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When new mother Lou Burns arrived at Claridge’s for afternoon tea, she knew the waiters would be on hand to make sure she had everything she could wish for. What she didn’t want, however, was this giant napkin to cover her up as she breastfed her 12-week-old daughter Isadora. Staff at the five-star hotel in Mayfair told Mrs Burns, 35, to use the napkin to avoid ‘causing offence’ to other guests. And although she is smiling in this picture she posted on Twitter, the mother of three said she felt humiliated and burst into tears afterwards. Upset: Lou Burns, 35, was breastfeeding her 12-week-old baby (left) at the luxury Claridge's hotel in Mayfair when waiters told her to cover up with a large napkin (right) to avoid 'causing offence' to fellow guests . Outrage: Prestigious hotel Claridge's has been criticised after staff ordered Ms Burns, 35, to cover herself up . ‘I was really shocked as I had never experienced this before,’ she told the Mail. ‘Through my tears I tried to explain that I was really quite cross. ‘I’m not on some crusade. I just think people shouldn’t be treated like that. It would be nice to have an apology and for them to change their policy to not make any other breast-feeding women feel like second-class citizens. 'Breastfeeding is natural and we’re told it’s best for the baby. It’s a bit silly to say that people would be offended by it.’ Mrs Burns, who is married to comedy actor Nick Burns, took her mother, sister and daughter Isadora to Claridge’s art deco Foyer for afternoon tea on Monday. She said: ‘It was an annual treat that we have at Christmas time. We’ve been there before and we’ve loved it. My mother had travelled all the way down from Birmingham. ‘We sat down and I started to feed her very discreetly, but within moments of us sitting down, the waiter came over. Embarrassed: Mrs Burns, who was dining with her mother, sister and 12-week old daughter Isadora, said she was left so embarrassed by the incident that she would never return to the five star hotel . ‘He had this big napkin in his hand and he said he was sorry but it was company policy for feeding mothers to cover themselves, and could I cover myself with this.’ Seeing that she was visibly upset by their actions, they called their manager – who again confirmed the policy. Mrs Burns said the baby was not comfortable with the napkin over its head and was not able to feed properly. Finally the management said she could continue without it as long as there were no complaints from anyone else. She said the hotel knocked some money off the bill and apologised for upsetting her. But she added: ‘I just told them I was so offended, and so humiliated. I’ve been here quite a few times and I thought it was somewhere you could sit down and breast feed and not be bothered. ‘You couldn’t see anything while I was feeding, because I had a vest underneath my jumper. No-one complained. Family: Mother-of-three Mrs Burns, is married to actor Nicholas Burns, who is known for his Nathan Barley character (right) and has also appeared on Benidorm and The Mighty Boosh . ‘Women are under so much pressure to breastfeed and it’s not easy. I’ve had two other children that I’ve struggled to breast feed and I think women should be more supported, especially when they are trying not to draw attention to themselves. ‘I told them I couldn’t see myself coming back.’ Posting pictures of the incident online, she wrote: ‘Asked to cover up with this ridiculous shroud while #breastfeeding so not to cause offence @ClaridgesHotel today. 'So much more obvious with it than without! Such a shame I can never go back.... @ClaridgesHotel #breastfeeding. ‘Staff were incredibly polite as you would hope. Think they felt bad....’ The comments were retweeted by her husband, 37, who appeared in Nathan Barley, The Mighty Boosh and the IT Crowd. Mrs Burns, who lives in Streatham, south London, and works in finance, has since been inundated with messages of support. One Twitter user wrote: ‘How can the sight of mother feeding her child do anything else than make people feel good! @ClaridgesHotel apologies needed,’ while Lucy Bunting added: ‘Under the 2010 discrimination act, asking a bf’ing mother to cover up is illegal and disgusting behaviour!!! ‘This is clearly their policy not just a rogue member of staff! Even more unacceptable!” On its website, the NHS says: ‘You shouldn’t ever be made to feel uncomfortable about breastfeeding in public. In fact, the Equality Act 2010 has made it illegal for anyone to ask a breastfeeding woman to leave a public place such as a cafe, shop or public transport. A Claridge's spokesman told MailOnline: 'We are saddened to see what is being discussed and we feel we need to clarify that breastfeeding is of course embraced at Claridge’s. 'All we ask is that mothers are discrete towards other guests.' The row comes after a cafe owner in Surrey was forced to apologise last month for  putting a sign in its window telling mothers they should breastfeed in the toilets. Tillings Cafe came under fire after a customer posted a picture of the notice - which informs customers they can use the disabled toilet if they want to breastfeed their babies - on Twitter. But the family-owned coffee shop in Gomshall, Surrey was forced to remove the sign after the National Childbirth Trust, the UK's largest parenting charity, asked for it to be taken down. Owner June Radford said the sign had been a 'huge miscommunication'. She said: 'We have had many happy breastfeeding mums in our cafe in the three years we have been open and we continue to support breastfeeding. In October, Facebook was forced to reinstated a picture of a mother breastfeeding her severely premature baby for the first time after it was removed from the site because it ‘breached nudity rules’ Emma Bond, 24, posted the picture of herself with Carene, who was born 12 weeks early, but soon found it had been removed after it had been deemed 'offensive'. Meanwhile in September, breastfeeding mother Olivia Pozniak claimed she was forced to cover up with a dirty dishcloth while joining friends for breakfast at a Wetherspoon pub in Bexleyheath. In June 27-year-old Carrie Davies says she was left feeling 'embarrassed and ashamed' after staff at Global Buffet in Cardiff suggested she move while feeding her four-month-old son. And in May, Channel 4 journalist and film-maker Jenny Kleeman was ordered to stop breastfeeding her child by a security guard in a London café because customers were ‘not allowed’ to breastfeed at the table. Mothers who staged a mass breastfeeding protest at a Sports Direct store in Nottingham in support for Wioletta Komar, who claims she was asked to leave the premises for breastfeeding her son . According to the Equality Act of 2010, it is discriminatory to treat a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding. However, in September a breastfeeding mother claimed today that she was ordered to cover up with a dirty dishcloth while joining friends for a breakfast. Olivia Pozniak, a single 25-year-old, was feeding her 11-week-old son Louie at the Furze Wren pub owned by J D Wetherspoon in Bexleyheath, Kent, when she was told to cover up. Meanwhile in August Natasha Barnett, 29, from Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, was told by a lifeguard at Middleton Pool that she could not breastfeed her five-month-old daughter Olive because it was 'classed as eating and drinking'. In June, a mother was asked to sit in a corner by a waitress while breastfeeding her son - to keep her away from schoolchildren eating in the same restaurant. Carrie Davies, 27, was left feeling 'embarrassed and ashamed' after staff at Global Buffet in Cardiff suggested she move while feeding her four-month-old son Trystan. Ms Davies, who was lunching with a friend, was offered a spot by the restaurant's toilets, which bosses at the restaurant say was more 'convenient' for her in light of a large school party who had started eating there. It comes after around 70 women descended on Sports Direct in Nottingham city centre in April to show support for 25-year-old Wioletta Komar, who claimed she was kicked out of the premises earlier this year for breastfeeding her three-month-old son. She claims a member of staff suddenly marched over and told her that breastfeeding mothers were not welcome because of 'company policy'. The sales assistant then told her that the store had no facilities for her and suggested she should go to McDonald's which had a baby and mother room.

Lou Burns, 35, asked to cover up while feeding daughter Isadora . She was told to use napkin so 'not to cause offence' at Mayfair hotel . Mrs Burns was left so embarrassed that she says she will never go back . Claridge's says breastfeeding 'embrace' but mothers asked to be discreet .

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A young Sydney woman who could face the death penalty after being charged by Chinese authorities for allegedly attempting to smuggle the drug ‘ice’ from China was reported missing by a worried family member last month. It emerged overnight that Kalynda Davis, a talented basketballer in her early 20s from the Penrith region in Sydney’s west, and Peter Gardner, 25, from Richmond, will face a Chinese court this week accused of trying to smuggle 75kg of methamphetamine to Australia. Friends have taken to Facebook to lament the pair's desperate situation. ‘Kalyndra was an amazing girl she just got herself into the wrong crowd,’ said a former colleague of the blonde. ‘I honestly hope they don’t give her the death penalty though.’ Kalynda Davis, left, and Peter Gardner, right have been charged over allegedly attempting to import drugs from China to Australia . Kalynda Davis, pictured here at a younger age, is one of two people who are facing drug charges in China . Mates of Gardner described him as a good man and wondered how it got to this point. Brad King told Daily Mail Australia: 'He was actually a really genuine bloke who would do anything for his mates.' Another friend said: 'He was doing so so well for himself as well, and now this!' Daily Mail Australia understands the pair had only known each other for only a matter of weeks before they flew from Sydney International Airport to Guangzhou on November 5. That same day, both Davis and Gardner were reported missing to police. The muscular, blonde-haired Gardner, who recently worked for a construction company in Kurmond in Sydney's greater west, was last spotted in Australia that day near his home in Richmond. The pair booked their seats on the plane at the Flight Centre at a nearby shopping centre, Nine News reported. Three days after the pair arrived in Guangzhou, Davis and Gardner were apprehended by Chinese authorities at the airport, the broadcaster said. 'Kalynda was an amazing girl she just got herself into the wrong crowd,' said one friend . A New South Wales police spokeswoman said the matter was referred to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as soon as Davis was located overseas. Australia is currently in the grip of an ice crisis, with use of the drug more than doubling from 21 per cent in 2010 to 50 per cent of drug users in 2013, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. A number of Australians have been detained overseas on drug charges in recent times, most famously including Schapelle Corby, who served nine years in an Indonesian prison. Some have been put to death, including Vietnamese Australian Van Tuong Nguyen, who was hung for drug trafficking on December 2, 2005. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed Davis has many friends in Sydney's west. She is understood to occasionally visit music festivals. Sources said she regularly played basketball in Penrith. In an old posting on a social media profile when she younger, Davis said 'bball [basketball] is my life.' Mr Gardner's former employer Michael Kulakovski told the Nine Network he was deeply concerned for the young man's future. 'To be caught with substance in China is probably one of the worst countries to be caught in,' Mr Kulakovski said. 'He was doing really good, he had a lot of work and he was earning good money. (I) don't know why he's done this.' Mr Kulakovski did not return Daily Mail Australia's calls.  The Department of Foreign Affairs refused to comment when approached on Wednesday morning. Davis and Gardner's case are expected to be heard by a Chinese court later this week. Do you know more? [email protected] .

Australians Kalynda Davis and Peter Gardner are facing drug charges in China . Both were reported missing from their western Sydney homes on November 5 . They were arrested days later accused of attempting to import 75kg of 'ice' to Australia from China . The pair could potentially face the death penalty in a country that performs more executions than any other .

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Shouting and banging on doors, city officials in Silicon Valley stapled and taped notices on hand built structures, tents and tree trunks warning more than 200 residents of what is likely the nation's largest homeless encampment that the bulldozers are coming. People living in the camp, known as The Jungle, must be out by Thursday or face arrest for trespassing. On Monday morning, more than 20 police officers and construction workers walked through the mile square encampment, more muddy and trash strewn than ever after an unusual fall rainstorm. Get out or else: Police officers and city officials hand out warning notices at a Silicon Valley homeless encampment known as The Jungle on Monday . Bulldozers are coming: A sign in support of The Jungle is posted at the Silicon Valley homeless encampment. City officials began posting notices on hand built structures, tents and tree trunks warning the 200 residents of what is likely the nation's largest homeless encampment that the bulldozers are coming . 'You guys have until Thursday to pull everything out,' shouted Carlos Tovar, a contractor hired by the city for debris removal and clean up. Shouting and banging on doors, the team walked the windy paths between compounds surrounded by woven reeds to tarp strewn structures tied to trees. Bewildered residents, many awakened by the shouts, were handed yellow warning posters: '!!!ATTENTION!!!' read the notices. 'The City of San Jose will be conducting a cleanup of illegal encampments in this area....' Police officers, using batons to smack open plywood doors and knives to cut tent walls, joined about a dozen construction crew members who took photos to document the situation. Residents were ordered to get leashes on the dozens of dogs running loose. Naomi Garcia crumbled into tears when they thrust the notice into her hand. 'This is hard,' she said. 'Sorry. Sorry.' Garcia said she's been homeless for seven years and hasn't had the wherewithal to get a social worker, public assistance and housing aid. 'I was waiting for my housing and I never got it,' she said. 'You have to go to certain places and do certain things and I just couldn't do that.' Makeshift homes: San Jose police officer Eduardo Sandoval looks inside a makeshift tent as notices to move are handed out at the Silicon Valley homeless encampment . A resident peeks out from inside a trailer after receiving an order to move. People living in the Silicon Valley camp must be out by Thursday or face arrest for trespassing . San Jose Homelessness Response Team Project Manager Ray Bramson said that increased violence, wet weather and unsanitary conditions make it imperative the camp is cleared. In the last month one resident tried to strangle someone with a cord of wire down there, he said. Another was nearly beaten to death with a hammer. And the State Water Resources Control Board has been demanding that polluted Coyote Creek, which cuts through the middle, get cleaned out. Most residents reluctantly read their notices and said they would have to find another place to park their shopping carts and pitch their tents. But some ran from the authorities. 'We've got a runner,' police shouted on occasion, as someone dashed down a muddy path, unpursued, into the tangle of trees and trash. At least one person was arrested for having an outstanding warrant. In the past 18 months, the city of San Jose has spent more than $4 million on solving the problems at the encampment, housing 137 people so far. Former Jungle resident Maria Esther Salazar, who was housed in June after 30 years on the street or in jail, was surprised Thursday to hear her former neighbors were getting moved out. 'That's just tough,' she said. 'Where are they supposed to go?' She said she's moved on with her life, seeing a doctor, caring for her dogs, even cooking the Thanksgiving turkey at her brother's house surrounded by family for the first time since she was a child. Attention! Robert Aguirre, a resident at the Silicon Valley homeless encampment, shows a notice asking him to move . Carlos Tovar, a contractor in charge of cleanup, left, hands out a warning notice to a resident. Officials intend to clean up the trash filled area in hopes of restoring its woodlands and waterways . Another 60 people in The Jungle have been given housing vouchers to help pay rent but social workers have been unable to find homes for them. The last camp clean out was in May 2012 when about 150 people were moved out of The Jungle. Many returned and others, swept from other encampments in San Jose, joined them. The encampment is in stark contrast to its surrounding area in the heart of the Silicon Valley, a region leading the country for job growth, income, innovation and venture capital. Tech giants Google, Apple, Yahoo, eBay, Facebook, Intel and many more call the 1,850 square mile stretch of business parks, small cities and suburbs south of San Francisco home. But as tech roars back from the recession, housing costs have soared and more than 5000 people now sleep outside in streets, parks and under freeways there. When The Jungle is cleared later this week, city officials plan to send in trash trucks and bulldozers to haul out tons of hazardous and human waste. They'll use heavy machinery to fill excavated sections where people have been living underground. And they'll try to restore the creek beds. Jennifer Loving, executive director of Destination: Home who has been working to house homeless people in the area, toured the camp last week warning residents they had to get out. But in a parking lot about 20 feet up a hill above The Jungle she sighed and shook her head. 'There's nowhere for them to go,' she said. 'We don't have the housing. We can't magically create it.' Police and city officials look into a makeshift home built underground at the encampment. Officials intend to fill in pits like these . In the shadow of wealth: As tech roars back from the recession, housing costs have soared and more than 5000 people now sleep outside in streets, parks and under freeways there .

People living in the San Jose camp, known as The Jungle, must be out by Thursday or face arrest for trespassing . On Monday morning, more than 20 police officers and construction workers walked through the encampment . The city wants to restore the polluted mile square stretch of woodlands and waterways at the outskirts of some of America's wealthiest neighborhoods .

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A three-year-old girl was able to walk half a mile from her nursery school to her family home on her own after staff failed to spot she had left the school grounds, it has emerged. The youngster wandered out of the nursery which is attached Springdale Infant School, in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, without staff realising on November 7. A member of staff is now being investigated over the incident and has been moved roles within the nursery while the apparent blunder is investigated. An investigation has been launched after the three-year-old girl wandered out of the nursery which is attached Springdale Infant School, in Wolverhampton, West Midlands (pictured), without staff realising . The young girl was not injured as a result of the incident, despite walking half a mile on her own and unsupervised. Parents have expressed their shock at the incident, which occurred at the end of the nursery day. One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'They need to do something to stop this happening again. 'The children come out of the building to be met by their parents but this little girl just went out by herself. 'She didn't come to any harm but that's not the point. This could have been so much worse. It's every parent's worst nightmare. 'Apparently her home is a good half-a-mile away and she would have need to cross a couple of roads too. 'It's scary what could have happened.' The school's headteacher confirmed an investigation is underway and said a member of staff had been 'assigned to alternative duties' pending the outcome. The nursery has also 'strengthened' its procedures . Cathy Foley, the school's headteacher, said procedures had been 'strengthened' at the nursery in the wake of the incident. She said: 'The welfare of our pupils is our top priority and an investigation is currently underway into the incident which occurred on November 7. 'A member of staff has been assigned to alternative duties pending the outcome of this investigation, and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage. 'However, I would like to reassure parents that we are taking the matter very seriously and, as a result of the incident, we have strengthened our policies and procedures within the nursery to ensure that it cannot happen again.'

Three-year-old walked out of nursery school and half a mile to her home . Staff failed to notice she had left Springfield Infant School, Wolverhampton . She was uninjured but investigation has now been launched into incident . Headteacher confirmed employee had been 'assigned to alternative duties'

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A Wisconsin man had an asthma attack and died Sunday morning, after police stopped the car rushing him to the hospital. Passenger Casey Kressin, 29, was unresponsive after EMS showed up and took him to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, WEAU reported. The car he was in was spotted by police speeding and going past a red light around 2:05am, the Chippewa Falls Police Department said in a release. 'By the time that the officer was able to get close to the vehicle to make a traffic stop, it was probably about a mile later,' Wendy Stelter, the town's Chief of Police, said in an interview with the station. Scroll down for video . Passenger: Casey Kressin was suffering an asthma attack when the vehicle he was in was stopped by police for speeding and running a red light . Incident: The car Kressin was in raced through this traffic light on its way to the hospital . 'When the officer made this traffic stop, there was an adult female that exited the driver's side and there was an adult male that exited the passenger's side,' Stelter also said. The release stated that 'The operator [of the car] yelled to the officer that the man was having an asthma attack and that he needed to get to the emergency room. 'The man knelt down on the pavement near the rear of the stopped vehicle and indicated that he needed his inhaler.' The police officer contacted an emergency dispatcher, and both the cop and the female driver tended to Kressin before EMS showed up around 2:12am, Chippewa Falls police said. Stelter told WEAU 'Just about six minutes later that EMS arrived on scene and um, they then took the patient and transported him to the hospital and he was later pronounced deceased at the - at St. Joseph's Hospital.' Chippewa Falls police said that there was an autopsy at Ramsey County Medical Center in Minnesota. 'What was probably going on in that officer's mind is that "This man is sitting here and I'going to keep him calm until the ambulance arrives,"' Stelter also said. 'It's just very sad because the officer feels that he did what he should have done and I truly support him in that, and yet the family has lost a family member, obviously, and that's just very sad.' Danger: Casey Kressin was unresponsive after EMS showed up several minutes after the car was stopped. His girlfriend Leah Hryniewicki, pictured right, has claimed police did not allow her to keep driving . Emergency: Kressin was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead . Stelter upheld the officer's choice, and said 'I think the officer made the best decision. It's just so very unfortunate that it's how things fell out.' WQOW reported Kressin's girlfriend, Leah Hryniewicki, was behind the wheel of the car at the time of the incident. She wrote on Facebook that her daughter Paige was also present. 'we got pulled over the cop's won't let me take him to the hospital by the time the ambulance got there casey was not breathing they did cpr the whole way to the hospital and at the hospital he went into cardiac arrest,' she wrote on Facebook. She continued 'I miss him so much and I don't understand why God took 'him from us. The pain he went through waiting for that ambulance and the amount of care he didn't get from the cop's and emt I feel there was more that could of been done.' Hryniewicki had been very upset and her daughter was also one of her passengers, so the officer did not allow her to drive, Stelter told WQOW.

Casey Kressin, 29, was inside a car spotted by police around 2:05am speeding and skipping the red light . An Chippewa Falls police officer caught up to the car, and contacted EMS when the driver told him of Kressin's asthma attack . Kressin was unresponsive after EMS showed up and was pronounced dead at a hospital . Police Chief Wendy Stelter has defended the officer's choice .

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Controversial independent senator Jacqui Lambie has interrupted Senate tributes for fallen cricketer Phillip Hughes, in a bid to force a rushed debate on her private bill to raise Defence pay. In an attempt to hijack the government's agenda in the final days of the parliamentary year, Senator Lambie cut short a move to honour the young cricketer who died last week. Under fire for her contentious move Senator Jacqui Lambie has offered an apology to the family and friends of Phillip Hughes. Scroll down for video . Senator Jacqui Lambie's sense of timing has been called into question after bringing Senate tributes to fallen cricketer Phillip Hughes to a halt to introduce a debate on defence pay . Phillip Hughes will be farewelled at a funeral to be held at his old high school in Macksville . She stated: 'Like the President of the Senate, I thought that Phillip Hughes’ condolence motion was finalised, so I proceeded with my attempt to suspend standing orders, so that I could debate my Legislation, which would have guaranteed that members of our ADF receive a pay rise.' The controversy coincided with Philip Hughes' funeral in his home town of Macksville on the NSW mid-north coast. After a few moments of confusion, the Senate agreed to finalise its tributes to Hughes with a minute's silence. Senator Lambie then moved to suspend all other business so that senators could debate her bill. The move was supported by Labor but was defeated 34-33. Senator Lambie's bill links ADF pay to that of politicians or CPI, whichever is greater. Controversy has followed Senator Jacqui Lambie in Canberra on Wednesday after she curtailed tributes to fallen cricketer Phillip Hughes to ignite a debate on defence pay . It follows her pledge to vote against all government legislation until the government reconsiders the 1.5 per cent defence pay increased. The government greeted Senator Lambie's move with hostility, initially denying her the right to speak. 'I'm asking you to give me a fair go and show me some courtesy,' she bellowed at government Senate leader Eric Abetz. 'This isn't about me, this is about the men and women who wear the uniform.' In her statement Ms Lambie added: 'It was the first time that I moved a suspension of standing orders - and it appears that some want to use the slight confusion created over the transition from one Senate procedure to another, against me. 'I apologise to Phillip Hughes’ family and friends if my misunderstanding over Senate procedure has offended them. This must be a very difficult and sad day for them. The speeches given in the Senate for Phillip were magnificent and inspirational.' Jacqui Lambie described Labor Senator John Faulkner's speech as particularly moving, speaking with 'eloquence, passion and compassion'.

Outrage at Jacqui Lambie's tactics to stop tributes to Phillip Hughes in the Senate to turn attention to a debate on defence pay . Her move caused confusion in the Senate . The Government initially refused her permission to speak . Phillip Hughes farewelled at a funeral in home town of Macksville on Wednesday . Lambie released a statement apologising for any 'confusion' she created .

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Parts of Britain face their coldest night of the year so far this week - with snow forecast and temperatures expected to plunge as low as -5C (23F). The Met Office said some rural areas across the country could see the mercury fall well past zero tonight, tomorrow night and on Friday evening. The predictions come as walkers in the Cairngorms enjoyed the deep winter snow yesterday and hopes of a white Christmas in the UK begin to rise. Scroll down for video . Snow could fall in parts of England by the end of the week as walkers enjoyed the first snow of winter in the Cairngorms in Scotland yesterday . Forecasters said showers could turn to sleet and wintry showers or light snow flurries by Friday, as temperatures are predicted to fall . Temperatures are expected to plunge to below freezing tomorrow, turning showers into sleet and possibly light snow flurries by Friday afternoon. Forecasters said there was a 'slim chance' snow could fall in parts of the Pennines and North Wales by the end of this week. There is also a possibility of wintry showers in exposed areas of the south as the mercury is expected to dip to as low as -2C (28F) in Bristol. And a minimum temperature of -5C (23F) is forecast for the Oxfordshire village of Benson overnight on Friday, according to the Met Office. Forecast Nicola Maxey said: 'On higher ground in the South there's a chance that we might see some sleet, and a slim chance of snow on Friday.’ Winter officially began on Monday, making the snow in the Cairngorms the first of the season. The Cairngorms, in the Scottish Highlands, are the snowiest place in the UK and have seen temperatures dip below freezing with the snow . An image of the funicular railway at Cairngorm shows snow has settled, but it is unlikely to lie in England . Walkers were pictured out enjoying the deep snow in the East Highlands, dubbed the snowiest place in Britain in a recent survey by the Met Office. The snow in Scotland led to warnings being issued by police about the dangers of driving on the A939 in the Cairngorms because of the recent snow and ice. And with forecasts of snow for the rest of England, comes a warning of plunging temperatures. The mercury is expected to remain at 6C (43F) to 7C (45F) - the average for December – throughout today, before falling by just a couple of degrees overnight to remain above freezing for most of England. A weak weather front brought rain to the South East last night, which was expected to move across East Anglia and up to the north and Scotland today. Tomorrow is expected to be much more cloudy and grey, with a chance of showers in the South East and Midlands. Forecasts of wintry weather and snow for England come as we near the end of a year that has recorded exceptionally mild months . Light dustings of snow could fall in Newcastle, North Wales and parts of the Pennines by Friday but the deep snow in Scotland is not expected . Hats, scarves and boots will be needed by the end of the week as temperatures are forecast to plummet as hopes for a white Christmas rise . By the evening temperatures are forecast to reach zero or just below freezing, particularly in Bristol and Newcastle. Forecasters said by Friday there will be more showers. Ms Maxey added: 'These could turn a bit wintry in exposed areas such as in Newcastle and the Pennines, but accumulations are unlikely. There is also a risk of fog patches.' Friday is expected to be a wetter and windier day, with stronger winds forecast for the North West. In the South East milder conditions are expected, with temperatures back to the average for December. A recent study by the Met Office found that snow has fallen 38 times in the last 52 years - meaning we can expect around half of our Christmases to be 'white.' Snow could be a welcome break for Londoners who were drenched by downpours throughout the city as temperatures remained at average . Commuters did their best to shield themselves from rain and cold blustery winds in the capital, while Scotland enjoyed the first snow of winter . The onset of the colder weather has led Public Health England to think about their health during the cold snap - 25,000 extra people usually die in England during winter, with the elderly particularly vulnerable. However the traditional festive image of trees dusted in white, is more likely to be confined to Christmas cards. Snow settling on the ground is much rarer, and has happened just four times in the last 51 years. Predictions of snow and falling temperatures this month follows after a mild autumn and exceptionally warm year, with each month this year apart from August seeing above-average temperatures. Commuters will also be hopeful that the Christmas season will not be a repeat of last year, when parts of England were drenched by heavy rain - leaving large parts of the Somerset Levels submerged for months.

Walkers enjoyed first snow of winter on the Cairngorms yesterday as hopes increased of a white Christmas . Forecasters predict snow could fall by end of the week with temperatures to plummet overnight tomorrow . Wintry showers expected in parts of North Wales and Pennines as Benson in Oxfordshire could dip to -5C .

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The wife of an alleged child molester held his hand and kissed him, reached out to him as he stood behind bars and led protests against his prosecution as he went on trial in Indonesia today. Tracy Bantleman's show of support for her husband Neil was transmitted across the world on the day he and an Indonesian colleague faced charges of abusing boys at Jakarta International School. Bantleman, a Canadian who worked as an administrator at the school, and his teaching assistant colleague Ferdinand Tjiong deny the charges in a wide-ranging case that has also seen cleaning staff accused of raping a young boy. Scroll down for video . Show of support: Canadian teacher Neil Bantleman, left, reaches out to his wife Tracy from inside a holding cell prior to the start of his trial hearing at South Jakarta District Court in Jakarta, Indonesia . Love and loyalty: Bantleman kisses his wife, while she caresses his hand, as he makes his way to the dock to officially face accusations of sexually abusing a six-year-old at a prestigious international school . Confidence: Mrs Bantleman smiles up at her husband. He and his co-accused have received strong support from the school and parents, and their lawyer suggested the case could be motivated by money . #freeNeilandFerdi: Mrs Bantleman talks with Siska Tjiong, wife of co-accused Indonesian teaching assistant Ferdinand Tjiong, during a rally to support their husbands outside the South Jakarta court . The allegations come after the revelation that a suspected serial paedophile sought by the FBI and believed to have abused scores of boys used to teach at the school. But Bantleman and Tjiong, who face up to 15 years in jail if found guilty, have received strong support from the school and parents, and their lawyer suggested the case could be motivated by money. Their wives led a crowd of about 60 supporters, mostly parents, who turned up outside the court waving banners that read 'Free Neil and Ferdi' and 'Reject the invented JIS case'. 'They are the victims of slander, we are 1,000 per cent sure. If they were really paedophiles, we would be the first to know,' said Maya Lestari, who has two children at the school and was helping to coordinate the rally. 'We're innocent,' Bantleman, 46, said from a holding cell at the court in the Indonesian capital before his trial. As he entered court, Tjiong said: 'I have come here to prove the truth, to end this slander.' Bantleman faces court: The men are being tried separately in closed-door sessions. A judge read the charges out against them in today's session. They were not required to enter a plea . Tjiong kisses his wife after his hearing: Hotman Paris Hutapea, a lawyer for both men, said the charges against them were vague and did not even specify an exact date when the crimes allegedly took place . The men are being tried separately in closed-door sessions. A judge read the charges out against them in today's session. They were not required to enter a plea. After the court hearings, Hotman Paris Hutapea, a lawyer for both men, said the charges against them were vague and did not even specify an exact date when the crimes allegedly took place. 'We assume this is motivated by money,' he said. 'If we uphold justice properly, how can you try a case when the prosecutors have no idea when the crime happened?' The family of one nursery school boy allegedly abused are suing the school and seeking $125 million in damages. The first allegation that cleaners had raped a nursery school boy emerged in April, after which more parents made abuse claims. The first trials began in August, with four male cleaners facing charges of child sex abuse, and a sixth suspect, a woman, accused of being an accomplice. Four of the men confessed then recanted, claiming police had beaten them into incriminating themselves. Their trials are still ongoing. The fifth male suspect committed suicide while in custody by drinking bathroom cleaner. Campaign: Tjiong holds up a paper bag emblazoned with a Twitter hashtag for supporters to use . In custody: Bantleman and Tjiong (C) are escorted by a policeman as they arrive at the South Jakarta court . Police and private security personnel stand guard at the main entrance of Jakarta International School, which was rocked by the revelation that a suspected serial paedophile worked there for a decade . At the South Jakarta District Court on Tuesday, Bantleman appeared in court first to hear the charges against him at the start of his trial. Tjiong appeared in court for a separate hearing after Bantleman. They are accused of abusing three young children at the school. Both hearings were held behind closed doors. Supports of Bantleman and Tjiong say the victim, who was six at the time the alleged abuse occurred, was subject to suggestive questioning by inexperienced police. The abuse was alleged to have happened at a room in the school during teaching hours. Mr Bantleman, who is from Burlington, Ontario, has been held in custody in Indonesia since his arrest on July 14. His family insist he is innocent and have called on Canadian authorities to lobby on his behalf. Jakarta International School is attended by the children of foreign diplomats, businesspeople and Indonesia's elite. It has 2,400 students aged three to 18 from about 60 countries. The school was shaken earlier this year when it emerged William Vahey, an American who taught at the school for ten years until 2002, killed himself as the FBI investigated allegations he sexually abused scores of teenage boys.

Neil Bantleman charged with abusing boys at Jakarta International School . His wife showed her support as he faced court for the first time today . Bantleman is charged alongside Indonesian teacher Ferdinand Tjiong . Both men's wives led protests against the prosecutions outside court .

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Back in 1996, when Warner Bros released its alien basketball film Space Jam, the studio created a website for fans to learn more about the movie. Almost 20 years on, this retro and headache-inducing site is still live, and is among a host of retro websites that are gaining a cult following. Other pages that serve as time capsules for the web’s past include CNN’s 1996 OJ Simpson coverage, and the oldest continuously running webcam in San Francisco that went live in 1994. Scroll down for video . The archive includes pages showcasing 1996 film Space Jam (pictured), as well as a site promoting Warner Bros You’ve Got Mail film from 1998. It also features news coverage of the 1996 OJ Simpson trial and the oldest continuously running webcam in San Francisco that went live in 1994 . Many are stored on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, that logs obscure and archived websites, software and video. The site features more than 240 billion pages, and people are encouraged to save sites to the archive for prosperity in years to come. The internet archive is part of a growing trend known as ‘digital archaeology.’ Earlier this year, the Barbican in London held an exhibition for retro childhood games and websites. Video games and computers from the 1970s to 1990s including Space Invaders, Pong, the Gameboy, Mac Paint and the Linn LM-1 drum machine were all on display. All the models were in working condition and were available to play as part of the exhibition, which tracked their respective places in technological history. Other examples included Manic Miner on the ZX Spectrum and the first website to be created by pioneer Tim Berners-Lee in 1991. The Digital Revolution exhibition was designed as a 'celebration of digital creativity.' In May last year, researchers restored the first website, created by Mr Berners-Lee during his time at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN. The 1996 Space Jam website shows the film’s logo on a background of stars. It reveals behind-the-scenes information about the cast and crew, audio from the film and includes a bio of lead star Michael Jordan. The OJ Simpson coverage, from CNN, features headings that provide details about the witnesses, the suspects, evidence and the murder - all illustrated using Clip Art. In 1994, a webcam was installed at San Francisco State University to monitor fog in the region, as part of a student project. The camera is still live, and still streams footage, 24 hours a day. Another interactive Warner Bros site was created in 1998 to promote You’ve Got Mail, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. It lets users read the emails between the two characters, using a virtual inbox, and an instant messenger pop-up details other dialogue from the film. There is even a Washington Post archive from 1996 in which the Macarena dance was featured in its In Style section. This was the year that Post.com launched, which the site explained: 'The nation embraced the internet as a new method of communicating, and The Washington Post began publishing on the Web in June with the launch of WashingtonPost.com. 'We asked you to ".com and get it," and you do, to the tune of a half-million page views a day. Stick around - there’s more to come in 1997.' The 1996 OJ Simpson coverage, from CNN , (pictured) features headings that provide details about the witnesses, the arrest, the suspects, evidence and the verdict - all illustrated using Clip Art-style images . In 1994, a webcam was installed at San Francisco State University to monitor fog in the region, as part of a student project (pictured). The camera is still live, and still streams footage, 24 hours a day. It is the oldest continuous webcam available to view online . Meanwhile, a Robert De Niro fan page has survived for more 15 years since it launched in 1999 (pictured). Many of these retro sites are stored on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, which logs obscure and archived websites, software and video links . Meanwhile, a Robert De Niro fan page has survived for more 15 years since it launched in 1999. And it appears that internet trolls aren’t new either. In 1995, following Microsoft’s launch of Internet Explorer, one disgruntled customer set up a site calling the software ‘evil’ and showing then-boss Bill Gates with horns. Alternatively, a Pop Tart fan launched a website in 1994 providing a step-by-step guide on how to turn a toaster into a blow torch using the strawberry-flavoured snack. There is even a Washington Post archive (pictured) from 1996 in which the Macarena dance was featured in its In Style section. It also details Bill Clinton returning to office for a second term, and Post.com launched . A 1996 website set up to help Star Trek fans get to grip with the fictional Klingon language is pictured . In 1996, Star Trek fans set up The Klingon Language Institute site, to help visitors get to grips with the fictional language. Before Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, he campaigned to be a senator for Illinois. His 2004 campaign website is still live, complete with photos and a thank you post to those who voted him in. Before Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, he campaigned to be a senator for Illinois. His 2004 campaign website (pictured) is still live , complete with photos and a thank you post to those who voted him in . The archive, and these sites, are part of a growing trend known as ‘digital archaeology.’ Earlier this year, the Barbican in London held an exhibition for retro childhood games and websites. Video games and computers from the 1970s to 1990s including Space Invaders, Pong, the Gameboy, Mac Paint and the Linn LM-1 drum machine were all on display. All the models were in working condition and were available to play as part of the exhibition, which tracked their respective places in technological history. Another interactive Warner Bros site was created in 1998 to promote You’ve Got Mail, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. It lets users read the emails between the two characters, using a virtual inbox, (pictured) and an instant messenger pop-up details other dialogue from the film . The archive reveals that internet trolls aren’t new either. In 1995, following Microsoft’s launch of Internet Explorer, one disgruntled customer set up a site (pictured) calling the software ‘evil’ and showing the then-boss Bill Gates with horns . Netscape (pictured) was one of the first web browsers, developed by Silicon Graphics founder Jim Clark collaborated with Marc Andreessen in 1994 . Other examples included Manic Miner on the ZX Spectrum and the first website to be created by pioneer Tim Berners-Lee in 1991. The Digital Revolution exhibition was designed as a 'celebration of digital creativity.' In May last year, researchers restored the first website, created by Mr Berners-Lee during his time at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN. It outlined the basics of what would become the web we know today. A Pop Tart fan launched a website in 1994 providing a step-by-step guide on how to turn a toaster into a blow torch using the strawberry-flavoured snack (pictured) The first website to launch, based on Sir Berners-Lee's proposal, went live in August 1991 (pictured). It outlined the basics of what would become the web we know today. In May last year, researchers restored this early website but it soon crashed because it was so popular . This picture shows what the Yahoo search engine looked like on 20 December 1996 .

Websites include promotional pages for films You’ve Got Mail and Space Jam . CNN’s special edition site that covered the OJ Simpson trial is also still live . Fans have maintained a 1999 Robert De Niro page online as well as a site branding Microsoft’s Internet Explorer as ‘evil’ from 1995 . Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine stores archived pages and screengrabs . Digital archaeology is a term given to outdated and retro gadgets and sites .

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Pictures have emerged of the youngest of four Western Sydney brothers who fled to Syria to fight for the Islamic State. Taha El Baf, 17, and his older siblings – two of whom weigh over 140kg and have been described as too unfit to be terrorist fighters – flew via Turkey to join the extremist group last month. The distraught father of the four brothers said he has not heard from them since receiving a text saying 'see you in paradise'. El Baf, who was in his final year of high school at Birrong Boys High School before he fled his family home in Yagoona, was a promising student and played for a local rugby league team, while his brothers had stable jobs. Scroll down for video . Taha El Baf, 17, from Yagoona, and his three older brothers flew to Syria to join the Islamic State last month . The 17-year-old also appeared in a school anti-bullying video which was posted to YouTube last year . Before they were due to come home last month, the parents received a text stating: 'We made it to Bilad al-Sham, we will see you in paradise'. Bilad al-Sham is a region in Syria. Despite the text, the parents went to the airport to pick up their sons but they never arrived. They now fear their boys have been lured into the clutches of the IS terrorist organisation. Their father Issam El Baf said he hadn't heard anything since receiving the haunting text. 'It's bad, very bad,' he said. 'It's very frustrating. We haven't heard anything for three weeks.' Authorities tracked the sons down in Turkey after the family alerted them but it is believed they have since crossed the border into Syria. More Australians have slipped through the cracks and fled overseas to join the fight with Islamic State . Unlike some before them, the siblings were 'clean-skins' and had not been on any watch-lists that would have alerted immigration controls. In a statement last month, their mother pleaded with them to come home. 'My sons, you are dear to us. You are good at heart. You have done nothing wrong. 'Come back. We love you.' Last month, leading Islamic community leader Dr Jamal Rifi said revealed two of the four Sydney brothers are 'obese' and may be snubbed by fellow terrorists if they eat all their rations. Dr Rifi said the men would not make good foot soldiers for the terror group, and believes they will be used for propaganda videos instead. When the brothers sent their shocked mother a one line text message saying they had arrived safely in Syria last month, she thought it was a cruel joke. Dr Jamal Rifi said two of the brothers are over 140kg and would not make good foot soldiers for IS . The message read: 'We made it to Bilad al-Sham, we will see you in Paradise.' One of the brothers had initially told the mother that he won four tickets to Thailand and he was going to take his brothers with him. Dr Rifi told radio station 2UE: 'The family is distraught, their main concern is to initiate contact, the concern are not concerned how they were radicalised but that they want them to come back. 'We are hoping the fact that because two of them are quite obese they will not good foot soldiers, they are over 140 kg. 'People are going to realise what are we going to do with them? Are they going to eat al the food and you can't even run on the field.' Dr Rifi said the family was trying to get messages to the brothers but they had not responded and had probably had their mobile phones confiscated by IS. He explained the family had given all the information to the authorities who were trying to 'put the pieces of the puzzle together'. Their mother is of Lebanese descent and their father is a taxi driver, they also have another brother and sister living at home. Authorities argue they need more tools to monitor suspects and prevent them from being radicalised . Many foreign fighters have already left the country including Mohamed Elomar (pictured) Dr Rifi added they were 'simple boys' who could not organise trip properly, and he revealed they had missed the first flight they had booked and had to re-book one for the next day. He said: 'They have no life experience. They (the parents) had no idea what their kids were planning such a move, these are ordinary kids who live at home, they showed no sign of radicalisation.' The fifth son went to meet a flight that was coming in from Thailand last month, hoping it was a joke. Dr Rifi said the family had alerted the authorities to the brothers' departure and it was now up to them to 'put the pieces of the puzzle together'. It emerged on Saturday authorities had tracked the brothers - who lived in south-west Sydney - as far as Turkey and alerted the family last week. Australian Federal Police commissioner Neil Gaughan told a parliamentary committee that the group of four that managed to leave the country this week were 'not on anyone's radar',The Guardian reported. 'We got wind of it after the fact, but the fact is there are still people travelling,' said Gaughan, the national manager of counter-terrorism for the Australian Federal Police,' he said. Khaled Sharrouf is also fighting with IS militants in the Middle East, and made headlines when he posted a photo of his young son brandishing a severed head .

Four brothers from Sydney's south-west left Australia to fight in Syria . Two of the boys are over 140kg and described as 'unfit' and 'obese' Their father sais he has not heard from them since receiving a text message saying 'see you in paradise'. Dr Jamal Rifi said the boys will not make good foot soldiers Their father said he has not heard from them since receiving a text . He believes they will be probably be used for propaganda videos . The boy's mother first received text that they were in the Middle East she thought it was a joke .

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Two teenagers have been jailed for setting fire to a man's genitals with a home-made flame thrower, leaving him with third degree burns. Jordan Powell, 18, and Jack Rouse, 19, attacked a 19-year-old man, who has not been identified, in a flat in Hereford earlier this year. The pair bound the terrified victim's hands together behind his back before setting his legs and genitals on fire with the flamethrower. Jordan Powell, 18 (left), and Jack Rouse, 19 (right) have been jailed for three-and-a-half years after they set fire to a man's genitals and legs with a home-made flamethrower during an overnight attack in Hereford . They had made the home-made flamethrower using an aerosol can and cigarette lighter and had been at a party with the man, before going back to Rouse's flat - where the attack took place. At a hearing at Worcester Crown Court Powell and Rouse were both jailed for three-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to assault causing grievous bodily harm. Their victim was said to be terrified during the attack, and suffered third degree burns to his legs and genital area after the horrific attack which took place at a flat in Hereford overnight on April 11 and 12. Detective Sergeant Tim Powell, of West Mercia Police, said: 'This is a particularly nasty attack and the sentencing has brought these two violent offenders to justice. Both teenagers were jailed for three-and-a-half years at a hearing at Worcester Crown Court . 'They conducted this horrific assault with intent to injure and terrorise the victim. I hope this result indicates West Mercia Police's priority of protecting people from harm.' Both men also received a further 18-month prison sentence after admitting a robbery of a 17-year-old man in Hereford on April 12. Police said their victim suffered 'significant facial injuries' as a result of the attack. The sentences will run concurrently.

Jordan Powell and Jack Rouse attacked 19-year-old man in Hereford flat . Used aerosol can and cigarette lighter to make home-made flamethrower . They bound the man's hands behind his back and set fire to his genitals . Victim was left with third degree burns on genitals and legs after attack . Pair pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm and were jailed for 3 years . Attack took place overnight in April as pair set to 'terrorise' their victim .

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What started as some complaints from neighbors has lead to a former NASCAR driver being locked up on several drug-related charges this week after allegedly being caught cooking meth. Robert Powell, 49, had been under investigation for some time after residents near his home in Goose Creek, South Carolina, reported suspicious activity. Powell competed in NASCAR’s Weekly Series from 1984 to 2002 winning 111 races in 328 starts at Summerville, Florence Motor and Myrtle Beach Speedways. However when police went through a garbage can that had been put on the curb for pick-up, what they found was enough to arrest the retired race car driver and his housemate, according to MS News Now. Busted: Robert Powell, 49, has been under investigation by local police in South Carolina after complaints by his neighbors in the town of Goose Creek. He was arrested along with a female friend, Elma Buchanan (right) Retired champion: Powell - who posted this photo to his Facebook page recently -  competed in NASCAR’s Weekly Series from 1984 to 2002, winning 111 races . According to MS News Now, inside the can investigators discovered empty containers of drain cleaner, batteries and cold medicine - all known meth-making materials. They also found numerous syringes, with one testing positive for meth. Police then stormed the house and arrested Powell and a woman that also lives at the residence, Elma Buchanan. Powell has been charged with possession of meth and manufacturing of meth. Both bonded out of the Berkeley County Detention Center on Tuesday morning, according to Examiner. In 1988 Powell became the youngest titlist to win a NASCAR series, aged 23. He is from a successful racing family. Scene: Powell was arrested at his home in Annette Drive in Goose Creek (pictured) His older brother, Charles, was a national championship contender in 1984 and his father, Charley, was a star of southern dirt Late Model racing, according to Nascar.com. Powell also competed in the NASCAR All-American Challenge series, the AutoZone Elite and Southeast series. However this is not Powell's first run-in with the law. He has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1992, with multiple arrests. Among his offenses are forgery, burglary, assaulting a police officer, criminal domestic violence of an aggravated nature and assault of a high and aggravated nature.

Robert Powell, 49, charged with possession and manufacturing of meth . Police found empty containers of drain cleaner, batteries and cold medicine in his garbage . Neighbors had reported strange activity . Female friend, Elma Buchanan, also arrested . Powell competed in NASCAR’s Weekly Series from 1984 to 2002 . He won 111 races in 328 starts .

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The parents of an 11-year-old Mexican boy who recently had portions of a watermelon-sized tumor removed will be allowed to stay in the U.S. while he receives treatment, authorities have confirmed. Federal immigration officials have granted Cindy and Jose Ramirez Sr. - the mother and father of Jose Serrano - extended humanitarian visas after New Mexico Governor, Susana Martinez, sent a request. In a letter last week to Homeland Security, Martinez asked the federal authorities to expedite the couple's visas because they were important to their son's recovery. Scroll down for video . Family matters: Jose Serrano, right, 11, of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, with his mother, Cindy Ramirez (middle) Stable condition: Jose (pictured) is recovering a week after an 11-hour surgery to remove a large portion of a massive tumor on his shoulder and neck . She wrote that they 'are a constant presence in Jose's small world inside the hospital and represent what is likely the only 'normal' things he experiences in the otherwise unfamiliar setting of a hospital in a country not his own.' Last month, a team of more than 25 medics from the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque expunged a third of the massive tumor from Jose during an 11-hour surgery. Doctors say he will need months of physical therapy, followed by more surgeries. Jose of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, was diagnosed with venous lymphangioma on his shoulder in 2012. The cystic growth, which was rough to touch, extended across his shoulder and caused restricted movement. He could not swim because the water caused him pain and playing sports was difficult. The cystic growth, which was rough to touch, extended across his shoulder and caused restricted movement . Still smiling: He could not swim because the water caused him pain and playing sports was difficult . ‘It's been difficult,’ his mother explained before the mass was removed. ‘People stare at him. Some of them have these terrible, morbid looks on their faces.' When Jose was born with the growth doctors were concerned he wouldn't live, but he went on to make a stable recovery. However, as the mass continued to grow there was concern it could one day spread to his eyes and affect his vision. Doctors at the University of New Mexico Hospital told Jose that he had to undergo a series of surgeries and treatments to remove the huge fluid build up. In July 2012, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations assisted in picking up the boy and his parents from a neighborhood in Ciudad Juarez - one of the deadliest cities in the world due to drug cartels. Federal agents helped the family seek care for Jose after First Baptist Church of Rio Rancho members saw him during a missionary visit. After stories and images of the boy went viral, First Baptist Church officials reported a jump in donations to help him raise money for the surgeries, which cost more than $200,000. Martinez then got involved and sought an extended visa for the boy to receive treatment in New Mexico. His family had been traveling back and forth to visit while the boy stays with a staff member of the church.

Cindy and Jose Ramirez Sr. of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, have been granted extended humanitarian visas for the U.S. New Mexico Governor, Susana Martinez, wrote a letter to Homeland Security highlighting how they are important to their son's recovery . 11-year-old Jose Serrano recently underwent major surgery on a massive cystic growth on his shoulder and now faces months of rehabilitation .

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Two men cheated death after walking away from a horror smash with barely a scratch despite their car being hit head on by a cement mixer. The crash saw the large lorry filled with liquid concrete collide with the car and then pin it against a wall in the city of Chaohu in eastern China's Anhui province. But not only were the two occupants of the car pulled from the wreckage alive, the also managed to survive without sustaining any serious injuries. Scroll down for video . The crash in eastern China's Anhui province saw a large lorry filled with liquid concrete crash head on with a car and pin it against a wall . Emergency workers were convinced the occupants of the car would not have survived the crash but they were pulled from the wreckage with barely a scratch . And after their lucky escape, rescue workers were left speechless that the pair were able to walk away. Emergency services worker Kong Mao said: 'When we got there and saw what was left of the car, we instantly assume that if there was anyone inside they must be dead. 'But then we heard someone call for help, and so we brought a crane in to move the cement mixer and ease the process of cutting the two people inside free. 'We were convinced they would probably have horrific injuries. The crash happened after the cement driver apparently lost control of his lorry on a tight bend in treacherous road conditions following heavy downpours . Only the back of the car and the rear doors were recognisable after the smash and following the incident, the driver suffered a minor stroke and had to be hospitalised . Emergency worker Kong Mao, one of the first at the scene said the rescuers were convinced the car's occupants would probably have horrific injuries . 'We couldn't believe it when not just one person but two people were pulled out the wreckage and both of them were shocked but otherwise unhurt.' In pictures taken after the crash, only the rear door of the mangled car wreck is identifiable, and it seems impossible that there is any space inside for two people. Mr Kong added: 'Actually the person who was worst off was the cement mixer driver who had lost control and ploughed over the other side of the road into the car knocking it backwards into the wall. 'When he saw the wreckage, and heard the two people inside screaming, he suffered a minor stroke and also had to be hospitalised.' The cement mixer driver apparently lost control of the vehicle on a tight bend after a sudden downpour of rain made the roads treacherous.

Cement mixer full of liquid concrete hit another vehicle in a head-on crash . Pinned the car against a wall in the city of Chaohu in eastern China . The car was left almost unrecognisable with only the back door remaining . But two men travelling in the vehicle were pulled alive from the wreckage . They also managed to escape the horror crash with barely a scratch . Rescue workers say they were astonished the men walked away .

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Amateur radio - also called ham radio - operators were dealt a treat this weekend, when Russians aboard the ISS communicated with Earthlings. And one first-time enthusiast received a welcome surprise when, using a USB dongle and other equipment, he was able to receive the transmissions from the cosmonauts orbiting Earth. By analysing the bits of data they sent, he was able to piece together images and sounds from the space station that commemorated moments in Russia and the Soviet Union’s space history. Scroll down for a video of the sounds and to see how the image decoding is done . A ham radio operator from Poland has received images from the ISS. On Reddit he revealed his low-cost method to talk to cosmonauts. He used a USB dongle known as an RTL-SDR to receive sounds. When decoded these were revealed to be images of Russian space history (postcard of Yuri Gagarin shown) The amazing images were posted to Reddit by 22-year-old student Radoslaw Karwacki, from Poland. 'These images are not transmitted regularly. I was really lucky to receive them, because it was my first experience with this kind of equipment,' he told MailOnline. 'I blindly tuned in on that frequency during ISS flyby and happened to receive the signal.' Astronauts and cosmonauts on the station regularly communicate with people back on Earth using ham radio. Indeed, anyone with a radio licence and the right equipment can transmit to the crew and talk to them. A licence is not required to listen in, however. Construction of the ISS began on 20 November 1998. It supports a crew of up to six, with crews split into groups of three. The station orbits at a height of about 255 miles (410km). It has a total mass of about 990,000 pounds (450,000kg) and has living space roughly equivalent to a five-bedroom house. It completes an orbit of Earth every 92.91 minutes and moves at 17,100 miles (27,600km) per hour. It has now been in space for more than 5,900 days, during which time it has completed more than 92,000 orbits of Earth, and has been continuously occupied for more than 13 years. Over the weekend, the Russians decided to use a picture transmission method known as slow-scan television (SSTV) to relay images to Earth. In this instance the images included several of Yuri Gagarin, who became the first human in space on 12 April 1961 - and was born more than 80 years ago on 9 March 1934. Gagarin is seen in his spacesuit preparing for launch, while the rocket that took him to space - an evolution of which is still in operation today - was also transmitted with the images. 'I think it's a great way to commemorate the first person that went to space,' Mr Karwacki added. 'Having an international crew on the station all the time is something to really think about and appreciate. 'It shows that our civilisation can cooperate to achieve great things, and I'm sure that is something that will grow. 'And it's great that they still remember about their roots.' By listening to the transmitted sound broadcast on voice frequencies, receivers were able to decode the incoming messages and see the pictures the cosmonauts on the ISS decided to send. ‘Images are transmitted using the Slow Scan Television (SSTV) protocol,’ Mr Karwacki explained on imgur, where he posted the images. ‘Before the picture transmission started, I could hear an astronaut voice - "This is Romeo Sierra Zero India Sierra Sierra" - which is RS0ISS in the Nato phonetic alplabet. RS0ISS is the Russian callsign from the station, while the Americans used the callsign NA1SS when they communicate with ham operators. To receive the images and sounds, Mr Karwacki said he used an RTL-SDR USB dongle (shown), an antenna, the SDRSharp programme to receive the data and MMSTV software to decode it . Here is one of the images received by Mr Karwacki. The caption reads: '80 years since the birth of the first cosmonaut of the planet Earth - Y. A. Gagarin' To receive the images and sounds, Mr Karwacki said he used an RTL-SDR dongle, an antenna, the SDRSharp programme to receive the data and MMSTV software to decode it. The software is available free online, while such a dongle costs around £10 ($15). According to the website ISS Fan Club, the transmissions took place on Saturday 31 January and Sunday 1 February. In total 12 images were sent by the Russian ISS crew. To make contact, line-of-sight with the station is required, so ham radio operators tune in when the ISS is flying over their location. ISS crew members often make unscheduled calls back to Earth with ham radios when they have a spare moment. And by picking up a few bits of equipment you, too, could listen and talk with the astronauts and cosmonauts on the station. Astronauts and cosmonauts on the International Space Station (pictured) regularly communicate with amateur radio - also known as ham radio - operators back on Earth . Nasa astronaut Doug Wheelock, Expedition 24 flight engineer, is pictured using a ham radio system in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station on 5 September 2010 .

A ham radio operator from Poland has received images from the ISS . On Reddit he revealed his low-cost method to talk to cosmonauts . He used a USB dongle known as an RTL-SDR to receive sounds . When decoded these were revealed to be images of Russian space history . Amateur radio enthusiasts can regularly talk to ISS crew members .

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An NYPD Officer who was named the 'Cop of the Year' at his precinct in Queens two years ago, has been arrested for allegedly buying cocaine in Florida. Philip LeRoy, 28, was busted – along with two other men - just before midnight on Monday in Sunrise City, Florida. The trio were allegedly trying to buy 10 kilos of cocaine and LeRoy, the son of a former detective, had his off-duty gun on him at the time. NYPD officer Philip LeRoy, who was named the 'Cop of the Year' at his precinct in Queens two years ago, has been arrested for allegedly buying cocaine. He was busted on Monday night in Sunrise City, Florida . LeRoy's Facebook includes this 2012 photo of him stands next to a wall featuring the NYPD shield and the words 'The Greatest Detectives' LeRoy has been charged with felony weapons possession, cocaine trafficking and conspiracy to traffic cocaine, report the New York Post. The disgraced officer, who works in the 114th Precinct, is currently in jail awaiting formal charges - something which could take state prosecutors up to 21 days. Bail was set at $250,000 and he was suspended by the NYPD early on Tuesday. Two years ago, LeRoy was picked from more than 100 officers in his precinct to win its 'Cop of the Year' award. 'As a member of the anti-crime unit, P.O. Leroy has made more than two dozen arrests so far this year for things like robbery and gun possession,' said then-Police Commissioner Ray Kelly about LeRoy. The officer joined the NYPD in January 2009 and had racked up 188 arrests up until June 2012. LeRoy's Facebook profile includes photos of him posing with voluptuous women and showing off his six pack . The other two suspects arrested are Brian Espinal, left, and Richard Quintanilla, right. They are accused of negotiating the drug deal and have been charged with trafficking cocaine and conspiracy to traffic cocaine . LeRoy's Facebook profile includes photos of him posing with voluptuous women and showing off his six pack. In another photo he stands next to a wall featuring the NYPD shield and the words 'The Greatest Detectives.' The other two suspects arrested are Richard Quintanilla, 35, and Brian Espinal, 27. They are accused of negotiating the deal and have been charged with trafficking cocaine and conspiracy to traffic cocaine.

Philip LeRoy, 28, was busted trying to buy 10 kilos of cocaine in Sunrise City, Florida, on Monday night . The NYPD Officer had been named 'Cop of the Year' at his precinct in Queens two years ago . He has been charged with felony weapons possession, cocaine trafficking and conspiracy to traffic cocaine . LeRoy has been suspended by the NYPD and he is currently in jail awaiting formal charges .

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The Pennsylvania woman who stabbed her former-basketball-star husband to death in his sleep is on trial and her attorney claims she is insane. On Feb. 10, 2013, Maria Garcia-Pellon, 54, stabbed her husband of 25 years, Matthew White, with a kitchen knife as he slept. Garcia-Pellon has been charged with first- and third-degree murder as well as possession of an instrument of crime, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Insanity: Maria Garcia-Pellon, 54, admitted to stabbing her husband, former basketball star, Matthew White in the neck while he slept and now her defense attorney is claiming she is insane . Claims: Between 2001 and 2013, Garcia-Pellon has claimed that terrorists and the mafia were targeting her, the government was spying on her, and the Chinese hacked her phone and internet and were controlling everything . She admitted to killing White and reportedly told police she had done so because she caught him watching pornography -- particularly child pornography. Investigators found no evidence of any kind of pornography on White's computer . There is no doubt that she killed the former basketball star, who was the starting center for the University of Pennsylvania basketball team that reached the NCAA Final Four in 1979, according to ESPN. The matter in question is her sanity. The Huffington Post reports that after killing her husband, Garcia-Pellon changed her clothes and left their Nether Providence home. On Monday at her nonjury trial, Garcia-Pellon's family and friends recounted her unusual behavior leading up to the tragic incident. Her defense attorney, Thomas Bergstrom, took the Delaware County court judge on 'a trip through the depths of mental illness,' as he attempted to prove that Garcia-Pellon is guilty by reason of insanity or guilty but mentally ill. Friends and family spoke at the trial and traced Garcia-Pellon's, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, paranoia, and schizoaffective disorder, mental illness back to 2001. Between 2001 and 2013, Garcia-Pellon has claimed that terrorists and the mafia were targeting her, the government was spying on her, and the Chinese hacked her phone and internet and were controlling everything, the Inquirer reports. Basketball Star: White was the starting center for the University of Pennsylvania that reached the NCAA Final Four in 1979. He was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers but ended up playing basketball in Europe . Bergstrom said, during the trial, that Garcia-Pellon first sought treatment in 2001 but began taking medication after she attempted suicide in 2007 and had to be hospitalized. He said the tragedy occurred after she stopped taking her medication. Forensic psychiatrists for both the defense and the prosecution determined that Garcia-Pellon did suffer a mental disorder, but disagreed about whether the elementary school teacher was aware at the time that what she did was wrong. A police affidavit states that when she was being taken into custody, Garcia-Pellon said, 'I caught him looking at pornography, young girls. I love kids. I had to do it,' according to the Post. White was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA but ended up playing basketball in Europe for 12 years where he met Garcia-Pellon.

Maria Garcia-Pellon, 54, admitted to stabbing her husband, former basketball star, Matthew White . White was stabbed in the neck while he slept . Garcia-Pellon's defense attorney claims she is insane . Garcia-Pellon has claimed to her friends and family that the Chinese, the mafia, the government, and terrorists were targeting her and her children . Since 2001, Garcia-Pellon has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, paranoia, and schizoaffective disorder .

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As the sounds of a George Michael song drifted over the tropical  gardens, Thailand’s Crown Prince and his fun-loving wife were in the mood to party. But the guest of honour at the event was not a visiting head of state or local dignitary – but the couple’s pampered poodle, Foo Foo. A video of the decadent event shot at the Thai Royal Palace in Bangkok shows Princess Srirasmi – a former waitress – cavorting in just a tiny G-string as she feeds the dog cake. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . The offending video: Crown Prince Maha and his topless wife entertaining Foo Foo . Raunchy: The video is sure to intensify concerns about Prince Maha's fitness to succeed his father . Controversial: Princess Srirasmi cavorted in just a tiny G-string . In one scene, the topless princess appears to bend over to eat out of a dog bowl, while in another a servant falls to his knees in front of her. Later the royal couple sing Happy Birthday to their dog. The video emerged as Thailand is rocked by a military coup. Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was detained in Bangkok on Friday, and hundreds of people have taken to the streets to protest about the military’s power-grab. The Crown Prince and his wife yesterday left Tylney Hall, a five-star hotel in Hampshire, where they and a 30-strong entourage had been ensconced for almost a week. The video is sure to intensify concerns about Prince Maha’s fitness to succeed his father, 86-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The king, who is said to have Parkinson’s disease, has not been seen in public since the military junta decreed martial law. VIPs: The couple at Buckingham Palace in 2012 . Last year leaked US diplomatic cables revealed many senior Thai officials expressed grave doubts about the Crown Prince. In one, a former US ambassador in Bangkok told how Princess Srirasmi confided in him during a state dinner that Foo Foo ‘holds the rank of Air Chief Marshal’. Four sons of the Crown Prince from a former marriage have been exiled from Thailand by their father since 1996 and now live in the United States. Luxury: The Crown Prince and his wife yesterday left Tylney Hall, a five-star hotel in Hampshire, where they and a 30-strong entourage had been ensconced for almost a week . Yesterday one of them, Juthavachara Vivacharawongse, 34, told The Mail on Sunday at his home near San Diego, California: ‘I would prefer not to speak about this [the coup] or our father. It is a private, family matter.’ The Crown Prince married Princess Srirasmi in 2001. They have a nine-year-old son. A source in Thailand, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said yesterday: ‘There are many here who would prefer the Crown Prince not to come back.’

A video of Princess Srirasmi has emerged in which she cavorts in a G-string . The former waitress is the wife of Thailand's Crown Prince Maha . The footage shows the princess feeding her dog Foo Foo cake . It was shot during an event at the Thai Royal Palace in Bangkok . The video emerged as Thailand is rocked by a military coup .

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The world spewed far more carbon pollution into the air last year than ever before, with emissions spurred largely by China, the United States and India. This is according to a recent report that estimated the world pumped 39.8 billion tons (36.1 billion metric tons) of carbon dioxide into the air last year by burning coal, oil and gas. That is 778 million tons (706 metric tons) or 2.3 per cent more than the previous year, despite increasingly urgent warnings over the need to curb greenhouse gases. Scroll down for video . The world pumped 39.8 billion tons (36.1 billion metric tons) of carbon dioxide into the air last year by burning coal, oil and gas. That is 778 million tons (706 metric tons) or 2.3 per cent more than the previous year, despite increasingly urgent warnings over the need to curb greenhouse gases . The report also said that China's per capita emissions had surpassed those of Europe for the first time, between 2013 and 2014. Experts said at current rates the 'quota' for the total amount of carbon dioxide that can be released into the atmosphere without pushing the world beyond 2°C of warming could be used up within 30 years. The report claims that the world is becoming committed to 'dangerous climate change' if it continues this trend. In order to keep temperatures from rising by more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels, beyond which the worst impacts of climate change will be felt, more than half the world's fossil fuel reserves may need to be left in the ground, they said. Emissions, which are primarily caused by burning fossil fuels, will have to decline by more than 5 per cent a year to give the world a 50/50 chance of keeping temperature rises below the 2°C threshold. China's emissions surpassed those of Europe for the first time, between 2013 and 2014, the report found . This map details some of the predicted affects of climate change in different continents. The IPCC report claims that no one will be untouched by climate change . The world pumped 39.8 billion tons (36.1 billion metric tons) of carbon dioxide last year. That is 778 million tons (706 metric tons) or 2.3 per cent more than the previous year. China's per capita emissions had surpassed those of Europe for the first time. The quota for the total amount of CO2 released  without pushing the . world beyond 2°C of warming could be used up within 30 years. To prevent this, more than half the world's fossil fuel reserves may need . to be left in the ground, report said. Emissions will have to . decline by more than five per cent a year to give the world a 50/50 chance . of keeping temperature rises below the 2°C threshold. This . year's increase to 40 billion tonnes puts current global annual . emissions two-thirds above 1990 levels. China, the US, the European Union and . India are the world's largest emitters. Between them, they account for 58 . per cent of global carbon emissions and four-fifths of the growth in . carbon output in 2013. The UK's emissions were down 2.6 per cent, but over the longer term it 'exports' a third of its emissions. This is by consuming goods and services which are produced elsewhere and once these are taken into account its carbon output has merely stabilised. More than half of proven fossil fuel reserves may have to stay in the ground if governments are serious about a promise made in 2010 to limit a rise in average temperatures to 2°C (3.6°F) above pre-industrial times, the Global Carbon Project report by leading research institutes said. The stark warning that time is running out to tackle spiralling greenhouse gas emissions comes ahead of a UN summit in New York this week to drive action in the run-up to talks in Paris next year, where it is hoped a global climate deal can be secured. 'A break in current emission trends is urgently needed,' according to the report by experts in Britain, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Australia, Germany and the Netherlands. Emissions by China alone, which overtook the United States as the number one carbon emitter in 2006 amid fast industrial growth, have soared to eclipse those of the United States and the European Union combined, it said. Professor Corinne Le Quere, director of the Tyndall Centre at the University of East Anglia (UEA), said: 'The human influence on climate change is clear. 'We need substantial and sustained reductions in CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels if we are to limit global climate change. 'We are nowhere near the commitments necessary to stay below 2C of climate change, a level that will already be challenging to manage for most countries around the world, even for rich nations. 'Politicians meeting in New York need to think very carefully about their diminishing choices exposed by climate science.' Professor Le Quere is one of an international team of scientists from the Global Carbon Project, which has published the 'global carbon budget' analysis with a prediction for emissions in 2014 as well as an assessment for carbon dioxide output in 2013. This year's increase to 40 billion tonnes puts current global annual emissions two-thirds above 1990 levels, the year against which attempts to cut greenhouse gases are commonly measured. Historic and future carbon dioxide emissions must remain below a total of 3,200 billion tonnes to make it likely temperature rises do not exceed 2°C, the experts said, but 2,000 billion tonnes of the quota had already been used up. The report comes just a day after huge number protest for greater action against climate change during the People's Climate March on September 21, 2014 in New York City . At current rates the quota for the total amount of carbon dioxide that can be released into the atmosphere without pushing the world beyond 2°C of warming could be used up within 30 years . On current rates the rest of the budget could be used up in 30 years, they said. China, the US, the European Union and India are the world's largest emitters and between them account for 58 per cent of global carbon emissions and four-fifths of the growth in carbon output in 2013, the annual analysis said. Last year China's emissions grew by 4.2 per cent, the US's carbon output was up 2.9 per cent, India's emissions grew 5.1 per cent, but the EU's emissions fell 1.8 per cent. The UK's emissions were down 2.6 per cent, but over the longer term it 'exports' a third of its emissions by consuming goods and services which are produced elsewhere and once these are taken into account its carbon output has merely stabilised. Emissions per person in China outstripped the EU for the first time, with emissions of two tonnes per person, compared to Europe's 1.9 tonnes, although the EU, like the UK, exports around a third of its emissions to places such as China. Projected temperature change from 2081-2100. For the first time, the report connects hotter global temperatures to hotter global tempers. Top scientists are saying that climate change will complicate and worsen existing global security problems, such as civil wars, strife between nations and refugees . Globally emissions are expected to increase at a higher rate in 2014 than they did in 2013, when carbon dioxide output rose 2.3 per cent. Professor Pierre Friedlingstein from the University of Exeter said: 'We have already used two-thirds of the total amount of carbon we can burn, in order to keep warming below the crucial 2°C level. 'If we carry on at the current rate, we will reach our limit in as little as 30 years' time - and that is without any continued growth in emission levels. 'The implication of no immediate action is worrying clear - either we take a collective responsibility to make a difference, and soon, or it will be too late.' UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will host a summit on September 23 of more than 120 world leaders, hoping for 'bold pledges' as part of work on a U.N. deal due to be agreed in Paris at the end of 2015 to limit global warming.

The report estimated the world pumped 39.8 billion tons of CO2 last year . Global Carbon Project said this is 2.3 per cent more than previous year . China emissions have also surpassed those of Europe for the first time . At current rates the 'quota' for the total amount of carbon dioxide that can be released before 2°C of warming could be used up within 30 years . They claim half of world's fuel reserves may need to be left in the ground .

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Fears the end of the Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world this coming December have run rife on the internet in recent years. Less well known is the rumour that one particular mountain in south-west France will burst open on that day revealing an alien spaceship which will carry nearby humans to safety. Well, if you were counting on that possibility to save you from the apocalypse, prepare to be disappointed. French officials have banned access to the Pic de Bugarach to avoid a rush of New Age fanatics, sightseers and, above all, journalists. The Pic de Bugarach, south-west France: Online rumours claim that on December 21 the mountain will burst open to reveal an alien spaceship that will rescue those nearby from the apocalypse . A hundred police and firefighters will also control approaches to the tiny village of the same name at the foot of the mountain, and if too many people turn up, they will block access there too. Believers say the world will end on December 21, 2012, the end date of the ancient Mayan calendar, and they see Bugarach as one of a few sacred mountains sheltered from the cataclysm. Eric Freysselinard, France's top official in the area, told AFP: 'We are expecting a few visionaries, a few people who believe in this end of the world, but in extremely limited numbers. 'We are expecting greater numbers of people who are just curious, but in numbers we cannot determine. Above all, we are expecting lots of journalists.' Expectations: With the Aztec Mayan calendar, pictured, ending on or around December 21 some fear it means the people believed it to be the end of the world . No-go zone: French officials have banned access to the Pic de Bugarach, in south-west France, to avoid a rush of New Age fanatics . Films, documentaries and websites have . promoted the idea that the ancient Mayan calendar, which is made up of . 394-year periods called baktuns, predicts that doomsday is on December . 21. Experts estimate the system starts . counting at 3114 B.C., and will have run through 13 baktuns, or 5,125 . years, around December 21. They say 13 was a significant number . for the Maya, and the end of that cycle would be a milestone — but they . have been keen to stress that it does not mark an end. Conspiracy theorists nonetheless . believe the Maya may have been privy to impending astronomical disasters . that would coincide with 2012, ranging from explosive storms on the . surface of the sun that could knock out power grids to a galactic . alignment that could trigger a reversal in Earth's magnetic field. The culture ministry in Guatemala - . where half the population are of Mayan descent - is hosting a massive . event in the capital just in case the world actually does end, while . tour groups are promoting doomsday-themed getaways. Culture's remains: The Mayan temple at Xunantunich, Belize is seen where the people's culture of writing, astronomy and temple complexes flourished from years 300 to 900 . But the country's Maya alliance . Oxlaljuj Ajpop accuses the government and tour groups of perpetuating . the myth that their calendar foresees the imminent end of the world for . monetary gain. It issued a statement last month . saying that the new Maya time cycle simply 'means there will be big . changes on the personal, family and community level, so that there is . harmony and balance between mankind and nature.' In September Mexican government . archaeologist Alfredo Barrera said that the Maya tried to make . predictions, but perhaps about more humdrum events like droughts or . disease outbreaks. Big plans: Arguing Mayan prophecies beyond 2012, king of Palenque, K'inich Hanaab Pakal, pictured, said he would return to Earth a couple thousands years from now in the future . 'The Mayas did make prophecies, but . not in a fatalistic sense, but rather about events that, in their . cyclical conception of history, could be repeated in the future,' said . Barrera, of the National Institute of Anthropology and History. Experts have stressed that the ancient . Maya, whose 'classic' culture of writing, astronomy and temple . complexes flourished from the year 300 to 900, were extremely interested . in future events, far beyond Dec. 21. 'There are many ancient Maya monuments . that discuss events far into the future from now,' wrote Geoffrey . Braswell, an anthropologist at the University of California at San . Diego. 'The ancient Maya clearly believed things would happen far into . the future from now.' 'The king of Palenque, K'inich Hanaab . Pakal, believed he would return to the Earth a couple of thousand years . from now in the future,' Dr Braswell wrote in an email to The Associated . Press. 'Moreover, other monuments discuss events even before the . creation in 3114 B.C.' Only a couple of references to the . 2012 date equivalency have been found carved in stone at Maya sites, and . neither refers to an apocalypse, experts say. Such apocalyptic visions have been . common for more than 1,000 years in Western, Christian thinking, and are . not native to Maya thought. 'This is thinking that, in truth, has . nothing to do with Mayan culture,' said Alexander Voss, an . anthropologist at the University Of Quintana Roo, a state on Mexico's . Caribbean coast. 'This thing about looking for end-times is not . something that comes from Mayan culture.' Dr Braswell compared the Maya . calendar, with its system of cycles within cycles, to the series of . synchronized wheels contained in old, analogue car odometers. 'The Maya long count system is like a . car odometer,' Braswell wrote. 'My first car (odometer) only had six . wheels so it went up to 99,999.9 miles. That didn't mean the car would . explode after reaching 100,000 miles.'

Rumours say the mountain will burst open on December 21 to reveal an alien spaceship which will save those nearby from the apocalypse . French police will control access to the mountain and village to stop expected hordes of New Age fanatics, sightseers and journalists . December 21 is the estimated end of the Mayan long calendar, which some believes marks the end of the world as we know it .

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Janusz Skalski, a doctor at the children's hospital in Krakow, said the boy's temperature was 12C and his heart was beating only once every few dozen seconds when he was brought in on Sunday . A two-year-old boy is fighting for his life after spending a bleak night nearly naked outdoors in southern Poland. Janusz Skalski, a doctor at the children's hospital in Krakow, said the boy's temperature was 12C and his heart was beating only once every few dozen seconds when he was brought in on Sunday. Medics have managed to raise child's temperature to 36C - nearly normal - and a regular hearbeat has been restored, said Dr Skalski. However, the boy, named only as Adam, is still in a medically induced coma and the condition of his brain remains to be seen. He is still attached to a respirator, but his kidneys, liver, intestines and lungs are said to be working properly. Police officer Michal Godyn found Adam on Sunday face down in a pile of leaves beneath a tree next to a creek in the village of Raclawice, north-east of Krakow, after he was reported missing. The temperature had fallen to minus-7C overnight. He was wearing just socks and a pyjama top. 'I cleared the leaves off his face and carried him in my arms to the nearest house,' where an ambulance was called, Officer Godyn told the Fakt daily. Adam and two other children had been spending Saturday night under his grandmother's care. The woman said she did not see him leave, but the house was not locked, according to Officer Godyn. Adam was found a few hundred yards from her house, in the direction of his home, Officer Godyn said. Medics at the children's hospital in Krakow, Poland, have managed to raise child's temperature to 36C - nearly normal - and a regular hearbeat has been restored. The boy nearly froze to death overnight . Doctors began discontinuing anaesthesia to slowly bring Adam out of medically induced coma today. They are waiting for the slightest movement of a finger or hand to give them a signal that his nervous system is still functioning. Polish media report that if Adam survives his ordeal it will be a world first. So far the lowest body temperature of anybody saved from hypothermia is 13.7C, Dr Skalski was quoted as saying. However, Dr Skalski insisted the boy's recovery remains in doubt. 'It would be an absolute miracle if the child could be saved with no negative side effects,' he said.

Boy named as Adam was found wearing only socks and a pyjama top . He was rushed to hospital with a body temperature that had fallen to 12C . Alarm raised by grandmother who had been looking after him that night .

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Three-time African player of the year Yaya Toure joined actor Idris Elba and a host of international footballers to launch a public awareness campaign to help halt West Africa's Ebola epidemic and recognise the health workers fighting the deadly disease. The worst Ebola outbreak on record has killed more than 6,000 people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, the three countries worst affected by the epidemic. The Africa United campaign, unveiled ahead of the African Cup of Nations draw in Equatorial Guinea's capital Malabo on Wednesday, broadcasts information on the disease and how to stop it spreading in French, English, Krio and other local languages. Yaya Toure is backing the new campaign against Ebola in the run-up to the African Cup of Nations . Actor Idris Elba, whose parents are from Sierra Leone and Ghana, said the appeal was personally important . Messages will be sent out to the three countries and their neighbours via television, radio, billboards and phone text messages, said organisers. Manchester City midfielder Toure hails from Ivory Coast, which shares borders with three countries hit by the disease but has so far been spared. The Africa United campaign was launched this week to help fight Ebola before the African Cup of Nations . 'I could not sit back without doing something to help fight Ebola,' said Toure. '(The campaign) pays tribute to the many, many African heroes who are in the villages, towns and cities using their skills, resourcefulness and intelligence to battle Ebola.' Elba, who came to fame in TV series The Wire and played Nelson Mandela in the biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, said the campaign had a special resonance to him. 'For me the battle against Ebola is a personal one,' said Elba, whose parents are from Sierra Leone and Ghana. 'To see those amazing countries in West Africa where my father grew up and my parents married being ravaged by this disease is painful and horrific.' In one of the campaign's spots, Elba plays a football coach giving a halftime talk during West Africa's 'life or death' match against Ebola and passing on tips on how to spot the disease and prevent new infections. In another, Toure is joined by fellow footballers Carlton Cole, Kei Kamara, Patrick Vieira, Fabrice Muamba and Andros Townsend pay homage to the work of frontline healthcare workers by wearing their names on the backs of their jerseys. The campaign was backed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation. Andros Townsend (left) and Carlton Cole (right) are also involved in the Africa United campaign .

Yaya Toure: 'I could not sit back without doing something to fight Ebola' Idris Elba says 'for me the battle against Ebola is a personal one' Campaign will send messages to worst affected areas .

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Parenting website BabyCenter has released its list of Top 100 Baby Names of 2014, and just like last year, it's Sophia for a girl and Jackson for a boy. But a number of more obscure baby names such as Garrett and Galina are fast-climbing the ranks - character names from House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black respectively - and BabyCenter has put this trend down to the 'Netflix effect.' 'This is the year of the binge-watching baby name,' said the site's global editor in chief, Linda Murray. 'When you spend 16 hours in one weekend binge-watching your favorite series, you can’t help but fall in love with the characters’ names.' Binge-watching baby names: While the top three names for boys and girls have remained the same as last year, the biggest trend for rising monikers in 2014 appears to be related to popular TV shows . Based on the names of more than 400,000 babies born in 2014 to moms registered to the site, the top three names haven't moved since last year. Sophia, Emma, then Olivia top the girls list for the third year in a row, while Jackson, Aiden and Liam hold their own at the top of the boys list for the second year running. The correlation between baby names which are shooting up in popularity, however, and current trending 'binge-watch shows' is undeniable, according to Ms Murray. Nearly 20 percent of moms surveyed on their naming tactics found inspiration from TV show characters, and 16 percent looked to actors and actresses for great baby name ideas. 1. Sophia . 2. Emma . 3. Olivia . 4. Ava . 5. Isabella . 6. Mia . 7. Zoe . 8. Lily . 9. Emily . 10. Madelyn . 1. Jackson . 2. Aiden . 3. Liam . 4. Lucas . 5. Noah . 6. Mason . 7. Ethan . 8. Caden . 9. Jacob . 10. Logan . Neflix's Emmy Award-winning hit House of Cards seems to have influenced a spike in popularity for baby names shared by its lead characters. On the 2014 boys list, Frank is up 19per cent from 2013, Garrett is up 16per cent and Remy is up 11per cent; while for girls, Claire is up 14per cent and Zoe is up 13per cent. And parents aren't just being influenced by character names, they're looking to the actors too. Robin Wright, who plays Claire in House of Cards, may also be responsible for a 12per cent popularity spike for the name 'Robin' and a whopping 65per cent spike for the name 'Wright.' Orange Is the New Black character names, primarily girls of course, also saw a rise in popularity this year. Galina is up 67per cent, Nicky is up 35per cent, Piper is up 28per cent and Dayanara is up 19per cent from 2013. TV: The name Frank, shared by Kevin Spacey's character in House of Cards (center left) enjoyed a 19per cent rise in popularity this year, while Claire, shared by Robin Wright's character (center right) was up 14per cent . Popular characters: Galina (top right) is up 67per cent, Nicky (third from bottom left) is up 35per cent, Piper (third from top right) is up 28per cent and Dayanara (third from top left) is up 19per cent from 2013 . ABC's Nashville may have contributed to a surge in names including Luke, up 44per cent, Avery, up 25per cent, Deacon, up 22per cent, Daphne, up 15per cent and Gunnar, up 14per cent. Jackson, this year's top boys baby name, is a moniker shared by Grey's Anatomy character Dr Jacson Avery, who made his entrance in the show's sixth season. But other character names from the show including Arizona, Callie, Miranda and Owen have seen an increase in popularity on this year's list. Disney's Frozen seems to have pushed the name Elsa up by 29per cent since 2013, while the voice behind the animated character, Idina Menzel, may be the reason for 'Idina' making its way onto the 2014 list for the first time, having not appeared on the 2013 list. Real-life: The name Elsa, shared by Disney's much-adored Frozen character (left) is up 29per cent since 2013, while the name 'Idina' made its debut on the list this year and is shared by Elsa's voice, Idina Menzel (right) Looking to TV for baby naming inspiration, or formally to the Silver Screen, is nothing new. The name 'Marilyn', for example, saw a rise in popularity at the height of actress Marilyn Monroe's fame in the 50s and 60s, and hasn't picked up steam again since after her death, according to BabyNamesHub. But for parents who aren't binge-watching TV this year, perhaps they're traveling instead. 'Destination names' accounted for the other major 2014 trend, according to BabyCenter. One in four parents who were 'undecided' on a baby name said they would consider the name of a place they associate with 'special memories.' Everest was up 70per cent for boys and 21 per cent for girls, Verona was up 58 percent, and Bronx rose 34 percent.

Sophia, Emma and Olivia are the most popular girls baby names for the third year running on BabyCenter's list . Jackson, Aiden and Liam topped the boys list for the second year in a row . The biggest trend for rising names in 2014 appears to be related to popular TV shows . Several character names from House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black have shot up the ranks this year .

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An executive headteacher of a primary academy took home a salary in excess of £200,000 last year after being handed a massive pay rise meaning he now earns more than the Prime Minister, official accounts show. Sir Greg Martin, executive head of Durand Academy in Stockwell, south London, saw his salary rise by around 56 per cent in 2013 to a total of £200,822 – thanks to a loophole which allows the salary increase due to the fact he runs several schools. In addition to his salary, Mr Martin, who was knighted in last year's birthday honours for services to education, also received £28,316 in pension contributions last year. Sir Greg Martin, executive head of Durand Academy in Stockwell, south London, saw his salary increase by around 56 per cent in 2013 to a total of £200,822 . Combined with his salary, this took his overall remuneration package for 2013 to £229,138. In comparison, David Cameron earns around £142,500. Durand Academy – a state run publicly-funded school – said Mr Martin’s role as executive head was ‘hugely demanding’ and said governors were ‘privileged to retain his services’. However, the National Union of Teachers said it was ‘remarkably hard’ to see how the 56.5 per cent pay rise could be justified. Durand Academy is a state academy - a school that is not under local council control and has freedom over areas such as curriculum and staff pay - and is run by the Durand Academy Trust. It was judged to be good by Ofsted following an inspection in December. Durand Academy - which is state run and publicly-funded - said Mr Martin's role was 'hugely demanding' and said governors were 'privileged to retain his services'. Pictured: Durand Academy Junior School . Education Secretary Michael Gove, pictured, has previously visited Durand Academy School in Stockwell, south London, which was judged to be good by Ofsted following an inspection in December . It caters for five-to-11-year-olds, has a middle school for 12-to-13-year-olds and an early-years centre for under-fives. The school is currently attempting to set up a state secondary boarding school for 13-to-18-year-olds in West Sussex. Figures included in the Trust's annual accounts for 2013 show that Mr Martin’s salary rose 56.5 per cent from £128,322 in 2012. The document also shows that Nathalie Parker, the academy's acting headteacher, was given a salary of between £115,000 and £120,000 last year. Data published by the Department for Education last month shows that the average salary for a leadership teacher in a primary academy stands at £53,000. A Durand Academy spokesman said: ‘Durand's Executive Head does not just run a primary school, but now oversees an Early Years school, a Junior School, a Middle School which opened in September 2012 and also leads the development of Durand's pioneering plans for a state boarding school for its intake in West Sussex. Figures included in Durand Academy Trust's annual accounts for 2013 show that Mr Martin’s salary rose 56.5 per cent to £200,822 in 2013. In comparison, Prime Minister David Cameron, right, earns around £142,500 . ‘With more than 1,000 children being educated across three school sites, it is a hugely demanding role and Governors are proud and privileged to retain the services of such an experienced and dedicated education leader. ‘Children's outstanding attainment in this year's SATs is testament to his enduring positive impact.’ However, Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) said: ‘It is remarkably hard to see how this can possibly be justified in a publicly funded school when those employed in the public sector are still restricted to a 1 per cent pay rise.’

Durand Academy executive head received 56 per cent pay rise last year . Sir Greg Martin took home £229,138 in salary and pension contributions . In comparison, Prime Minister David Cameron earns around £142,500 . State run south London academy said executive head role was 'demanding' But, National Union of Teachers said it was 'remarkably hard' to see how the pay rise was justified .

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David Luiz has picked his dream XI of stars he has played with throughout his career (with one notable anomaly) - and it features four former Chelsea team-mates, as well as himself at centre back. Interestingly there is no place for Blues skipper John Terry though, with Thiago Silva partnering Luiz in central defence. Luiz's dream team was unveiled on Paris Saint-Germain's YouTube channel - and, perhaps controversially, he could not squeeze the Ligue 1 champions' star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic into his side. David Luiz has picked his dream team of players who he has played without throughout his career . Luiz (right) has not found a place for Chelsea skipper John Terry in his side but has picked himself . Branislav Ivanovic (left) and Petr Cech are two of the four former Chelsea team-mates who feature . Luiz's dream XI of players he has played witj . But his former Blues team-mates Petr Cech, Branislav Ivanovic, Michael Essien and Willian all appear in his dream XI, which is set-up in a 4-4-2 formation. Cech is in goal, with Ivanovic - who Luiz describes as being able to 'jump like a kangaroo' - and Maxwell as full backs. In the centre of defence, Luiz is partnered by PSG and Brazil captain Thiago Silva. He says the duo 'make a nice couple'. The Brazilian's midfield features the 'fantastic' Willian, the 'machine in the middle' Essien and Benfica's Pablo Aimar, who Luiz believes is 'the best player' he has played with. It is completed by Manchester United's Angel di Maria, with whom Luiz played at Benfica. He describes the Argentine as 'magic'. And, due to the quality of strikers Luiz has played with in his career, Brazil forward Neymar - who he believes will soon become the best player in the world - and Barcelona's Lionel Messi feature ahead of Ibrahimovic up front. Strangely, Luiz has never actually played for the same club as Messi, but has chosen him in his side 'having played against him plenty of times'. Luiz signed for PSG from Chelsea for £50million during the summer. Head here to Like MailOnline Sport's Facebook page. Michael Essien (left) and Willian (right) are also in Luiz's dream XI of players he has played with . Lionel Messi is upfront in Luiz's side despite having never played in the same team as him . Zlatan Ibrahimovic does not feature in Luiz's dream XI despite currently playing with him at PSG .

David Luiz chooses dream XI for Paris Saint-Germain's YouTube channel . Four ex-Chelsea team-mates feature in team but there is no John Terry . Petr Cech, Willian, Branislav Ivanovic and Michael Essien all make side . Luiz picks himself at centre back alongside PSG and Brazil's Thiago Silva . Current PSG team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic does not make side .

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Social events which inevitably involve a glass of wine or a gin and tonic can be a nightmare for those avoiding alcohol. But new research shows tee-totallers have come up with various ways of getting out of drinking without arousing suspicion from their colleagues.. From volunteering to be the designated driver to pretending they are trying to lose weight, a study found workers use such excuses as they don't want to be seen as a 'holier-than-thou' non-drinker. Scroll down for video . From pretending they are on a diet to saying alcohol gives them migraines, a study found non-drinkers use excuses to get out of drinking as they feared being perceived as judgemental or 'holier-than-thou' 'Drinking can be a big part of workplace culture, and being viewed as an outsider for any reason can hurt you professionally,' said the study's lead author Dr Lynsey Romo, of North Carolina State University. 'In our study, we interviewed successful professionals who don't drink,' Dr Romo said. 'We found they felt being a non-drinker was a form of deviance.' However workers reported they didn't want to miss out on the career opportunities that come from networking and socialising. Sometimes, attending functions was a requirement of their job. 'Non-drinkers developed a variety of strategies to attend social events without making themselves, their co-workers, or their clients feel uncomfortable,' Dr Romo added. The researchers found most non-drinkers didn't announce the fact that they were not drinking because they didn't want to draw attention to themselves. While some would answer honestly if asked, many declined a drink in ways that made their non-drinking ambiguous. Using health-related excused like 'alcohol gives me migraines'. Buying a drink but then not drinking it. Buying a round of drinks for colleagues. Saying 'I've got an early morning' or 'I'm not drinking tonight instead of 'I don't drink' Pretending you are trying to lose weight. Volunteering to be the designated driver. For example, instead of saying 'I don't drink,' they said things like 'I'm not drinking tonight' or 'I've got an early morning'. Not wanting to be seen as judgemental or 'holier-than-thou', some would buy an alcoholic drink but not drink it, in order to fit in with their colleagues. If colleagues twigged that they weren't drinking, some non-drinkers would find ways to show they didn't have a problem with drinking by buying a round of drinks, or volunteering to be the designated driver. Others tried to use humour to defuse any social tension. Other non-drinkers would use socially acceptable 'excuses' for not drinking to avoid being seen as judgemental. For example, one professional who didn't drink because he wanted to set a good example for his children told co-workers that he didn't drink because he was trying to lose weight. Similarly, another professional, who didn't drink because she was taking prescription drugs to deal with a mental-health issue, told co-workers that alcohol gave her migraines. The research shows there is perceived pressure to conform to social norms in the workplace, the researchers argued. Some workers would buy a drink and then not drink it, while others said they had to get up early the next day. Another known trick is to order a clear drink which can imitate an alcoholic drink like gin and tonic . 'This work highlights a challenge facing many non-drinking adults,' Dr Romo said. 'It's something that organisations and HR departments may want to take into consideration. HR departments who have historically been worried about problem drinkers, should also consider the needs of non-drinkers, she added. They should make sure non-alcoholic beverages are available at happy hours or host social activities that don't centre around drinking, she said. She concluded: 'If employers want their employees to achieve their full potential, they need to foster an environment that encourages their employees to be themselves.' The research was published online the Journal of Applied Communication Research.

Non-drinkers use an array of methods to avoid alcohol at work events . Some don't announce they don't drink for fear of appearing judgemental . Researchers say HR departments should be aware of the pressure to drink .

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A Mediterranean diet increases life expectancy by protecting the DNA from damage, research shows. Harvard academics studied 4,676 middle-aged women comparing their typical eating habits with the make-up of their cells. Importantly, they looked at their telomeres – biological caps which are found at the ends of chromosomes that protect the DNA inside. The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, pulses, whole grains, fish and olive oil with little red or processed meat - and may help protect our DNA from damage, new research suggests . As we get older, our telomeres get progressively shorter, causing the DNA to become damaged and raising the odds of age-related illnesses such as Alzheimer' s, diabetes and heart disease. The research – published in the BMJ – found that women whose diets were generally low in fat and high in fruit and veg had longer telomeres. But this was even more pronounced for those who followed a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, veg, nuts and pulses. Marta Crous-Bou, the lead author from the Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston, the US, said that it may be due to antioxidants in fruit, veg and nuts – chemicals that prevent ill health and aging. She said: 'Our findings showed that healthy eating, overall, was associated with longer telomeres. 'However, the strongest association was observed among women who adhered to the Mediterranean diet.' Dr Immaculata De Vivo, associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health said: 'Our results further support the benefits of adherence to this diet to promote health and longevity. 'To our knowledge this is the largest population-based study specifically addressing the association between Mediterranean diet adherence and telomere length in healthy, middle-aged women, . Women whose diets were low in fat and high in fruit and veg had longer telomeres - biological caps on chromosomes that protect the DNA inside . 'Our results further support the benefits of adherence to this diet to promote health and longevity.' Previous research by Harvard University last year involving 10,000 showed that women who followed a Mediterranean diet were 40 per cent to live beyond the age of 70. They were also far less likely to develop chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, pulses, whole grains, fish and olive oil with little red or processed meat. Dr Mike Knapton, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'This large study adds to the body of evidence that longer telomeres are found in those who eat a Mediterranean diet. 'Longer telomeres may partially explain the link between diet and risk of cardiovascular disease. 'Previous findings from the same study had shown that those with unhealthy lifestyles had shorter telomeres. 'These results reinforce our advice that eating a balanced and healthy diet can reduce your risk of developing heart disease.' The Mediterranean diet not only improves heart health but it could help male impotence. Researchers found men with erectile dysfunction who adopted the diet - involving eating fruit, veg, pasta, olive oil and nuts daily but few dairy products or red meat - may reduce their chances of having a heart attack or stroke. However, patients with erectile dysfunction who failed to stick to the Mediterranean diet had more vascular and cardiac damage. Greek Doctor Athanasios Angelis, who presented his findings at the annual meeting of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging in Austria, said: 'Erectile dysfunction is not a symptom of ageing, it is a bad sign from the body that something is wrong with the vasculature. Men men with erectile dysfunction who adopted the diet - involving eating fruit, veg, pasta, olive oil and nuts daily but few dairy products or red meat - may reduce their chances of having a heart attack or stroke . 'In 80 per cent of cases, erectile dysfunction is caused by vascular problems and is a warning that patients are at increased risk of a heart attack or stroke.' He added: 'The Mediterranean diet is associated with lower cardiovascular events and could be a way to help erectile dysfunction patients lower their risk. 'We wanted to investigate whether patients with erectile dysfunction who follow this diet have less vascular and cardiac damage.' The study included 75 men with erectile dysfunction, average age 56, who attended the Department of Cardiology at Hippokration Hospital in Athens. Dr Angelis said: 'Patients with erectile dysfunction who had unhealthy diets had more vascular and cardiac damage than those who followed the Mediterranean diet. Good sources of monounsaturated fat - such as macadamia nuts - can help men with erectile dysfunction avoid a heart attack . 'Previous studies have shown that patients with erectile dysfunction have vascular damage, but we found that the heart is also damaged. 'This may help to further explain why these patients are more prone to cardiovascular events. 'The formation of atheroma, the stiffening of the arteries, and the poor functioning of the heart can eventually lead to a cardiac event.' He added: 'Our findings suggest that adopting the Mediterranean diet can improve the cardiovascular risk profile of patients with erectile dysfunction and may reduce their chances of having a heart attack or stroke. This needs to be tested in a larger study. 'Really simple changes in our diet may help a lot, for example using olive oil which contains monounsaturated fat. 'If someone doesn't have the money to buy some of the foods they can substitute them with others, for example nuts are a good source of monounsaturated fat. 'Sometimes it's difficult to adopt something if you consider that it's part of a prescription, but the Mediterranean diet is not a prescription, it's a lifestyle. 'It's about having an awareness of what foods are healthy or unhealthy.' He concluded: 'Patients who have erectile dysfunction and don't adhere to the Mediterranean diet have vascular and cardiac damage and are at increased risk of heart attack and stroke. 'Our findings suggest that adopting a healthy diet can reduce that risk. We also advise patients to stop smoking, exercise and ensure that they have healthy levels of blood pressure and lipids.'

The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, pulses, whole grains, fish and olive oil . With age, our telomeres - biological caps which are found at the ends of chromosomes that protect the DNA inside - become shorter . But women who ate a Mediterranean diet had longer telomeres . These foods can also help men with impotence avoid a heart attack .

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Emmanuel Petit has condemned apathy in France towards Thierry Henry and claimed the country would be better under German rule. A former team-mate of Henry at Monaco, Arsenal and in the French national team, Petit described the prevailing attitude towards the striker as 'hypocritical and cowardly'. Henry is leaving the New York Red Bulls and may have played his final match, with the 37-year-old yet to open up about his future plans. Emmanuel Petit has launched a vigorous defence of his former France and Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry . Henry wipes away the tears as his statue is unveiled outside Arsenal's Emirates Stadium . He has been immediately linked with a return to a non-playing role at Arsenal, the club at which he enjoyed his best success during an eight-year spell. It has been suggested that Henry should be afforded one last outing for France, as a farewell match, and Petit, 44, can see the merit but suspects he is in a minority. 'Why not, but people don't like Thierry Henry,' Petit said in an interview with the French website sports.fr. 'In England, he has a statue. That says a lot. He is revered over there. 'How can you reproach Thierry Henry? His handball against Ireland? It helped us qualify for the World Cup in South Africa. He's done nothing wrong. France is hypocritical and cowardly. 'Sometimes I say to myself that having been invaded by the Germans, we would be better led today.' Henry handles the ball in the build-up to France's crucial goal in their play-off tie against Ireland in 2009 . Petit (back row, second right) and Henry (front row, far left) pose for a France team photo in 1998 . Petit immediately faced criticism for appearing to confer praise on Nazi Germany, which invaded France during the Second World War. But he told Yahoo Sport he had only intended to comment on modern-day Germany. 'Germany shows us today that it is better than us, politically, economically and in a sporting sense, and I didn't mean to say anything else,' Petit said. 'But I can never stop people from making amalgamations. The Germany that I like, it is that of today. Don't make me say what I wasn't thinking.' Petit stressed Henry, a 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winner, deserves a profile more in tune with his achievements. 'This bad image of Thierry Henry annoys me,' Petit said in the sports.fr interview. 'The press never criticises itself, never goes back and never excuses itself. ' Petit and Henry pictured together in Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Lens in the second leg of their UEFA Cup clash . Petit likened Henry's treatment in France to the way Wayne Rooney is perceived in England. 'Wayne Rooney isn't hated in England even though he hasn't always shown a stiff upper lip on and off the pitch,' Petit said. 'Thierry Henry has never made any bad gestures on the pitch and has no history in his private life. 'He got screwed by the French press after his handball, and since then he does not speak to the French (media). 'But look, he speaks very well to the British media. He was an expert during the World Cup on the BBC, he enjoyed it because he loves football. 'In France he has no relationship with the press, so what? Maybe because he wasn't smiling when he scored for Les Bleus. There you are, that's what I hate in this country. 'I have a lot of difficulty with the French, I've never seen a people so arrogant, smug, untruthful and hypocritical.' Head here to Like our Arsenal Facebook page.

Petit has hit out at the apathy in France towards former team-mate Henry . He also claimed the country would be better off under German rule . It's been suggested that Henry will be awarded a one-off game for France . Henry is leaving the New York Red Bulls and is set to retire from the game . Arsene Wenger believes Henry will 'certainly' return to Arsenal one day .

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Despite pleading guilty to a string of child sex offences, a wealthy New South Wales businessman has avoided jail and been able to walk free on bail. Last week, it was found that, 59 year old Maurice Van Ryn, was granted bail at Bega local court after pleading guilty to a charge involving multiple sexual and indecent assaults on children. Nine's A Current Affair described the former CEO of Bega Cheese as one of the richest men in the small seaside town of Tathra, on the NSW far south coast and nearby Bega. Scroll down for video . Maurice Van Ryn (pictured) has walked free on bail despite pleading guilty to a string child sex offences . Nine's ACA launched a special investigation that found the wealthy businessman was responsible for 10 years of abusing children . ACA says he committed indecent acts against children in a home. This went on for about 10 years until in June, an eight year old girl came forward, telling her parents she had been abused by Van Ryn. When Greg Otton, a friend of Van Ryn's neighbour heard the news, it's believed he spread the word throughout the community which then led to six more victims, both boys and girls, coming forward. 'incredible brave young woman, a credit to her parents they could raise her to react in the way she did at such a young age,' said Mr Otton. He says bail laws are inadequate allowing 'creeps to walk the streets' and believes the justice system is broken and needs fixing. Local Greg Otton (pictured) told ACA he spread the news of the abuse to the community which led to six more victims coming forward . Maurice Van Ryn (pictured left) was the former Bega Cheese CEO and was known around town as the 'big cheese' In Bega local court last week, Van Ryn pleaded guilty to 12 child sex offences. But they were rolled into a more serious offence, 'persistent sexual abuse of a child', one of the country's worse child sex offences that carries the same penalty as murder, a maximum of 25 years behind bars. He was then committed to the District Court for sentencing in February next year. ACA also uncovered that Van Ryn also committed one of the offences in July, while on bail, citing the former corporate high flyer is taking the justice system for a ride. Child protection advocate Heddy Johnston told ACA she was appalled at how the case was handled. The former Bega Cheese boss (pictured) pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences but was able to walk free on bail . Maurice Van Ryn pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences . It's not the first time the community has been victim to bail laws that have failed, when in October 1997 two Bega schoolgirls were abducted, raped and murdered by a man who was out on bail for sexual offences . 'The human rights of children are being ignored,' she said. Now the attorney general has ordered an urgent review of Van Ryn's case and the Director of Public prosecutions is now appealing his bail decision at a special hearing on Thursday. It's not the first time the community has been victim to bail laws that have failed, when in October 1997 two Bega schoolgirls were abducted, raped and murdered by a man who was out on bail for sexual offences.

Former Bega Cheese CEO, Maurice Van Ryn, has walked free on bail after pleading guilty to a string of child sex offences . The abuse went on for 10 years until an eight year old girl came forward in June telling of her abuse . He was charged with 'persistent sexual abuse of a child' which carries a maximum 25 year jail term . Six victims, both girls and boys, also came forward . The attorney general ordered an urgent review of Van Ryn's case and the DPP is appealing his bail .

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Tyson Fury's showdown with Dereck Chisora failed to live up to the hype surrounding the heavyweight bout but the victorious fighter never fails to entertain away from the ring. Fury, who remains unbeaten after defeating Chisora at the weekend, has attempted to sing one of Elvis Presley's hit songs. The 26-year-old sang Presley's In the Ghetto while being filmed by iFL TV following his victory against his rival. Tyson Fury looks into the camera while singing Elvis Presley's 'In the Ghetto' after beating Dereck Chisora . Fury gets into the mood by closing his eyes before signing Presley's hit song . Fury looks into the camera before showing off his musical talent by singing the April 1969 hit. The heavyweight fighter may have to turn his attention to a potential domestic blockbuster against Anthony Joshua after the new year. Talks are said to be underway regarding a possible fight between the two undefeated fighters, which could take place next summer. Fury dominated Chisora for 10 rounds before his opponent was pulled out by his corner . Fury lands an uppercut on his way to a decisive victory over Chisora at the weekend .

Tyson Fury has been filmed singing 1969 hit Elvis Presley song . The 26-year-old defeated rival Dereck Chisora at the weekend . Talks are underway regarding fight between Fury and Anthony Joshua .

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Professor Stephen Hawking has received a major communications system upgrade that has doubled the speed of his speech and allows him to write ten times quicker. The physicist said the new technology will allow him to continue to write and give lectures, as well as communicate more effectively with friends and family. He assured fans, though, that his trademark synthesised voice will remain the same despite the up-rated technology. Scroll down for video . Professor Stephen Hawking, pictured, received a major upgrade to his electronic communication system . The physicist said he can now communicate quicker with his new system - but keeps his distinctive voice . The Cambridge University professor, whose work has revolutionised the way scientists view time and space, said: 'We are here to talk about how science and technology is improving the lives of people with disabilities. ‘We are pushing the boundaries of what is possible through technology - without it I would not be able to speak to you today. ‘Intel’s research and development is bringing about changes in the world and in the way that disabled people can communicate. ‘The Intel team and I have been working together for almost three years on upgrading my communication system. ‘My old system is more than 20 years old and I was finding difficult to continue to communicate effectively, and to do the things I love to do. ‘With the improvements made, I am now able to write much faster, and it means that I can continue to give lectures, write papers and books and, of course, speak with my family and friends more easily. This new system is life changing for me, and I hope it will serve me well for the next 20 years.’ Professor Hawking unveiled his new communications system, pictured, at an event in London . Prof Hawking, who appeared in an episode of The Simpsons, said his new technology was being made freely available so other people with life-changing disabilities will be able to benefit from the three-year project . The software learns the words and phrases used by Prof Hawking, enabling him to type and speak quicker using the infra-red sensor on his glasses and the movement of his cheek. Prof Hawking suffers from a form of motor neurone disease which has left him almost paralysed. The new equipment is called ACAT (Assistive Context Aware Toolkit). It uses special software designed by British company SwiftKey - similar to those on smartphones, which is able to select words after inputting just 10-15 per cent of the letters. This reduces the effort and time required to communicate. Professor Hawking said the technology he helped develop will be made freely available early next year to help other people with motor neurone disease, quadriplegia and other disabilities. He added: 'By making this technology freely available it has the . potential to greatly improve the lives of disabled people all . over the world.'

Professor Stephen Hawking has received an upgraded computer system . His rate of speech has doubled and his writing speed has also improved . The physicist said his old computer was 20 years old and was too slow . He stressed that he wanted to keep his trademark synthesised voice . The new technology will be made freely available in the New Year .

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It's been branded as a 'suicidal mission' that may not deliver on its promises. Despite this, the controversial Mars One project - which aims to send people to live on the red planet - has whittled down its shortlist of candidates from 200,000 to just 663. From this, a final crew of four will be eventually be selected for a 'one-way ticket' to Marsm scheduled to arrive in 2025 following a gruelling seven-month journey from Earth. Scroll down for video . The Mars One project has whittled down its shortlist of candidates to just 663 from 200,000 entries. This number will be reduced to 24 in the final rounds. Pictured is an artist's concept of a potential colony on Mars. The time frame for this next stage depends how long it takes the team to sort through the 663 . Additional teams would join the settlement every two years, with the intention that by 2033 there would be over twenty people living and working on Mars. There, they will collect data, plant oxygen-producing vegetation and set the foundation for human colonisation. The majority of the 663 applicants - the full list can be viewed here - come from the US, with India and China coming in second and third place. In spite of the risks, more than 200,000 people from around the world applied when the Netherlands-based group called for volunteers to join the mission. In the next stage, which may involve 'rigorous, potentially televised competitions', the current shortlist will be reduced to 24. The time frame for this next stage depends how long it takes the team to sort through the 663 on the list. Chris Hadfield, former commander of the ISS, recently said that the mission may not deliver on this promise. 'There's a great, I don't know, self-defeating optimism in the way that this project has been set up,' he warned . In spite of the risks, more than 200,000 people from around the world applied when the Netherlands-based group called for volunteers to join the mission. An artist illustration of a communication satellite on Mars is pictured. The satellite is part of the wider Mars One mission set to launch in January 2018 . Chris Hadfield, former commander of the ISS, recently told Elmo Keep, writing in Medium that the mission may not deliver on this promise. 'There's a great, I don't know, self-defeating optimism in the way that this project has been set up,' Hadfield told Medium. The Mars One project plans to launch a supply mission to land on Mars as soon as October 2016. A ‘settlement rover’ will then land in 2018. The landing systems will be tested eight times before they are used to transport humans - a move that Mars One said will make the trips ‘much safer than moon missions’. The group said it aims to have a human settlement on Mars within a decade. Journey time to Mars, which is approximately 40 million miles away depending on its position in orbit, would be around 200 days. 'I fear that it's going to be a little disillusioning for people, because it's presented as if for sure it's going to happen.' Endemol, the production company behind Big Brother, said earlier this year it will be documenting the progress of the group of hopefuls as they compete for a 2025 ticket to the red planet. Candidates do not need to have any scientific qualifications and an audience vote will be used to make the final choice. Any chosen Mars settlers will then be required to dedicate eight years of their lives preparing for the 300 million-mile (482 million km) pioneering mission. Igore Mitrofanov of the Space Research Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences told the Voice of Russia that the largest risk is the huge amounts of radiation the volunteers will receive. Echoing Mr Hadfield's concerns, he said he doubts that the volunteers for this trip know enough science and technology to take the risk. The group had promised on its site that in 1,000 years, everyone on Earth will remember who the first humans on Mars were. A robotic lander and orbiter are scheduled to lift off in 2018, followed by a scouting rover (artist's impression pictured) in 2020 and six cargo missions in 2022 . A robotic lander and orbiter are scheduled to lift off in 2018, followed by a scouting rover in 2020 and six cargo missions in 2022. The next round will include an interview with Mars One committee members, and candidates advancing to the third round will compete against one another. The third round will include a series of challenges to prepare candidates for the potential mission and could broadcast on television and online. But Mr Hadfield claims Mars should not be a target for colonisation at this point, but targets much closer need to be considered. 'We absolutely need to do it on the moon for a few generations,' he told Mr Keep.

The Mars One mission aims to establish a colony on the red planet . It now has a shortlist of 663 candidates from an original 200,000 entries . This will be reduced to 24 in next stages, with four chosen for first mission . The time frame for this next stage depends how long it takes the team to sort through the 663 volunteers . Mr Hadfield, former commander of ISS, said that mission may not deliver . 'I fear that it's going to be a little disillusioning for people, because it's presented as if for sure it's going to happen,' he told Medium .

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David Simpson, 73, died from a minor fall after being wrongly prescribed a mixture of medication which prevented his blood from clotting . A dementia sufferer bled to death after a minor fall because doctors failed to notice that his medication prevented his blood from clotting, an inquest has heard. Retired gardener David Simpson, 73, was wrongly prescribed a combination of drugs which, when taken together, reduced his body's ability to clot blood. But a 'systemic failing' meant doctors at Royal Blackburn Hospital, Lancashire, 'ignored' the problem on two occasions, only taking a proper blood sample when it was 'too late'. The 73-year-old had been taken to hospital after falling from a chair while at Hollymount Nursing and Residential Home in Blackburn. At an inquest into his death, coroner Michael Singleton said Mr Simpson would not have died as a result of the fall if doctors had recognised the problem caused by the particular mixture of drugs. He said there had been opportunities for hospital staff to notice the abnormality, but that they failed to take a proper blood sample in time. He has now vowed to write to bosses at the hospital trust, warning that action should be taken. Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Singleton said: 'I will be sending a report to the chief executive of Royal Blackburn Hospital pointing out the problems with regards to the taking of blood samples and their analysis, and indicate to them that appropriate action should be taken to resolve what I believe to be a systemic failing.' Speaking after the inquest, Mr Simpson's 63-year-old wife Pat said she felt 'very let down' at what she had heard. She said: 'It was not just one slip up. It was the doctor with the wrong medication and it was twice with the bloods. 'Nobody is perfect and they seemed such a good crowd at the hospital, and I couldn't fault anything, but I feel very let down by what I heard at the inquest.' The court heard how Mr Simpson, who had gone to the home in April, had been prescribed warfarin following a stroke. He was later prescribed miconazole, an anti-fungal agent, for cellulitis. But the inquest heard it had been a 'personal failing' by Mr Simpson's doctor to prescribe two medicines which, when taken together, increases the anticoagulant effect. This means Mr Simpson's body's ability to blood clot was severely affected. Speaking after the inquest, Mr Simpson's 63-year-old wife Pat said she felt 'very let down' at what she had heard . After falling from the chair in August this year, Mr Simpson was taken to hospital. The inquest heard how there were no physical signs of massive abdominal bleeding. But an international normalisation ratio (INR) check would have told doctors Mr Simpson's blood was not clotting properly, the court was told. The coroner heard how doctors tried to collect blood on two consecutive days in order to take a reading. But, when they could not collect enough blood, they 'ignored it rather than go back and take another blood sample', the court heard. Mr Singleton said: 'That seems to me a systemic failure rather than an individual failure. 'There is no system in place that says if you take out a blood sample and it's insufficient then, rather than simply ignore it, you should go back and take another. Mr Simpson died at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, Lancashire (pictured) in August, after doctors failed to take sufficient blood samples on two occasions . 'One cannot speculate as to whether, in fact, had the INR been capable of being collected on the first occasion and vitamin K provided, the outcome would have been different. 'Whatever chance he had he lost by the failure to do that.' When they finally managed to test Mr Simpson's INR at the third attempt, medics discovered it had rocketed from a usual 2.6 to more than 12. Mr Simpson was given treatment but his heart stopped on Monday, August 18, three days after being taken to hospital. Mr Singleton said: 'He simply bled to death internally. 'The relatively minor fall would have itself not have caused any significant injury had it not been for the fact blood-clotting agents were such that - once there was a minor bleeding from a minor blood vessel - it simply did not stop. 'There was an opportunity to deal with that at the Royal Blackburn Hospital because on admission they took a blood sample to do the full blood count, but there was insufficient taken to collect the INR.' The retired gardener was staying at Hollymount Nursing and Residential Home, Blackburn (pictured) when he fell from a chair and was taken to hospital . He added: 'In terms of the prescribing of miconazole, that seems to me is a personal failing. There is plenty of literature out there that doctors ought to know. It seems to me that is where the problem started.' Mr Simpson's wife, Pat, who lives in Darwen, told the court that Mr Simpson had developed dementia after a stroke. He had gone into the care home after two previous short stays for respite care. In a statement, care assistant Kathleen Boardman told the court she saw Mr Simpson 'slide off a chair' onto a carpeted floor. He was given painkillers after complaining of pain in his left groin, but had no visible injuries, she added. Mrs Simpson met her husband when he moved over to Jersey in the 1970s. They were married for 38 years and had three children: Owen, 41, Rhea, 34, and Sylvia, 40. She said: 'He was a keen cyclist. He was very fit and active until his stroke. His dementia progressed quickly. It was a shock because my husband was a very intelligent man. 'It's like losing him twice because he went in the home in April and I had to learn to be without him then too. I feel guilty because I wonder if he had been at home, would he have died?' Dr Ian Stanley, acting medical director at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: 'We offer our condolences to Mr Simpson's family. 'The trust is currently undertaking an investigation into the circumstances around Mr Simpson's care and treatment so we are unable to comment at this time. 'Dr Roberts, the consultant who is carrying out the internal investigation, has offered to meet with Mr Simpson's family again to ensure that we keep them fully informed during this investigation and the subsequent findings.'

David Simpson, 73, fell off chair at Hollymount Nursing Home, Blackburn . He then died from internal bleeding while at the Royal Blackburn Hospital . Mr Simpson had been prescribed drugs which stopped his blood clotting . Doctors failed to recognise problem, only taking tests when it was 'too late' Coroner said he would write to health trust over the 'systematic failings' Wife Pat Simpson said: 'I feel very let down by what I heard at the inquest'

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Barry Hearn has launched an outspoken attack on the SPFL’s failure to land a multi-million pound sponsorship deal. The renowned sports impressario responsible for transforming snooker, boxing and darts was an invited speaker to an SFA convention at Hampden. He took the opportunity to brand the culture of leadership in the Scottish game ‘lazy’ and ‘disgraceful’. And he told Scottish football to stop ‘looking at its shoelaces’ and ‘wallowing in self pity’ while reserving his strongest words for the league hierachy by insisting the failure to replace Clydesdale Bank as sponsors – whose deal ended in 2012 – was a sackable offence. Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn speaks at the 2014 Scottish FA Convention . ‘I look at Scottish football and see a nation with its head down looking at its shoelaces', he said. ‘When I started off with the darts and snooker we were way down - but we believed in ourselves and had a bit of a passion. ‘Sometimes organisations get into that mode of “that’s how it is”. They are totally lazy and set in their ways. ‘The fact you’ve got a Scottish Premiership without a sponsor. Do you know how long you’d work for Barry Hearn if that was the case? ‘I won’t even tell you how long - because that’s not a performance I’m looking for. ‘You’ve got to grow. You’ve got to be positive. You can’t expect people to take you seriously if you don’t take yourself seriously. If you live in everyone’s shadow then you never come out of that shadow. ‘You need something dramatic like “attendances are going great ... commercial is this ... Abu Dhabi Bank is sponsoring the SPFL”. The fact the league doesn't have a sponsor says everything you need to know so you better get it right and if you don’t then it doesn't matter to me because I won’t be back to talk again.’ The ex-Leyton Orient chairman said it was a disgrace that the Scottish Premiership did not have a sponsor . Hearn would later comment: ‘The fact the Scottish Premier League has no sponsor is not good. Put it this way, if you worked for me you’d be sacked.’ The man who turned snooker into primetime television in the 1980s, Hearn has also been a prominent figure on the boxing circuit for decades and has now transformed darts into a sport capable of filling Glasgow’s 12,000 seat Hydro arena. Laughing off talk of sprinkling his magic on Scottish football as a consultant, Hearn added: ‘I certainly won’t be up for the leadership. But you can take a horse to water and what I’ve said isn’t rocket science. It’s just common sense. ‘If they don’t take on the wider picture then you’re stuck with what you are. ‘Listen, I’ll carry on selling 11,000 for a night of darts at the Hydro and your (football) attendances will be 1250 people or whatever. I’m a visitor so I’m cheating a bit but the world is changing and there are so many more opportunities that you might not be aware of. ‘How can a little company like mine turn over the same amount as the SPFL? And how can we make millions and millions of pounds of profit and you’re doing your b*******?’ The Scottish Cup replay between Inverness and St Mirren attracted just 1,326 fans on Tuesday .

Barry Hearn spoke at the Scottish Football Association's inaugural convention at Hampden Park . Matchroom chairman said the fact the Scottish Premiership was without a sponsor was 'disgraceful' Hearn said Scottish football had to be proud of its self and not a secret .

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Anthony Joshua refused to accept a charity bet with Kevin Johnson as the two heavyweights squared off ahead of their clash in the new year. The American, who has never been stopped in his 36-fight career, offered to donate 50 per cent of his purse to a cause of Joshua’s choice if he knocked him out. But the Olympic champion was reluctant to agree to the deal during an entertaining press conference. VIDEO Scroll down for Anthony Joshua refuses charity bet with Kevin Johnson . Anthony Joshua and Kevin Johnson square up at a press conference on Wednesday . Joshua refused to accept the charity bet offered by Johnson (far right), saying he'd rather focus on the fight . The pair will touch gloves at the O2 in London on January 31 in what promises to be Joshua’s toughest test to date. Johnson took Vitali Klitschko the distance in their world title fight in 2009 and both Dereck Chisora and Tyson Fury have subsequently failed to stop him. Johnson said: 'I want to make an agreement with him. If Anthony knocks me out I'll donate 50 per cent of my purse to one of his charities. 'And if he gets knocked out, he gives 50 per cent to my charity. 'There's going to be a knockout so let's up the ante.' Joshua, however, said: 'I don't play with my money.' Johnson was unmoved and added: 'If you get me within five, I'll donate 75 per cent.' But Joshua retorted: 'He's a better comedian then he is a boxer.' Joshua cruised to victory against Michael Sprott inside two minutes last time out . Johnson and Joshua pose with promoter Eddie Hearn at the press conference in London . Johnson, 35, talked a good game on his visit to the capital on Wednesday, despite having lost his last three fights. He said: 'All I asked for is a fight with reasonable time and that's what [promoter] Eddie Hearn came up with. 'This guy gave me proper preparation time which no-one has ever given me in my whole career. 'I look forward to coming, seeing, destroying and conquering. 'In my career, I've fought four Olympians and every last one of them has made the same mistake. 'It's up to his trainers to fix it. I look forward to doing what I do best which is destroying Olympians. Johnson took Vitali Klitschko the full 12 rounds in their heavyweight world title fight in 2009 . Johnson also fought Tyson Fury who also failed to stop the veteran in a title eliminator in Belfast two years ago . Dereck Chisora found Johnson's defensive skills too difficult to penetrate and had to settle for a points win . 'This fight is everything to me; this could be the beginning or it could be the end. 'It reminds me of a young lion against an older lion. If this young lion really wants the spot, he's going to come real hard but if this lion doesn't want to give up his herd, he's going to fight even harder.' Joshua responded: 'The fight's not going to last as long as his talking! 'I've got a lot of respect for Kevin Johnson. He's not Michael Sprott, he's not Matt Skelton, he's not Denis Bakhtov. 'I'm a man with a lot of hunger and I'm willing to gain experience by fighting guys like Johnson. 'I know I'm going to get the win and I'm very confident.'

American offered to donate 50 per cent of his purse if AJ knocked him out . Joshua was reluctant to agree during press conference on Wednesday . Heavyweights go head-to-head at the O2 in London on January 31 . Joshua has won his first 10 professional fights by stoppage .

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Red, auburn, carrot, strawberry blonde and (at least one) scarlet – all shades of ginger hair were present at this weekend’s Redhed Days Festival. More than 5,000 redheads from 80 countries attended the global event in Breda, The Netherlands, breaking its own world record. The festival, which has been held since 2005, also saw the world’s first attempt to a ‘ginger’s only’ flight when a plane-load of redheads were flown in from Scotland. Ginger gathering: Two young women attend 'Red Hair Day' in Breda, The Netherlands on Sunday . Red sea: The festival broke their own record in 'Most Redheads Gathered In One Place' during the weekend . Fair skin and red hair first appeared around the time people settled in Europe 50,000 years ago and still remains a dominant gene in southern Europeans today, according to a new study . As well as attracting thousands of . gingers from all over the globe, Redhead Days Festival beat its own . Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of redheads. With . one of the world’s most famous red heads at the centre of the crowd, . McDonald’s mascot Ronald, 1,672 redheads got together in one spot. But it was not the only attempt to break a record. Airline . Flybe's scheduled flight from Inverness to Amsterdam was entirely . operated by auburn-haired pilots and cabin crew while alcoholic ginger . beer was among the refreshments on offer for passengers. Overall, including passengers, it is thought that around a third of those travelling on the flight were natural redheads. Red-y to go: The first 'Redheadday' - Roodharigendag - was held in the Netherlands in 2005 . Bold: Each year, attendants are asked to wear a certain colour of clothing to accentuate their hair - this year was blue . A . Prince Harry look-alike was among those on board while a 95-year-old . redheaded Inverness resident, Margaret Swan, was on hand to wave the . flight off, the airline said. Speaking . ahead of the flight, captain Gaeron Kayley said: 'I've always been . proud of my natural red hair, so it's a real honour for me to pilot this . special flight from Inverness to Amsterdam.' The . festival has been held annually since 2005, increasing in size each . year from the 150 first attendants to this year’s 5,000 plus. To . attend you are required to have natural ginger hair and sees redheads . get together for a weekend of events, picnics, motivational classes and . community building. Each year goes by a different colour to make a standout group photography, this year, the colour was blue. Record breaking: A full 1,672 redheads, accompanied by famous redhead Ronald McDonald, set the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of redheads at the festival . Ginger friend! More than 5,000 redheads from 80 countries attended the global event (including the fast food chain's mascot)

Annual Redhead Day festival saw thousand of ginger visitors . Held in The Netherlands for the eighth year in a row . Over 5,000 people with red hair from 80 countries attended .

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A 161-foot multimillion-dollar superyacht called the Rockstar became pinned under a drawbridge neat Bay Harbour Islands in Florida Tuesday afternoon. The boat, which costs more than $250,000 to charter for a week, was carrying a group of 15 people at the time, but everyone escaped unharmed. The yacht was being towed by a pair of tugboats Tuesday from Fort Lauderdale to Miami when the east part of the broad causeway drawbridge connecting North Miami with Harbor Islands and Bal Harbor collapsed. Scroll down for video . Epic fail: A 161-foot luxury superyacht became trapped beneath a drawbridge in Florida Tuesday afternoon . Smashed: The east part of the broad causeway drawbridge connecting North Miami with Harbor Islands and Bal Harbor collapsed onto the top portion of the vessel . Snagged: The Rockstar remained trapped for more than 20 minutes before it finally became dislodged . Serious damage: The crash, which impacted the top part of the yacht near the hot tub, caused thousands of dollars in damage . The bridge came down on the top part of the yacht next to the hot tub, destroying part of the roof and causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage, according to the news site WTSP. The Rockstar remained trapped for more than 20 minutes before it finally became dislodged and was towed away. The impressive vessel, built by Trinity Yachts in 2009 and registered out of George Town, Cayman Island, features five staterooms, a two-level master suite with a private lounge, his and her bathrooms and 280 degree views over the ocean. The luxury party boat also boasts a saloon and dining room lined with black and white photos of classic Hollywood film stars, and a seven-person spa pool. Tragedy averted: Fifteen people were aboard the yacht at the time, but no one was hurt in the collision with the bridge . On its way: The yacht was being towed by a pair of tugboats Tuesday from Fort Lauderdale to Miami when disaster struck . The yacht, which was originally named Blind Date, is currently up for sale on boatinternational.com by International Yacht Collection with an asking price of just under $21million. In the aftermath of the dramatic crash, the drawbridge remained closed to traffic for several hours as city engineers conducted a safety inspection to make sure the structure was sound. CBS Miami reported that the 60-year-old broad causeway is expected to undergo a $13million renovation beginning in January, which will include replacing parts of the drawbridge mechanism. The cause of the yacht-drawbridge collision is being investigated. 'We’re not sure of what collided with what yet,' US Coast Guard spokesman Mark Barney told the Miami Herald. Playground for the rich: The yacht costs about $250,000 to charter for a week. It was built by Trinity Yachts in 2009 and registered out of George Town, Cayman Island . Palatial accommodations: The boat features five staterooms, a two-level master suite with a private lounge, his and her bathrooms and 280 degree views over the ocean . On the market: The yacht, which was originally named Blind Date, is currently up for sale for just under $21million .

The 161-foot boat was being towed from Fort Lauderdale to Miami when a part of broad causeway drawbridge connecting North Miami with Harbor Islands collapsed . Bridge came down on the top part of the yacht next to the hot tub, destroying part of the roof and causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage . The yacht was carrying a group of 15 people at the time, but everyone escaped unharmed . The Rockstar costs $250,000 to charter for a week and is currently up for sale for just under $21million .

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An inquiry into Ched Evans' rape conviction is underway as the former Premier League striker is keen on clearing his name after serving half of his five-year sentence. Evans was sentenced to five years in prison after he was found guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman in April 2012. The incident occurred at a Premier Inn near Rhyl, Denbighshire in May 2011. Ched Evans was pictured at a petrol garage in Wimslow, Cheshire earlier this week . Evans, pictured at his home, looks unlikely to join Oldham after talks with the League One club . Evans, now 25, has maintained his innocence despite being found guilty. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) said in October that they would fast-track its inquiry into Evans' sentence, however it could still take 35 weeks for the independent public body to make a decision. A CCRC spokesman said: 'The case has not been prioritised because Mr Evans is relatively famous, because he plays football for a living, or for any reason external to the specific facts of the case. 'Prioritisation like this is not typical but it is by no means unprecedented. 'We prioritise applications where there is need and where it accords with our policy to do so, we expect to prioritise perhaps one or two such cases each month.' Evans has been unable to find a new club since his release from prison in October. Evans, pictured in action for Sheffield United in 2012, was jailed for the rape of a teenage girl . Ched Evans was initially allowed to train at his old club Sheffield United, before they retracted their offer . 2011 - May 30: Ched Evans arrested on suspicion of sexual assault at a Premier Inn near Rhyl, North Wales. July 26: Evans and fellow footballer Clayton McDonald are charged with rape. 2012 - April 20: Evans is jailed for five years for rape and McDonald is acquitted. Evans maintains his innocence with his lawyer saying: 'Mr Evans firmly maintains his innocence in this matter and is being advised regarding an appeal of the decision.' April 23: The Professional Footballers Association is forced to defend itself after Evans is named in the League One team of the year with chief executive Gordon Taylor stating: 'That was a football judgement by his fellow professionals, it was not a moral judgement and in no way does the PFA condone the offence for which he was convicted.' Evans is released by Sheffield United at the end of the season. April 24: Evans' lawyers announce he is to appeal against his conviction. August 21: The first stage of Evans' appeal is rejected after a judge had refuses his application for leave to appeal against his conviction. November 5: Nine people plead guilty to revealing the identity of Evans' victim online with some of the comments calling her names like 'money grabbing whore' and 'poor little victim'. November 6: Evans loses his appeal after his case is rejected by three judges at the Court of Appeal in London. 2014 - April 18: An online petition is launched urging United not to re-sign Evans and gains over 165,000 signatures. October 17: Evans is released from prison after serving half his sentence and a statement is released on his website stating he will continue to fight to clear his name. October 18: United release a statement saying that they are 'continuing to deliberate on any long-term decision' after media reports emerge that they have offered Evans a contract. October 19: The Criminal Cases Review Commission confirm they are to fast-track Evans' case to investigate whether his conviction will be referred to the Court of Appeal. October 22: Evans releases a statement stating his desire to return to football and says: 'Even though I have been released from prison, I am determined to continue the fight to clear my name and it is public knowledge that an application to refer my case back to the Court of Appeal has recently been submitted to the Criminal Case Review Commission by my lawyers.' November 11: Sheffield United confirm Evans will return to train with the club with immediate effect following a request from the Professional Footballers' Association but state they are 'not prepared at this time' to make a decision on whether to re-sign the striker. Television presenter Charlie Webster announces that she has stood down as a patron of Sheffield United. November 12: Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield urges United to change their decision, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says the club must 'think really long and hard' before deciding whether to allow Evans to play for them again, while singer Dave Berry and businesswoman Lindsay Graham join Webster in resigning as club patrons. November 13: Olympic heptathlon champion and Blades fan Jessica Ennis-Hill issues a statement announcing that she has told United she would want her name removed from the Bramall Lane stand should Evans be offered a contract to play for the club. November 14: Police begin an investigation into rape threat tweets directed at Ennis-Hill after her statement over Evans. November 15: Sheffield United release a statement saying they are 'appalled' at the abuse levelled at those who spoke out about the club's decision and promising to work with South Yorkshire police to help identify those responsible. November 17: Former Beautiful South frontman Paul Heaton resigns as a patron of United's Community Foundation over the Evans affair. The Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland's solicitor Stuart Gilhooly causes controversy after defending Evans on the organisation's website. November 20: United announce they have retracted the offer for Evans to train with the club. November 27: Tranmere chairman Mark Palios turns down an offer to sign Evans . November 30: Oldham become the second club to have contact with Evans over a potential deal, but again it seems unlikely the player will join. December 1: Oldham release statement saying they will not offer Evans a contract or chance to train with the club. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

Ched Evans was found guilty of raping a teenage girl at a Premier Inn hotel . The former Premier League striker served half of a five-year sentence . Evans has maintained his innocence despite being found guilty . He has struggled to find a new club since his release from prison .

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Brian Clough famously used to say his England goalkeeper Peter Shilton was worth 18 points a season when Nottingham Forest were winning league titles and European Cups. Well, David de Gea could beat even that – on current form he is going to earn Manchester United an extra 24 points in this campaign. In the last two months, De Gea has helped turn likely defeats against Everton and Arsenal into victories, and enabled them to draw with Chelsea and beat Stoke City. David de Gea punches the air in celebration after his saves helped earn Manchester United three more points . Juan Mata congratulates his club and international team-mate after the keeper had earned yet more points . Those extra nine points won buy United in the first 14 matches equate to 24 points over a 38-game season. And without the super Spaniard, United would be sitting in 11th place with 16 points – not in a top-four Champions League spot. This is how De Gea's influence can be broken down. October 5 – Man Utd 2 Everton 1 Points saved: Three . It is no exaggeration to say United could have lost, let alone drawn, against Everton had it not been for De Gea's heroics. His first vital intervention was to save a penalty from Leighton Baines – diving low to his right to get a strong hand to the spot-kick, the first one Baines had missed in 15 penalty attempts. Leighton Baines sees his penalty saved, the first time the Englishman had been denied from the spot . Then, with Everton pushing for a late equaliser, De Gea made a flying save to tip away a shot from Leon Osman and followed up with an incredible leap to get his fingertips to a Bryan Ovideo half-volley that was heading for the postage stamp in the very top corner. He was immediately mobbed by Marcos Rojo and other United defenders while Everton boss Roberto Martinez put his head in his hands on the touchline. Once United had taken the lead De Gea kept them in front with a stunning double save to deny Everton . October 26 – Man Utd 1 Chelsea 1 Points saved: One . Robin van Persie's injury-time equaliser gave United a massive pyschological lift for the remainder of the season, but Chelsea would already have been out of sight if not for De Gea. The Spaniard showed good judgement and reflexes to save from Didier Drogba and Eden Hazard in one-against-one situations, Hazard couldn't believe he had been denied with his clever low finish to the corner. Even more critically, once Chelsea had gone in front through Drogba, De Gea kept out a rising shot from Willian that would have given the unassailable 2-0 lead. Not only did he stop the 25-yard drive, he caught it – and was able to immediately launch a United counter-attack. November 22 – Arsenal 1 Man Utd 2 Points saved: Three . Both managers said afterwards Arsenal had been the better team at The Emirates. The home side ended up empty-handed though because of their nine shots on target, only one beat De Gea – and that was a late effort from Oliver Giroud when it was too late. De Gea does brilliantly to deny Jack Wilshere as Arsenal dominated the game but could not take the lead . The Spanish keeper saved eight of Arsenal's nine shots on target, and United snatched all three points . De Gea wasn't even a guaranteed starter after dislocating his finger on international duty with Spain, but you couldn't tell as he made a string of saves, most notably from Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and his former United team-mate Danny Welbeck. December 2 – Man Utd 2 Stoke City 1 Points saved: Two . Praised by manager Louis van Gaal for keeping his 'concentration and focus' after two fantastic late saves to earn United a win having previously been a spectator for 89 minutes. Mame Diouf's late header would have put Stoke level, but De Gea made a sharp stop to preserve United's lead . It was clear to see how much another win, United's fourth on the bounce, meant to the young Spanish stopper . First, he somehow managed to block a bullet header from Biram Mame Diouf right on the line with a combination of arms, legs and body when the Stoke forward couldn't have been more than four yards out. And with Stoke pressing, he then stopped a fierce drive by Marko Arnautovic at point-blank range . TOTAL POINTS SAVED BY DE GEA – NINE .

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has been in superb form . De Gea made crucial saves against Everton, Chelsea, Arsenal and Stoke . Without their keeper, United would be in 11th position in the league . With De Gea's heroics Louis van Gaal's team are currently fourth .

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Liverpool owner John Henry has responded to fans over their protest over ticket prices – but supporters have said they will continue to protest until a meeting with the club is organised. Liverpool supporters union The Spirit of Shankly and fans group Spion Kop 1906 wrote an open letter to the owner saying they will stop flying their protest flags when the club arrange a meeting to discuss the high ticket prices. Jay McKenna, Spirit of Shankly chairman, told the Liverpool ECHO: ‘John Henry has replied saying the club will be in contact. As yet we haven’t had confirmation of a meeting. Liverpool fans hold banners protesting at the cost of rising ticket prices at Anfield . ‘As far as we’re concerned until they contact us and tell us there’s a meeting we continue as we are doing. ‘This weekend and December 9 we’re still objecting and will do so until they make contact.’ Fans held a protest during Saturday’s win over Stoke where they replaced their traditional flags and banners with protest ones over the rising ticket prices. Liverpool fans make their feelings clear with a banner complaining at the ticket prices . Flags pointed out that the price of tickets increased from £4 in 1990 to £24 in 2000, then to £43 in 2010. A fourth flag had the year 2020 on with a question mark indicating fans’ fears over what prices could rise to. A huge banner was also emblazoned with the words ‘Let me tell you a story of a poor boy”, the first line of the Reds’ anthem Scouser Tommy. This season the most expensive single match adult ticket at Anfield now costs £59, while the cheapest is £37. Liverpool owner John Henry has made contact with the groups - but no meeting has been arranged yet . The open letter to Mr Henry read: ‘This isn’t merely a withdrawal of our ‘support’. It’s because we support the team and this football club so much that we persist in protesting. No, this is something much bigger. It is a warning of what is to come.’ Fans fear they will continue to be priced out of the game by the rising prices and want to discuss this with the club before it goes too far.

Liverpool fans held banners protesting the rising cost of tickets at Anfield . In 1990 a ticket to watch Liverpool cost £4, by 2010 it had risen to £43 . Supporters groups want a meeting with the club to discuss ticket prices . John Henry replied to an open letter sent to the Liverpool owner .

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Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old boy shot dead by a Cleveland police officer who mistook his pellet gun for a real weapon last month, has been laid to rest. Two hundred mourners, many wearing white 'R.I.P. Tamir' t-shirts, paid their respects to the young boy at his funeral service at Mount Sinai Baptist Church in Cleveland on Wednesday morning. The boy's mother, Samaria Rice, hid behind sunglasses as she took her seat next to the boy's father, Leonard Warner, and their daughters, while mourners pored over photographs of Tamir. During the service, the boy's great-uncle called for people to fight for change through peaceful protest and called for the congregation to give Tamir a voice. Heartbroken: Samaria Rice, center, leaves the funeral services of her son Tamir Rice in Cleveland on Wednesday, 10 days after he was shot by a police officer who thought he was carrying a real gun . Tragic: Pallbearers carry out the 12-year-old boy's casket from Gaines Funeral Home on Wednesday . Devastated: Mourners break down in sobs as the casket leaves the funeral home on Wednesday . 'Tamir can no longer speak for himself. This is why Tamir must live through us. We must now be his voice,' Michael Petty said. 'Through us, Tamir will be heard from the grave. Through us, Tamir will prevent further senseless shootings... not only in Cleveland, but in this nation.' He added that police need to change how they train officers and take a closer look at how they communicate with dispatchers after messages were apparently not properly relayed to the officers in Tamir's case. 'We must now be his advocate for change and reform,' Petty said, NBC reported. 'Through peaceful protest, civil disobedience, and legislation, Tamir will be heard.' A teacher who taught Tamir at Marion C. Seltzer Elementary School also spoke at the services and said he was 'well liked' but 'would laugh and talk with students he didn't even know'. She said that while he loved to draw and play basketball, he was sometimes challenged by school work. She then turned to Tamir's mother. Loved: A mourner hold a program showing the boy, who was shot dead by the officer on November 22 . Tribute: One of Tamir's teachers, Carletta Goodwin, told mourners he had been a 'well liked' student . Support: Tamir's uncle, Michael Petty, left, embraces pastor Jay Matthews as pastor Henry Curie (R) looks on during the funeral. Petty called on the congregation to give Tamir a voice through peaceful protests . Remembered: A mourner reads the obituary from the program during the service in Cleveland . Memories: Mourners look at photographs of Tamir before his funeral begins on Wednesday morning . 'I thank you for your son's life,' she said. 'He will be greatly missed.' The youngster was remembered 10 days after 26-year-old rookie cop Timothy Loehmann fatally shot him in a city park following a 911 call saying the boy was 'waving around a gun' and pointing it at people. It has since emerged that the 911 dispatcher did not rely the caller's comments that the weapon might be fake, and the officer shot the boy less that two seconds after he arrived on the scene. Footage of the incident shows the officers pulling up beside the boy in a park and yelling at him to put his hands up, authorities say. But rather than raise his hands, the boy apparently reaches towards his waist band and Loehmann shoots the boy. He died the following day. After the shooting, it emerged that the boy was just 12 and was carrying a replica 'airsoft' gun. Airsoft guns fire non-lethal spherical plastic pellets and have orange tips to show they aren't real firearms, but police said the one the boy had didn't have the bright safety indicator, making it indistinguishable from a real firearm. Following his death, protesters demonstrated in the street and blocked up major intersections. Final moments: In footage released by the Cleveland Police Department, a police car pulls up alongside the boy. But rather than raise his hands, his reaches for his belt line, they claim. He was then shot . Sadness: After the 12-year-old's death - and in the wake of the grand jury's decision not to indict Michael Brown's killer in Ferguson - protesters took to the streets in Cleveland to call for change . Shooter: Rookie officer Tim Loehmann, pictured left, was put on leave after the shooting. It has since emerged that he previously left another police department after his seniors said he lacked maturity . The rallies came a day after a grand jury announced they would not indict Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson for shooting dead Michael Brown, another black, unarmed youth. Loehmann had only joined the Cleveland police in March after spending six months in 2012 with the police department in suburban Independence. Personnel files released on Wednesday that showed police supervisors in Independence decided he lacked the maturity needed to work in their department. A letter in his file said there was a pattern of a lack of indiscretion and of not following instructions. 'In law enforcement there are times when instructions need be followed to the letter, and I am under the impression Ptl. Loehmann, under certain circumstances, will not react in the way instructed,' the letter said. Loehmann resigned from the Independence police department in December 2012 after meeting his supervisors about their concerns. A grand jury will now consider whether charges are merited.

Tamir Rice was fatally shot by officer Timothy Loehmann after 'waving around' a fake gun in a Cleveland park on November 22 . On Wednesday, 200 mourners gathered for the boy's funeral . At the service, his great-uncle called for the congregation to give Tamir a voice through peaceful protests to prevent further shootings . He also called for better training for dispatchers, after the dispatcher who took the 911 call about Tamir failed to tell officers the gun might be fake . Loehmann previously worked for the Independence police but left after his seniors said he lacked maturity and did not follow instructions . A grand jury will now decide whether or not to bring charges .

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Two of America's top restaurants are set to adopt a new system that will force diners to pay for their meal when they book a reservation - in the hopes of curbing dinner cancelations. New York's Per Se and Napa Valley's The French Laundry, both owned by acclaimed chef Thomas Keller, will begin using Tock, a booking system created by restaurateur Nick Kokonas that's slated to launch in early 2015. Tock requires customers to reserve tables online and pay the full amount of the restaurant's prix fixe tasting menu - including service charges - in advance, so that the post-meal bill includes only drinks. Tickets are non-refundable. Scroll down for video . Pre-paid meals: New York's Per Se (pictured) and Napa Valley's The French Laundry, both owned by acclaimed chef Thomas Keller, will begin using Tock, a booking system that's slated to launch in early 2015 . Both of Mr Keller's famed restaurants offer extravagant eight-course tasting menus; the price of Per Se's is $310, while dinner at French Laundry costs $295. Mr Kokonas began using a pilot version of the software in Alinea and Next, two Chicago establishments that he co-owns with Grant Achtaz, in 2012. 'Per Se and The French Laundry will work exactly like Alinea. Pre-purchase of the tasting menu, phone call to every guest,' he told Eater. Other eateries that have tested an early version of Tock include San Francisco's Coi, Los Angeles' Trois Mec and Wylie Dufresne's recently closed New York spot WD~50. Mr Kokonas will charge restaurants a $695 monthly fee for unlimited use of the program, which will help owners ensure that last-minute cancellations don't affect their profits. Be our guest: Mr Keller said that Tock will make it easier for diners to book reservations at The French Laundry (pictured) Coi's owner, Bay Area chef Daniel Patterson, told the New York Times that Tock is perfect for his new restaurant Aster, which has only four seats and offers a tasting menu that features expensive ingredients such as spiny lobster. 'When there is a limited supply, Tock works really well,' he said. Earlier this week, Mr Keller told Inside Scoop SF that the new system will improve the experience of booking reservations at his restaurants, which previously required diners to call a month in advance. 'Right now when you call for a reservation at 10 a.m., 90per cent of the time you’ll get a busy signal,' he said of French Laundry. 'Then the majority of our guests who get through get the response of "Sorry we’re booked." Now they are disappointed they didn’t get a reservations. This affords certainly more transparency and more opportunity to get a reservation without the frustration of calling and getting a busy signal.'

Tock, a pre-paid booking system created by Chicago restaurateur Nick Kokonas, is set to launch in early 2015 .

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A photographer has weathered some of America's most violent storms to capture these stunning snaps. Storm chaser Mike Mezeul II, 30, has travelled all over the US to shoot the likes of mammoth thunderstorms and surreal cloud patterns. His incredible collection of storm images are the result of more than 15 years of photography and thousands of miles of travel. Thunder and lightning strike over Denton, Texas, captured perfectly by storm-chaser Mike Mezeul II . Mike is pictured here waiting for the storm at Cheyenne, Wyoming; he has travelled all over the US to shoot the incredible scenes . A tornado gathers energy in Blanchard, Oklahoma; MIke has weathered some of Americas most violent storms to capture the snaps . The photographer, from Frisco in Texas, USA, became interested in storm chasing aged 16 when he got his first car. He has since shot ferocious storms as far north as the Canadian border and as far south as Mexico. He said: 'Storm photography is fun and definitely an adrenaline rush but there are dangers. A cloud-to-ground lightning bolt strikes over Albany, Texas as the Milky Way shines above . The waves and clouds reflect each other at Lake Lewisville, Lewisville, Texas; Mike became interested in storm chasing aged 16 . A tornado gathering energy at Chickasha, Oklahoma, and right, the storm-chaser himself MIke Mezeul II . Multiple cloud-to-ground lightning bolts strike down at sunset from a supercell near Throckmorton, Texas . Mammatus clouds glow various colors over a dirt road in Friona, Western Texas during a severe thunderstorm . 'My photography is completely self-taught so there was a lot of trial and error at the beginning. 'But after a few years, I figured out how to confidently capture lightning and all forms of severe weather associated with thunderstorms. 'This included long exposures, filters and most importantly how to do it safely.' Multiple cloud-to-ground lightning bolts strike down at sunset from a supercell near Throckmorton, Texas . A severe thunderstorm lights up from intercloud lightning over Graham, Texas; Mike has shot ferocious storms as far north as the Canadian border and as far south as Mexico . A storm brewing over fields in Ringling, Oklahoma; Mike's words of warning: 'You have to be smart enough to know when enough is enough and when to get out and how' Mike capturing the storm in Big Spring, Texas; the images are the result of more than 15 years of photography and thousands of miles of travel . A storm circles in Courtney, Oklahoma; Mike has captured mammoth thunderstorms and surreal cloud patterns . Mike spends days monitoring forecasts in the build-up to storms. Around three days prior to one forming he has rough idea of the areas in which he hopes to photograph the event. He added: 'You have to be smart enough to know when enough is enough and when to get out and how. 'You also have to understand as much as you may know about a storm, Mother Nature is still in charge and things can change in a blink.'

Storm chaser Mike Mezeul II, 30, has travelled all over the US capturing spectacular sights . Research has taken 15 years of photography and thousands of miles of travel . Mezeul warns storm enthusiasts to know 'when time is right to get out, and how'

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The sun is entering an unusually heavy period of solar activity, and the poor planet Earth is bearing the brunt of it. Luckily for us earthlings, any disturbance we experienced from the latest outbursts were simply an extraordinary display of the aurora borealis, or the Northern Lights. The spectacular lights display, caused by radiation hitting the upper reaches of our atmosphere, are not being true to their name after being seen as far south as Iowa, Nebraska and Maryland in the United States which, relative to Europe, are about as far South as southern Spain and the Mediterranean. Solar flares: A European visitor to the Badlands, South Dakota, took these pictures of the aurora, much further south than they should be . Aurora were seen as far south as Ocean City, Maryland. This photo was taken by a camper on the shores of Assateague Island, facing north . The speckled face of the sun: These sunspots, particularly 1504, have peaked over the last few days . In the early hours of Saturday morning, the combined effects of two coronal . mass ejections from a sunspot which Nasa named AR 1504, passed NASA's Advanced Composition Explorer . (ACE) spacecraft on the way toward Earth's protective magnetic bubble, . the magnetosphere. ACE is approximately 900,000 miles from Earth and can . detect such incoming shocks about 30-45 minutes before they hit the . magnetosphere - a handy early-warning system. Simulations performed at NASA Goddard's Space . Weather Center indicate that the disturbance strongly compressed the . magnetopause, ultimately to a minimum of approximately 24,000 miles from . Earth's surface at 6:28 PM EDT. This is an altitude some 2,000 miles . lower than spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit. The Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of an M1.2 class flare on June 13, 2012. The sun is shown here in teal as this is the color typically used to represent light in the 131 Angstrom wavelength, a wavelength particularly good for observing flares . The changing shape . of Earth's magnetopause also influenced the aurora, causing bright . aurora to be seen at lower latitudes than normal. An active region on the sun, numbered AR 1504, rotated into view over the left side of the sun on June 10, 2012. The region fired off flares and two coronal mass ejections on June 13 and June 14, 2012. The first flare lasted for a relatively long three hours, peaking on June 13, 2012. The associated CME traveled at approximately 375 miles per second and is directed toward Earth. The second M-class flare was also a long-duration flare, and it peaked on June 14, 2012. The CME associated with this flare . travelled much faster – preliminary analysis at Goddard's Space Weather . Center indicated it was traveling at speeds of approximately 800 miles . per second. Big bang: The longest and highest-energy light ever emitted from a solar blast was detected on March 7 by a Nasa telescope . Going the distance: Fermi's LAT detected high-energy gamma rays for about 20 hours, two-and-a-half times longer than any event on record . The longest and highest-energy light ever emitted from a solar blast was detected earlier this year. Nasa's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope recorded the powerful eruption on the surface of the sun on March 7. The flare . produced such an outpouring of gamma rays - a form of light with even . greater energy than X-rays - that the sun briefly became the brightest . object in the gamma-ray sky. The powerful March 7 flare, which . earned a classification of X5.4 based on the peak intensity of its . X-rays, is the strongest eruption so far observed by Fermi's Large Area . Telescope (LAT). Nicola Omodei, an astrophysicist at Stanford University in California, said: 'For . most of Fermi's four years in orbit, its LAT saw the sun as a faint, . steady gamma-ray source thanks to the impacts of high-speed particles . called cosmic rays. 'Now we're beginning to see what the sun itself can do.' The sun's activity waxes and wanes on a roughly 11-year space weather cycle. This cycle began in 2008 and is expected to hit its peak in 2013.

Sun's high level of activity causing Earth to be buffeted by solar emissions . Outbursts over the weekend led to Northern Light displays across America .

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Three times as many children have tried e-cigarettes as have smoked tobacco, figures show. They have prompted concern that e-cigs are acting as a ‘nicotine gateway’ for children luring them to back to more harmful cigarettes. A study of 1,601 pupils aged 10 and 11 in Wales found that six per cent had tried e-cigs compared to just two per cent who had smoked tobacco. Furthermore, those who had tried the devices were seven times more likely to admit they might take up smoking within the next two years. A study of 1,601 pupils aged 10 and 11 in Wales found that six per cent had tried e-cigarettes, compared with just two per cent who had smoked tobacco (file image) Some 14 per cent of those who’d tried e-cigs said they might start compared to just two per cent of children who’d never tried. The battery-operated devices resemble pens or cigarettes and they contain a liquid form of nicotine that give users the same rush as smoking. They are used by an estimated one million Britons trying to give up smoking but concerns have also been raised that they are luring children on to tobacco. The study was only carried out on Welsh pupils and Public Health England said its own similar survey had found just two per cent of children had tried them. Nonetheless campaigners said the findings showed the need to keep a ‘watchful eye’ on their use. Mark Drakeford, health minister for Wales said: ‘These latest findings shine further light on the potential impact of e-cigarettes on our children and young people. ‘I am concerned the use of e-cigarettes may act as a gateway to and re-normalise smoking, especially for a generation who have grown up in a largely smoke-free society.' Dr Penny Woods, chief executive of the British Lung Foundation said: ‘This research is interesting in that it is the first survey of its kind in the UK to find the number of children who have tried e-cigarettes to be higher than the number who have tried smoking. Experts have raised concerns that the devices are acting as 'nicotine gateways' luring children to smoke . ‘This again emphasises that e-cigarettes are still an emerging and evolving technology, and that we need to keep a watchful eye on how they are being used, particularly by children. Although there is no evidence that vaping (smoking an e-cig) is anywhere near as harmful as smoking, e-cigarettes are not recommended for children or non-smokers, at least until more research has been conducted into their long-term health impacts. ‘That said, these data on their own don’t provide clear evidence of the so-called ‘gateway effect’ of e-cigarette use leading to sustained smoking. ‘Research suggests that smoking rates amongst UK children overall, while still too high, have continued to decline since the emergence of e-cigarettes last decade.’

Study of 1,601 pupils aged 10 and 11 in Wales found 6% had tried e-cigs . That compared with just 2% who had smoked regular tobacco . Experts have warned devices act as a 'nicotine gateway' for children . Say they are luring young people back to more harmful cigarettes . Those who'd tried e-cigs were seven times more likely to admit they might take up regular smoking within the next two years .

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Designer Donna Karan has revealed how she managed to avoid falling prey to the stressful 'chaos' of living and working in New York City, while creating three globally-successful fashion labels. In an interview with The New Potato, the 66-year-old admits that, while New York has helped to inspire and influence her clothing designs, the madness of city living can sometimes prove too much. Speaking about her newly-launched clothing and accessories line Urban Zen, which is targeted at an older audience than her popular DKNY designs, Donna explains how she has slowed the pace of her own often-manic lifestyle and carved out her own peaceful sanctuary in the heart of New York. Scroll down for video . Staying active: Designer Donna Karan has been doing yoga since the age of 18 and says she feels totally comfortable with . 'New York has been my inspiration,' she says. 'Because of the craziness of New York, I started Urban Zen to find the calm in the chaos of the city we live in and love. Being down here, in this loft at Urban Zen, is sort of an escape.' The new line entirely different from her DKNY and Donna Karan collections, both of which have proved to be incredibly popular the world over. But Urban Zen marks a move away from more mainstream fashion, in favor of comfortable, yet chic, styles which are as suitable for a yoga class as they would be for a dinner date, and are a clear reflection of Donna's low-key lifestyle. 'Anything that I don’t have to get dressed for, or put on make-up, I love,' she jokes. When it comes to achieving the perfect lifestyle balance, Donna has learned to embrace those activities that she enjoys the most - specifically yoga and food. Building an urban sanctuary: The 66-year-old's newest label Urban Zen is targeted at a more 'yoga-minded' woman . 'I get up every morning and have my protein drink from We Care,' she says. 'In the afternoon I have to have soup and salad, usually a green soup. I also like green juices. I love Italian food, especially Tutto il Giorno and Bar Pitti... 'I started doing yoga when I was eighteen years old, so I started at a very young age. It was something that I felt comfortable with. I love being on a mat; I love having a teacher; I love going inside, because I’m constantly outside.' But while Donna has learned to find the perfect balance when it comes to city living, she suggests the ability can only come with years of experience, something which she feels is reflected in the attitudes and lifestyles of the different age groups each of her lines is targeted at. Describing 'the Donna Karan woman' as someone who is constantly on the move, while working at an executive level position, Donna stresses that DKNY's customers tend to be more young, urban people who are 'constantly looking for jobs'. Park life: Speaking about her home, which is next to one of New York's green spaces, Donna confesses that if she isn't near nature, she 'gets really nasty' When it comes to Urban Zen, the label's most devoted fans tend to be 'a little bit more yoga-minded' and bohemian, with a strong focus on body and movement. Speaking about her own lifestyle, Donna makes clear that she is leaning more towards the Urban Zen way of living, describing yoga, something which she has been doing since the age of 18, as one of her central focuses. Donna also stresses her love of nature and confesses that being close to an open, green space - in her case, a city park - helps her to find focus. 'I live on the park, so in that sense, I make sure that I have nature around me,' she says. 'I have to be in nature, because if I’m not I get really nasty.'

The 66-year-old designer described New York City as her 'inspiration' but admitted she finds the lifestyle incredibly hectic . Donna also confessed that if she isn't near nature, she 'gets nasty'

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Leicester City have opened an investigation into the altercation between manager Nigel Pearson and some of his own club's fans in Tuesday night's defeat by Liverpool. Leicester remained bottom of the table after a 3-1 defeat to the Merseyside club at the King Power Stadium. Pearson opts to sit amongst the fans instead of occupying the touchline, but with the club struggling in the league it left him exposed to criticism and in a heated exchange he hit back. Leicester manager Nigel Pearson positions himself in the stands, where he is surrounded by supporters . Leicester lost 3-1 against Liverpool on Tuesday night in the Premier League as they remain bottom . A Leicester City spokesman said: 'We are aware of an incident that took place during Tuesday night's match and are looking into the matter to establish a full and accurate account of proceedings. 'Once the facts have been determined and suitably corroborated, we will decide what next steps, if any, should be taken.' After the 3-1 loss on Tuesday, Pearson hit out at the 'irritating' pundits on Sky Sports along with some of Leicester's supporters. The Foxes' boss saw his side surrender a lead against the Reds, a result which leaves them rooted to the foot of the Premier League table. And Pearson was clearly irked in the immediate aftermath when addressing the problems at his door. Pearson: 'I replied to one idiot in the stands and if he doesn't like what he sees, then don't bother coming' He admitted to telling one fan not to bother returning to the King Power Stadium if they aren't prepared to show support. Pearson positions himself in the stands, where he is surrounded by supporters, instead of on the touchline because the 51-year-old feels it gives him a better tactical point of view. But the manager was subject to criticism on Tuesday. 'I replied to one idiot in the stands and if he doesn't like what he sees, then don't bother coming,' Pearson told SkySports. 'Maybe they ought to think about staying at home, we need support their support. We've worked hard tonight and will continue to do so.' Leicester took the lead after Leonardo Ulloa shot rebounded off the post and in off Simon Mignolet's back . The advantage didn't last, though, as Adam Lallana hit back with this left-footed strike . Steven Gerrard put Liverpool in front with their second and celebrated in emphatic fashion . Jordan Henderson was on the spot to score after Raheem Sterling's clever back heel to wrap things up . And he then turned on the broadcaster in his press conference, saying: 'I find some of the - I don't know what you call them - presenters are particularly irritating.' It was Leicester's second defeat in four days after last year's Championship winners were beaten 3-2 by Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on Saturday. Pearson's men visit Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, who recorded their first win since September 13 with a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Tuesday.

Nigel Pearson said he  told fans to stay away if they only come to criticise . Leicester has begun an investigation into Pearson's clash with fans . 'I replied to one idiot in the stands and if he doesn't like what he sees, then don't bother coming,' Pearson said after losing 3-1 against Liverpool . Leicester manager has seen his side pick up just 10 points from 14 games .

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Civil rights activist Amelia Boynton Robinson, pictured in 2011. In a new interview she says she fears skin color will matter for another 100 years . A 103-year-old activist who featured in an iconic 1965 picture has recalled the moment she was beaten unconscious during a civil rights march saying she fears skin color will matter for another 100 years. Amelia Boynton Robinson, was beaten by police during a march in Alabama almost 50 years ago, which became known as Bloody Sunday. The image of her lying on the ground being helped by a passer-by shocked America and the world and the story is part of a brand new film about the civil rights movement called Selma. Racial tensions have been brought to the fore once again across the U.S. after unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was shot dead by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri in August. The shooting sparked protests across the state last month when a grand jury decided not to indict the police officer. And in an interview with the New York Post, Mrs Boynton Robinson, spoke of how she had been disturbed by the recent events in Ferguson. She told the newspaper: 'I still see a lot of discrimination. I don't think it will be until another 100 years that people will be truly colorblind.' Mrs Boynton Robinson first came to worldwide attention in 1965 when she helped organise civil and voting rights marches from the town of Selma to Alabama's state capital of Montgomery. The marches came after it was revealed 50 per cent of the population of Selma was black, but only one per cent were registered to vote. But the first march descended into chaos when the 600-strong group crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge and state police began to beat them. Mrs Boynton Robinson was beaten unconscious before having tear gas sprayed into her eyes and mouth. Mrs Boynton Robinson first came to worldwide attention in 1965 when images of her being helped by a stranger after being beaten unconscious by state police shocked America . The story of the three Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965 will form part of the story of a new film called Selma about Martin Luther King, which is released on Christmas Day . She recalled: 'They came from the right. They came from the left. One of the troopers shouted "Run!" I thought "Why should I be running?" 'Then an officer on horseback hit me across the back of the shoulders and, for a second time, on the back of the neck. I lost consciousness.' Fortunately, a young man saw her and dragged her to the safety of an ambulance, with the image of her being helped becoming a well-known picture in the civil rights struggle. And despite her injuries, she took part in a further two marches, just months before the Voting Rights Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Racial tensions have come to fore once again in the U.S. recently after unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, pictured, was shot dead by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri in August . People took to the streets of Ferguson to protest after a grand jury chose not to press charges against the officer who shot the teenager dead . Mrs Boynton Robinson said in the interview that she had been disturbed by the recent events in Ferguson following Michael Brown's shooting . The new film Selma focuses on Martin Luther King and the three marches which Mrs Boynton Robinson took part in. Orange Is The New Black actress Lorraine Toussaint, will play Mrs Boyton Robinson in the movie, which also stars Oprah Winfrey, Cuba Gooding Junior and Tom Wilkinson and is out on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, Michael Brown's stepfather has said sorry for his controversial and incendiary chants aimed towards the unarmed teen's supporters the night of the grand jury decision not to indict Officer Wilson. The stepfather of Michael Brown, Louis Head, pictured with Brown's mother Lesley McSpadden. He has apologised for controversial comments following the decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson . The apology comes one day after Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson said that his department was actively pursuing an investigation into whether Louis Head incited the riots that left parts of the city a burning wreck. Head, who is married to Brown's mother, apologized to those 'who read my pain and anger as a true desire for what I want for our community. It wasn't.' He said that he feels he is being unfairly blamed for the chaos that followed his outburst, which was videoed by the New York Times on November 24, moments after the grand jury decision came in.

Amelia Boynton Robinson was beaten unconscious during a march in 1965 . Activist was raising awareness of low black voter numbers in Alabama . Image of her being helped into an ambulance gained worldwide attention . Now 103-year-old has said she has been disturbed by protests in Ferguson . Fears that the color of a person's skin will matter for another 100 years . Comes after unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was shot dead by police earlier this year .

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Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng believes he has the qualities to become Germany's first black captain. When Philipp Lahm retired after winning the World Cup in July, Bastian Schweinsteiger succeeded him as Germany skipper, but Boateng says he wants to lead out the world champions in the future. Boateng, whose father comes from Ghana, has already made 50 international appearances since making his Germany debut in 2009. Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng has set his sights on becoming Germany's first black manager . Boateng, whose father comes from Ghana, has already made 50 international appearances for Germany . Debut: 10/10/09 vs Russia . Caps: 50 . Goals: None . Trophies won: World Cup 2014 . The 26-year-old centre back briefly took over the captain's armband during a Germany friendly against Argentina in 2012, but says he would be honoured to get the job full-time. 'I had it briefly on my arm during an international, but it would be something completely different to be allowed to lead the team onto the pitch,' he told German magazine Sport Bild. Berlin-born Boateng cemented his place in Germany's starting line-up during the victorious Brazil 2014 World Cup campaign and says he has proven himself as captaincy material to head coach Joachim Low. Philipp Lahm retired from international football in the summer and Bastian Schweinsteiger took the armband . The former Manchester City defender has achieved considerable success with both his club and country . 'The coach sees that I'm not someone who shouts his head off on the pitch, but takes leadership with his performances,' said Boateng. 'Besides, it shouldn't actually matter what colour a person's skin is, I see myself as German and like to show that.' Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who captained Germany recently in Schweinsteiger's absence, and defensive midfielder Sami Khedira are other candidates to skipper the side. Germany have struggled for form since winning their fourth World Cup and are third in their Euro 2016 qualifying group after a shock defeat to Poland and draw with Ireland.

Philipp Lahm retired from international football in the summer . Bastian Schweinsteiger took over the role as Germany captain . But his Bayern Munich team-mate Jerome Boateng wants the job . Boateng believes he has the qualities to be captain in the future . Germany have never had a permanent black captain before .

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Chinese villagers are suffering unsightly, painful and swellings all over their bodies as a result of heavy metal poisoning from soil and water. Villagers in Sahecun village, in southern China, are suffering severe health problems – including aching bones - due to pollution caused by a lead mine that closed more than a decade ago. Government tests confirmed soaring rates of poisonous metals in the soil and water nine years ago. But a clean-up operation ordered at the time stopped shortly after, so the area has remained contaminated for years. Villagers from Sahecun, in southern China, are suffering from hideous swellings caused by heavy metal pollution from a mine that closed a decade ago. Huang Guiqiang, 58, said: 'The lumps over my body are incredibly painful, and interspersed occasionally with periods where I can't feel anything at all in my body' Guiqiang's second oldest brother Huang Fuqiang, 61, also developed the swellings, which left him confined to his bed. The pair's older brother died last year, having been bedridden for 10 years . One of the villagers, Huang Guiqiang, 58, can no longer work due to the swellings. He said: 'I noticed symptoms at the turn of the century, when I was feeling weak and listless and was no longer able to work. 'The lumps over my body are incredibly painful, and interspersed occasionally with periods where I can't feel anything at all in my body.' He said he had been helped with the cost of visiting hospital in the nearby city, where he was diagnosed as suffering from severe cadmium poisoning. Cadmium is toxic metal, which has a destructive impact on most of the body's systems if high levels are ingested. Since his diagnosis, Huang Guiqiang said little has been done to help treat the condition. The villagers still breed fish in ponds, knowing that the fish will grow up contaminated. Huang Guiqiang said: 'What choice do we have. If we don't breed fish, we won't have anything else to eat.' Guangxi Environment and Geology Research Center found the cadmium content in water in the area was 17.4 times higher than the national standard, CRI English reports. And the metal content in the region's soil was even higher – at 29.1 times higher than the national standard, the investigation, which was carried out in 2000, found. Guiqiang's second oldest brother Huang Fuqiang, 61, also began experiencing similar symptoms around the same time, growing a large number of unexplained lumps on his hands and feet, which left him confined to his bed. The pair's oldest brother, Huang Jinqiang, who was also a sufferer, died last year, having been bedridden by the disease for 10 years. Others in the village have been diagnosed with ostealgia - a medical condition that results in acute pain in the bones, CRI English reports. In the 1950s, villagers were given well-paid jobs when Government officials authorised the mining of zinc and lead in the region. The area is severely contaminated as a result of the mining work that went on there. State sanctioned tests carried out in 2005 confirmed high levels of metals in the soil and water, but a clean up operation has stalled . The mine brought money to the area, allowing the villagers to build themselves good homes, roads and schools that would never have been possible before. For 40 years, locals benefited from the money flowing in to the local economy from the mine, but by the 1990s the mine was exhausted, and was closed down, and the money and the jobs dried up. Villagers who then tried to return to farming found that their rice fields had been contaminated from the water that leaked from the mine into the irrigation network over their arable land. Crops struggled to grow, and the food made people sick. In the end, the only way they could afford to eat was to turn the rice fields into shallow pools where they bred fish. But these too were infected and have been making locals ill. Environmental experts sent to the village, which is in Daxin County in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, have confirmed the area is severely contaminated as a result of the mining work that went on there. And despite stripping away contaminated soil and replacing it, the pollution always seeps back to the surface or washes over the new soil every time it rains. AFter the mine closed more than a decade ago, the only way the villagers could eat was to turn the rice fileds into shallow pools where they bred fish. Some villagers still breed fish, knowing they will become ill. The contaminated rice fields are pictured here . Huang Fugiang was diagnosed with severe cadmium poisoning which is causing his illness. Many young people have left the village, but older people with fewer job opportunities have nowhere to go . For those left behind with no opportunity to relocate, their bodies are slowly mutating and bending out of shape as a result of disease caused by the pollution. Most say they do not know exactly what is wrong with them, but suffer horrific lumps and contusions which leave them in pain. In 2005, the state sanctioned tests on the conditions of soil and water in the region, confirming the widespread contamination caused by the former zinc and lead mining industry. Although a clean-up was ordered it lasted only a few months before grinding to a halt. Since then the villagers say they have heard nothing. Now the village is home to only the elderly after much of the younger generation left to look for better and healthier lives in the bigger cities.

Villagers in Sahecun suffer abnormal swellings all over their bodies . Swellings are painful, and the people are tired and weak, unable to work . One man was diagnosed as suffering severe cadmium poisoning . Others have been diagnosed with ostealgia - acute pain in the bones . Water and soil in the area polluted due to a lead mine that is now closed . Mine went bankrupt over a decade ago but did not clean up pollution . Many young people have left, but some villagers have nowhere else to go . They still breed fish in ponds in the area, knowing they are contaminated .

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Riots broke out at a high school in Sweden today after a female student allegedly named and posted pictures of local 13 and 14-year-old girls, calling them 'sluts'. Running battles were fought with police as students gathered outside Plusgymnasiet high school in Gothenburg where the accused student is believed to study. Trouble started when an Instagram account was set up calling out for 'Sluts in Gothenburg' on which the pictures, names and the sexual activities of young teen girls were then uploaded. The number of followers swelled to 8,000. Once the Instagram account was . shut down, allegations as to who was behind it then appeared on a Facebook page. Mobbed: Students mobbed cars outside Plusgymnasiet high school in Gothenburg after one of its student is alleged to have uploaded images and names of 13-year-old girls to Instagram, calling them sluts . Out of control: Students start to run around the side of the building after gathering outside the school in search of the 17-year-old accused of posting the images . Running riot: Protesters charge off down the street and later regroup at a shopping mall in central Gothenburg . Names of suspects started to circulate and comments became violent. Another Facebook page called for . people to assemble at the school of the 17-year-old girl who is alleged to . have posted the initial 'slut request' and pictures of . the underage girls. One 22-year-old Gothenburg resident told local media: 'There were pictures of my younger siblings and my friends born around 1997 and upwards that were uploaded.' At 8.30am today police were called to the school as students threw missiles, jumped on cars and kicked down lampposts. Streets around the school were blocked off by mounted policemen and city buses were used to shuttle people away from the scene. A spokesman for the school told local media that the accused student was 'taken out of harm's way.' The protesters eventually dispersed only for police to be called to a central Gothenburg shopping mall where shoppers were reportedly taking cover in shops as the rioters regrouped. The incident comes on the day after as it emerged that new policies governing Instagram, the popular image-sharing site, recently purchased by Facebook, would enable it to use members' names and images alongside marketing messages. It raises fears that that images of its users as young as 13 could be exploited. Founded in 2010, Instagram is a free . photo-sharing program and social network that allows users to share their pictures with other . Instagram users, of which there are an estimated 100 million. VIDEO  Watch as student protesters gather outside Gothenburg in riot arranged on Facebook . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

17-year-old female student allegedly behind 'slut' Instagram postings . Hundreds of students protest outside her school and later in shopping mall .

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Brad Barritt may be recovering numerous injuries sustained in England's victory over Australia but the centre still took time out to attend the 2014 ICAP Charity Day. The event, which raises money for numerous causes, was attended by a host of celebrities, but none in worse condition than Barritt. The 28-year-old played a key role as Stuart Lancaster's side defeated the Wallabies 26-17 at Twickenham on Saturday. Brad Barritt attends the 2014 ICAP Charity Day, but has to hide his crutches for the photos . A bloodied Barritt goes down with cramp during England's win against Australia at Twickenham . The injury to Barritt's face that caused him to bleed so heavily was still evident at the event . Barritt was forced to leave the field early after sustaining a variety of injuries and attended the event on Wednesday with bruising . Prince Harry was also at the event in support of England Rugby's All Schools programme, which aims to get more children playing the sport. The programme helps fund the sport in state secondary schools by providing equipment and coaches, it also supports local clubs. Prince Harry was at the event, he was raising money for England Rugby's All Schools programme . Mike Catt pats a smiling Barritt on the back after Saturday's win against the Wallabies . Captain Chris Robshaw (centre) celebrates victory with props David Wilson (left) and Kieran Brookes . To get in touch and donate to the ICAP Charity Day 2014, visit the event's website.

Brad Barritt starred as England beat Australia 26-17 at Twickenham . The Saracens centre left the pitch covered in blood . Barritt was out on Wednesday in support of the ICAP Charity Day . The event will raise money for more than 200 charities . One of the causes is England Rugby's All Schools programme .

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When your star player kung-fu kicks a fan, you expect that to be the end of their time at your club - yet when Eric Cantona assaulted a supporter it actually extended his stay at Old Trafford! The former Manchester United forward was set to join Inter Milan in 1995 but his indiscretion and subsequent ban ensured the Italian side pulled out of the deal. In an interview with Italian paper Corriere della Sera, ex-Inter president Massimo Moratti revealed that he had teed up a double swoop for Cantona and then-Sampdoria forward Roberto Mancini towards the backend of 1994. Ex-Manchester United forward Eric Cantona kung-fu kicks a Crystal Palace fan at Selhurst Park, January 1995 . Cantona (left) was close to joining Inter Milan before the kick, according to the Italian club's former president Massimo Moratti. Inter were also pursuing a deal for then Sampdoria striker Roberto Mancini too . Cantona argues with Palace fans before jumping into the crowd and kung-fu kicking one supporter . However, Cantona's kung-fu kick and barrage of punches towards a Crystal Palace supporter at Selhurst Park after he was sent off ensured the deal could not go ahead. The ex-France international was fined £20,000 and banned for four months by United, but the FA then increased the suspension to eight months and he was forced to pay another £10,000 as well. He was also originally sentenced to a 14-day prison sentence after being convicted of assault but that was quashed on appeal. Cantona leaves the field after being sent off for United at Selhurst Park in January 1995 . Cantona (centre) leaves Croydon Crown Court with police after his 14-day prison sentence is quashed . The length of the ban ensured Inter could not pursue the deal for Cantona - and Sampdoria changed their mind about selling Mancini, meaning neither player moved to the San Siro. In Corriere, Moratti is quoted as saying: 'Then Cantona did it. 'In London, with me present, this kung-fu kick of the Crystal Palace fan. 'And then he wanted to stay in Manchester, while Sampdoria then decided that they would not let Mancini leave.' Cantona subsequently remained at United until he retired in 1997. He scored in 80 goals in 185 games for the club after signing from Leeds United in 1992. Cantona jumps to score for Manchester United - he netted 80 goals in 185 games for the club .

Eric Cantona kung-fu kicked a Crystal Palace fan in January 1995 . He was subsequently banned for eight months and fined £30,000 in all . Ex-Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti claims the club were close to signing Cantona in 1995 before he assaulted Palace fan . The former Manchester United star then remained at Old Trafford .

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Manchester City are on course to comply with UEFA’s financial fair play rules after cutting their annual losses thanks largely to a big boost in domestic television money and cutting their wage bill. The club remains loss-making, for now, posting an annual deficit of £23million for the 2013-14 season in figures just published. That is half the sum they lost the previous season. But big increases in TV money as well as another leap in commercial revenues, bolstered by keys sponsors including Etihad, mean City are highly unlikely to be adjudged to have fallen foul of UEFA’s FFP rules again. Manchester City have reported record revenues of £346.5million for the year ending May 31, 2014 . Last year they were deemed to have broken the FFP rules as a result of including almost £47m of income in their accounts from sales of intellectual property, £22.45m of it to related parties. In laymen’s terms, UEFA took a dim view of City conjuring up income that could not be justified in order to attempt to balance their books. The accounts for 2013-14 notably include zero income from sale of any intellectual property after City vowed as part of their settlement with Uefa not to repeat what they did last year. Instead City recorded notable rises in all the traditional revenue streams of a football club, with match day income rising from £39.6m to £47.5m, UEFA TV revenue rising to £31.3m from £24m, domestic TV income soaring to £101.9m from £64.3m on the back of the Premier League’s new £5.5bn TV deals, and commercial income jumping to £165.8m from £143m. City do not disclose the breakdown of where their commercial income comes from, and while large sums are believed to come from the Middle East, where the club’s owner Sheikh Mansour is based, City are also attempting to diversify their revenue streams via a network of global partners. The Etihad club now expect to comply with UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules . As the club’s total income rose by 28 per cent to £346.5 million, the club’s biggest single outlay, on wages, fell from £233m in 2012-13 to £205m last season, which equates to ‘only’ £561,764 per day. Among the clubs who have declared their financial results for 2013-14 so far, City’s wage bill now falls from being the biggest in the Premier League to second biggest behind city rivals Manchester United, who had a comparative figure of £214.8m last season. It is not clear, however, whether all the staff who were counted in last year’s figures are also counted in this year’s figures or whether some of them have been hived off into a different company for accounting purposes. Last year’s accounts showed City had 222 ‘football staff’ including players and the latest account shows this has dropped to 112 staff. Overall City’s staff numbers have inexplicably fallen from 449 people a year ago to 314 in the latest accounts. City have halved their losses from their 2013-14 Premier League winning season . The most obvious explanation at a time of expansion for City and the opening of an impressive new campus would be that some staff are now paid via a different subsidiary company of Sheikh Mansour’s global football franchise business - of which City is just one arm. City have confirmed to Sportsmail that the ‘missing’ staff are now paid via subsidiary companies and City are billed for their services. The accounts suggest this accounting manoeuvre - entirely legal - reduced City’s wage bill by around £10.8m year on year. The other reason the wage bill may have fallen is that last year’s £233m included pay-offs to former manager Roberto Mancini and some coaching staff. City’s losses take into account a £16m fine from UEFA for breaking FFP rules in their last accounting period and the latest numbers should mean that the full £50m initially imposed will not now be imposed; two-thirds of it was conditional. Manuel Pellegrini's side are second in the Premier League, six points behind leaders Chelsea . City believe they are in good financial shape to break even or even become profitable from the current season onwards. City’s chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak says: ‘We have moved beyond the period of heavy investment that was required to make the club competitive again, it is commercial growth of the kind we are seeing today that will underpin and support our operations in the future.’ The accounts show City spent a net sum of £38.8m on summer transfers including Eliaqium Mangala, even accounting for the sales of Javier Garcia and Jack Rodwell. Mangala’s transfer fee has repeatedly been reported as £32m but in fact was closer to £40m to three third-party owners combined.

Manchester City revenue up 28 per cent thanks to 2014 Premier League win . Results also show City no longer have biggest wage bill in Premier League . City's losses halved to £23million - of which 16m was a UEFA fine .

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Erica Ginnetti, 34, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in a Pennsylvania court to institutional sexual assault and disseminating sexually explicit materials to a minor . A high school math teacher from Pennsylvania has admitted having sex with a 17-year-old student and sending him inappropriate text messages and videos. Erica Ginnetti, a married mom-of-three from Philadelphia, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Montgomery County court to institutional sexual assault and disseminating sexually explicit materials to a minor. The 34-year-old remains free on bail and faces a possible maximum of seven to 14 years in prison when she is sentenced. She was fired by Lower Moreland Township School District after her arrest in January. According to investigators, the math and calculus teacher first approached the victim in May 2013 when she chaperoned the senior prom and invited him to come work out at her gym. A few days later the 17-year-old responded to Ginnetti with a text message, and the two began communicating on a daily basis. The criminal complaint against Ginnetti says that over the next several months, she sent the minor sexually explicit text messages, photos depicting her wearing bikini, a thong and other underwear, and videos showing the woman undressing suggestively and performing a sexual act on herself, according to The Bucks County Courier Times. Ginnetti, pictured above with her husband, first approached her victim in May 2013 when she chaperoned the senior prom and invited him to come work out at her gym . According to officials, the illicit relationship culminated in July 2013 when Ginnetti and the student met for coffee in Starbucks and then drove to an industrial park to have sex in her car. She then allegedly dropped her paramour back at the coffee shop and told him not to tell anyone about the encounter. Authorities say the investigation began after they received a tip-off that students had been overheard discussing X-rated pictures showing a minor and Ginnetti doing 'sexual things.' When police questioned the 17-year-old boy, he came clean about the affair and Ginnetti then also confessed to having a relationship with the student, police said. Watch the full report on CBS Philly here. The 34-year-old, pictured above after her arrest in January, remains free on bail and faces a possible maximum of seven to 14 years in prison when she is sentenced . Two months after Ginnetti first met her 17-year-old victim at his prom in May 2013 they drove to an industrial park and had sex in her car . ‘I would say that she treated her relationship with this student as she would have treated a relationship with an adult with whom she was involved,’ Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman told The Mercury News in January. Police said they found several texts the lovers had exchanged discussing their July outing and one mentioning ‘a used condom that had been left in Ginnetti’s vehicle,’ according to the criminal complaint. On the night of the alleged tryst, after he returned home, the student told police he got a text from Ginnetti asking him to ‘do it again.’ As part of her $50,000 bail condition in January, Ginnetti was forbidden from having unsupervised contact with any minors except for her own children, ages 8, 11 and 14. She also had to surrender her passport, and the authorities have been keeping track of her using a GPS device. As part of her $50,000 bail condition in January, Ginnetti was forbidden from having unsupervised contact with any minors except for her own children - aged 8, 11 and 14 .

Maths teacher Erica Ginnetti, 34, pleaded guilty in a Pennsylvania court on Tuesday to having sex with a 17-year-old student . She first approached her victim in May 2013 when she chaperoned the senior prom and invited him to come work out at her gym . Two months later they met at Starbucks and drove to an industrial park to have sex in her car . The 34-year-old remains free on bail and faces a possible maximum of seven to 14 years in prison when she is sentenced .

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Newcastle midfielder Jonas Gutierrez revealed on Monday that he has been discharged from hospital after beating testicular cancer. Gutierrez, who revealed he was being treated for cancer in September, thanked his family and friends for their support during his year-long battle against the disease. The Argentine took to Twitter to tell his followers that he had been given the all-clear. Jonas Gutierrez has beaten cancer after a year-long battle against the disease . Gutierrez took to Twitter to thank his family and friends for helping him beat testicular cancer . Newcastle sent a message of support to Gutierrez following news of his successful battle against cancer . Newcastle's Gutierrez found out he had cancer after a challenge from Arsenal's Bacary Sagna . 'Thank you very much to all my companions at this time, especially my family, parents, brothers, godmother and friends,' said Gutierrez . Gutierrez, 31, discovered he had cancer following a collision with then Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna in May 2013. The South American said he felt 'a lot of pain that wouldn't go away' which resulted in the versatile midfielder undergoing a scan in his native Argentina. Gutierrez raised money for an Argentine cancer charity in October by running the Buenos Aires Marathon. He ran the 26.2 mile course for Fuca (Foundation for Research, Teaching and Cancer Prevention). Liverpool's Jose Enrique also sent a message of support to Gutierrez following the good news . Gutierrez retweeted a message which said he would be back in no time after beating cancer . The Newcastle midfielder was sent messages of support  after he revealed he had received the all-clear .

Jonas Gutierrez has won his year-long battle against cancer . The Newcastle found out he had cancer after a collision with then Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna . Gutierrez thanked his friends and family for their support .

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Ferrari is set to unveil a new super-Ferrari next week which is expected to cost over £2million and have in excess of 1000 brake horsepower. The new FXX K is a souped-up version of the Italian car manufacturers' LaFerrari, which was the Italian car manufacturers fastest ever road-legal car. The LaFerrari, which had just under 800bhp, could reach 217mph. The new model has another 200bhp and can accelerate from 0-62mph in less than three second. Scroll down for video . Ferrari is set to unveil a new super-Ferrari next week in Abu Dhabi which is expected to cost over £2million . The FXX K is based on the car manufacturers LaFerrari, but with 1000bhp, it is expected to be much faster . The LaFerrari hybrid pictured on the Ferrari stand during the 83rd Geneva Car Show March 2013 . Although the exact cost of the vehicle has not been released, the limited edition track car is expected to cost in excess of £2million. By ignoring regulations for road and race cars, Ferrari has built a 'completely uncompromising' vehicle designed to give 'an unprecedented driving experience'. It has been designed solely with the racetrack in mind and has a 50 per cent increase in downforce to boost cornering. The 'K' in the name is a reference to the 'KERS' - the kinetic energy recovery system - it adopts in maximising its track performance. Befitting of a speed machine, the car will have a deafening roar. Ferrari engineers removed the silencers from the hybrid race car's exhaust system. By ignoring regulations for road and race cars, Ferrari has built a 'completely uncompromising' vehicle designed to give 'an unprecedented driving experience' The FXX K has been designed solely for the racetrack and has a 50 per cent increase in downforce to boost cornering; Ferrari engineers also removed the silencers from the car's exhaust to give it a deafening roar . Ferrari announced the first details of the FXXK yesterday ahead of its global debut in Abu Dhabi next week. Ferrari said: 'Unfettered by homologation and racing regulations, the FXX K will never be used in competition. 'It was, in fact, developed to be completely uncompromising, incorporating technological innovations that will guarantee an unprecedented driving experience to the exclusive group of Client-Test Drivers with whom the Prancing Horse will roll out a test programme over the coming two years.'

The FXX K is based on Ferrari's fastest ever road-legal car, the LaFerrari . But it boasts 1000bp and will accelerate from 0-62mph in three seconds . The car was manufactured with the race track solely in mind .

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Cosby’s tweets came just hours after he was sued by a 55-year-old woman, who claims the comedian molested her at the Playboy Mansion back when she was 15 years old . Bill Cosby has broken his silence over the numerous rape allegations that have resurfaced in recent weeks to publicly thank two celebrities who have made attempts to defend him in public. Whoopi Goldberg, in her role as moderator on ABC’s The View, and singer Jill Scott have both received a great deal of flak for publicly questioning if the sexual assault allegations against Cosby are true. The 77-year-old comedian first tweeted 'Thank you' to Goldberg on Tuesday night and then on Wednesday morning he sent the same message to Scott and added 'from the Cosby family'. When the allegations against Cosby first re-emerged last month, Goldberg expressed skepticism in particular about allegations made by Barbara Bowman that Cosby had drugged and sexually assaulted her in 1985. Goldberg asked why Ms Bowman didn't go to the authorities for proof that she was raped. 'Perhaps the police might have believed it. Or the hospital. Don't you do a kit when you say someone has raped you?' she said on The View. Goldberg then went on to say that she didn't buy Bowman's story. 'Quite honestly, look, I'm sorry, having been on both sides of this where people allege that you do something - it doesn't matter now. The cat is out of the bag, people have it in their head. I have a lot of questions for the lady, maybe she'll come on.' Goldberg also appeared to sympathize with Cosby, saying it was 'awkward' when celebrities were falsely accused of crimes. The View host Whoopi Goldberg and singer Jill Scott, right, have both come in for flak after publicly showing their support for Bill Cosby after a series of rape allegations made against him resurfaced in recent weeks . 'I hope that there is justice for this lady. I hope somebody gets to the bottom of this, but I’m going to reserve my judgment because I have a lot of questions, as I said. It’s crazy, but I have a lot of questions, because I know we all have friends who have gone through this.' Singer Scott has come in for criticism from her fans over the past week after repeatedly tweeting her support for Cosby. The Philadelphia-born singer received an honorary doctorate from Temple University in May and was photographed receiving it from Cosby. The comedian resigned from the university’s board of trustees on Tuesday. Last week one of Scott’s followers tweeted her a link to a petition asking Temple to end its relationship with Cosby. Instead of supporting the cause, Scott tweeted her support. ‘So they've proven the alleged allegations? I didn't know. Will they also be giving him back the millions he's donated?’ she tweeted. The singer soon started receiving a number of tweets from followers expressing their disappointment and even anger with her stance. The Philadelphia-born singer received an honorary doctorate from Temple University in May and was photographed receiving it from Cosby . Last week one of Scott’s followers tweeted her a link to a petition asking Temple to end its relationship with Cosby - but she instead tweeted her support for the comedian . 'For a world traveled, educated, woman AND mother to take up for a man who has abused women in his past is disheartening,' hit back one person . Scott then posted another tweet saying, 'I’m respecting a man who has done more for the image of Brown people that almost anyone EVER. From Fat Albert to the Huxtables.' The singer continued to defend Cosby as recently as yesterday whens he accused the media and society of 'attempting to destroy his magnificent legacy'. Cosby’s tweets came just hours after he was sued by a 55-year-old woman, who claims the comedian molested her at the Playboy Mansion back when she was 15 years old. Judy Huth's lawsuit filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles accuses Cosby of forcing her to perform a sex act on him in a bedroom of the Playboy Mansion around 1974. Scott has repeatedly stood by her support for Cosby in discussions on Twitter with followers who have taken her to task . On Monday Scott accused the media and society of attempting to destroy Cosby's 'magnificent legacy' She is the latest woman to accuse the comedian of sex abuse, and is the first one since 2005 to file a lawsuit. Cosby has been beset for weeks by allegations by more than a dozen women that he drugged and sexually assaulted them in incidents spanning several decades. The comedian has not been criminally charged and many of the claims are so old, they are barred by statutes of limitations. Huth's lawsuit, however, contends that she became aware of the serious effect the abuse had on her within the past three years. California law allows victims of sex abuse when they were minors to bring a claim after adulthood if they discover later in life that they suffered psychological injuries as a result of the abuse. Cosby has not been criminally charged, but Netflix and NBC have scuttled projects featuring the comedian and several shows on his comedy tour have also been canceled. Tears: Janice Dickinson, 59, broke down during the CNN interview on Monday, where she said Cosby had given her a pill which made her black out, and that she woke up after he raped her . Huth's sexual battery and infliction of emotional distress lawsuit states that she and a 16-year-old friend first met Cosby at a Los Angeles-area film shoot and the comedian gave the girls drinks a week later at a tennis club. The lawsuit states that Cosby took them to the Playboy Mansion after several drinks, and told the teenagers to lie and say they were 19 years old if asked. Her lawsuit states Cosby forced her to perform a sex act on him with her hand. 'This traumatic incident, at such a tender age, has caused psychological damage and mental anguish for (Huth) that has caused significant problems throughout her life,' the lawsuit states. Huth's lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court is the first time a woman has gone public claiming Cosby abused her when she was underage. A second woman told Pittsburgh television station KDKA last month that Cosby drugged her to the point of unconsciousness in the 1980s when she was 15. The suit does not specify how much Huth is seeking from Cosby. Cosby's attorney Martin Singer has denied previous accusations or said the women raising the claims in interviews had been discredited. Cosby resigned from Temple University's board of trustees on Monday. He had been the school's public face, appearing in advertisements, fundraising campaigns and delivering commencement speeches . Singer's statement does not apply to a lawsuit brought in 2005 by Andrea Constand, who claimed Cosby drugged and molested her at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004. Constand, who worked for the women's basketball team at Temple University, and Cosby settled the case before trial. On CNN on Monday night, Janice Dickinson described in graphic detail how Bill Cosby allegedly drugged then raped her in a Lake Tahoe hotel room more than 30 years ago. The former supermodel, 59, broke down in tears during the live television interview and accused Cosby of using the offer of career advancement to lure her to a hotel room where he drugged her and raped her while she was unconscious. Dickinson said she recalled waking up in extreme pain with Cosby's semen staining her clothes, after which she fled. Cosby resigned from Temple University's board of trustees on Monday. He had been the school's public face, appearing in advertisements, fundraising campaigns and delivering commencement speeches.

The comedian has broken his silence over the numerous allegations to publicly thank the two celebrities who have attempted to defend him . On The View last month Goldberg expressed her skepticism over allegations made by Barbara Bowman that Cosby sexually assaulted her in 1985 . Singer Scott has accused the media and society of attempting to destroy the comedian's 'magnificent legacy' Cosby first tweeted 'Thank you' to Goldberg on Tuesday night and then sent the same message to Scott adding 'from the Cosby family' Tweets came just hours after Cosby was sued by a 55-year-old woman, who claims he molested her at the Playboy Mansion when she was just 15 in 1974 .

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After Manchester United held on to beat Stoke City on Tuesday night, the players and manager alike insisted that the result, rather than the identity of the goalscorers, was what mattered. But for Marcos Rojo's girlfriend Eugenia Lusardo, it was important to prove that her man, rather than Juan Mata, had scored the vital goal. The model posted a picture of Rojo appearing to get a touch on Mata's cross to her Instagram account on Tuesday night. Eugenia Lusardo posted this picture, showing Rojo heading the ball, to her Instagram account after the game . The ball snuck in at Asmir Begovic's far post after Rojo's slightest touch to give United the lead . Lusardo added the message 'Nothing more to say! Haha I love you'. Mata, who celebrated the goal on the pitch, had earlier refused to say whether it was he who had scored, claiming he would have to check later. But Louis van Gaal suggested it had been the Spanish midfielder, rather than Rojo, who was responsible for United's winner. Lusardo was adamant that her boyfriend had scored the goal, posting that there was 'Nothing more to say' Juan Mata was congratulated for the goal on the pitch, but it appears Rojo actually got the last touch .

Eugenia Lusardo uploads picture of Rojo heading the ball to Instagram . Juan Mata claimed the goal, but Rojo appears to have touched the ball . Manchester United beat Stoke 2-1 on Tuesday night . Click here for the PLAYER RATINGS from Manchester United's win . Louis van Gaal's men face Southampton at St. Mary's on Monday night .

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They may have lost the match but the New Zealand wheelchair rugby side certainly won over the crowd with their boisterous haka performance at the Invictus Games. The Kiwi players aggressively thumped the sides of their wheelchairs for the traditional dance as their British opponents watched on ahead of the rugby match on Saturday in London. It was the first haka of the Invictus Games - an inaugural military Paralympics event for men and women wounded in combat. Scroll down for video . The New Zealand wheelchair rugby side won over the crowd with their boisterous haka performance at the Invictus Games on Saturday . New Zealand Victoria Cross winner Willie Apiata led the team of soldiers in the dramatic haka. Footage of the performance showed the athletes lining their wheelchairs up as they prepared to face off against the British side. The Kiwi soldiers started loudly banging on their wheels before the crowd enthusiastically joined in clapping. The Kiwi players aggressively thumped the sides of their wheelchairs for the traditional dance as their British opponents watched on ahead of the rugby match on Saturday in London . It was the first haka of the Invictus Games - an inaugural military Paralympics event for men and women wounded in combat . One New Zealander wheeled himself forward and finished off the haka right in front of his British counterparts. The British military side defeated New Zealand 17-8, causing the Kiwi side to finish the competition in fifth place. The wheelchair haka comes just weeks after the New Zealand basketball team faced off against a bewildered team USA in the World Cup. The haka, which is supposed to instil fear in opponents, left the Americans utterly confused by what was happening in front of them. New Zealand Victoria Cross winner Willie Apiata led the team of soldiers in the dramatic haka . Footage of the performance showed the athletes lining their wheelchairs up as they prepared to face off against the British side . One New Zealander wheeled himself forward and finished off the haka right in front of his British counterparts . The British military side defeated New Zealand 17-8, causing the Kiwi side to finish the competition in fifth place .

New Zealand athletes staged a boisterous haka performance on Saturday . The team aggressively thumped their wheelchairs in front of their British opponents in London . It was the first haka of Invictis Games, which brought together men and women injured in combat for a military Paralympics .

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Diego Costa is expected to start for Chelsea at Manchester United on Sunday despite his hamstring problems and an overnight stay in hospital last week with a virus. Manager Jose Mourinho has been sweating on the Spain striker's fitness but Costa is understood to have come through training on Saturday and is ready to be selected. Mourinho had said Costa would have to train with the team and show no ill effects from his recent health scares if he was to start - and the Premier League’s leading goalscorer seems to have done enough to convince Mourinho he can play. VIDEO Scroll down for Jose Mourinho's pre-match press conference footage . Diego Costa is expected to start for Chelsea against Manchester United despite hamstring problems . Costa, pictured earlier this month, made it through a training session on Saturday and is ready to be selected . The striker has made an impressive start to life in England and is currently the Premier League's top scorer . Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will have been delighted to see his main striker make it though training . Chelsea striker Loic Remy (second right) injured his groin during the Blues' 6-0 win over Maribor on Tuesday . Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will be hoping for more reason to celebrate, as he did here against Arsenal . CLICK HERE for Glenn Hoddle's verdict ahead of the big game... That comes as a major boost to Chelsea, who are without injured France forward Loic Remy and would have relied on 36-year-old Didier Drogba to lead the line. Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has his own selection headache up front. Wayne Rooney completes a ban and Radamel Falcao is doubtful after Van Gaal revealed he took a heavy knock in training on Friday. Robin van Persie has scored just twice in eight league games this season. Another concern for Van Gaal is that Angel Di Maria, in outstanding form, has a thigh strain, although the Argentina flier is confident he will be fit. Chelsea are missing Cesar Azpilicueta, who is suspended, but Ramires could return after a month on the sidelines. Manchester United manager will also have a selection headache for the visit of Chelsea on Sunday . Wayne Rooney is still suspended while fellow frontman Radamel Falcao took a knock during training on Friday . Angel Di Maria has a thigh strain but is confident he will be fit to take on the Premier League leaders . Here's how the two teams are expected to line up for Sunday's encounter at the Theatre of Dreams .

Chelsea's Diego Costa ready to be selected for Manchester United clash . Spain international made it through Saturday training session . Striker has struggled with hamstring problem and a virus . Wayne Rooney is still suspended for Red Devils while fellow frontman Radamel Falcao is a doubt . Man United boss Louis van Gaal also sweating on fitness of Angel Di Maria .

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Scientists have discovered that it’s possible to hear the sound of coral reefs perishing. At their brightest and most vibrant, coral reefs are among the noisiest environments on the planet and a healthy reef can be heard by sea creatures - and by humans using underwater microphones - from several miles away. Now experts have recorded the more muted sound of a dying reef, as resident fish and crabs fight for their survival. Scroll down for sound clips . Scientists have recorded the more muted sound of a dying reef, as resident fish and crabs fight for their survival. A stock image of a reef suffering from acidification of the ocean is shown . Researchers from two British universities believe that human activities such as over-fishing drive away marine life so reefs are quieter. This has a huge impact on the fish and invertebrates that rely on the underwater habitat for their home and food. Dr Julius Piercy, from the University of Essex, led the study, which involved taking acoustic recordings of coral reefs with different levels of protection around islands in the Philippines. The research found that the noise produced by the few remaining resident fish and crustaceans on unprotected reefs was only one third of that made from bustling, healthy reef communities. Scientists have discovered that it’s possible to hear the sound of coral reefs dying. A clip of the sounds produced by residents of an ailing reef in the Philippines can be heard (above) Bright and beautiful: At their brightest and most vibrant, coral reefs (stock picture) are among the noisiest environments on the planet and a healthy reef can be heard by sea creatures – and using underwater microphones – from several miles away . Across the world, 50 per cent of coral reefs have been destroyed in the last 30 years and the fight is on to save them. Each year between one per cent and two per cent of world coral reefs are destroyed, largely by shoreline pollution and climate change. Scientists think that rising air and ocean surface temperatures are causing coral bleaching and changing the chemistry of the oceans. Warmer water stresses corals, which are incredibly sensitive to temperature. If temperatures rise, the zooxanthellae consumed by coral as food leaves their tissue and they turn white, because the algae gives it its colour and nutrients. White coral is said to be bleached and is weak. As carbon dioxide levels rise, more of the gas dissolves into the ocean, causing it to become more acidic - a process called acidification. The decreasing pH means that corals can't absorb the calcium carbonate they need to maintain their skeletons and the reefs dissolve. Last year, the Catlin Seaview Survey (CSS) teamed up with scientists around the world to create a record of the state of the world's vanishing marine habitats. The level of noise is considered vital to the larval stages of reef fish and invertebrates, which spend the first few days of their life away from reefs and use sound as an orientation cue to find their way back. With less sound being produced at impacted reefs, the distance over which larvae can detect habitat is ten times less. This means that future generations could be affected, which are needed to build up and maintain healthy population levels. Dr Piercy said: ‘In an environment where underwater noise plays such an important role in the population dynamics of coral reefs, it is alarming to find such a large effect of human impact on the natural acoustic environment. ‘This puts reef sound in the spotlight for the people who manage coral reef ecosystems because they might need to consider reef sound as an integral part of the design of marine protected area networks to ensure that there is sufficient recruitment of larvae and this study also shows sound can be useful in monitoring the health of coral reefs.’ ‘With growing evidence demonstrating the direct impacts of man-made noise on aquatic life, these findings highlight additional indirect human impacts, such as over-fishing and landscape development, on natural underwater sounds. Dr Steve Simpson, of the University of Exeter, added: ‘Taking sound recordings is a cheap, fast and objective way to get a broad idea of whether a reef is in a good condition or not. Researchers from two universities believe that human activities such as over-fishing drive away marine life so reefs are quieter. The sound of a healthy reef can be heard above . ‘It can’t replace detailed visual surveys conducted by snorkelers or divers but it gives a good account of the cryptic and nocturnal species missed in visual census and gives us a general picture of the state of coral reefs without the need for time-consuming surveys and extensive training. ‘We still know very little about what sounds these animals are listening to and it is likely to be very different between species. ‘Combined with recent findings that fish dislike the smell of impacted reefs there is a real need to understand how human impacts can indirectly affect the success of future generations of reef organisms.’

Researchers from the universities of Essex and Exeter recorded noise levels in healthy and declining reefs in the Philippines . They found that noise levels dropped by two thirds as creatures died . Healthy coral reefs are among the noisiest environments on the planet . Fish larvae use sound to find their way to reefs, but because the volume is dropping they can only detect them from short distances . This means future generations of fish could suffer and populations decline .

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David Moyes was in Spain on Friday night to hold talks with Real Sociedad about becoming the La Liga club’s next manager. The former United boss was given a tour of the Basque side but is yet to decide whether to re-establish his career there. Moyes, 51, has been out of work since April when his dream job to follow Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United was cut short after just 10 difficult months. Former Manchester United manager David Moyes was given a tour of Real Sociedad on Friday night . Moyes' reign at Old Trafford lasted just 10 months as the Scotsman failed to get the best out of his players . Now the man who was three times voted manager of the year by the LMA during more than a decade in charge at Goodison Park has to decide if he has found the right place to rebuild that reputation. Real Sociedad, where Wales manager Chris Coleman was once in charge, have turned to him after a disastrous start to their La Liga campaign which has left them 19th in the table with just six points from 10 games. But the potential at a club which gets regular gates of 24,000-plus and was in the Champions League a year ago could be enough to persuade Moyes he has found the right opportunity to start again. He told Sportsmail recently: ‘I’d like to find a job, if I can, that gives me a chance of being successful. ‘I have always felt it could enhance me as a manager to go abroad, so that is a possibility.’ Real Sociedad are looking for a new manager after Jagoba Arrasate was relieved of his duties . Former Real Sociedad boss Chris Coleman believes Moyes should accept the La Liga side's job offer .

Ex-Manchester United boss David Moyes has been out of work since April . The Scotsman's reign at the Red Devils lasted just 10 months . Real Sociedad have confirmed they are holding talks with Moyes .

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It is one of the irritations of modern life. But forking out for printer cartridges may soon be a thing of the past. Epson has launched a cartridge-free printer that uses a refillable ink tank. The machine is the first of its kind in Britain, and the printer manufacturer claims it will cost a fraction of the price to fill it with ink. Scroll down for video . Tokyo-based electronics company Epson has unveiled two new printers that have refillable tanks rather than ink cartridges. In place of costly cartridges they both have an ink reservoir. This can print 4,000 pages in black or 6,500 in colour on one fill. Two printers are on sale, the L355 at £249.99 and the L555 (shown) at £329.99 . How the costs compare of a traditional cartridge wifi printer and a new Eco-tank printer . The catch is that you will have to pay a lot more for the printer – but Epson says it will still work out cheaper in the longer term. Calculations suggest the saving could be more than £100 a year. Until now manufacturers have sold their printers on the cheap, relying on the exorbitant cost of the inkjet cartridges to make a profit. Those cartridges – of which Britons buy 50million a year – contain as little as 3ml of ink. And with many printers needing four cartridges, it can cost £45 to refill them. Both the L355 and L555 have print, copy and scanning functionality. The L555 also has fax, a 30-page Automatic Document Feeder and a two-line LCD screen. They both have Wi-Fi connectivity that can be used with Epson iPrint on smartphones or tablets. Meanwhile the refillable ink tank system, which can print 4,000 pages in black and 6,500 in colour when full, also comes with an Epson warranty of one year or 30,000 pages. But fewer households now own a printer, instead choosing to share photographs and documents on the internet rather than printing them. As a result, the big firms have had to rethink their commercial model, because if people are buying fewer cartridges, firms will not make as much money on them. Epson claims its new EcoTank printers will last two years without running out of ink – based on a household printing 200 pages a month – and will then cost up to £32 to refill. But the tank adds about 25 per cent to the size of the printer. And the printer is more expensive. While a traditional cartridge wifi printer costs £55, the EcoTank L355 retails at £249 and the more advanced L555 at £329. But Mark Reynolds, of Epson, claimed the new system will save the average family a large amount in the long run. ‘We estimate up to 65 per cent savings versus the average across the top ten printers in Western Europe,’ he said. Over two years, this would equate to savings of about £500 per machine, taking into account the initial outlay, he claimed. But by the Daily Mail’s calculations, comparing the Epson EcoTank L355 with the firm’s popular inkjet model, the Epson XP-312 which sells for £55, that saving would be closer to £230. The new printers come with wifi connection, scanner and copier, with the L555 also including a fax. When using the printer for the first time the user will need to pour the ink themselves into the printer’s tank (shown). Epson says this is ‘hassle-free’ using drip-free bottle spouts. Once depleted refills can be bought for £8 - but it has to be Epson's own brand of ink . Purchasing replacement ink cartridges (stock image shown) for existing printers can be a costly and complex process, so the new refillable printers will be welcome new to many .

Tokyo-based electronics company Epson has unveiled two new printers that have refillable tanks rather than ink cartridges . In place of costly cartridges they both have an ink reservoir . This can print 4,000 pages in black or 6,500 in colour on one fill . When depleted it costs £8 to refill the printers with Epson's own ink . Two printers are on sale now, the L355 at £249.99 and the L555 at £329.99 . Both come with wireless connectivity so users can print from smartphones .

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Cristiano Ronaldo was treated to a brand new Audi S8 earlier this week, but the Real Madrid forward swapped his flashy sports car for two wheels on Wednesday. The Ballon d'Or nominee stepped out in a hat and scarf and a pair of sunglasses as he set off on a leisurely bike ride. The 29-year-old watched from the stands with his son Cristiano Ronaldo Jnr as Real Madrid completed a 9-1 aggregate win against Cornella with a 5-0 rout at the Bernabeu on Tuesday night. Cristiano Ronaldo donned a hat and scarf nad sunglasses as he set off on bike ride on Wednesday . Ronaldo has netted an incredible 28 times this season is just 22 appearances . The Real Madrid players were treated to new cars this week by sponsor Audi, and Ronaldo chose the S8 . Ronaldo (centre) jokes with team-mates Fabio Coentrao (left) and James Rodriguez at the Audi event . Ronaldo is presented with the 2013 Ballon d'Or prize by World Cup winner Pele . VIDEO Ronaldo, Messi and Neuer shortlisted for Ballon d'Or . But Ronaldo should return to action when Real Madrid welcome Celta Vigo to the Spanish capital on Saturday looking to extend their 17-game winning streak. Ronaldo has scored 28 goals this season is just 22 appearances, a return that has helped Real to the top of the league and earned him another Ballon d'Or nomination. The Portugal international is battling against Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to be crowned the world's best player for the second year running.

Cristiano Ronaldo was presented with a brand new car by sponsor Audi . But the Real forward swapped it for two wheels and enjoyed a bike ride . Ronaldo posted a picture to his Instagram posing on the bike .

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A mall Santa and his elf have been fired after they turned away a seven-year-old girl with autism because she was there with her service dog, Pup-Cake. Abcde Santos, whose name is pronounced 'Ab-Suh-Dee', her family and the dog waited in line for 30 minutes to see Santa at The Shops in Mission Viejo, California on Sunday. But as she neared St Nick, he turned her away. 'To her dismay, Santa was afraid of her service dog,' family friend Julie Miller wrote in a statement on the dog's Facebook page. Turned away: Abcde Santos and Pup-Cake (pictured at Halloween) were turned away by Santa, who was scared of the dog, her family said. After they explained he was a service dog, he claimed he had allergies . Miller explained that they believe Pup-Cake, who is a pit bull, was turned away because of 'what we can only assume is the influence of BSL (breed specific legislation)'. 'Those dogs eat people,' the Santa said, according to the family. The family offered to remove Pup-Cake from the building so that Abcde could speak to him or even wave at him from afar, but Santa refused. They explained that Pup-Cake was a trained service dog and was lawfully allowed to be there. Santa then claimed that he had allergies and turned them away, Miller explained on the Facebook page. Heartbroken: The family shared this image showing Abcde sobbing after not being allowed to meet Santa . Best friends: As her service dog, Pup-Cake recognizes when Abcde is becoming distressed . Together: Pup-Cake joined the family in 2009 and they have seen a marked difference in Abcde since . 'For an autistic child to wait in line for 30 minutes, that's an accomplishment in itself,' Miller said. 'Santa still refused to see the child; sending her away heartbroken leaving a family to comfort a child instead of celebrating her accomplishments.' She added that Pup-Cake is a small pit bull who has received Canine Good Citizen training as well as socialization, obedience and public access training. The Santa, whose real name is unknown, and his elf were hired by the mall through an outside agency, The Noerr Programs. Following uproar online, the mall said they would be replacing the Santa 'with one that is more compassionate to our guests' needs.' They were fired on Monday. Scene: They were turned away from the Santa at The Shops at Mission Viejo in Southern California (pictured) but the mall has now fired Santa and his elf and has apologized to the family . 'We look forward to welcoming back the Santos family and Pup-Cake for a special Santa experience,' the mall added. The family, who are declining interviews, wants people to know about the Americans with Disabilities Act, which bans discrimination against people with service dogs, Miller told the OC Register. 'They want people to get educated not about autism or pit bulls, but about the disabilities act so that little girls like Abcde won't go and see Santa and end up crying,' Miller said.

Abcde Santos, Pup-Cake and her family waited in line for 30 minutes to meet Santa at a mall in Mission Viejo, California on Sunday . But Santa was scared of Pup-Cake, a pit bull, and refused to meet the girl and would not even allow her to see him on her own . When the family explained the dog was a service dog and lawfully allowed to be there, Santa claimed he had allergies . The mall has since apologized and fired Santa and his elf .

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Looking glamorous in evening dress, the picture of this happy young couple at a friend's wedding is  remarkable - when just a few months earlier, the soldier was lying in hospital after having his arms and legs amputated following an explosion in Afghanistan which almost killed him. The astounding progress of 23-year-old Taylor Morris, a U.S. military bomb disposal expert, is testament to the unwavering support of his family, friends and girlfriend Danielle Kelly - who has been by his side every step of the way. New photographs, taken by a friend in August, show just how far the Navy specialist has come since he almost died after stepping on an IED on May 3 this year. Scroll down for video . Stronger together: Danielle Kelly has helped her boyfriend through his recovery since the moment he arrived back on home soil . Unwavering: Taylor has said the person who deserves his Bronze Star is his devoted girlfriend . The touching images show Taylor being . carried up a flight of stairs on Danielle's back and the couple working . together on his rehabilitation exercises at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington D.C. They are also pictured last month at a friend's wedding in their hometown of Cedar Falls, Iowa, beaming at the camera and slow-dancing alongside friends. Images also show Taylor visiting the White House on a day to honor veterans and lining up with fellow groomsmen at the wedding with the use of his new prosthetics. The pictures were taken by the couple's friend and photographer Tim Dodd. According to his blog, while receiving a Bronze Star with Valor at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Taylor paid tribute to Danielle saying: 'If I had hands, I’d take this Bronze Star and pin it on Danielle. 'It’s been so hard and she’s been here the whole time.' Road to recovery: Taylor and Danielle work together at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington D.C. Courage: Danielle carries Taylor up the stairs and gives the decorated hero a hug . The homecoming on August 30 saw the residents of Cedar Falls line the streets with American flags to welcome the injured hero home. After attending the wedding of friends and visiting family, the couple then returned to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C. to carry on with Taylor's rehabilitation. They plan to return home to attend a fundraiser on October 19 which is being organized via the Taylor Morris Community Support on Facebook. On May 3, Taylor was leading a team of U.S. Army Special Forces to a classified location . near Kandahar province when he stepped on an Improvised Explosive . Device, which went off directly underneath him. A hero's welcome: The couple walk past the marque at the Oster Regent Theatre in their hometown of Cedar Falls, Iowa where it reads: 'Taylor Morris, Hero, Welcome home' Remarkable recovery: Taylor was fitted with prosthetic arms and legs in May and is well ahead of schedule with his progress . Since his story was featured on The Chive in May, readers have raised more than $250,000 for the young man to help him buy his dream home and plan for his future. ‘As soon as I stepped on it, I knew,’ he told John Resig, the co-owner of the website . which first told the story. ‘There was a moment, then I heard the . blast. I felt the heat. I knew I had lost my legs. As I somersaulted . through the air, I watched my legs fly off.’ Lean on me: The young couple have achieved their goal of owning a log cabin thanks to more than $250,000 of donations from those who were touched by Taylor's bravery and sacrifice . Honored: Taylor and Danielle attend an event at the White House for veterans during the summer . Romance: Taylor and Danielle hold hands as he continues to make progress after being injured in Afghanistan earlier this year . Taylor landed back in the blast . crater, but despite the horrific injuries he had sustained, he remained . conscious and did not go into shock. Even though the 23-year-old was bleeding . profusely from all four severed limbs, he called to the oncoming medics . to stay away from the site of the blast so as not to put them in danger . in case there were other mines around. The . area around the injured man was finally cleared by the second EOD . specialist, and the medic finally administered combat casualty care. Morris remained alert throughout the whole ordeal. Combat: Taylor Morris with a colleague during his tour of duty in Afghanistan . Brave: Taylor Morris has been recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center from his injuries . Survivor: Morris was told that he was only the fifth patient at Walter Reed to have survived a four-limb amputation . ‘They asked me how much it hurts on a scale of one to ten.  I said, ‘Definitely a ten. It freaking hurts,’’ he recalled. Medical crews and comrades were under . fire as they came to his aid. They got him on a stretcher and he was . evacuated by helicopter to a hospital in Kandahar and then to Germany. Somewhere between those final two stops, Morris finally lost . consciousness after a doctor administered a strong sedative. Three . days later, on May 6, the 23-year-old arrived back in the U.S. and was . transported to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, to . begin the long and painful rehabilitation process. Morris became only the fifth patient at the hospital to . ever survive a four-limb amputation. So far, his progress has been ahead . of schedule. Phantom pains: Morris said he still has sensations in his arms and legs . Hero: Following the explosion, Morris told his comrades who rushed to his aid to stay away in case there were other mines around . Loved ones: Morris' girlfriend, Danielle Kelly (right), his mother, Julie (center), and his father, Dan (left), have been by his side at the hospital . ‘My body is responding well,’ Morris said. ‘I'm already sitting up. I'm very fortunate.’ On May 30, the stitches in his arms were removed and he was fitted for prosthetics. The stitches in his legs were removed several days later. Adventurer: Danielle Kelly (right) said he and Morris have always loved water sports and nature . Morris’ sisters, Molly and Claire, have been organizing fundraisers at home. His brother, Riley, is serving in the Iowa National Guard, and his father, Dan, has been at the hospital with his son as often as work permits. Morris has had visits from other wounded warriors; top military personnel, including the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps; Congressman  Bruce Braley and actor Joe Mantegna, an advocate for returning veterans. While he said that his medical bills are covered, the 23-year-old man with a love of the great outdoors said that he has always dreamed of building a log cabin in the woods on a lake where he could live with his girlfriend, Danielle Kelly. ‘Taylor and I are both savers, and we had been working our butts off to ensure we'd have a cabin, close to water to do water sports, and places we can hike,’ Kelly said. ‘After what happened, we will not abandon that dream if it takes years of saving.’ The Chive invited viewers to make contributions toward Morris’ dream cabin, setting the goal at $30,000, but just 12 hours later, $143,000 had been raised through online donations at TaylorMorris.org. Donations have now exceeded $250,000 and the family's website was experiencing technical problems today because so many people were reading his remarkable story. Cheques also may be made out to the . Taylor Morris Recovery Fund at any Veridian Credit Union branch. Bracelets and T-shirts are available for sale at TaylorMorris.org, where . donations can be made through PayPal. Dream: Morris and Kelly hope to use the money raised online to build a log cabin on a lake .

Taylor Morris, 23, underwent quadruple amputation after being seriously injured during deployment in May . Returned home to a hero's welcome in Cedar Falls, Iowa less than three months after being wounded .

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Barcelona have decided to take their appeal against Lionel Messi's yellow card for time wasting against Valencia to the next level after he was apparently hit on the head by a plastic bottle in Sunday's La Liga game. Barca's initial appeal was rejected by the Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) competition committee on Wednesday and the club responded by saying they would lodge a second challenge with a higher committee. Messi was celebrating Barca's 94th-minute winner with his team mates near the corner flag at the Mestalla Stadium when the bottle was thrown from the stands. VIDEO Scroll down for Messi struck with bottle from crowd then booked for time wasting . Barcelona captain Lionel Messi was struck on the head by a bottle in their 1-0 win at Valencia on Sunday . He was examined by a member of Barcelona's medical staff after the final whistle and did not appear to be injured, giving the thumbs-up as he walked off the pitch. It was not clear if the bottle or another object, such as a coin, had struck the Argentina captain and he has made no public comment on the incident. 'In response to the verdict (on Wednesday), FC Barcelona has decided to go to the Appeals Committee and request the booking be withdrawn,' Barca said on their website. The referee said in his match report he showed the card because Messi 'delayed his return to his half of the pitch after the goal was scored with the intention of wasting time'. Messi (circled) was hit on the head from the throw of a Valencia fan after he celebrated their late winner . Valencia vowed to ban the bottle-throwing fan from the Mestalla for life once the person had been identified. Barca's 1-0 win kept them hard on the heels of leaders Real Madrid who are two points clear of their arch-rivals after 13 matches thanks to Saturday's 2-1 victory at Malaga. Messi and a host of other regulars including Neymar and Luis Suarez have been rested for Barca's King's Cup last-32, first leg at third-tier Huesca on Wednesday. Barcelona captain Lionel Messi (right) picks up the bottle angrily after being struck at the Mestalla .

Barcelona won 1-0 away at Valencia in Sunday's La Liga clash . Sergio Busquets scored the dramatic late winner at the Mestalla . Messi was struck on the head by a bottle during the visitors' celebrations .

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Mathieu Flamini has one regret concerning Cesc Fabregas. It is not that he didn’t return to Arsenal this summer, nor that he will be facing the Gunners in the blue of Chelsea on Sunday afternoon. It is that the two of them never experienced winning a trophy together at Arsenal. They both grew up at the club. They became and remain great friends. And they are neighbours in north London, living almost next door to each other. But Flamini remembers great years at Arsenal which ultimately ended up as memories of what might have been. Mathieu Flamini and Cesc Fabregas celebrates during a 2-1 Premier League win against Tottenham in 2007 . The duo rejoicing after coming back from 2-0 down to beat Bolton 3-2 in 2008 . Then Arsenal players Philippe Senderos, Johan Djourou, Alexander Hleb, Fabregas, Flamini, Tomas Rosicky, Justin Hoyte and Theo Walcott take tea at London's Buckingham Palace before meeting the Queen in 2007 . ‘I came here when I was 20 and he was couple of years younger, so it’s been 10 years now,’ says the Frenchman, recalling his first meeting with Fabregas. ‘In that time, we’ve experienced a lot. We were in the Champions League final together in 2006. I’ve been fighting for him for many years. ‘When we were together here we had a great partnership on the pitch. He was more offensive and I was more defensive, working hard for him. (On Sunday) I will probably mark him and that will not be easy first of all because he is a good player but also because he is a friend.’ But those regrets. There was that Champions League final in 2006, where Flamini came on for Fabregas as a substitute when 10-man Arsenal were 1-0 up with 16 minutes to go. Two late Barcelona goals scuppered what would have been an extraordinary night. Then there was the 2007-08 season, when Arsenal were five points clear at the top of the Premier League in February before a 2-2 draw at Birmingham City in which Eduardo’s horrific broken leg seemed to break their resolve. Should Fabregas and Flamini have won trophies together? ‘Of course,’ says Flamini. ‘Like I said, when I came back to Arsenal from AC Milan, it was unfinished business, because I always had in my heart, in the back of my mind, the Champions League final of 2006. ‘Then also, in 2008, we were top of the league until late in the season, and we collapsed. We lost one player, a bad injury to Eduardo, so that is a bad memory I keep in the back of my mind. ‘It was difficult, because we lost it easily. In 2008 we had such a strong team and I’m frustrated because of that. I think in my mind I want to clear that up, that’s why I came back to win titles. We started last year, with the FA Cup, and we have big ambition this year.’ It will be hard for Arsenal fans to see Fabregas in blue on Sunday afternoon, especially given the superb start he has made. ‘It will be strange for everybody,’ says Flamini. ‘But it was his decision to go to Chelsea. He’s a good friend of mine so whatever decision he made, I support him. He is a big player.’ Fabregas will be wearing Chelsea blue when he plays against Arsenal on Sunday . And the Spaniard has got off to a cracking start to his Chelsea career with the club still unbeaten this season . The arrival of the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil prevented the return of Fabregas . For Chelsea, the addition of Fabregas feeding chances to Diego Costa has added a layer of fluency to their attacks which was missing last season. ‘He’s one of the best midfielders in the world,’ says Eden Hazard, another beneficiary of Fabregas’ presence. ‘Diego Costa is right in front of me and it’s very good to play with them. They understand football. It’s easier to play with them. I was happy (when he signed). I play football to play with the best and these are the best players in the world.’ You would imagine Arsenal must now have some regrets, given the option was there to re-sign him. ‘Of course,’ says Hazard. ‘When you can get Fabregas and he goes to another team, you must be frustrated a little bit. But Chelsea are happy.’ Of course, Arsenal have Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla, Tomas Rosicky, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere in central attacking roles. Arsene Wenger’s decision not to pursue Fabregas more determinedly makes perfect logical sense. It is just that emotionally it feels wrong. Fabregas is likely to play in a more attacking role today, rather than the deeper position he has filled so far. Jose Mourinho may look to bolster his midfield with a more defensive player than the Spaniard, something Wenger never seems to be prepared to do. Chelsea’s 6-0 massacre of Arsenal at Stamford Bridge last March, which came in Wenger’s 1000th game for the club, saw the Arsenal manager start with a midfield of Mikel Arteta, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla, which proved hopelessly inadequate. The default excuse for that result is that Kieran Gibbs was sent off (mistakenly, it should have been Oxlade-Chamberlain) after 15 minutes. Yet by then it was already 2-0 and the red card was for a hand ball on the line preventing the third goal. The subsequent penalty would make it 3-0. The sending off had represented the end of the contest, not the turning point. Flamini sat on the bench that day and could only look on, until Wenger brought him on at half time, belatedly acknowledging his error. Flamini says: ‘We collapsed too quickly. After 10 minutes we were already 2-0 down. Arsene Wenger admitted he made mistakes during Arsenal's 6-0 defeat at Chelsea in March . Andre Schurrle is mobbed by his team-mates after he scored Chelsea's second with just seven minutes gone . Kieran Gibbs was mistakenly shown a red card by referee Mark Clatternburg with only 15 minutes gone . Arsenal players stand dejected as the Chelsea team celebrate their sixth goal of the game . ‘We have learned from our mistake, we are gaining maturity, we have some quality in the team and we go there with a lot of confidence.’ Wenger surely can’t approach the game with the same tactics which have seen his side swept aside by Chelsea time and time again. In the last 10 years, since Mourinho took over at Chelsea for the first time, Arsenal have played their London neighbours 24 times. They have won three, drawn six and lost an incredible 15 times. Wenger has never beaten a Mourinho team. Flamini believes today can be different. ‘When you go there, and you lose the way we did last year, it’s on your mind,’ he admits. ‘(On Sunday) we go there, we give everything. It’s important for every single one of us but also for the fans. I’m sure they remember what happened last year and we really want to make it up.’ For Hazard, of course, there are only good memories. ‘It was fantastic,’ he says. But the Belgian is also looking beyond the derby. ‘We are first and we hope at the end of the season we can stay there,’ he says. ‘I need a trophy. I came to Chelsea for trophies.’ From Chelsea players such statements about the title ring true; from Arsenal players, much less so. Wenger needs to regain credibility in these big games. When the two rivals face each other on Sunday, we will discover whether there has been any real tactical evolution over the summer or whether it is merely ‘plus ca change’, as Wenger might say. Like our Arsenal Facebook page.

Flamini admits to having regrets over what might have been with Fabregas . The Frenchman believes the duo should have won silverware at Arsenal . Arsenal set to travel to face Fabregas and Chelsea on Sunday . Their last visit to Stamford Bridge ended in a 6-0 defeat  in March .

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The holidays are the best time to work in childcare, according to new research which reveals the majority parents in the US are willing to fork out far more cash to nannies and babysitters during the festive season than at any other time of the year. A new survey from childcare website Urban Sitter, which questioned 400 parents about their holiday habits, indicates that 53 per cent confessing that they will spend up to 1.5 times the normal rate during the festive period so that they can enjoy the evening without worrying about their children. According to Urban Sitter's annual childcare rate survey, this means that a babysitter caring for two children in New York City could earn a whopping $25.14 an hour, while those working in San Francisco could rake in $26.52 per hour. Scroll down for video . Lucrative business: Babysitters and nannies are in high demand during the holidays, particularly on New Year's Eve . And that's not the only money that babysitters are set to make this holiday; 34 per cent of people will tip their babysitter between $25 and $50, regardless of what hours they have worked. Unsurprisingly, New Year's Eve was shown to be the busiest night for babysitters and nannies, with 74 per cent of parents admitting that they book childcare for the night at least one month in advance, to ensure their party plans are not disrupted. 10 per cent of those moms and dads included in the survey even admitted to securing their New Year's babysitter more than two months in advance so as not to run into any last-minute childcare nightmares. Full-time nannies also tend to benefit during this time of the year, with three quarters of parents revealing that they offer a minimum of one week's pay as a year-end bonus, with many increasing that to two weeks in light of the festive season. The best time to be a babysitter: Childcare is big business during the holidays . 77 per cent of those surveyed also ensure that they have at least one gift to give their nanny, as a thank you for all their hard work throughout the year. A lucky third of full-time nannies are even given a one-week break from their duties so that they can return home and spend time with their own family and friends. But while parents are willing to shell out big bucks in order to secure and reward their nannies and babysitters during the holidays, many revealed that they are far more frugal when it comes to the presents for their children. 39 per cent said that they spend less that $100 per child on gifts, however one third admitted to forking out between $200 and $500 on their significant other. 53 per cent of parents are willing to spend 1.5 times the babysitter’s normal rate on New Year’s Eve, with 15 per cent willing to shell out 2 times that . 34 per cent of parents tip their babysitter between $25 and $50, regardless of the hourly rate . Three quarters of moms and dads give their full-time nannies between one and two weeks' pay as a year-end bonus . 77 per cent of parents give their nannies a gift . One third of nannies are given at least one week off over Christmas and New Year . 74 per cent of parents secure their New Year’s Eve babysitter one month in advance .

New research from childcare website Urban Sitter also showed that most parents tip babysitters between $25 and $50 regardless of hours worked . 74 per cent of people book childcare for New Year's Eve at least one month in advance .

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Flamboyant Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison is stepping aside as CEO after 37 years at the helm of the business software maker. It ends a colorful reign marked by his outlandish wealth and penchant for women, yachts, fast cars and mansions. Just months ago Ellison,who was a close friend of Steve Jobs, staged the boating race for America's Cup in the San Francisco Bay, where a team of professional sailors that he personally financed won the trophy for the second straight time. Ellison, 70, intends to still play an influential role at Oracle Corp and remains Oracle's biggest shareholder with a 25 percent stake in the Redwood Shores, California, company that accounts for most of his $51 billion fortune . With the changing of the guard announced Thursday, Ellison will be handing over his job to his two top lieutenants, Safra Catz and Mark Hurd, who become co-CEOs. Ellison, 70, intends to still play an influential role at Oracle Corp. He is taking over as Oracle's executive chairman, replacing Jeff Henley in the position, and will oversee the engineering departments as chief technology officer. What's more, Ellison remains Oracle's biggest shareholder with a 25 percent stake in the Redwood Shores, California, company that accounts for most of his $51 billion fortune. Ellison will keep working full time, Oracle said in a statement. His step back from the top job mirrors his friend Bill Gates at Microsoft, who stepped down as chairman of the software giant earlier this year but remains a board member and adviser to new CEO Satya Nadella. Since he co-founded Oracle with $1,200 of his own money in 1977, Ellison has become has well known for his antics away from the office as his accomplishments as the company's CEO. Through the years, Ellison has driven fancy cars, flown his own jet, raced yachts, wooed beautiful women and owned ornate homes in San Francisco, Malibu and an exclusive Silicon Valley neighborhood, where he spent $170 million on a 45-acre compound designed to remind him of Japan and the samurai warriors that he admires. In 2012, he bought his own Hawaiian island by acquiring 98 percent of Lanai. Last year, Ellison staged the boating race for America's Cup in the San Francisco Bay, where a team of professional sailors that he personally financed won the trophy for the second straight time. Ellison, a close friend of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, has always relished his status as the richest person in the nation's high-tech heartland, where free-flowing stock options sometimes turned receptionists and cafeteria workers into millionaires. Money is 'a method of keeping score,' Ellison once told an interviewer. Catz, Oracle's chief financial officer until Thursday, will be responsible for manufacturing, legal and finance, while Hurd will supervise sales and all services. Both of them will report to Oracle's board instead of Ellison. Oracle isn't hiring a CFO to replace Catz. 'I am going to continue to do what I have been doing the past several years and they are going to continue doing what they have been doing the past several years,' Ellison told analysts during a Thursday conference call. Given that Catz and Hurd are already handling many of the same duties as Oracle's co-presidents, the new pecking order may not seem like much of a change, especially among investors who worried about the company's sluggish growth in recent years. Oracle's stock slipped 86 cents, or 2 percent, to $40.69 in Thursday's extended trading following the company's announcement. Just months ago Ellison,who was a close friend of Steve Jobs, staged the boating race for America's Cup in the San Francisco Bay, where a team of professional sailors that he personally financed won the trophy for the second straight time. The downturn may have had more to do with Wall Street's disappointment with Oracle's fiscal first-quarter earnings, which were also announced late Thursday and missed analyst targets, than with the reshuffling of management duties. The shake-up comes at a critical point in Oracle's history. It is trying to adapt to the technological upheaval that is causing more of its corporate customers to lease software applications stored in remote data centers instead of paying licensing fees to install programs on machines kept in their own offices. The shift to Internet-connected software has become known as 'cloud computing.' 'While there was some speculation Larry could step down, the timing is a bit of a head scratcher in our opinion and the Street will have many questions,' said FBR Capital Markets analyst Daniel Ives. Although Ellison has steadfastly insisted that Oracle is well positioned to sell more cloud computing services, smaller rivals such as Salesforce.com Inc. and Workday Inc. have been growing at a much faster clip. Both Salesforce, started by former Oracle executive Marc Benioff, and Workday, founded by longtime Oracle nemesis David Duffield, were created explicitly as cloud computing specialists. In a post on his Twitter account, Benioff cast doubt about whether Ellison is really relinquishing any control. 'There always has been, and always will be, one CEO at Oracle,' Benioff tweeted. Catz, 52, is a former investment banker who joined Oracle in 1999. Hurd, 57, has been with Oracle for four years, but is best known the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co. Hurd stepped down from HP in 2010 after that company's board raised questions about his expense reports and his relationship with a company contractor. Ellison ridiculed HP for its treatment of Hurd, a close friend, and hired him at Oracle. 'Safra and Mark are doing a spectacular job and deserve the recognition of their new titles,' Ellison told analysts Thursday.

70 year old Ellison estimated to be worth $51bn . Just months ago Ellison,who was a close friend of Steve Jobs, wond the America's Cup in San Francisco . Bought his own Hawaiian island by acquiring 98 percent of Lanai . Ellison will keep working full time .

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The oldest known shell to have been engraved by an early human has been uncovered in a Dutch museum collection, where it remained unnoticed since the 1930s. The ancient mollusc, originally discovered on the island of Java, is between 430,000 and 540,000-years-old, dating to the time Homo erectus inhabited the remote volcanic outpost. The engravings resemble the previously oldest-known etchings, which were created by either Neanderthals or modern humans around 100,000 years ago. The oldest known shell (top) to have been engraved by an early human has been uncovered in a Dutch museum collection, where it remained unnoticed since the 1930s. Pictured here is its polished edge (bottom) The shell has a polished edge and a zigzag pattern of engravings, suggesting it was used from cutting or scraping. If this is the case, it means our ancestors, Homo erectus, were more intelligent than we thought. The successful, long-lived species emerged out of Africa almost two million years ago, and were possibly the first early humans to live in hunter-gather societies they also used rafts to travel the oceans. 'It rewrites human history,' Dr Stephen Munro, a Australian National University paleoanthropologist who made the find, told Business Insider. 'It's evidence that Homo erectus exploited these aquatic food resources, and fits with other evidence that they probably foraged in and around water.' Geometric engravings are considered to be a sign of modern cognitive abilities, but the origins of such behaviour have been debated. The latest analysis of freshwater mollusc shell collected from the Trinil fossil site on Java in the 1890s imply Homo erectus was also capable of 'modern' behaviour. The shell has a polished edge and a zigzag pattern of engravings (shown), suggesting it was used from cutting or scraping. It may mean our ancestors, Homo erectus, were more intelligent than we thought . Geometric engravings are considered to be a sign of modern cognitive abilities, but the origins of such behaviour have been debated. 'It rewrites human history,' said Dr Stephen Munro, a paleoanthropologist at the Australian National University . The team found that Homo erectus were able to open the shells by drilling a hole through the shell with a shark's tooth. This damaged the muscles causing the valves of the shell to open, so that the contents can be eaten. Dr Josephine Joordens, of Leiden University in The Netherlands, said: 'The manufacture of geometric engravings is generally interpreted as indicative of modern cognition and behaviour. 'Key questions in the debate on the origin of such behaviour are whether this innovation is restricted to Homo sapiens and whether it has a uniquely African origin. 'Here we report on a fossil freshwater shell assemblage from the main bone layer of Trinil - the type locality of Homo erectus discovered by Eugene Dubois in 1891. The engravings inside Gorham's Cave in Gibraltar are the first known examples of Neanderthal rock art . It may look like a cross, but lines scratched into a cave wall could be proof that Neanderthals were more intelligent and creative than previously thought. The cross-hatched engravings inside Gorham's Cave in Gibraltar are the first known examples of Neanderthal rock art. The find is significant because it indicates that modern humans and their extinct cousins shared the capacity for abstract expression, according to a team of scientists who studied the site. Experts examined and described the grooves in a rock that had been covered with sediment in the study published in the PNAS journal. Archaeologists had previously found artefacts associated with Neanderthal culture laid over the top of the artwork, suggesting that the engravings must be older, said Professor Clive Finlayson, director of heritage at the Gibraltar Museum. 'The production of purposely made painted or engraved designs on cave walls is recognised as a major cognitive step in human evolution - considered exclusive to modern humans, he said. The latest analysis of the freshwater mollusc shell (shown) collected from the Trinil fossil site on Java in the 1890s imply Homo erectus was also capable of 'modern' behaviour . 'In the Dubois collection in the Natural History Museum in Leiden we found evidence for freshwater shellfish consumption by hominins, one unambiguous shell tool and a shell with a geometric engraving. 'Together our data indicate the engraving was made by Homo erectus and it is considerably older than the oldest geometric engravings described so far. 'Although it is at present not possible to assess the function or meaning of the engraved shell this discovery suggests that engraving abstract patterns was in the realm of Asian Homo erectus cognition and neuromotor control.' The ability to make and use tools dates back millions of years. Chimpanzees - our closest living relatives - can devise spear-like weapons for hunting and create specialised tool kits for foraging ants. This suggests our family tree could have possessed wooden tools since the ancestors of humans and chimps diverged some four million years ago. The team found that Homo erectus (artist's impression pictured) were able to open the shells by drilling a hole through the shell with a shark's tooth . The shell was originally found in Java, an island in Indonesia. Today it has a population of 143 million .

Mollusc, found in Java, is between 430,000 and 540,000-years old . Shell has a polished edge as well as a zigzag pattern of grooves . This suggests it was used as an ancient tool for cutting and scrapping . Earliest previously known engravings are at least 300,000 years younger . Find implies that Homo erectus was also capable of 'modern' behaviour .

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Hope: Scientists believe the new treatment could one day help people regain movements lost due to spinal cord injuries . A drug could restore the gift of movement to millions of people paralysed in car crashes, sporting accidents and falls, doctors believe. The chemical has shown ‘extraordinary promise’ when given to rats with severely damaged spinal cords. Some animals went from being barely able to take a step to being able to walk almost as well as healthy creatures. They also became more nimble and regained control of their bladder muscles. Overall, 21 of the 26 animals improved on the drug – an unparalleled success rate. The study, published in the journal Nature, was partly funded by the US government’s health research arm – the National Institutes of Health. Researcher Jerry Silver, a professor of neuroscience at Cape Western Reserve University, Ohio, said: ‘This recovery is unprecedented. ‘Each of the 21 animals got something back in terms of function. ‘For any spinal cord-injured patient today, it would be considered extraordinary to regain even one of those functions. ‘We’re very excited at the possibility that millions of people could, one day, regain movements lost due to spinal cord injuries.’ Dr Lyn Jakeman, from the US government’s health research arm, said: ‘There are currently no drug therapies available that improve the very limited natural recovery from spinal cord injuries that patients experience. ‘This is a great step towards identifying a novel agent for helping people recover.’ Each year, thousands of people around the world lose the ability to walk after road accidents damage the spinal cord, blocking the transmission of vital messages between the brain and legs. Many more are left paralysed after falls and sporting accidents. Many people will see slight improvements in their condition initially but most will be left with some sort of disability. Breakthrough: The drug, known as intracellular sigma peptide, has shown ‘extraordinary promise’ when given to rats with severely damaged spinal cords (a spinal cord section is pictured) The most severely injured will have lost the use of all their limbs and be unable to breathe without the help of a respirator. The new drug, which is known as intracellular sigma peptide, or ISP, helps damaged nerve cells regenerate, allowing vital messages to be passed to the muscles. Normally, when they try to grow across a scarred and damaged spinal cord, their path is blocked by glue-like chemicals. ISP, which is given as a daily injection, sticks to the chemicals instead, allowing the nerves to grow and grow. When rats with badly damaged spinal cords were given a shot of the drug every day for seven weeks and their ability walk, balance and control their bladder muscles monitored. Remarkably, some of the animals saw improvement in all three skills. Dr Silver said: ‘We set a very high bar to be considered to have “recovered”. ‘Some animals moved so well that they could hardly be distinguished from normal. ‘This is very promising. We now have an agent that may work alone or in combination with other treatments to improve the lives of many.’ Further research is needed to understand why the drug worked on some animals and not on others. ISP is also being tested on other conditions in which scarred tissue hinders recovery, including heart attacks.

New drug, known as intracellular sigma peptide, or ISP, helps damaged nerve cells regenerate, allowing vital messages to be passed to muscles . Normally, when they try to grow across a scarred and damaged spinal cord, their path is blocked by glue-like chemicals . ISP, which is given as a daily injection, sticks to the chemicals instead . This allows the nerves to grow and grow, say scientists in Ohio, U.S. Rats with badly damaged spinal cords given drug daily for seven weeks . Their ability walk, balance and control their bladder muscles monitored . Vast majority of rats got something back in terms of function . Some went from barely moving to being able to walk like healthy creatures .

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Armed police in grey and blue uniforms cluster every few yards along Avenue Interlagos, the wide and teeming road leading to the track on which Lewis Hamilton has tasted almost equal measures of euphoria and dejection. The journey in carries a frisson of fear. Favelas - the giant shanty towns of deprived millions - stand on either side of the street. And out of those shacks can run gun-toting criminals to hold up cars that stop when the lights turn red. Barely a year passes without someone from the Formula One community being robbed or shot at. Lewis Hamilton says he has no fears as he battles for the Formula One Drivers' World Championship . Hamilton goes into Sunday's Brazil Grand Prix with a 24-point lead over Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg . Inside Interlagos, home of Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix, is far less dangerous than outside, but the old crumpled place still possesses the most intimidating atmosphere in world motor racing. The four stands along the pit straight turn into cacophonous pits of hate, of hissing and whistling, jeering and cheering, as the cars line up to race. Hamilton knows this well. The crowd’s enmity poured down on him when he was in a title fight with a Paulista, Felipe Massa, in 2008. That year he triumphed unforgettably by passing the Toyota car of Timo Glock to finish fifth on the final, rainy lap. He had atoned for his late-season collapse 12 months earlier. So here we are again with Hamilton on the cusp of world championship glory. He leads Nico Rosberg, his fellow Mercedes man, by 24 points with only Abu Dhabi awaiting him after Sunday’s race. But this time he is visibly relaxed and scared of nobody. Lewis Hamilton has some good memories racing in Brazil - winning the Drivers' World Championship in 2008 . ‘I don’t have any fears,’ he declared. ‘Honestly, you can look in my eyes, I don’t have any fears. I feel like where I am today is not down to luck. There are reasons why we have the best car today and why we’ve had the results this year. That’s all the hard work that’s gone in. ‘In these last two races I’m going to do everything I can do, and whatever the result at the end of it, it’s the way it is, but I will know I did everything I could.’ In normal circumstances Hamilton would win the title here if he finished ahead of Rosberg, thus rendering the Abu Dhabi race in a fortnight irrelevant. But, no, points at Abu Dhabi count double. This new rule is a skewing of the sport’s integrity - please don’t laugh - and robs Sunday's race of a potential championship outcome before a wheel is turned in anger. Rosberg (pictured) and Hamilton's relationship has been tumultuous at times as they battle for the title . Rosberg can win the title at Abu Dhabi regardless of Hamilton's position in Brazil due to offer of double points . Abu Dhabi is an awful venue, double scoring or not. It is synthetic. The track is puny. The weather is predictably dry. There is no natural audience. A lot of ‘B2B’ (business to business) transactions take place in the oversized hospitality blocks but that hardly compensates for the place’s manifest inadequacies. But the Abu Dhabi rulers have written a cheque the size of the desert, c/o Mr BC Ecclestone of London SW7, in exchange for the privilege of staging the finale - and that, my capitalist friends, is that. There is simply no use arguing that Interlagos’ undulating track with its history and its fan base and its capricious weather should have that honour. Bernie Ecclestone (left) has been criticised for damaging the integrity of the sport with the double points race . Hamilton knows how special Brazilian motor racing is, being an aficionado of Ayrton Senna, an icon who appealed to the rich and poor of his nation alike. Governments come and go - former Marxist guerrilla Dilma Rousseff has just been re-elected, supposedly, with 51 per cent of the vote - but Senna’s status endures. He is buried on a grassy knoll up the road at the Morumbi graveyard. The road from Guarulhos airport into the sprawl of the city bears his name. And only this week, a giant portrait comprising a patchwork of his family’s denim jeans was unveiled at the Ayrton Senna Institute. ‘When I was younger,’ said Hamilton, ‘I used to put on this one particular video of Ayrton, Racing Is In My Blood. I watched that God knows how many times. He really inspired me as a kid and he still does today. Every now and then someone may mention my name in the same sentence as his, and I feel really proud and honoured by that. ‘I come here and I still feel his presence. He still lives on through his fans and the country. It’s one of the most special things I’ve ever seen. I met his niece this week and she said his mum is a fan, which is amazing.’ Aryton Senna won three Drivers' World Championships before his untimely death in May 1994 . Caterham have called on fans to donate £2.35million to save them from closure, the fate that befell fellow strugglers Marussia on Friday. Administrators announced that Marussia’s 200 staff at their factory in Banbury, Oxfordshire, had been made redundant. It is believed the team, whose driver Jules Bianchi remains critical but stable after his accident in Japan, had debts of £31m. Caterham, who owe £16m, have launched an ambitious crowdfunding project to try to raise funds to compete at the final race in Abu Dhabi. They will offer ‘rewards’ in return for donations. The minimum pledge is £10. By last night they had raised more than £100,000 towards their £2.35m target. Marussia have folded after administrators confirmed the British-based outfit have ceased trading . Caterham have called on fans to donate £2.35million to save them from a similar fate to Marussia's .

Lewis Hamilton leads the Formula One Drivers' World Championship . Hamilton won the United States Grand Prix on November 2 . Brit driver holds a 24-point lead over Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg with two races of the season remaining . The pair will be competing at the Brazil Grand Prix on Sunday . Season-ending race at Abu Dhabi is worth double points .

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Like much of this battered Syrian Kurdish border town on the front lines in the battle against the Islamic State group, most of its hospitals and clinics now lie in ruins. Only one is still working - but its location is kept secret for fear it could be targeted by the militants. Inside the tiny field clinic, saving lives and dealing with horrifying wounds of war comes first, and concerns such as keeping operating rooms sterile and cleaning up after surgery are on the back burner. Blood is splattered across most of the beds and floors, and a small team of only three doctors and five nurses are providing the only remaining medical services in the town. They are sometimes forced to operate by torchlight since power generators regularly fail. Scroll down for video . Dr Mohammed Arif helps to deal with a wounded patient at a field hospital in Kobane, Syria. Like much of this besieged Syrian border town, most of its medical clinics are now in ruins. Only one still stands. Tts location a secret for fear it will be targeted . A small team of three doctors and five nurses work at this aid station, treating the flood of Kurdish and Free Syrian Army fighters who are holding the Islamic State militants at bay . Lucky escape: A Kurdish fighter receives medical attention for a bullet that grazed his temple. Right, a Kurdish YPG commander stands in the rubble in Kobane. The scene of intense fighting with Islamic State militants . They treat a seemingly unending flood of wounded Kurdish fighters and members of the Free Syrian Army, just yards away from the front lines. The Spartan clinic only has the very basic equipment and regularly runs out of supplies. Those with more critical wounds must make a mad dash for the border with Turkey, and wait there for a transport to a better hospital in the neighboring country. But losing precious time in the perilous journey often diminishes their chances for survival. 'If we had a mobile operating unit, we wouldn't have to leave our wounded at the Turkish border to wait for six or 10 hours where they sometimes die,' said Mohammed Aref, a doctor at the Kobane clinic. Terror: A young Kurdish YPG fighter braves sniper fire in the debris-strewn contested zone in Kobane. The fighting has dragged on for months . Hellish: Kobane was once an ordinary town of 50,000 people. It is now the scene of some of the fiercest urban warfare in Syria's civil war . Incongruous: A cheery bright red heart on a mug offers a stark contrast to the war-blasted buildings and sounds of gunfire across Kobane . Male and female Kurds from across the region - and indeed all over the world - have flocked to the town to fight ISIS . A jury-rigged 10ft sniper rifle used by ISIS in Kobane. Many believe the militant group are finally being driven back . An exclusive report shot by videojournalist Jake Simkin inside Kobane late last month offered a rare, in-depth glimpse of the destruction that more than two months of fighting has inflicted on the Kurdish town in northern Syria by the Turkish border. The Kurdish fighters of Kobane, backed by a small number of Iraqi peshmerga forces and Syrian rebels, are locked in what they say is a fight to the end against ISIS, which swept into the town in mid-September. The militants' advance was part of a summer blitz after the Islamic State group overran large parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq. Kobane, which once had a population of about 50,000, has seen some of the fiercest urban warfare in Syria's civil war, now in its fourth year, and has paid a heavy price for battling the Islamic State extremists. Desolation: A ruined shop front hints at what the town was like before it became the site of fierce and prolonged fighting . Remnants of a more civilised time: A gutted police car is among the dozens of destroyed and abandoned vehicles gathering dust in the town . Fearsome: In this November 19 photo, a Kurdish fighter shows the extent of the damage from a truck bomb in Kobane . It's so big that it has to be supported on two tripods and fires ammunition that's three times the size of standard rifle ammo. An Isis terrorist has been photographed aiming a 10-foot long sniper rifle out of a flat window in Kobane. The fearsome weapon fires 23mm calibre bullets, far larger than the standard size. Huge casings from the bullets can be seen on the floor next to the gunman. What sort of effect this gun would have remains open to debate, however, according to firearms expert David Dyson. He told MailOnline: 'The problem with identifying the effect of this gun is firstly that we don't know for sure what the calibre is, although there wouldn't be a lot of point in building something like this if it wasn't of a significant calibre. Secondly, and probably of more importance, we don't know how well it is made: is the barrel accurately machined and rifled? 'The effect will also depend on the type of ammunition used. These rounds exist [23mm] fitted with high explosive incendiary or armour piercing incendiary projectiles.They will be effective against personnel and vehicles including lightly armoured ones.' The picture emerged after a show of force from al Qaeda's Nusra Front, a rival group. Aref and the others at the Kobane clinic say the immobility of their facility slows them down, since they cannot venture far outside and treat the wounded at the scene - as paramedics and mobile doctors elsewhere do in combat situations. Still, Aref is dedicated to saving Kobane's wounded as best he can and dreams of someday rebuilding the town clinics and working in a safe operating theater. Helped by more than 270 airstrikes from a U.S.-led coalition and an American airdrop of weapons, the fighters in Kobane have succeeded in halting the militants' advance and believe that a corner has been turned. But the fight against the Islamic State is not slowing down. 'We know that the number (of wounded) will increase and more injured will come so we have to be ready,' said Aref. 'The most important thing for us is having an operating room.' Determined: Pervin is part of a team holding an eastern front-line position that comes under regular attack from the extremist fighters . Fighting family: Pervin Kobani, who's fighting Isis in Kobane, hugs her father, who's doing the same . The Kurds' defence of Kobane (pictured) has been aided by Coalition air strikes . Desperate: families take shelter from fighting between Kurdish fighters and Islamic State militants on in the buffer zone in Kobane, Syria, close to the Turkish border . In a previous report Simkin spoke to a teenage girl who's fighting Isis in Kobane with her father. Pervin Kobani is part of a team holding an eastern front-line position that comes under regular attack from the extremist fighters. Three weeks ago, Pervin bumped into her father on a street corner. She was surprised to see him holding a gun. She didn't know that he too had decided to fight. Her mother is a refugee in Turkey, her only brother studying in Algeria. 'Honestly when I heard my father is fighting on the western front with the YPG I was so proud of him, and it made me want to fight more,' she said.

The clinic is the only one left standing in the war-ravaged town that has become a symbol for Syrian civil war . The walls are splattered with blood as the small team of medics barely have time to clean and sterilise . Doctors are sometimes forced to operate by torchlight since power generators regularly fail .

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It is the spot where Bram Stoker dreamt up Dracula’s bloodthirsty tale. Gazing at Whitby’s rugged coastline and ruined Abbey, the Irish writer here felt inspired to pen his 1897 Gothic novel. But now health and safety officials have killed off the dramatic view by driving a number of wooden stakes through it – to erect a fence directly in front of a commemorative bench. Blocked: Health and safety officials have killed . off the dramatic view that inspired Dracula by driving a number of . wooden stakes through it - to erect a fence directly in front of a . commemorative bench . Historic: The commemorative bench records Bram Stoker's link to the sleepy Yorkshire seaside town . Stoker's view: A peer over the fence reveals that historic and scenic skyline that enchanted the Irish author . Stoker visited Whitby in 1890 to decide whether it would be suitable for a family holiday. But he was apparently so taken with the atmosphere of the seaside town – the red roofs, Whitby Abbey and the bats flying around the many churches –  that he used it as the setting for the book. The eerie classic: Stoker was apparently so . taken with Whitby's atmosphere that he used it as the setting for the . now world-famous book . The North Yorkshire seaside town relies on its connection to Count Dracula to boost its tourist trade and the council’s decision to erect the 4ft barrier for ‘public safety’ has been widely condemned. A plaque on the bench reads: ‘The view from this spot inspired Bram Stoker (1847-1912) to use Whitby as the setting of part of his world-famous novel Dracula.’ The move comes a month after safety barriers were erected on the sea wall, ruining the view from adjacent beach huts. Harry Collett, chairman of Whitby and District Tourism Association, said: ‘I would like to know how many people have fallen off there since the 1830s. 'They seem to be going bonkers over this health and safety.’ The town’s Mayor John Freeman, added: ‘It’s a most unsightly structure. 'It’s horrendous, farmers would put a better fence up than that. It’s just hideous.’ A council spokesman said emergency work had been carried out following a recent collapse of a section of cliff. She said public safety was of paramount importance.

Seat marks the spot where Bram Stoker was inspired to write Dracula . Whitby relies on its connection to the Gothic novel to boost its tourist trade . Council spokesman says work comes after recent cliff collapse .

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Bizarre and brilliant cosmetic treatments were big news in 2013 with the vampire facial, which involves drawing the patient’s own blood and then injecting it back into the face, topping the most requested list. The facial, made famous by fans Kim Kardashian and supermodel Bar Refaeli, saw an 800 per cent increase last year and it seems that surgeons can't get enough of the bloody treatment. So popular and effective has it become that cosmetic doctors are using the technique on patient's hair to help stimulate growth. Scroll down for video . Famous fans: The vampire facial, which involves drawing the patient's own blood, separating the layer that is filled with platelets and then injecting it back into the face, is loved by Kim Kardashian, left, and Bar Refaeli, and now it is available for your hair too . The procedure, named Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP), is being used on the scalp as it can apparently stimulate dormant hair follicles and encourage them to start growing again. It is a potential form of treatment for men or women who suffer with hair loss either through genetic predisposition, hormonal issues, trauma or alopecia. So how does it work? The treatment, which takes around an hour and a half, involves taking four syringes of the patient’s blood and putting it in a centrifuge (a rotating piece of medical equipment) to separate the plasma from the red blood cells - this is the same technique as PRP for the face. Local anaesthetic injections are then injected into the scalp, which will ensure the area is numb. How does it work? Named Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP), it is being used on the scalp as it can stimulate dormant hair follicles and encourage them to start growing again. This shows a 31-year-old patient before, right, and after, left, one treatment . Effective: It takes around an hour and a half and involves taking four syringes of the patient's blood and putting it in a rotating piece of medical equipment to separate the plasma from the red blood cells; it costs £1,300 . The scalp is then stimulated with a dermaroller. Once the syringes are ready, the PRP is injected into the scalp - primarily in the areas of concern. The patient then has to use the dermaroller every day for around a month at home following the treatment. Absolute Aesthetics Clinical Director Vicki Smith, who recently completed her training and has just started offering the treatment, said: 'It is quite common not to see any changes for six weeks and then you should start to feel the hair becoming thicker in the treated areas. Homecare: The patient, pictured is a 40-year-old, is given a dermaroller to use on their head every day for around a month at home following the treatment . 'The optimum results can be seen at three months. At this stage it is decided whether a second treatment is required or not.' This treatment can be used as a standalone treatment or alongside a hair transplant procedure (usually one month pre-procedure). It is not widely available in the UK yet but Vicki Smith believes it will be big news. You'll have to start saving though because a single treatment will set you back £1,300. Dr Yannis Alexandrides, MD at 111 Harley Street, said: 'PRP to treat hair loss has been championed by many surgeons quietly for the past few years, and studies underway are showing promising results that the procedure does stimulate the growth of new hair follicles. 'Patients should keep in mind that PRP is not be considered as alternative to a hair transplant, in fact the two procedures combined provide optimum results for thinning hair. 'The role of PRP in hair restoration is to stimulate inactive or newly implanted hair follicles into an active growth phase, and this treatment should be repeated (number of treatments will vary per case) during the re growth stage following the hair transplant.'

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) being used on the scalp . Can stimulate dormant hair follicles and encourage them to grow again . Costs £1,300 and takes 90 minutes . Kim Kardashian and Bar Refaeli had vampire facelift, which uses same technique .

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The controversial double-points system introduced into Formula One for the past season has been abandoned after just one year. And the sport is set for a potentially record-breaking 21-race schedule in 2015 with the Korean Grand Prix surprisingly re-emerging on the calendar. Earlier this year a record-equalling 20-grand prix calendar was unveiled, matching the exhausting number of events set in 2012. But following a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Doha, Qatar, it has emerged there may now be 21 races next year. Sebastian Vettel won the last South Korean Grand Prix held in 2013 - while at Red Bull . The World Motor Sport Council ratified a decision taken to scrap double points following a meeting of the Formula One Commission in Geneva last week. The scheme was introduced at the behest of supremo Bernie Ecclestone in an effort to prolong the life of a championship and attract high television audiences through to the final race. Ecclestone's original concept was for the final three races to carry double points, but it was decided at last year's meeting of the WMSC the system would only be employed for the closing grand prix. Upon its announcement the decision was greeted with overwhelming condemnation by fans, whilst drivers past and present also voiced their disapproval. 2014 World Champion Lewis Hamilton will be looking to record his first win at the South Korea Grand Prix . Mar 15 - Australia . Mar 29 - Malaysia . Apr 12 - China . Apr 19 - Bahrain . May 3 - Korea (TBC) May 10 - Spain . May 24 - Monaco . Jun 7 - Canada . Jun 21 - Austria . Jul 5 - Great Britain . Jul 19 - Germany . Jul 26 - Hungary . Aug 23 - Belgium . Sep 6 - Italy . Sep 20 - Singapore . Sep 27 - Japan . Oct 11 - Russia . Oct 25 - United States . Nov 1 - Mexico . Nov 15 - Brazil . Nov 29 - Abu Dhabi . The recent campaign would still have gone to the wire with the final race in Abu Dhabi even if there had been no double points on offer. Lewis Hamilton, however, could have lost the title on double points to Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg if a certain set of circumstances had unfolded. Mercifully for Hamilton he emerged victorious, claiming his 11th win of the year, and with it his second world championship. Following a four-year run after its debut in 2010, the Korea GP - staged in Mokpo at the southern tip of South Korea - dropped off the calendar for this season due to a lack of funds and poor attendances. It was suggested at the time the race would be unlikely to make a return, but it has been given a ‘to be confirmed’ date of May 3, just a week ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. A minor tweak to the start of the calendar sees Malaysia now a stand-alone race on March 29 rather than back to back with Bahrain. The race at the Sakhir circuit is now on April 19 and twinned with China, which will be staged a week before on April 12. Given the teams had previously complained about Singapore-Japan being back to back in September, and that has been retained, it is unlikely they will wear the prospect of four grands prix in five weekends across April and May, with Korea now shoehorned in. Hamilton is paraded in front of the world's media after celebrating his 2014 world championship triumph . Following the WMSC's meeting in Qatari capital Doha, it has also been decided there will be no standing restarts behind the safety car. The F1 Commission voted in the idea earlier this year, but following a thorough review of the potential difficulties that, too, has been axed. The WMSC has agreed, however, to the introduction of the 'virtual safety car' (VSC) which was successfully piloted at the end of practice sessions at recent grands prix. Jules Bianchi suffered a life-threatening accident at the Japanese Grand Prix in early October . The system arose following Jules Bianchi's accident at the Japanese Grand Prix in early October, with the Frenchman still in hospital in Nice as he recovers from severe head injuries. The FIA quickly reviewed how best to control a driver's speed during incidents where a safety car is not required, deciding the VSC, where a speed limit is imposed around the track, to be the ideal solution. A statement from the WMSC read: 'Following tests of the VSC system at the final events of 2014 the introduction of the system has been approved for 2015. 'The VSC procedure may be initiated to neutralise a race upon the order of the clerk of the course. 'It will normally be used when double-waved yellow flags are needed on any section of track and competitors or officials may be in danger, but the circumstances are not such as to warrant use of the safety car itself.'

South Korea Grand Prix will be the fifth race of the season on May 3 . 2015 Formula One campaign begins in Australia on March 15 . Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton won the 2014 Drivers' Championship .

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A guru who ordered 400 of his followers to undergo castrations he said would bring them closer to God is under investigation by police in India. The country's top crime fighting agency registered a case against Gurmeet Ram Rahim - known as the 'guru in bling' for his penchant for garish clothes and jewellery - over the operations at his ashram. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said Rahim is being investigated for criminal intimidation and causing grievous bodily hurt after an alleged 400 castrations were carried out. Scroll down for video . 'Guru in bling': Gurmeet Ram Rahim is being probed by India's Central Bureau of Investigation after a former follower alleged he ordered 400 men to submit to castrations he said would bring them closer to god . The guru, who heads the Dera Sacha Sauda organisation based in Haryana state, is already facing trial for conspiracy over the murder of a journalist in 2002, as well as with claims of sexually exploiting female followers. The latest case was filed after one of his devotees, Hansraj Chauhan, lodged a complaint in court alleging he was manipulated into having the 'painful' operation at the ashram. 'They were told that only those who get castrated will be able to meet god,' Mr Chauhan's lawyer, Navkiran Singh, told AFP. 'We will put all the facts of the case to the court and seek compensation for the victims.' Mr Singh said doctors carried out the castrations over a period from 2000, but for years his client had been too scared to come forward. The court asked the CBI to carry out an investigation into the alleged castrations. The Times of India reports that Mr Chauhan said he was castrated at Rahim's ashram by doctors acting on the guru's orders. A court-mandated medical examination determined that Mr Chauhan had indeed been surgically castrated. Rahim, 47, yesterday hit back at the accusations, telling a press conference convened to plug his new movie he is considering legal action of his own against his accusers. 'Such allegations disturb me, when I am doing good for humanity. Therefore me and my legal advisor are going to move the court challenging the allegations,' said Rahim. Colourful: The guru, who heads the Dera Sacha Sauda organisation in Haryana state, is already facing trial for conspiracy over the 2002 murder of a journalist, as well as with claims of sexually exploiting female followers . The Dera Sacha Sauda says it is a social welfare and spiritual organisation with millions of followers in India and broad. On its website, the group describes Rahim as a saint as well as an author, inventor, scientist, philosopher, philanthropist, peace activist and 'the ultimate humanitarian'. Rahim stars in an action movie to be released later this month called 'MSG: Messenger of God' in which the guru fights criminals, sings songs and is shown dousing himself in water in slow motion after a rugby game. India has been rocked by numerous scandals involving popular godmen who are mostly Hindu ascetics claiming to possess mystical powers. In November, police arrested Baba Rampal Maharaj after a long and violent siege at his ashram in Haryana when he refused to comply with court orders in a murder case. In a bizarre case, devotees of a dead guru are fighting a court battle in Punjab state to preserve his body in a freezer, insisting he is only meditating. For many Indians, gurus play an integral role in daily life. They say they offer a pathway to enlightenment in return for spiritual devotion and often give donations to ashrams, temples and charity projects.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim is already facing trial over the murder of a journalist . And he has faced allegations that he sexually exploited female followers . Latest investigation follows complaint from a former follower of his sect .

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A senior U.S. Army officer who works closely with high-ranking staff in the office of the Secretary of Defense told MailOnline on Wednesday that outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is 'relieved' to be leaving the Pentagon. At a coffee shop a half-mile from the Pentagon, the officer said Hagel complained regularly about having to publicly defend President Barack Obama's military policies and priorities, a job requirement he's eager to leave behind. He described Hagel as 'a good guy who ultimately looked in the mirror one day and realized he couldn’t hold his nose anymore.' 'He jumped at the chance to get out, and couldn't wait to announce it so things didn't go more to hell in Iraq and he’d get blamed for it.’ SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . WINTER OF HIS DISCONTENT: Outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel couldn't wait to leave, a high-ranking Pentagon officer says, because he tired of carrying President Obama's water . NEXT 'YES-MAN': Former Deputy Secretary Ashton Carter is expected to be nominated by President Obama to succeed Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense . The officer agreed to be quoted anonymously because he is not authorized to speak publicly. It's highly unusual for an active-duty officer to speak so plainly. Media reports last week largely repeated whispers from inside the White House, concluding that Obama asked for Hagel's resignation because he slow-walked the emptying of the Guantanamo Bay military prison, which is used to house suspected international terrorists. But CNN reported Tuesday that Hagel himself accelerated his departure. 'He wanted to move quickly,' a Hagel confidante told the network. After months of frustration with the White House, that source said, Hagel wanted to 'at least control his departure.' His farewell ceremony, which Hagel himself forced the White House to hold before Obama settled on a successor, was a study in contrasts. While Obama praised him as a former enlisted soldier who spilled 'blood and treasure' and made 'sacrifices' on the battlefield – and turned to look directly at him frequently – Hagel himself stared ahead and made no eye contact. MailOnline's Defense Department insider explained Hagel's detached nature as the product of presiding over a Pentagon in disarray and distrustful of its commander-in-chief. ‘No one wants to be disloyal,' he said. 'But also nobody wants to be on watch while the Defense Department weakens to the point of disintegrating, and America gets pushed around the [global] schoolyard. It’s embarrassing.’ Asked for an assessment of former Deputy Secretary Ashton Carter, now the odds-on lock to succeed Hagel, he said the rank and file like him personally. 'He's a personable guy – not warm, exactly, but clear-headed and genuine.' But the rank-and-file expect Carter to be Obama's next 'Yes-man,' he said – which worries them. TEARS OF RELIEF? Hagel 'couldn't wait to announce it,' a source said, 'so things didn't go more to hell in Iraq and he’d get blamed for it' ‘The ISIS war isn’t going well, we’re being weakened with budget cuts and troop draw-downs, and we can hardly float a navy anymore,' he explained. 'It’s clear the president is doing this intentionally, and he’s looking for someone new to rubber stamp him.’ Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, who ran unsuccessfully against Obama for the presidency in 2008, told a radio interviewer on the day Hagel announced his departure that he had recently spoken with the defense secretary – and the topic turned to their mutual displeasure with the White House. 'I know Chuck was frustrated with aspects of the administration's national security policy and decision making process,' McCain told News Talk 550-AM. 'His predecessors have spoken about the excessive micro-management they faced from the White House and how that made it more difficult to do their jobs successfully.Chuck's situation was no different.'

Senior officer close to the office of the Secretary of Defense told MailOnline that the outgoing secretary was 'relieved' to part ways with the White House . 'He jumped at the chance to get out, and couldn't wait to announce it,' the well-placed source said . Hagel was worried things would 'go more to hell in Iraq' and 'he'd get blamed for it' White House is close to officially nominating former Deputy Secretary Ashton Carter to replace Hagel . Pentagon source believes Obama is 'looking for someone to rubber stamp him' as he shrinks the US military and lessens America's influence abroad .

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A TV presenter in Serbia almost lost her job as a sports reporter because she was so attractive she was distracting the footballers she was reporting on. The organisers of the television show dedicated to the Serbian capital Belgrade's team Red Star had been looking for a presenter for the show and decided to employ 25-year-old Katarina Sreckovic. But they were less than impressed when her attempts to ask intelligent questions about the game fell on deaf ears with the footballers, who were apparently unable to concentrate on answering properly. Katarina Sreckovic pictured on the sideline at Red Star's home ground Stadion Crvena Zvezda . Sports reporter Katarina Sreckovic pictured in action for the Serbian club's TV show . Katarina Sreckovic admitted her attractiveness had been an issue but players have now grown used to her. Pictured right is a photo she uploaded to social media with a caption that loosely translates to: 'Come on Star!' She said: 'I admit it was a problem at the start but I think they've got used to me now. It was tough though because for a while it seemed as if they might not be able to work with me at all. 'I was also asked to go away a couple of times because I was a distraction on the pitch, and players complained that they couldn't concentrate.' But she said she had fought her corner, and insisted that the players would eventually get used to her, and they did. She said: 'I am really happy, because I am also a huge fan of Red Star and this is my dream job.' In the past she used to date a junior player, but nowadays she has an non-footballer boyfriend who nevertheless is also a huge fan of the same club. As well as being a passionate fan of football she is a graduate in Chinese and literature. Red Star used to be European Champions at the beginning of the 1990s. The club is now in a severe financial crisis, but is still one of the two most important clubs in the country and has the biggest fan base of supporters. Katarina Sreckovic has an non-footballer boyfriend who is also a huge fan of Belgrade Red Star. Here she is pictured in an official club t-shirt . Katarina Sreckovic kicks a football during a segment on the Red Star Belgrade TV show . The TV sports reporter pulls funny faces for the camera in a series of selfies uploaded to social media . Although her attractiveness was an issue at first, she insisted she wanted to continue working in the role and says her current position is her 'dream job'

Serbian TV reporter almost lost her job because she was so attractive . Katarina Sreckovic, 25, works as a presenter for Red Star Belgrade TV show . Bosses unimpressed when the team's players became distracted by her . Initially it was a problem but players have now grown used to her presence . Sreckovic is passionate Red Star fan and graduate in Chinese and literature .

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Wayne Rooney is ready to play in Manchester United’s game at Southampton on Monday after missing the win over Stoke with a knee injury. It is understood that Rooney declared himself fit on Tuesday morning after hurting himself in a collision with an advertising board against Hull at the weekend, but United decided to leave him out against the Potters as a precaution. The United and England captain had routine scans Wednesday and is now expected to return to Louis van Gaal’s squad at St Mary’s. Wayne Rooney (centre) missed Manchester United's game against Stoke at Old Trafford with a knee injury . But the United and England captain has now been declared fit to play against Southampton on Monday . Rooney (right) had picked up a knock after colliding with an advertising board in the 3-0 win against Hull . Having put teenager James Wilson on stand-by for a first start of the season, and seen Robin van Persie return to goalscoring form against Hull, Van Gaal named them both in his line-up for Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Stoke with Radamel Falcao once again on the bench. Despite hanging on desperately towards the end, United’s fourth win in a row has fuelled belief around Old Trafford that the Dutchman has got the club heading firmly in the right direction.

Wayne Rooney missed Tuesday's win over Stoke with a knee injury . But the Manchester United captain has been declared fit for Southampton . United take on the Premier League high-flyers at St Mary's on Monday .

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Five years to the day since his arrest in Cuba on espionage charges, Alan Gross' wife has declared that the former U.S. government subcontractor is 'done for'. 'I am afraid that we are at the end. After five years of literally wasting away, Alan is done,' Judy Gross said in a statement, adding that her 65-year-old husband now appears gaunt, hobbling and missing five teeth. Cuba arrested the Washington D.C. resident on December 3, 2009, and later convicted him to 15 years in prison for importing banned technology and trying to establish clandestine internet service for Cuban Jews. Happier times: Alan Gross with his wife Judy before his arrest on December 3, 2009 - Cuba convicted him to 15 years in jail for importing banned technology and trying to set up clandestine web service for Cuban Jews . Gross' fate now largely hinges on Obama trying to improve ties between Cuba and the U.S. 'It is time for President Obama to bring Alan back to the United States now; otherwise it will be too late,' his wife urged this week. In light of Gross' five-year anniversary behind bars, the White House called on Cuba for his release, with press secretary Josh Earnest saying in a press release that the U.S. remains 'deeply concerned' about the American's health. Earnest said Gross' release 'would remove an impediment to more constructive relations' between the two countries. The case is emblematic of bitter U.S.-Cuban relations dating to the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power, and any potential breakthrough appears remote while Gross is still in prison. As he recently did on immigration, Obama could move without congressional approval to relax U.S. rules that require most Americans wanting to visit Cuba to go on expensive, organized trips with U.S.-approved agendas. Such a change could generate hundreds of millions of dollars a year for Cuba's centrally planned economy, which is struggling for cash in the absence of major expansions in foreign investment or private economic activity. Cuban authorities this week sharply downgraded their prediction of 2014 growth to 1.3 per cent, nearly a point lower than expected at the beginning of the year. Bring him home: Supporters rally on behalf of imprisoned US citizen Alan Gross - his fate now largely hinges on Obama trying to improve ties between Cuba and the U.S. Observers in both countries warn, however, that expectations of imminent progress have come and gone before without real change to relations that have been tense for more than five decades. 'We won't make enough progress obviously until he's home,' U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said of Gross on Tuesday. 'His continued incarceration represents a significant impediment to a more constructive bilateral relationship.' Gross' wife, Judy, said in a written statement that the contractor has lost more than 100 pounds, can barely walk due to chronic pain, and has lost five teeth and much of the sight in his right eye. The married father-of-one has begun refusing to see his family and members of Cuba's small Jewish community, who had been visiting him on religious holidays. Backers in the U.S. said Gross has begun discussing a hunger strike, a tactic he has used in the past. 'He hasn't been seeing anyone for a while,' said David Prinstein, vice president of the Havana-based Jewish community association. Prinstein said he hoped Gross would accept a visit for Hannukah celebrations this month. 'We maintain our hope that he will see us and keep his Jewish faith alive, and his faith that maybe this coming year he can return to his country,' Prinstein said.

Alan Gross was arrested in Cuba on December 3 2009 while working covertly in the Communist-run country to set up Internet access . He was later convicted to 15 years in prison for importing banned technology . Since being behind bars his condition has deteriorated . His wife, Judy, now fears that he is close to death . The 65-year-old's fate now largely hinges on Obama trying to improve ties between Cuba and the U.S.

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David Cameron admitted that he suspects the recent devastating floods across the country were the result of climate change. He was asked yesterday about the extreme weather over the New Year which saw 60mph winds,  torrential rain and tidal waves that left eight people dead and hundreds of homes under water. But his comments at Prime Minister’s Questions will infuriate some Tory backbenchers who do not accept global warming is affecting Britain’s weather. Scroll down for videos . Prime Minister David Cameron said lessons would need to be learned from the floods as Labour leader Ed Miliband called on the government to review cuts to flood defence budgets . Indeed, Environment Secretary Owen . Paterson, who is handling the flooding crisis, is regarded as sceptical . about climate change and green energy. The Prime Minister's acknowledgement that climate change could be a factor behind the wild weather came as forecasters warned a Siberian cold front could dump four inches of snow on the country and send temperatures as low as -11C next week. Mr . Cameron was responding to a question from Lib Dem president Tim Farron, . who said: ‘The science is clear that the extreme weather conditions . affecting our communities, including around the Kent estuary, are a . destructive and inevitable consequence at least in part of climate . change. ‘Given that you have . said this should be the greenest Government ever, will you now agree to . support carbon reduction targets so we can take real action to protect . people and property?’ Trying to make it through: A 4x4 drives down a flooded road next to the River Thames in Shepperton, Surrey . Destruction: The damaged promenade in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion. A major cleanup operation is now underway . Pledge: Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, who is regarded as a climate sceptic, has been under pressure over the government's response to the floods . The Prime Minister said, amid groans from his backbenches: ‘I agree with you that we are seeing more abnormal weather events. ‘Colleagues . across the House can argue about whether that is linked to climate . change or not. I very much suspect that it is. 'The point is that . whatever one’s view, it makes sense to invest in flood defences . . . it . makes sense to get information out better and we should do all of those . things’. On targets to . slash carbon emissions, which some Tory MPs say should be scaled back to . reduce the burden on household energy bills, Mr Cameron said: ‘This . Government is committed to carbon reduction targets. ‘We . worked with the last government to put the Carbon Act into place. 'It . wouldn’t have happened without our support. 'We also have the Green . Investment Bank up and running in Edinburgh and it’s going to be . investing billions of pounds in important green projects.’ Climate . scientists say no extreme weather event can be entirely blamed on the . changing climate, but the impact of greenhouse gases on the planet makes . extreme weather – such as floods and droughts – more common. December . was the stormiest month since 1969 because of an unusually fierce jet . stream, the band of fast-moving air which creates winter storms in the . U.S. and blows their remnants across the Atlantic. In a typical winter, . the jet stream travels at 100mph. This year it reached 230mph. The . Met Office predicts that wintry weather will replace the storms next . week. Spokesman Laura Young  said: ‘Into the weekend and next week we . are going to see temperatures return to normal levels for this time of . year which will make it feel a lot colder and bring a risk of frost, . fog, and wintry showers.’ Bone breaker: A surfer near Newquay in Cornwall comes to grief in the huge swell . But some forecasters are predicting a . blast of icy air from Siberia after the weekend could bring up to four . inches of snow the part of northern Britain. Temperatures . could plummet to as low as -11C in the exposed north of the country and . -6C as far south as London, according to some predictions. The . dramatic change in the weather may be driven by a freezing front from . the Arctic moving steadily south over the next few days and meeting . warmer, wetter air currently hovering over the UK. Meanwhile, ministers have ordered a major review of the way the aftermath of the storms was handled, which will be presented to Parliament within a month. It will also examine whether planned cuts to the budget of the Environment Agency will undermine its ability to protect flood defences in future. Millions of people across the south of England have been told to prepare for more flooding this week, with rivers in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Surry, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and the Midlands on alert. Getting around: A father and daughter paddle through flood water in a canoe in Muchelney. The village had only just recovered from last year's flooding . There were 102 flood warnings and 181 flood alerts in place, although none of them were deemed severe, which would carry a danger to life. Labour has called on the government to publish a report by the end of this month giving a ‘full assessment of the future capability of our flood defences and flood response agencies, and whether the investment plans in place are equal to the need for events of this kind’. Labour leader Ed Miliband said: ‘Some people felt the response time was too slow.’ He demanded to know ‘why it took so long for the energy distribution companies to restore power to homes over the Christmas period and what steps do you believe can be taken to ensure that kind of things does not happen again’.

Hundreds of flood warnings and alerts placed across the country . Prime Minister says lessons must be learned about emergency response . Tells MPs he 'suspects' climate change is to blame for the devastation . Labour demands a report within weeks on the impact of future budget cuts . Weather forecasters warning Britain could be hit by Arctic blast next week . Freezing weather front set to dump up to four inches of snow on the North . Temperatures could plummet to -11C after the weekend . Residents are told to prepare for more flooding over the coming days .

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A Miami teenager who made national . headlines for flipping off a judge was released from jail Friday after . she tearfully apologized for her actions. Penelope Soto, 18, apologized before . Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat, saying she was under the influence of Xanax and alcohol when she made the obscene gesture. Video of the confrontation went viral online. 'I apologize not only to the court and you, but to my family,' Soto told the judge with tears in her eyes, WSVN.com reported. Scroll down for video . Penelope Soto, 18, who made national headlines for flipping off a judge was released from jail Friday after she tearfully apologized for her actions . Soto apologized before Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat, saying she was under the influence of Xanax and alcohol when she made the obscene gesture . Rodriguez-Chomat dropped her 30-day jail sentence following her apology. Soto was . appearing in court the first time after she was arrested for drug . possession. After her bond was set at $10,000, she made the offensive . gesture to Rodriguez-Chomat. As a result, she was hauled back in front of the judge and given a jail sentence for contempt of court. The exchange, seen in a video posted on LiveLeak, began when Soto was asked about her financial assets. Standing . up in court wearing an orange jumpsuit told him she earned $200 a week . and said her assets included her jewellery and a car. When he asked her how much her jewellery was worth, she laughed, and said 'a lot.' Soto had earlier appeared in court after being arrested for drug possession. After her bond was set she made the offensive gesture . Shock: Soto pulled on her hair and looked shocked as the judge upped her punishment as a result of her behavior . Realizing her laughter did not reflect the gravity of the situation Judge Rodriguez-Chomat told her: 'It's not a joke, you know, we're not in a club now,' 'We are not in a club, be serious about it.' Still looking amused and stroking her hair Soto answered 'I'm serious about it, you just made me laugh.' 'You just made me laugh, I apologize. It's worth a lot of money,' she continued. Judge Rodriguez-Chomat asked Soto if she had taken any drugs in the past 24 hours, which she denied. Throughout the exchange Soto's facial . expressions varied from boredom to amusement and she was constantly . moving and flicking her hair. Judge Rodriguez-Chomat then set Soto's bond at $5,000 and said 'bye, bye.' In response, Soto laughed and replied 'Adios' as she walked away. Throughout the exchange Soto's facial expressions varied from boredom to amusement and she was constantly moving and flicking her hair . After a second's hesitation, Judge Rodriguez-Chomat called Soto back and asked for the papers to be handed back to him. After scribbling on them, he then reset her bond at $10,000, to which a shocked Soto replied: 'Are you serious?' As she turned to walk away again Soto gave the finger to Judge Rodriguez-Chomat and said: F***  you.' Again looking amused Judge Rodriguez-Chomat called Soto back again and gave her a 30-day jail sentence for contempt of court. Soto had appeared in court on Monday for possession of Xanax bars - the anti-anxiety drug is available on prescription, but is commonly used as an easy high.

Penelope Soto was arrested for possession of the prescription drug Xanax . Soto made the offensive gesture to Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat . She was hauled back into court and sentenced to jail for contempt of court . Soto was released Friday after a tearful apology in which she admitted to being under the influence of drugs and alcohol when she made the gesture .

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Group A: Equatorial Guinea, Burkina Faso, Congo, Gabon . Group B: Zambia, Cape Verde Islands, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tunisia . Group C: Ghana, Algeria, Senegal, South Africa . Group D: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Guinea, Mali . Ivory Coast have been pitted against Cameroon in Group D after the draw for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, while Algeria and Ghana have been paired with each other in Group C. Cameroon hit form to thrash Ivory Coast 4-1 during qualifiers in September, a result that the likes of Yaya Toure and Wilfried Bony will look to avenge when they meet in Equatorial Guinea. Group C is the most eye-catching of the competition, as South Africa and Senegal will also compete to make the knock-out stages. Algeria impressed during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, reaching the last 16, while Senegal's attack will be spearheaded by Newcastle's Papiss Cisse. Yaya Toure (left) will hope Ivory Coast avenge a 4-1 qualifying defeat to Cameroon . Islam Slimani pictured in action for Algeria during their impressive campaign at the 2014 World Cup . Wilfried Bony (centre) will look to take his superb form for Swansea into the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 . Group B comprises Zambia, Cape Verde, Tunisia and DR Congo. Elsewhere, Equatorial Guinea are in Group A alongside Congo, Burkina Faso and Gabon, where all eyes will be on Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Equatorial Guinea are hosts after Morocco withdrew from holding the competition in November. The tournament will take place from January 17th - February 8th.

Ivory Coast will play Cameroon, Guinea and Mali in Group D . Ghana, Algeria and Senegal drawn together in Group C . Equatorial Guinea are now the hosts after Morocco withdrew .

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A 32-year-old model who held the record for the world's largest implants has walked away from a car crash after her breasts acted as an airbag. Sheyla Hershey, who has 38KKK breasts, was driving home near Houston, Texas, after a Super Bowl party on Sunday when she crashed into a tree. The mother was charged with drunk-driving after the incident and allegedly was not wearing a seatbelt when she lost control of her Ford Mustang. Huge assets: Sheyla Hershey, who has 38KKK breasts, was driving home to Houston, Texas, after a Super Bowl party on Sunday when she crashed into a tree . 'I think my breasts saved my life,' she told Barcroft Media. 'The accident was bad and my boobs are sore, . but they protected the rest of me.' Her car spun around and hit a tree . during the crash but she denied the drunk-driving charge in court on . Monday, reported the Daily Mirror. Despite the crash Hershey, who once had 38MMM breasts, avoided injury because her huge bust protected the rest of her body from harm. She claimed she doesn't ever drink alcohol and passed the breathalyser test issued by police, reported the New York Post. She told Radar Online that she took . drugs for her bipolar, depression, headaches and backaches, which may . have caused the confusion. Mugshot: Hershey's car spun around and hit a tree during the crash but she denied the drunk-driving charge in court on Monday . Texas law states you can be charged with driving while intoxicated if you are impaired by drugs or legal medications even within the legal limit. 'I think my breasts saved my life. The accident was bad and my boobs are sore, but they protected the rest of me' Sheyla Hershey . ‘The state will now have to prove that the medication caused impairment,’ her lawyer Paul Kendall told Radar Online. Hershey was released on bail and is due to appear in Montgomery County Court next month on March 28, reported the Daily Mirror. Montgomergy County Court records show Steinberg lives in Humble, 20 miles north of Houston, and her case was heard by Judge Keith Stewart. A request for comment and more details on . the case today to Montgomery County Sheriff's Office by MailOnline was not . immediately returned. Operations: She lost her 38MMM breasts due to a life-threatening infection, before having new implants that made her feel 'almost whole again' Residence: Montgomergy County Court records show Steinberg lives at this home in Humble, 20 miles north of Houston . Hershey lost her 38MMM breasts due to a life-threatening infection, before having new implants that made her feel 'almost whole again'. 'The state will now have to prove that the medication caused impairment' Paul Kendall, lawyer . An infection that set in after her 30th . breast enlargement operation led 5ft 3in Hershey to undergo an emergency . operation in June 2010. That left her with unattractive sagging skin where her implants had been, but she was obsessed with maintaining her Guinness World Record. 'Not having my breasts was killing me, I didn't know if I could make it through 2012 without them,' Hershey said last November. 'My breasts had become part of me and I was deformed without them. It is a miracle. I never thought I would have my breasts back again.' Car: The mother was charged with drunk-driving after the incident and wasn't wearing a seatbelt when she lost control of her Ford Mustang . Car damage: Hershey was released on bail after the accident and is due to appear in Montgomery County Court again next month on March 28 . She ignored the wishes of doctors and her . husband Derek, 29 - who all feared the trauma of yet more surgery could . cause a new infection. Hershey organised a tour of cosmetic surgery practitioners in Latin America last September and went to Cancun, Mexico, for the operation. She had 2,500cc of saline liquid implanted into her breasts, before having more saline gradually introduced in her hometown of Vitoria, Brazil. 'I increased slowly over a two-month period and now my breasts are back at 4,300cc of liquid and are 38KKK,' Hershey said. Hershey, who has spent $100,000 in a decade to maintain her breasts, wants more surgery this year to take her breasts back up to 38MMM.

Sheyla Hershey, 32, crashed driving home in Texas . Charged with drunk-driving after Sunday's incident . Once had 38MMM breasts but they were reduced .

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Human brains might have a 3D GPS system which allows us to navigate around unfamiliar surroundings, scientists have claimed. They say we may possess cells that enable us to keep track of our direction, which can become disorientated when we come out of a subway station, for example. And further understanding of the system could help us deal with effects such as vertigo. A study by researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel found that mammals have head-direction cells that work like a 3D compass system. Researchers believe that humans might posses similar type of orientation cells. The findings could help pilots cope with the effects of vertigo (stock image shown) The study, led by graduate student Arseny Finkelstein at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel and published in Nature, looked at cells in the brains of bats. Earlier work by Dr Nachum Ulanovsky of the same institution had showed that bats possessed 'place' and 'grid' cells that work like a GPS system to keep track of their position. That is similar to what is found in rodents, suggesting humans, too, also had the ability to map their position in 3D space. 'We think that this work can be relevant to other mammals, including humans,' Mr Finkelstein told MailOnline. 'There is some evidence the human mind might have a similar system, but the exact mechanism of is still unknown. Earlier this year a study suggested that bees rely on a built-in ‘sat nav’ system to find their way around. Honeybees were found to make ‘mental maps’ of their home ranges allowing them to pinpoint destinations miles away from their hives. While humans, sharks and even pigeons are known to use this technique, it was popularly thought that bees rely solely on the sun’s position to find their way back to their hive. Dr James Cheeseman of Auckland University in New Zealand, said: ‘Only 50 years ago the claim any non-human animal had a cognitive map was deeply controversial because it suggested a computational theory of mind. The question of whether insects do is a frontier question.’ 'Our research is the first in mammalian species that identifies this 3D system in the brain.' The study of a bat brain shed light on how mammals orient themselves in complex environments by relying on neurons that work in three dimensions. This system acts as an internal compass that gives animals - including humans - a continuous sense of direction and location as they move around. They found certain cells respond to the bats' horizontal and vertical orientation and these so-called head-direction cells track direction in three dimensions as the bats manoeuvre. These cells create a doughnut-shaped, 3D neural compass that gives a precise orientation - and even enables the bat to know if it is upside down or upright. Similarly, in humans, pilots are trained to guard against a sudden loss of vertical direction - vertigo - that renders them unable to tell 'up' from 'down' and sometimes even leads to crashes. Coming up out of an underground station can produce similar confusion - for a few moments you are unsure which way to go until regaining your sense of direction. In both cases the disorientation is believed to be caused by a temporary malfunction of the brain's 3D compass. 'In order to start understanding brain mechanisms for 3D orientation, we need to start by identifying the basic building blocks,' Mr Finkelstein added. In humans coming up out of an underground station can produce navigational confusion - for a few moments you are unsure which way to go until regaining your sense of direction (stock image shown). It is thought to be caused by a temporary malfunction of the brain's 3D compass. The researchers described how the brains of bats contain neurons that sense which way the head is pointed to support navigation in 3D space. Much research has been conducted on place and grid cells whose discoverers were awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. But until recently head-direction cells have been studied only in 2D settings in rats. The researchers described how the brains of bats contain neurons that sense which way the head is pointed. Shown is an Egyptian fruit bat . So the researchers developed a tracking apparatus that allowed them to video-monitor all the three angles of head rotation - in flight terminology, yaw, pitch and roll - and to observe the movements of freely-behaving Egyptian fruit bats. At the same time the bats' neuronal activity was monitored via implanted micro-electrodes which revealed, in a specific sub-region of the hippocampal formation, cells are tuned to a particular 3D angle of the head. Certain neurons became activated only when the animal's head was pointed at that 3D angle. The study also revealed for the first time how the brain computes a sense of the vertical direction integrating it with the horizontal. In the brain compass these directions are computed separately at different levels of complexity - some operating in 2D and others in 3D. The researchers believe the 2D head-direction cells could serve for locomotion along surfaces - as happens in humans when driving a car - whereas the 3D cells could be important for complex manoeuvres in space such as climbing trees or piloting an aircraft. They said: 'Here we present the first evidence to our knowledge for a conjunctive representation of 3D head direction in the mammalian brain which may serve as a "3D neural compass."' They say their findings should also apply to non-flying mammals including squirrels and monkeys that jump between trees - as well as humans. Professor Britt Moser - one of the 2014 Nobel laureates - said: 'Now this blueprint can be applied to other species that experience 3D in a more limited sense.'

A study by the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel has claimed that humans may have an in-built navigation system . The researchers found bats possessed compass-like 'head-direction' cells . These worked like a GPS system to keep track of their position . Previous studies identified these cells in rodents, suggesting that they are common across mammals . It also suggests humans have the ability to map their position . Findings could help pilots cope with the effects of vertigo .

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During it's seven-year run, critics praised 30 Rock as a show on the cutting edge of comedy. Now it appears the Emmy Award-winning show was also ahead of its time when it came to the news - airing a dark joke painting Bill Cosby as a rapist all the way back in 2009. In a clip from season three 'The Bubble', recently unearthed by Crushable, Alec Baldwin's NBC executive character Jack Donaghy tries to get actor Tracy Jordan (played by Tracy Morgan) to come back to work at fictional television show TGS in the middle of contract negotiations by hiring a Cosby impersonator to speak to the actor over the phone. But the plan backfires when Jordan hears Cosby's voice, and reveals he has some bad family history with the The Cosby Show star. Scroll down for video and transcript . Prediction? In 2009, 30 Rock aired a joke alluding to the allegations of rape against then-beloved comedian Bill Cosby. The joke involved hiring a Cosby impersonator (right) to coax an actor back to work . Under fire: The comedian used to be known as a moral pillar, an image he crafted through is many years playing an upright dad on The Cosby Show. That's changed now that at least 20 women have come forward to accuse him of rape . 'Bill Cosby, you got a lotta nerve gettin’ on the phone wit’ me after what you did to my Aunt Paulette!' Jordan yells down the line. 'I think you’re confusing me with someone else,' the baffled impersonator replies. '1971. Cincinnati. She was a cocktail waitress with the droopy eye!' Jordan responds. The impersonator finds himself at a lack of words, saying: 'I’m the guy… with the pudding…' 'Don’t try to tell me what to do! Dr. Heathcliffe Huxtable, wit’ yo’ light-a** kids! Jack! Why would you make me talk to this man?' Jordan finishes. Not a Cosby fan: Alec Baldwin's character's plan to get Tracy Jordan (played by Tracy Morgan, right) back to work backfires when Jordan reveals an aunt's traumatizing run-in with Cosby in 1971 . Jack Donaghy: I’ve arranged for one of Tracy’s childhood idols to reach out to him. Tracy Jordan: Hello? Jack Donaghy: Tracy, this is Jack, I have someone here who wants to speak with you. Rick (impersonator): Tracy, this is Bill Cosby… . Liz Lemon: [whispering] Really? This is your strategy? Jack Donaghy: [whispering and smiling] I heard him do this at a party! Rick: …I want you to come back to the TGS for the people who like the jokes and the things. Tracy Jordan: Bill Cosby, you got a lotta nerve gettin’ on the phone wit’ me after what you did to my Aunt Paulette! Rick: I think you’re confusing me with someone else. Tracy Jordan: 1971. Cincinnati. She was a cocktail waitress with the droopy eye! Rick: I’m the guy… with the pudding… . Tracy Jordan: Don’t try to tell me what to do! Dr. Heathcliffe Huxtable, wit’ yo’ light-ass kids! Jack! Why would you make me talk to this man? In 2005, it was a dark joke that most likely went over most viewers' heads. But, it's unlikely the joke was crafted randomly. While accusations against Cosby go all the way back to 2004, it wasn't until this October when comedian Hannibal Buress gave a highly-public rant about the comedian which caused scores of women to go public with their stories, ruining the image Cosby forged as a morally upright dad on his television show. Buress himself spent time as a writer on 30 Rock, though he wasn't working for the show until after 'The Bubble' was written. However, the fact that Buress knew about the allegations, means it was likely known by others in the 30 Rock writing room. Show creator Tina Fey is the only person given a writer's credit for the episode, with Donald Glover (who went on to act on Community and also rap under the name Childish Gambino) and Kay Cannon (Jason Sudeikis' ex-wife) serving as executive story producers. Writer: 30 Rock creator and star Tina Fey is the only person credited with writing the episode. She grew up in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, not far from Temple University where a school employee first called out Cosby for touching her inappropriately in 2004. Fey pictured above attending an event in California on October 20 . That Fey may have known about the allegations against Cosby is also unsurprising, since she grew up in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania near Temple University. It was at Temple in 2004 that rape allegations against Cosby first became public, when a  former university employee Andrea Constand accused the star of fondling her. The case was ultimately thrown out a little over a year later, since authorities said they didn't have enough evidence to charge Cosby. Instead,  Constand field a civil suit in March of that year, and found 13 other women willing to testify as witnesses showing Cosby's pattern of disturbing behavior. The suit was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount in November 2006. Fey has not commented on the scandal. Donald Glover  (who went on to act on Community and is also a rapper by the name of Childish Gambino, left) and Kay Cannon (right) also served as executive story producers on the script .

Joke involved character Tracy Jordan alluding that Cosby hurt his aunt in 1971 . The show's creator and star Tina Fey holds the only writing credit for the episode . Fey grew up in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, not far from Temple University where Cosby's alleged misconduct was first exposed in 2004 . Scores of women have been coming forward with stories of rape at the hands of Cosby in the last few weeks, after former 30 Rock writer Hannibal Buress went on a rant about the comedian during a stand-up set .

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Passengers on an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles and New York were surprised with the first ever film premiere at 30,000 feet. After checking in at LAX yesterday, the passengers, bound for New York, were told that they would be receiving a special kind of in-flight entertainment. And after young actor Quvenzhane Wallis and director Will Gluck boarded the plane, they found they were to be treated to a showing of the brand new adaptation of Annie before it's even released at the cinema. Scroll down for video . Actress Quvenzhane Wallis, who stars as Annie in the new film of the same name, snaps a selfie on board an American Airlines flight from LA to New York, after passengers were given a surprise advanced screening of the film . The 11-year-old and the film's director Will Gluck also treated passengers to an in-flight question and answer session . The film starring Quvenzhane also stars Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz as Miss Hannigan and has been produced by a team including Will Smith and Jay Z . The 11-year-old appears in the leading role of the new film, which also stars Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz and is produced by a team including Jay Z, Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith. The movie has been described as a modern-day, urban approach to the classical stage show. The film premiere was part of a campaign called Priceless Surprises by one of the movie's sponsors Mastercard. As well as receiving a sneak peek of the film ahead of its December 19 release date, passengers were also able to snap selfies with Miss Wallis before the youngster and the film's director Mr Gluck took part in a question and answer session with everybody on board. The passengers on the flight from Los Angeles to New York, were only told about the special screening of the film when they arrived at the airport . The film premiere was part of a campaign called Priceless Surprises by one of the movie's sponsors Mastercard . Raja Rajamannar from Mastercard explained: 'Today's surprise is just one way we're taking our Pricesless Surprises to a whole new level by bringing in new platforms to drive cardholder affinity. 'You truly never know when or where a surprise can happen.' The movie, which is based on the stage play of the same name, sees the title character Annie as an orphan who is determined to make her own way on the streets of New York in 2014. Three excited passengers who were on board the flight and found out that they would be part of the first film premiere at 30,000 feet . The passengers on board the American Airlines flight only found out about the film premiere after they checked in at LAX . Cameron Diaz stars as her mean foster mother Miss Hannigan while the character of Daddy Warbucks is played by Jamie Foxx. The advanced screening of the movie comes just days after the film, by Sony Pictures Entertainment, was being illegally shared online after a cyber attack allegedly committed by North Korea. The attack allegedly knocked out Sony Pictures Entertainment's entire computer network earlier this week, with staff reduced to working off white boards because their laptops and PC were rendered useless. Annie tells the story of an orphaned girl who is determined to make her own way on the tough streets of New York. It stars Cameron Diaz, left, Jame Foxx and Quvenzhane Wallis . The new film, set in 2014, has been described as a modern-day, urban approach to the classical stage show . The in-flight premiere of the film comes just days after the film, by Sony Pictures Entertainment, was being illegally shared online after a cyber attack allegedly committed by North Korea . The hack comes just under a month before Sony Pictures is due to release The Interview, which is a comedy about two journalists, played by Rogen and Franco, who are recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Pyongyang government denounced the film as 'undisguised sponsoring of terrorism, as well as an act of war' in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in June. Representatives of the North Korean mission to the United Nations could not immediately be reached for comment about the cyber attack.

Passengers on American Airlines flight were surprised with a film premiere . Those on board service from LAX were shown the new Annie adaptation . Quvenzhane Wallis who stars as Annie was on board to pose for pictures . She took part in question and answer session with director Will Gluck . The modern-day version of Annie is released at cinemas on December 19 .

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The friend of a New Jersey high school student who allegedly had sexual relations with his English teacher took to the witness stand this week to recount what he knew of the pair's relationship. Jenna Leahey, 33, is facing several charges, including sexual assault and official misconduct, for a series of encounters she allegedly had with a 16-year-old male student. The former English teacher and hockey coach at Parsippany Hills High School has pleaded not guilty and the pre-hearing on Tuesday was to decide what evidence will be admissible for trial. The witness said the alleged victim told him that he and Leahey had touched each others genitals in her classroom, according to NJ.com. Charged: Jenna Leahey, 33, is facing several charges including sexual assault and official misconduct for a relationship she had with a student after helping him through the death of a relative . Official misconduct: The prosecution says the former English teacher and hockey coach had a series of encounters with a student between January and June 2013 . They also 'did other physical things in the classroom', he said. 'He also told me she took him home with her after a volleyball game,' the friend said. The friend said he was told of the alleged relationship while playing video games with the alleged victim. He said the boy 'got really quiet' when the friend guessed he was 'talking to' a teacher. The court was told that 'talking to' in high school meant dating. The former student said the alleged victim showed him 'sort of nude' pictures that Leahey had allegedly sent him on text. The incidents allegedly occurred between January and June in 2013. Parsippany Hills High football coach Dave Albano also testified. Albano said the alleged victim and his friend came and told him about Leahey in June last year after rumors started circulating the school. The alleged victim told Albano he and Leahey had 'kissed', 'made out' and 'were fooling around in the car' after a volleyball game when Leahey drove the boy home. The boy said he hadn't had intercourse with Leahey, according to Albano. Scene: Leahey was a former English teacher and hockey coach at Parsippany Hills High School in New Jersey . The boy admitted to the coach they had exchanged 'dirty' text messages. 'He was scared and nervous,' Albano said of the boy. A second friend of the alleged victim told the court Tuesday that he didn't believe the teen when he said he was having a relationship with Leahey. However after teasing the boy, he gave in and showed the text messages. 'Ms. Leahey was one of the good-looking teachers in school,' the second friend said, according to The Daily Record. 'I'd say ''Oh, I saw you trying to flirt with Ms. Leahey''. 'He denied it at first and then got fed up with me teasing him about it.' Leahey gave police a taped interview that was played Tuesday to the judge, where she admitted to sending texts to the boy but denied anything else happened. She had the confidence to the send explicit texts, which said was 'stupid', but was never able to anything when physically with the boy. She said the teen was abusive with her and would touch her breasts and buttocks and put his hand down her pants. Leahey told authorities he also tried to kiss her several times. 'I never physically touched the kid ever. He is just a kid,' she said in her 2013 interview, The Daily Record reported. 'I do feel responsible I didn't draw that line (with the texts) immediately.' Jenna Leahey has pleaded not guilty and the pre-hearing on Tuesday was to decide what evidence will be admissible for trial . Leahey's attorney is seeking to subpoena what authorities allege are explicit text messages she exchanged with the student. Her attorney, Stephanie Forbes, told NJ.com she plans to file a motion to dismiss the charges. The pair's alleged relationship started after Leahey counseled the young man following his aunt's death from cancer. After that the two began texting in a cell phone game. The prosecution and the defense dispute what happened next. Two more witnesses were scheduled to testify Tuesday afternoon.

Jenna Leahey, 33, is facing several charges, including sexual assault and official misconduct . Former teacher and hockey coach at Parsippany Hills High School had an alleged relationship with 16-year-old student from January to June 2013 . Victim's friend said they touched each other in her classroom . Football coach testified the victim told him of the relationship but said they hadn't had intercourse . Leahey has pleaded not guilty and wants the charges dropped .

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A teenager with terminal cancer who realized her dream of playing college basketball earlier this month has admitted it is unlikely she'll get to play in another game as her condition worsens. Ohio teenager Lauren Hill says her cancerous brain tumor makes each day unpredictable and she hasn't been able to practice as much as she would like - something she says she has just had to accept. 'I'm just worried about spending time with my family right now and trying to get to Thanksgiving,' she said on Tuesday. 'You know, just living in the moment.' Ohio teenager Lauren Hill realized her dream of playing college basketball earlier this month, but has admitted it is unlikely she'll get to play in another game as her condition worsens . Two weeks ago the 19-year-old Mount St. Joseph freshman made the national spotlight when she took to the basketball court during a Division III basketball game in front of more than 10,000 fans. 'It seems like it was just yesterday,' she said in her school's gymnasium, with the final score — Mount St. Joseph 66, Hiram 55 — displayed on the scoreboard (the game was held at Xavier's arena). Since the game, her school has received calls from people around the world who were touched by her courage and inspiration. A Layup4Lauren challenge has raised money for research into the type of cancer that is set to shorten her life. Hill hopes that research will lead to treatments that give others a better chance of beating the odds. Mount St. Joseph's Lauren Hill catches a pass and prepares to shoot during her first NCAA college basketball game against Hiram University at Xavier University in Cincinnati on November 2 . Xavier University donated $58,776 on Tuesday, money raised from tickets and merchandise as the school offered its arena for the game. The NCAA allowed the schools to move the game up by two weeks because of Hill's condition. So far, more than $324,000 has been donated for cancer research and treatment — far more than Hill had imagined. 'That's a lot,' Hill said. 'I don't even have a reaction. I'm still in shock. It's kind of like walking through a dream. I mean, it's a good dream.' As the inoperable tumor squeezes her strength and energy, Hill squeezes back, holding to life as tightly as she can. The tumor leaves her right side weak at times and makes her dizzy. She sleeps a lot and has to use a wheelchair sometimes. 'Every day or every hour can be different,' said Lisa Hill, her mom. 'Toward the latter part of the day, you'll see her more in her wheelchair because her legs are weaker so she has a hard time moving.' Lisa Hill said her daughter's spirits fluctuate with her physical struggles. Struggle: The teenager was a standout backetball player and former prom queen in high school, right . 'If her right side isn't working, she gets very frustrated just because her body isn't cooperating,' she said. 'But for the most part, she's Lauren.' Hill had to start shooting with her left hand — her non-dominant one — because the tumor affects the right side of her body more significantly. She shows up for practice several times a week to be with her teammates and will make a few shots if she feels up to it. Asked if it's realistic to think she could play in another game, Lisa Hill said, 'I don't know. I would probably say it's maybe not realistic, but you never know on the day. So if she's got really high spirits and her body's doing what it's supposed to be doing, who knows?' Coach Dan Benjamin and Hill's teammates are taking up the cause as her energy wanes. 'Watching her go through her journey has been very tough, knowing she's getting weaker at times, knowing she needs us even more now,' Benjamin said. 'She's not going to be able to get out as much as she has done in the past, so now I will have to become her voice and her teammates will have to become her voice as well.' 'Living in the moment': Cincinnati teenager Lauren Hill says her cancerous brain tumor makes each day unpredictable and she hasn't been able to practice as much as she would like .

Lauren Hill, 19, realized her dream of playing college basketball earlier this month for Mount St. Joseph in Ohio . But her cancerous brain tumor has worsened and she says her focus now is on spending time with her family and making the most of Thanksgiving . The NCAA allowed her school to move their game against Hiram forward by two weeks so that Lauren could take part . More than $324,000 has been donated for cancer research and treatment by fundraising carried out in her name .

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Lying? Charles Warner began complaining about the effects of the experimental drug before they had been administered for his execution . An Oklahoma inmate executed amid a legal challenge over lethal injection began complaining about the effects on his body before the drugs were administered, prompting some to question whether he may have exaggerated his symptoms to help his fellow death row inmates' case. Charles Warner, who was executed Thursday for the killing of an 11-month-old girl in 1997, said during his last words: 'It feels like acid.' The comment came before any of the lethal drugs were administered and while he was only receiving a saline drip through an intravenous line. While on the gurney, he also said he'd been 'poked' five times. Warner's attorney who witnessed his execution, Madeline Cohen, said since she wasn't able to view the IV insertion, she asked Warner to tell her how many times the execution team tried to insert the line and whether he was experiencing any problems. Cohen said she and Warner's family members found Warner's comments 'disturbing' and 'confusing.' Warner was the first person put to death in Oklahoma since a botched execution in April that left Curt Lockett gasping for air and writhing in pain for 43 minutes. The procedure drew national attention to the drugs used in lethal injections. On Thursday, after the first drug, a sedative, was administered, Warner again complained: 'My body is on fire.' Cohen said she doesn't believe Warner would have exaggerated symptoms of suffering, and that defense lawyers would never coach death row inmates about what to say during their last words. She agreed with other witnesses who said Warner showed no other physical signs of distress, such as moaning, writhing or lifting against the restraints, but she said there's really no way to tell if he was suffering . Scroll down for video . Controversy: Jerry Massie, spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, announces the time of death of inmate Charles Warner to the media at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, Okla . 'I just don't know. We have tried to get transparency about what they're doing and to be able to observe (the IV insertion),' Cohen said of prison officials. 'And we've been denied that. So between the actual veiling and the chemical veiling, it's very hard for us to know what's going on.' But some criminal prosecutors suggested death row inmates would be quick to exaggerate the symptoms of an execution, especially if doing so would be helpful to fellow death row inmates. 'I think what you witnessed is predictable, especially if it could be helpful to the guys behind him,' said Rex Duncan, a northern Oklahoma prosecutor who recently protested a death row inmate's request for clemency. Randy Lopez, a retired prison guard who spent his entire career at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, said there is a brotherhood among death row inmates and that he thinks Warner was 'hamming it up.' 'He did it for the other inmates,' Lopez said. Neither Duncan nor Lopez witnessed Warner's execution. Warner and other death row inmates were plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging Oklahoma's method of execution as cruel and unusual. They claimed the first drug, midazolam, won't properly anesthetize an inmate before the second and third drugs are administered. Although the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Warner's request for a stay of execution in a narrow 5-4 ruling on Thursday, the inmates' request for the high court to consider the merit of their challenge still is pending, according to Dale Baich, an attorney for the inmates. Writing the dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said she believes questions about the effectiveness of drugs used in executions is particularly important now because of states' increasing reliance on new and scientifically untested methods of execution. The gurney in the the execution chamber at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary is pictured in McAlester, Okla .

Charles Warner was Oklahoma's first lethal injection since a botched execution in April that left Curt Lockett writhing in pain for 43 minutes . Warner screamed 'My body is on fire!' during his execution in Thursday . Officials say he was faking being in agony . Warner raped and murdered an 11-month-old girl in 1997 . Retired prison guard says Warner was 'hamming it up' in attempt to halt future executions .

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It's so big that it has to be supported on two tripods and fires ammunition that's three times the size of standard rifle ammo. An Isis terrorist has been photographed aiming a 10-foot long sniper rifle out of a flat window in Kobane. The fearsome weapon fires 23mm calibre bullets, far larger than the standard size. Fearsome: An Isis terrorist has been photographed aiming a 10-foot long sniper rifle out of a flat window in Kobane . Gigantic: This picture shows a row of 23mm bullets - the same size as those fired by the 10-foot rifle . Huge casings from the bullets can be seen on the floor next to the gunman. What sort of effect this gun would have remains open to debate, however, according to firearms expert David Dyson. He told MailOnline: 'The problem with identifying the effect of this gun is firstly that we don't know for sure what the calibre is, although there wouldn't be a lot of point in building something like this if it wasn't of a significant calibre. Secondly, and probably of more importance, we don't know how well it is made: is the barrel accurately machined and rifled? 'The effect will also depend on the type of ammunition used. These rounds exist [23mm] fitted with high explosive incendiary or armour piercing incendiary projectiles.They will be effective against personnel and vehicles including lightly armoured ones.' The picture emerged after a show of force from al Qaeda's Nusra Front, a rival group. They toured in a convoy around villages they said they had captured from Syrian rebels. Dozens of pick-up trucks bristling with anti-aircraft guns and men armed with heavy machine guns drove through settlements in the southern countryside of Idlib. Members of al Qaeda's Nusra Front drive in a convoy as they tour villages they said they had seized control of from Syrian rebel factions . Dozens of pick-up trucks bristling with anti-aircraft guns and men armed with heavy machine guns drove through settlements in the southern countryside of Idlib . Battle-hardened: Nusra Front fighters stream along a Syrian road . Isis was formed by a merger of the Nusra Front and Al Qaeda in Iraq in 2013 . Some Nusra Front (pictured) fighters are opposed to the extreme brutality of Isis . Isis was formed by a merger of the Nusra Front and Al Qaeda in Iraq in 2013, but many in the former group rejected the move. By March 2014 over 3,000 fighters had been killed in clashes between the two sides. Meanwhile, video journalist Jake Simkin has offered a rare glimpse inside Kobane's last remaining field hospital. Most of Kobane's hospitals and clinics now lie in ruins. Only one is still working - but its location is kept secret for fear it could be targeted by the militants. Inside the tiny field clinic, saving lives and dealing with horrifying wounds of war comes first, and concerns such as keeping operating rooms sterile and cleaning up after surgery are on the back burner. Dr. Mohammed Arif helps to deal with a wounded patient at a field hospital in Kobane . A Kurdish fighter receives medical attention for a bullet just grazing his temple at a field hospital in Kobane . Wound: The Kurdish fighter being treated for a bullet graze winches in pain as doctors work on him . Most of Kobane's hospitals and clinics now lie in ruins. Pictured is the aftermath of a truck bomb . This photo clearly shows the devastation wrought on Kobane by the war with Isis . Helped by more than 270 airstrikes from a U.S.-led coalition and an American airdrop of weapons, the fighters in Kobane (pictured) have succeeded in halting the militants' advance . Blood is splattered across most of the beds and floors, and a small team of only three doctors and five nurses are providing the only remaining medical services in the town. They are sometimes forced to operate by torchlight since power generators regularly fail. They treat a seemingly unending flood of wounded Kurdish fighters and members of the Free Syrian Army, just meters (yards) away from the front lines. The Spartan clinic only has the very basic equipment and regularly runs out of supplies. Those with more critical wounds must make a mad dash for the border with Turkey, and wait there for a transport to a better hospital in the neighboring country. But losing precious time in the perilous journey often diminishes their chances for survival. 'If we had a mobile operating unit, we wouldn't have to leave our wounded at the Turkish border to wait for six or 10 hours where they sometimes die,' said Mohammed Aref, a doctor at the Kobane clinic. Simkin's reports have revealed just how destructive the battle for Kobane has been. The Kurdish fighters of Kobane, backed by a small number of Iraqi peshmerga forces and Syrian rebels, are locked in what they say is a fight to the end against the Islamic State group, which swept into the town in mid-September. The militants' advance was part of a summer blitz after the Islamic State group overran large parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq. Kobane, which once had a population of about 50,000, has seen some of the fiercest urban warfare in Syria's civil war, now in its fourth year, and has paid a heavy price for battling the Islamic State extremists. Aref and the others at the Kobane clinic say the immobility of their facility slows them down, since they cannot venture far outside and treat the wounded at the scene - as paramedics and mobile doctors elsewhere do in combat situations. The Kurds' defence of Kobane (pictured) has been aided by Coalition air strikes . Still, Aref is dedicated to saving Kobane's wounded as best he can and dreams of someday rebuilding the town clinics and working in a safe operating theater. Helped by more than 270 airstrikes from a U.S.-led coalition and an American airdrop of weapons, the fighters in Kobane have succeeded in halting the militants' advance and believe that a corner has been turned. But the fight against the Islamic State is not slowing down. 'We know that the number (of wounded) will increase and more injured will come so we have to be ready,' said Aref. 'The most important thing for us is having an operating room.' In a previous report Simkin spoke to a teenage girl who's fighting Isis in Kobane with her father. Pervin Kobani is part of a team holding an eastern front-line position that comes under regular attack from the extremist fighters. Three weeks ago, Pervin bumped into her father on a street corner. She was surprised to see him holding a gun. She didn't know that he too had decided to fight. Her mother is a refugee in Turkey, her only brother studying in Algeria. 'Honestly when I heard my father is fighting on the western front with the YPG I was so proud of him, and it made me want to fight more,' she said. Determined: Pervin is part of a team holding an eastern front-line position that comes under regular attack from the extremist fighters . Fighting family: Pervin Kobani (right), who's fighting Isis in Kobane, hugs her father, who's doing the same . Her father, Farouk Kobane, joined the town's defenders in mid-September, when IS, also known as Isis, launched their attack. He was delighted to see his daughter that day three weeks ago, after months without news. Last week, Simkin traveled with Pervin to the western front, to see her father once again. She says he is now her comrade first - but she hugs him like a father anyway.

Isis terrorist photographed aiming a 10-foot rifle out of a window . The fearsome weapon is thought to fire 23mm calibre bullets . 'Gun could be effective against lightly armoured vehicles,' says expert .

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England were celebrating an unlikely victory deep in the Sri Lankan jungle – but for Alastair Cook it may have come at a price. While the tourists were rejoicing in a desperately needed win that closes the deficit to 2-1 and breathes life into a side that had been inviting ridicule, their captain was waiting to hear if he would face a one-match ban for England’s slow over-rate. As Sri Lanka ran up 242 for eight in a game shortened by a biblical downpour to 35 overs a side, Cook’s team were 18 minutes off the pace. Fined for the same offence against India at Cardiff in August, he could now be banned for Sunday’s crucial game in Colombo. Jos Buttler (left) and Joe Root shake hands after their unbroken 84-run partnership helped England to victory . Root clenches his fist in celebration after the much-needed victory in the third ODI against Sri Lanka . Root is congratulated by Alastair Cook after helping to see England to victory over Sri Lanka . The injured Stuart Broad tweeted his delight after the England win . ‘We’ll plead our case,’ he said. ‘It was tough on that big ground with the ball going everywhere at the end, and it takes a long time for batsmen to come out to the middle.’ ICC match referee David Boon may take a different view. And if Cook is banned for a game, it will raise the question of whether the captaincy passes to Eoin Morgan, who continued his wretched run here by falling on the hook for a single. Right now, he hardly looks in the frame of mind to score meaningful runs, let alone lead his country. England’s get-out clause may be that there is no official vice-captain on this tour, in which case Joe Root could come into the picture. That, though, is a bridge England will cross at some point over the next few days. For now, they can simply enjoy reacquainting themselves with the unfamiliar scent of victory – only their second in nine completed matches. Cook himself produced another innings that was neither one thing nor the other, and his 42-ball 34 ended with a tame drive to the keeper. But England will be quietly thrilled at yet another glittering knock from Moeen Ali, and with the composure shown by Root and Jos Buttler after a brief wobble. As Cook put it: ‘A side full of confidence would have done it easier than we did.’ Having raced to 50 in 21 balls during the first warm-up game, Ali got there in 25 in the first one-day international, and 29 here. If he’s slowing down, he’s doing it in style: his innings here included five effortless sixes. It helped that the boundaries at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium had been brought in, but this was still carefree batting of the highest order. ‘The Beard That’s Feared’ has made the transition from a marketing gimmick at Worcestershire to a statement of fact at the highest level. England being England, they almost made a mess of it. After Cook and his opening partner had put on 84 inside 12 overs, Alex Hales – finally given a chance at the expense of Ian Bell – was culpable in the run-out of Ali. Chris Woakes (second right) celebrates taking the early wicket of Sri Lanka opener Kusal Perera . The players were forced off because of bad light and heavy rain, but later returned in a reduced-overs match . Tillakeratne Dilshan cracks one through the covers for four . Kumar Sangakkara dives to make his ground as Cook looks on hoping for a run out . Sangakkara sweeps one to the boundary as he top scores for Sri Lanka with 63 . The hosts' captain Angelo Mathews guides one down the legside past England keeper Jos Buttler . Chris Jordan performs his customary jump after dismissing Mathews . Dhammika Prasad launches the ball into orbit for six near the end of the Sri Lanka innings . Woakes dives to try to take a catch but the ball just eludes him in the field . Hales was then caught tamely at mid-on after a promising 27 in 29 balls, before Ravi Bopara – promoted to No 5 – and Morgan both fell cheaply to leave England 152 for five. Root was caught off a Prasad no-ball on 40, but the eventual ease of England’s triumph – completed with eight deliveries to spare, with Buttler rediscovering his touch in an unbeaten 55 from 37 balls – will persuade them they can still get something out of this seven-match series. Sri Lanka’s innings had been rebuilt from 31 for three by a run-a-ball stand of 87 between two of the world game’s in-form batsmen, Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews, before both fell to the recalled Chris Jordan. Cook dabs the ball fine past short third man for four as England start their innings well . Moeen Ali once again takes the attack to the Sri Lanka bowlers, sweeping to the boundary . The England opener shows his aggressive side as he advances down the pitch and hits out . Moeen attempts an upper cut over the wicketkeeper (left) and plays a more conventional drive . Sangakkara became the fourth player to pass 13,000 one-day runs on his way to a typically classy 63 off 62 balls, before Lahiru Thirimanne and tailender Dhammika Prasad helped crash 62 off the last five overs. Chris Woakes picked up three wickets, but Bopara was again underbowled – sending down only three overs – and Ben Stokes looked worryingly devoid of rhythm and confidence. His two overs cost 28; so far in the series, he has sent down six wicketless overs for 64. Stokes played here instead of James Tredwell. It’s hard to imagine the off-spinner not returning in Colombo. England will head to the capital with an unexpected spring in their step. Sangakkara and the Sri Lankans celebrate after running out Moeen . The returning Alex Hales hits a six (left) but is caught soon after and has to depart . Joe Root tries to steady the ship after a flurry of England wickets in the middle order . Buttler steers the ball through the covers in his superb half-century . Root opens himself up and goes inside out over extra cover for four .

England beat Sri Lanka by five wickets (D/L method) in Hambantota . Alastair Cook faces one-match ban for slow over rate . Jos Buttler hits 55 from 37 balls to see England home after wobble . Joe Root assists him with 48 from 48 deliveries . Moeen Ali earlier continued good form with a 40-ball 58 . Kumar Sangakkara hit 63 for Sri Lanka after bad light forced players off .

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Once upon a time, Arsenal played Chelsea and, more often than not, beat them. But that was before the Roman empire swept into Stamford Bridge and altered the Premier League landscape. Instead of the fixture that Gunners fans looked forward to the most, it has become the match they must secretly dread. It was another Bridge – Wayne – who landed the first blow on behalf of owner Roman Abramovich and announced the arrival of a new order when he grabbed an 87th minute winner to clinch a 3-2 aggregate Champions League win at Highbury in March 2004. Wayne Bridge scores against Arsenal for Chelsea at Highbury in the Champions League back in March 2004 . The arrival of Jose Mourinho and Roman Abramovich marked an end to Arsenal's victories over Chelsea . Things have never been quite the same, since. And Bridge’s goal was the turning point. Emirates supporters look away now, as a reminder of the good old days brings home how fortunes have changed in the Premier League era. Post Roman, the teams have played 28 times. Arsenal have won just six matches in all competitions, drawn seven and lost 15. Contrast and compare that with 1992-2003, before the Russian billionaire turned Chelsea from fancy dans to title winners. The teams faced each other 22 times. Arsenal lost only three, won 12 and drew seven and were the undisputed kings of the capital. Arsenal players look dejected as Chelsea celebrate their 6-0 victory in March of this year . It all looked so rosy, in February 2004, when Arsene Wenger’s team knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup and then beat them 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in what was then known as the Premiership. Prick Vieira and Edu cancelled out Eidur Gudjohnsen’s early strike while the Icelander was also sent off in the second half. One month later the rivals met in the Champions League. The first leg was drawn 1-1 and Arsenal were over-riding favourites. Jose Reyes gave the Gunners the lead on half-time only for Frank Lampard to level the scores before Bridge had the final say. Arsenal fans could argue that it was not in the Premier League, which is what really counts over a season. The same could be applied to the Community Shield in 2005 when a Didier Drogba double ensured a 2-1 Chelsea win. Kieran Gibbs is mistakenly sent off following Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's handball on the goal-line . But later that August, Arsenal could no longer claim to be so superior as Drogba scored the only goal in a 1-0 Premier League home victory. The return was in December the same year. Arjen Robben and Joe Cole both found the net at Highbury and Chelsea had done the double over their North London neighbours. As far as the neutral is concerned, however, this is a match which tends to throw up lots of goals, plenty of controversy and the enduring feud between Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho. Arsenal fans will not need long memories to recall a rare fine moment – the 5-3 extravaganza in October 2011 when Robin van Persie scored twice in the last five minutes to complete his hat-trick after it looked as if Juan Mata had clinched a 3-3 draw. Then again, they will not want reminding about what happened last season. Down to ten men (even if Kieran Gibbs was sent off instead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain) and on the end of a 6-0 thrashing. Will the tide turn again on Sunday? The bookies suggest not.

Chelsea host Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday . Arsene Wenger has never beaten Jose Mourinho as a manager . The Gunners were crushed 6-0 at Stamford Bridge last season .

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Recently, scientists have postulated that the most abundant stars in our galaxy, red dwarfs, despite being no more than 20 per cent the mass of the sun, might be able to host habitable planets. But a new study has warned that any 'Earth-like' worlds we spot in the habitable zone of these stars will be nothing more than an illusion – owing to the intense radiation they receive early in their life. The study claims that so-called 'mirage Earths' will look like our own planet from afar, but peering deeper into the planet will reveal it to be a barren world with no water, or life, on its surface. University of Washington researchers have claimed that planets around red dwarfs (illustrated) cannot be habitable. It was thought planets around the dim stars could host water and life. But new research says such Earth-like planets are not possible. This is because the stars are more active early on while the planets form . The research was carried out by astronomy graduate student Rodrigo Luger and assistant professor Rory Barnes at the University of Washington. They studied red dwarfs, also known as M stars, which make up about 75 per cent of stars in our galaxy. In their study the researchers found that, early in their life, M dwarfs were much more active. This is the same for most stars, but M dwarfs take longer because they are so much smaller. Last year a study suggested that Earth-like planets may be able to support life in a small area of their surface even if most of their water is permanently frozen. Planets that orbit red dwarf stars, known as exoplanets, can become 'tidally locked' so that their water is frozen on their permanently cold night-time sides but they could still sustain life, astronomer Kristen Menou at Columbia University said. Just as our moon is tidally locked to the Earth, only showing us one hemisphere, the same could be true of these exoplanets facing red dwarfs. As a result, the planets have a permanent day side and permanent night side. This leaves only a thin band of water around the planet where the temperature was just right for it to remain liquid, and this is where organisms could grow. This means that once planets have formed, roughly 10 million years after the star's formation, they will be subjected to the full brunt of the star's early activity until it quietens down. Any water present on the planets would therefore be boiled by this intense heat from the sun. And in a cruel trick on Earth-based astronomers this water would be split into hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The release of the latter would produce huge atmospheres full of oxygen that, from afar, would make the planet look habitable. But journeying to the surface of the planet would reveal the reality of a dried up world that lost its water long ago - earning the moniker mirage Earths. 'Because of the oxygen they build up, they could look a lot like Earth from afar - but if you look more closely you'll find that they're really a mirage; there's just no water there,' said Mr Luger. He added that 'many of the planets in the habitable zones of M dwarfs could have been dried up by this process early on, severely decreasing their chance of actually being habitable.' The researchers say these atmospheres could be 10 times denser than that of Venus and could 'confound our search for life on exoplanets.' The research suggests that red dwarf stars do not quieten down before the planets form and boil water away. This leaves a thick atmosphere of oxygen that looks livable, tricking astronomers into thinking they are habitable. But examining the planet up close would reveal no water on its surface (illustration shown) M dwarf stars, which include red dwarfs, are the most abundant star in our galaxy, making up three out of every four stars. However they are only about 20 per cent as massive as the sun, and thus have much smaller habitable zones (illustration shown) than other types of star . A few years ago it was thought that such stars, just a fifth as massive as the sun, were too weak to be able to host habitable planets. But more recently scientists had begun to postulate that they might be able to cling onto tight habitable zones, where temperatures are just right for water to form on a planet. Considering they are by far the most abundant star in the galaxy, discovering they could have habitable planets in orbit is important in the hunt for Earth-like worlds, and life, beyond the solar system. It will be a major disappointment then if this new research, which threatens to pour water on that hopeful theory, proves to be true. 'All stars form in the collapse of a giant cloud of interstellar gas, which releases energy in the form of light as it shrinks,' Mr Luger said. 'But because of their lower masses, and therefore lower gravities, M dwarfs take longer to fully collapse - on the order of many hundreds of millions of years.' He added: 'Planets around these stars can form within 10 million years, so they are around when the stars are still extremely bright. 'And that's not good for habitability, since these planets are going to initially be very hot, with surface temperatures in excess of a thousand degrees. When this happens, your oceans boil and your entire atmosphere becomes steam.' A few years ago it was thought that red dwarf stars (illustrated), just a fifth as massive as the sun, were too weak to be able to host habitable planets. But more recently scientists had begun to postulate that they might be able to cling onto tight habitable zones, where temperatures are just right for water to form on a planet .

University of Washington study says red dwarf planets are not habitable . It was thought planets around the dim stars could host water and life . But the new research says such Earth-like planets may not be possible . This is because the stars are more active early on while the planets form . They do not quieten down before the planets form and boil water away . This leaves a thick atmosphere of oxygen that looks liveable, tricking astronomers into thinking they are habitable . But examining the planet up close would reveal no water on its surface . The scientists have dubbed these worlds 'mirage Earths' However they stress that it is still possible for habitable planets to exist around red dwarfs .

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The Duchess of Cornwall couldn't resist taking home a 'swag bag' made by burly prisoners - who have, remarkably, been taught the gentile art of needlework. Camilla was browsing a pop up store at London's historic Fortnum and Mason in support of the lags' charity, Fine Cell Work, today. Long one of the royal's favourite organisations, it trains prisoners to sew and pays them up to £500 per year for the products they produce, including exquisitely-made cushions, bags, tea cosies, quilts, and Christmas decorations. Sense of humour: The Duchess laughs as she holds up her swag bag purchase . The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are among those who have already received gifts made by Fine Cell Work prisoners, 97 per cent of whom are men and can be Category A and B inmates, among the most dangerous in the country. Prince Charles and Camilla have also bought regularly from the charity since its prisoners made them a wedding gift - a needlework duck and badger - for their 2005 wedding. One inmate at Wandsworth Prison took so much pride in making the royal gift he was nicknamed the Earl of Wandsworth by cell mates. The prisoners also supply top design firms like Colefax and Fower, Stella McCartney, Conran and Ben Pentreath, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's interior designer. Camilla immediately spotted a humorous bag stitched with SWAG which cost £39, a dachshund cushion for £150 and a couple of £10 pin cushions, which she paid for herself. She admitted that her own sewing skills were hopeless but praised the charity for the quality of its work. Who should I give this to? The royals are known for exchanging quirky gifts at Christmas . Keen eye for detail: The Duchess admired the skill that had gone into making the products which were created by offenders who are trained and supported by volunteers from the Embroiderers and Quilters Guild . Which should I buy? The Duchess was spoilt for choice . Ta dah! Camilla unveiled a framed picture commemorating the opening of the pop-up shop . After the visit the Duchess had a quick snoop round the Piccadilly department store - founded in 1707 - browsing for other Christmas gifts. Louisa Macfarlane, a volunteer from Hampshire, has worked with prisoners at Albany on the Isle of Wight for the past 12 years. 'We've got all the best ones,' she said fondly. 'It's a Who's Who of 20th century villainy.' She spoke movingly of how teaching prisoners to stitch had changed their lives and given them something to take pride in, although she declined to name any of the more notorious prisoners she has worked with in those years. Asked whether she ever felt in danger, she laughed: 'No, I have two boys of my own.' She added: 'I see so many tragic stories, people whose lives could gone in any one of a number of directions but have never received the help and support they need. Charity venture: The goods made by Fine Cell Work will be on sale at Fortnum & Mason . Stocking up: Dog lover Camilla also bought a Dachshund decorated cushion . Handiwork: Camilla was amused and impressed by the swag bag, created by prisoners who stitch independently in their cells or take part in workshops . Workshop: Camilla watched demonstrations of some of the techniques taught to prisoners. 'We sit around the Ping Pong table or television room and sew together. It's quite remarkable when you see it. Like a little sewing bee.' At any one time, the charity, which pays 37 per cent of the proceeds from its sales to the prisoners, works with 240 inmates around the country. They spend an average 28 hours per week working on making the goods. If they earn more than £500 in a year, it is kept for them until their release so that the savings can help them stay crime-free. Some have even gone on to work in interior and costume design on being released. Camilla, loading up her shopping bag, confessed that needlework had never exactly been her strong point at school and there had been little improvement since. 'Don't get me started on that,' she joked. Katye Emck, founding director of the charity, said they make a point of not discussing their prisoners' crimes. 'Sewing transcends that and we pass no judgement,' she said. 'What we do shows these men the virtue of work, how to take pride in what they do and give them a small income. Stitching is also remarkably emotionally therapeutic.' Lively chat: Camilla meets volunteers and supporters of the Fine Cell Work pop-up shop . Meet and greet: The Duchess has been a supporter of Fine Cell Work since its inception in 1997 . Elegant: Camilla looked smart in a black dress and pearls .

The Duchess of Cornwall opened a pop-up shop in Fortnum & Mason . Bought a number of gifts made by charity Fine Cell Work . The charity works with prisoners and trains them in needlework . Royals known for swapping quirky gifts at Christmas . The Fine Cell Work pop-up shop is on the first floor of the store and is open until December 27 .

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An honest assistant manager of a Burger King found an abandoned backpack stuffed with cash while cleaning tables late last month and rather than keep it, notified her manager. Sahista Bakawla waited for the bag's owner to come back to the San Jose, California, outlet of the fast food chain and claim it. Strangely no-one did, so she took it to franchise owner Altaf Chaus who opened the bag to look for ID. The contents of the bag surprised them both: $100,000 in cash along with a baggie of marijuana and a suspicious 'white rock'. Scroll down for video . Sahista Bakawla (left), who found the backpack while cleaning, and Altaf Chaus, owner of the San Jose Burger King, who has said he will donate the proceeds to charity should the cash come to him . Bakawla told KGO Bay Area: ‘I twice cleaned, like two or three times cleaned the tables, and it's still here. I waited until 3pm. And nobody came here.’ Said Chaus: 'I open the zipper, I see lots of money, cash money, $100 bills stack up like half the bag. I said, "Wow! Today's my birthday, this is my birthday gift.".' He immediately called the police. ‘I've been in this country 26 years and I worked two jobs for 15 years before I bought this Burger King. So I'm a very hard working man. I don't want that money, maybe it belongs to somebody.’ When police inspected the backpack, they found ten stacks of $10,000 totaling $100,000, candy, cigarettes, a bank withdrawal slip, and a bag of marijuana and a 'white rock' in it, that possibly could have been drugs, Chaus told NBC. The restaurant was busy that afternoon and San Jose Police Sergeant Heather Randol said there were not many leads related to the owner's identity. Police were working with local bank officials to locate the individual who left the money behind. For now the cash has been booked into a property warehouse. Stacks of bills totaling $100,000 was found along with a small amount of marijuana and a deposit slip . Officers told Chaus that by law the money was his if nobody claimed it in a six-month period. Given the amount of cash, there is speculation it was intended for a morally dubious transaction and may therefore go unclaimed. If the money does come to him, Chaus told UPI that he would ‘donate the money to needy people’. Speaking to the San Jose Mercury News, he said one possibility was a Muslim foundation that he allows to leave fundraising material on his counter. Chaus is a Muslim himself, and originally came to the U.S. from India. Only two weeks earlier, the branch had mistakenly accepted counterfeit $100 bills, and Chaus put up a handwritten sign on the milk shake machine by the cash register saying NO $100 BILLS PLEASE. Asked if anyone has ever left a large amount of cash behind before, Chaus recalled: ‘One time a lady left her wallet with $800 in it.’ On that occasion he found her ATM card, called the bank, and she got her money back. The San Jose, California, Burger King restaurant where $100K in cash was found in a backpack along with marijuana, candy, lists of phone numbers and email addresses, a bank withdrawal slip and an ATM card .

Backpack full of cash found in California fast food restaurant by employee cleaning tables last month . A bag of marijuana, a 'white rock', candy, cigarettes and a bank withdrawal slip among the contents of the bag . If no-one claims the cash in six months it will go to the hardworking, immigrant owner who will donate the proceeds to a Muslim charity .

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The fiancé of a young woman whose life was cut short as she waited for a double lung transplant is urging people to join the donor register and give others 'a second chance at life'. Kerry Thorpe died in March aged just 23 after a life-long battle with cystic fibrosis. Miss Thorpe had been on the transplant list for almost two years but succumbed to the disease before a match was found. Since her death her partner of five years, Josh Nelli has been raising awareness of the disease, which causes the lungs to become clogged with mucus. Scroll down for video . Josh Nelli, whose fiancee Kerry Thorpe, died from cystic fibrosis in . March, is today urging people to sign the Organ Donation Register after . Miss Thorpe lost her battle before new lungs were found for her . Miss Thorpe was just 23 when she succumbed to the disease, which she had fought since the age of six months . Mr Nelli, of Kesgrave, Suffolk, registered as an organ donor days after meeting Miss Thorpe, and now he’s urging others to do the same. His call comes as data from NHS Blood and Transplant revealed that despite a 10 per cent rise on the number of transplants carried out in 2013-14 on the year prior, the shortage of donors means three people a day still die waiting for their call. 'My message is simple,' he told MailOnline. 'If people register as an organ donor they are registering to one day save someone’s life. 'Kerry wanted a second chance at life, but sadly she never got it. 'I don’t want others going through what we have, because it could be so easily solved through having more organ donors. 'If more people realised the lives they could save by doing this – surely they wouldn’t think twice, so many people could be given the second chance that Kerry never had. 'Kerry didn’t want much, it was the simple things such as being able to breathe without being in pain and being able to walk her dogs – that’s all she wanted.' Miss Thorpe was diagnosed with CF when she was just six-months-old. But at the age of 20 doctors told her, that a double lung transplant was her only hope, giving her just 18 months to live. At the age of 20 doctors told Miss Thorpe her only hope would be a double lung transplant. They gave her 18 months to live. She fought for three years, but died before a donor was found. Miss Thorpe is pictured at Papworth Hospital with Mr Nelli and her family, shortly before she died . 'My message is simple,' Mr Nelli told MailOnline. 'If people register as an organ donor they are registering to one day save someone's life. Kerry wanted a second chance at life, but sadly never got it' Miss Thorpe inspired countless people to sign the Organ Donation Register as she fought to survive long enough for her donor to be found. She fronted a national campaign for the charity, the CF Trust, Live Life Then Give Life . Despite her drive to help others, time ran out for Kerry . She outlived their predictions, but her life became an endless cycle of hospital visits and medication. But the selfless 23-year-old dedicated the time she had left to helping others. As she fought for her own life, she urged countless people to sign up to become organ donors, fronting a national campaign, Live Life Then Give Life. With the support of Miss Thorpe’s family, Mr Nelli has set up a charity in her honour – the Kerry Alex Thorpe Trust – aiming to raise awareness for organ donation and CF and help support the children in Suffolk battling the life shortening disease. So far more than £6,500 has been raised since Miss Thorpe lost her fight. The charity is now working with Ipswich Hospital, where Miss Thorpe received treatment as a child before turning 16 when her care was transferred to the adult CF centre at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire. 'Kerry had great memories of her time at Ipswich Hospital and we’re looking to hold wish days for the children there who are suffering from CF,' Mr Nelli said. 'We also want to support the hospital’s classroom by buying any toys or educational goods they need.' The NHS wants to increase the donor rate by more than 50 per cent by 2020, and while Mr Nelli says he’d like to think it would be an easy task he has to remain 'realistic'. 'Hopefully people understand the situation we've been in and we can get them thinking about organ donations,' he said. 'You don't need them when you’re dead and while it would be amazing to think everyone is going to instantly join the register it's an unrealistic wish. Mr Nelli has set up The Kerry Thorpe Trust, in memory of his partner of five years. He is raising money to help children battling the illness at Ipswich Hospital, where Kerry first received treatment . 'We can all make a difference in someone else's life and that's an amazing thing to be able to do. 'The more people on the donor register, the less time people have to wait for their transplant and the more likely they are to have a good recovery post transplant. 'Kerry would have been in a much better situation having a transplant three months after being put on the list compared to having one 18 months after being put on the list because obviously health can deteriorate when you're that unwell.' Wales is trialling an opt-out system for organ donation in 2015, which Mr Nelli describes as 'a massive step in the right direction'. He hopes it will eventually be rolled out UK-wide. He added: 'If you’re not a donor, ask yourself why not and at least consider it because the impact you will having is massive. What better gift to others than the second chance at life? 'I'll miss Kerry every day but the trust is my way of making sure her legacy goes on.' To find out more about The Kerry Alex Thorpe Trust visit the website here. Sign up to become an organ donor here. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition which causes the lungs and the digestive system to become clogged with mucus. Symptoms usually appear in early childhood and they include a persistent cough, recurring chest infections and failure to thrive. As the condition develops, a lung transplant may be required. There is no cure for cystic fibrosis so treatment revolves around relieving symptoms and reducing long-term damage caused by infections. The most common treatments are physiotherapy to clear the mucus from the lungs, and antibiotics to treat infections. The condition is caused by a genetic mutation which allows too much salt and water into cells - this results in a build-up of mucus. For a child to inherit the condition, both of their parents have to be carriers of the mutated gene. In this situation, there is a one in four chance the child will not inherit either of the faulty genes, a one in two chance they will inherit one of them and be a carrier but not a sufferer, and a one in four chance they will inherit both genes and suffer from the condition. About one in every 2,500 babies born in the UK are born with cystic fibrosis. As treatments have improved, the outlook for these children has improved dramatically. Life expectancy remains in the 40s. Source: NHS Choices .

Kerry Thorpe, from Kesgrave in Suffolk, died in March at the age of 23 . She was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was just six months old . When she was 20 doctors told Miss Thorpe a double lung transplant was her only hope after the disease ravaged her body . As she fought for life the brave 23-year-old fronted a national campaign urging people to sign the Organ Donation register to help save others . Her fiance Josh Nelli has set up the Kerry Thorpe Trust in her memory, to raise money to help children battling CF at Ipswich Hospital . To donate to help other children battling the disease visit the website here . Mr Nelli has called for an opt out system being trialled in Wales to be rolled out across the country to help increase the number of donors .

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