Samantha Cameron has made her first solo appearance of the general election with a provocative visit to a Ukip stronghold.

The Prime Minister's wife swooped into Rochester and Strood, the seat held by Mark Reckless after he defected from the Tories last summer.

David Cameron has made no secret of his desire to kick Mr Reckless's 'fat arse' out of the Commons, and clearly hopes his wife can woo voters in the crucial Kent battleground.

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Samantha Cameron has made her first solo appearance of the general election with a provocative visit to a Ukip stronghold.

Mrs Cameron joined Tory candidate Kelly Tolhurst for a visit to Abbey Court School in Rainham, Kent.

Mrs Cameron met Mitchell, aged four, at the Abbey Court School in Rainham, a special school  for three to 19-year-olds.

She also spoke to five-year-old Jessica at the school, which aides said was 'very close to her heart'

Mrs Cameron's first solo appearance three days into the campaign will be seen as a statement of intent from the Conservatives, who are desperate to wrest the seat back from Ukip following the by-election.

Visiting a special school in the constituency, she joked that she was pleased that her campaigning duties did not stretch to a live TV debate.

Mr Cameron is due to go head-to-head in a seven-way debate tomorrow night with the leaders of Labour, Lib Dems, Ukip, Greens, SNP and Plaid Cymru.

Mrs Cameron told reporters: 'He doesn't seem too nervous but I'm very glad it's him doing it and not me.'

When Mr Reckless defected from the Tories last year, the Prime Minister launched an extraordinary attack on his betrayal.

Mr Cameron argued that committed volunteers have ‘knocked on doors, stuffed envelopes, licked stamps to get his fat arse on the Commons benches, and this is how he repays them’.

But after the Conservatives threw the kitchen sink at the by-election triggered by his decision to join Ukip, Mr Reckless held it with a majority of 2,920.

Tory sources said it remains a 'key seat' and Mrs Cameron was keen to support Miss Tolhurst who is a 'great local candidate'

Mrs Cameron is expected to make a series of more stridently political interventions, after using a BBC interview last month to back her husband's bid to remain as Prime Minister.

Tory sources said it remains a 'key seat' and Mrs Cameron was keen to support Tory Kelly Tolhurst who is a 'great local candidate'.

Mrs Cameron is expected to make a series of more stridently political interventions, after using a BBC interview last month to back her husband's bid to remain as Prime Minister.

She said: 'He's definitely for my mind the best man for the job.

'I hope that me and the family help him to keep things in perspective - keep him grounded - help him to pace himself over the next eight weeks.'

Miss Tolhurst who stood against Mr Reckless at the Rochester and Strood by-election in November.

She greeted Mrs Cameron as she arrived for the visit to Abbey Court School in Rainham, Kent.

Mrs Cameron wore a Cos raspberry coloured blouse and a blue skirt from Toast, teamed with navy shoes from Zara.

She met head teacher Karen Joy as she toured the site for three to 19-year-olds with special educational needs, which aides said was 'very close to her heart'.

Mark Reckless defected from the Tories to Ukip last summer. After the Conservatives threw the kitchen sink at the subsequent by-election, Mr Reckless held it with a majority of 2,920.

In September, Mr Reckless followed Douglas Carswell to become the second Conservative to defect to Ukip.

The turncoat MP was unrepentant about his defection, insisting the Tories had broken promises on immigration and reducing the deficit.

Senior Conservatives reacted with fury.  Party chairman Grant Shapps used the opening speech of the Tory conference to mount a sustained attack on Mr Reckless, declaring: ‘He lied and lied and lied again.’

Mr Cameron has admitted that the pressures of wooing voters means their regular date nights will have to be put on hold.

He told the Sunday Telegraph: 'I think that will probably be a bit testing. I think there won't be much time for some of those things.

'Samantha's going to be on the campaign trail with me. She has also got other things she has to do, including making sure the children make it to school every day.'

In November's by-election, Mr Reckless won 42 per cent of the vote, ahead of Kelly Tolhurst on 35 per cent.

Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne today visited Marston's Brewery in Wolverhampton.

The Tory power couple were filmed together at the weekend during a visit to Salford's Royal Hospital in Greater Manchester.

Speaking to a patient, they discussed their many hospital visits with son Ivan, who died in 2009.

The PM said: 'When our son was very ill, we often went into hospital and it is very difficult to get out at the weekend.'

Mrs Cameron added: 'On a Friday, if we thought there was any chance that we could get home, I was like: 'We've got to get out this afternoon'.'

Summary: Mrs. Cameron has joined her husband David Cameron's campaign for reelection as Prime Minister. She has made several public appearances and spoken on his behalf, while acknowledging that the campaign may be hard on them personally. The campaign is partly aimed to oust Mark Reckless, who defected from the Tories.


Summary: With the intent to woo voters to vote for her husband, Nancy Cameron made her first solo appearance and visited a Ukip stronghold. Although they might have to sacrifice date nights, Mrs. Cameron is committed to making a series of political interventions to back Mr. Cameron’s’ bid to remain Prime Minister.


Summary: Samantha Cameron, the wife of Prime Minister David Cameron, has become involved in his political battle against Mark Reckless. Last month, Mrs. Cameron engage in a BBC interview where she backed her husband's bid to continue in his role as Prime Minister. Mrs. Cameron's most recent duty involved visiting a special school in the constituency.


Adult social care firms are struggling to hire, retain and train staff as a result of cuts to council budgets, a survey of senior officials suggests.

Councils in England are facing a £1.1bn shortfall this year, on top of "almost unendurable" cuts since 2010, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has warned.

Freezing care provider fees to save money was no long sustainable, it said.

Ministers say extra money will help NHS and social care services work together.

The survey, which was completed by 147 directors of adult social services for councils in England, suggests that funding reductions to social care budgets have totalled £4.6bn since 2010 - a 31% overall reduction.

Budgets for adult social care - which provides practical support to people due to illness, disability, old age or a low income - will reduce by a further £500m in cash terms this year, it said.

"Taking the growth in numbers of older and disabled people into account, this means that an additional £1.1bn would be needed to provide the same level of service as last year," the report warned.

It said some councils had made savings in the past by freezing fees paid to providers, but care providers were now also facing financial problems.

Some companies - particularly those in southern England - are struggling to attract staff, amid increasing concern about the quality of care, it said.

"What is at stake is the continuing capacity of adult social care to sustain services to those in greatest need," ADASS president Ray James said.

"In virtually all our authorities, the number in need is growing, while the complexity of their needs is increasing."

ADASS called for the government to "protect essential care and support services to the most vulnerable members of our community".

But a government spokesman said the survey "ignores" a commitment to invest £10bn in health services that are being "joined up" with social care, by 2020.

The BBC has launched an online guide to the care system for the over-65s. The "care calculator" covers residential care and the support provided in people's own homes, for tasks such as washing and dressing.

Users can submit their postcode and find out how much each service costs where they live in the UK.

There is also a dedicated BBC Cost of Care website, with news stories, analysis and video.

The spokesman said: "Increasing budgets isn't the only solution. By working innovatively and joining up health and social care we can improve care and also save money."

However, Councillor Izzi Seccombe, from the Local Government Association (LGA), said adult social care services were facing "enormous pressures" due to "insufficient funding, growing demand and escalating costs".

"We have long warned that investing in the NHS whilst social care budgets are under continual pressure is simply a false economy.

"It is social care services that support elderly and vulnerable people to maintain their independence, live in their own community and stay out of hospital longer," she added.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said the idea of a further £1bn coming out of social care budgets was "chilling".

Sue Brown, vice chairman of the Care and Support Alliance - which represents 80 leading charities - said the figures "confirm what we already know - that the care system is in worsening crisis".

She said "chronic underfunding" of adult social care had seen "dramatic year-on-year rationing of support, excluding hundreds of thousands of older and disabled people from the care they desperately need".

Janet Morrison, chief executive of the charity Independent Age, said: "This worrying survey shows how the frail and elderly in our society are being hit by year on year cutbacks to council services."

"It's vital now more than ever that we have an honest debate about the true costs of providing social care, not just health care," she added.

Summary: England's Councils are reducing social care programs' funding by 1.1 billion pounds. Budget cuts have totaled 4.6 billion pounds since 2010- a 31% reduction in social care funding. The firms that are providing this service to the elderly, disabled, and low-income are struggling to hire, retain, and train staff due to concerns over the quality of care.


Summary: Adult care firms are facing a staffing crisis, as cuts to their budgets continue to happen year after year. A recent survey of Adult care center directors revealed that cuts to the budget totaled over 4.6 billion pounds since 2010. Some believe that a debate needs to happen.


Summary: Experts say they are experiencing a crisis in adult care after years of budget cuts and salary freezes. Not only are companies having difficulties attracting and retaining workers, but the cuts have caused yearly rationing that is causing increasing numbers of elderly and disabled individuals to be excluded from their care.


Terminally ill actor and disability campaigner Brian Rix, 92, has said the law on assisted dying needs changing.

Mencap president Lord Rix urged the speaker of the House of Lords to push through legislation allowing those in his situation to be assisted to die.

He had previously opposed an assisted dying law, but said his illness has left him "like a beached whale" and in constant discomfort.

"My position has changed," he wrote to Baroness D'Souza.

Stage and TV actor Lord Rix, who specialised in post-war "Whitehall farce" comedies, is receiving 24-hour care in a retirement home.

"My position has changed. As a dying man, who has been dying now for several weeks, I am only too conscious that the laws of this country make it impossible for people like me to be helped on their way, even though the family is supportive of this position and everything that needs to be done has been dealt with.

"Unhappily, my body seems to be constructed in such a way that it keeps me alive in great discomfort when all I want is to be allowed to slip into a sleep, peacefully, legally and without any threat to the medical or nursing profession.

"I am sure there are many others like me who having finished with life wish their life to finish.

"Only with a legal euthanasia Bill on the statute books will the many people who find themselves in the same situation as me be able to slip away peacefully in their sleep instead of dreading the night."

The crossbench peer voted against an Assisted Dying Bill in 2006 because of concerns that people with learning disabilities might become the unwilling victims of euthanasia.  He has been a prominent campaigner for people with learning disabilities after his daughter was born with Down's syndrome.

He said his children were "absolutely supportive" of his decision and that he has "wrapped up" his affairs and was "ready to go" to "put an end to this misery, pain and discomfort".

"I can't do anything but lie here thinking 'Oh Christ, why am I still here?' They won't let me die and that's all I want to do," he said.

He added the doctors and nurses "do their best for me" but that it was "not good enough because what I want is to die, and the law stops them from helping me with that".

He had discussed with his children the possibility of travelling to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland, but felt it would be "unfair to them to push them into a situation where they are helping me to die".

Lord Rix said he had not been given an estimate from doctors as to how long he will live, adding: "I think it's wrong that people like me are stranded like this.

"I'm not looking for something that helps me only, I'm thinking of all the other people who must be in the same dreadful position."

Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Summary: Actor Brian Rix, who suffers from cancer, now supports a lethal injection for the terminally ill. His position changed when his terminal cancer progressed to the point of causing massive physical discomfort. All Rix wants is to slip into a peaceful sleep through legal means.


Summary: Brian Rix is an actor and advocate for medically assisted suicides. While suffering from a terminal illness, Rix campaigned for legislators to legalize the practice.


Summary: Brian Rix, actor and activist, publicly changed his stance on assisted suicide. He used to be opposed, but is now an advocate for legalizing assisted suicide after moving to a 24-hour care facility and realizing he is slowly and painfully dying and has no legal options.


The fatal shooting of an unarmed black man fleeing from a police officer has stirred outrage around the nation, but people in this South Carolina city aren't surprised.

They call it inevitable in a police department they believe focuses on petty crimes and fails to keep its officers in check.

There is almost nothing in Michael Thomas Slager's police personnel file to suggest that his bosses considered him a rogue officer capable of murdering a man he just pulled over for a broken tail light.

People in the community he served say this reflects what's going wrong with policing today: Officers nearly always get the last word when citizens complain.

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Residents of the Charleston, South Carolina, have said the shooting of unarmed black driver Walter Scott was preceded by previous unheeded complaints about the police.  Above, a friend of Scott's at a memorial.

The officer who shot Scott, Michael Slager, had little in his file to suggest excessive force. Above, two men pray at the memorial.

'We've had through the years numerous similar complaints, and they all seem to be taken lightly and dismissed without any obvious investigation,' the Rev. Joseph Darby, vice president of the Charleston branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said Thursday.

The mostly black neighborhood in North Charleston where Slager fired eight shots at the back of Walter Lamer Scott on Saturday is far from unique in this regard, said Melvin Tucker, a former FBI agent and police chief in four southern cities who often testifies in police misconduct cases.

Nationwide, training that pushes pre-emptive action, military experience that creates a warzone mindset, and legal system favoring police in misconduct cases all lead to scenarios where officers see the people they serve as enemies, he said.

'It's not just training. It's not just unreasonable fear. It's not just the warrior mentality. It's not just court decisions that almost encourage the use of it. It is not just race,' Tucker said. 'It is all of that.'

Both Slager, 33, and Scott, 55, were US Coast Guard veteran. Slager had the dismissed excessive force complaint and Scott had been jailed repeatedly for failing to pay child support, but neither man had a record of violence.

Video captured by a bystander to the shooting showed Slager fire eight shots at the back of Scott as he ran away.

Original statements from Slager said that he felt threatened by Scott, though video released appears to contradict the police account of the incident.

A dash cam video from police shows Scott running away from his car during a traffic stop for a broken tail light.

Slager consistently earned positive reviews in his five years with the North Charleston Police.

His new attorney, Andy Savage, said Thursday that he's conducting his own investigation, and that it's 'far too early for us to be saying what we think.'

Slager's first attorney said he followed all proper procedures before using deadly force, but swiftly dropped him after the dead man's family released a bystander's video of the shooting.

The officer, whose wife is eight months pregnant, is being held without bond pending an August 21 hearing on a charge of murder that could put him in prison for 30 years to life if convicted.

A steady crowd left flowers, stuffed animals, notes and protest signs Thursday in the empty lot where Scott was gunned down.

Many said police in South Carolina's third-largest city routinely dismiss complaints of petty brutality and harassment, even when eyewitnesses can attest to police misbehavior.

Scott (left) and Slager (right) were both Coast Guard veterans. Slager is being held without bond on a murder charge.

POLICE VERSION.

Police officer Michael Slager said in a statement earlier this week that his encounter with Walter Scott began at around 9.30am on Saturday.

He said he pulled Scott's Mercedes over as a routine traffic stop for a broken brake light.

He said Scott then ran away into a vacant grassy lot where, at some point during the chase, the victim confronts Slager.

The officer then tried to use his Taser to subdue Scott, but claims the suspect grabbed the stun gun during the struggle, according to the statement.

According to police reports, Slager fired the stun gun, but it did not stop Scott.

At that point, the officer fired at Scott several times because he 'felt threatened,' Slager's statement said.

He added that his actions were in line with procedure.

Police then said Slager reported on his radio moments after the struggle: 'Shots fired and the subject is down. He took my Taser.'

His department said the officers then performed CPR and delivered first aid to the victim.

WHAT THE VIDEO SHOWS.

Slager's account has been called into question after the video appears to show him shooting Scott in the back.

The footage begins in the vacant lot apparently moments after Slager fires his Taser.

Wires which administer the electrical current appear to be extending from Scott's body.

As Scott turns to run, Slager draws his pistol and, only when he is 15 to 20 feet away, starts to fire the first of the eight shots at his back.

The video shows Slager handcuffing Scott's lifeless body.

Footage then appears to show Slager jogging back to the point where the Taser fell to the ground, bringing it over to Scott's body around 30 feet away and dropping it next to him.

It is only after two-and-a-half minutes that Slager is seen placing his hand on Scott's neck in an apparent attempt to check his pulse.

A black colleague then arrives and puts on blue medical gloves before handling the body, but is not seen performing first aid.

They are joined by a third officer, who also does not appear to tend to the victim.

The result, they say, is that officers are regarded with a mixture of distrust and fear.

Slager's file includes a single excessive use-of-force complaint, from 2013: A man said Slager used his stun gun against him without reason.

But Slager was exonerated and the case closed, even though witnesses told The Associated Press that investigators never followed up with them.

'It's almost impossible to get an agency to do an impartial internal affairs investigation,' Tucker said/.

'First of all the investigators doing it are co-workers of the person being investigated. Number two, there's always the tendency on the part of the departments to believe the officers.'

Mario Givens, the man who accused Slager of excessive force in 2013, told the AP that Slager woke him before dawn by loudly banging on his front door, and saying 'Come outside or I'll tase you!'

'I didn't want that to happen to me, so I raised my arms over my head, and when I did, he tased me in my stomach anyway,' Givens said.

Mario Givens (pictured) filed an excessive force complaint against Slager in 2013, but he was not interviewed and no witnesses were questioned.

'They never told me how they reached the conclusion. Never. They never contacted anyone from that night. No one from the neighborhood.'

Givens said he's convinced Scott's death could have been prevented if Slager had been disciplined in his case.

'If they had just listened to me and investigated what happened that night, this man might be alive today,' he said.

Darby also wonders if Saturday's fatal shooting might have turned out differently had the department thoroughly investigated the 2013 Taser complaint.

'I think he would have been rebuked instead of fired,' Darby said. 'But maybe it changes the way he sees things.'

Darby and other civil rights leaders want North Charleston to create an independent citizens review board to review complaints against police, since 'law enforcement is going to almost always give itself the benefit of the doubt.'

Such boards are few and far between in South Carolina.

North Charleston police spokesman Spencer Pryor said Wednesday that the department now plans to review Givens' complaint, although he wouldn't say what difference that could make now.

Summary: A fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man took place at a traffic stop in Charleston, South Carolina. Walter Scott was pulled over for a broken tail light and was shot eight times in the back as he ran away. Michael Slager, the police officer who killed Scott, had a prior complaint about using excessive force that was dismissed.


Summary: Charleston police officer Michael Slager shot and killed an unarmed Black man this past Saturday. Originally, Slager pulled over Walter Lamer Scott to address a broken tail light, but the interaction resulted in Slager shooting Scott eight times in the back. Slager claims he was "feeling threatened," while his body cam footage reveals a different story.


Summary: walter Scott was shot by police after fleeing from a routine traffic stop, sparking outrage in the community. The video footage appears to contradict the official police report. Many citizens of the neighborhood have filed excessive force complaints against the department, however, few are ever followed up.


The Liberal Democrats have admitted they are on course to lose at least 20 MPs, but claim this could still be enough to put them back in power.

Nick Clegg today continued his tour of 60 seats where the party is defending perilous majorities or hope to make gains, stopping off in Hampshire where the Lib Dems held Eastleigh after Chris Huhne was jailed.

But behind the scenes, senior party sources admit their current total of 57 MPs will be slashed to 'in the thirties' after a catastrophic collapse in support.

Nick Clegg today continued his tour of 60 seats where the party is defending perilous majorities or hope to make gains, stopping off in Eastleigh in Hampshire.

Mr Clegg today admitted that his party was fighting 'tooth and nail' in fewer than a tenth of Westminster seats.

Instead of battling to win seats across the country, the party has highly targeted strategy, effectively fighting 60 by-elections in constituencies where his candidates stand a chance.

A party source said if the party had a group of MPs numbering 'in the 30s' it could potentially hold the balance of power after May 7 and be able to once again form part of a coalition government.

The senior Lib Dem, closely involved in the party's election strategy, said the campaign's focus was increasingly on between 10 and 15 marginal seats - some held by the party and a few targets - with other constituencies either assessed as safe or effectively written off.

Assessing the election outcome, the source said: 'Everything is so marginal, we need to get into the 30s and the other parties need to sort themselves out and we will see what the answer is.

'There are now basically two possible outcomes to this election - we can either get a minority government or a coalition with the Lib Dems in it.'

Asked if a seat count in the 30s was realistic, the source said: 'Oh yes.'

Pressed on whether that was a 'best case' scenario, the senior Lib Dem said: 'I would like to say 150, but I think in fairness you wouldn't believe me.

'There are lots of marginal seats. There's a marginal outcome in 40 seats for us and if we won every one of those marginal contests we would get to 40-odd.'

Mr Clegg today admitted that his party was fighting 'tooth and nail' in fewer than a tenth of Westminster seats.

Opinion polls by YouGov since 2010 show the dramatic collapse in the Lib Dem support,  to barely 8 per cent.

The Lib Dems won 57 seats in the 2010 election but have been hit by a slump in popularity after forming the coalition government with the Conservatives.

Mr Clegg travelled to Eastleigh, the scene of a 2013 by-election triumph, to spell out the intensity with which the party would fight in its target seats.

The Lib Dems have built up a reputation as formidable campaigners in by-election contests, including in the Hampshire seat which they held following the resignation of disgraced former cabinet minister Chris Huhne, despite a Ukip surge.

Mr Clegg and the party's election strategists have insisted the poor national opinion poll ratings, which have seen the party stuck around the 8 per cent mark, are not reflected in the data gathered by canvassers and internal polling.

The Lib Dem leader told supporters: 'What we are going to do on May 7 isn't just, as the placards say, win here, we are going to win up and down the country.

'Because in effect what we are doing is running a campaign of not just one Eastleigh by-election but 60 Eastleigh by-elections - north, south, east, west, campaigning with exactly the same vigour that led to that famous victory.'

He added: 'In the final week of this campaign two million voters will hear our message on Facebook, on YouTube and on social media.

'So we are fighting a campaign like we have never fought a campaign before. Sixty by-elections up and down the country.'

Mr Clegg was all smiles at the Ageas Bowl cricket ground near Eastleigh, behind the scenes, senior party sources admit their current total of 57 MPs will be slashed to 'in the thirties' after a catastrophic collapse in support.

The alternatives to a coalition involving the Lib Dems were a Labour-SNP alliance 'saddling our children with the dead weight of debts from this generation' or a 'hapless David Cameron administration dancing to the tune of Ukip, the DUP and - most chillingly and worryingly of all - his own MPs on the right wing of the Conservative Party'.

In a rallying cry delivered at Hampshire County Cricket Club's Ageas Bowl stadium he said: 'If you don't want to run the risk of our country lurching to the right, lurching to the left, the only way to guarantee to keep our country on track is to vote Liberal Democrat.

'We will cut less than the Conservatives, we will borrow less than Labour. We have provided a heart to a government with the Conservatives, just as we would provide a brain to a government with the Labour Party on the economy.'

He added: 'We will win again. We will campaign like no other party knows how to campaign again. We will serve our local community better than any other party does again. We will speak to more voters than any other party again.'

Asked whether he was now even running a national campaign following his call for '60 Eastleighs', Mr Clegg said: 'I am saying that exactly the same zeal of that by-election is what we are applying in the 60-odd seats where we are fighting tooth and nail to get Liberal Democrats elected in this election.'

A new survey by Lord Ashcroft had the Tories on 36 per cent, with Labour trailing on 30 per cent, Ukip on 11 per cent and the Lib Dems on 9 per cent.

The Tories could be six points ahead of Labour, or three points behind, depending on which opinion poll to believe.

The latest batch of surveys agree on only one thing: the result is probably too close to call.

David Cameron's day will have been brightened by a six-point lead in a survey by Lord Ashcroft. The Tories are on 36 per cent, with Labour trailing on 30 per cent, Ukip on 11 per cent and the Lib Dems on 9 per cent.

Another poll by ICM for the Guardian also gave Mr Cameron's party a lead, but of only three points lead on 35 per cent to 32 per cent for Labour.

However, the Sun's YouGov poll had Labour in the lead on 34 per cent to the Tories' 33 per cent, indicating that the battle for No 10 remains agonisingly close for the party leaders.

Labour enjoyed a three-point lead in a Populus poll, on 36 per cent (up one point) to the Conservatives' 33 per cent (up one).

North of the border, a TNS poll found Scottish National Party support continuing to surge to 54 per cent, almost two-and-a-half times Labour's 22 per cent.

Summary: The Liberal Democrats are slated to lose roughly 20 MPs in the upcoming election. Support for the party waned after a strong showing in the 2010 elections. Despite the losses, the party leader Nick Clegg believes that the Liberal Democrats will still be in power.


Summary: The Liberal Democrats are campaigning to maintain at least 30 MPs on May 7. The Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, stated that there are two possible outcomes for the upcoming election: a minority government, or a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats. The campaign message is expected to reach two million voters in the final week before the election.


Summary: The Liberal Democrats are optimistic about winning across the country, but polls and ratings have narrow margins and conflicting results. Without a clear poll leader, Liberal Democrats are campaigning hard, stating they are the best way to keep balance, not swinging too far right or left.


Former QPR manager Harry Redknapp feels he still has plenty to offer football but only at the right club, having turned down a 'mind-blowing' offer to coach abroad.

The 68-year-old handed in his resignation at Loftus Road in February, citing knee problems behind the decision to leave the Barclays Premier League strugglers, although he later claimed 'people with their own agendas' had a hand in his departure and described the situation at the west London club as 'a bit of a soap opera'.

Redknapp will return to the dugout on Sunday, May 31 when he leads a star-studded Men United XI against Leyton Orient Legends, as O's youth coach and Prostate Cancer UK ambassador Errol McKellar hosts a charity football match at The Matchroom Stadium.

Harry Redknapp (right) says he would consider a return to management as long as it's at the right club.

Redknapp was speaking at the announcement of a Men United XI vs Leyton Orient Legends charity match.

The well-travelled former West Ham, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Southampton and Tottenham manager, Redknapp feels 'fit as a fiddle' again following knee surgery and would relish another crack at a full-time job, but only under certain circumstances.

'It is difficult to know whether you want to go back in again, but if the right offer came along for the right job then I would consider it, because I do love the game and certainly do miss it,' Redknapp said.

'But unless it was the right job I would not bother. It has got to be something which I really wanted to do.

'It would not be a case of the money. I had an offer earlier this week to go and work abroad where the money was incredible, a mind-blowing offer, but at the moment it did not interest me.

'I have my wife here, my grandkids and everything else, so it has got to be something I wanted to do.

Redknapp resigned as Queens Park Rangers manager with immediate effect in February.

Redknapp left the Loftus Road outfit citing knee problems behind his decision two months ago.

The 68-year-old left Queens Park Rangers with the club 19th in the Premier League table at the time.

'I don't have to work any more if I don't want to at my age, but I feel fit as a fiddle and if I could go into a club somewhere, maybe try to get them up from the Championship or somewhere in the Premier League, then I might be interested.

'I could even work with a younger coach to help them and they could then take over as manager in a year or two, to help build the club up; that is something which would interest me but we will have to wait and see what comes along.'

While it remains to be seen what chapter will be next in Redknapp's colourful management career, he hopes to see one of his former clubs Bournemouth go on to secure promotion to the top flight for the first time, with the Cherries currently top of the Sky Bet Championship heading into the final three matches.

He said: 'The job which Eddie (Howe) has done is second to none. He has been amazing, taking things on to another level.

Redknapp is full of praise for the job current Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has done at the club.

The Cherries sit top of the Championship with three games of the season remaining.

'I can't see them not going up because they are the best team in the league, playing the best football in the division and are a pleasure to watch. They never change their philosophy home or away and are brilliant to watch.

'The owner has come in, Max (Demin) the Russian, and has put his money in, helped take the club on. So you don't know (what they could do after promotion) but I would just like to see them get there.'

Redknapp lost close friend and former West Ham team-mate John Bond to prostate cancer and is backing the Men United campaign to help raise awareness of the disease, which is the most common cancer in men with more than 10,000 deaths each year.

He said: 'Prostate Cancer is something which can affect any family at any time so it is important that people come out to support this cause.

'We are all scared that if the doctor tells you that you have something wrong, but if you get there early enough it can be cured - you can't let it just go.'

Redknapp  lost close friend and former West Ham team-mate John Bond to prostate cancer.

People are being urged to search Men United and do something great with their mates via prostatecanceruk.org/menunited. Tickets for the Men United XI match are priced at £10 adults and £5 concessions, and are available from www.lofcdirect.co.uk.

Summary: Harry Redknapp resigned as Queens Park Rangers Manager in February due to knee problems. But after getting knee, Redknapp says he is open to working again but only for the right club. Although he was offered a job abroad, he is not doing it for the money, but for the love of the sport.


Summary: Former manager Harry Redknapp says he is healthy after a successful knee surgery and would be willing to work again if the right opportunity came up. He says money is not an issue, passing up high paying jobs that are not a good fit, and instead focusing on campaigning for prostate cancer awareness.


A discovery of arms in a County Antrim forest was one of the most significant in recent years, police in Northern Ireland have said.

A "terrorist hide" was uncovered at Capanagh Forest near Larne after two members of the public found suspicious objects in the woods on Saturday.

Some of the items found included an armour-piercing improvised rocket and two anti-personnel mines.

The main line of police inquiry is the arms belonged to dissident republicans.

Last week, Home Secretary Theresa May said MI5 believed an attack on targets in Great Britain by dissident republicans had become "a strong possibility".

Analysis: Vincent Kearney, BBC News NI's home affairs correspondent

The discovery of what appears to be a second dissident republican arms dump near Larne within three months has left police baffled.

Based on location alone, the analysis would be that the items found most likely belonged to loyalist paramilitaries.

But the nature of what was found suggests otherwise and the finger of suspicion firmly in the direction of dissident republicans.

Det Supt Kevin Geddes said the threat level in Northern Ireland from dissident republican groups remains "severe" and an attack is "highly likely".

Police officers found three barrels hidden in holes in the forest.

As well as rockets and mines, there were also several pipe bombs, assault rifle ammunition and parts to construct a "substantial number of explosive devices".

Det Supt Geddes said the seizure was significant "both in terms of its size and its capability".

"A number of these devices were ready to be deployed," he added.

"This seizure has undoubtedly saved lives."

He said the type of weapons that had been found meant police would focus their investigation on dissident republicans.

In March, an arms find was made at Carnfunnock Country Park near Larne, and police said the were investigating a connection between the two discoveries.

"There are links in terms of the general location and the manner and method of storage and packaging of these munitions," Det Supt Geddes said.

He added that police are "indebted" to the two people who noticed the suspicious objects in the Capanagh Forest.

Summary: Weapons were found at Capanagn Forest near Larne in Northern Ireland. This included assault rifle ammunition, an improvised rocket, anti-personnel mines, and pipe bombs. This "terrorist hide" may be connected to a similar discovery of arms in Carnfunnock Country Park. Based on the type of weapons that were found, police are focusing their investigation on dissident republicans.


Summary: After the seemingly disturbing discovery of arms in Northern Ireland, police launched full investigations and uncovered a terrorist hide. The police's quick seizure of the arms is believed to have saved lives.


Summary: A cache of arms was found in a forest in Northern Ireland. Police and MI5 are placing the blame on dissident Republicans. This was the second large-scale arms seizure in three months. A Republican attack was deemed highly likely by police meaning the bust saved lives.


Summary: A significant discovery has been made in a forest in Northern Ireland.  Items discovered reportedly included improvised armor-piercing rockets and two anti-personnel mines.  Considering the location where the items were found, it is believed they belonged to loyalist paramilitaries.  Also discovered were parts used for the construction of explosive devices.


It's described as the Google-esque HQ of Australia.

With a cubby-house meeting room at the top of a beanstalk and a basketball court and pinball machine for some down time - it's where all the creativity and innovative ideas come to light.

Inside the HQ of global company Moose Toys, the Cheltenham office in Melbourne comes complete with toy testing rooms, table tennis table, aerobics room, gym and a custom staff lunch room.

Staff can scribble their ideas on walls made out of whiteboards while the Employee of the Year gets a gold crown and cape as well as a free holiday of their choice.

But there's one catch for their employees - they're not allowed to sit at their desks when they're having lunch as they believe the great ideas don't always come from sitting in front of a computer.

The first of its kind: A meeting room located at the top of a beanstalk in the office foyer at Moose Toys HQ.

Moose Toys employees Joost Poulus (left) and Kate Zahra putting the table tennis table through its paces.

General manager of products Joost Poulus, who has worked at the company for 14 years, said the vibrant and creative space brought out the best ideas from employees.

'We're the Google of Australia and that's how we see ourselves,' Mr Poulus told Daily Mail Australia.

'Our passionate staff are committed to The WOW and they love not just the toys but also the environment and the people they work with - and that's what we're all about.

'We encourage our employees to have fun, be active and take part in vigorous debates because that's where all the best ideas and awesome products come from.'

During lunch or breaks, staff are encouraged to use their time away from their desks to mingle with other colleagues, play table tennis stretch or shoot a few hoops outside.

It's time to get your creative thinking caps on inside the cubby house at the top of the beanstalk.

Employees at Moose Toys said the company is all about putting smiles on the faces of kids across the globe.

The house at the top of the beanstalk space where all the creative brainstorming and ideas come to light.

The beanstalk was designed by a Moose employee and constructed by the Local Builder.

Senior manager - People & Culture, Kate Zahra, who has worked at the company for six years, said the focus on fun helps employees feel less pressured about deadlines or major projects.

'Most of our employees prefer to work during the day but when they feel frazzled from working hard on a project, we encourage them to go for a walk, play some basketball, or have a game of table tennis,' Ms Zahra told Daily Mail Australia.

'We also get together outside of office hours for karaoke nights, themed dress-up parties and weekly soccer games with our very own personalised Moose jerseys - collaboration with others and a change of scenery makes a huge difference.

'On special events such as Australia Day, Harmony Day, Easter and New Years - we hold amazing lunches and BBQ's.

'These social events get people involved across departments, and I would love to say we have a tight-knit group because we do these activities as a team.'

Moose's 2014 Employee of the Year: Brad Virgo who scored a gold crown and cape as well as a free holiday.

Founder of Atari and Chuck E Cheese Pizza Time Pizzas - Nolan Bushnell inspires staff during Moose Talks.

Not everyone has a beanstalk inside the office foyer.

Children's author Graeme Base inspired and delighted the Moose team as part of the Moose Talks.

Other 'Moosepiration activities' include a trip to an art exhibition, watching a toy-inspired movie at the cinemas and doing some life drawing or clay modelling at workshops.

While it sounds like all fun and games, the pair added the most important part of the company were the people at Moose.

'The people are the highlight in our business - without them, there's no Moose,' Ms Zahra said.

'Their passion is sensational and we make sure they're recognised and awarded for their hard work. They've put their blood, sweat and tears into everything and it pays off when they see our products on the shelves.

'Moose also conducts surveys to give employees an opportunity to voice their opinions on how to improve the company, and our directors take their feedback very seriously.

'By acting on the feedback, our staff know they're being heard. The directors are keen to continuously improve - it's an amazing thing and that certainly happens here.'

Special guests have also been invited to speak at the company's presentations called 'Moose Talks' in a bid to inspire, provide professional and personal development on a range of topics to their staff.

Employees love not just the toys but the incredible and friendly work environment at Moose HQ in Melbourne.

Places and spaces for collaboration where colleagues get together to mingle and share their inspirations.

Little Live Pets grace the lighting fixtures - Moose products pop up in unusual places around the office.

Moose Toys is family-owned and has been in the business for more than 25 years.

Moose Toys have employed about 100 people at its Melbourne office, with 105 staff working across China, Hong Kong, United States and Britain.

Moose Toys is family-owned and has been in the business for more than 25 years.

Earlier this year, the toy manufacturer won the 2015 Girl Toy of the Year Awards where Shopkins Small Mart triumphed over the likes of Barbie, Lego and Disney Princess toys.

Moose has products in all toy categories including collectibles, arts and crafts, activity toys, dolls, novelty items and outdoor products, and has brought joy to kids worldwide with successful products such as Mighty Beanz, Beados, Aqua Sand and The Trash Pack.

Summary: Moose Toys, a family owned Melbourne toy company, prides itself on celebrating and respecting their employees by providing a fun work space and encouraging team development. Their office has many games, activities and fun spaces, which they believe reduces stress, and encourages employee satisfaction and productivity.


Summary: Moose Toys HQ in Melbourne is described as the Google of Australia because of the unique environment designed to spark ideas in employees. Moose Toys comes with complete toy testing rooms, walls where they can scribble ideas, and a table tennis room. The company also has unique rules which effectively boost morale and productivity.


Summary: Australian company Moose Toys does things a bit differently. From the whimsical office setups to an extreme emphasis on fun, the company called the "Google of Australia" is striving to make a difference in the lives of its employees. Aside from creating an entertaining space, the company also prides itself on its sense of collaboration.


Counting of Kenyan election results has slowed down because of problems with the electronic systems.

Returning officers were ordered to physically deliver paper copies of their constituency's tallies to the counting centre in the capital.

Election officials have urged patience.

Uhuru Kenyatta, who faces trial at the International Criminal Court, has been leading in early presidential results declared from Monday's tightly contested election.

He is due to stand trial at The Hague next month for allegedly fuelling violence after the disputed 2007 election. He denies the charge.

His closest rival is outgoing Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

With provisional results in from more than 40% of polling stations earlier on Wednesday, Mr Odinga had 42% of the vote compared with Mr Kenyatta's 53%.

However, Mr Odinga's allies remain confident that he will gain ground as results from his strongholds, including the Coast Province, are declared.

More than 1,000 people were killed in the violence which broke out in 2007-08 after Mr Odinga claimed he had been cheated of victory by supporters of President Mwai Kibaki, who is stepping down after two terms in office.

The BBC's Solomon Mugera in the capital, Nairobi, says Kenyans are becoming increasingly anxious about the delay in finalising the results.

Some businesses and schools across the country have remained shut since Monday's election, he says.

This has led to a shortage of goods, pushing up the prices of basic foodstuff in areas such as Kibera, the biggest slum in Nairobi and a stronghold of Mr Odinga, our correspondent adds.

Uhuru Kenyatta

Raila Odinga

Profile: Uhuru Kenyatta

Profile: Raila Odinga

Some electoral officials have had to drive hundreds of kilometres to the counting centre in Nairobi to deliver paper copies of the tally of their returns.

At about 13:00 local time, returning officers from only 53 of the 290 constituencies had arrived and the election commission said it would announce results from constituencies as they were ready.

Its website had stopped giving updated results from the presidential race on Wednesday, and was still showing figures from Tuesday night.

Our correspondent says the large number of spoiled ballots - about 6% of the total vote, well over double the number of votes cast for the third-placed candidate, Musailia Mudavadi - has become a major bone of contention.

Mr Odinga's Coalition of Reforms and Democracy (Cord) wants them to be counted, but Mr Kenyatta's Jubilee Coalition is resisting this.

Late on Tuesday, the election commission announced that the spoiled ballots would count in the overall vote total, increasing the likelihood of a run-off between the top two candidates, news agencies report.

Mr Kenyatta's running mate William Ruto, who is also facing a trial at the ICC, said foreign embassies may have influenced such a decision.

"We want to believe that this is not an attempt to deny the Jubilee Coalition a first-round victory as is clearly now on the wall," he is quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.

But the election commission now says a decision on what to do about the spoiled ballots will be taken after all other votes are counted, our correspondent reports.

If no agreement is reached, one of the presidential candidates is bound to mount a legal challenge, he says.

As there are different types of spoiled ballots, a possible compromise would be to include those that were annulled simply because they had been put in the wrong box - for instance, in the parliamentary box rather the presidential box - while excluding a ballot paper on which a person had voted for two candidates, our reporter says.

In the run-up to the election, the European Union (EU) said it would only have limited contact with a president who faced trial at the ICC, while US Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson warned Kenyan voters that "choices have consequences".

The winning candidate must get more than 50% of the total votes cast and at least 25% of votes in half of the 47 counties.

If there is no clear winner, a second round of voting will take place, probably on 11 April.

Kenya elections: Maps and graphics

Summary: The election between Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga has stalled, as there are problems with the electronic voting systems. Voting officers must deliver the paper ballots directly to the capital, a process that has increased the number of spoiled ballots, now a major bone of contention in the race.


Summary: Due to problems with the electronic systems, the counting of the Kenyan election results has reportedly slowed down.   Election officials said Tuesday that a run-off election between the two top candidates is increasingly likely.


Summary: The results of the Kenyan election have slowed down due to problems with the electronic systems. Officials have to deliver paper copies of the tallies to the counting center in Nairobi, making Kenyans anxious about the results. With no clear winner due to spoiled ballots, a second round of voting will take place.


(CNN) -- A high-speed passenger train left its tracks on the outskirts of Split, Croatia, Friday, killing at least six people and injuring 45, according to Croatian police. The high-speed train derailed on the outskirts of Split, Croatia, about noon on Friday. The train was on its way from the Croatian capital, Zagreb, when it derailed about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from it's destination of Split about noon, said Marina Kraljevic-Gudelj, a spokeswoman for police in Split. "This is a huge tragedy, so there is no place for speculation," she said. Police had launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. CNN's Per Nyberg contributed to this report.

Summary: A high-speed passenger train derailed on Friday, killing six and injuring 45. Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash which occurred on the outskirts of Split, Croatia.


A senior writer for the Australian Financial Review has labelled Anzacs 'racist yobs', while standing up for an SBS football reporter  who was sacked after condemning Anzac day on Twitter.

SBS journalist Scott McIntyre was fired on Sunday over his tweets which called Anzac day 'the cultification of an imperialist invasion' and accused Australian Diggers of committing war crimes which included 'widespread rape and theft.'

Speaking up in support of him, the AFR's Geoff Winestock wrote on the social media site: 'Ridiculous. Frightening. I also think Anzacs were racist yobs and Anzac Day is a death cult. Sack me Fairfax.'

On Friday, the day before Anzac day, Mr Winestock said of the memorial: 'Anzac Day wish: in next 30 years there will be no wars and in 50 years no soldiers around to honour.'

Scroll down for video.

Australian Financial Review journalist Geoff Winestock (left) has spoken out in support of sacked SBS journalist Scott McIntyre (right), who was fired on Sunday over his controversial Anzac day tweets.

The senior writer for the Australian Financial Review labelled Anzacs 'racist yobs'

The day before Anzac day, Mr Winestock said he hoped 'in 50 years no soldiers around to honour'

Both Fairfax and Mr Winestock declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.

After a public backlash against McIntyre's comments,  SBS Managing Director Michael Ebeid and Director of Sport, Ken Shipp said in a joint statement that his 'highly inappropriate and disrespectful' comments have 'caused his on-air position at SBS to become untenable.'

'Mr McIntyre’s actions have breached the SBS Code of Conduct and social media policy and as a result, SBS has taken decisive action to terminate Mr McIntyre’s position at SBS, with immediate effect.'

McIntyre's comments sparked outrage late on Anzac day, with Communications Minister Malcolm Turnball calling them 'despicable remarks' and social media users taking to twitter to spread the #sackScottMcIntre hashtag.

In his tweets, the SBS football journalist condemned Anzac day as an 'imperialist invasion.'

McIntyre referred to the Anzac's landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey.

'We remember and commemorate our ANZACs': SBS Michael Ebeid was quick to distance the broadcaster from McIntyre's comments on Saturday evening, saying they are 'not at all the views of @SBS'

'The cultification of an imperialist invasion of a foreign nation that Australia had no quarrel with is against all ideals of modern society,' McIntyre tweeted, referring to the Anzac's landing on Turkey's Gallipoli peninsula.

In other tweets, the reporter mocked the 'these brave Anzacs' and accused Diggers of committing war crimes.

'Remembering the summary execution, widespread rape and theft committed by these 'brave' Anzacs in Egypt, Palestine and Japan,' he tweeted.

'Wonder if the poorly-read, largely white, nationalist drinkers and gamblers pause today to consider the horror that all mankind suffered.

Mr McIntyre has more than 30,000 Twitter followers.

The SBS journalist accused the Australian diggers of committing war crimes.

McIntyre condemned the commemoration of Anzac Day and mocked the Digger's bravery.

McIntyre's comments referred to the soldiers as 'terrorists' and were met with disgust by Twitter users.

McIntyre's comments came on the 100th anniversary of the tragic Battle of Gallipoli (members of the public seen streaming into the Australian War Memorial, right, and names of fallen soldiers, left)

Mr Turnbull also chimed into the discussion, calling the comments 'offensive'

SBS's managing director Michael Ebeid was quick to distance the national broadcaster from McIntyre's comments on Saturday evening, after incensed social media users launched a Twitter tirade calling for the company to fire the reporter.

'Comments from @mcintinhos are his own, disrespectful and not at all the views of @SBS. We remember and commemorate our ANZACs,' Mr Ebeid wrote on Twitter.

The offensive tweets were still live on McIntyre's Twitter feed the day after they were published, prompting angry social media users to accuse SBS of being 'complicit' and labelling Mr Ebeid's tweet a 'token apology.'

SBS's managing director Michael Ebeid was quick to distance the media company.

Angry social media users accused SBS of being 'complicit'

Others accused SBS Managing Director Mr Ebeid's of making a 'token apology' last night.

Social media users claimed that the tweets were offensive and 'un-Australian' especially on Anzac Day.

SBS has since responded with an official apology for offence caused, stating 'respect for Australian audiences is paramount at SBS.'

'At SBS, employees on and off air are encouraged to participate in social media, however maintaining the integrity of the network and audience trust is vital,' Mr Ebeid and Mr Shipp said in the today's statement.

'It is unfortunate that on this very important occasion, Mr McIntyre’s comments have compromised both.

'SBS apologises for any offence or harm caused by Mr McIntyre’s comments which in no way reflect the views of the network. SBS supports our Anzacs and has devoted unprecedented resources to coverage of the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings.'

Flag bearers stand to attention during the 100th anniversary service of ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) landings at Galllipoli, an event the Australian sports reporter has called 'an imperialist invasion'

Twitter users labelled McIntyre's comments an 'Un-australian anti Anzac disgrace!'

Disgusted social media users began circulating the hashtag #sackScottMcIntyre.

Twitter user Brian Cox wrote: '#sackScottMcIntyre SBS sack this dirty traitor! Un-australian anti Anzac disgrace! Calling Anzac's war criminals on this sacred day!'

'Come on SBS this disrespectful little grub needs to go #sackScottMcIntyre,' Jimmy Nuciforo added.

'The ANZACS died defending what this idiot is abusing - free speech,' tweeted another social media user.

The hashtag #sackScottMcIntyre began trending on Twitter after social media users saw his comments.

McIntyre's comments were labelled offensive, especially in light of the centenary of Gallipoli.

Some Twitter users defended his right to free speech, and said that if Mr McIntyre was fired for 'speaking the truth' that was compromising his right to express himself.

Others took offense to the fact the comments were coming from someone employed with taxpayer funds.

'He should lose his taxpayer funded job,' said one Twitter user, while another said, 'Not normally my thing, but since I am paying for it .... #sackScottMcIntyre'.

Summary: Football journalist Scott Mcintyre was fired after several tweets condemning the Anzacs as invading imperialists who committed war crimes.  The SBS was quick to respond with an apology, and by firing the reporter. McIntyre has found some supporters who defend his right to free speech but was mostly met with public outrage.


Summary: Anti-ANZAC comments by Scott McIntyre at SBS could cost him his job after social media backlash from the public floods Twitter with hashtags like #sackScottMcIntyre. Supporters defended his right to free speech, but others were angered that the comments were from someone who is employed with taxpayer funds.


Summary: SBS Journalist Scott McIntyre was fired on Sunday over tweets that called Anzac Day a cultification of an imperialist invasion, accusing Australian diggers of committing war crimes. Although many people side with McIntyre, a lot of people on Twitter labeled McIntyre as an “Un-Australian Anti Anzac Disgrace,” followed by the hashtag, #sackScottMcIntyre circulating online.


Formula 1 driver Maria de Villota has lost her right eye following a test track crash.

She was hurt when the MR-01 race car she was driving hit a support truck at Duxford airfield in Cambridgeshire on Tuesday.

It was the first time the 32-year-old Spaniard had driven the car for the Oxfordshire-based Marussia team.

Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited the test track on Wednesday.

Marussia said surgeons at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge "embarked on a lengthy procedure to address the serious head and facial injuries sustained by Maria in the accident".

It said: "The operation began yesterday afternoon and she was in theatre until this morning.

"Maria remains in a critical but stable condition."

John Booth, team principal of the Marussia F1 Team, said: "Maria emerged from theatre at Addenbrooke's Hospital this morning after a lengthy operation to address the serious head and facial injuries she received in the accident at Duxford Airfield yesterday.

"We are grateful for the medical attention that Maria has been receiving and her family would like to thank the Neurological and Plastics surgical teams.

"However, it is with great sadness that I must report that, due to the injuries she sustained, Maria has lost her right eye.

"Maria's care and the wellbeing of her family remain our priority at this time. Her family are at the hospital and we are doing everything possible to support them."

De Villota sustained her injuries after her car "suddenly accelerated" into the back of the support lorry, according to witnesses.

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire presenter Chris Mann, who saw the accident, said: "The top of her car and her helmet seemed to take the brunt of it.

"She didn't move for about 15 minutes."

He said De Villota had been driving at up to 200mph during the testing, but the car was travelling considerably slower at the time of the crash.

Mr Booth said: "With regard to the accident, we have embarked on a very comprehensive analysis of what happened and this work continues for the moment."

Messages of support have come in from the motor racing world, including ones from Ferrari driver and fellow Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button.

Formula 1 driver and BBC analyst Jaime Alguersari said in his weekly column

: "I was shocked to hear of the accident suffered by Maria de Villota. I know her and her family very well. I still don't know the cause of the accident. There are so many rumours but I want to wait to see what really happened.

"It's terribly sad. Maria is a fantastic person, as are her brothers and her father Emilio, who was one of Spain's first F1 drivers.

"She is a role model, especially for all the females who want to get into F1. So this is a very sad situation.

"Thankfully, she is not in a life-threatening situation so we have to look at the positive side. We will see Maria again."

Lewis Hamilton tweeted: "Just heard about Maria's terrible accident at Duxford. I hope she pulls through. My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time."

The McLaren driver said later: "I don't understand how it happened or how it was able to happen."

Summary: Maria de Viollta, a 32-year-old Spaniard formula 1 driver, had an accident while driving her MR-1 race car on Tuesday at Duxford airfield in Cambridgeshire, which resulted in her losing her left eye. Her surgery took place at Addenbrookes Hospital; fans hope she pulls through.


Summary: Formula 1 driver, Maria de Villota, sustained head injuries following a test track crash that resulted in the loss of her right eye. Witnesses to the accident reported that her vehicle accelerated into the back of the support lorry. The team principal of the Marussia F1 Team, John Booth, has stated that a comprehensive analysis of the accident is underway.


Summary: During a Tuesday track test at Duxford airfield, Maria de Villota's MR-01 race car struck a support truck and crashed.  Villota was injured and reportedly lost her right eye.  Villota reportedly remains in critical but stable condition.  The cause of the crash is still unknown.


Summary: Formula 1 driver Maria de Villota lost her right eye after her car slammed into a support truck at the track. She remains in critical condition in the hospital. Fellow Formula one drivers showed their support via messages. Witnesses to the accident said her helmet took a lot of the impact.


The US Supreme Court has upheld a key portion of President Barack Obama's healthcare law, preserving health insurance for millions of Americans.

In a 6-3 decision, the justices said that tax subsidies that make health insurance affordable for low-income individuals can continue.

The ruling preserves the law known as Obamacare, which Mr Obama considers a major part of his presidential legacy.

Republicans have vowed to continue fighting the law.

"We've got more work to do, but what we're not going to do is unravel what has now been woven into the fabric of America," Mr Obama said.

The case, known as King v Burwell, was the second major challenge the law has faced in the US's highest court.

Unlike in many other western countries, the US does not have a single-payer healthcare system. Private companies, rather than the US government, provide health insurance for US citizens.

The enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) - one of Mr Obama's most significant and controversial domestic achievements - in 2010 mandated that every American had to purchase private insurance. It provided the subsidies to allow many to do so.

In 2012, the mandate portion of the law was challenged in the court. The justices ruled to preserve it.

In that decision, as in the decision on Thursday, Chief Justice John Roberts surprised observers by siding with his liberal colleagues in support of the law.

"Congress passed the Affordable Care act to improve health insurance markets, not to destroy them," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the opinion.

Justice Anthony Kennedy dissented in 2012, but sided with the majority on Thursday.

Had the court made the opposite decision, an estimated 8.7 million people in the US would have been at risk of losing the aid that makes healthcare affordable.

The stakes could not have been higher.

People's health (crucially important) and Obama's legacy (less important, but for him and those around him fairly vital) were at stake.

Well a politically finely balanced Supreme Court has given an emphatic, overwhelming vote in favour of the president by 6-3.

I bet "No-drama Obama" is high-fiving anyone and everyone in the White House - that is how big it is.

Obama defies lame-duck expectations

Demonstrators gathered outside the court as early on Thursday morning.

Reading updates on their mobile phones, the crowd became jubilant when they learned mid-morning that the court had ruled in their favour. Some began dancing, while others chanted "If you're covered and you know it clap your hands."

"This is a big sigh of relief for millions across the country," said Ron Pollack of Families USA, a health-care advocacy organisation. "The ACA is not just the law of the land, it will remain the law of the land".

"Today is a good day for healthcare in America," said activist Benton Strong. "I hope this is the end of the line."

Demonstrators opposing the subsidies did not have a large visible presence.

Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in his dissent that the Supreme Court is setting a precedent of favouring some laws over others.

"We should start calling this law Scotuscare" Justice Scalia wrote, referring to the court's acronym. "Today's interpretation is not merely unnatural; it is unheard of."

Congressional Republicans have voted more than 50 times to undo the law.

House Speaker John Boehner said that they will continue their "efforts to repeal the law and replace it with patient-centred solutions that meet the needs of seniors, small business owners, and middle-class families".

Following the enactment of the ACA in 2010, states were given the option of establishing their own healthcare exchanges - online marketplaces for citizens to buy health coverage.

Citizens in states that refused to establish exchanges could shop for coverage on a federal exchange.

In the court, opponents argued that a phrase included in the law, "established by the state," meant the federal government could only provide subsidies to people in states that set up their own exchanges.

However, most Americans receiving subsidies purchase healthcare through the federal exchange, after many states decided not to set up their own marketplaces. Only 13 states and Washington DC have set up their own exchanges.

The Obama administration argued that was a too-narrow reading of the law, which spans nearly 1,000 pages, and the rest of the legislation makes clear subsidies are intended for those who meet income requirements, regardless of which exchange insurance was purchased from.

Source: Reuters

The upholding of the law cements President Obama's biggest legislative victory. Limiting the subsidies could have unravelled Mr Obama's signature healthcare reforms.

Republican Congressional leader Steve Scalise said he was disappointed with the ruling and would work to have the law "repealed and replaced," echoing near-universal Republican sentiment.

"It does not change the fact that Obamacare has been a dismal failure for millions of Americans who have lost the good healthcare that they liked, and are paying more for the plans that they have," Mr Scalise said in statement.

Meet the Supremes: Who are the US Supreme Court Justices

Summary:
The  US Supreme Court has upheld Obamacare, providing healthcare for millions of Americans.  Unlike other countries,  which have single-payer healthcare systems, private companies provide healthcare to US citizens, not the government.
Republicans have vowed to continue to fight the law.


Summary: The Supreme court voted in a 6-3 decision to keep the Obamacare tax subsidies. The subsidies allow 8.7 million low-income Americans to purchase healthcare. Republicans continue to fight the law, though protestors against the law were not very numerous at the courthouse.


Summary: The United States Supreme Court has voted to uphold the Affordable Care Act, which provides access to healthcare for 8.7 million Americans. The law is President Barack Obama's greatest legislative victory, but Congressional Republicans oppose the law and have voted over 50 times to undo it.


A new law imposing restrictions on users of social media has come into effect in Russia.

It means bloggers with more than 3,000 daily readers must register with the mass media regulator, Roskomnadzor, and conform to the regulations that govern the country's larger media outlets.

Internet companies will also be required to allow Russian authorities access to users' information.

One human rights group called the move "draconian".

The law was approved by Russia's upper house of parliament in April.

It includes measures to ensure that bloggers cannot remain anonymous, and states that social networks must maintain six months of data on its users.

The information must be stored on servers based in Russian territory, so that government authorities can gain access.

Critics see it as the latest in a series of recent moves to curb internet freedom.

Hugh Williamson, of New York-based Human Rights Watch, has called the law "another milestone in Russia's relentless crackdown on free expression".

"The internet is the last island of free expression in Russia and these draconian regulations are clearly aimed at putting it under government control," he added.

Opposition figures have used the internet to air their views, with some gaining millions of followers.

Commentators opposing Vladimir Putin often face restrictions in broadcast outlets and newspapers.

Analysis: Famil Ismailov, news editor, BBCRussian.com

Russian bloggers are bracing themselves for the moment when Russia's new "information security law" comes into force on 1 August. Some already share advice on how to use proxy servers in order to access social media sites that, in their view, are under threat of being closed.

It is hard to see how the law will be enforced. The servers for most of the popular social media platforms that many Russians use are based outside Russia.

Many popular bloggers are already looking for, and apparently finding, ways to "cheat" the feature that counts page visits and keep their daily unique visitor numbers just under 3000, or to make sure that the statistics are hidden altogether.

Anton Nossik, who is considered Russia's "internet guru", wrote in his LiveJournal blog that the new law didn't threaten individual bloggers directly, but provided legal grounds to block popular social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LiveJournal and Google.

"The issue of banning all these platforms in Russia is a political one and it will be decided by only one person", Mr Nossik wrote, with a thinly veiled reference to President Vladimir Putin.

Earlier in the year, Russia enacted a law that gave the government powers to block websites without explanation.

In March, Moscow blocked the blog of Mr Navalny, along with two news sites and a organisation run by Garry Kasparov - a vocal critic of the Russian government.

In a statement, Russia's prosecutor general's office said the blocks were imposed because of the sites' role in helping stage illegal protests.

Earlier this week, Twitter blocked access to an anti-Kremlin account that often publishes leaked government documents, following a request by Russia's federal communications agency Roskomnadzor.

For many years, Russia had relatively lax internet laws.

However Moscow has recently changed its tune, with Mr Putin branding the internet an ongoing "CIA project".

He also claimed that the popular Russian search engine Yandex was controlled by foreign intelligence.

Two years ago, Russia enacted a law enabling authorities to blacklist and force certain websites offline without a trial.

The government said the legislation was designed to protect children from harmful internet content, such as pro-suicide or pornography websites.

On Thursday, lawyers for US intelligence officer Edward Snowden said the whistleblower had filed for refugee status in Russia.

Mr Snowden received temporary shelter in Russia last year.

He had evaded US authorities after he leaked classified government documents revealing mass surveillance programmes undertaken by the NSA in the US and GCHQ in the UK.

Summary: Russia has a new law that requires bloggers with over 3,000 followers or page visits to register their accounts with the Russian government. The government said the intention of the law was to protect children from harmful content. Opponents of the legislation say it is all about control.


Summary: New Russian information security law requires popular websites to be regulated with the same restrictions as large media outlets. Critics say it will inhibit freedom of expression.


Summary: After years of little internet laws, Russia has passed additional legislation that appears to give the government significant control and access to user information. This is seen as highly controlling and many users are already using methods to avoid these changes.


Union barons handed Ed Miliband more than £1.6million in the first week of the election campaign – treble the donations received by the Tories.

Figures released by the Electoral Commission revealed that Labour received £1.9million in the week to April 5, with 84 per cent coming from just three trade unions.

It included a £1million cheque from Unite, entrenching Labour’s reliance on the union’s militant boss Len McCluskey.

Ed Miliband received  £1.6m from union barons in the first week of the election campaign, figures have revealed.

Conservative donations totalled just over £500,000 in the first week of the campaign, with about a quarter coming from donors with links to hedge funds.

Critics have accused Labour of being bound by its union paymasters after the party unveiled policies including raising corporation tax, introducing a mansion tax, repealing the benefits cap, nationalising the railways and scrapping employment tribunal fees.

Since Mr Miliband became party leader, thanks largely to union backing, nearly £7 in every £10 donated to Labour has come from the unions – amounting to more than £40million.

In the first round of election donations registered, £506,240 was given by Unison, while the CWU gave £51,072.

Labour received a £1million cheque from Unite, entrenching Labour’s reliance on the union’s militant boss Len McCluskey (pictured)

The party did attract one large business donation, from property tycoon Sir David Garrard. The former tax exile, who was involved in the cash-for-honours controversy, gave £250,000.

Ukip received only £35,416 in the period but last night its coffers were boosted by a £1million donation from Daily Express owner Richard Desmond, who gave £300,000 last year.

In the week to April 5, the Conservatives received £501,850 and the Lib Dems £20,000. One of the most generous gifts to the Tories – £75,000 – came from Michael Tory, who was in charge of Lehman Brothers’ UK investment banking division when the bank nearly crashed the West’s economy.

Sawsan Asfari, wife of long-time Tory donor and oil executive Ayman Asfari, gave £20,000. Syrian-born Mr Asfari, who has given the Tories about £400,000, was made a ‘business ambassador’ by David Cameron last year.

Home insurance boss Richard Harpin of Homeserve gave £50,000. His company was fined £30million last year for a mis-selling scandal.

Hedge fund manager, James Diner, who once dated model Caprice, gave £25,000 while socialite Fitriani Hay, who co-owns property development firm JMP Group with her racehorse-owning husband James, donated £66,850.

Ukip received £25,000 from Robin Birley, who is also bankrolling Tory chief whip Michael Gove’s re-election campaign.

Nick Clegg’s friend Anthony Ullmann, boss of polyester yarn company Autofil, and Joseph Zammit-Lucia, who describes himself as a ‘compulsive contrarian’ on his website, each gave £10,000 to the Lib Dems.

Tory candidate Henry Smith said: ‘The union fatcats have once again lavished the dosh on Ed Miliband. That’s because they know he’s a weak leader who’ll dance to more than one tune: not only SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon’s, but their’s too. Those tunes mean more spending, more borrowing and Britain back to bankruptcy.’

Conservative donations totalled just over £500,000 in the first week of the campaign, with about a quarter coming from donors with links to hedge funds.

David Cameron and Ed Miliband are indulging in fantasy economics, the TaxPayers’ Alliance claimed. It said both parties were making unrealistic spending pledges to win votes.

The think-tank’s Jonathan Isaby said: ‘It’s clear that nobody is facing up to the true scale of the deficit reduction challenge.

'It is a fantasy to pretend that you can balance Britain’s books without significant spending reductions, and politicians must come clean about what they will be. Voters deserve real honesty.’

Summary: Union Barons donated 1.6 million pounds to Ed Miliband's campaign, which was more than half of what the Tories received. However, Tory candidate, Henry Smith states that unions spend their money to back an incompetent leader knowing that Miliband will return the favor. Smith adds that the unnecessary spending will result in Britain's bankruptcy.


Summary: Labor leader Ed Miliband received 1.9 million pounds in the week of April 5th. That is triple the number of Conservative donations which came mostly from people connected to hedge funds. 84 percent of Labor donations came from just 3 trade unions.


Summary: Britain's politicians receive a slew of donations from a variety of donors for their upcoming electoral campaigns. Many of the donors have links to hedge funds, along with other large companies that have a track record of donating to specific political parties.


Judge Mary Stacey admitted the victim had been 'scarred psychologically' by the sexual assault but freed Josh Sweet after serving just two months on remand.

A burglar who broke into a young teacher's home and sexually assaulted her as she lay in bed has been freed by a judge who handed him a community sentence.

The decision's been slammed by a Victim Support charity worker, who said that 'victims deserve justice', after the 24-year-old teacher was left traumatised by the ordeal.

Judge Mary Stacey admitted the victim had been 'scarred psychologically' during the case at Birmingham Crown Court, which has left her 'petrified' and afraid to go out.

But Joshua Sweet, 20, from Birmingham, was freed and given a three-year community order on account of an early plea and having spent just two months in jail awaiting his court appearance.

Madhu Rai, prosecuting, said Sweet broke into the victim's home and took items including car keys and a mobile phone before making his way upstairs, where the victim was asleep.

In the dead of night, she awoke to find the intruder 'standing beside her bed' and screamed, which is when the terrifying assault began.

Sweet then rolled down her duvet and touched the defendant sexually, saying 'you're not going to make any noise are you?'

Miss Rai said the woman was extremely frightened and tried to divert the defendant.

Sweet touched the woman’s bottom and upper thigh but as he took hold of the waistband of her pyjama bottoms, her house-mate, the owner of the property, came into the room and he fled.

The police were called and Sweet was arrested nearby, but the victim's ordeal continued.

In a statement she said she had been 'petrified' at finding a stranger in her bedroom and that the incident, which had caused her to take time off work, had left her feeling vulnerable and unsafe.

She said she had put a bolt on her bedroom door and had been reluctant to come out.

Sentencing guidelines for sexual assaults range up to eight years for the most serious cases.

And although the nature of this case falls in the lower end of the scale, the sentence angered a victim support charity that said offenders 'must be given a punishment that fits their crime'.

Joshua Sweet, 20, admitted burglary and sexual assault and was given a three-year community order, ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work and must register as a sex offender for five years.

Carolyn Hodrien, victim services director for Victim Support, said: 'From supporting thousands of victims of sexual assault, we know what a devastating impact it can have on people's lives.

'Victims deserve justice and for this to happen offenders must be given a punishment that fits their crime.

Community orders can be a really effective way to manage some offenders, but should never be issued for a serious offence or as a quick-fix.'

Sweet, 20, of Alwold Road, Weoley Castle, Birmingham, who admitted burglary and sexual assault, was also ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work and register as a sex offender for five years.

The judge also made a restraining order banning the defendant from going to the victim's road or having any contact with her.

Mohammed Hafeez, defending, said Sweet was a young man with many difficulties  and had been the victim of serious offences himself which had had a 'significant' effect on his mental health.

He said the death of a daughter had caused him to drink to excess and that he had little recollection of what he had done.

Summary: Josh Sweet broke into a teacher's home and sexually assaulted her in bed. Although the judge admits that the victim was scarred physiologically, Sweet still got out with just a slap on the wrist. However, this decision is slammed by a victim support charity worker, demanding true justice for the victim.


Summary: 20-year-old Joshua Sweet was released after only serving two months of his prison sentence for sexual assault.  The judge who released Sweet gave him community service instead.  Sweet claimed that excess drinking due to the death of his daughter left him with little recollection of what he had done.


Summary: Joshua Sweet was given a three-year community order after touching a young teacher's bottom and upper thigh against her will. The decision was slammed by victim advocacy groups who demanded justice, stating the 150-hour unpaid work order and being required to register as a sex offender wasn't punishment enough.


Western Sahara has welcomed Morocco's readmission to the African Union, 32 years after members refused to withdraw support for the territory's independence.

It was a "good opportunity" and "a chance to work together," a top Western Sahara official told the BBC.

Morocco controls two-thirds of Western Sahara and sees it as part of its historic territory.

However some, including the UN, see Western Sahara as Africa's last colony.

Africa Live: More on this and other stories

Find out more about Western Sahara

A referendum was promised in 1991 but never carried out due to wrangling over who was eligible to vote.

Thousands of Sahrawi refugees still live in refugee camps in Algeria - some have been there for 40 years.

It is not clear what happens next but Western Sahara is hopeful that a committee set up by the AU will address the issues that both sides have raised.

Some AU delegates said that it would be easier to resolve the issue with Morocco inside the AU.

Sidi Mohammed, a Western Sahara official, told the BBC that Morocco's return to the AU means that it would now be expected to put "in practice decisions taken by the AU with regard to a referendum in Western Sahara".

Mr Mohammed dismissed the suggestion that Morocco would now seek to get the AU to change its position, saying that the no country could unilaterally change the AU fundamental agreement, saying it opposed colonisation.

In his speech at the AU summit, King Mohammed VI of Morocco said the readmission was not meant to divide the continental body.

No. Algeria has always been a big supporter of Western Sahara's Polisario Front and it had wanted Morocco to accept independence of the territory as a condition for readmission.

Zimbabwe and South Africa were also supportive of this stance but they were outnumbered by those who wanted Morocco back in the fold.

There is no specific provision in the AU charter that bars any country from joining it.

Morocco simply applied and the request was accepted by more than two-thirds of the 53 members.

Morocco has been involved in intense lobbying and applied in July last year to rejoin the continental body.

King Mohammed toured various African countries seeking support for the bid.

No. While culturally the country's identity aligns with Arab states, its economic interests increasingly lie in Africa.

This is a strategic move to continue exploring its interests in mining, construction, medical, insurance and banking sectors on the continent.

Moroccan troops went into Western Sahara after Spain withdrew in 1975.

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Summary: Morocco joined the African Union after a referendum was promised over 30 years ago. The readmission was done in an effort to unite the continental body.


Summary: Western Sahara welcomes Morocco back into the African Union. Morocco sees Western Sahara not as an independent nation, but rather as a part of its territory. Top Western Sahara officials said it was a chance to work together. Morocco looks to explore Economic interests in Africa with its new membership.


Summary: After 32 years, Morrocco has been accepted back into the African Union. Although there is no clear resolution yet, this is a step towards finally settling the dispute over the Western Sahara, which both Morrocco and Africa claim.


The shooting of African-American, father-of-four Walter Scott by a white cop has provoked a torrent of anger and grief from celebrities on social media.

Mr Scott, 50, was gunned down by Officer Michael Slager on Saturday morning in Charleston, South Carolina, when he ran from the cop.

Pop star and member of Destiny's Child, Michelle Williams, wrote: 'Once again... #WalterScott' and added a broken heart.

Singer Janelle Monáe said: 'This brought tears to my eyes. #WalterScott reminds me of my uncle, family. Can only imagine the pain his fam feels.'

Rapper Big Boi simply tweeted an image of a black square with the words: '#WalterScott'.

Scroll down for video.

Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams tweeted about her grief over the shooting of father-of-four Walter Scott in South Carolina on Saturday.

A number of celebrities joined a torrent of outrage from Twitter users over the shooting on Walter Scott. Rapper Big Boi simply published a black square with the words: #WalterScott.

Singer Janelle Monae also added her condolences on Twitter following the shooting of the father-of-four.

Musician Questlove shared his anger with followers through his posts after it emerged that Scott had been running from the cop with his back turned when he was shot dead.

Mr Scott, 50, was gunned down by Officer Michael Slager on Saturday morning in Charleston, South Carolina and pronounced dead at the scene.

Musician Questlove wrote: 'I believe in waiting to hear everything before casting opinion. But allow me the preemptive...uh...shot of "I feared for my life" my ass.'

He went on: 'Can you imagine the amount of murders that went down before the age and development of cell phone videos? this didn't start this year.'

The star added: 'i was numb, now I'm angry. i rarely cuss here out of respect. but I'm angry as f***. good night.'

Actor Isaiah Washington tweeted: 'Okay, watching the #WalterScott video was horrible, but I think the brave person who captured the murder is a Hero and a Godsend #Truthdom.'

The former Grey's Anatomy star also changed his profile picture to that of a statue which was created by artist Phillip Hyman on a South Carolina roadside in honor of Scott's death.

Officer Slager initially claimed that he feared for his life and Scott wrestled a Taser from him.

However a video emerged on Tuesday of Slager firing at the victim eight times when he was 15-20 feet away with his back turned.

Actor Isaiah Washington tweeted: 'Okay, watching the #WalterScott video was horrible, but I think the brave person who captured the murder is a Hero and a Godsend #Truthdom'

A sculpture was placed by the roadside in Charleston, South Carolina as a  memorial following the shooting of unarmed, black, father-of-four Walter Scott.

Comedian Orlando Jones, who comes from the same state, as Walter Scott, shared his anger on Twitter.

Slager was charged with murder on Wednesday and could face the death penalty.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott also added his thoughts on the killing, describing Mr Scott's death as 'unnecessary and avoidable'.

He added: 'My heart aches for the family and our North Charleston community.'

Writer-director Joss Whedon tweeted: 'At this point, the Slager murder seems like a message, a mafia thing, like it's meant to shut people down or set them off. IT HAS TO END.'

TV anchor Geraldo Rivera added: 'No spin-video clearly shows white N. Charleston cop shooting fleeing black man 8 times in the back... If this guy’s acquitted I’ll join protest.'

Mr Scott, (pictured left) a former U.S. Coast Guard, leaves a fiancée, his parents, siblings and four children after he was shot dead by a police officer. Right, Michael Slager has been charged with his murder.

Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams (left) and RnB star Janelle Monae both posted on their Twitter accounts about their grief over the death of Mr Scott.

Director Joss Whedon added his outrage to the cop shooting which was captured on camera on Saturday.

TV host Geraldo Rivera had strong words following the shooting which led to the cop being charged with murder in South Carolina.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott also added his thoughts on the killing, describing Mr Scott's death as 'avoidable'

Summary: Charleston police officer, Michael Slager, was charged with the murder of African-American man Walter Scott on Wednesday. Celebrities have shared an outpouring on social media, as the situation which led to Scott's death appears to have been another event of police brutality. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott added that his death was "unnecessary and avoidable."


Summary: The shooting of Walter Scott has triggered a wave of anger and grief among celebrities on social media. Mr. Scott, an African-American was shot by a white officer, Michael Slagger. A video emerged shows that Mr. Scott was shot eight times at a distance with his back turned. Now, Slagger faces a murder charge.


Summary: A white officer has been charged with murder after fatally shooting an unarmed African American man. He originally claimed self-defense, but a video shows him shooting the man in the back from a distance. Celebrities and public figures take to social media to share both their condolences and outrage.


BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Six gay men were shot dead by members of their tribe in two separate incidents in the past 10 days, an official with Iraq's Interior ministry said. In the most recent attack, two men were killed Thursday in Sadr City area of Baghdad after they were disowned by relatives, the official said. The shootings came after a tribal meeting was held and the members decided to go after the victims. On March 26, four additional men were fatally shot in the same city, the official said, adding that the victims had also been disowned by their relatives. The official declined to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media. Witnesses told CNN that a Sadr City cafe, which was a popular gathering spot for gays, was also set on fire.

Summary: Six gay men were shot dead by members of their tribe in Iraq. The shootings occurred after a tribal meeting was held and members decided to go after the victims. Four additional men were shot in the same city after being disowned by relatives.


If you had £140,000 to splurge, would you splash out on an Aston Martin DB9 Volante or maybe even a three-bedroom detached house in Nottingham?

Or, would you rather shell your hard-earned savings on a pink handbag?

That is exactly what retailer Vestiaire Collective is hoping for, as they put a Hermes bag on sale for a cool £140,000 on their site.

Is this Britain's most expensive handbag? A sade-to-measure pink croc Hermes Birkin bag embellished with rubies has gone on sale for £140,000.

So what do you get for your money? The made-to-measure pink croc Hermes Birkin bag comes embellished with rubies.

The rare tote is so exclusive that it can't even be brought in store and experts say it's an extremely good investment.

Fanny Moizant, Vestiaire Collective's Brand Communications Director and Head of UK, said: 'Hermes Birkin bags have come to symbolise the epitome of quality, the materials and the impeccable French craftsmanship are second to none.

'The brand has a strong heritage with a controlled supply, which makes it highly desirable for stylish women. This aspirational identity has developed into a strong social status symbol. The limited supply and production of rare colours and skin have made these bags must-have collectors items resulting in an increased value over time,  unlike cars, which are known to depreciate in value after leaving the showroom.'

With the same amount of money that the handbag costs, you could splash out on an Aston Martin DB9 Volante.

Whilst they don't own the exact same bag, Kim Kardashian, left, and Heidi Klum, right, are both the proud owners of pink Hermes Birkin bags.

Hermes is one of the most coveted handbags of all time, but with a price tag of around £8,000 the Hermés Birkin bag isn't quite within every fashionista's price range (unless you're Victoria Beckham whose collection is worth a reported £1.5m).

Prestigious luggage and accessories firm Hermés, who count many of the world's wealthiest women as fans, is known for luxury leather accessories.

Renowned for its immaculate finish and top quality materials, Hermès claims never to use any assembly lines with one craftsperson making a single handbag at a time, hand-stitching individual pieces to create the finished product.

The brand is rich in history, and some of its bestselling bags have intriguing stories behind them.

The iconic Kelly bag, one of Hermes most popular styles, was originally known as the Sac à dépêches when it was developed by Hermes in 1935.

In 1956, a photo of Grace Kelly, who had become the new Princess of Monaco, was pictured carrying the Sac à dépêches to hide her pregnancy.

Photographs were sent all over the world and put on the cover of Life magazine. As a result, the bag became known as the Kelly and has been hugely popular ever since.

Victoria Beckham and Kim Kardashian are big fans of Hermes ... handbag Victoria reportedly owns a collection worth £1.5m.

The Birkin has similarly romantic roots, conceived as it was in honour of French star Jane Birkin.

The Birkin was allegedly created after the company's CEO Jean Louis Dumas sat next to the actress on a Paris to London flight.

Birkin had been discussing her difficulty in finding a leather weekend bag, explaining her ideal.

Shortly after, in 1984, the bag she described arrived at her flat with a note from Dumas. Although nowadays the bag can be made to order, the design is still one of the most recognised in the fashion industry.

And Victoria Beckham isn't the only celebrity Birkin fan.

British-born author Barbara Taylor Bradford owns an impressive 24 and heiress Tamara Ecclestone has specially built cupboards to house her £100,000 collection.

Katie Holmes, Julia Roberts, Hilary Duff and Kelly Brook are also fans while Jane Birkin, the inspiration behind the roomy leather must-have has said she covers her 'b***** heavy' Birkin with stickers to disguise the fact she's carrying a 'snobbish' bag.

Summary: Hermes is a brand known for high quality, high prices and extreme collectability. Their clients are mostly the ultra-wealthy, but experts say the bags are actually a good investment, as they continue to gain value after being sold. The brands newest bag is priced at £140,000.


Summary: Retailer, Vestiarie Collective put a Hermes Bag on sale for 140,000 pounds. It is a rare pink croc Hermes Birkin bag, embellished with rubies. Although many celebrities own a Hermes Birkin bag, only a few have one of these rare totes. For comparison, this Hermes Birkin is as expensive as an Aston Martin DB9 Volante.


Summary: Hermes is a brand rich in history and value, so much so that experts are saying their new £140,000 handbag is an extremely good investment. The bag, studded in rubies, is only the latest in Hermes Birkin's long line of highly expensive handbags for highly stylish women, which include celebrities and royalty.