more than 100,000 accessories created by its designers in Peru and Miami, Florida. The bags -- some of them one-of-a-kind -- are priced from about $30 for smaller versions to about $180 for larger ones. "For now, we're an immediate solution for many of these companies to utilize waste for something that's creative and promotes environmental awareness," Marcoschamer said. Ecoist isn't alone. Katherine Rasmussen, owner of the label Reiter8, creates totes from recycled boat sails. Nicola Freegard and Robin Janson, the design team behind Vy&Elle, have recycled 100 tons of vinyl billboard ads to create wallets, bags and a variety of other products. Another designer, Anna Built, has opted to create jewelry from recycled tin cans. But it's not always easy being green. Timbuk2, a company famous for its messenger bags, has encountered resistance in its attempt to produce totes made from discarded plastic bags. The idea seemed feasible when Timbuk2 formed a partnership with RootPhi, which developed a machine capable of bonding plastic bags together. The machine, called the Lamitron, allowed them to produce a new fabric while maintaining the visual details of the original plastic bag. See photos of the eco-friendly accessories » . The timing seemed appropriate; San Francisco had banned the use of plastic bags, and other cities worldwide were considering similar initiatives. Despite a following of 3,000 potential customers on the Timbuk2 Web site, the bags are unlikely to be sold any time soon, if at all. The companies have encountered legal and technical hiccups in their efforts to mass produce the bags. "Everyone is afraid to be the large-scale manufacturer, to stick their toe in the water. It's a risk and a cost issue," says Doug Patt, co-founder of RootPhi. Tinbuk2 also found that, although trash may no longer have an owner, logos on trash still do. Target sent Timbuk2 a cease and desist letter in September when it discovered that some Lamitron bags showed the company's bull's-eye design. RootPhi and Timbuk2 scrambled to identify and remove the offending bags from its limited collection of prototypes. "We encourage and promote recycling efforts, including ones that use our recycled bags," Target said in a written statement to CNN. "However, in this particular case we believed that the prominent use of our bull's-eye design mark implied a sponsorship or affiliation with Timbuk2 that did not exist at that time." Target said Timbuk2 has cooperated. Perry Klebahn, Timbuk2's CEO, acknowledges that Target wasn't technically wrong. "The onus was on us to talk to Target and get them to say OK, in this particular case, to grant us a license. If we really are going to make use of this, we should be responsible as the manufacturer." However, the initial draw for Timbuk2 was the possibility that it could simultaneously clean up neighborhoods and satisfy a market demand for highly localized and personalized eco-products. "What's great here is that no two bags are the same. ... What if you could roll into a town and make artifacts that have a local flavor?" Klebahn asked. His vision was that one day, anyone could drop off their used shopping bags at Timbuk2 and receive a customized tote bag a few weeks later. For now, the masses will have to wait. Eco-fashion has certainly proved that it has enough caché in the fashion world. Last year, British designer Anya Hindmarch created an instant eco-fad with her $15 limited edition "I Am Not A Plastic Bag" bag. The cotton bags quickly sold out in London and New York, with hundreds of people lining up for them. The bags fetched $400 on eBay and spawned a dizzying number of knock-offs. Atlanta, Georgia, boutique owner Joyce Justicz said she doesn't think consumers buy eco-fashion exclusively for environmental reasons. "They buy them because they're cute, and it's an added bonus," she said. Will the trend last? Yair Marcoschamer, another Ecoist co-founder, is optimistic. "Businesses and individuals have realized that if something isn't done [about the environment], this is going to have a profound effect on each of our lives," he said. "Consuming products that are fair-trade, that are environmentally responsible, is our responsibility as consumers."

"Cute" accessories have "added bonus" of being environmentally friendly . Eco-fashions seen on Lindsay Lohan, Cameron Diaz, other stars . One designer creates totes from recycled boat sails . Recycled bags with Target bull's-eyes created legal hurdle .

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By . Mail Online Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:27 EST, 26 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:46 EST, 26 February 2014 . Animals often use their brightly coloured bodies to scare off predators, so this damselfly must be hoping its hunter is scared of dogs as it disguises itself as a cartoon animal. The green markings on its back resemble the large eyes of Pluto, the Disney character, while its actual eyes make up the dog's upper lip. What's more, the giant wings on its back appear to be the dog's ears. This damselfly was spotted in Russia by a photographer who noticed the uncanny resemblance with Pluto . Darius Morgendorfer, 26, took the pictures after spotting the intriguing insect near a pier . Photographer Darius Morgendorfer from Saint Petersburg, Russia, took pictures after spotting the intriguing insect near a pier. The 26-year-old said: 'When I was taking the pictures, I wasn't thinking about the way it looked in particular. 'But when I showed my friends, they said the damselfly looks just like a cartoon dog, we all laughed when saw it. 'We were smiling as we looked through the photographs and it definitely looks like a cartoon dog. It looks like Droopy or Pluto.' Damselflies are easily confused with dragonflies as both have a similar body shape with long, thin wings. Damselflies are often easily confused with dragonflies because of their similar shape . Mr Morgendorfer said: 'We were smiling as we looked through the photographs and it definitely looks like a cartoon dog. It looks like Droopy or Pluto' Damselflies can be distinguished from their close relatives by the fact that they hold their wings by their side when resting, while dragonfly wings will be extended at all times. damselflies actually change their colours several times during their lives, often appearing as dark green or grey while they are young, and then as a rusty brown colour when they reach old age. They are common throughout the UK and feed on small insects, flies, and have even been known to pluck spiders from their webs and eat them.

Markings on this damselfly's back look like cartoon dog Pluto . Green markings are eyes, while actual eyes make the dog's top lip . Insect was spotted by Russian Darius Morgendorfer .

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Warsaw, Poland (CNN) -- European football's governing body took a tough line against soccer-related disorder Wednesday, as it imposed a penalty on Russia for "improper conduct" by its fans at the Euro 2012 tournament. The ruling by UEFA relates to the opening game of the tournament in Wroclaw, Poland, on Friday. Its officials are still considering what action to take over allegations of racist abuse by Russian fans at the same game, and violence before and after a Euro 2012 game in Warsaw on Tuesday. Police detained 184 people after clashes broke out in the Polish capital before and after the Poland-Russia game, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Interior Minister Jacek Cichocki told reporters that more arrests could come. "Police officers continue to watch recordings from CCTV and police cameras to identify other hooligans who disturbed public order," he said. The suspended six-point deduction imposed on Russia by UEFA will apply to the qualifying campaign for the Euro 2016 tournament, rather than the current one. Russia's national football body was also fined 120,000 euros ($150,000), UEFA said. It has three days to appeal the decision. The penalty is in response to "crowd disturbances, the setting off and throwing of fireworks and the display of illicit banners," UEFA said. "The ruling does not take into account the alleged racist abuse of Czech defender Theodor Gebre Selassie by Russia fans during the same game or incidents of crowd violence before the game against Poland on Monday. Both incidents are currently being investigated by UEFA and could result in further penalties being handed out." Russian football expert James Appell told CNN the penalty showed UEFA was taking Russian fans' behavior "very, very seriously." UEFA earlier condemned what it called "isolated incidents" before and after Tuesday's game in Warsaw "when some groups of known troublemakers pelted the police with missiles and attacked fans irrespective of the team they were supporting." The body said its focus was to ensure that genuine football fans were able to enjoy the games peacefully, while isolating the handful who wanted to cause trouble. It is determined that the "overwhelmingly peaceful and festive atmosphere" that has so far prevailed will continue through the final on July 1, it said Wednesday. Cichocki said Tuesday's violence had been the biggest public order challenge so far of the tournament -- which Poland is co-hosting with Ukraine -- but he praised police efforts. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk dismissed those who tried to disrupt the match as "fools," according to public broadcaster Polish Radio's press agency. Law enforcement officials will be ruthless in suppressing the kind of "limited" trouble seen so far, he is quoted as saying. Joanna Mucha, Poland's sports minister, told reporters she was appalled by the violence in Warsaw. "I feel ashamed for those who came not to enjoy sport, but to cause trouble," she said. "They are hooligans, they aren't even fans -- certainly not fans wanting to support Poland. They will face charges and we will not let them ruin this celebration for us." Russian supporters had organized a march through Warsaw before the match Tuesday evening to mark Russia's June 12 national day. The disorder broke out as about 5,000 Russian fans reached Warsaw's Poniatowski Bridge, on their way to the National Stadium, the Interior Ministry said in a statement, with "hooligans" from both sides seeking to start a fight. More than 5,600 police officers were on duty in Warsaw, and riot police took "decisive" action to stop the violence from escalating, it said. Ten police officers were injured in the violence and received medical treatment. The 184 suspects detained include more than 150 Poles, more than 20 Russians, a Hungarian, a Spaniard and a citizen of Algeria, the statement said. Some of those arrested had dangerous objects with them, including brass knuckles and clubs, as well as mouth guards. Those responsible for violence can expect swift justice, the Interior Ministry statement said. "The hooligans will be sentenced by the end of the week. In the case of foreigners involved in the incidents, speeded-up penal proceedings will be instituted," it said. Those from outside the European Union's Schengen passport-free area will be deported and will receive a ban on entry to the European Union, the statement said. Their visas will also be withdrawn. Polish journalist Michal Pol, who was there when the clashes on the bridge broke out, told CNN that the Russian supporters had been moving peacefully toward the stadium when "very aggressive Polish hooligans" provoked them. Then, out of the middle of the Russian fans, came a number of "hooded and very well trained young guys who knew exactly who they wanted to fight" among the Poles, he said. Russian media focused on the role of Polish fans and police in their reports Wednesday. A headline on state news agency Itar-Tass reads, "Russian Football Union hopes Polish police will defend guests." The president of the Russian Football Union, Sergei Fursenko, is quoted as saying that "well-trained groups attacked the Russian fans," who he says were behaving perfectly correctly and should have been protected by Polish authorities. However, Appell, the football analyst, said Russia has a poor track record when it comes to soccer-related violence. Questions should be asked about why 5,000 of its fans were allowed to march through Warsaw in what could be considered a provocative act, given the long and troubled history between Russia and Poland, he said. However, when Russia hosts the 2018 World Cup, it is likely to organize it to a "micro level," he said, in order to avoid similar issues with fan violence. Russian state-run broadcaster RT reported that Polish police fired warning shots and used water cannons and tear gas as they sought to break up the clashes in Warsaw. Mikolaj Piotrowski, director of communications for Poland 2012, told CNN he felt "anger and shame" that a small group of "hooligans" were trying to spoil the tournament for Poland's 37 million citizens and their visitors. "I was really, really angry but we must be aware of the scale -- almost 200 persons were taken under custody by Polish police and at the same time, almost 200,000 people were having fun here in Warsaw," he said. He defended the policing of the game, saying officers did a good job in closing down the disorder when it kicked off, and said Poland would continue its "zero tolerance" policy on fan violence through Euro 2012 and beyond. Everyone is determined there will be no repeat of the violence seen Tuesday, he said. Authorities stress that the vast majority of football fans in Ukraine and Poland have supported their sides peacefully. In the course of Tuesday, about 150,000 fans visited the Warsaw "fan zone," an area away from the stadium where games are shown on big screens for those without tickets, Poland's Interior Ministry said. Tens of thousands of more fans watched the Greece-Czech Republic game, played in Wroclaw, from that city's stadium and fan zone, it said. Altogether, more than a million supporters have flocked to stadiums and fan zones in Poland since Euro 2012 kicked off Friday, it said. However, Russian officials had already called for better behavior from the country's supporters after the unrest during Friday's opening 4-1 win against the Czech Republic team. "Those who choose the sports arena for the declaration of their personal political and other positions have no place in the stands," read a statement on the Russian Football Union's website Monday. "The Russian Football Union and the national team of Russia kindly request all the fans of these provocative actions to confront bullies and to cooperate fully with the organizers of the match in matters of security. "We appeal to all fans who are in Poland. Remember that you represent your country. Respect yourself, your home and your team." CNN's Claudia Rebaza, Harry Reekie, Laura Smith-Spark, Stephanie Halasz and Pedro Pinto contributed to this report.

NEW: Poland's sports minister says the violence appalls her, but it won't spoil the event . UEFA imposes a suspended penalty on Russia over disorder by its fans Friday . More than 150 Poles and more than 20 Russians are among 184 people detained by police . Poland is co-hosting the Euro 2012 soccer tournament with Ukraine .

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By . William Turvill . PUBLISHED: . 07:16 EST, 5 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:08 EST, 5 October 2013 . These pictures show soldiers leaving the last remaining British Patrol Base, PB2, in the Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. They left the base for Camp Bastion this week ahead of the UK's full withdrawal from the country in 2014. The former key strategic location, in the green zone, will now be completely taken over by Afghan forces. Soldiers from 1st Mechanized Brigade pose for a final group photograph in front of a Husky vehicle before they leave the last remaining British Patrol Base, PB2, in the Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand Province, Afghanistan . An Afghan national walks behind a Combat Logistic Patrol as it heads back to Camp Bastion for the last time . Captain Chris Hallam, 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artilliary, makes final checks and straightens out the Union Flag aboard his Husky vehicle . British Soldiers from 1st Mechanized Brigade load a forklift truck aboard a vehicle destined for the UK . Preparing to leave, soldiers from the 1st Mechaized Brigade loaded up all remaining equipment for the journey to Camp Bastion. The 1st Mechanized Brigade is one of the Army's seven deployable brigades and is part of 3rd UK Division. It comprises armoured, mechanized and light role troops, making it capable of a wide variety of missions anywhere in the world. The Afghanistan war was launched in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. It . seemed to be close to resolution after three months, when every major . Taliban city in the country had fallen and Al Qaeda leader Osama bin . Laden was on the run. But bin Laden evaded capture, and while America was waging war on Iraq, the Taliban regrouped and regained control in key areas of the country.. British soldiers from 1st Mechanised Brigade throw rubbish onto a burns pit at the last British Patrol Base . Vehicles arrive back in Camp Bastion from a Combat Logistic Patrol . This British Patrol Base in the Nahr-e Saraj district, which over the years has seen heavy fighting . Soldiers from 1st Mechanized Brigade load ISO containers filled with equipment destined for the UK . Today a man shot dead a member of the US-led international coalition in southern Afghanistan. NATO blamed the shooting on an 'alleged contracted security guard'. It did not say if he was an Afghan or foreign national and provided no other details. It also did not provide the service member's nationality. A local Afghan boy watches as a Combat Logistic Patrol heads back to Camp Bastion for the last time . The base will now be completely taken over by Afghan forces as part of the drawdown . Afghanistan is heading towards a total withdrawl of UK forces in 2014 . A British Soldier from 1st Mechanized Brigade sleeps as he waits for the final vehicle patrol back to Camp Bastion .

Soldiers left last remaining British Patrol Base, PB2, in Afghanistan this week . The former key strategic location will now be completely taken over by Afghan forces . Comes ahead of full withdrawal from the country in 2014 .

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By . Freya Noble for Daily Mail Australia . Eddie McGuire has weighed into the debate about Swans star Adam Goodes 'staging' Following cricketer Shane Warne's accusations that Sydney Swans star Adam Goodes 'staged' for a free kick during Saturday night's AFL game, a few more people have weighed into the discussion. Warne also revealed he didn't know Goodes had been awarded Australian of the Year back in January and wrote 'who votes for that?'. Goodes pointed out Warne's former teammate Adam Gilchrist is head of the Australia Day Council. Collingwood president and Millionaire Hot Seat host Eddie McGuire, who is thought not to be on good terms with Goodes after a spat earlier this year, took Warne's side of the debate. He told Channel Nine's The Today Show on Monday morning: ''Adam Goodes has been staging for free kicks a bit this year and Warnie's weighed in with his two bobs worth.' 'It's become a part of his game that he just needs to eradicate. He's too good a player, he's the star of the game but he's been doing the Fosbury Flop far too often and he's been called on it,' McGuire said. Speaking about Warne having no idea Goodes was Australian of the year, Maguire also made the suggestion that the Swans star may not have realised when he brought Adam Gilchrist into the conversation, he and Warne were not on speaking terms. 'Maybe Goodesey didn't realise that they don't speak to each other', McGuire laughed. Former Essendon footballer Matthew Lloyd held the same view and told the Nine Network he too believes Goodes, a dual Brownlow medallist, staged during the match against Richmond. 'He's better than that,' Lloyd said. 'It's something in the game currently that people are more and more aware of, and absolutely hate. 'I think it's something (Swans coach) John Longmire should say to him: "pull up, just focus on the footy because you don't need to do that".' 'Staging' or faking a fall in order to gain a free kick has been a contentious issue within the AFL over the past few year. It is equated to 'diving' in soccer. Speaking on Sunday, Goodes admitted he was disappointed at the commentary and scrutiny, but unswayed. Scroll down for video . During an AFL game on Saturday Former Australian cricketer Shane Warne made a bizarre admission on Twitter that he didn't know Swans star Adam Goodes was Australian of the Year . 'Until you've been out on the footy field and you cop what happens out there, it's hard for them to make judgement,' he said. 'It's disappointing from the players who are ex-players, because they've been out there. They know what it's like. 'Is it going to affect me or the way I play my footy ... definitely not. That's their criticism ... it doesn't bother me', Goodes revealed. It all began during a social media exchange at the weekend, when former Australian cricketer Shane Warne was talking sport with good mate and fellow cricketer Michael Clarke. During the AFL match between the Sydney Swans and Richmond Tigers on Saturday evening Warne accused Swans star Adam Goodes of staging, or taking theatrical dives in order to earn free kicks during the game. Goodes hit back on Sunday morning mentioning Warne's former teammate and fellow cricketer Adam Gilchrist . 'Come on tigers beat those Swans and make the finals. By the way, does everyone get annoyed when Adam Goodes always "stages" for free kicks ?' Warne wrote. Captain of the Australian cricket team and good friend Michael Clarke responded to his mate's comment with 'Goodes is a legend mate. Swans to win the flag champion.' Warne then replied to Clarke with the baffling admission that he was surprised to discover Goodes was awarded Australian of the year for 2014 - which was awarded in January, almost eight months ago. 'I think Syd or the Hawks will win the flag. Shocked as I just found out Goodes was Aust of the year, wow ! Who votes for that?' Warne wrote in a bizarre tweet. Some punters on Twitter attacked Warne (left) for not knowing about Goodes' title (right) Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke said called Swans star Goodes a 'legend' during the exchange . What followed was many puzzled punters asking what he meant by his comments, while other users were astounded he missed the news. One wrote to Warne 'So much respect gone for you. Use to like you but you're actually a flog. Can't believe I looked up to you as a kid.' Others joked that they thought the former cricketer's account to be a parody based on his recent comments, only to discover it wasn't. On Sunday morning Adam Goodes responded to the exchange as he pointed out that Australian cricketer and one of Warne's former teammates Adam Gilchrist, is the head of the Australia Day Council. Goodes pointed out to Warne (left) his former teammate Adam Gilchrist (right) is chair of the Australia Day Council . Michael Clarke also responded that Shane Warne could be the next Australian of the Year . '@ShaneWarne thanks for your support mate maybe ask @gilly381 who votes for it he is the chair of the Australia Day Council'. Goodes wrote. Warne then repeated his initial advice for Goodes to stop diving, and wished the Swans star luck for the upcoming finals. '@adamroy37 Just stop staging for free kicks mate. You should be better than that as Aust of the year !!! Good luck in the finals', Warne tweeted. Some twitter users threw their support behind Warne over the strange sentiments, while many other people were astounded by the comments made by the former cricketer. One user commended Goodes on his response and wrote: 'Well done Adam, so tired of ppl (people) undermining your achievements'. Warne ended the conversation with the same comment he began it with - about staging during the match .

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire weighed into the debate about Swans star Adam Goodes 'staging' Shane Warne started the conversation during the Sydney Swans and Richmond Tigers AFL match on Saturday night . Warne then revealed he didn't know Swans star Adam Goodes was Australian of the year . Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke then joined the conversation saying Goodes was a 'legend' Goodes hit back on Sunday pointing to the fact Warne's former teammate Adam Gilchrist is head of the Australia Day Council .

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By . Aap . Hundreds of people have attended a candlelight vigil in Melbourne to remember the delegates of the AIDS conference who were killed in the MH17 tragedy, as well as those who have lost their lives to the illness. The crowd huddled together in Federation Square on Tuesday night and paused for a minute's silence to remember the six HIV researchers and lobbyists who were killed when their plane was shot down over Ukraine. The vigil was scheduled as part of AIDS 2014 to remember the 35 million lives lost to HIV-AIDS-related illnesses, but the event took on added meaning after the attack on MH17. Scroll down for video . Hundreds of people attended a candlelight vigil in Melbourne on Tuesday night to remember the delegates of the AIDS conference who were killed in the MH17 tragedy . The crowd held a mixture of placards, with one stating 'Remembering our colleagues on MH17', while others declared 'HIV is not a crime' and 'Silence equals death'. Richard Taki, MC of the vigil hosted by Living Positive Victoria, thanked the lost HIV researchers and lobbyists for their dedication to improving the lives of those with the illness. 'At this incredibly sad and sensitive time, we stand with our international family and send condolences to the loved ones of those who have been lost in this tragedy,' he told the crowd. The vigil was scheduled as part of AIDS 2014 to remember the 35 million lives lost to HIV-AIDS-related illnesses, but the event took on added meaning after the attack on MH17 . The crowd gathered in Federation Square and paused for a minute's silence to remember the six HIV researchers and lobbyists . 'We are particularly saddened by the loss of the delegates who were travelling to Australia to participate in the AIDS 2014 conference. 'Their contribution to the cause has been outstanding. We thank you.' City of Melbourne councillor Richard Foster said he was 'deeply saddened' by the disaster. 'We know that a number of Australians were on board as well as people travelling to Melbourne for the international AIDS conference,' he said. Richard Taki, MC of the vigil hosted by Living Positive Victoria, thanked the lost HIV researchers and lobbyists for their dedication to improving the lives of those with the illness . The crowd held a mixture of placards, with one stating 'Remembering our colleagues on MH17', while others declared 'HIV is not a crime' and 'Silence equals death' Delegates from the Aids 2014 conference and protesters march through the streets of Melbourne . 59908 . 143802 . 60651 . 71425 . 29443 . 'AIDS 2014 is a conference of solidarity and hope, people travelling to Melbourne for AIDS 2014 are in many ways people who have dedicated their lives to a better world.' Among the many lost was a giant of the HIV research community, Joep Lange, who was once the president of the International AIDS Society, which organises the biennial conference and is being held in Australia for the first time. Mr Lange was travelling with his partner, Jacqueline van Tongeren, who worked at the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development. Other delegates who died were Dr Lucie van Mens, who since 1995 has focused on HIV and AIDs prevention, the World Health Organisation's Glenn Thomas and AIDs campaigners Pim de Kuijer and Maria Adriana de Schutter.

Crowd gathered in Federation Square on Tuesday for a minute's silence . Six HIV researchers and lobbyists were killed when MH17 was shot down over Ukraine . Vigil was initially scheduled as part of AIDS 2014 to remember the 35 million people killed by HIV-AIDS related illnesses .

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An off-road racing enthusiast and rodeo clown has survived being struck by lightning twice during the same harrowing storm in St. Jo, Texas on Saturday. Casey Wagner, 31, said on Sunday that doctors told him a tingling feeling all throughout his body would last for about a week. Miraculously, tingling is the worst of Wagner's injuries. KTVT-TV  reports Wagner was at an off-road competition in Saint Jo, 85 miles northwest of Dallas, when storms arrived. The event, named Rednecks with Paychecks, hosts hundreds of racers who also camp out at the huge site. Casey Wagner is one lucky rodeo clown after surviving being struck by lightning twice at a 'Rednecks with Paychecks' event on Saturday . Wagner and two of his friends were searching for shelter from the storm when they stopped under a tree. One of his friends ran off to find a bathroom while Wagner was left beneath the tree with his friend's father. He was standing 5 feet away from his friend's father when he was struck by lightning--twice. He dropped to his knees then he was struck again. Wagner says he saw sparks during the strikes. He felt electricity in his chest and the feeling then shot up through his arm and left wrist. Wagner ran with friends beneath a tree to seek shelter from the storm in Texas on Saturday . Wagner tells KTVT-TV how he felt the lightning move through his chest and all throughout his left arm and wrist . 'What I remember is just a loud boom and it dropped me to my knees and then it hit me again,' Wagner said. 'When I got hit, it was just two big ol’ flashes and then sparks went everywhere.' A nurse who happened to be nearby cared for Wagner until he was taken to Nacona General Hospital a few miles away where he was treated and released. 'At the hospital they said the poncho I was wearing was carrying static because it was one of those plastic ones,' Wagner told KTVT-TV. Rednecks with Paychecks is an off road competition in St. Jo, Texas where hundreds of racers camp at the huge site . As if saved by some miracle, Wagner's injuries are nothing but a little shakiness. Wagner told doctors that he believed his heart skipped a beat. He lost feeling in his lower right leg and his left arm. 'I’ve got all the feeling back. It just feels like my whole body is waking up from… like if your arm falls asleep, that’s how my whole body feels,' According to doctors, Wagner should regain feeling in about a week. Wagner told Mail Online, 'I'm still weak and tingly. If symptoms don't get better within a week I'll go back to the doctor.' Wagner says he believes God kept him alive. 'I give everything to God,' he said. 'So I owe everything to him, he’s the one that kept me alive. I can tell you one thing, I’m going to start going to church more.' When asked how the experience changed him, Wagner laughed and told Mail Online, 'I don't take life for granted anymore. Reminds me to keep on living life and not act stupid.'

' I don't take life for granted anymore,' Wagner told Mail Online . 'I'm still weak and tingly. If symptoms don't get better within a week I'll go back to the doctor,' Wagner said . Wagner believes that God kept him alive .

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By . Mike Dawes . Australia captain Michael Clarke regrets warning England seamer James Anderson to 'get ready to have your 'f***ing arm broken' during the first Ashes Test last winter. Clarke was fined 20 per cent of his match fee by the ICC for the remark in Brisbane, which was was picked up by the on-ground stump microphone and inadvertently relayed to the watching world. The Australian acknowledged the confrontation, which was allegedly sparked when Anderson threatened to punch the hosts' Test debutant George Bailey in the face, may not have shown him in a good light but did not regret standing up for his team-mate. Get ready to have your f***ing arm broken: Michael Clarke gestures at James Anderson (right) in Brisbane . 'Maybe I hadn't said exactly what I said to James Anderson (previously), but I'd stuck up for my players on a number of occasions and it's never been picked up on the stump mic,' Clarke told www.cricket.com.au. Squaring up: Anderson and Clarke have words during the winter's first Ashes Test . 'I regret the language I used and I regret that I said it over the stump mic. 'The last thing I want is for boys and girls watching cricket to be going and playing club cricket and saying things like that to opposition players. 'I think it's unacceptable that the Australian cricket captain is setting that example. 'But I don't regret standing up for George Bailey one bit. I don't regret being extremely honest with James Anderson and telling him what Mitchell Johnson's plan was. 'I don't regret that - I just regret that everybody heard it and the language I used.' Clarke dismissed talk that the spat . was driven by a long-standing grudge between the pair, who first played . against each other 12 years ago. 'The media like to do up that we have history,' the 33-year-old said. 'The only history I have is that England kept beating us. 'And he (Anderson) was a part of England and I was part of Australia.' Clarke . also said he hoped suggestions that people liked him more because of . the row were wrong, adding: 'I think it's an insult if that's why it . (public opinion) has changed. 'If people like me more because I said that to James Anderson, then I think that's very silly. 'If . people think that all of a sudden I'm a good captain because I said . that to James Anderson, then I think that's silly as well.' Spark: This clash between Anderson and George Bailey (obscured) is alleged to have prompted Clarke's threat .

Clarke's comment picked up on stump microphone in Brisbane . Confrontation allegedly sparked by Anderson threatening to punch George Bailey . 'It's unacceptable the Australia captain is setting that example,' says Clarke . Clarke dismissed suggestion him and Anderson had long-standing rift .

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Buenos Aires (CNN) -- A premature baby who survived hours in a morgue refrigerator in Argentina was in "very serious" condition after doctors detected an infection, state media reported. The infection could compromise Luz Milagros Veron's neurological system and kidney function, the Telam news agency reported Thursday. The 9-day-old baby was being treated with antibiotics, said Diana Vesco, chief of neonatology at the Perrando Hospital in northeast Argentina, according to the state news agency. The baby's survival grabbed global headlines and prompted her parents to give her a new name: Luz Milagros, the Spanish words for light and miracles. Pronounced dead after her premature birth on April 3, she withstood more than 10 hours in a coffin inside a morgue refrigerator before being found alive. "Today is the eighth day of my daughter's resurrection," the girl's father, Fabian Veron, told CNN Wednesday. Every, doctor, nurse and morgue worker who dealt with the baby at the hospital has been suspended as an investigation gets underway, officials said. "There was an error of medical protocol. This is about human error," said Francisco Baquero, Chaco province's health minister, according to Telam. Provincial officials provided compensation to the family Thursday, Telam reported, including cell phones, an economic subsidy, a motorcycle and transportation assistance. Earlier this week, the hospital's director told CNN proper protocol had been followed. The baby had no vital signs when she was born, hospital director Dr. Jose Luis Meirino told CNN. The gynecologist on hand didn't find any signs of life, so he passed the baby to a neonatal doctor who also didn't find vital signs, Meirino said. The doctors observed the baby for a while, and only then, pronounced her dead. Two morgue workers then put her body inside a little wooden coffin and placed it in the morgue. "Up to that point, there were still no vital signs," the hospital director said. That night, mother Analia Boutet insisted on seeing her dead daughter's body, Veron said. "They put the coffin on top of a stretcher and we looked for a little crowbar to open it because it was nailed shut," Veron told a local television station. "It was nailed shut. I put the crowbar in there and started prying. I took a breath and took the lid off." Boutet approached the baby's body, touched her hand, and heard a cry, Veron told CNN. Veron's brother-in-law rushed the baby back to the neonatal ward. He clutched her close to his chest for warmth. She felt like an ice-cold bottle against his body, the relative told Veron. "I can't explain what happened. Only that God has performed a miracle," Veron said. Related story: Did cold temperatures help 'miracle' baby survive? Meirino said it was the first time he had witnessed an incident like this, but that a nearly identical thing happened in Israel in 2008. In that case, a baby was found alive in a morgue refrigerator after having been declared dead. Some doctors at the time said that it was possible that the low temperatures inside the refrigerator had slowed down the baby's metabolism and helped her survive. However, that baby later died. CNN's Mariano Castillo, Rafael Romo and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report.

Doctors detect an infection that could compromise the baby's neurological and kidney function . Luz Milagros Veron is in "very serious" condition, state media reports . The baby was pronounced dead and withstood more than 10 hours in a morgue refrigerator . Health minister: "There was an error of medical protocol. This is about human error"

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By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 12:25 EST, 3 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:37 EST, 4 January 2013 . A 15-year-old is suing the Icelandic state for the legal right to be called 'Light Breeze'. She was baptised by the name - Blaer in her own language - but the country does not allow babies to be called anything that is not on a government-approved list. A handful of other states, including Germany and Denmark, also have this rule. Icelanders are generally comfortable with a firm state role, and abide by the Personal Names Register, a list of 1,712 male names and 1,853 female names. Identity crisis: Blaer Bjarkardottir, 15, left, was given her name by her mother, Bjork Eidsdottir - but they were later told by the priest who baptised Blaer that it had been a mistake . All fit Icelandic grammar and pronunciation rules and officials claim they will protect children from embarrassment. Parents can take from the list or apply to a committee with alternative ideas. Blaer Bjarkardottir's mother, Bjork Eidsdottir, said she learned her daughter's name was not on the register only after the priest who baptised the child later informed her he had mistakenly allowed it. 'I had no idea that the name wasn't on the list, the famous list of names that you can choose from,' said Mrs Eidsdottir, adding she knew a Blaer whose name was accepted in 1973. Rock 'n' roll: The name Elvis was recently permitted because it fits the guidelines - but choices such as Cara, Carolina and Christa were rejected because the letter 'c' is not in Iceland's 32-letter alphabet . This time, the panel turned it down on the grounds that the word Blaer takes a masculine article, despite the fact that it was used for a female character in a novel by Iceland's revered Nobel Prize-winning author Halldor Laxness. Given names are even more significant in tiny Iceland than in many other countries - everyone is listed in the phone book by their first names, while surnames are based on a parent's given name. Even the president, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, is addressed simply as Olafur. As a consequence of the ruling, Blaer has no official name and is only identified as 'Stulka' - or 'girl' - on all her official documents. This has led to years of frustration as she has had to explain the story at the bank, when renewing her passport and when dealing with the country's bureaucracy. Her mother is hoping that will change with her suit, the first time someone has challenged a names committee decision in court. Although the law has become more relaxed in recent years - with the name Elvis permitted as fitting the guidelines - choices such as Cara, Carolina, Cesil, and Christa have been rejected outright because the letter 'c' is not part of Iceland's 32-letter alphabet. 'The law is pretty straightforward so in many cases it's clearly going to be a yes or a no,' said Agusta Thorbergsdottir, the head of the panel of three appointed by the government to a four-year term. Other cases are more subjective. 'What one person finds beautiful, another person may find ugly,' she acknowledged, pointing to 'Satania' as one unacceptable case because it was deemed too close to 'Satan.' The board also has veto power over people who want to change their names later in life - rejecting, for instance, middle names like Zeppelin and X. 1. Elvis (Sweden) 2. Superman (Sweden) 3. 4Real (New Zealand . 4. Carolina (Iceland) 5. Tom (Portugal) 6. Friday (Italy) 7. Bridge (Norway) 8. @ (China) 9. Anus (Denmark) 10. Devil (Japan) 1. Elvis (Iceland) 2. Superman (New Zealand) 3. Gandalf (UK) 4. King (US) 5. Dear Pineapple (Dominican Republic) 6. Speedy (Germany) 7. Facebook (Egypt) 8. Like (Israel) 9. Bitter (Argentina) 10. Monkey (Australia) When the artist Birgir Orn Thoroddsen applied to have his name legally changed to Curver, which he had used in one form or another since age 15, he said he knew full well the committee would reject his application. 'I was inspired by Prince who changed his name to The Artist Formerly Known As Prince and Puff Daddy who changed his to P. Diddy and then Diddy with seemingly little thought or criticism,' he said. 'I applied to the committee, but of course I got the "no" that I expected.' On his 30th birthday, he bought a full-page advertisement that read, 'From February 1, 2006, I hereby change my name to Curver Thoroddsen. I ask the nation, my friends and colleagues to respect my decision.' He added: 'I can understand a clause to protect children from being named something like "Dog poo", but it is strange that an adult cannot change his name to what he truly wants. Mrs Eidsdottir said she is prepared to take the case all the way to the country's Supreme Court if a court doesn't overturn the commission decision on January 25. 'So many strange names have been allowed, which makes this even more frustrating because Blaer is a perfectly Icelandic name,' said Mrs Eidsdottir. 'It seems like a basic human right to be able to name your child what you want, especially if it doesn't harm your child in any way. 'And my daughter loves her name.'

Blaer is officially known as 'Girl' - which can cause trouble at the bank . She was baptised by the banned name but a priest then said it was an error .

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A British Airways jet was forced to make an emergency landing after two women pilots 'almost passed out' at the controls. The captain and first officer had to put on oxygen masks as the . aircraft, which had just taken off from Heathrow, was climbing at 20,000 . feet. Twenty minutes into the . Glasgow-bound flight, passengers heard a 'panicked' call for a senior . member of the cabin crew to come to the aid . of the flight crew 'immediately'. The plane, an Airbus A321, was heading to Glasgow when both pilots reported feeling unwell . Passengers saw 'worried' air stewards . carrying oxygen cylinders as the plane turned around and headed full . speed back to Heathrow. One . passenger, a 40-year-old health and safety manager, said: 'I know we flew back much faster than we had set off because we began descending sharply almost straight away. 'A lot of . stewards were moving about. You could tell they had a lot on their . plate, with this happening so soon into the flight.' The Airbus A321, which was carrying more than 100 passengers, landed safely back at Heathrow on December 20 and was met by around 10 fire engines and two ambulances. Bewildered travellers were told only that they were heading back 'due to a technical fault'. One frightened elderly passenger had to be attended to by staff as the emergency return began. Dramatic escape: Passengers were rushed back to Heathrow after both the Captain and first officer became dizzy and light-headed during the ascent (file photo) British airlines have been hit by toxic fume leaks at a rate of five flights a week unbeknown to passengers, figures revealed at the end of last year. The Civil Aviation Authority  received 254 reports of problems in the cabin or cockpit in the 12-month period before. The data logs emergency landings, distress calls and incidents where cabin crew have had to wear oxygen masks. The dossier was released as plane manufacturer Boeing agreed an undisclosed payout to former flight attendant, Terry Williams for her exposure to contaminated air. The mother-of-two said she suffered memory loss, and speech and vision impairment after toxic air leaked into the cabin of an American Airlines plane in 2007. The CAA also reveals emergency landings after crew have fallen ill. Cabin air on most aircraft is supplied unfiltered through the outside engine system. It can be contaminated by an oil leak, which leads to pungent smells that can cause headaches, nausea or even unconsciousness. The Department for Transport has denied claims that the CAA dossier should cause concerns for people on board flights. The incident, which is . now being investigated by the Air Accident Investigation Branch, was . also reported on a professional pilots' website. One user wrote: 'Departed Heathrow at 4 . pm-ish, at approx 20 mins into flight a very abrupt and . panicked message came over the PA from the pilot.' He said there were a . number of 'worried faces' among the flight attendants he saw with . oxygen cylinders and said the plane headed back to Heathrow . 'at great speed'. 'No announcement for a long time then the . expected technical problem line was posted to all,' he added. 'We landed no problem . but were met by a full fire service turn out, including local authority . fire service and engineers etc etc. 'It later transpires that both pilots became lightheaded/dizzy/unwell at the same time, in my book that's serious.' Paramedics boarded the plane first . and passengers discovered that both pilots had felt as though they . had been about to pass . out. The 40-year-old health and safety manager said: 'That moment was very . alarming, and I travel by air all the time. I take my hat off to the stewards for being so calm and . collected. They did a fantastic job. 'There was none of this ridiculous clapping on landing and most . people on the flight got on the next one straight afterwards. 'Of . course, about 90 per cent still thought we had returned because of a . technical fault.' A BA spokeswoman said today that the . aircraft had been thoroughly inspected and no fault was found, with the . plane going back into service the next day. She added: 'During a journey from . Heathrow to Glasgow, flight crew reported feeling light-headed so, as a . precaution and following normal procedure, put on oxygen masks. 'Our flight crew are highly trained . to deal with such circumstances. The aircraft returned to Heathrow, . landed safely and customers continued their journey on a replacement . aircraft after a short delay. 'We apologise to customers for the inconvenience but their safety is always our highest priority.' The passengers were greeted at Terminal 5 shortly after take-off by paramedics and fire crews .

Women officers have to put on oxygen masks 20 minutes into flight . Passengers hear 'panicked' captain call for help from senior cabin crew . Emergency return to Heathrow 'at great speed'

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The U.S. Supreme Court refused Friday to stop the pending release of thousands of California inmates to solve chronic, severe overcrowding in the state prisons. The unsigned order is the latest chapter in a long-running federal lawsuit by prisoners and their advocates against what they called dangerous and unacceptable conditions in 30 state correctional institutions. A judge's order in May required the state to further reduce the prison population by 9,600 inmates by year's end. The state has repeatedly cited public safety in resisting the mandated releases. The state in recent days asked the Supreme Court for an injunction to delay implementation of the order. The high court in 2011 upheld an earlier order setting limits on the prison population and a timetable for the state to follow to meet that ceiling. Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito said they would have granted the stay requested by the state. Scalia, in a toughly worded dissent, called the original release order a "terrible injunction" and suggested the result would be that many of the released prisoners will commit more crimes. California to challenge court order to release 10,000 inmates by year's end . There was no immediate reaction from Gov. Jerry Brown, but he had called the earlier mandate "unprecedented." A three-judge federal court panel ordered the state to reduce its prison population to 137.5% of design capacity by December 31 and threatened to find the state in contempt if it did not report on its progress every two weeks. Until recently, California had the nation's largest prison system and officials have said they have been reducing overcrowding. The case grows out of lawsuits filed in 1990 and 2001 that alleged overcrowding is at the core of a domino effect of unsafe and unhealthy conditions for those on both sides of the iron bars. In 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the federal panel's determination that California's medical and mental health care for inmates fell below a constitutional level of care and that the only way to meet the requirement was by reducing prison crowding. The justices two years ago found "continuing injury and harm resulting from these serious constitutional violations," including as many as 156,000 people crammed in correctional facilities designed to hold about half that many. Justice Anthony Kennedy at the time noted "needless suffering and death have been the well-documented result. Over the whole course of years during which this litigation has been pending, no other remedies have been found to be sufficient." Federal judges in May expressed impatience with California officials, the defendants in the case. They threatened to cite the state with contempt if it did not comply with the release orders. The larger issue is a classic battle over state versus federal authority, focusing on whether U.S. courts can step in and essentially run state prisons when officials have repeatedly violated basic constitutional guarantees afforded inmates. The competing arguments amount to a sharply divided debate between public safety concerns and individual rights, a debate that goes into how the three branches of government should balance competing state interests. Alito had dissented from the 2011 ruling, and warned any mass release of inmates to alleviate overcrowding would be "gambling with the safety of the people of California." Prison overcrowding is a nationwide problem, but California's dilemma is unique in its massive scope and time frame. A special federal court in 2009 ordered the state to shrink the prison population from 202% over capacity to a maximum of 137.5%, and to accomplish that in two years. The state was given wide latitude to meet the goal, but the court was adamant the state do it without delay and without excuse. The current high court appeal is Brown v. Plata (13A57). Read more: Hunger strike on for 12,000 California inmates .

California prisons are under order to release 9,600 inmates by year's end . The state wants to delay the deadline; the Supreme Court says no . Overcrowding has made the prisons unsafe and unsanitary, courts say . Justices Antonin Scalia warns that many released prisoners will commit crimes .

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A car thief was caught red-handed after being knocked unconscious when his stolen motor hit another car and nearly flattened a group of pedestrians before skidding to a halt on a zebra crossing. Locals in the the city of Kaliningrad in western Russia's Kaliningrad region scattered in terror as the stolen two-door red Pontiac ploughed into the other car and hurtled towards them on the city's Sovetsky street as they walked to work in the morning. Driver Dmitri Bobrovski, 37, who captured the scene on his in-car video camera said: 'I was waiting for the lights to change when this car came out of nowhere and all hell broke loose.' Scroll down for video . Terror on the road: A car thief was caught red-handed after being knocked unconscious when his stolen motor hit another car and nearly flattened a group of pedestrians in Russia . Run: Locals in the the city of Kaliningrad in western Russia's Kaliningrad region scattered in terror as the stolen two-door red Pontiac ploughed into the other car and hurtled towards them . One bystander said: 'It's a miracle no one was hurt, let alone killed' He added: 'People literally leapt to get out of the way. 'It's a miracle no one was hurt, let alone killed.' Lucky shop assistant Renata Zaytseva, 54, said: 'It all happened so fast, one minute I was waiting to cross the road, the next I was being knocked out of the way as people tried to escape the car. 'It was really terrifying. 'When the car came to a stop we just stared at it in shock. 'Luckily the man in the other car was OK but the man in the red car wasn't moving and we thought he might be dead.' The driver, identified as Spiridon Aksakov, 23, was taken to hospital for a check up and then charged with theft . A police spokesman said: 'We suddenly realised that the car he was driving matched the description of one that had been reported stolen just 30 minutes earlier' When police and ambulance crews arrived they revived the man who was suffering from mild concussion. A police spokesman said: 'We suddenly realised that the car he was driving matched the description of one that had been reported stolen just 30 minutes earlier. 'We don't like it when anyone is involved in an accident, but this time it worked in our favour.' The driver, identified as Spiridon Aksakov, 23, was taken to hospital for a check up and then charged with theft. He now faces two years in jail.

The car thief, 23, was out of control following earlier collision . The stolen Pontiac then ploughed into pedestrians at side of the road . Driver, who was treated for concussion, now faces two years in jail .

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(InStyle.com) -- Style-maker, TV host and opinionated fashionista Carson Kressley explains how to give yourself a complete makeover--inside and out. Style-maker Carson Kressley spills the naked truth on giving yourself a mental makeover. Minimize the negative . As Coco Chanel said, "Fashion is architecture: It's a matter of proportions." In other words: No matter which part of your body you dislike, there's a clever way to divert the eye elsewhere. Try different styles and employ horizontal (widening), vertical (elongating) and diagonal (slimming) lines as necessary. Venture out of your comfort zone . "Many women get used to dressing their body a certain way because they think it's the only thing that works for them," says Kressley. Find a boutique or department store with well-trained salespeople and try on three styles you've never worn. It might be a fabric such as jersey that you've always deemed too clingy or an Empire-waist camisole that you're convinced looks too young. Not every experiment will be a success, but even one new style or color will prove that there are more ways than you thought to look your best. Don't be ruled by your insecurities . If you've been avoiding the beach or missing out on parties because you're afraid of being the largest person there, grab a friend and go to the very place that incites terror--just be sure you're wearing an amazing outfit. Avoid a blackout . "Have you ever seen a happy goth?" muses Kressley. "I think everyone needs color to feel good." Too many women rely on head-to-toe black as a form of camouflage. But any hue can be slimming if worn monochromatically--so instead of black, reach for plum, gray or chocolate brown. Clean out your closet . Whether you're holding on to clothes that are too small because you hope you'll fit into them someday, or clothes that are too big for fear you'll grow back into them, you're keeping past wounds open. "Old clothes stop you from living in the present," says Kressley. "They reinforce what you used to look like." Get rid of anything you haven't worn in two years and replace it with something new that makes you feel pretty. And while you're out shopping, have a house-cleaner swing by for good measure. Write yourself a love note . Some women are so obsessed with their hips that they fail to notice their flat tummy. Remind yourself of your virtues by writing a note that says something like "Hey, you have a great chest!" Tack it to the bathroom mirror so you'll see it in the morning and before bedtime. "We're so trained to look for the negative that we need a physical reminder of the positive," explains Kressley. Have a princess moment . Treating yourself to a massage, a body exfoliation, a professional blow-out, a brow shaping or a mani-pedi can elevate your mood by affirming to yourself that you're worth the splurge. Get naked . Some women on Kressley's show are so self-conscious about their bodies that they're reluctant to be naked around their husbands. That discomfort affects how they feel when dressed too. Before you can move as if you own the room, you'll have to be at ease inside your skin, and spending time in the buff can help. One idea: Take a bath with the (gasp!) lights on--no candles. "Feeling comfortable with your body alone is the first step to feeling comfortable with your body around others," says Kressley. If all else fails, fake it . One of Kressley's favorite mantras is "looking cute is feeling cute." So if you're having a low day, force yourself to go through the motions. Put on your makeup, do your hair, wear a great outfit. Sometimes faking it can give you enough of a boost to lift you out of the doldrums. "Feeling pretty," Kressley says, "changes your whole outlook because you feel good about yourself." Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. All rights reserved.

Fashionista Carson Kressley: Women get stuck in fashion ruts . Well-trained salespeople can help you try new styles, colors . Old clothes reinforce old looks; toss anything you haven't worn in 2 years . Remind yourself of good things about your body .

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(CNN) -- African football's ruling body, the Confederation of African Football, has called for a thorough investigation into how 15 fans died at a league match in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The fatalities occurred after a stampede broke out in the closing stages of Sunday's decisive meeting between the country's biggest clubs, AS Vita Club and TP Mazembe. Reports state that trouble flared after fans of home side Vita started throwing missiles onto the pitch with their team trailing 1-0 in a game where the victor would take the title. The police responded by firing tear gas whereupon a stampede for the exit gates led to chaotic scenes of overcrowding, resulting in the deaths and injuries to over 20 others. On its website, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said the stampede 'caused the collapse of a wall and a gate of the Tata Raphael stadium'. The match was taking place in the Congolese capital Kinshasa, at the stadium that staged the legendary 'Rumble in the Jungle' boxing bout between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in 1974. "I wish to reemphasize that any acts of violence have no place in football," CAF President Issa Hayatou told cafonline.com. "They must be condemned in the strongest possible terms and I urge FECOFA (the Congolese FA) and authorities in DR Congo to thoroughly investigate this matter and ensure that measures (are) put in place to avoid a repeat of any incidents." The long-serving Cameroonian also demanded that CAF be kept abreast of any proposed security measures. Kinshasa governor Andre Kimbuta has already set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the disaster. "On behalf of FIFA and in my own name, I offer you, and the Congolese FA, my sincerest condolences," wrote FIFA President Sepp Blatter in a letter to the President of FECOFA. "I would be most grateful if you would pass on the deep sympathy and support of the entire international football community to the families, loved ones and clubs of the deceased and victims at this very difficult time." "May this message soften their pain and bring them support and comfort." At FIFA's headquarters in the Swiss city Zurich, the flags of both DR Congo and CAF were flown at half-mast in a sign of mourning. The disaster is the worst at a Congolese football match since a game in Butembo in 2008, when 13 spectators -- many of whom were children -- died after police fired tear gas into the crowd shortly after stones had been thrown by the fans. Six years on, a similar set of circumstances has sparked a further devastating loss of life. The two teams are set to meet again on the weekend of May 24-25 in the group stages of the African Champions League. CAF is considering whether to play the match between AS Vita, crowned African champions in the 1970s, and four-time continental winners Mazembe behind closed doors. Mazembe stunned the footballing world in 2010 when becoming the first African side to reach the final of FIFA's Club World Cup, but their name may now conjure up far sadder emotions.

African football body CAF calls for 'thorough' investigation into DR Congo stadium disaster . Fifteen fans died as a stampede broke out at the game between AS Vita and TP Mazembe . FIFA President Sepp Blatter offers support of the entire football community . Match took place in stadium of 'Rumble in the Jungle' fame .

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Ask Rio Ferdinand who the next England manager should be and he will tell you that the search should start and end with Glenn Hoddle. Nearly 16 years have passed since Hoddle’s last game as England’s head coach, a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic at Wembley in a friendly in November 1998. On Tuesday the pair were reunited when Hoddle accepted a bolt-from-the-blue offer to become Harry Redknapp’s first team coach at QPR. Bolt from the blue: Glenn Hoddle accepted the offer to become Harry Redknapp's first-team coach at QPR . Redknapp wants to play the in-vogue 3-5-2 formation, casting Ferdinand in the role of sweeper and using Clint Hill and Steven Caulker to stabilise his defence. If it works - and safety in the Barclays Premier League will be the measure of its success - then you can expect some momentum for Hoddle’s return to the national team. Football really is that fickle. This is a fascinating appointment because Hoddle - as a man and as a manager - divides opinion. He is not an easy man to get along with. His last coaching appointment was in 2004, an unsuccessful spell at Wolves that lasted less than two years. He has been off the training field a long time now. ‘The game has moved on since the last time Glenn was a manager,’ was Tim Sherwood response to Hoddle’s criticism of his Tottenham team from the television studio last season. They have never seen eye-to-eye, a legacy from Hoddle’s spell as Spurs manager when Sherwood’s playing days were coming to an end. Sherwood is not alone in his assessment. With the national team, Hoddle made some catastrophic decisions as head coach. One of them, over his comments about the after-life, led to his resignation in February 1999. Those with even deeper memories will recall his book - Glenn Hoddle: My World Cup story - spilling the guts on England’s dressing room secrets at France 98. As a result, he lost the trust of his players. Believer: Rio Ferdinand thinks Hoddle should be England boss, as he was here in 1998 . Highs and lows: Hoddle after England drew 0-0 in Rome in 1997 (left) and his final match vs the Czech Republic . Swindon Town 1991-1993 . Played 115 Won 49 Drew 32 Lost 34 . Chelsea 1993-1996 . P 157  W 53 D 54 L 50 . England 1996-1999 . P 28 W 17 D 6 L 5 . Southampton 2000-2001 . P 52 W 22 D 12 L 18 42.31 . Tottenham 2001-2003 . P 104 W 41 D 18 L 45 . Wolves 2004-2006 . P 76 W 27 D 34 L 15 . More recently Gary Neville, who is now England’s assistant manager, questioned his methods and ability to manage a dressing room in his own autobiography, RED. According to Neville, England’s head coach used to touch players on the heart in the dressing room before matches and asked the backroom team to walk around the pitch ‘anti-clockwise’ when they played Argentina at France 98 to create positive energy. Sounds bonkers. Neville, though, does go on to say that Hoddle ‘undoubtedly’ wanted England to play the right way but questioned whether that he had ‘the man-management skills to go with his football intelligence’. Society demands a second chance, an opportunity to rectify mistakes from the past. This, unquestionably, is Hoddle’s. Ferdinand, who played in Hoddle’s last game as England’s head coach, believes he possesses one of the finest tactical minds in the game. Long spell out: Hoddle has not coached in English football since his tenure at Wolves ended in 2006 . That is a select grouping, one that includes some coaching greats such as Rinus Michel, Miguel Munoz and Bob Paisley. The former Manchester United defender, who played and trained under Terry Venables, Kevin Keegan, Sven Goran Eriksson, Steve McClaren and Fabio Capello with the national team, is convinced Hoddle belongs in the elite category. On the training field, Ferdinand will tell you that Hoddle has an eye for detail and the intuition to solve problems before his players have even seen them. If true, that is a unique skill. In the Louis van Gaal era, we are witnessing a massive change in the landscape of English football. There is endless talk about tactics, systems and team shape now that the fabled Dutch coach has arrived at Manchester United with his salt and pepper pots. Sweeping statement: Ferdinand will be the 'libero' at QPR, as Hoddle (right) was at Swindon . New era: Louis van Gaal is using the same 3-5-2 formation Hoddle and Redknapp will attempt to implement at QPR . It is there, at Old Trafford, where van Gaal intends to play a variation of 3-5-2 this season. Redknapp wants to do the same. Hoddle didn’t reinvent the wheel when he became manager of Swindon in 1991, his first coaching appointment, but it was certainly brave to play with a libero in the old Second Division. He put himself there, the launchpad for Swindon’s attacks as they progressed to the play-off final, where he scored the opening goal in a 4-3 victory over Leicester, in his second full season. Paul Bodin, Colin Calderwood, John Moncur and former Tottenham midfielder Micky Hazard, who came on as a substitute at Wembley, were in the victorious Swindon team. He went on to sign the great Ruud Gullit in 1995 when manager of Chelsea, converting the former AC Milan forward into a libero, with mixed results, towards the end of his career. It is 21 years since he started work at Chelsea’s old Harlington training centre after succeeding Dave Webb as their manager. Now he is returning to work there, this time as QPR’s first team coach as he attempts to rebuild his career at the very highest level. At the age of 56 there is time for Hoddle to make an impression and fulfil the ambition he once showed as a promising young coach. If it works out, it will only be a matter of time before he becomes an option for the national team.

Glenn Hoddle has joined the coaching staff at Queen's Park Rangers . Harry Redknapp is considering employing 3-5-2 tactics at Loftus Road . Rio Ferdinand will be a sweeper with Clint Hill and Steven Caulker ahead . Former England manager has not been involved in coaching since 2004 . Tim Sherwwod claims the game has moved on since Hoddle was last around . Gary Neville questioned Hoddle's management skills in his autobiography . Rio Ferdinand ranks the former Tottenham boss as a tactical genius .

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An abandoned dog that was tied up, put in a rubbish bag and dumped in a bin was rescued after its terrified cries were heard by a passer-by. Emilia Lucchese was walking through the streets of Messina in Sicily, southern Italy, with her friend, Enrica Bianchi, when she noticed the animal's whimpers. The pair opened the lid of the bin and were shocked to discover the brown dog lying inside it in a black plastic bag with its legs bound tightly with wire. Scroll down for video . Shocking: This dog was tied up, put in a rubbish bag and dumped in a bin in Messina in Sicily, southern Italy . After lifting the animal out of the bin, they quickly found it was severely dehydrated and so weak it could barely lift its head. But after feeding it water and taking it to the vets, the dog has made a full recovery - and has even been adopted by its devoted rescuers. Today, Ms Lucchese, who later named the dog Oliviero, described the moment she heard the animal's cries coming from the bin. 'I thought maybe the dog had got trapped inside after looking for scraps or something, and somebody had shut the lid,' she said. Abandoned: Emilia Lucchese and her friend Enrica Bianchi were walking through the streets of Messina in Sicily, southern Italy, when they noticed the animal's whimpers. Above, the dog was found in a 'terrified' state . Rescue: The women opened the lid of the bin and were shocked to discover the brown dog lying inside it in a black plastic bag. Above, one of the women feeds the animal water from a bottle as it was severely dehydrated . 'But when I opened it I realised there was something moving in a plastic bin liner and that it must have been the animal. 'When we pulled it out, we were shocked to see the terrified dog had its legs tied up with wire in an apparent bid to stop it escaping.' She added: 'It was in shock and really thirsty so I assume it had been there for a while, it started to come round only after we poured water from a bottle into its mouth.' Location: The dog was found the city of Messina (pictured), which is the third largest city on the island of Sicily . Ms Lucchese and Ms Bianchi filmed their rescue of Oliviero on video, before posting the shocking footage online. The short film quickly went viral on Italian social media networks and was later published in local newspapers. Italian police have now launched an investigation and are appealing for information about the dog's previous owners. Adopted: The animal (pictured just seconds after it was found) had its legs bound tightly with wire and was so weak it could barely lift its head. But it has since made a full recovery - and has been adopted by its rescuers .

Emilia Lucchese was walking through Messina, Sicily, with female friend . She heard dog's screams coming from bin, so went over and opened lid . Shocked to discover dog lying inside it in bin bag with legs tied with wire . Animal was severely dehydrated and so weak it could barely lift its head . But since rescue, dog has recovered and has been adopted by the women .

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By . Leon Watson for MailOnline . A top Buckingham Palace official appeared court today accused of receiving more than £100,000 in bribes in return for awarding contracts for work at royal palaces. Ron Harper, 62, was deputy property manager at the Royal Household from 1994 until his suspension in 2012. It is alleged that between 2006 and 2011, company directors bribed Harper in return for him awarding them large contracts for work at the palaces. Ron Harper, the Queen's former deputy property manager, arrives at Southwark Crown Court where he faces charges for receiving payments to award contracts for work at Royal Palaces . The maintenance work at Buckingham Palace, St James's Palace and Kensington Palace, was funded by the Civil List, now called the Sovereign Grant, and came straight out of taxpayer's pockets. Harper, who was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order by the Queen in 2004, appeared at Southwark Crown Court with eight other men and one woman, who are yet to enter pleas. Harper, from Sudbury, Suffolk, is charged with four counts of conspiracy to give and receive corrupt payments. Steven Thompson, 60, of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, and Bernard Gackowski, 61, of Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, former directors of Melton Power Services, are both charged with one count of conspiracy to give and receive corrupt payments and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position. The Queen's former deputy property manager has been charged with taking more than £100,000 in kickbacks to award contracts ultimately funded by taxpayers . Ronald Harper, 61, is said to have handed out huge contracts for mechanical and electrical work at Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and Kensington Palace, pictured . Glyn Orridge, 65, of Melton Mowbray, a director of GO Power, and Matthew Neath, 34, of Melton Mowbray, a director of Borrough Property Services, are both charged with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position. David Woodhams, 46, of Stanmer Village, Brighton, a former director of DWEC, Aseai Zlaoui, 39, of Witham, Essex, and Christopher Murphy, 54, of Witham, Essex, directors of BSI Nordale, and Harry Howard, 80, of Chadderton, a director of Atlantic 2000, are all charged with one count of conspiracy to give and receive corrupt payments. Alan Rollinson, 65, of Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, a relative of Harper's, is charged with one count of converting or transferring criminal property. They are all due to next appear at Southwark Crown Court on November 28, for a plea and case management hearing. A Member of the Royal Victorian Order is given by the Queen to people who have served her or the Monarchy in a personal way.

Ron Harper, 62, was deputy property manager at the Royal Household . It is alleged he accepted tens of thousands in exchange for favouring firms . Two of these firms later received prestigious Royal Warrants . Harper was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order by the Queen .

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By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 07:52 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:43 EST, 16 October 2013 . The mother of murdered teenager Danielle Jones has spoken of the 'torture' of never being able to bury her daughter. Linda Jones has said she has accepted her daughter's murderer Stuart Campbell will never reveal where Danielle's body is, more than 12 years after she went missing. But she said never being able to bury her daughter 'tortures' her every day. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Heartache: Linda Jones has spoken of the 'torture' of never being able to bury her daughter Danielle, who went missing in 2001 . Tragic: Mrs Jones said she had 'not been given the chance to say goodbye' to her daughter properly . Victim: Danielle Jones went missing in June 2001 after leaving home for school. The following year her uncle Stuart Campbell was jailed for life for her murder and kidnap . The 15-year-old disappeared in June 2001 after leaving home to catch a bus to school. In December 2002 her uncle, Stuart Campbell, of Grays, Essex, was convicted and jailed for life for her kidnap and murder following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court. Appeal judges upheld those convictions. Campbell has never admitted how he killed Danielle or where she is. In a documentary to be aired tonight, Mrs Jones, of East Tilbury, Essex, has described the pain of never being able to bury her daughter. She said: 'The fact that he won’t give us that one peace.  I’ve accepted that he won’t but to not be able to bury her and know where she is, is an everyday tortuous position.' Mrs Jones said: 'We’ve not been given the chance to say goodbye to her properly.' 'Monster': In the documentary Mrs Jones described Campbell as 'the most despicable repulsive thing there is' Convicted: Stuart Campbell has never admitted how he killed Danielle or where she is . Mrs Jones said even though there is no grave to visit, she is able to go to the memorial garden built at Danielle's school. She said: 'For us it’s really important to have somewhere to go. As I say, normally you would have a grave, we don’t have that. 'We’ve got all our memories indoors but I . think sometimes you need somewhere to go and lay flowers and just have a . bit of peace. 'As a mum, you protect your children and I didn’t protect her enough' - Linda Jones . 'As hard as it is to come here I think also it makes you almost feel you are with her in happier times, when she was a schoolgirl.' Mrs Jones and her husband Tony have raised two sons, which she said is what helped pull her through the tragedy. Mrs Jones said: 'She was a beautiful fun loving girl, she had everything to live for. I miss her every minute of every day.' At an inquest in 2005 senior detectives said police would 'not give up' trying to find her body. Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Reynolds said police believed Campbell had killed and disposed of Danielle's body alone. Campbell, a father-of-two whose hobbies included body-building and karate, denied any involvement in her disappearance. 'Torture': Danielle's parents Tony and Linda Jones pictured after Campbell was found guilty of abducting and murdering the teenager . But the prosecution produced evidence that Danielle, a pupil at St Clere's School, Stanford-le-Hope, was seen talking to a man in a blue Transit van shortly after leaving her house. Campbell owned an identical van. The jury of seven women and five men heard that Campbell had developed an 'irresistible sexual attraction' for his niece. He regularly picked her up from the . school bus stop in his van; sent her 'an inordinate amount of text . messages' and kept a diary chronicling his contact with her. Much-loved: Mrs Jones described her daughter as 'a beautiful fun loving girl' who 'had everything to live for' Campbell claimed to have been in another part of Essex on the morning Danielle disappeared, but expert analysis of his mobile phone showed that could not be true. Investigations also revealed that his phone and Danielle's phone were together near his home for around 30 hours after she vanished. In a bag in Campbell's loft, police found female underwear including a pair of cling-top women's stockings stained with blood. The stockings bore traces of Campbell's and Danielle's DNA. In the documentary Mrs Jones said: 'I think he is the most despicable repulsive thing there is.  I don’t know of a word other than monster that could describe him. 'As a mum, you protect your children and I didn’t protect her enough.' In 2005 Campbell appealed the decision claiming he did not get a fair trial. In the appeal, his lawyers argued that the trial judge, Mr Justice McKinnon, should have excluded highly prejudicial evidence to the effect that Campbell had a fixation for young girls and taking photographs of them, and downloaded material about teenage girls from the Internet. They also urged Lord Justice Kennedy, Mr Justice Simon and Mr Justice Bean to rule that one of the jurors should have been discharged because he lived next door but one to a police officer involved in the case and another senior investigating officer lived in the same village. The appeal however was dismissed.

Danielle Jones disappeared in June 2001 after leaving home for school . Her uncle Stuart Campbell was convicted of her kidnap and murder in 2002 . Her mother has spoken of the 'torture' of not knowing where her body is . Episode 2 of Britain’s Darkest Taboos - Danielle Jones: My Daughter Was Abducted And Murdered By Her Uncle is on tonight (Wednesday, October 16) at 9pm on Crime & Investigation Network .

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(CNN) -- The saga of Jack the cat, the lost pet that roamed New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport for weeks before being found last month, has an unhappy ending. The feline had to be euthanized Sunday evening, American Airlines announced on Facebook, where the cat's plight has attracted thousands of followers. "We are deeply saddened that Jack the cat has passed away, and we offer profound sympathy to Jack's owner, Karen Pascoe, for her loss," the airline wrote. "From all of us at American, our sincere apologies to Karen and Jack's family and friends." It was less than two weeks ago the airline announced that Jack had turned up in Kennedy's customs room after being missing for two months. The carrier originally described him as "well," but a health check revealed a number of problems. "Jack had extensive wounds on the back of his body, and the wounds were unable to heal because his skin had deteriorated due to the malnutrition that occurred while he was lost," said Pascoe's friends in a post on "Jack The Cat is Lost in AA Baggage at JFK," the Facebook page devoted to the cat, which has more than 24,000 followers. "Jack had been through so much, and the last thing anyone wanted was for him to suffer more." The saga started August 25 when Pascoe was flying from New York to San Francisco with Jack and a second cat as part of a job relocation. But Jack escaped his kennel and was last seen at Kennedy's inbound baggage claim. (A Department of Transportation Pet Incident Report released last month explains how it happened: A clerk placed one kennel on top of another on a baggage cart and the kennel on top fell. The impact "caused the kennel to separate," allowing the cat to escape.) When a search failed to turn up Jack after a few days, Pascoe became frustrated with American and started the Facebook page "to help us put pressure on AA to step up their efforts." She also urged fliers to "do whatever they can do to keep their animals out of cargo." The airline said it did everything it could to find Jack. While the cat was missing, workers placed food and water around the airport and set up humane traps. American even hired a pet detective and issued a pet Amber Alert in hopes of locating the feline. When Jack was found, the airline promised to cover his veterinary bills. The cat's owner hopes Jack's death will spur improvements in how airlines transport pets "so that no one else ever has to go through this again," her supporters wrote on Facebook.

Jack, the lost cat who roamed an airport for two months, has been euthanized . The feline was found at John F. Kennedy International Airport's customs room last month . A health check revealed a number of problems after the cat was discovered .

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By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 10:23 EST, 18 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:23 EST, 18 October 2013 . A sacked PCSO who is suing London's Metropolitan Police for discrimination has successfully argued . Rachida Sobhi is suing Scotland Yard for disability discrimination after she was turned down when applying to become a PC due to failing a background check which revealed that she had a criminal record for stealing . she did not know she had amnesia when she failed to declare a conviction for theft. But a tribunal has reserved its decision on several key points that will determine whether her claims against the police force are ultimately successful. Rachida Sobhi, 43, took the Metropolitan Police to court after she was denied a role as a police constable in December 2009, claiming she was discriminated against because of a disability. She was denied the job - and has since been sacked - because she was reprimanded earlier that year for failing to declare a conditional discharge for theft in 1991. But Ms Sohbi had since argued at the time she did not remember being arrested because she suffered dissociative amnesia stemming from personal trauma she had experienced around that time. A preliminary hearing at the London Central Employment Tribunal today was tasked to determine whether Ms Sobhi knew she had amnesia when she filled out the security form and whether she should have mentioned that on the form. Ms Sobhi said she wasn't aware when she filled out the form and only had any recollection at all she might have been arrested when she was contacted by a vetting officer in February 2009, about two months after she filled in the security form, to ask why her fingerprints were in the police database. 'For some strange reason... I had a couple of small flashes of memory - nothing else," she said. 'I still did not know of the existence of the dissociative amnesia then. I didn't even know what on earth he was talking about.' Miss Sobhi also told the hearing that she felt the Met did not support her after she discovered her memory loss. 'I just had a feeling that some sort of assessment need to be done. It is not very nice experience to go through - they refused to provide me with medical assistance. 'Without the help of my family and . seeking psychiatric assessment I could have spent the rest of my life . not knowing what was going on with my memory. 'February . 26 (2009) was the first time I was aware there was an allegation of . theft that had resulted in the receipt of a conditional discharge.' Ms Sobhi said she only had any recollection at all she might have been arrested when she was contacted by a vetting officer in February 2009 . She added that she did not know what other memories had been lost because of the 'traumas' she had suffered making her condition 'long-term'. Not specifying the issues, she said: 'I don't know how many memories are still lost in my mind. They have to be triggered - that is the impairment. 'I have come to accept that I am going to have to live with this for the rest of my life, waiting for the trigger moment, or hopefully not.' As a result of failing to reveal her conviction for theft, believed to involve stealing £20 worth of makeup from a Brixton department store while she worked there as a cashier in 1991, Miss Sobhi was given a reprimand by the Met. She says that because she had a justifiable medical reason why she did not reveal her criminal record, she should never have received it. Miss Sobhi believes that she would never have been sacked if the reprimand was not on her record and should now be wiped off. Judge Sigsworth expressed his surprise it remained and said that the Met should look into removing it from the record.'She has genuine dissociative amnesia. Clearly it should be removed from the record,' he said. Charles Sparling, representing Metropolitan Police, said he accepted Ms Sobhi's amnesia was real and she did not know about it at the time. But citing medical evidence, Mr Sparling argued Ms Sohbi's disability was not long-term and she was not discriminated against because of it. Once she realised she had amnesia, it was no longer a disability impacting her work, he argued. However, Ms Sobhi said she had to live with the knowledge that certain triggers could spark repressed memories at any time, which rendered her amnesia an ongoing, long-term disability. Mr Sigsworth reserved his judgement over the point. 'This is not an easy case,' he said. How Ms Sobhi's disability is defined will affect up to five separate claims she has made against the Metropolitan Police. The latest claim came after she was fired following a disciplinary hearing into an £80 littering fine she received for throwing a cigarette butt. Ms Sobhi said she would never have been sacked if the reprimand was wiped from her record. She argued because she had a justifiable medical reason why she did not reveal her criminal record, it should have been. The reprimand still remained on her record, she told the tribunal. Mr Sigsworth said he thought it should not have remained there. 'She has genuine dissociative amnesia... (so) it clearly should be removed from the record,' he said. Both parties have been given a week to send Mr Sigsworth submissions over the point in contention. Ms Sobhi had previously asked for the hearing to be heard in private, arguing her reputation was being damaged by her case being reported by media. Mr Sigsworth rejected the request.

Rachida Sobhi has successfully argued she did not know she had amnesia when she failed to declare a conviction for theft . She was denied a PC job - and has since been sacked - because she was reprimanded for failing to declare a conditional discharge for theft in 1991 . Took Met Police to court after she was denied a role as a police constable, claiming she was discriminated against because of a disability . A preliminary hearing will decide whether Ms Sobhi knew she had amnesia when she filled out the form and if she should have mentioned it .

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(CNN) -- When it comes to accommodation, Berlin is still the cheapest of the major European capital cities. The Flying Bed room makes for a unique stay at the Propeller Island City Lodge. Although you'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise if you stayed at the Ritz-Carlton (Potsdamer Platz 3). With its sumptuous interior and unrestrained opulence it's rivaled only by the glamorous Hotel de Rome (Behrenstrasse 37) when it comes to combining elegance with location. For the aesthete on a budget the Motel One in Alexanderplatz is a stylish option. While lacking some of the amenities you'd find at more expensive hotels, it doesn't compromise on design and the rooms and lobby are discretely minimalist, enlivened with clever splashes of color. The more adventurous traveler may wish to sample the surreal surroundings of the Propeller Island City Lodge (Albrecht-Achilles-Strasse 58). As much a work of art as a hotel, each room has a unique theme, including a room with a flying bed, a room decorated like a prison cell and even a room with coffins for beds. A cheaper, although no less eccentric, option is the Ostel 'design hostel' (Wriezener Karree 5). Located in a concrete apartment block its retro communist-chic fittings recreate the interior design of Cold-War era East Germany. Whether or not that's a good thing is a matter of opinion... ............... Berlin city guide: . Where to stay | What to see | Where to be seen | Where to eat | Where to shop .

Berlin is one of the cheapest European capitals to stay in . The city has its fair share of top-of-the-range luxury hotels . You can find cheaper options that still offer great modern design . There are a number of themed 'novelty' hotels that offer a unique stay .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:07 EST, 27 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:17 EST, 27 November 2013 . The mother of a photographer who was killed after taking pictures of Justin Bieber's Ferrari in January has claimed that he was hit by two cars - possibly including one from the singer's entourage. Chris Guerra, 29, was knocked down by a car in Los Angeles on January 1 as he crossed the road after snapping Bieber's $200,000 white 458 Italia Ferrari, unaware the singer was not inside. But now TMZ has claimed that a second driver, whose vehicle fits the basic description of an SUV in Bieber's entourage, is wanted for felony hit-and-run after striking the photographer afterwards. Killed: Photographer Chris Guerra, 29, was hit by a car after snapping Justin Bieber's Ferrari in January. His mother now says he was hit by two cars - possibly including one from Bieber's entourage . Law enforcement sources reportedly told the website that they have used surveillance video and forensic evidence to conclude the vehicle was a black Range . Rover or a Hummer . Guerra's . mother, Vickie, added that she thinks it could have belonged to someone from Bieber's entourage who had been following his Ferrari or who was hoping to help its driver, rapper Lil Twist, after he was pulled over. Bieber was not in the vehicle or in town at the time of the crash, so it is unknown why any of his entourage would have been nearby. Police have not commented on the claim and said the investigation is ongoing. Guerra's mother said she wants police to . show her the surveillance footage of the accident so that she can see . who struck her son, but they have refused, telling her it's an ongoing . investigation. Mowed down: After a police officer told him to return to his car, Guerra crossed the road and was hit by this SUV, driven by a 69-year-old woman who has not faced any charges . Crash site: An SUV is pictured in the road after allegedly hitting Guerra as he crossed the road in Los Angeles . Tragic: Guerra's shoe and hat can be seen on the ground after he was struck and killed by a car . MailOnline has contacted a Bieber spokesperson for a comment. The tragedy unfolded after Lil Twist, who was behind the wheel of the Ferrari, was pulled over on the Freeway for allegedly speeding on the 405. Guerra, a freelance photographer, was tailing the car at the time after reportedly telling friends earlier that day that he had seen the singer smoking marijuana from a pipe. Bieber has denied this. Guerra got out of his car to take pictures but after police repeatedly told him to return to his vehicle, he ran across the road to his car - but he was struck by a Toyota Highlander SUV. He died at a hospital shortly after. Photographs taken from the scene show Guerra's hat and shoe lying in the road where he was hit. His heartbroken family said they found out about his death from television even though they had repeatedly called the LAPD to ask if it was their son who had died. Not involved: Justin Bieber, left, was not in his Ferrari at the time of the crash and sent his condolences to Guerra's family afterwards. Lil Twist, right, was driving the Ferrari and had been pulled over . Vehicle: Rapper Lil Twist has been known to borrow his friend's $200,000 Ferrari, pictured . The 69-year-old woman who struck the photographer cooperated with authorities. She has not faced any charges. After Guerra's death, sources close to Bieber claimed that the photographer 'stalked and harassed' the star, 'following and chasing him at every opportunity' and falsely accusing him of smoking pot. A spokesperson for Bieber told Mailonline soon after: 'It's really sad that people are trying to push a story with no facts so soon after this tragic accident. 'Justin was not present or involved in this incident and the focus should remain on honoring the memory of the victim.'

Chris Guerra, 29, was killed as he crossed the road after photographing Justin Bieber's Ferrari that had been pulled over in January . Bieber was not in the car; his friend Lil Twist was driving and had been stopped for 'speeding' Guerra's mother said a second vehicle hit her son and that its description - a black Range Rover or Hummer - fits SUVs in Bieber's entourage .

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(CNN)Joe Paterno could soon regain his title as the winningest coach in major college football history. The 112 Penn State victories that the NCAA voided -- 111 of them Paterno's -- when it sanctioned Penn State University following the Jerry Sandusky scandal are likely being restored as part of a proposed settlement with the NCAA. Penn State's board of trustees unanimously approved it, and now the NCAA and a judge will have to accept the settlement. The settlement is part of a lawsuit filed by Pennsylvania state Sen. Jake Corman. The suit began as a way to force the $60 million fine money the NCAA levied on Penn State to stay within the state of Pennsylvania, but it became a way to give Penn State supporters a place to legally challenge the validity of the sanctions. Among them, the most controversial, was the loss of Paterno's wins between 1998, when the first report of abuse against then-assistant coach Sandusky was made, to 2011, when Sandusky was charged with abusing 10 boys, many of them on campus. Sandusky was convicted in 2012 of abusing the victims and is serving a 30- to 60-year sentence, which means he will probably spend the rest of his life behind bars. The same year, Paterno died at age 85. Penn State paid Paterno's estate $5.76 million after his death . "Today is a great victory for everyone who has fought for the truth in the Sandusky tragedy," the Paterno family said Friday in a statement. "The repeal of the consent decree and the return of the wins to the University and Joe Paterno confirm that the NCAA and the Board of Trustees acted prematurely and irresponsibly in the unprecedented sanctions the NCAA imposed on the University, the players, coaches and the community." Paterno, who was fired days after Sandusky was charged, still has many supporters who believe he was wronged by the university's harsh reaction to the allegations against Sandusky. But at least some of Sandusky's victims disagree. Marci Hamilton, a Philadelphia attorney who represents some of them, said it's another example of protecting the powerful over the vulnerable. "At least the money is still going to be used for the benefit of survivors in Pennsylvania. Powerful institutions involved in child sex abuse scandals are typically more concerned about their leaders' pristine reputations (regardless of what they have done) than money. This settlement follows the trend," she said in an email to CNN. Howard Janet, lawyer for another victim, said in a statement: "Any effort by Penn State officials or others that implies the NCAA's action suggests the University had no responsibility for the molestation of adolescent boys by the defensive coordinator of its football team -- which often took place in team showers -- is ludicrous." According to a statement from the Penn State board of trustees, in addition to restoring 112 wins the proposed settlement would dedicate the $60 million to helping victims of child abuse and to preventing such abuse. Another Philadelphia attorney, Tom Kline, who represented victims including one who was assaulted after administrators were informed of allegations in 2001, said: "Penn State institutionally has demonstrated significant good faith in the past two and half years, and deserved real relief from the overbearing sanctions to which it previously agreed -- especially relating to the $60 million fine. "But, we must not lose sight -- in between the chants of 'restore the wins' and 'restore the statute' pertaining to strong feeling relating to (the late) Joe Paterno, that the remaining issue is the individual accountability of the administrators in charge when Jerry Sandusky was enable to commit his horrible acts on young boys." Three administrators, including the former president and former athletic director, have been charged with covering up some of Sandusky's crimes. Prosecutors allege they knew about at least two incidents reported to the university, but lied about it before a grand jury. When Penn State hired an independent investigator to look into what happened, the investigator found that Paterno was also part of a coverup, creating a divide among Pennsylvanians and provoking a visceral response from his family and supporters who maintain he was not aware that Sandusky was a pedophile. That independent report, done by former FBI director Louis Freeh, was what the NCAA relied on when it sanctioned the university. Dottie Sandusky, Jerry Sandusky's wife, issued her own statement, again insisting her husband was innocent. "I am thankful that a small but significant part of this great injustice has been rectified with the restoration of Joe Paterno's win record. Joe and Penn State did not cover anything up because there was simply nothing to cover up," she said. "Hopefully, as the media's false narrative continues to unravel, more people will realize this obvious reality." The 112 victories include all of Paterno's 111 wins at the school in those 14 seasons, plus the team's last victory of 2011, by which time Paterno had been fired over the Sandusky scandal. Before those wins were vacated, Paterno had amassed 409 victories in 46 seasons at Penn State, the most of any major college head coach. CNN"s Sara Ganim contributed to this report.

In aftermath of Jerry Sandusky scandal, NCAA voided 112 PSU wins, 111 of which were under Joe Paterno . A proposed settlement would restore those wins . Paterno family: "Today is a great victory for everyone who has fought for the truth in the Sandusky tragedy"

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(CNN) -- It was the picture of Jesse Matthew that made the father of slain Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington do a double-take. It was uncanny how much the suspect in the disappearance of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham resembled the police sketch of the man wanted in connection with the kidnapping and sexual assault of a woman in Fairfax, Viriginia, in 2005. Police also linked that suspect to Harrington's case. Could it be the same man? Could it be the man behind the 2009 killing of their 20-year-old daughter, Morgan Harrington? "I told Gil this person might have been involved in Morgan's murder," Dan Harrington told Anderson Cooper Tuesday on CNN's "AC360." Harrington's comments came a day after Virginia State Police said there was a "new forensic link" between the Graham and Harrington cases. On Tuesday, a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity told CNN that DNA evidence links Matthew to the death of Harrington. Almost from the beginning, after news of Graham's disappearance, Harrington's parents were struck by the similarities between the two cases. Authorities check unsolved cases for ties to Hannah Graham case . "Both Hannah's going missing and Morgan's abduction happened about the same time of year," Gil Harrington said. It also happened about the same time of night, and with some of the same circumstances, she said. The family of Morgan Harrington searches for answers . Harrington went missing after attending a Metallica concert in Charlottesville in October 2009. Her remains, including splintered bones, were found on a farm on the outskirts of the city in late January 2010. The last major development in the Harrington case came in 2010, when her slaying was connected to the kidnapping and sexual assault of another woman in Fairfax in 2005. That woman was able to provide police with enough of a description to make a sketch. Police at the time did not identify the woman who provided the description and said only that "forensic evidence" linked the two cases. It's that sketch and its similarity to Matthew that is the closest thing the Harrington family says they have to an answer as to who possibly was responsible for killing their daughter. "You don't get over it," Gil Harrington said. "But I do believe you get past it," and you can work to help others, she said. The priority right now, she said, is finding Graham. Graham was last seen September 13 in an area of Charlottesville known as the Downtown Mall. Police have asked owners of large parcels of property in surrounding counties to search their land and report back. Hannah Graham disappearance suspect questioned in 2002 alleged rape case . Investigators believe Matthew was the last person with Graham. He has been charged with abduction with the intent to defile in the case, and he is being held in jail in isolation, according to Charlottesville police. Police investigators have not publicly connected the dots except to say that the arrest of Matthew has given them a break in Harrington's case. Dan Harrington has a message for the man he believes killed his daughter: "I would like to say how could you take another person's life? How could you possibly be so awful to abduct someone and kill them? ... It's beyond understanding." Source: DNA in Hannah Graham case links to 2009 death; other cases studied . Watch Anderson Cooper . 360° weeknights 8pm ET. For the latest from AC360° click here.

The parents of Morgan Harrington tell CNN they want to know who killed their daughter . Jesse Matthew resembles a sketch of a suspect linked to another case, Dan Harrington says . Harrington, 20 went missing in 2009, and her remains were found in 2010 .

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By . Tim Shipman and Lucy Buckland . Last updated at 4:00 PM on 16th January 2012 . Coup: George Osborne's deal with China will pour billions in the UK economy (pictured in Hong Kong today) British taxpayers face footing the bill for more rescue money for the International Monetary Fund if euro is to be prevented from derailing the world recovery. George Osborne admitted that there was a risk of the economy contracting if Europe suffered a deep downturn as forecasters suggest that the UK is already in recession. The chancellor said he would go to MPs for their approval if the IMF made a 'strong case' for more money. 'If I felt it was a decent request by . the IMF, then, of course, I would be willing to go to Parliament and . make that request,' he said. 'Britain . has always been prepared to provide the resources in the past and will . be willing to provide the resources in the future if there is a strong . case.' He also criticised the single currency zone leaders for doing too little to secure confidence. 'I think what the euro needs to do is show convincingly that it can . stand behind its currency,' he said, adding: 'We haven’t actually seen . much evidence of the pooled resources needed by the euro to actually . provide confidence to the market that they will stand behind their own . currency.' He was speaking at the start of a tour of the Far East where he announced plans to make London a key global trading centre in the Chinese currency. Far East markets fell slightly on opening today after the weekend downgrades of France and some other European economies. But there were rises in London and Europe, indicating the dealers expected the news. He predicted that high-tech and luxury exports from Britain to China would surge as the country grows. 'I think Britain can come into its own as providing the kind of things that a richer economy of consumers is more likely to need,' he said. In a speech to Hong Kong businessmen, Mr Osborne announced plans to develop London as the Western hub for trading in the Chinese currency, the renminbi. 'London is perfectly placed to act as a gateway for Asian banking and investment in Europe, and a bridge to the US,' Mr Osborne said. Huge achievement: The deal struck by the Chancellor in Hong Kong, pictured, will make London the biggest trading hub for Chinese currency outside China . 'It reflects London’s strength in . product development, its regulatory structure and the depth, breadth and . international reach of its financial markets. 'A richer, stronger Asia is an . opportunity for the world, not a threat — we should be bold enough to . say it and to explain it to our own populations.' Mr Osborne yesterday reaffirmed that . the Government would be prepared to make extra funding available to the . International Monetary Fund (IMF) alongside other G20 nations 'if there . is a strong case' but again stressed the cash must go to 'countries, not . currencies'. 'If I felt it . was a decent request by the IMF, then, of course, I would be willing to . go to Parliament and make that request,' he said. 'It wouldn't . ultimately be my decision, it would be a decision of Parliament. 'But . let me be very clear, I would not do that with Britain acting alone, . like other big G20 countries, and we are very clear this is not a . substitute for eurozone providing money for dealing with its own . currency.' His words come amid fresh warnings from two separate sources that the economy is in fact slowly edging back into recession. The . Ernst and Young Item Club warned the recovery is ‘paralysed’ by the . eurozone debt crisis and predicted growth of just 0.2 per cent this . year. Both the Ernst and . Young and the Centre for Economics and Business Research say that gross . domestic product shrank in the final quarter of last year and will fall . again in the first three months of 2012. A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of contracting output. The Chancellor made his symbolic turn . East in an attempt to show the Government is doing all it can to boost . growth, while chaos continues to reign in the eurozone. Speaking . during his visit, the Chancellor blamed little evidence of the 'pooled . resources' needed to instil confidence in the eurozone. In a speech to Chinese businessmen in Hong Kong he promised to throw open the doors of UK plc to Asian investors. Under . the agreement, the Chinese have agreed to keep their trading floors in . Hong Kong open for five hours longer so that trades in currency can . continue while financiers in London are at work. The . deal is a major vote of confidence in the City at a time when it has . been under attack from Britain’s European partners, particularly France, . seeking to curb its influence. Hours after this deal, which experts say will bring billions to the City, Mr Osborne sharpened his talons on the state of Europe and the Eurozone. Despite . pledging the UK would 'weather the storm' he said greater confidence . was needed in the Euro to put an end to unstable markets. He . said: 'I think what the euro needs to do is show convincingly that it . can stand behind its currency,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'We . haven't actually seen much evidence of the pooled resources needed by . the euro to actually provide confidence to the market that they will . stand by their own currency. 'There's . lots of good signs that they are getting there and there are various . summits planned for the next few months to ensure those resources are . there. 'But I think that is . what they need to do as well as resolve the Greek situation, I would . say almost more so than the downgrading. 'The ongoing uncertainty about how . they are going to write off some of the private sector debt in Greece is . an almost greater source of instability in the eurozone.' Mr Osborne said the most recent predictions by the Office for Budget Responsibility, which issues official forecasts, showed that Britain would have a negative quarter of growth but would not go into recession. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'That's their forecast, but they were the first to say that it is very uncertain and one of the biggest risks to the British economy is the further deterioration of the eurozone crisis. 'I said openly at the end of November to the House of Commons when I made my autumn statement that if the eurozone were to go into a deep recession, that would have a real impact on the British economy. Warnings: George Osborne said the eurozone needs to work harder to instill confidence it will stand by its own currency . 'I'm . confident the British Government is doing everything it can with a very . difficult inheritance, facing a very difficult international situation . to get Britain through this, to weather the storm.' Turning . to his deal with China the Chancellor said exports to the country from . Britain were up 'dramatically' over the last two years and demand for . services and high-technology products would only grow in the future. 'I think Britain can come into its own as providing the kind of things that a richer economy of consumers are more likely to need,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Mr Osborne said 'enormous' Chinese savings meant there were opportunities for investment in British public infrastructure projects. He said: 'There a limit on how much the UK can borrow. 'But it is also the case that there's an enormous accumulation of Chinese savings and a lot of those savings have ended up in investments in government debt, particularly American government debt, US Treasury debt. 'I think those savings could be used in investing in British infrastructure, transport projects, energy projects and the like.' Coup: George Osborne's deal with China will pour billions in the UK economy . The UK is now the largest source of foreign direct investment to China from within the EU and UK goods exports to China rose by 20 per cent last year, and 40 per cent the year before that. Trade in the renminbi is growing rapidly. Ukip leader Nigel Farage blasted the Chancellor for being prepared to 'gamble' on offering more money to the IMF. He said: 'Once again the Chancellor uses this fudge phrase of 'countries not currencies', which will hardly fill the British public with confidence that the UK will not guarantee more British money to the IMF to support failing eurozone countries. 'The fact that the Chancellor is also prepared to go to Parliament in order to get support to offer more money should alarm us greatly. 'We are constantly told that the UK is broke, yet the Government seems prepared to gamble on offering more money to the IMF. This is something that British taxpayers will find hard to swallow.' While Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman said the Chancellor was merely setting out the Government's position on a possible increase in UK funding for the IMF. 'He said if there were a strong case for additional resources, then he would be willing to take that case to Parliament,' said the spokesman. 'At the moment, there is a limit of £40 billion, of which £30 billion has already been subscribed. There is a headroom of £10 billion. If we went beyond that, we would require parliamentary approval. 'We have always said that we are supporters of the IMF and that the IMF should continue to play its traditional role of global backstop, providing stability to the world economy.' 'If the IMF believes it needs more resources, and there is a strong case for that, then the UK would play a role. That is a consistent UK Government position. We clearly benefit as a country from the IMF playing that role in supporting stability in the global economy.' Finance ministers of the G20 group of the world's biggest economies, including Mr Osborne, are expected to discuss the level of IMF resourcing when they meet in Mexico next month.end . Mr Osborne’s speech marks the start of a push on the economy. David Cameron will outline his plans for responsible capitalism on Thursday.

Deal with China includes opening the doors of UK plc to Asian investors . Trading floors in Hong Kong will open for five . hours longer so currency trade continues while London financiers . are at work . Hours after deal Osborne attacks eurozone for failing to instill confidence needed to secure markets . Osborne repeats pledge to put more money . into the International Monetary Fund, a move which would see the UK contribute £15 billion to bailing out . the euro . Two separate sources warn economy is edging back into recession .

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The first day of The View's earthshaking new host lineup saw the triumphant return of cantankerous former emcee Rosie O'Donnell after an eight-year absence, along with two completely new co-hosts who will no-doubt make this relaunch one of the most memorable yet. Appearing for the first time on the panel was token blonde Nicolle Wallace, who conservative credentials beat even Bush-loving Elisabeth Hasselbeck since Wallace actually worked for George W. And in the third corner, the wildcard: known for her voice as much as for her no-holds-barred New York City attitude--actress Rosie Perez. Scroll down for video . Shoeless: Rosie was sure to get a pedicure over fears her unkempt feet might draw attention from the new improved show as she recovered from some sciatica. The first day of The View's earthshaking new host lineup saw the triumphant return of the cantankerous former emcee after an eight-year absence, along with two completely new co-hosts who will no-doubt make this relaunch one of the most memorable yet . Two Rosies! Rosie O'Donnell is back after a contentious exit and several years absence and she's brought another Rosie with her--actress and activist Rosie Perez . Barbara gave her blessing: The queen herself made an appearance in a pre-taped segment as the ladies of her show held court and each kissed her hand . But don't expect too many screaming matches or claims that the world is flat (here's looking at you Sherri Shepherd): O'Donnell says the new View will be smarter, calmer and an all-around better show. The live show began calmly, with introductions and a nod to creator and news media queen Barbara Walters, who held court from a throne and had her hand kissed by each of the hostesses, including the only one remaining from the previous season, Whoopi Goldberg. 'Welcome to the newer view,' joked Whoopi, before introducing Rosie O'Donnell. O'Donnell kicked things off by catching up with viewers, including a discussion of her heartache and the gastric bypass surgery that followed. Up next, an introduction of the other Rosie--actress Rosie Perez, who plugged her upcoming Broadway show and memoir. Then came Nicolle Wallace: former George W. Bush press secretary for six years. 'I am a Republican, I should get that out of the way,' she said through a smile to audience uproar on both sides of the aisle. Before things got too out of control, fiery liberal Rosie O'Donnell piped in: 'And I like her, I swear!' True to form, though, the group jumped right into a contentious topic--the Ray Rice domestic abuse saga and further questions over child and sex abuse. 'All about money, all about the brand being jeopardized,' politico Wallace chimed in first on the Rice issue. Perez agreed there's no excuse for hitting women, used her sports hero, convicted abuser Floyd Mayweather, to make the point that one's environment could be at fault as much as the individual.'[You] Respond the way you were taught,' said the actress. But should one continue to support the likes of Mayweather and Rice by paying for event tickets? O'Donnell didn't think so. 'I haven't seen a Woody Allen movie since the allegations came out,' O'Donnell said, moving the conversation along to her own struggles with abuse. Though she did say she continues to appreciate Chris Brown as an artist, despite his violent past. Values clash? Whoopi is back, of course, but a woman with decidedly different politics from hers is on this year, too. Not just a mom-first, mouthy conservative like former host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, new token blonde conservative Nicolle Wallace actually worked George W's White House . Pulling her weight: All the ladies on the panel were fascinated as former Bush staffer turned Sarah Palin wrangler recalled her days in the controversial White House and ill-fated McCain campaign trail . Perez and O'Donnell introduced a new audience participation game they will play each day together, a play on their identical names called Ro or Ro? In the game, the audience members tries to win a prize by deciding which Rosie does the thing being described on a card. In one of the inaugural game's questions, O'Donnell asked which of the Rosies practices tae kwon do. 'O'Donnell!' replied the contestant. 'Wrong,' O'Donnell belowed to the young lady's chagrin. With two comedians and a funny lady actress on the panel, the group also addressed the recent tragic deaths of Robin Williams and Joan Rivers. 'I've been at that place,' O'Donnell said, empathizing with her depression-plagued late friend Robin Williams. O'Donnell suggested that, for the depressed, leaving grieving children behind isn't enough to stop someone bent on suicide. Ask Me Anything: A new segment gave the ladies and their viewers some time to catch up and get to know the panel--for instance: Wallace hates Hillary, Rosie O'Donnell has a gastric bypass, Perez has a forthcoming memoir, and Whoopi, well, she's been enjoying her shoes . Another new segment came in the form of an audience participation game called Ro or Ro? where contestants must decide which Rosie is being described on a card . Loss but a win: While this episode's contestant lost Ro or Ro? with only one correct answer, the game did reveal a little known and astonishing fact about Perez--she practices tae kwon do! When the topic had turned to politics, all eyes turned to Wallace. 'Hillary Clinton and I were not good friends,' she said as the group touched on the Clintons' recent trip to Iowa. She's definitely running 100 percent, though, said the Washington insider. While Hillary is today's hot topic, the group was more interested by far to hear Wallace's stories about her days as Sarah Palin's wrangler during the the McCain campaign. Wallace kept her cool but did reveal that Palin blamed her completely for the VP candidate's infamous interview with Katie Couric and said the candidate and aide's relationship was irreparably damaged that day in 2008. She also gave a comic rendition of the day she learned Vice President Cheney had shot a man during Bush II's already unpopular second term that left the ladies in stitches. The show concluded with a tribute to Rivers that began with a song in the comedienne's honor by Broadway diva Kristin Chenoweth. A best-of montage of some of Rivers' over 30 appearances then followed, to much applause and teary eyes. 'She gave and gave and gave,' Perez said as O'Donnell joked about the snarky comments Rivers made to her regarding her unconventionally feminine persona. 'Loved it,' she said. Big fans of Joan: The show concluded with a tearful tribute to a dear friend of the View, the recently passed Joan Rivers, who appeared on the show over 30 times . Tribute: Guest Kristin Chenoweth gave a beautiful tribute to Joan Rivers through song to help close out the show .

Rosie O'Donnell is back and promises a lot more smart talk and a lot less squabbling (and no mentions of the earth being flat) The controversial comedian had some complaints of recent sciatica . Another Rosie's on, too--wise-cracking actress Rosie Perez . The token Republican blonde has far better conservative credentials than former host Hasselbeck--Nicolle Wallace actually worked for George Bush . Whoopi's back as the head-screwed-on tight moderator and all four ladies bowed to the queen at the start of the show .

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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:45 EST, 23 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:40 EST, 24 December 2013 . Thousands of Spaniards have an added reason to celebrate this festive season after scooping prizes in the world's richest lottery. Champagne flowed in quantities unseen since the start of a savage recession hit the country as jubilant winners celebrated their timely windfall in the annual Christmas prize draw. And one family was thanking their luck after discovering they all had winning tickets. Scroll down for video . Celebration: The owners of a shop which sold the winning lottery ticket celebrate by popping a champagne cork after watching the results of the Christmas prize draw . Jubilation: Noelia Suarez, right, owner of a lottery shop, celebrate as she sold tickets of lottery number 79712, which won second prize ¿125,000 . One ticket-holder who slept in Sunday . morning said he'd leapt up from his bed in surprise after hearing the . television announce his ticket number for 'El Gordo' or The Fat One - . the lottery's top prize, a cool $546,200 payoff. Raul Clavero, 27, a mechanic living in the Madrid suburb of Leganes, then realized that four other members of his family had also bought tickets with the same winning numbers. Millions of Spaniards had been glued to their televisions as $3.4 billion in prize money was distributed in a four-hour TV show. Unlike lotteries that offer one large jackpot, Spain's yuletide drawing sprinkles a variety of winnings on thousands of ticketholders. Tales of joy and celebration were widely broadcast on TV stations, providing Spain's struggling population a rare moment of joy after another year of a brutal financial crisis. Joy: Maria Isabel Ruiz Farray, center, shows her lottery tickets after winning the second price of the Christmas lottery 'El Gordo' (The Fat One) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Spain . Ecstatic: Workers of a gas station celebrate with friends and clients after winning the second prize of the Christmas lottery . Before Spain's property-led economic boom imploded in 2008, ticket buyers often talked about spending their winnings on new cars, beach homes or fancy vacations. Now many Spaniards are just hoping to avoid having their homes or cars repossessed. 'We jumped out of bed and ran out,' Clavero said, still looking shell-shocked two hours later. He added that he would 'pay the mortgage, that's the first thing, and then just enjoy the rest.' Jackpot: Pupils of San Ildefonso School Andrea Ladron de Guevara, left, and Joel Fernandez Godos, right, read out the lottery number which won first prize ¿400,000 per ticket . Windfall: Noelia Suarez, left, owner of a lottery shop, celebrate with several villagers as she sold tickets of lottery number 79712, which won second prize 125,000 euro per ticket . Winning: Lottery Administration shop owners celebrate having sold the first prize, centre, in Spain's Christmas lottery named 'El Gordo' in Manises, near Valencia . Winning El Gordo tickets this year were sold in at least eight locations throughout the country, including Madrid, Barcelona and the northern industrial city of Modragon, where electrical appliance manufacturer Fagor Electrodomesticos filed for bankruptcy in October. The second-best number netted winners $170,700 and all these tickets - worth $1.7 million - were sold in the town of Granadilla de Abona on the Canary Island resort of Tenerife. The lottery had one change this year. For the first time, the tax man will claim 20 percent of winnings above $3,400, as the Spanish government strives to right an economy saddled with sky-high unemployment of 26 per cent.

Massive lottery is known as El Gordo or the Fat One due to size of prizes . Thousands of winners scooped prizes in the annual Christmas draw . $3.4bn prize fund is the biggest in the world . Five members of the same family have a winning ticket .

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(CNN) -- Square, the mobile app and hardware that turns a smartphone into a cash register, is now letting users send and receive money as easily as sending an e-mail. Square Cash can be used between friends, say as a way of paying back a buddy for picking up the tab last night, or for small businesses that have been using its plastic card reader to accept credit card payments. "Square has always believed in creating solutions for individuals and businesses that work with the tools they already have in their pocket," Brian Grassadonia, head of the Cash project, said in a post on Square's website. "Square Cash makes it convenient to send money to anyone -- without making them jump through hoops to retrieve it. "Now it's easier than ever to split a bill, send a birthday gift, or settle up with a friend, no matter where you are." Sending money via Square Cash will be free, according to the company's post. Created by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, the current Square model charges 2.75% of the transaction cost plus a 15-cent fee -- a price in line with what larger retail stores pay in order to accept cards. Users don't need to sign up to use Square Cash. Someone can simply send an e-mail to the recipient, with cash@square.com cc'ed and the amount of the payment as the message's subject line. That user will then receive an e-mail prompting them to link a credit card to their account. The recipient enters a debit card number once, and will have that account associated with their e-mail afterward. In addition to e-mail, there is a Square Cash app for Apple's iOS devices and for Android. The service launched Tuesday and is currently only available in the United States. Founded in 2009, Square offers services that are available in the United States, Canada and Japan. Since then, it has added products like an iPad-holding countertop register and an app that lets users do a mobile check-in at participating businesses and pay even if they don't have a credit card with them.

With Square Cash, users can make payments remotely via e-mail . The system requires sender to register credit card and recipient a debit number . Square was founded in 2009 as a way to let small businesses to accept cards .

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British hostage John Cantlie was brutally tortured by a British jihadi in Syria whom he nicknamed ‘Pinocchio’ because he always lied, court documents reveal. Mr Cantlie, a 43-year-old photojournalist from Surrey, is believed to be the last British hostage held by the Islamic State who is still alive. He was captured when he went to report in Syria two years ago and has recently been forced to appear in sickening propaganda videos for the terror group. Hostage: US photojournalist John Cantlie, 43, before his capture with a Free Syrian Army rebel in 2012 . Now in the most detailed account yet of the conditions of his captivity under the Islamic State, court documents reveal Mr Cantlie was: . The new testimony was provided by a Belgian who was held captive with Mr Cantlie and Mr Foley between August and September 2013. Sickening: Mr Cantlie has most recently been forced to appear in a propaganda video for the terror group . In an interview with Belgian police, seen by The Mail on Sunday, Jejoen Bontinck, 19, says that ‘Pinocchio’ was one of the guards who tortured Cantlie and Foley while they were held in an IS prison near Aleppo. Describing the guard, he says: ‘He came from Great Britain and had dark skin – he was of Pakistani or Bengali origin.’ Bontinck’s evidence will be of particular help to the Security Services who are desperately trying to track down Jihadi John and other IS terrorists who have beheaded four Western hostages, including Britons Alan Henning and David Haines. In the beheading videos, Jihadi John speaks with a British accent and can be seen to have dark skin. Bontinck was part of an extremist group linked to IS. When he tried to leave the group, they imprisoned him and accused him of spying. His father travelled to Syria last year and helped negotiate his release. But Bontinck is now a defendant in a court case in Belgium in which 46 suspects are accused of being part of a banned group, Sharia4Belgium, whose members have gone to Syria to fight. Bontinck says a second torturer at the IS prison was called Abu Horeia, whom Cantlie and Foley nicknamed ‘very good’. Bontinck explains: ‘They called him “very good” because they once saw him torture someone and he then said “very good”.’ Bontinck also claimed the two journalists were moved on several occasions and ‘tortured’ while ‘barely getting enough to eat’, before they were handed over to an IS group in Raqqa where Jihadi John and other members of the so-called Beatles are based. He says the first IS prison complex was next to a sharia court which was in an urban part of Aleppo screened by high buildings. Describing the cell in which the hostages were held, he says: ‘It was an ordinary room with pale brown walls, a pale brown floor in stone and a ceiling of the same colour. There were mattresses and reed mats and we had some books. ‘I think it was about four metres long and eight metres wide. There was electricity and light. It was half underground and the sash window was overlooking a huge dead wall. We had to eat in our cell. Apart from going to the toilet, we had to stay there all day. But still I think of all the prisoners, we were treated the best.’ They passed the time by playing games such as ‘animal, vegetable mineral’ in which they took it turn to guess who or what they were pretending to be. Evidence: Jejoen Bontinck, 19, the Belgian who was held captive with Mr Cantlie and Mr Foley between August and September 2013. He was part of an extremist group that was linked to the Islamic State . Bontinck adds: ‘They had already been prisoners for ten months. That means it must have been around December when they were taken prisoner. They were tortured by Al Nusra [Al Qaeda]. Torture included waterboarding. They had dirty water to drink.’ During his three-week detention with the two Western hostages, he says they became good friends, exchanging addresses: ‘Our conversations were about the present and the future… that James had better get married and the like. We also talked about what I want to do with my life. I wanted to do something involving computer games. John told me that he had once worked for Sega testing computer games.’ Bontinck says the man in charge of the prison was Abu Hobeida, a Dutch-speaking Arab, whom he described as tall and thin. Crucial: Bontinck’s evidence will be of particular help to the Security Services who are desperately trying to track down Jihadi John and other IS terrorists. Above, John Cantlie in an IS propaganda video . He told police: ‘He speaks perfect Arabic. I don’t know why or how he gained this important position. He has two wives and three children – the eldest is about seven. They are also in Syria.’ This man has since been reported to have been executed by IS over allegations of spying. According to Bontinck’s testimony, Kurdish prisoners held in adjoining cells were executed: ‘I know that people from the PKK [Kurdish fighters] were imprisoned in the corridors of the court. I think their fate had been decided. I suspect they were executed. When I was in the third cell I saw through the gaps in the door clothes lying in a pile down the corridor, whereby I recognised clothing of people who had previously been chained up in the corridor… . ‘Sometimes we heard a shot or a few shots in the cell; we suspected that these were executions.’

Mr Cantlie, believed to be last British hostage held by ISIS who is still alive . The 43-year-old was captured when he went to Syria two years ago . Court documents reveal he was held with US journalist James Foley . The men were kept in a cramped cell and were given dirty water to drink . Pair were tortured by 'Pinocchio' and another guard known as 'butcher' He was hit with blunt objects and made to stand up for three days at a time . Captured by an Al Qaeda-affiliated terror group that later merged with Islamic State. Held with US journalist James Foley (who was later beheaded) in a cramped cell in Aleppo, Syria, where they were left starving and given dirty water to drink. Badly tortured by ‘Pinocchio’ and other guards known as the ‘butcher’ and ‘the butcher’s assistant’. Waterboarded, given electric shocks, hit with blunt instruments and made to stand up for three days at a time, leaving him so delirious he didn’t know where he was. Hate preacher Anjem Choudary has been named in the trial of 46 alleged extremists accused of brainwashing men in Belgium into travelling to Syria where many are now fighting for IS. Prosecutors linked the cleric to Fouad Belkacem, the leader of Sharia4Belgium, which was established under Choudary’s guidance to campaign for sharia law.

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Serena Williams posed with fellow tennis stars ahead of a glamorous preview of next week's WTA Finals in Singapore. Serena heads the field and on Saturday at Marina Bay was placed in the red group along with Simona Halep, Eugenie Bouchard and Ana Ivanovic as fans flocked to see women's tennis current top stars. French Open champion Maria Sharapova, Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Caroline Wozniacki make up the white group at the round-robin, end-of-season event. From left to right, Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska, Petra Kvitova, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Eugenie Bouchard and Simona Halep pose with the WTA Finals trophy at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore . Serena Williams arrives at the draw during previews for the WTA Finals at the Marina Bay Sands Shopping centre . The WTA stars look on at the draw during previews for the WTA Finals at the Marina Bay Sands Shopping centre . Radwanska, Wozniacki, Ivanovic and Halep walk from the Marina Bay Sands hotel to the draw ceremony . But Williams goes into the tournament at the centre of a storm after Russian tennis federation president Shamil Tarpischev was fined and suspended from any involvement with the WTA for a year following derogatory comments about Serena and her sister Venus. Tarpischev, who is also the Russian Davis and Fed Cup captain and a member of the International Olympic Committee, referred to world number one Serena and Venus as 'the Williams brothers' on Russian television. Stacey Allaster, chairman and CEO of the WTA, announced Tarpischev had been fined the maximum of 25,000 US dollars (over £15,500), while the WTA is also seeking his removal from his position as chairman of the board of the Kremlin Cup for a year. This year's edition of the joint WTA and ATP tournament is being held in Moscow this week. Maria Sharapova arrives at the Marina Bay Sands shopping centre for the draw as fans flock to see the Russian star . Eugenie Bouchard of Canada has hair and make up done at Marina Bay Sands hotel before the draw ceremony . Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic (centre) and Eugenie Bouchard of Canada have their hair and make up done . Allaster revealed Tarpischev had written a private letter of acknowledgement but called for him to apologise both in public and personally to the Williams sisters. Allaster said in a statement: 'The statements made by Shamil Tarpischev on Russian television with respect to two of the greatest athletes in the history of women's tennis are insulting, demeaning and have absolutely no place in our sport. 'Serena Williams and Venus Williams are champions on and off the court - outstanding human beings, incredible sportswomen and amazing role models who have done so much to inspire women and girls around the world to achieve their dreams. 'The WTA was founded on the principles of equality, opportunity and respect, and Venus and Serena embody all of these attributes. 'Mr Tarpischev's statement questioning their gender tarnishes our great game and two of our champions. His derogatory remarks deserve to be condemned and he will be sanctioned. President of the Russian Tennis Federation Shamil Tarpischev (left) walks with Russia Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev before watching the play of countrywoman Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the Kremlin Cup women's semi-final in Moscow on Saturday . 'Mr Tarpischev's private letter of acknowledgement is a start. However, Mr Tarpischev owes Venus and Serena Williams a personal apology, as well as other players and tennis fans everywhere, a public apology.' Dave Haggerty, the president, chairman and CEO of the United States Tennis Association, also issued a statement calling on Tarpischev to apologise. He said: 'As the president of the USTA and a member of the board of directors of the International Tennis Federation, I call on Shamil Tarpischev to issue a formal apology to Venus and Serena Williams. 'As the president of the Russian Tennis Federation and a member of the International Olympic Committee, Mr Tarpischev is expected to conduct himself with the highest degree of integrity and sportsmanship. 'Unfortunately, his comments do not embody either of these traits and in fact were reprehensible.' Tarpischev, who made the comments on a chat show, is reported to have claimed his words were intended as a joke.

Stars including Serena Williams pose for glamorous unveiling ahead of next week's WTA Finals in Singapore . Williams drawn in red group with Simona Halep, Eugenie Bouchard and Ana Ivanovic . White group sees Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Caroline Wozniacki compete . Russian tennis president Shamil Tarpischev referred to Serena and Venus as 'Williams brothers' Russia's Davis and Fed Cup captain suspended from WTA for one year following derogatory comments .

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By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 02:01 EST, 13 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 07:25 EST, 13 March 2014 . Billionaire financier George Soros has warned that foreign-owned companies would flee Britain if the country decided to quit the European Union. The notorious currency speculator - whose actions devastated sterling in 1992 - said that Britain had the best of all worlds by being part of the EU but not the euro. But underlining corporate concerns about the economic impact of a British exit, he suggested yesterday that an exit would cost jobs and investment. George Soros speaking in London yesterday: The billionaire investor warned that multinational companies would flee Britain, shedding jobs, if the country were to leave the European Union . 'I leave it to the British business community, particularly multinationals that set up factories here as an entry point into the common market, to explain to the public what they stand to lose,' he said. 'But in one word - jobs.' Mr Soros's comments came as Labour leader Ed Miliband said his party would be unlikely to table an in/out referendum on Europe if it was to win the next election. David Cameron, the prime minister, is all but committed to such a poll in 2017 after pressure from the Tories' eurosceptic right, who fear an electoral challenge from Ukip, who are avowedly anti-EU. Mr Soros, who spoke yesterday in London to promote his latest book, warned that Europe's union might yet collapse if its economy continues to stagnate, a situation he blamed on Germany. 'The policy of austerity that Germany imposed on the eurozone countries was the wrong one,' he added in a comment piece published this morning in the Financial Times. 'The downward pressure has now diminished and this has given financial markets a lift. But the prospect of a long period of stagnation has not been removed and it has set in motion a negative political dynamic. 'Anybody who finds the prevailing arrangements are intolerable is pushed into an anti-European posture, so I expect the process of disintegration to gather momentum.' Differing positions: Labour leader Ed Miliband, left, says his party has no intention to hold an in/out referendum on EU membership, but Tory Prime Minister David Cameron, right, has vowed to hold such a poll in 2017 . Mr Soros, 83, famously made $1billion by betting against the sterling on Black Wednesday in 1992, forcing John Major's Tory government to withdraw from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. But now, he said, any British withdrawal from European institutions would hasten the collapse of the EU and diminish the Union's standing in world affairs. He predicted disaster if any country were to try to leave the eurozone currency bloc. 'If the euro disintegrated in a disorderly manner it would not have solved the problem, it would have created an even bigger problem – a real meltdown,' he was quoted as saying yesterday by The Guardian. 'The problems of the euro don't have a national solution. Leaving the euro is a disaster. It would mean defaulting on a country's debts. That would have very severe consequences for financial stability. 'It might be beyond the powers of the authorities to control.' Despite that dire warning, Mr Soros suggested that if Scotland votes for independence, it would be better off joining the eurozone that pursuing monetary union with the Bank of England. ‘Scotland wants to remain part of the pound sterling and Britain is creating obstructions to that,' he said. 'It would be a very difficult relationship and I don’t think that Scotland becoming independent and yet remaining part of the sterling is possible.’

Comments came as Labour leader rejects referendum if his party wins . Mr Soros blamed Europe's stagnant economy on German-imposed austerity . Currency speculator famously made $1bn betting against the pound in '92 .

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When this cunning fox spotted a vole scurrying along in the snow, it set itself up to pounce. But despite taking aim, jumping high into the air and diving in head first, it found that its prey was just too quick - and ended up well and truly wedged in the ground. Photographer Steve Hinch, 44, took the pictures on the snowy plains of Yellowstone National Park in the United States. He said: 'I enjoyed watching the fox leap into the snow, hunting in this fashion is a great spectacle to see.' Scroll down for video . Photographer Steve Hinch, 44, took the pictures on the snowy plains of Yellowstone National Park in the United States. He said he could see the fox's ears twitching back and forth trying to pinpoint the location of the vole . Once the fox had pinpointed its prey, it leapt up and dropped down face first into the snow attempting to pin the rodent with its nose or paws . Captured jumping high into the air with eyes fixed on the prize, the bushy tailed fox is seen leaping for his prey and then diving head first into the frozen surface. With its tail pointed towards the sky, the striking young fox is buried beneath the sheet of white. However, instead of emerging with a tasty meal in its muzzle, the fox came up empty handed and a little red faced. The animal then carried on its journey to find food. Steve said: 'The fox will listen for the sound of its prey as it moves in tunnels under the snow. 'As I was watching and photographing the fox I could see its ears twitching back and forth trying to pinpoint the location of the rodent. 'Once it had pinpointed its prey, the fox leapt up high and dropped down face first into the snow attempting to pin the rodent with its nose or paws. 'Sadly on this occasion, the fox missed its meal.' Captured jumping high into the air, the bushy tailed fox is seen leaping for his prey and then diving head first into the frozen surface . With its tail pointed towards the sky, the striking young fox is buried beneath the sheet of white. However, instead of emerging with a tasty meal in its muzzle, the fox came up empty handed looking a little red faced .

Photographer Steve Hinch, 44, took photos on the snowy plains of Yellowstone National Park in the United States . The bushy tailed fox spots a vole and is seen leaping for his prey before diving head first into the frozen surface . But instead of emerging with a tasty meal in its muzzle, the fox came back empty handed - and a little red faced .

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Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are said to have welcomed their first child. The 27-year-old actress gave birth near their home in Bedford, New York, just before the New Year, Page Six reports. The child arrived earlier than expected but both mother and baby are said to be healthy. Scroll down for video... Baby joy! Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds - pictured here together in New York on 20 October last year- have welcomed their first child in the New Year at their home in Bedford, New York, according to PageSix . The baby's sex and name have not been revealed. UsWeekly have also reported the news, with a source telling the site: 'The baby came early but everyone is happy and healthy. The Bedford house is all prepared. They're going to stay up there for the baby's first days.' MailOnline have reached out to representatives for Blake and Ryan, who have so far been unavailable for comment. According to a previous report in UsWeekly, Ryan, 38, who married Blake in 2012 following 11 months of dating, had been helping to ensure his stunning spouse enjoyed a care-free pregnancy. Surprise! Blake - pictured here on 4 December last year - is said to have gone into labor earlier than expected . The look of love: Blake recently gushed at what a supportive husband Ryan had been throughout her pregnancy . The insider told the publication: 'Ryan is being such a sweet hubby, he's giving her foot and back rubs constantly! He jokes that she doesn't even have to ask anymore, he just automatically does it.' The former Gossip Girl star recently gushed about how devoted her husband is. She said: 'He's always good to me. That's like a jerky thing to say because you want to be able to complain about your husband and be that person, but he takes pretty good care of me.' She also told UsWeekly that becoming a mother was something that she had 'always wanted' from an early age. Happy couple: Ryan, 38, who married Blake, 27, in 2012 following 11 months of dating, had been helping to ensure his stunning spouse enjoyed a care-free pregnancy . She said: 'Its something that I've always wanted ever since I was a little girl' Adding: 'I knew I wanted to have a lot of kids because I had come from a big family so it was always important to me. So it’s just the excitement of that finally being here.' Blake has been documenting her pregnancy on her new lifestyle website Preserve. Bump Lively! Blake posted this picture on her site Preserve last year . That's some maternity style! Blake - pictured here on 12 December - certainly dressed her bump in a series of fun outfits . Revealing the pregnancy news by showing off a bump picture on the site, the actress also posted shots from her baby shower. She has also referred to the website as her 'baby' saying: 'It's definitely a baby for a reason. It's been the greatest learning experience I've had.' 'It's so empowering to have a profession that I control,' Lively said. "I'm responsible for success or failure and that responsibility is one that I really appreciate.' Interestingly, Blake has yet to comment on her official Instagram page. However, on Monday she posted a picture of a pillow that she made, and thanked her followers for compliments she received for the design. Enjoying her pregnancy: Blake shared this snap from her baby shower last year on her site Preserve .

Report claims Blake gave birth 'earlier than expected' but is doing well .

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(CNN) -- The latest trend at teen parties isn't warm beer or prescription medicines pilfered from parents' medicine cabinets. Instead, increasing numbers of youths are turning to an herb-based product to get high, and unlike marijuana, it's perfectly legal. It's known as K2 or Spice, a synthetic substance that, when smoked, gives users a marijuana-like high, according to drug authorities. Its growing popularity is causing increasing alarm among health care professionals, law enforcement authorities and lawmakers, with one Drug Enforcement Agency official calling its use the equivalent of "playing Russian roulette." Should some illegal drugs be legalized? Manufactured in Asia and sold online or in local stores, K2 and similar substances are marketed as herbal incense. A disclaimer on a K2-selling Web site reads: "K2Herbal products are novelty incenses and are not for consumption." Sold in various flavors in 3-gram bags, the product consists of herbs that are sprayed with synthetic substances that mimic THC, the high-causing natural chemical found in marijuana. A call to regulate K2 . Health and drug officials say the danger in using such products is the unregulated nature of their production and makeup. "Our biggest concern is that this particular chemical is likely manufactured in a dorm-room setting. And these dorm-room scientists are not going to be exhibiting a lot of quality assurance techniques," says Dr. Gaylord Lopez, a toxicologist and head of the Georgia Poison Center. As a result, there's a potential for users to inhale contaminants along with the substance they think they're smoking, Lopez said, which may be a contributing factor in the adverse symptoms some of its users have been experiencing. Political activist wants K2 banned . "Synthetic drugs and herbal drug products like Spice and K2 are not made in a controlled environment and thus you are playing Russian roulette when it comes to these types of products," said Dawn Dearden, a spokeswoman for the DEA, which first began receiving reports about abuse of the substance last year. "There is no way, outside of a controlled laboratory environment, to determine the chemical makeup, synthetic ingredients or amounts, and therefore there is no way to determine with any accuracy what the potentially harmful effects may be." Lopez says his center first heard of the substance in December when Georgia hospitals began reporting patients who had used K2 or Spice. Since then, the center has seen a spike in cases, with 20 people -- mostly teenagers -- visiting emergency rooms with such symptoms as heart palpitations and respiratory issues. In the most serious case, an otherwise healthy teenage boy, who has since recovered, lapsed into a coma, Lopez said. According to Dearden, additional side effects can include panic attacks, hallucinations, delusions, vomiting, increased agitation and dilated pupils. Around the center, Lopez said his employees have begun referring to the substance as "Scary Spice." Earlier this month, Kansas became the first state to ban synthetic marijuana. Kansas state Sen. Jim Barnett, a supporter of the effort, said the ban was prompted by reports of abuse of K2 and similar products in cities across the state among high school students and prison parolees who were using it as an alternative to pot to avoid a positive drug test. Lawmakers in several other states are considering similar legislation, including Georgia, Utah, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Dakota and Illinois. "Although it is a synthetic drug, it is still a drug with a high potential for abuse," says Barnett, who is a physician. "It was our desire in Kansas to be ahead of the problem." K2 has already been banned in some European countries, including Britain, Germany, Poland and France, and the DEA lists it as a drug of concern in the United States. "We are seeing several indications that these THC-like substances could become a significant problem both domestically and internationally," Dearden says. She says the agency is in "the preliminary stages of determining whether or not some or all of (synthetic substances) need to be controlled."

K2 or Spice, when smoked, gives users a marijuana-like high . Danger of products is the unregulated nature of their production and makeup . Side effects include heart palpitations, respiratory issues, panic attacks, hallucinations . Kansas has banned K2; many other states are considering similar laws .

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