Israeli scholars are furious after new flooring was fitted 'behind their backs' by the Muslim authority in charge of Judaism's holiest site - potentially covering up clues to the location of the 'Lost Ark'. The work at the Dome of the Rock was simply meant to replace carpet, worn away by thousands of pilgrims at the gold-topped shrine, which overlooks old Jerusalem. But when the old carpet was lifted, it revealed previously undocumented ancient floor designs - which could point to where the gold-cased Ark of the Covenant was buried 2,500 years ago. The discovery of the cryptic geometric patterns immediately caught the attention of some researchers, thrilled at the possibility of solving the Indiana Jones-type mystery which touches upon a holy grail for biblical enthusiasts. Scroll down for video . Hidden: Workers place carpets over ancient floor designs in the cave under the Dome of the Rock, which Israeli scholars are angry they did not get the chance to document before they were covered . Legend: Scholars have suggested the flooring may give a clue as to where the Ark of the Covenant - imagined here in the 1981 Indiana Jones film - is hidden, which Jewish tradition says is buried under the Dome . 'Something is there. I don't know what. But something is hidden there,' said Israeli archaeologist Zachi Dvira, who studies the site. Yet it looks likely it will remain a mystery: scholars did not get the chance to document the designs before workmen began laying the new carpet, paid for by King Abdullah II of Jordan, the country which remains the custodian of the area's Muslim holy sites. It has sparked a war of words between the Waqf, the Muslim authority that administers the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, which includes the Dome of the Rock, and Israeli archaeological authorities, who say the repairs were carried out behind their backs. The scholars also fear the glue being used may permanently damage the floor. Israel's housing minister Uri Ariel, of the nationalist Jewish Home party, waded in to the argument to urge an immediate halt to the work. In an alarmed letter sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, he wrote: 'There is no need to elaborate on how important this site is, where every modification, every excavation with heavy equipment can cause irreparable harm to the foundations of the Temple.' Row: The Dome of the Rock is one of the most contentious religious spots in all of Jerusalem, and the argument over the carpet is simply the latest in a long line of battle between Muslim and Jewish groups . Holy: The Dome of the Rock and its hilltop plaza is considered Judaism's holiest spot and Islam's third holiest . But the Waqf reject the accusations. Sheikh Azzam Tamimi, the head of the Waqf, said the work is long overdue and has defiantly proclaimed that he was forbidding any Israeli involvement. 'Our work in Al Aqsa is transparent,' he said. 'We are only putting down carpet and felt. Nothing more, nothing less.' They also deny the work

Summary: Row erupted after mysterious geometric designs discovered under carpet . Some hope they may lead to chamber where Ark of the Covenant is hidden . But new flooring laid before Israeli scholars were able to document pattern . But Waqf, the authority in charge of Dome of the Rock, reject accusations .


Secretary of State John Kerry 'is delusional' if he expected to claim the Iranians agreed to the phased lifting of sanctions as part of a nuclear deal when they didn't and get away with it, says the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, John McCain. 'I think John Kerry tried to come back and sell a bill of goods, hoping maybe that the Iranians wouldn’t say much about it,' the Republican lawmaker told radio host Hugh Hewitt during his Thursday program. McCain, responding to the supreme leader of Iran's proclamation yesterday that there would be no formal pact unless sanctions relief is 'instant,' said he had 'sympathy' for Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, because Kerry 'must have known' what the perimeters were for a long-term accord 'and yet chose to interpret it in another way.' Launching a rare attack from his official White House Twitter account, President Barack Obama's spokesman Josh Earnest in turn said it was 'naïve and reckless' for McCain 'to believe every word of the Supreme Leader's political speech.' 'He shouldn't,' Earnest added. And the president's deputy national security adviser told reporters traveling with the administration abroad that it's 'very clear and understood that sanctions relief will be phased.' Secretary of State John Kerry 'is delusional' if he expected to claim the Iranians agreed to the phased lifting of sanctions as part of a nuclear deal when they didn't and get away with it, says the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, John McCain . Kerry, is flanked here by President Barack Obama and National Security Adviser Susan Rice at the bilateral meeting between President Obama and Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela today in Panama City, Panama. The Obama administration is in Panama to attend the VII Summit of the Americas . 'The fact of the matter is, we have framework,' Rhodes said, according to the Associate Press. 'The president has said if the details don't bear out, we won't have a deal.' Obama, Kerry, National Security Adviser Susan Rice and other members of the president's kitchen cabinet are in Panama for the Summit of the Americas. Backed into a corner by reporters, the White House on Monday indicated that negotiators left Switzerland last week without coming to an agreement about the pace at which sanctions would be removed. The administration had stated in a fact sheet that nuclear-related sanctions would be 'suspended' if Iran complied with the terms of the deal. The president said in a live statement they would be 'phased' out over time. The framework, however, he said would remain in place so sanctions could be snapped back into place if need be. Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, immediately cast a cloud over the United State's assertions, pointing out that the statement released by the United States' negotiating partners made no reference to either the gradual lifting of sanctions. Zarif indicated that his country was under the interpretation was that sanctions would be 'terminated.' Asked the next day about Zarif's claims, the lead spokeswoman for the State Department shrugged them off and said she wasn't

Summary: Kerry 'is delusional' if he expected to claim the Iranians agreed to the phased lifting of sanctions when they didn't and get away with it, he said . Senate Armed Services Chair John McCain was responding to Iran saying there would be no formal pact unless sanctions relief is 'instant' 'I think John Kerry tried to come back and sell a bill of goods, hoping maybe that the Iranians wouldn’t say much about it,' GOP lawmaker said . 'At best, Iran agreed to disagree with the United States on key nuclear weapons-related issues and to continue talks,' another GOP senator said . Another said 'the Ayatollah and President Obama appear to be talking about two separate agreements...unfortunately, I can’t say I’m surprised'


Drinking two cups of coffee a day could halve the risk of breast cancer returning, a study found. A cancer-killing cocktail of the hormone drug tamoxifen and two coffees every day was found to reduce the risk of tumours returning by 50 per cent in women recovering from the disease, researchers said. Tamoxifen kills off cancer cells or stunts their growth by blocking the cancer-causing hormone oestrogen from reaching diseased cells. Women who have suffered from breast cancer can slash the chances of the cancer returning by half - if they enjoy two cups of coffee a day, as well as taking hormone drug tamoxifen (picture posed by model) It is the main drug given to women who have not been through the menopause, and is usually taken for five years or longer after breast cancer treatment. And when combined with two cups coffee, it can be even more effective, according to a study of 1,090 breast cancer patients by British and Swedish researchers at Lund University, Sweden. Their findings found that women who had been treated with tamoxifen - and those that had drunk at least two cups of coffee a day - had only half the risk of their cancer returning than those who drank less coffee, or none at all. Ann Rosendahl, a researcher from Lund University who carried out the study, said: ‘The study also shows that those who drank at least two cups of coffee a day had smaller tumours and a lower proportion of hormone-dependent tumours. ‘We saw that this was already the case at the time of diagnosis.’ The study also found that breast cancer cells react with caffeine and caffeic acid, which are both found in the hot drink. Caffeine caused the cells to divide less frequency - and die more often - especially when it was drunk in combination with tamoxifen. Mrs Rosendahl said: ‘This shows that these substances have an effect on the breast cancer cells and turn off signalling pathways that the cancer cells require to grow.’ Researches found caffeine causes breast cancer cells to divide less frequently and divide more often . Taking prescribed medicine is still vitally important to treating cancer, clinicians have stressed . Despite their findings, the study’s researchers were keen to stress the importance of prescribed medication in treating cancer . ‘They are incredibly important, but if you like coffee and are also taking tamoxifen, there is no reason to stop drinking it. Just two cups a day is sufficient to make a difference,’ Mrs Rosendahl said. Previous studies have found that drinking coffee could reduce the risk of cancer in heavy drinkers. And the World Cancer Research Fund believe the hot drink can protect against liver cancer, which is often associated with alcohol abuse. Experts from the Harvard Medical School have also found that women who drink three or more cups of coffee a day have a 20 per cent lower risk of developing skin cancer, compared with those who had less than one a month . Responding to the study, Jackie Harris, clinical nurse

Summary: Researchers tested effects of caffeine on patients taking Tamoxifen . Combination of prescription drug and coffee make 'cancer-killing cocktail' Caffeine makes breast cancer cells divide less quickly and die more often .


Belly flop to belly up? It’s fair to say Steve Bruce has had better weeks than this one, which featured the publication of some poolside diving snaps and culminated in a defeat that suggests Hull might yet bomb out of the Premier League. This was a game they could not afford to lose. Not when their final seven games include fixtures against Southampton, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United. But lose they did, bringing their winless run to five and leaving themselves in a right mess. Bafetimbi Gomis roars with celebration after giving Swansea a 2-0 lead against Hull at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday . Gomis unleashed a thunderous overhead kick shortly before half-time to capitalise on some poor Hull defending . The French striker fires a spectacular volley past Allan McGregor and into the roof of the Hull net to double the home side's lead . The Swansea striker celebrates his strike in front of a group of young supporters after doubling his side's lead in the first half . Swansea (4-3-3): Fabianski 6.5; Naughton 6 (Rangel 56, 6), Fernandez 6.5, Williams 7, Taylor 7; Ki 7, Cork 6.5 (Dyer 65, 6), Shelvey 6.5 (Grimes 90); Sigurdsson 6.5, Gomis 7.5, Routledge 6.5 . Subs not used: Amat, Emnes, Oliveira, Tremmel . Booked: Williams . Scorer(s): Ki 18, Gomis 37, 90+1 . Hull (3-5-2): McGregor 5.5; Dawson 5.5, Bruce 6 (Diame 70, 6), McShane 6.5; Elmohamady 6, Ramirez 5.5 (Quinn 30, 6), Livermore 6, Meyler 5, Brady 6; N'Doye 5, Hernandez 4.5 (Aluko 81) Subs not used: Rosenior, Chester, Sagbo, Harper . Booked: Hernandez, McShane, N’Doye, Bruce, Diame . Sent off: Meyler 53 . Scorer(s): McShane 50 . Referee: Andre Mariner . Man of the match: Bafetimbi Gomis . Bafetimbi Gomis scored a spectacular overhead. CLICK HERE for more match zone . True, they could have benefited more from refereeing decisions – Bafetimbi Gomis was offside in the build up to his brilliant first goal and David Meyler’s second-half red card could have gone either way – but that should not exonerate a side that is supposed to be fighting for it life and yet looked so meek for half of this match. They managed no shots on goal in the time it took Swansea to go 2-0 ahead through Ki Sung-Yueng and Gomis’s bicycle kick. And it was only in the second half that they mounted a challenge. As fate would have it, Meyler was sent off for fouling Kyle Naughton two minutes after Paul McShane had given Hull a lifeline. Gomis finished them in stoppage time. Bruce was exasperated. He said: ‘We were disappointed to lose the game and we knew we were nowhere near good enough in the first-half in particular. ‘But the two big decisions went against us and they could have turned the game. Gomis’ first goal is a fantastic piece of skill but he is five yards offside. Gomis grabbed his second of the match after racing on to Jonjo Shelvey's pass and chipping McGregor in injury time . The 29-year-old celebrates in front of

Summary: Swansea City beat Hull City 2-1 in the Premier League at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday . Ki Sung-Yueng fired the hosts into the lead after 18 minutes when he turned home Jonjo Shelvey's parried effort . Bafetimbi Gomis doubled the lead when he fired a volley into the roof of the net eight minutes before half-time . Paul McShane got a goal back for the visitors just five minutes after the restart, tapping in from close range . David Meyley was given a straight red card three minutes after the goal when he lunged in on Kyle Naughton . Gomis made it 3-1 in injury time to grab his second of the match and restore the host's two-goal advantage .


Rory McIlroy expressed his satisfaction after keeping his dreams of the career grand slam on track with a battling display on the opening day of the 79th Masters. Seeking to become just the sixth player in history to win all four major titles, McIlroy was one over par after 11 holes before recording birdies on the 13th and 15th to card a one-under-par 71. That left the world No 1 four shots off the clubhouse lead of Justin Rose and Charley Hoffman, but it could have been a lot worse as the 25-year-old was forced to scramble for par a number of times on the front nine.Rory McIlroy . Rory McIlroy did well just to bogey the sixth after making a shaky start at the Masters . The world No 1 recovered by recording birdies on the 13th and 15th on Thursday . McIlroy walk downs the ninth fairway with Phil Mickelson during the first round . 'I just kept telling myself to be patient out there today,' McIlroy said. 'It was a tricky day, the wind was swirling a little bit, the pin positions were tough. Anything under par was a pretty good score. 'It was nice to pick off a couple of birdies on the back nine on the par fives and I'm pretty satisfied with the day's work.' McIlroy has recorded a score of 77 or worse on each of his past five appearances at Augusta National and admitted it could have happened again. The four-time major winner hooked his drive on the second into the trees and ended up in a narrow creek, but after taking a penalty drop was able to pitch out to the fairway and hit a superb approach to save par. He did well just to bogey the sixth after his chip from short of the green rolled back down a slope to his feet and scrambled a par on the ninth after his approach span back off the green. 'It could have been a round that got away from me,' he admitted. 'I bogeyed 11 but I just kept telling myself to stay patient, realising it's a 72-hole golf tournament and I don't need to press too much. That's what I did and it was good to get into red numbers after day one. McIlroy held his nerve to card a one-under-par 71 at Augusta . McIlroy has recorded a score of 77 or worse on five occasions at Augusta . He is seeking to become just the sixth player in history to win all four major titles . 'I feel the way I'm driving the ball well and if I can keep doing that and just be a little more efficient with my iron play and give myself more opportunities I'll hopefully be right there at the end of the week. 'I haven't put too much pressure on myself. I obviously know what I can achieve this week but I'm not letting myself think about it too much. I'm just trying to play it one round at a time and today was

Summary: Rory McIlroy carded a one-under-par 71 in the first round at Augusta . The world No 1 recovered from early setback with birdies at 13th and 15th . He has recorded a score of 77 or worse on five occasions at Augusta . CLICK HERE for all the latest news from the Masters 2015 .


Rehomed: Nellist's young spaniel cross called Coco . A drunken restaurant owner has been banned from keeping animals after he was caught on CCTV punching, kicking and throwing his dog across the room. David Nellist, 38, of Keswick, Cumbria was foiled after a neighbour heard the young spaniel cross called Coco 'screaming'. Nellist was sentenced to two months in prison, suspended for 18 months, banned from keeping animals for five years, ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £1,580 at Workington Magistrates Court in Cumbria last week. The court was told the incident took place early on Monday January 19 at the tapas bar Nellist co-owned at the time of the incident in Keswick. RSPCA inspector Martyn Fletcher said: 'A neighbour was awakened in the middle of the night by a noise that she described as "an animal in extreme pain or distress".' Scroll down for video . Sentenced: David Nellist, 38, has been banned from keeping animals for five years by magistrates in Cumbria . Caught on camera: Nellist was foiled after a neighbour heard the young spaniel cross called Coco 'screaming' The woman said it sounded like a scream, as if the dog was being tortured. 'She told us the sound continued intermittently, causing her to be so concerned that she actually got up, left her home and followed the noise to the restaurant,' Mr Fletcher said. 'This was 3.30am.' CCTV footage from several cameras inside the restaurant showed Nellist beating the dog. Mr Fletcher said: 'There is no audio recorded on it, but it’s horrible to watch. 'He’s seen pursuing her relentlessly as she moves from room to room, clearly frightened and trying to get away from him. 'He repeatedly punches her, kicks her and on two occasions picks her up by the throat and throws her across the room onto the ground. 'It’s not difficult to imagine what might have happened had it not been for the actions of the neighbour.' Police were called to the restaurant but left after finding no obvious injuries to the animal. The RSPCA was called and after viewing the footage, Coco was seized by police on veterinary advice and placed in RSPCA care. Video contains footage some viewers may find upsetting . CCTV footage from several cameras inside the restaurant showed David Nellist, co-owner at the time, beating Coco the dog . The drunken restaurant boss caught on CCTV punching, kicking and throwing his dog across the room . On examination, the vet found no injuries but prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs based on what she had seen on the footage. In mitigation, the court heard that Nellist was drunk at the time and was appalled by his actions. Coco has since been rehomed. 'I’ve seen her since and she’s like a different dog,' Mr Fletcher added. 'She’s got a fantastic owner who has another dog too, and they’ve become great friends. 'She’s a really cheeky girl.' Nellist admitted causing unnecessary suffering to his pet by subjecting her to unnecessary physical violence.

Summary: David Nellist was caught on CCTV attacking his dog Coco in a restaurant . He has been sentenced to two months in prison, suspended for 18 months . Nellist, of Keswick, Cumbria banned from keeping animals for five years . The 38-year-old was caught after a neighbour heard the pet 'screaming'


A holidaymaker still has sickness issues, nine months after he first contracted food poisoning on holiday in Egypt. James Houlder and his girlfriend, Vicki Hood, had saved up for months for the sunshine break at the Sonesta Beach Resort in Sharm El Sheikh. But within just hours of arriving at the First Choice resort, which is described as five-star on its website, the couple say they became violently ill with sickness and diarrhoea and were barely able to leave their room. James Houlder fell ill while on holiday with his partner Vicki Hood last summer at the Sonesta Beach Resort in Sharm El Sheikh, and is still suffering nine months on . James, 30, who works for a publishing company, has since developed Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a digestive complaint which he admits can leave him in crippling pain with him sometimes needing the toilet several times an hour. Vicki, 22, claims she too has been plagued by sickness including a kidney infection. The couple, who live just outside Norwich, had booked the break last summer and envisaged 10 days sunning themselves on the beach and scuba diving in the famous Red Sea. But instead James said: 'On the first night we got there in time for the end of dinner and that's where it all started to go wrong. The next morning, after breakfast, we started to become violently ill. We had to take it in turns to use the bathroom. 'When we finally felt better a few days later we decided to eat at one of the resort's a la carte restaurants. We thought it would be safer than the buffet but it just made us ill all over again. Mr Houlder took a photo of a piece of mouldy bread while he was on holiday in Sharm El Sheikh . 'We were both so ill we were crying. It was dreadful, the worst holiday ever. 'The rooms were dated and dirty and the staff were rude. 'It was like a holiday coming home.' James claims they asked to get earlier return flights but were told it would cost them hundreds of pounds. After investing around £1,500 already in the all-inclusive deal, he says they were forced to sit it out in the blistering heat. And once at home James told how the health problems continued with IBS still causing him to take time off or away from work nine months on. He said: 'It's sporadic, it's not something that happens all the time, but equally it can come on without warning. One minute I'm fine and the next I can be in agony. 'The other day I had to stop twice on the way to work to go to the toilet and it's only a 20-minute drive. 'I've been in situations where I've been going many times an hour and trying to hide it. It's awful and embarrassing.' James says he was offered a £50 'goodwill voucher' but no apology from First Choice and has now instructed law firm Slater and Gordon to launch a civil case against the

Summary: James Houlder and girlfriend Vicki Hood stayed at Sonesta Beach Resort in Sharm El Sheikh . But within hours, both fell ill with sickness and diarrhoea at five-star venue . Nine months on, James diagnosed with IBS that has blighted his life . After raising issue with First Choice, he was offered '£50 goodwill voucher'


After Tony Blair’s speech in his former constituency of Sedgefield last week, the former PM made an appearance at a low-key private fundraising dinner for 15 Labour target seats. But despite the fact that Blair has a record of three general election victories, only one Shadow Cabinet minister, Chuka Umunna, could be bothered to attend. During a dinner held in an Indian banquet hall in Morden, Blair (pictured last week in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham) name-checked Ed Miliband only once, devoting his speech instead to his own achievements . The dashing Shadow Business Secretary is being mentored by Lord Mandelson, the former Blairite Cabinet minister, who wants to see him as the next Labour leader. The programme for the dinner, held in an Indian banquet hall in less-than-glamorous Morden High Street, South London, was littered with errors and even misspelt Umunna’s name. A clearly uncomfortable Blair name-checked Ed Miliband only once, devoting his speech instead to his own achievements. Bizarrely, Blair shared a stage with musician Steve Brookstein, who won the first X Factor ten years ago but whose career sank even faster than Blair’s popularity. Brookstein’s last record (he had a box full of them to give away) is an apt metaphor for Blair in the eyes of the current Labour Party. It’s called The Forgotten Man. One of many critics of Blair’s appearance on the election trail was George Galloway, who is fighting to retain Bradford West for the Respect party. He said: ‘Blair dripping with blood, pockets stuffed with gold beyond dreams of avarice, comes out fighting for New Labour.’ Galloway is one to talk. Last year he earned £303,000 in addition to his MP’s salary, mostly from £1,600-an-hour appearances on Iran’s Press TV and Russia Today. The national treasure that is Andrew Marr gets to the heart of what is wrong with the election campaign. ‘There’s this thing called the deficit sitting there like a great stinking ordure in the middle of public life. To deal with it, big taxes have to go up. The Tories seem to have forgotten that,’ he writes in The Spectator. ‘They now want to spend huge extra amounts of money on the NHS; Labour has ruled out almost all tax rises for most voters. The other parties want to spend more and don’t want to talk about taxation. ‘The deficit? Apparently if it’s left alone it’s just going to melt away. Huddled-down, risk-averse politicians from all the main parties have decided to treat us like credulous children.’ Dermot Murnaghan brandished Labour's 'Controls On Immigration' mug embarrassing . Dermot Murnaghan brandished Labour’s embarrassing ‘Controls On Immigration’ mug at the Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in her Sky News interview yesterday. Cooper coolly took the mug and cleverly turned the slogan away from the cameras. ‘A storm in a coffee cup,’ Cooper, aka Mrs Ed Balls, said. The influential Labour Uncut blog says Defence Secretary Michael Fallon’s claim that Red Ed Miliband ‘stabbed his own brother in the back’ to lead Labour, and would do the same to Britain by negotiating away Trident, will

Summary: An earlier version of this article wrongly referred to Erith and Thamesmead's Conservative parliamentary candidate Mrs Anna Firth posting pictures of litter in Bromley to shame her political opponent. We are happy to clarify that the photos were in fact taken in Conservative-controlled Bexley and there was no intention to imply that Mrs Firth was unaware of the constituency boundaries.


A four hundred-person mass brawl broke out Friday night at a casino in Queens. Patrons at a bar opening inside the Resorts World Casino, next to JFK airport, reportedly turned on one another around 10pm. Video of the fight sees a crowd of people erupting from a bar area, punching, kicking, shouting and re-purposing casino decorations as weapons. Scroll down for video . Chairs in the air: An enormous fight broke out at a bar opening at Resorts World casino in Queens, New York . Bar brawl: Video posted on twitter showed angry patrons attacking one another . Fists flying: Huge crowds of people went at one another using their fists, or even casino props, to hurt one another . According to the New York Daily News, the fight shown in the brief video clip snowballed until some four hundred people were fighting. It is not clear why the fight started. The carnage spilled out into the parking lots, where police and security guards tried to calm things down. Ambulances could be seen outside tending to the wounded, which included guards and officers. Police told the News that four people were arrested, and will be charged in due course. NYPD sources suggested that the violence was gang-related. Scene: The fisticuffs took place at Resorts World Casino, near JFK airport in Queens, New York .

Summary: Mass fight broke out around 10pm Friday at Resorts World Casino . Patrons at establishment next to JFK airport fought at bar opening . Video of the encounter - where patrons threw chairs - was Tweeted . Police said four people were arrested and will be charged over fight .


England are in danger of losing their fourth Champions League spot in the coming years, as poor performances from Premier League clubs in Europe take their toll. This season, for the second time in three years, there were no English clubs in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, while none of our clubs have reached the last eight in the Europa League either. And with Italian and German clubs performing significantly better this season, England could slip from their current ranking of second to a lowly fourth by the end of next season. Chelsea look dejected as they exited the Champions League in the last 16 against PSG last month . Arsenal's Olivier Giroud punches the ground in frustration as his side suffered a defeat to Monaco . Germany will begin next season with a higher ranking than England, once 2010/11 points are discounted. If Juventus, Napoli and Fiorentina win all their remaining games possible, Italy will go into next season within 0.1 points of England. Even if Italian clubs fail to reach finals, a repeat of this season would see them overtake England in third place next season. Germany is guaranteed to move ahead of England at the end of this season, while if Italian clubs continue to perform well this season and English clubs fail to reverse their slump, the Premier League could end next season out of Europe's elite. That would see England reduced to three Champions League places for the 2017/18 season, with Serie A taking the extra place from the Premier League. UEFA's country coefficient rankings take into account the previous five seasons' performance by teams from each association, which means England are set to lose a huge chunk of their total at the start of next season. Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain celebrates as the Italians all but booked their place in the Europa League semis . Arsene Wenger cannot hide his disappointment as Arsenal were eliminated in the last 16 yet again . David Luiz celebrates scoring at Stamford Bridge as PSG knocked Chelsea out oEurope . The 2010/11 season saw Tottenham and Chelsea reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, while Manchester United lost in the final. Coupled with Liverpool and Manchester City reaching the last 16 of the Europa League, that earned England a massive 18.357 points, which will be knocked off the total at the start of next season. Italy and Germany will lose a significantly smaller number of points (11.571 and 15.666 respectively) meaning that by the beginning of next season, England will have slumped to third, and be in danger of falling further. Gianluigi Buffon celebrates as Juventus took a big step towards the last four by beating Monaco in Turin . Mohamed Salah runs at the Dynamo Kiev defence as they scored late to stay in with a chance of progress . The Premier League will still be defending a lead from Serie A going into the 2015/16 campaign, although how big that is remains to be seen. Each season every association gets points depending on how well their teams

Summary: Premier League clubs have been outperformed by European rivals . Bundesliga set to move above Premier League next season . Serie A could also overtake England, if Italian successes continue . Napoli, Juventus and Fiorentina are still in contention for European glory . All English clubs have been eliminated already this season . One more bad season would see England lose a Champions League spot .


The hapless Seattle Airport baggage handler who woke up from a nap inside a plane's cargo hold, only to discover that the jet was in the air, made a frantic 911 call begging for help. Alaska Airlines Flight 448 bound for Los Angeles was forced to turn around and return to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Monday when passengers heard banging and pleas for help coming from the cargo section of the jet. It was later revealed that the unnamed employee of airline contractor Menzies Aviation had dozed off inside the plane at the end of his shift and only awakened when it was in the air, about 14 minutes into the flight. Scroll down for audio and video . Can you hear me now? This is the moment an Alaska Airlines baggage handler was pulled from the cargo hold after falling asleep. Earlier, the terrified man called 911 begging the dispatcher for help . Safe: This is the baggage handler who fell asleep aboard the Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Los Angeles on Monday . On Thursday, the trapped baggage handler's desperate 911 call was released, revealing the man's panic and terror. 'Hello, I'm trapped in this plane!' he tells he operator. The woman ostensibly struggles to grasp what's happening and asks for an explanation. 'You're where?' the dispatcher asks. 'I'm inside a plane and I feel like it's moving in the air,' he replies. The airport worker then rattles off the number of the flight and begs the dispatcher to call for help. 'Can you please, can somebody stop it?' he pleads. The man grows increasingly exasperated on the call, telling the woman on the other end of the line that he is not at the airport, but rather inside a flying plane. As he struggles to lay out his situation, the phone begins to cut out and eventually the call gets disconnected . The operator made an attempt to call the man back, but his phone was no longer in service. Luckily for the drowsy airport staffer, he had better luck with passengers aboard Flight 448 who heard his banging and screams and alerted the crew. 'Help! Help! Help!' the man screamed, according to one traveler. The airline said in a news release the captain immediately returned to Seattle-Tacoma International and declared an emergency for priority landing. The cargo hold where the handler was trapped is temperature controlled and pressurized, so he was not in danger of freezing or running out of oxygen. A passenger on board Flight 448 recorded video of the baggage handlder's knocking that passengers could hear inside the cabin . Emergency landing: The pilot turned back to Seattle 14 minutes into the flight when he heard screaming . 'At some point the marshal kind of made himself known and started banging back and he yelled really loud and said, "We're getting ready to land, hold on to something,"' Troi Ge, a passenger on board the flight, told NBC News. Mr Ge, a sound designer from Burbank, recorded video aboard the plane in which passengers could hear

Summary: Flight 448 had just taken off Monday when the pilot heard banging from beneath . LA-bound plane was forced to return to Seattle for emergency landing . Worker dialed 911 asking dispatcher to call someone and stop the plane . He later emerged calm but was taken to hospital as a precaution . Cargo hold was pressurized and temperature controlled, so the man was not in danger .


Sixteen and seventeen year olds should not be allowed to vote in a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union because they have been brainwashed with pro-EU colouring-in books, Ukip has said. The party said schoolchildren were being exposed to ‘propaganda’ from Brussels in a bid to ‘catch them young’. It came as Ukip was accused of performing yet another U-turn on its immigration policy . Ukip campaign chief Patrick O'Flynn accused Brussels of feeding 'propaganda' to young people who could not be trusted to vote in a referendum . David Cameron has promised to claw back powers from Brussels before holding an in-out referendum by the end of 2017. Ukip has called for the vote to be held earlier, and today warned under-18s should not be allowed a say. Ukip deputy chairman Suzanne Evans said: ‘It's everything there from colouring-in books on the Common Agricultural Policy for primary school children right up to research projects at university level. ‘The amount of money that the EU is putting into this propaganda and throughout the entire education system is enormous. Overall the EU has an advertising budget that is larger than Coca-Cola.’ Asked if schoolchildren were being brainwashed, the party’s campaign chief Patrick O'Flynn said: ‘I think it's not a million miles away. ‘It's certainly designed to catch people young and feed them propaganda and a very partial view which you know just speaks up to the EU being an unalloyed good thing that we couldn't possibly do without.’ Pushed further, he added: ‘It is an emotive term but I wouldn't demur from the description of brainwashing. ‘We’ve had many reports from our members of schoolchildren of secondary school age being exposed to overwhelmingly pro-EU views when the matter of the European Union is discussed and not really having the Eurosceptic case put.’ Ukip deputy chairman Suzanne Evans said the amount of money that the EU is 'putting into this propaganda and throughout the entire education system is enormous' Mr O’Flynn said the party was ‘strongly against’ lowering the voting age as under-18s are ‘too young/ to vote. He accused the Lib Dems of trying to ‘gerrymander’ a future in-out referendum after speculation they would demand 16 and 17-year-olds and EU migrants are given a vote as part of a possible post-election Coalition deal. He argued the fairest way of holding a referendum would be to stick to the rules of a general election and said any changes could skew the vote. ‘Let's be frank about it, opinion research shows that 16 and 17-year-olds are much more likely to be in support of Britain's membership of the European Union than is the population in general,’ he said. ‘And the electoral franchise does not allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote and it's no wonder the Liberal Democrats wish to make this change but it's a gerrymandering change which is clearly intended to skew the result.’ Critics of EU waste have previously condemned a colouring and activity book produced by Brussels which promoted the work of bureaucrats and MEPS . At an EU summit

Summary: Ukip said schoolchildren brainwashed with pro-EU colouring-in books . Party said teens exposed to EU 'propaganda' in a bid to 'catch them young' It said it was 'strongly against' lowering the voting age as under-18s .


Alec Stewart is intrigued to hear more about the newly-created role of England cricket director. The Surrey director of cricket insisted his focus is on his role at The Oval and he is yet to speak to anyone at the England and Wales Cricket Board about the position, which is to be introduced following the departure of Paul Downton as managing director. Stewart's fellow former England captains Andrew Strauss and Michael Vaughan have also been linked to the job. Alec Stewart admitted he has had no contact with the ECB over the role of England cricket director . The England head coach, Peter Moores, would report to the cricket director, but Stewart is among the potential candidates awaiting full clarity of the responsibilities of the position. Vaughan and Strauss, too, have expressed a wish to learn the details of the job specification, which could come when incoming chairman Colin Graves starts work next month alongside new chief executive Tom Harrison. 'Until anyone sees the job spec - whether it's Vaughan, myself, Straussy, whoever it may be - you can't comment,' Stewart told Press Association. Stewart, who played 133 Tests and 170 ODIs for England, is in the frame to replace the axed Paul Downton . 'All I've said is I've done everything that's ever been asked of me as an England player and if England thought that I would be the right type of person for that role, whatever that role may be, then you'd be stupid not to look at it. 'I'm under contract here. (The) ECB would have to seek permission to speak to me via Surrey. 'This is a great job that I'm thoroughly enjoying here. I seriously think we're going to be going places over the next few years. That's what I'm concentrating on. Michael Vaughan is also among the leading candidates to take up the newly-created role with England . 'I can't underestimate what a great job this is. But you always want to be aware of other things that are going on.' Asked if he had had any informal or preliminary discussions with the ECB hierarchy, Stewart added: 'None whatsoever. My focus is very much here and if somebody from the ECB rings me I'll take their phone call or meet them, but that hasn't happened.'

Summary: Alec Stewart would like to hear more about the England team vacancy . Former England wicketkeeper is currently director of cricket at Surrey . Stewart says he has had no discussions with the ECB over the role . Paul Downton was sacked as managing director of England team .


Beef at a good price . If Ian Botham is going to watch his Test wickets record get beaten by Jimmy Anderson, he might as well earn himself a bit of cash doing it. After spotting that SkyBet were offering 9/4 on the Lancashire seamer to take four wickets in the first innings on Wednesday morning, Beefy, who remains England’s leading wicket-taker for the time being with 383, tweeted: ‘I’ll have a go at that price!!!’ Sir Ian Botham was tempted to bet on Jimmy Anderson breaking his record on the third morning in Antigua . Daddy’s girl . With Botham’s record in his sights, all eyes at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium were on Anderson — including those of his wife Daniella and daughter Ruby Luxe. But the Burnley Express kept everyone waiting, and watching Test cricket can be a hard slog for anyone — let alone a four-year-old. Anderson's wife Daniella and daughter watch the action from the stands at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium . Swanny’s funny . While tributes were paid to Anderson on Test Match Special at lunch, former team-mate Graeme Swann revealed how he used to wind him up. ‘It was great when his face was on the back of all of those London buses last year — just so I could say to him “You’ve got a face like the back of a bus”,’ said Swann. Anderson picked up one wicket on day three, but is still one shy of Botham's record of 383 dismissals . Moeen spinning in . The ECB announced on Wednesday that Moeen Ali has been called up for the next Test in Grenada. The question is, where will he fit into the first XI with off-spinner James Tredwell bowling so well? It would be embarrassing for Moeen if he was kept out of the England team by a man who can’t get into his own county side. Moeen Ali, pictured playing for Worcestershire, has been added to the England squad for the remaining Tests . Blackwood frustrates Ben . By far the most interesting on-pitch battle was between Ben Stokes and Jermaine Blackwood. The West Indies’ sixth man in scored 112 in the first innings, much to the frustration of Stokes — and not just because of the eight boundaries the Jamaican hit off him. After Tuesday’s no-ball episode, Stokes narrowly missed out on Blackwood’s wicket twice on Wednesday — seeing an edge dropped by James Tredwell at slip, followed by a close lbw denial upheld by the third umpire. Jermaine Blackwood hit his maiden Test match century in his sixth match for the West Indies on Wednesday . Ben Stokes was frustrated twice when he thought he dismissed Blackwood, adding to Tuesday's no-ball . Five-star Jos . Tredwell rightly took the plaudits on day three, but Jos Buttler put in a tidy performance with the gloves. The Lancashire wicketkeeper took five catches for the first time in a Test innings. He’s only the second keeper to do so against West Indies, after Jack Russell in 1990. Jos Buttler took

Summary: Jimmy Anderson moved to within one of Sir Ian Botham's record . The 32-year-old's wife and daughter were watching in Antigua . Botham tempted to bet on Anderson claiming record on Wednesday . Moeen Ali called up to England squad for second and third Tests . Jermaine Blackwood scores first Test ton, and frustrates Ben Stokes .


A man who was run over by Suge Knight has refused to testify against the rap mogul, defiantly stating in court that he is 'no snitch'. Cle 'Bone' Sloan, 45, was crushed beneath the wheels of Knight's pickup truck outside a burger stand in January, leaving him with two fractured ankles and wounds on to his head, knees and shoulder. But he claimed from the witness stand of the Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday that he does not remember the specifics of the confrontation, in which his companion Terry Carter, 55, was killed. 'No snitch': Cle 'Bone' Sloan, 45, (left, file photo) told the court that he 'will not be used to send Suge Knight (pictured right last week) to prison'. Knight is accused of murdering Terry Carter, 55, and trying to murder Sloan, whom he left with broken bones and other injuries . Suge is accused of murdering Carter and trying to murder Sloan, but claims he was ambushed and ran the men down in an escape attempt. Speaking to the court, Sloan said: 'I don't want it to get misconstrued that I told on this man. 'I'm no snitch. I will not be used to send Suge Knight to prison.' At one point he even refused to confirm that he recognized Knight in court. He also said he was only there because he had been subpoenaed. Knight, who is diabetic and has previously collapsed in trial hearings, is being kept in jail while the hearings proceed. Last week he came to court in a wheelchair, which his lawyers described as a 'ploy' to humiliate him. The judge said that if he did not need it to walk he would not have to use it again. At Monday's hearing Sloan even seemed to speak in Knight's defense - telling the court that he punched him through the window of the truck earlier in the fatal encounter. Strapped in: Knight, pictured above on April 8, is being held on a $25million bail. He came to court last week strapped to a wheelchair . He later agreed with Knight's defense attorney when he said Knight 'hadn't attacked you in any form, fashion or manner.' Summarizing his position, Sloan said: ''Every day, I tried to forget it,' Sloan said. 'I just know, I screwed up, and Terry's dead.' In response to his apparent memory lapse, judge Ronald Coen said that 'this witness is being deceptive.' Killed: Terry Carter, 55, was killed after Knight ran him down. He has claimed the killing was legal as he was trying to escape . Knight was caught on camera running over Sloan and Carter during the January 29 encounter. Sloan and Carter were both involved with Straight Outta Compton, an upcoming film about the rap group N.W.A. Sloan's testimony was offered during a preliminary hearing Monday during which a judge will determine whether there's enough evidence for Knight to stand trial on any of the charges. Authorities contend Knight intentionally hit Sloan and Carter. But Knight's attorney Matt Fletcher says his client was ambushed and was trying

Summary: Cle 'Bone' Sloan, 45, was one of two men hit by Knight's pickup truck . Terry Carter, 55, was killed in alleged hit-and-run outside burger stand . Knight is accused of murdering Carter, and attempting to murder Sloan . Preliminary hearing in Los Angeles is deciding whether Knight can be tried . Sloan today claimed he could not remember the details of the encounter . Would not identify Knight, said he was forced to courtroom by subpoena .


As if playing in front of thousands of fans wasn't nerve-wracking enough, one footballer decided to risk public humiliation by proposing to his girlfriend on the pitch after a Russian Premier League match. FC Rostov defender Ivan Novoseltsev popped the question after his side's 1-0 win against Torpedo Moscow on Monday night, getting down on one knee at the Olimp-2 stadium to ask Katerina Keyru to marry him. With his team-mates watching on and a camera in place to capture the moment on film, the Russia international beamed as his basketball-playing partner said yes. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Ivan Novoseltsev propose to his girlfriend on the pitch . FC Rostov defender Ivan Novoseltsev gets down on one knee to propose to girlfriend Katerina Keyru . Novoseltsev places a ring on his Keyru's finger as his team-mates watch on at the Olimp-2 stadium . The 23-year-old, who was capped by his country for the first time last month, looked delighted as he placed a ring on Keyru's finger before kissing and hugging her. Novoseltsev then presented his bride-to-be with a huge bouquet of flowers as his team-mates congratulated the pair on their engagement. FC Rostov's players also had plenty to celebrate after their fourth win in a row moved them further away from relegation trouble and into 10th place in the table. Keyru hugs and kisses her husband-to-be as Novoseltsev celebrates FC Rostov's win in style . Novoseltsev's team-mates applaud as the happy couple share a moment to remember on the pitch .

Summary: Ivan Novoseltsev proposed after his side's win against Torpedo Moscow . Katerina Keyru, who plays basketball for a living, said yes on the pitch . Novoseltsev's FC Rostov team-mates were on hand to congratulate him . FC Rostov have won four games in a row to move up to 10th in the table .


Police have charged a woman with fraud after she allegedly faked a terminal illness to raise thousands of dollars from sympathetic strangers. In August 2014 Elizabeth 'Elle' Edmunds established an online fundraising page claiming she had ovarian cancer and seeking money for medical treatment. Police alleged the 31-year-old mother from Belmont, near Newcastle in NSW, used a falsified doctor's certificate stating she had terminal cancer to raise about $2500 from her page. In February, Ms Edmunds told a Belmont Local Court she was put up to the act by her violent partner John Heagney, and did it because she feared for her life. Elizabeth 'Elle' Edmunds, 31, was issued a court notice this week for the offence of two counts of obtaining benefits by deception, after she faked having terminal cancer to raise money in 2014 . In October, a report was made to police regarding Ms Edmund's activities, and detectives from the Lake Macquarie Local Area Command soon after launched an investigation. She was issued a court notice this week for the offence of two counts of obtaining benefits by deception, and will appear at Belmont Local Court in June. Police inquiries into the matter are continuing and investigators are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. Ms Edmunds went into hiding after revelations of her alleged fraud came to light last year. ‘I was in fear for my life,’ she told Belmont Local Court, near Lake Macquarie in the Hunter Valley north of Sydney, at a hearing in February. She said Mr Heagney had tried to kill her and had severely beaten her on two occasions last year. Heagney claims Ms Edmunds faked the violence and was a self-harmer who punched herself, and that the two dates on which the alleged violence took place, October 20 and November 17 last year, related to the faking of the cancer. In April last year, Ms Edmunds sat her family down and told them she had cancer and doctors had given her just three years to live. She went to great lengths to present herself as a terminal cancer patient, shaving her head and faking hospital visits for chemotherapy treatment. Strangers set up a Facebook page and online crowd-funding account to raise money for her – but the ruse was exposed in November when Heaghney posted a status update that Ms Edmunds was not sick at all. Ms Edmunds’ stepdaughter, Kyala, 19, even got a tattoo on her chest in dedication of her stepmother when she thought she was dying of cancer. The tattoo read: 'Where there is love there is hope ... Elle'. Ms Edmunds said she believed her mind had tricked her into believing she had the terminal illness – and she even underwent chemotherapy using pills she bought on the internet . Ms Edmunds told Belmont Local Court former partner John Heagney (pictured) forced her to fake the illness . In April last year, Ms Edmunds sat her family down and told them she had cancer and doctors had given her just three years to live . Ms Edmunds

Summary: Elizabeth 'Elle' Edmunds was charged with two counts of fraud . The 31-year-old mother will appear at Belmont Local Court in June . The Lake Macquarie woman faked having stage six ovarian cancer . She said she believed her mind tricked her into thinking she had illness . She also said that her former partner forced her to fake the disease . Police inquiries are continuing and investigators have appealed for anyone with information to come forward .


Just weeks after he controversially banned meat products from being sold at the Sydney Opera House during his upcoming shows there, Morrissey has once again weighed into Australian animal rights issues. The singer, who will be performing four sold-out shows as part of the Sydney Vivid Live festival in May, has written a public letter to The Just Group imploring them to cease their use of angora wool. The Australian retail giant, who own Just Jeans, Portmans, Dotti, Peter Alexander, Jacqui E, and Jay Jays, have so far refused to back down on their stance in using the controversial fur. Warning: graphic content . New campaign: Morrissey has written a letter to Australian retailer The Just Group imploring them to stop the use of angora wool . Brutal: PETA have successfully petitioned a number of Australian and international retailers to stop selling angora wool after revealing the horrific treatment of rabbits at Chinese angora farms . PETA Australia has been petitioning The Just Group to reconsider their position after successfully getting other retailers, including David Jones, Myer, Sportsgirl, General Pants Co, and Jeanswest, to stop selling angora. 'I'm looking forward to my concerts at the Sydney Opera House in May, but I was extremely dismayed to learn from my friends at PETA Australia that The Just Group refuse to modernise and drop angora wool from their clothing lines', Morrissey writes. 'By selling angora wool, you're sending the message to millions of shoppers that your company condone the barbaric abuse and slaughter of rabbits and are willing to perpetuate it.' Refusal: The Just Group, who own Just Jeans, Portmans, Dotti, Peter Alexander, Jacqui E, and Jay Jays, have so far refused to back down on their stance in using the controversial fur . Stance: The retailer has previously issued a statement on the controversy, simply saying: 'Although we are not able to join the pledge sought, I want to thank you for your interest in our group' The singer, 55, added that he would post petitions for concertgoers to sign at information booths throughout the Opera House if the company did not reverse their decision. Globally, major fashion chains including Zara, H&M, Marks & Spencer, and Gap have all pledged to not use the fur in recent years after PETA outed the heartbreaking conditions of angora rabbits. The organisation revealed the treatment of rabbits on angora farms in China, where workers rip the fur from live rabbits' skin. PETA alleges that the rabbits 'scream in pain' during the process. The Just Group are yet to respond to Daily Mail Australia's request for comment, however a spokesperson has previously responded to PETA with the statement: 'Although we are not able to join the pledge sought, I want to thank you for your interest in our group.' In February, Morrissey made headline when he ordered all food and bar outlets linked to the Opera House's Concert Hall remove meat products from their menus for the duration of his residency. Additionally, the former Smiths singer, who has been a non-meat eater since the age of 11,

Summary: Morrissey wrote a letter to Australian retailer The Just Group . They own Just Jeans, Dotti, Portmans, Jay Jays, and Peter Alexander . The group have so far refused to stop selling controversial angora wool . Singer to ask audience at Sydney concert to sign petition against company . Morrissey has also banned the sale of meat products at Opera House . Myer, David Jones, Sportsgirl among those who've agreed to angora ban .


George Kidd, the chief commissioner of The Direct Marketing Commission, said it would be investigating two firms . Two firms exposed by the Daily Mail as selling private information are to be probed by the industry watchdog. B2C Data sold our undercover reporters the financial data of 15,000 people – including details about their pension pots, incomes and investments. The second firm – Data Bubble – supplied our team with health details on 3,000 patients – such as whether they suffered from high blood pressure, arthritis or even bladder problems. The Direct Marketing Commission said it would probe both companies over claims that they had breached the rules on the sale of private data. It confirmed it was ‘formally investigating two companies following allegations in the Daily Mail that personal data was shared inappropriately and without the consent of users’. George Kidd, the chief commissioner, said: ‘The allegations in the Daily Mail are serious. People must be able to trust those with whom they share their data. We will look carefully at the roles and conduct of these two companies and advise the Direct Marketing Association on our findings quickly.’ The firms are already at the centre of a major probe by the Information Commissioner’s Office, which said the sale of such details was ‘on the face of it, a very serious breach of the Data Protection Act’. In meetings covertly filmed by our reporters, bosses at B2C Data were seen boasting of how they held thousands of details on every family in Britain. One, Gareth Doran, boasted: ‘We know what clothes they buy, what health products they buy, where they go on holiday, how many times they go on holiday, what income they’ve got, whether they have children.’ Data Bubble bosses offered to provide our reporters with the names of people with ‘different ailments’ for around 16p each. When asked how the information was obtained, the firm’s owner, hypnotherapist Joanne Clayton, said: ‘It could be people who bought mobility products from a catalogue … or even if they’ve been on holiday and they’ve ticked to say that they are needing help on the flight with regards to that, we can then identify that they actually have problems with mobility.’ Data Bubble owner Joanne Clayton, pictured, said that they obtained information from people who brought products in a mobility catalogue . Both companies sold the records despite not carrying out checks on the Mail’s bogus cold calling firm. Had they done so they would have quickly discovered it was simply a website and was not registered or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The announcement follows calls – led by David Cameron – for a clampdown on companies found guilty of selling personal data without consent. The Prime Minister suggested on Monday night that the law would be tightened if loopholes were being exploited by unscrupulous cold callers.

Summary: The Direct Marketing Commission probing B2C Data and Data Bubble . Investigating whether they breached rules on the sale of private data . Chief commissioner described allegations made about firms as 'serious'


Eating fast food after a workout may be just as beneficial as dietary supplements, a study has claimed. Researchers found that during recovery periods between periods of exercise, it didn’t matter what food was eaten. Performance remained the same after resting for several hours, while levels of glycogen - used by muscles as ‘fuel’ - were actually slightly higher after fast food was eaten as a recovery food. Research led by the University of Montana has found that eating fast food (stock image shown) after a workout may be just as beneficial as dietary supplements. Researchers found that during recovery periods between periods of exercise, it didn’t matter what food was eaten . The research, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, was led by University of Montana graduate student Michael Cramer. In the study, 11 male athletes were asked to fast for 12 hours, before a 90-minute endurance workout. After this, half were fed hot cakes, hash browns and orange juice, followed by a burger, fries and a Coke two hours later. If you fancy a burger, then sprint to the fast-food joint to get it. Short bursts of intensive exercise before a high-fat meal can help protect blood vessels from the effects of a poor diet, researchers have found. Just eight minutes of high-intensity cycling was found to be more beneficial than going at a moderate pace for 25 minutes - the current recommended level. Scientists at the University of Exeter say the short burst approach may be more appealing to youngsters - few of whom achieve even the minimum of an hour of moderate exercise a day. The other group were given Gatorade, organic peanut butter and Cliff Shot Bloks, followed two hours later by Cytomax powder and PowerBar products. Two hours after the second meal, all participants were then ask to ride 12 miles (20km) on a stationary bike a fast as they good. Each meal eaten by the participants was roughly equal in calories, carbohydrates and protein - although the fast food had more sodium and slightly more fat. At various intervals, the researchers took muscule tissue samples and did blood tests, to check glycogen levels. After a week, the participants returned and performed the task again, this time switching their diet to the one they didn’t do last time. The results showed that, when performing the second exercise task, the times were about the same no matter which meal group the participants were in. In the study, 11 male athletes were asked to fast for 12 hours, before a 90-minute endurance workout. They were then given meals of either fast food or supplements. Two hours after the second meal, all participants were then ask to ride 12 miles on a stationary bike - and performance for all was the same . Also, levels of glycogen across the two groups were almost the same - with the fast food group being slightly higher. No differences in insulin, glucose or cholesterol were found, while neither group reported any serious stomach discomfort. ‘These data indicate

Summary: University of Montana student studied recoveries after a workout . Gave participants either fast food or supplement meals during recovery . Found there was no difference in performance between the two groups . And levels of glycogen in fast food group were actually slightly higher .


Joe beats Sachin to 2,000 . Joe Root became the second-youngest England batsman to reach 2,000 Test runs, after Alastair Cook. Root reached the milestone aged 24 years, 115 days. Cook was 401 days quicker. However, Root did get there in fewer innings than India great Sachin Tendulkar. Joe Root's 182 not out took him past 2,000 runs in Tests, the second fastest Englishman to the milestone . Dad Stokes joins fun . Thursday's play finished with Marlon Samuels’ comedy salute to England’s Ben Stokes after the batsman was dismissed following days of needling between the pair. Cue outrage from some, indifference from others and a sprinkling of laughter thrown in. Stokes’s dad, Gerard, saw the funny side, tweeting: ‘Great send off Marlon Samuels. Live by the sword die by the sword, great stuff son.’ Marlon Samuels gave Ben Stokes a salute send off after dismissing the England all-rounder . Broad can't believe it . Stuart Broad continues to search for a run in this Test series and even a desperate appeal on Friday couldn’t help his cause. He tried to sweep Devendra Bishoo but only gloved it to give slip Devon Smith a simple catch. A pointless review. ‘I think that goes up to Broad’s No 1 worst-ever review,’ said Jonathan Agnew on BBC’s Test Match Special. Stuart Broad walks off after yet another failure with the bat, and an entirely wasted review . England run-out woe . You have to go back 113 years to find the last time England had three players run out in the first innings of a Test — in January 1902 against Australia in Adelaide. England are one short of the record of four run-outs in one innings though, which is shared by India and Australia — set in 1955 and 1969 respectively. Chris Jordan fails to make his ground despite a dive, as England suffered three run outs . Jet-setting Moores . England coaches Peter Moores and Paul Farbrace plan to fly straight from Barbados to Dublin after the third Test to make sure they are in charge for the first one-day international since the disastrous World Cup. The pair were expected to miss the match as it comes, oddly, just three days after the scheduled finish of this Test series on May 5. But so keen are they to be present for the start of the new one-day era, the England pair will fly from Barbados to Heathrow on May 6, then straight on to Dublin to take practice on May 7. Peter Moores watches on, and will fly straight from Barbados to Dublin to make the ODI against Ireland .

Summary: Ben Stokes' dad Gerard tweets his approval of Marlon Samuels' salute . Joe Root moves to 2,000 Test runs, faster than Sachin Tendulkar . Stuart Broad wastes another review, branded the worst of his career .


Andres Iniesta concedes that he has been unhappy with his form for Barcelona this season, despite receiving praise for his role in killing off Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League this week. The Spaniard played a pivotal part in setting up Neymar for the opening goal in the Catalan club's 2-0 second-leg win over PSG on Tuesday night at the Camp Nou, running from his own half before laying the ball on a plate for the Brazilian forward. Iniesta was typically modest about his fourth assist in Europe this season, preferring to focus on what has been a disappointing domestic campaign for the World Cup winner, in which he is yet to score or create a goal. Andres Iniesta is kept under close watch by the Paris Saint-Germain defenders during Tuesday night's game . Iniesta perfectly times his pass through to Neymar for the first goal against PSG at the Camp Nou . Barcelona's No 8 goes to celebrate with Neymar after killing off the French side in the opening half . 'I'm happy with the way it worked out,' Iniesta told AS in reference to his latest assist. 'The truth is that it was a nice, fast and improvised run, but it's good that it resulted in a goal for Neymar. 'Personally, though, I think I have room for improvement. I'm unsatisfied with my form right now.' Despite Iniesta's qualms with his own personal contribution, the 30-year-old is content with how the rest of Luis Enrique's side are currently performing, with Barcelona top of La Liga by two points and adding a Champions League semi-final berth to the Copa del Rey final date with Athletic Bilbao on May 30. 'We're feeling very good going into the decisive stretch of the season,' the World Cup winner stated. 'We could have 10 games left and we will play them all with a positive attitude.' Barcelona face city rivals Espanyol at the Estadi Cornella-El Prat on Saturday looking to extend their lead at the top of La Liga, and Iniesta anticipates a difficult task at the home of their neighbours. 'I do not think that the derby is a war,' the 30-year-old added. 'But it will be a special and tough game. 'I hope things go well and we get the victory.'

Summary: Spaniard reflects on his mesmeric run and pass to set up Neymar's opener . Iniesta admits room for improvement after his fourth assist in Europe . Barcelona camp in bouyant mood heading into decisive stretch of season . League leaders face Espanyol at the Estadi Cornella-El Prat this Saturday . READ: Iniesta rolls back the years with vintage performance against PSG .


From top to third to second to top to second again. What a perfect game to represent such an absurd season. Bournemouth were out of it. Then they were in it. Then it all went bonkers and Eddie Howe was caught between feelings of regret and unhappiness with Paul Tierney, the referee. The stripped-down fact is that it finished 2-2. The glorious detail is that Bournemouth trailed to a Kieran Lee sucker punch, levelled through Yann Kermorgant and then had a man sent off. A problem? Not really. Chris Maguire converts an injury time penalty so salvage a draw for Sheffield Wednesday at Dean Court . Maguire celebrates his late, late strike as the Owls held Bournemouth to a draw on their home turf . BOURNEMOUTH: Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook, (Jones 64), Daniels, Ritchie, Arter, Surman, Pugh (Smith 57), Kermorgant (Ward 81), Wilson . Subs not used: Camp, Gosling, Pitman, Fraser . Booked: Cook . Red card: Francis . SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Kirkland, Buxton, Lees, Zayatte (Vermijl 45), Helan Hutchinson (Maghoma 15), Melo Silva, Maguire, Lee, Isgrove (Nuhiu 63), Lavery . Subs not used: Westwood, May, McCabe, Bus . Booked: Buxton, Helan, Isgrove . Referee: Paul Tierney . Attendance:11,280 . Matt Ritchie scored the kind of goal that belongs in the Premier League to put them in front. Job done? Not nearly. Chris Maguire scored a penalty for Wednesday deep into stoppage time and three point became one; a big step towards the top flight became a stumble. Howe was left 'heartbroken', but also frustrated, not least because he felt Callum Wilson deserved a penalty in the second half when he appeared to be fouled by Lewis Buxton. Bournemouth have had 15 penalties this season and Howe suggested that might be counting against them, saying in a radio interview: 'It looked like the referees have come together and talked about Callum Wilson and said don’t give him any penalties because Bournemouth have had too many this season and we don’ t want them to have any more.' His broader disappointment was also clear, having blown a major opportunity to keep top spot in a thrilling division. He said: 'It really is tough to take. That is why we love the game – the drama and twists and turns. 'The pain and frustration we need to transfer into motivation. This is our most successful season but we have had low moments. We have only two games and our objective is clear. We have to use this as motivation to move forward now. We have to respond.' Lee had put Wednesday in front with a 36th-minute header before Kermorgant levelled midway through the second half. A draw at that stage might have seemed fair but Simon Francis was sent off for two yellow cards and Bournemouth were back on the ropes. Cue bedlam. Ritchie launched a shot into the top corner after Andrew Surman laid off a free-kick but Maguire added to the madness in stoppage time. Wednesday manager Stuart Grey couldn't help but chuckle. He said: 'It took six and a half hours to

Summary: Bournemouth are now second in the Championship following their draw . Kieran Lee fires Wednesday into the lead with a 36th minute header . Yann Kermorgant equalised with 21 minutes remaining . Matt Ritchie looked to have sealed the win for the Cherries late on . But Chris Maguire had the final say with his last-ditch penalty strike .


A new designer drug even stronger than crystal meth dubbed '$5 insanity' for its mind-bending effects is spreading across Florida.. Flakka, which can be injected, snorted, smoked, swallowed or taken with other substances like marijuana, is usually made from the chemical alpha-PVP. That's the synthetic version of the stimulant cathinone, the same type of chemical that is used to make bath salts. The use of flakka a designer drug that can be even stronger than crystal meth or bath salts, is up in Florida . Flakka can be injected, snorted, smoked, swallowed or taken with other drugs and substances like marijuana . Flakka resembles a mix of crack cocaine and meth and it has a noticeably foul smell (bath salts pictured) Flakka resembles a mix of crack cocaine and meth and it has a noticeably foul smell, WPBF 25 News reported. St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office special investigations Sgt. Rob Pettit said: 'It has a strong odor like a sweaty sock. 'It's pretty serious. 'We're always trying to play catchup with the drug dealers as it is, and now here we are trying to get accustomed to finding yet another drug.' Once ingested, the drug causes a feeling of euphoria, hallucinations and sometimes psychosis or apparent superhuman strength. The high lasts for a couple hours and users are left with a strong desire to use again. Users have nicknamed the drug '$5 insanity' because hits often cost less than $10, the Sun-Sentinel reported. Cathinone use is apparently up across the nation and the use of Flakka is also certainly increasing in Florida . Flakka has been involved in a number of incidents in recent weeks, including one where a man impaled himself white trying to scale a fence, CBS reported. Jim Hall, an epidemiologist at the Center for Applied Research on Substance Use and Health Disparities at Nova Southeastern University, said: 'We're starting to see a rash of cases of a syndrome referred to as excited delirium. 'This is where the body goes into hyperthermia, generally a temperature of 105 degrees. 'The individual becomes psychotic, they often rip off their clothes and run out into the street violently and have an adrenaline-like strength and police are called and it takes four or five officers to restrain them. 'Then once they are restrained, if they don't receive immediate medical attention they can die.' There were more than 670 Flakka occurrences in Florida in 2014, up from 85 in 2012 and zero in 2010, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Summary: Drug is made from same version of stimulant used to produce bath salts . Flakka can be injected, snorted, smoked, or swallowed . It causes euphoria, hallucinations, psychosis and superhuman strength . High lasts for couple hours and users have strong desire to re-use . More than 670 Flakka occurrences in Florida in 2014, up from 85 in 2012 .


As manager of Rangers, Stuart McCall has learned to tolerate supporters booing their own players. Growing up watching Leeds United, he was less forgiving. 'I remember Terry Yorath and Ray Hankin coming in for stick,' he recalled. 'As a teenager I used to get into fights because of it. 'I remember standing at the back of Leeds kop, maybe I was 15 or 16 year old and Yorath and Hankin were getting booed. Terry Yorath had just taken over from Billy Bremner and it was boooooo… . Rangers manager Stuart McCall has had to get used to his players being booed by supporters . Lee McCulloch, the Rangers captain, was booed for an error that led to a goal against Raith Rovers . McCall hopes that for the time that he is manager of Rangers, McCulloch will be the last player to get booed . 'They had a song for Ray Hankin and it went: 'Ray Hankin, Ray Hankin' and half of them would then shout: 'S**t' and this is while he was warming up for the game. 'That's when I got into fights, with the people shouting s**t. 'Tell me, how's that going to help any individual when that's the reaction to their name just being read out?' Those sour memories returned last weekend when Rangers skipper Lee McCulloch was the object of frustration from the Ibrox stands. Culpable for a Raith Rovers goal, the veteran defender suffered the embarrassment of being booed by his own supporters. He was hardly the first to suffer that fate. So long as McCall remains manager of Rangers – an unknown currently – he hopes McCulloch will be the last. 'I've no problem with a team being booed off at half time or full time, that's fine. People pay their money. 'But I think the individual thing is not on. It was sad to hear last week. 'The good thing was that within minutes of it happening most of the supporters actually turned it round and he was getting backing again. 'We were losing 2-0 and I think people thought: 'You know what, we need to help the team.' It spun itself round and then the majority of the supporters were clapping. 'If it hadn't turned itself round, I don't think we would've got back in the game.' In the west of Scotland, grown men rarely express their feelings. To sympathise would only have drawn attention to the captain's predicament. McCulloch has made no reference to the incident to McCall and vice versa. 'He just wants to get on with it,' added the manager. 'There's not a lot you can say anyway. 'I remember a situation with Michael Higdon at Motherwell. I had to put out a message saying: 'Lay off.' He ended up with 27 goals and player of the year. 'It doesn't help anybody if a player is booed. Yes, we all understand and accept frustration in the stands. But booing one of your own players isn't going to help. 'I fully accept that when you boo your team at half time and

Summary: Captain Lee McCulloch was booed by Rangers supporters last weekend . McCulloch made an error that led to Raith Rovers hitting the back of the net . Rangers play league leaders Hearts in the Scottish Championship Saturday .


A New Orleans couple bought a ramshackle historic cottage, moved it across the city and renovated it all the while using salvaged materials and respecting the home's original floor plan. Gaby Tillero and Greg Ensslen bought the the two-story 1840s Creole home from the Central City neighborhood after a church said they wanted to demolish it and expand their parking lot. The couple moved it to the Freret neighborhood where they then spent seven months renovating. Tillero and her husband Ensslen now live in the home with their two sons, six-year-old Santiago and nine-year-old Javier, as well as Tillero's mother, Olga Tillero. Scroll down for video . Gaby Tillero and Greg Ensslen bought this 1840s Creole cottage style home in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans almost two years ago . The couple then dismantled the home, moved it to the Freret neighborhood of the city and renovated the home while respecting the floor plan and using salvaged materials to decorate the home . To honor the home's original duplex floor plan while still creating a single-family home, Ensslen and Tillero put a massive wooden staircase between the kitchen and living room . The home is decorated with materials salvaged from other homes and salvage markets. The bookshelf on the right holding dishes was part of a house Ensslen restored in 1999 . This is what the Central City house looked like before Tillero and Ensslen bought up the house and moved it to the Freret neighborhood where it sits now . The original staircase in the home separated the building into a duplex. In the renovated home Tillero and Ensslen honored the staircase idea by putting a massive wooden staircase separating the kitchen from the living room . 'We bought the house to save the house - it was slated for demolition,' Ensslen told The Times-Picayune. 'I've always liked the Creole cottage style.' Ensslen, who's a historic renovation developer and organizer of the Freret Market and Freret Street Festival, and Tillero wanted to live outside Central City, so they bought the house before they had a lot to put it on. They ended up having to dismantle the structure and put it into storage. 'We had to dismantle it completely,' Ensslen said. 'It was a stack of lumber. We put it in a few dumpsters.' The dumpsters were stored on a secured lot near the city's Industrial Canal, where they sat for a year until the couple found a lot that fit the house's dimensions. Once they sorted how to rebuilt the cottage's floor plan and collected materials for its interior, they purchased a lot. They rebuilt and renovated the house in seven months. One of the kitchen walls is decorated with a series of hand-crank egg beaters, which Ensslen began collecting in the 1980s when he moved to New Orleans . All of the wood in the home was stripped of old paint and finished with linseed oil for a more golden touch in order to give it more character . The couple bought the home almost two years

Summary: Gaby Tillero and Greg Ensslen bought the home after a church claimed they wanted to demolish it and expand their lot . The home was dismantled and stored for a year before the couple found a lot across New Orleans that would fit the home's dimensions . Tillero and her husband Ensslen now live in the home with their two sons, six-year-old Santiago and nine-year-old Javier, as well as Tillero's mother, Olga Tillero . The couple stayed true to the cottage's floor plan, while converting it from a duplex to a single-family home . They used salvaged and recycled materials to decorate the interior and exterior of the home .


Raheem Sterling first came to the attention of the wider world in a TV documentary charting Brendan Rodgers’ early days in charge of Liverpool in the summer of 2012. In footage from a pre-season training session, the Liverpool manager is seen rebuking Sterling — then a talented but largely untried teenager — for answering him back. A little more than two-and-a-half years on and much has changed. Now Sterling is a 20-year-old England international and a cornerstone of Liverpool’s first team. On Wednesday he was back on TV again but this time he was attempting to call the shots. Raheem Sterling has turned down a new deal with Liverpool and put off contract talks until the summer . Sterling has come a long way since being lectured by Brendan Rodgers during Being Liverpool . The winger was just 17 years old in 2012 when he was told off by Rodgers for answering him back at training . Sterling, pictured celebrating a goal for England, says he does not want to be seen as a money-grabber . Sterling has attracted interest from clubs including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Arsenal . Sterling arrives for training at Liverpool's Melwood training ground . Sterling arrives at training ahead of Liverpool's game with Arsenal . Sterling’s message to Liverpool, and indeed Rodgers, would appear to be clear. He does not want to stay at Anfield unless he can win trophies. He wants to play in his favourite midfield position. The interest from other clubs at home and abroad has made him feel good. As such, regardless of a £100,000-a-week contract offer, he may choose to leave. As a piece of PR, Wednesday's BBC interview was of questionable value. An apparent attempt to clarify his stance regarding an unsigned Liverpool contract has only served to muddle things. In trying to bring an end to media and terrace chatter about his future, it has only given it fresh legs. At one point during his chat, Sterling admitted supposed interest from Arsenal is ‘quite flattering’. Just one problem. ‘My next game is against Arsenal,’ he said, suggesting he can at least understand a fixture list, if not the delicacy of his situation or the impact of his words. ‘I want to do my best. I won’t be hiding.’ It’s just as well because the chances are that he won’t be able to. Liverpool’s fans, who value loyalty more than most, may have the young Londoner in their sights now. ‘I don’t want to be perceived as a money-grabbing 20-year-old,’ said Sterling, but the denizens of the Kop may perceive precisely that. Sterling's current £35,000-a-week deal at Liverpool has two years to run at the end of this season . Sterling has confirmed that he rejected an offer of £100,000-a-week to stay at Liverpool . Sterling says that he would have signed a less lucrative deal if he had been offered one at this stage last year . Sterling takes on Lithuania's Georgas Freidgeimas during England's Euro 2016 qualifier at Wembley . Neil Ashton broke the Sterling contract

Summary: Raheem Sterling wants to be known as 'a kid that loves to play football' The England star has rejected a new deal and put off talks until the summer . Sterling was attempting to call the shots during interview with the BBC . 20-year-old has come a long way since being lectured by Rodgers in TV documentary in the summer of 2012 . Sterling has two years left to run on his existing £35,000-a-week contract . He says he would have signed a new deal at this point last season . Sterling admits it is 'quite flattering' to be linked with a move to Arsenal . Liverpool are infuriated that Sterling gave interview in the first place . Some feel he and his representatives are pushing for summer departure . Sterling: What he said about contract talks... and what he meant . READ: Sportsmail answers five questions on Sterling's future . CLICK HERE for latest Liverpool news and reaction to Sterling's interview .


Two goals inside the last four minutes saw the Yorkshire derby clash between Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield end in a 1-1 draw. Wednesday substitute Sergiu Bus opened the scoring in the 86th minute and Ishmael Miller, also on as a substitute, secured a point for his side with an equaliser just a minute from time. The result leaves Huddersfield without a win in their last seven games and 18th in the table, six places and nine points behind Wednesday. Sergiu Bus celebrates putting Sheffield Wednesday ahead against Huddersfield . Sheff Wed: Westwood, Vermijl, Lees, Zayatte, Mattock, Isgrove, McGugan, Lee (May 63'), Hutchinson, Lavery (Maguire 74'), Nuhiu (Bus 63') Subs not used: Buxton, Maghoma, Dielna, Kirkland . Goals: Bus 86' Huddersfield: Smithies, Smith, Hudson, Lynch, Scannell, Coady, Edgar, Butterfield, James, Vaughan, Wells (Miller 63') Subs not used: Wallace, Lolley, Carroll, Gobern, Allinson, Majewski . Booked: Coady, Lynch, Hudson . Goals: Miller 89' Referee: Mark Haywood . Attendance: 20,851 . Huddersfield's Marnick Vermijl sent in an early low cross which evaded everyone, and Wednesday striker Caolan Lavery fired in a fierce angled shot which went over. The hosts had another chance when Lewis McGugan tried a shot from the edge of the area that went wide. Huddersfield responded with Joel Lynch firing in a shot on the turn which forced a near-post save from Keiren Westwood. Just a few minutes before the break, the visitors carved out another good opening when, following a scramble, David Edgar got in a shot which was cleared off the line by Vermijl. Six minutes after the restart, Wednesday's Atdhe Nuhiu looked certain to score. He received the ball from Kieran Lee, rounded keeper Alex Smithies and rolled the ball towards the unguarded net, only to see Lynch race back to clear off the line. Wednesday were down to 10 men for a spell when Joe Mattock went off injured. After receiving some lengthy treatment, the defender returned to the field with his head bandaged. Lavery put a shot off-target after losing his balance and then went down inside the area with Reece James in close attention, but referee Mark Haywood was unimpressed. Wednesday head coach Stuart Gray made a double substitution just after the hour mark with strike duo Stevie May and Bus replacing Lee and Nuhiu. Huddersfield manager Chris Powell also made an attacking change shortly after, sending on Ishmael Miller in place of Nahki Wells. Sheffield Wednesday's Kieran Lee (right) slips a tackle by Huddesfield Town's David Edgar . Miller was soon involved, making a promising run into the area before having a shot, which was blocked, when he could have passed to a team-mate. Wednesday substitute Bus also had a chance to make a quick impact when he had time inside the area, but his low shot lacked the necessary power to test Smithies who gathered easily. Miller made another good run into the area and made an unsuccessful appeal for a penalty when he went down under a challenge. Wednesday substitute Chris Maguire's free-kick was on target but failed to cause a problem for

Summary: Substitute Ishmael Miller scores 89th-minute equaliser for Huddersfield . Sergiu Bus had put Sheffield Wednesday ahead three minutes earlier .


In four days time, Floyd Mayweather will go head-to-head with Manny Pacquiao in the Fight of the Century at the MGM Grand but he still had time to pose for a picture with Motown legend Gladys Knight. Mayweather meets rival Pacquiao on May 2 in Las Vegas in the highly-anticipated blockbuster, which saw tickets sell out within 60 seconds on Ticketmaster last week. As he steps up his preparation for Saturday's fight, Mayweather took time out of a training session to pose for a picture with 'Midnight Train To Georgia' singer Knight. Motown legend Gladys Knight posted a picture on Twitter with Floyd Mayweather during a training session . Mayweather will go head-to-head with Manny Pacquiao in the Fight of the Century at the MGM Grand on May 2 . Knight tweeted: 'The champ @FloydMayweather and I! So good seeing you dear! #TheChamp #FloydMayweather.' Mayweather retweeted the post to his 5.8million followers and earlier in the day, he thanked Knight for watching him in the gym. The 38-year-old tweeted to his followers: 'Thank you @MsGladysKnight for coming to support me at the gym today.' Mayweather is expected to get £120m from the fight, the biggest event in the history of boxing, with Pacquiao. Mayweather loosens up before he takes part in a training session at the Mayweather Boxing Club . Knight (left) is best known for singing hits such as 'Midnight Train To Georgia' and 'Friendship Train'

Summary: Floyd Mayweather will fight Manny Pacquiao on May 2 in Las Vegas . The fight will be the biggest event in the history of boxing . Mayweather took time out of training to pose for picture with Gladys Knight . Pacquiao arrives in Las Vegas ahead of showdown with Mayweather . CLICK HERE for all the latest Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather news .


Disgraced former mayor Lutfur Rahman (pictured) is said to have played the race card to silence opponents - and his deputy today reiterated claims there is deep seated racism in the borough of Tower Hamlets, in east London . A deputy of disgraced former mayor Lutfur Rahman yesterday appeared to blame the vote-rigging scandal on ‘institutional racism’. Oliur Rahman, who took over from the deposed leader yesterday, insisted there was deep-rooted racism within the East London borough of Tower Hamlets. His comment was at odds with a devastating legal ruling that condemned his predecessor for bribery and ballot fraud and found he had repeatedly ‘played the race card’ to silence critics. The two men – who are not related – are both members of the Tower Hamlets First party. Political opponents said they were playing the same ‘cracked record’ by seeking to blame racism and Islamophobia for their problems. Oliur Rahman told the BBC: ‘If people say there is no racism in Tower Hamlets, then they are very much mistaken because there is institutional racism. ‘If people want to turn a blind eye to the racism then that’s their decision but they are very much mistaken if they turn round and say there is no racism in Tower Hamlets, and that people are not judged because of their skin colour and their religion.’ On Thursday, electoral judge Richard Mawrey QC found that Lutfur Rahman, 49, and his cronies had rigged the 2014 mayoral ballot by creating an army of ‘ghost voters’, forging postal votes, bribing Muslim voters and using religious intimidation against them and branding opponents as racists. He found that all the councillors from the Tower Hamlets First party were elected corruptly. Oliur Rahman, 34, a former councillor for George Galloway’s Respect party but now a Tower Hamlets First councillor, emailed his fellow members yesterday to declare himself acting mayor until new elections. He said: ‘Following the verdict, I have assumed the executive role within the council, until a mayoral election is held.’ Peter Golds, the leader of the Tory group in Tower Hamlets, said: ‘Oliur Rahman ought to be hanging his head in shame and apologising to the borough, but I don’t think he gets it. ‘It’s ludicrous to play the race card again. They roll out this hoary old chestnut every time anything happens. The real unpleasant racism has come from the ranks of Tower Hamlets First. ‘They’ve got one cracked record, that any criticism of them is Islamophobic and racist. Now they’re playing it again, despite the court case. Nothing has changed.’ Lutfur Rahman, who was Britain’s first elected Muslim mayor, has met lawyers to discuss seeking a judicial review of the Election Court’s decision that he was responsible for bribery and voter fraud. Supporters said he continued to deny any wrongdoing. Police have been urged to launch a fresh investigation into fraud in the 2014 mayoral election, which will be re-run in June. Lutfur Rahman, a Bangladesh-born former Labour council leader, has been banned from running for public office, or even voting, for five years. Four voters

Summary: Oliur Rahman took over from deposed mayor Lutfur Rahman yesterday . New Tower Hamlets First leader said borough still had deep-rooted racism . This is despite a judge's ruling which said group 'played the race card' Rahman's latest comments derided as 'ludicrous' by local Tory group .


Alarming footage has surfaced of a crowd of street racers threatening the police officers who rescued their friends from a serious crash. Captured at a known hoon hotspot in Yatala on the Gold Coast, the body cam vision shows the officers saving several victims from inside a flipped Holden Commodore despite the threat of smouldering flames on the car. A 20-year-old man has been charged with a medley of offences after he flipped the vehicle on Saturday night in an intense police chase that left one passenger with a broken neck. Officers can be seen extinguishing the flames and administering first aid as they wait for paramedics to transport the injured victims to hospital, according to 9 News. Police rescue victims from a flipped Holden Commodore after a dramatic police chase over the weekend that ended in a serious crash . One woman claiming to be a passenger in the car desperately pleads with police to save her boyfriend, who is trapped inside. ‘Get my boyfriend out!’ ‘We’ve got the ambulance coming ok?' the officer says. ‘Just stay with us.' But rather than gratitude, some friends of the injured can later be heard threatening police. 'Take off your badge, let's go, come on' says a shirtless man who appears to be in in his 20s as his friends struggle to hold him back. A 19-year-old was hospitalised with a broken neck, along with the driver, 20, and another 17-year-old passenger, both of whom suffered bruising and shock. The vision was captured at a known hoon-hotspot in Yatala on the Gold Coast, where police were alerted after spotting a driver doing burnouts . Rather than gratitude, this young man can be heard threatening the very officers who rescued his friends . Paramedics transport the injured victims to hospital. 19-year-old was hospitalised with a broken neck, along with the driver, 20, and another 17-year-old passenger, both of whom suffered bruising and shock . Police later discovered the vehicle was not even registered and the driver did not hold a valid licence. 'They're there risking their own life, dousing this car with the fire extinguisher ... later to find that the car was unregistered, that the driver was disqualified and the car was unroadworthy,' Superintendent Jim Keogh told 9 News. 'On this occasion, certainly we were lucky to avoid someone getting killed.' One woman claiming to be a passenger in the car desperately pleads with police to save her boyfriend, who is trapped inside . Officers can be seen extinguishing the flames and administering first aid as they wait for paramedics . Police allege Zayne Robert Dalton, 20, was doing burnouts on the main road before mounting the kerb and swerving around an officer in an effort to evade them. A police helicopter monitoring the Commodore captured the vehicle running a red light, before crashing into a pole, flipping onto its roof and catching ablaze. Dalton was granted bail in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Monday. Police allege the driver Zayne Robert Dalton, 20, was doing burnouts on the main road before mounting the kerb and

Summary: The alarming footage was captured in Yatala on the Gold Coast . Officers can be seen rescuing victims from inside a burning vehicle . One passenger suffered a broken neck and the others had minor injuries . Friends of the victims were trying to fight officers at the scene . A 20-year-old man has been charged with a medley of offences .


The petite Thai woman sitting by Sir John Madejski presents herself initially as a typical grandmother. She is also co-chairman of Reading Football Club with Madejski. Lady Sasima Srivikorn is in her 70s with an endearing laugh and a royal blue scarf she has knitted especially for Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal at Wembley. Like 73-year-old Madejski, Lady Sasima is something of an eccentric. Educated at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama in the 1950s, she has been a singer and composer who wrote the theme song for the Asian Games. 'It was called Reach For The Stars,' she says proudly before talking enthusiastically about her involvement with the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and her autobiography, A Life By Chance. Reading co-owners Lady Sasima Srivikorn and Sir John Madejski spoke to Sportsmail's Matt Lawton . The Championship club will swap the Madejski Stadium for Wembley on Saturday in the FA Cup semi-final . But then she offers a chilling insight into what it is to be one of Thailand's most powerful women, a super-rich Harvard Business School graduate who became the first female on the Thai Airways board. Madejski listens intently as the woman he credits with rescuing Reading last September talks about the night in 2014 when three men armed with M16 automatic weapons fired on her house in north-east Thailand. She believes the incident was provoked by the political activities of her daughter and son-in-law. The previous day they had instigated a peaceful public demonstration after seeing the former wife of Thaksin Shinawatra — ex-Thai prime minister and one-time owner of Manchester City — in a Bangkok shopping mall. Shinawatra was removed from power in 2006 in a military coup after allegations of corruption. Jamie Mackie celebrates after scoring Reading's third goal against Bradford to secure their victory . Reading beat Bradford 3-0 in a quarter-final reply at the Madejski to secure their Wembley semi-final . Lady Sasima says her daughter was still angry about the corruption, explaining: 'The next day I am with friends at my house. We had been playing cards until about 2am. We had just gone to bed. And I had 100 bullets from an M16 shot at my house. 'They didn't mean to kill. They just wanted to scare, to threaten, but bullets hit my bathroom. The windows in my bedroom.' Presumably she now goes everywhere under armed guard? 'No,' she says. 'There's no use having security. If someone really wants to kill me, they can kill me any time. It's funny, when I realised it was a machine gun I thought it was the moment when I was about to die but I was very calm, not frightened at all.' 'This is one hell of a wise lady — and very modest too,' says Madejski admiringly. When I first saw Lady Sasima at the hotel at the Madejski Stadium, she was seated at the head of a table having breakfast with five Thai gentlemen. One was Pairoj Piempongsant, who brokered the deal when Shinawatra bought City in 2007 and is now senior adviser

Summary: Lady Sasima Srivikorn and Sir John Madejski are co-owners of Reading . They are preparing to take the club to Wembley on Saturday night; Reading's first FA Cup semi-final since 1927 . Lady Sasima is something of an eccentric - she is a singer and composer who, in September, had '100 bullets from an M16' shot at her house . The pair have a long-term ambition to take Reading to the Premier League .