A new study has suggested the oral contraceptive pill could shrink parts of the brain that govern a woman's emotions . For the 100 million women worldwide on the contraceptive pill, the side effects are familiar. Mood swings, headaches and nausea, while more serious complications include blood clots and breast cancer. But scientists in California have added another potential cause for concern to the check list. Their new study has found the oral contraceptive shrinks two key regions of the brain, changing the way they function. The findings suggest the synthetic hormones found in the Pill cause these alterations in brain structure and function. Furthermore the ingredient is thought to suppress the natural hormones that occur when women take the Pill. Neuroscientists at UCLA examined the brains of 90 women, 44 of whom took the Pill, and 46 who experienced natural cycles. They found the lateral orbitofrontal cortex and the posterior cigulate cortex were thinner in those women taking the contraception. The lateral orbitofrontal cortex plays an important role in regulating a person's emotions and their response to rewards. As a result the changes noted by researchers could, they say, be responsible for increased anxiety and depressive symptoms experienced by some women on the Pill. Meanwhile the posterior cingulate cortex governs the 'internal state', or inward-directed thought, helps process emotions and retrieve memories. Nicole Petersen, the study's lead author, told The Huffington Post: 'Some women experience negative emotional side effects from taking oral contraceptive pills, although the scientific findings investigating that have been mixed. 'So it's possible that this change in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex may be related to the emotional changes that some women experience when using birth control pills.' Researchers said they do not yet know if these changes to the brain are permanent, or if they only last while a woman is taking the Pill. Dr Petersen said more research is needed, but added that this study is the first step. The latest study comes five years after research by the Royal College of General Practitioners revealed Pill-users have a 12 per cent reduction in their risk of developing cancer. Scientists at UCLA found the lateral orbitofrontal cortex and the posterior cigulate cortex were thinner in those women taking the contraception. They believe it could account for increased anxiety and depressive symptoms experienced by some women taking the Pill . The researchers studied 46,000 women across four decades, and found those on the Pill were less likely to die of cancer, heart disease or stroke. It contradicts past studies that have linked the Pill to breast cancer. The risks associated with taking the Pill are increased if a woman smokes, has a family history of thrombosis, is severely overweight, diabetic, has a high blood pressure or high cholesterol level. The study was published in the journal Human Brain Mapping.

Summary: UCLA study found the Pill shrinks two parts of the brain linked to emotion . Synthetic hormones found in the contraceptive are thought to be to blame . Believe it could account for increased anxiety and depressive episodes .


Sven Bender has issued a rallying call to his Borussia Dortmund team-mates, telling them that they need to improve in front of goal for their disappointing season to be forgotten. Jurgen Klopp's men have failed to score in four of their last five league games and will now find it difficult to earn a spot in the Champions League places. Dortmund face Hoffenheim in the DFB Pokal on Tuesday and Bender admits his side need to start finding the net as soon as possible. Sven Bender (right) says Borussia Dortmund need to start scoring more goals if they want to win games . Jurgen Klopp's men find themselves in a disappointing tenth and looking unlikely to qualify for Europe . He told Reviersport: 'You can only progress to the next round if you score goals. 'It's not prohibited for any of us to score a goal. A defender could also find the net after a set piece. 'Everything is allowed and we should all do something extra to try and score.' Dortmund have scored a disappointing 34 goals in 27 games in the Bundesliga and Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leads the goal scoring charts with 18 in all competitions. Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (left) is the clubs top scorer with 18 goals in all competitions .

Summary: Sven Bender says Borussia Dortmund need to start scoring more goals . Dortmund have been disappointing this season and are currently tenth . Jurgen Klopp's men have scored 34 goals in 27 games in the Bundesliga .


Hillary Clinton lost the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination because Barack Obama was the picture of cool. This time she's not taking any chances. The former secretary of state's campaign-in-waiting has reportedly signed a lease for two floors of office space in Brooklyn, New York – the epicenter of hipster culture . Brooklyn has transformed itself in recent years from Manhattan's ugly little brother into the Big Apple borough where everyone wants to live. And the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood is among the most hipster-friendly of them all. Scroll down for video . VERY HIP: Hillary's HQ will be in the cooler-than-thou enclave of Brooklyn, New York . COOL: Open floor plans and hardwood floors are part of the hipster appeal of the Clinton campaign's new digs . It's not clear whether the campaign itself or some other legal entity signed on the dotted line, but putting ink to paper at the aristocratic-sounding 1 Pierrepont Plaza has started a countdown clock. The Federal Election Commission's rules require candidates to declare themselves publicly within 15 days of doing anything that's considered campaign activity. So far among serious contenders, only Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz has officially entered the 2016 presidential race. Politico reported on the lease-signing, saying that Clinton chief of staff Huma Abedin has been spotted walking around the neighborhood and touring the building. Abedin might have dropped in on the neighbors who will share the 19-story mini-skyscraper, including the mega investtment bank Morgan Stanley and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. That's the office currently occupied by Loretta Lynch, who's awaiting Senate confirmation for the job of U.S. Attorney General. 1 Pierrepont Plaza will feature Hillary staffers rubbing elbows with a federal prosecutor and Morgan STanley 1-percenters – when they're not browsing Urban Outfitters or eating at Shake Shack . Scoping the neighborhood: Clinton and New York City first lady Chirlane McCray (right) checked out a Brooklyn preschool on Wednesday . But the vibe is decidedly bourgeoisie, with 1 Pierrepont's building management showing off the ambiance with a map showing potential renters where to find the nearest Chipotle, Starbucks, Shake Shack and Urban Outfitters. There are also a Banana Republic, a private squash club, and at least three art galleries nearby . A Republican Party official in Iowa who asked Daily Mail Online to withhold his identity said on Friday that Clinton's choice of digs 'won't matter much in flyover country where most of the votes are.' 'We're more likely to be impressed if you're close to a Wal-Mart,' he joked. 'The tallest building in [my town] is three stories.' A GOP Senate staffer laughed out loud at what he said would be 'Hillary's hipster hell.' 'I guess we can expect all the Clinton campaign t-shirts to have ironic slogans, right?' he said. 'I can't wait to drink Pabst Blue Ribbon at the launch party.'

Summary: 1 Pierrepont Plaza also houses Morgan Stanley and the federal prosecutor's office . Hillary's campaign will occupy two full floors in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood . Upscale hipster neighborhood includes Urban Outfitters, Banana Republic, Shake Shack and a private squash club . 'I guess we can expect all the Clinton campaign t-shirts to have ironic slogans, right?' said a GOP Senate staffer . Campaign has just 15 days to declare itself in the White House hunt after taking a formal step like committing to office space .


The son of a Syrian imam who was shot dead on a London street may have met his father’s killer just days before the murder. Sources close to the investigation, which is being led by the counter-terrorism unit, told the Sunday Times that Abdul Hadi Arwani, an opponent of Syrian President Bahsar Al-Assad, had visited the area where he was killed with his son days before his death. Arwani, 48, was shot and killed in his car on a quiet street in North West London after being called there last Tuesday, apparently to provide a quote for building work. Scroll down for video . imam, Abdul Hadi Arwani (pictured), was called to a job in the area he was killed days before his death . When the imam, who had links to the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK and abroad, arrived to the house with his son and not on his own, the supposed potential client asked Arwani to come back another day. The man was identified as black and speaking with an African accent. He pretended to have lost his keys which is why he asked Arwani, a part-time builder, to return later. The Sunday Telegraph reported that the man, who has not been otherwise been identified, also told the imam that there was no need for his son to accompany him again when he did come back. Arwani's children are in little doubt their father was killed by the man asking for the building quote. Scotland Yard is looking into whether the man was a hired killer who postponed the hit because because Arwani was not alone. The counter-terrorism unit has special expertise relating to politically motivated assassinations but they are also keeping other lines of inquiry open. Aspects of Arwani’s personal life as well as his financial standing are being considered. The Syrian-born activist and imam died of multiple gunshot wounds to the chest sustained near to the junction of the Paddocks and Greenhill, Wembley. His car was parked on what has been described as a blind bend, just out of sight of CCTV. Home: Mr Arwani, originally from Syria, lived in this home in White City, west London . Arwani’s VW Passat was parked neatly on the side of the road with its engine still running and one window wound down when his body was found . Neighbours, nearby at the time of the murder, have said they did not hear any shots fired, indicating, perhaps, that the killer used a silencer. Arwani’s VW Passat was parked neatly on the side of the road with its engine still running and one window wound down when his body was found. The Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist political group to which Arwani had long-standing links, is outlawed in many Middle Eastern countries. One Syrian opposition activist has said despite Arwami’s standing and his participation in protests against the Assad regime in London in 2012 (pictured) the imam was an unlikely target for assassination . One of the imam’s friends was quoted as saying that Arwani left the group in an official

Summary: Imam Abdul Hadi Arwani called to a building job in the area he was killed . Possible client appeared to back off when Arwani arrived with his son . Anti-Assad activist found in the area days later, victim of a professional hit . Police look at personal and financial ties as possible motivation for killing .


They have a reputation as rather brutish creatures who chomped their way through huge hunks of meat, but it seems Neanderthals may actually have been the first masterchefs. New research is suggesting that these extinct early humans may have used wild herbs to flavour their food. Scientists have found traces of compounds found in camomile and yarrow in the hardened plaque of 50,000 year old Neanderthal teeth found in El Sidron, Spain. Neanderthals (represented in the drawing above) may have been the world's first gourmets - using herbs like yarrow and camomile to flavour the meat that dominated their diet, according to a new scientific paper . At first researchers thought they might have been using these plants as a form of self-medication, but now new findings have presented a different theory. Dr Sabrina Krief, a lecturer at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, and her colleagues suggests they may have used them to make food more palatable. Neanderthals may have cooked stews in the skins of animals, according to some anthropologists. Animal bones found at sites known to have been inhabited by Neanderthals are 90 per cent free of gnaw marks. This suggests that fat and meat had instead been cooked off the bones. A study of tooth plaque from the teeth of fossilised Neanderthal remains also suggest that they may have heated grains of barley. However, there is no evidence that Neanderthals had any pots or pans to cook with. Instead Professor John Speth, an archaeologist at the University of Michigan, believes that they used animal paunches and folded bark to make bags that they could boil their good in. A study of plaque found on Neanderthal teeth like the one above suggests they ate grains like barley . They have found that wild chimpanzees in Uganda eat three different types of leaf while consuming meat they had caught. They say Neanderthals could also used herbs to improve their culinary creations in the same way. There is already evidence that they cooked their food and may even have created stews in the skins of animals. Writing in the journal Antiquity, Dr Krief and her colleagues said: 'Data on Neanderthal behaviour suggest that their subsistence and technological strategies were complex.' Neanderthals have long been portrayed as a rather primitive form of human that died out as they were unable to compete with the more sophisticated modern humans that arrived in Europe and Asia from Africa. However, recent discoveries have shown that they may actually have had a complex culture - capable of making stone tools and even jewellery. Three years ago researchers at the University of Barcelona examined ten teeth from the remains of five Neanderthals found in El Sidron, northern Spain. In the dental plaque of one young adult they discovered three compounds that occur naturally in yarrow and camomile. Dr Karen Hardy and her team, who conducted that work, suggested that these plants had been used to help ward off illness or treat a diease. Yarrow for example has been used in the past to treat fever

Summary: Scientists suggest that prehistoric human cousins used herbs like yarrow and camomile to improve the taste of their food around 50,000 years ago . Chimps in Uganda also eat plants with their meat in a way that is thought to flavour their food so researchers believe Neanderthals also did the same . It build recent discoveries that suggest they also ate barley, olives and nuts . The findings transform the view of Neanderthals as unsophisticated brutes .


Relatives of the victims of a South Korean ferry sinking that killed more than 300 people a year ago have held a rally demanding the government salvage the vessel. The 6,825-tonne passenger ship sank off the southwest coast on April 16 last year with most of the victims, high school students. Thousands of protesters met in the capital Seoul to call on officials to raise the Sewol after senior government officials said they would 'consider it.' Scroll down for video . One year on: Relatives of the victims of a South Korean ferry sinking that killed more than 300 people a year ago and other civic members shout slogans during a rally in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday . A total of 295 bodies were recovered from the ferry, and nine victims remained unaccounted for when divers finally called off the dangerous search of its interior last November. The demonstration is the latest in a series of protests with hundreds of bereaved parents, many with their heads shaved and clad in white mourning robes, marching 22 miles to Seoul from their home town of Ansan last week. President Park Geun-Hye has pledged to 'actively consider' raising the Sewol, taking into account the opinions of the relatives and salvage experts. But senior government officials said the salvage operation would cost £68million . Senior ministry official Yeon Yeong-Jin said: 'And that is only an estimate, as the final cost would be greatly dependent on weather conditions, technological uncertainties.' Protest: Demonstrators holding placards calling on the government to salvage the Sewol ferry in Seoul . Stricken: Rescue operations saved some of the passengers on a South Korean ferry Sewol that capsized on its way to Jeju island from Incheon, but 300 perished in the tragedy . The tragedy sparked nationwide grief and outrage as it became clear that regulatory failings, official incompetence and the ship's illegal redesign were the main causes. Park's administration was widely criticised for its response to the disaster, and her approval ratings have only just begun to recover. After months of political bickering, parliament passed a bill in November initiating an independent investigation into the sinking. But relatives have accused the government of trying to influence the probe by appointing officials to key posts in the 17-member inquiry committee. Unrest: Demonstrators clash with police officer while trying to march to the presidential Blue House after a rally in Seoul . Emotional: Protesters clash with police while a woman weeps while holding a placard calling on the government to salvage the wreck, one year after it sank killing 250 students . Wreck: People are calling on the South Korean government to raise the stricken Sewol at an estimated cost of £68 million . More than 50 people have been put on trial on charges linked to the disaster, including 15 crew members who were among the first to climb into lifeboats. The Sewol's captain was jailed in November for 36 years for gross negligence and dereliction of duty, while three other senior crew members were sentenced to jail terms of between 15

Summary: Most victims of the disaster were high school students . President Park Geun-Hye promised to 'actively consider' raising it . Officials said it would cost £68million if weather conditions are good . Sewol's captain was jailed for 36 years for gross negligence last year .


This is the dramatic moment a caravan is totally destroyed after its impatient driver loses control while trying to overtake a lorry. The motorist attempted the dangerous manoeuvre on the A39 between Street and Glastonbury in Somerset on Tuesday morning after becoming stuck behind the HGV for several miles. The driver gambled on finally passing lorry driver, Nick Townley, at a set of lights but badly miscalculated as the road narrowed and lost control at 50mph. An impatient driver who attempted to overtake a lorry lost control and destroyed the caravan he was towing . The dramatic moment was captured on dash cam by the HGV driver that the motorist had tried to overtake . He swerved in front of the truck and his caravan whiplashed into a lamppost, smashing the rear into smithereens and spilling the contents across the road. The car ended on the opposite side of the road - forcing oncoming traffic to slam on their brakes - with what remained of the caravan still attached. The moment was captured on camera by a dash cam fitted to the cab of 49-year-old Mr Townley's lorry. He had been slowly accelerating his 22-tonne truck to nearly 30mph when the collision happened and managed to perform an emergency stop inside just 20 yards. The driver had been stuck behind the 22-tonne lorry for several miles and gambled on overtaking after a set of traffic lights. But he appeared to misjudge the gap and collided with the front of the lorry's cab . He swerved in front of the truck and his caravan whiplashed into a lamppost, smashing the rear into smithereens and spilling the contents across the road. The accident closed the road for several hours as police cleared up the debris and questioned the driver . Mr Townley, from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, who has been an HGV driver for 24 years, said he was so shaken by the accident he had difficulty sleeping that night. He said: 'I was stopped at the lights and there was one car by the side of me, the red one. 'There was a box van behind me which had been there from the time just after I came off the M5. 'We pulled off from the lights. As I was going through the gears the red car passed me. 'I looked in the mirror and saw the box van was not trying to pass... but less than 8 to 10 seconds later I glanced in the mirror as something caught my attention. The lorry driver, Nick Townley, was so shaken by the accident he had difficulty sleeping that night . Mr Townley posted his dramatic footage on Facebook where scores of people condemned the caravan driver . 'This is when I hit the horn and the brakes as hard as I could. I stopped the lorry in around 20 yards and got up on the kerb as much as I dare. 'I was not trying to block him out as some people suggest - he came through the lights at about 50 mph.' He posted

Summary: Motorist tried to overtake the lorry on A39 between Street and Glastonbury . It had been stuck behind 22-tonne HGV for several miles after motorway . Driver misjudged gap as road narrowed and lost control of car at 50mph . Nick Townley, 49, who was driving lorry, captured moment on dash cam .


The Mail on Sunday has set a remarkable new record – after being voted Sunday Newspaper of the Year for a third year in succession. A hat-trick in the prestigious London Press Club awards is unprecedented for a quality, family newspaper. Judges gave the award to The Mail on Sunday ahead of fellow nominees The Sunday Times and Independent on Sunday, saying such a rare feat was ‘fully deserved by a paper where journalistic excellence across the board has led to commercial as well as journalistic success’. They also praised our all-round quality that, week after week, sets the agenda and forces daily newspapers to chase our big exclusives. The Mail on Sunday was voted Sunday Newspaper of the Year for a third year in a row. Ben Ellery's report which revealed the truth about Ed Miliband's feminist t-shirts earned a Scoop of the Year nomination . Our most spectacular front page revealed how feminist T-shirts worn by Ed Miliband and Harriet Harman were made in Mauritius by migrant women workers on 62p an hour… a report which also earned a nomination for Scoop of the Year for reporter Ben Ellery. Other brilliant stories last year included the investigation that caused Fiona Woolf to quit as chairman of the historic child abuse inquiry; how police spied on our journalists’ phone records to compromise sources; comic Michael McIntyre’s secret family tragedy; the Elisabeth Murdoch/Matthew Freud divorce; and the first interview with Commons Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans after he was cleared of gay rape. But that’s not all: our formula for success includes two superb magazines, a fabulous pullout sport supplement; the biggest puzzles section of any newspaper; and top columnists including Liz Jones, Piers Morgan, Peter Hitchens, Rachel Johnson and Chris Evans. Literary critic Craig Brown, winner of countless awards in the past, was nominated this time as Arts Reviewer of the Year. Literary critic Craig Brown, left, was nominated this time as Arts Reviewer of the Year and reporter Ben Ellery, right, earned a Scoop of the Year nomination . The awards were presented at a lunch at London’s Stationers’ Hall, where MI5 director-general Andrew Parker gave a keynote speech. The Daily Mail was nominated in the daily newspaper category. The Mail on Sunday’s commercial success saw sales outperform the rest of the Sunday market, with our market share reaching a new record of 21.9 per cent. The Mail on Sunday is poised to become the biggest-selling Sunday paper – amazing for a mid-market paper – and last month was just 31,000 copies behind the red-top Sun. All in all, a Triple Success on Sunday.

Summary: Hat-trick in the prestigious London Press Club awards is unprecedented . Judges said a rare feat was ‘fully deserved' and praised all-round quality . Front page which revealed truth about feminist T-shirts worn by Ed Miliband and Harriet Harman earned a nomination for Scoop of the Year . Literary critic Craig Brown was nominated as Arts Reviewer of the Year .


Floyd Mayweather has taken a very public swipe at his 'haters' ahead of his fight-of-the-century bout with Manny Pacquiao next month. The 38-year-old boxer has shared a video flaunting his diamond-encrusted watches, fleet of super-cars and carpets of cash on his Instagram account. The 15-second video shot by director James 'JP' Dayap, a proud member of The Money Team brand owned by Mayweather, hits out at his supposed haters. Scroll down for videos . Cash: Floyd Mayweather (pictured) has shared a video to his 5 million Instagram followers where he hits back at his supposed 'haters' Party: The 15-second video showing off his extravagant lifestyle even features a room full of half-naked girls twerking (pictured) for his amusement . Fighting talk: The word 'haters' appears at the start of the video, leaving no doubt about who it is directed at . Wealth: Rapper Yo Gotti's song blares over footage of the five-division champion inspecting his fleet of super cars (pictured) Petrol head: Mayweather then walks past another row of expensive cars which seem to include Porsches and Ferraris . Bling: The footage which was shot and edited by director James 'JP' Dayap - a proud member of Mayweather's The Money Team brand - features rows of jewel-encrusted watches . Super-fight: The 38-year-old boxer (pictured) is expected to earn around £120million for his upcoming bout against Manny Pacquiao . Rapper Yo Gotti's song blares over the footage of Mayweather's opulent life and essentially lists his many expensive possessions which include: 'Big crib, ten cars, twenty acres.' As the lyrics boast 'I could write a book about money', the five-division world champion sits at his coffee table counting his endless piles of cash. The video then cuts to rows of luxurious Rolex watches adorned with jewels and Mayweather standing proudly in front of his Las Vegas mansion. A few seconds of the video even show four half-naked women twerking, supposedly for the boxer's pleasure. It surfaces just two weeks before one of the most anticipated fights in recent boxing history, when he takes on eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao. With the two fighters' management teams and the hosts MGM Grand locked in a stand-off between ticket allocations, they have yet to go on public sale. Money: The floors of Floyd Mayweather's house seems to be lined with hundreds of bank notes (pictured) The Instagram video also shows the many luxurious properties owned by Mayweather, including his Las Vegas mansion (pictured) Jewels: The video showing off Mayweather's unbelievable wealth and expensive possessions surfaces just two weeks before one of the most anticipated fights in recent boxing history . Business: Mayweather's The Money Team clothing brand (logo pictured) has been worn by stars like Justin Bieber and billionaire Warren Buffet . 'Normally there's a public sale 10 weeks before the fight,' according to Connor Gregoire, an analyst for SeatGeek. He added: 'It is bizarre... To our knowledge no one has a printed ticket in their hands right now.' Tickets for the fight were expected to cost between £1,000 and £5,000 in the 16,500-seat Grand Garden arena in

Summary: He released the video flaunting his wealth to 5 million Instagram followers . It shows Mayweather sitting in his Las Vegas mansion counting his money . Rap song blares over the footage saying: 'Big crib, ten cars, twenty acres' Boxer expected to get £120million for fight with Manny Pacquiao on May 2 .


Large swathes of north and central Texas were hit with tornadoes and baseball-size hail Sunday night as part of a severe storm system sweeping the region. The storm started Sunday evening in Comanche County, Texas and moved northeast towards the Dallas/Fort Worth for the next several hours. More than five tornadoes were reported in the region, including a massive funnel cloud seen forming over Stephenville, 70 miles southeast of Forth Worth. Scroll down for video . At least five tornadoes were spotted across north and central Texas Sunday evening as part of a severe storm system sweeping the region. Above, one of the tornadoes spotted in Stephenville, Texas - about 70 miles southeast of Fort Worth . According to the National Weather Service, there were also unconfirmed reports of shingles being blown off rooftops in Stephenville. One of the tornados appeared over Rio Vista, Texas and was described as slow-moving and 'extremely dangerous'. When it was first spotted, the tornado was estimated to be about a mile wide. By 10:44pm the tornado had moved to near Covington - just 25 miles south of Fort Worth. Above, a view of the mile-wide tornado that was spotted over Rio Vista, Texas Sunday night and described as slow moving and 'extremely dangerous' Above, a view of where the mile-wide tornado was spotted Sunday night in Texas. Residents were urged to stay indoors and seek shelter because of flying debris . 'This is a particularly dangerous situation,' the National Weather service warned at the time. Residents were urged to stay indoors and seek shelter because of flying debris and the possibility of 'complete destruction' when it touched down. Nearly two dozen counties were on tornado watch Sunday night through 11pm, with the storm system expected to die out by Monday. In addition to threatening tornadoes, the storm brought high winds over 70 mph and hail ranging in size from golf balls to baseballs. However, there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the aftermath of the storm. Stephenville was also hit with large hail that caused damage to vehicles in the area - including this car with a shattered windshield . Watch out: Above, some examples of the almost baseball-szie hail that hit the area of Stephenville Sunday evening . This tornado was spotted in Glen Rose, Texas on Sunday during the severe storm system which was expected to last through the night . Weather.com Senior Meteorologist Nick Wiltgen said rotating thunderstorms called supercells are behind the extreme weather seen in Texas this weekend. 'The warm, unstable air is feeding very strong updrafts, causing rapid thunderstorm development – and the way the winds are aligned is allowing some of these storms to rotate, enhancing their potential for giant hail and possibly tornadoes,' Wiltgen said. While the worst of the storm is supposed to be over on Monday, there is a new concern for more rain and flooding.

Summary: Severe storms swept north and central Texas Sunday evening . At least five tornadoes were spotted - some as close as just 25 miles from Fort Worth . Baseball size hail and high winds also battered the region .


Disgraced DJ Dave Lee Travis (pictured arriving at court in 2013) has claimed that his indecent assault trials 'financially ruined' him, but he will still receive £4,000 from the taxpayer to pay for his taxis to court . Disgraced DJ Dave Lee Travis has claimed that his indecent assault trials 'financially ruined' him, but he will still receive £4,000 from the taxpayer to pay for his taxis to court. The 69-year-old was convicted of indecently assaulting a woman behind the scenes at the Mrs Merton Show and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, suspended for two years. At a costs application hearing today, the former radio presenter was told he would be awarded travel and hotel fees for his time on trial. Travis's conviction came after lengthy legal proceedings which saw him cleared of 12 counts of indecent assault following a trial in February last year. After the jury was unable to decide on verdicts on an additional count of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that the DJ, real name David Griffin, would face a retrial. It also added one more count of indecent assault - the offence of which he was eventually convicted of in September. Travis was cleared of the indecent assault on which he was retried, and after a second jury were unable to reach a verdict on the sexual assault charge, Judge Anthony Leonard QC directed a not-guilty verdict. Today Travis was told he will be awarded more than £4,000 for taxi fares to and from court, as well as a further £630 for hotel stays while he was on trial. The costs will come out of the public purse. Stephen Vullo QC, representing the disgraced DJ, made a defendant’s costs application at Southwark Crown Court, saying the criminal proceedings against his client had left him 'financially ruined'. 'In effect, it means that all of the allegations from trial one were found in his favour,' Mr Vullo said. 'In reality, as difficult as it might be for the prosecution, they called a number of complainants in the first trial who we say were proven to be liars, and some of the evidence called in the first trial was extremely weak on paper.' Mr Vullo said that since the second trial he had been acting pro bono on Travis's behalf. He added: 'He has no money left whatsoever. He is now below zero. He lives in a house owned by his wife ... he has been financially devastated by this.' Mr Vullo applied to the court for travel and accommodation costs, saying that Travis had racked up a bill of £4,456 in taxi fares to travel daily from his home in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, to court during the trials. He also claimed £630 in hotel accommodation, and £246 for travel to legal conferences, asking for a total of £5,332 towards Travis's costs. At a costs application hearing today, the former radio presenter (pictured outside court), 69, was awarded travel and hotel fees for when he was on trial . Prosecutor Joshua Munro

Summary: Lawyers for Dave Lee Travis say he was 'financially devastated' by trials . Former presenter, 69, will be given more than £4,000 to pay for taxi fares . Travis was also awarded £630 to pay for hotel costs while he was on trial . He was convicted of indecently assaulting a woman behind the scenes of the Mrs Merton Show and was handed a suspended sentence last year .


Aston Villa take on Liverpool in their FA Cup semi-final encounter on Sunday with the competition both sides' last chance to win any silverware this season. Sportsmail columnist Jamie Redknapp looks ahead to the Wembley showdown and where the match could be won and lost with individual player duels. CHRISTIAN BENTEKE v MARTIN SKRTEL . This will be a heavyweight contest that could decide the game. Christian Benteke is superb in the air and Martin Skrtel will have his hands full. Liverpool have to stop the supply line because defending crosses has been their Achilles heel this season. Christian Benteke (centre) scored the only goal of the game as Villa won 1-0 at Tottenham on April 11 . Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel (right) will have his hands full trying to stop Benteke on Sunday afternoon . FABIAN DELPH v JORDAN HENDERSON . This should be a good contest between two England team-mates. Fabian Delph’s new deal was a real boost for Villa - he drives that midfield, though he doesn’t get enough goals. You used to say the same about Jordan Henderson but he has improved so much. England international Fabian Delph (left) and Jordan Henderson are set for a midfield battle at Wembley . RAHEEM STERLING v RON VLAAR and NATHAN BAKER . Ron Vlaar and Nathan Baker make an imposing back line but they would rather be up against a Benteke than a Raheem Sterling, who will float around and make himself difficult to mark so he can use his lightning pace to get in behind them. Raheem Sterling's (left) pace and trickery is bound to cause the Villa defence a lot of problems . Ron Vlaar (left) was part of the Villa defence that kept a clean sheet at Spurs in the Premier League . The Holland international and Nathan Baker (right) will be hoping to do likewise against the Reds at Wembley .

Summary: Aston Villa face Liverpool in their FA Cup at Wembley on Sunday . The winners will either face Reading or Arsenal from the other semi-final . FA Cup final will take place at Wembley on May 30 .


Purvi Patel, pictured, was jailed for 20 years for feticide and neglect of a dependent following a hearing at South Bend, Indiana . A 33-year-old woman who took abortion drugs she bought on the internet to cause a miscarriage and disposed of her fetus in a dumpster has been jailed for 20 years. Purvi Patel, 33, of Granger, Indiana has been jailed after she was convicted on charges of feticide and neglect of a dependent. St Joseph Superior Court heard that Ms Patel attended St Joseph's Hospital in Mishawaka, Indiana on July 13, 2013 soon after giving birth. After arriving at the hospital, she denied that she had even been pregnant, even though medical staff found an umbilical cord attached to her. According to court documents: 'Concerned for the child's welfare, doctors continued to question Purvi Patel of the whereabouts of the child. Eventually, she told the medical staff that she had delivered a baby in her home in Granger, Indiana. 'She further told the medical staff that she did not see the child breathing or moving and believed it to be dead. 'Purvi Patel told the medical staff that she put the dead body in a bag and placed it in a dumpster behind the Super Target. She further told medical personnel that she was roughly two months along and had a miscarriage.' The court heard that Dr Kelly McGuire drove to the Super Target store and began searching the dumpsters, having informed St. Joseph County Police. Officers recovered the body in a dumpster behind Moe's Southwest Grill. According to Forensic Pathologist Dr Joseph Prahlow, the body was 12.2 inches long and weighed 1.46 pounds. His report claimed 'the child had been born alive and had taken a breath'. Court records showed that police examined Ms Patel's mobile phone and was able to extract some evidence. According to Detective Galen Pelletier of County Metro Homicide Unit: 'In her text messages, officers found that on June 19, 2013, Purvi Patel admitted to this friend that she was over 60 days pregnant. She also admitted that she had obtained two drugs from Hong Kong, in an attempt to abort the child. 'Purvi Patel told his friend that she began taking the drugs on July 10, 2013.' St Joseph Superior Court heard that Ms Patel, pictured, purchased abortion drugs from Hong Kong online . Ms Patel, pictured, told medics that she gave birth to a stillborn and disposed of the body in a dumpster . Ms Patel's lawyer Jeff Sanford said his client was planning to appeal the case within 30 days . Medics claimed the first drug would induce labor while the second was designed to end the life of the fetus, however, only if it was less than nine weeks old. Justice Elizabeth Hurley gave Ms Patel a 30-year jail term for neglect, suspending the final ten. She also handed down a six-year term on the feticide charge which will run concurrently. Handing down the sentence, Judge Hurley said: 'You Ms. Patel, are an educated woman of considerable means. If you wished

Summary: Purvi Patel, 33, purchased two abortion pills online from Hong Kong . She gave birth at her home in Granger, Indiana in July 2013 . Forensic pathologists claimed the child was still alive when it was born . Prosecutors urged judge Elizabeth Hurley to hand down a 40 year jail term .


Manchester United are to introduce the living wage at Old Trafford in July. At a recent Premier League meeting clubs agreed to adopt the policy, which sees in-house staff paid £7.85 an hour (or £9.15 an hour should they be based in London), from the 2016-17 season. But United officials have decided to implement the salary a year early. Staff at Old Trafford will be paid at least £7.85 an hour after Man United decided to introduce living wage . A spokesman said: 'During last month's Premier League shareholders' meeting, the clubs agreed to adopt the Living Wage for all full-time employees by the start of the 2016-17 season. 'Manchester United is fully supportive of this initiative and will be implementing this policy from July 1 2015, a year earlier than agreed.' A group of United and City supporters had planned to demonstrate about the issue at Sunday's Manchester derby. Chelsea became the first professional club in England to pay a living wage to all their staff while supporter-owned FC United of Manchester were the first club in Britain. All Premier League clubs have agreed to pay the living wage from the start of the 2016-17 season . City are also committed to paying their full-time staff the living wage. 'Since May 2013 Manchester City Football Club has paid the Living Wage to all directly employed staff,' a spokesperson said. 'The club also has a robust sustainable procurement policy for capital works that includes a requirement that suppliers already pay the living wage or are working towards it, and whether suppliers pay the living wage is part of the selection process for all new contracts. 'City engages employment and procurement practices that are robust and socially aware. These take into account of the need for affordable living, best care in welfare, training and skills development, and local opportunity including apprenticeships and new skills programmes. 'There is a huge amount being undertaken to ensure there is a positive impact of any club investment for local people and the local economy overall, with sustainable outputs and outcomes.'

Summary: Man United will pay their staff at least £7.85 an hour from July . Premier League clubs will pay their staff living wage from next season . Chelsea became the first professional club to enforce new ruling . Manchester City are also committed to paying living wage .


Students at a school in Memphis were suspended after sharing a mugshot of their teacher on Instagram. Children posted the police picture of eighth grade teacher Tiffany Jackson on social media on Friday, after she was arrested for driving with an invalid licence. When the authorities of Highland Oaks Middle School in Tennessee realised the image had been shared online, they suspended three of the students for three days. Eighth grade teacher Tiffany Jackson was arrested by police for driving while her licence was suspended. Students at the Memphis school where she teaches were suspended after sharing this mugshot online . Parent Shanna Richardson told WMC Action News said her son, who re-posted the picture, was one of the pupils taken out of school for sharing the mugshot. School officials justified suspended the students by saying they had demonstrated an 'inappropriate use of electronic media', but later overturned the decision. Ms Richardson said her son had apologised to the teacher and she thought it was unfair that he had been singled out. 'My son went to her and talked to her to make her feel better, and explained how he deleted it," she said. 'He still got punished and that's what makes me upset.' 'It's public information, put it that way. You can see it on social media or you can see it in a magazine,' she added. Officials at Highland Oaks Middle School in Memphis, Tennessee, said the children had demonstrated an 'inappropriate use of electronic media'. but later overturned the suspensions following a backlash . On the 'Cell Phone Policy' listed on the school's website and written by the Shelby County Board of Education, it says the increased use of mobile phones is a 'distraction' to the school environment. It adds: 'These devices are being used by students as a means of cheating on tests, taking inappropriate pictures and video of students and staff for sharing and posting across the internet, threatening and/or bullying other students, and engaging in an excessive amount of social interaction during instructional time.' The policy bans pupils from having a mobile phone on during the school day, and says children who flout the rules will have the devices confiscated. 'Additional consequence' - such as suspension - could follow. It is not known whether the pupils were using their mobile phones in school to post the images. The 'cell phone policy' says the increased use of mobile phones in schools is a 'distraction' to teaching, and could be used to 'take inappropriate pictures and video of students and staff for sharing.. across the internet'

Summary: Pupils used Instagram to share Tiffany Jackson's police mugshot . Authorities at Highland Oaks Middle School then suspended three pupils . They said sharing image was an 'inappropriate use of electronic media' But angry parent of suspended pupil said mugshot was already public .


Jake Shaw, 21, died after falling from the upper floor of the Scout centre in the Swiss Alps where he had been volunteering as a climbing instructor . A popular graduate fell to his death from a bedroom window in the Swiss Alps after playing drinking games, an inquest heard. Jake Shaw was just beginning his gap year - volunteering as a climbing instructor at Kandersteg International Scout Centre - when the tragedy occurred last year. The 21-year-old had fallen 25ft (8m) from the upper floor of the building in the early hours of August 1. He was airlifted to hospital in Bern suffering severe injuries but died nine days later. Lincoln Coroner's Court heard that shortly before his death, Jake had been celebrating the Swiss National Day with friends with drinking games called 'Power Hour' and 'Ring of Fire.' After consuming a large amount of beer in the staff room at the centre he returned to his room at around 2.45am in a 'very drunk state'. It is then believed he lost his balance as he tried to open a bedroom window and toppled out of the window at the adventure camp in Interlaken, Switzerland. Today Lincolnshire Central assistant coroner Paul Smith, concluded that Jake's death was an accident. He said: 'The level of alcohol in his body was consistent with 11 standard drinks. 'It's the presumption that he was undeniably very drunk that evening - how that affected his balance is a matter of speculation. 'The most likely explanation is that in his state he took himself to bed, opened the window and perhaps overbalanced and fell. 'I'm satisfied that this was a tragic accident.' The court heard how in the game 'Power Hour', participants have to drink a shot of beer every minute for an hour and if completed two and a half litres of beer is consumed. A police report read out during the inquest, added: 'Examinations indicated that the August 1 celebrations were followed by a private party which Jake had attended. 'There were group games with drinks in the staff room. Jake had probably drank a large amount of mainly beer. After consuming a large amount of beer in the staff room at Kandersteg International Scout Centre he returned to his room at around 2.45am in a 'very drunk state'. Shortly before his death, adventure-loving Jake had been celebrating the Swiss National Day with friends with drinking games called 'Power Hour' and 'Ring of Fire' 'At some time after 2.45am he came away in an alcoholised state without letting anyone know where he was going. 'It must be presumed he returned to his room. How the fall happened can't be established in any detail.' Jake, from Welton, Lincolnshire had graduated with a maths degree from Sheffield University and had just started a gap year at the time of his death. The keen mountaineer and skier was planning to spend the winter season in the nearby French Alps. His devastated parents, Ian, 51, and Fiona Shaw, 52, wrote a joint statement about their son which was read

Summary: Jake Shaw, 21, died after falling 25ft from upper floor of the Scout centre . He was in a 'very drunk state' after playing drinking games before he died . Believed to have lost balance as he tried to open window and toppled out . Coroner has ruled that the gap year graduate's death was an accident .


England World Cup hopeful Elliot Daly has been named the Aviva Premiership’s player of the month for March. The uncapped Wasps centre, 22, scored two tries in March as the Coventry-based club maintained on course for a Champions Cup spot next season. Equally comfortable at full back, Daly's form at centre has him pushing incumbent England No 13 Jonathan Joseph hard for his place. Elliot Daly is handed his player of the month award by Wasps director of rugby Dai Young . He looks certain to be included in Stuart Lancaster's England's World Cup training squad named next month. Wasps director of rugby Dai Young said: 'If England are going to go out and win the Rugby World Cup, he’s the type of player you’ve got to have in the team so I’d certainly like to think he’s pushing for a place in the squad.' BT Sport analyst Austin Healey added: 'For a good couple of years now us rugby watchers have known of the potential of Elliot Daly. Daly is mobbed by his team-mates after scoring a try against Saracens at the Ricoh Arena . 'Over the last few months we have seen him realise it and perhaps with plenty still to come.' A talented sportsman educated at Whitgift School in Croydon - who also produced England internationals Danny Cipriani and Marland Yarde - Daly was offered a contract with Surrey Cricket before opting for a career in rugby. He has appeared four times for England Saxons. The Wasps centre looks set to be called into England's training squad for the World Cup .

Summary: Elliot Daly was in fine form at outside centre for Wasps in March . Daly, 22, has not yet been capped by England . Wasps head coach Dai Young says England must pick him for World Cup .


Banning dangerous criminals from open prisons is illegal even if they have a history of absconding, judges ruled today in a major blow to the Government. The High Court threw out rules introduced to stop violent prisoners being transferred out of high-security jails. The policy was brought in after fugitive armed robber Michael Wheatley - nicknamed the Skull Cracker – walked out of an open jail in May while on day release despite a history of prison escapes. Michael Wheatley - nicknamed the Skull Cracker – walked out of an open jail in May while on day release and went on to commit an armed robbery which was caught on CCTV (left) Wheatley absconding from Standford Hill prison in Kent and went on a robbing spree – pulling a handgun on staff at the Chelsea Building Society in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey. After being caught he was told that he must serve at least eight years in jail before becoming eligible to apply for release on parole. The violent thug had previously been handed 13 life sentences at the Old Bailey in 2002 and earned his nickname by pistol-whipping his victims. Following the scandal, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling publicly announced that the Government was 'tearing up the system as it exists at the moment' and introduced his absconder policy. But two senior judges at London's High Court have ruled that excluding transfers for prisoners with a history of absconding was unlawful. Wheatley was eligible for release after eight years, had been on the run after leaving Standford Hill open prison in Kent on day release and failing to return. He was arrested alongside another man in Tower Hamlets, east London, after an armed robbery at a Chelsea Building Society branch in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey. The Ministry of Justice today announced they would appeal against the ruling. New rules were introduced after Wheatley walked out of an open jail in May while on day release last year despite a history of prison escapes . A spokesman said: 'The fundamental principles of the policy are not unlawful. The court found there was inconsistency with the implementation. 'Our position remains that temporary release can be an important part of rehabilitating offenders but not at the cost of public protection. We are appealing this decision.' But the Prisoners' Advice Service, a charity offering free legal advice and support to adult prisoners, described the absconder policy as a 'knee jerk reaction' by Mr Grayling. The charity said in a statement: 'The Secretary of State's contention that he is entitled to ignore and contradict his own policy guidance demonstrates either his ignorance or flagrant disregard for basic legal principles of consistency and transparency in public decision making. 'The so called 'absconder policy' was introduced as a knee jerk reaction to negative press reports without adequate consideration for either existing policies, or its impact on the prisoners whose progression to open conditions was abruptly prevented.'

Summary: High Court throws out rules introduced to stop violent prisoners escaping . Policy introduced after armed robber nicknamed 'Skull Cracker' absconded . Michael Wheatley walked out of Standford Hill prison while on day release . He was serving 13 life sentences but escaped and went on the run in May .


A couple in Texas allegedly tried to resurrect their two-year-old child at a home church before taking the body across the border to Mexico for burial, police said on Thursday. Police went to a home on March 26 in Balch Springs, Texas, to do a welfare check and were told by residents that a two-year-old child had died and a 'rising ceremony' performed, according to CBS. The ceremony was an attempt to resurrect the child, police claimed, and took place on March 22. Police went to a home on March 26 in Balch Springs, Texas, (pictured) to do a wellness check and were told that a two-year-old child had died and the body returned to Mexico. Police were now investigating . Lt Mark Maret told CBS: 'We don’t know if this was to try and resurrect the spirit of the child and we don’t know if this was to try and resurrect the child themselves or what exactly that service or ceremony encompasses.' The child's parents took the body to Mexico the following day. A phone number for the single-story home had been disconnected. A neighbor told Daily Mail Online on Friday that five children under the age of ten, both boys and girls, were also living at the home and had been taken away by Child Protective Services. Joy Donaldson said that she once complained to the woman who lived at the home about two of the boys, who had been bothering her dogs. The woman, whose name she did not know, told her that the children did not know any better 'because they had been taken off the streets of Mexico'. A second neighbor, Jean Turnipseed, told Daily Mail Online on Friday that she had heard that church services were taking place at the home on Saturdays and Sunday nights, where people were being charged at the door. Unconfirmed reports have suggested that the two-year-old boy, whose name is unknown and who neighbors had not seen, may have died either of starvation or of a fall from a chair last week. Emergency services do not appear to have called until police received an anonymous tip four days later. Multiple calls to the Balch Springs Sheriff's Department went unanswered on Friday. Police refused to release names but an investigation is underway involving both state and federal authorities. According to public records, a branch of the Iglesia Internacional Jesus Es El Rey Church is associated with the home. Calls to church representatives went unanswered on Friday.

Summary: Police went to a home on March 26 in Balch Springs, Texas, to do a welfare check and were told by residents that a two-year-old child had died . Neighbor told Daily Mail Online that a woman at the home claimed that five children at the home 'were off the streets of Mexico'


Waiting times to be seen in A&E have soared to their worst level in more than 10 years, official figures revealed this morning. In the first three months of the year, 434,775 people waited longer than four hours in hospital emergency wards - some 4,830 patients every day. Over the past year, more than 1.4 million people were forced to wait longer than the target time – compared to just 353,000 in 2009/10 – the worst on record since 2004. Over the past year, more than 1.4 million people were forced to wait longer than the target time – compared to just 353,000 in 2009/10 . The figures also show that 113,648 waited longer than four-hours on trolleys in A&E, and 983 over 12 hours. It is now 89 weeks since hospital A&Es met their waiting targets. NHS England figures show that 92 per cent of patients spent less than four hours in the week ending March 29. This was down on the previous week when 93.2 per cent were seen within the time limit. It comes after the Department of Health last week confirmed the NHS has failed to meet its target every week of the winter, meaning the average for the whole year has not been met. Labour's Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham said the Government was the blame for the NHS's failure. David Cameron has overseen a record hump in waiting times to be seen in A&E, official figures revealed this morning . Labour leader Ed Miliband, arriving at an election campaign event in Bristol this morning, has promised to bin the Government's NHS reforms . Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has promised to give NHS chiefs 'whatever they need' after the election. Mr Hunt claimed a Conservative government would find whatever money the health service said it needed to cope with the growing pressure on hospitals and GP surgeries. The NHS's chief executive Simon Stevens has said the health service needs an extra £8billion a year by 2020 just to keep standards as they are. Mr Hunt today vowed to find the cash – but went further by claiming that the Government would find even more cash if they health service needed it. He told BBC Radio 4's The World At One: 'We will back the NHS's own plan in full, so we agree with the £30 billion gap, and we agree with the NHS when they say that if they can make £22 billion of efficiency savings the NHS would need £8 billion. 'But they also said in that plan very clearly that they might need less than £8 billion if they can make more efficiency savings, or they might need more than £8 billion if they can't make those efficiency savings.' He added: 'We will give whatever they need, it might be more than £8 billion, it might be less, but the point is you can only have this discussion if you have a strong and growing economy.' 'Over the course of this parliament, on the back of a strong and growing economy, we have actually increased

Summary: In the first three months of the year, 434,775 waited longer than four hours . Over the past year, more than 1.4m forced to wait longer than target time . A&E waiting times have soared to their worst level in more than 10 years . It's now 89 weeks since A&Es met their waiting targets, figures show .


Nasa has spotted an exoplanet 13,000 light-years away, making it one of the most distant planets ever found. Known as 'Ogle-2014-BLG-0124Lb,' the gas giant was detected by the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Ogle Warsaw Telescope in Chile. The planet is half as massive as Jupiter and could help astronomers gain a better understanding of the distribution of planets in the Milky Way. Astronomers have spotted one of the most distant planets ever found. Known as 'Ogle-2014-BLG-0124Lb,' the gas giant was detected by the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Ogle Warsaw Telescope in Chile. Most of the planets we know about are around 10-100 times closer . The planet was discovered using a technique known as microlensing. This happens when one star happens to pass in front of another, and its gravity acts as a lens to magnify and brighten the more distant star's light. If that foreground star happens to have a planet in orbit around it, the planet might cause a blip in the magnification. Astronomers are using these blips to find and characterise planets tens of thousands of light-years away in the central bulge of our galaxy, where star crossings are more common. Most of the planets we know about are around 10-100 times closer than Ogle-2014-BLG-0124, claims Jennifer Yee of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. 'We don't know if planets are more common in our galaxy's central bulge or the disk of the galaxy, which is why these observations are so important,' she added. The discovery demonstrates that Spitzer - from its unique perch in space - can be used to help solve the puzzle of how planets are spread out in our galaxy. The planet was discovered using a technique known as microlensing. This happens when one star happens to pass in front of another, and its gravity acts as a lens to magnify and brighten the more distant star's light. If that foreground star happens to have a planet in orbit around it, the planet might cause a blip in the magnification. Astronomers are using these blips to find and characterise planets tens of thousands of light-years away in the central bulge of our galaxy, where star crossings are more common. Our sun is located in the suburbs of the galaxy, about two-thirds of the way out from the centre. The microlensing technique as a whole has yielded about 30 planet discoveries so far, with the farthest residing about 25,000 light-years away. 'Microlensing experiments are already detecting planets from the solar neighborhood to almost the center of the Milky Way,' said co-author Andrew Gould of The Ohio State University, Columbus. 'And so they can, in principle, tell us the relative efficiency of planet formation across this huge expanse of our galaxy.' This infographic explains how the Spitzer Space Telescope can be used in tandem with a telescope on the ground to measure the distances to planets. The planet was dicovered via microlensing which happens when one star passes in front of another, and its gravity acts as a lens to magnify the more distant star's light

Summary: Most of the planets we know about are around 10-100 times closer . Ogle-2014-BLG-0124 was spotted due to its 'microlensing' effect . Similar finds could help reveal the distribution of planets in the Milky Way .


Tate Ricks (pictured above), nine, was reportedly fishing with his grandma's boyfriend when their boat capsized and he was not found at shore . Authorities are searching a Florida river for a nine-year-old boy who went missing after a boat carrying him and a family friend was hit with a wake causing the boat to capsize. Putnam County Sheriff's Office said Tate Ricks immediately went under water in the St Johns River and the unidentified man with him attempted to save Ricks but could not, according to CBS. The man was able to make it to shore, deputies said. On Sunday, officials said they were using sonar and thermal imaging in the water and on the coastline in efforts to rescue the boy, Captain Joe Wells told First Coast News. Officials also said they plan to continue the air search later in the day bringing in divers. They hope to continue the search as long as conditions are safe, and stated previously the operation is for a rescue and not a recovery. Ricks, a third grade student at Kelly Smith Elementary School in Palatka, was reportedly with his grandmother's boyfriend fishing when the boating accident occurred. Their 14-foot johnboat was hit by the wake from a large boat around 5.30pm, according to News4Jax. The boy is believed to not have been wearing a life jacket, according to investigators, and the impact from the wake sent them both into the river. Crews began a rescue operation on Saturday around 6pm, and officials did confirm they discovered the capsized boat. Authorities said the search area for Ricks includes the St Johns River from US-17 to Memorial Bridge to the north, and Pico Road to the south . The Wildlife Conservation Commission is leading the investigation and the sheriff's office is leading the search, according to The Florida Times-Union. 'We are not going to send crews home tonight. They will remain on the river all night long,' Wells told News4Jax. 'We will switch to a different crew in the morning and continue right on through the weekend, into next week, whatever it takes to locate this young man and bring closure to his family.' A woman who identified herself as Ricks' grandmother said the family is working to stay positive. Suzette Guess told News4Jax: 'Everybody's just trying to hang together. Come together and do a lot of praying.' She described Ricks as a 'fun-loving kid' who liked hunting, fishing and NASCAR. 'Pray that they find him and that's he's okay. Just remember us and his mama. He's got a little sister think of her too,' she added. Wells told Times-Union that the incident is being investigated as a boating accident and that no foul play is suspected.

Summary: Tate Ricks was reportedly fishing with his grandmother's boyfriend in Florida when boat was hit by wake in St Johns River on Saturday . The unidentified man tried to rescue the boy but was unable to, police said . The man made it to shore but Ricks did not following the incident . Incident is being investigated as boating accident; no foul play suspected .


The ECB are not living up to their promise of fresh transparency under a new regime by keeping secret the job description for the director of England cricket. The confidential details were sent by email to potential candidates for the post, front-runners for which are former England captains Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan and Alec Stewart. But the work parameters will not appear on the ECB website or that of headhunters Sports Recruitment International, as would be the normal procedure. ECB chairman Colin Graves has released very few details of the new director of cricket role for England . Former England captain Andrew Strauss (pictured here in 2011) is among the front-runners for the job . It is understood the ECB, who say there will be a proper recruitment procedure, don't want any publicity about the job specification. It might well be altered in various ways during the interview process so their chosen man is happy with the scope of his responsibilities. It is not expected that the new appointment will have to go to every England game. That will please head coach Peter Moores, who talked of the danger of having too many voices in the dressing room after the Antigua Test. But the cricket director will have the main say over coach and captain and set the overall playing strategy. Sports psychiatrist Steve Peters, who is credited with having helped Jonathan Trott recover from situational anxieties well enough for him to return to the Test arena, talked briefly this week about how he is aiding the England batsman. England star Jonathan Trott has overcome situational anxieties following work with psychiatrist Steve Peters . Peters, before giving a lecture on his role as undergraduate dean of the University of Sheffield medical school, said he wasn't equipped to give guidance on the technical batting problems that led to Trott's two failures in Antigua. But he concentrates on ensuring, through Skype sessions, that Trott is in the best state of mind to succeed while being able to put any cricket setback into proper perspective. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho appears to have enjoyed yet another big payday by fronting a Jaguar promotion of their new car supply deal for the Wimbledon Championships. Mourinho, who was shown around the All England Club by chairman-in-waiting and fellow Jaguar ambassador Tim Henman, is a tennis fan who goes to the World Tour finals at the O2 and counts Rafa Nadal as a friend, even inviting him to Chelsea matches. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has begun fronting a new promotional campaign on behalf of Jaguar . It has emerged that Keith Pelley, the Canadian media mogul chosen as chief executive of golf's European Tour, was not the only non-European in the running. So was the second choice, and there was also an American on the short-list. The message seems to have been that the Tour didn't want to antagonise the rest of Europe by appointing another Brit following the long, successful reigns of Ken Schofield and George O'Grady. However, Pelley, despite his lack of golf knowledge, is seen as

Summary: The ECB are creating a new director of cricket role as part of a restructure after the departure of England's managing director Paul Downton . However, they have released very few details as to the job description . Jonathan Trott is back in the England set-up following treatment from leading sports psychiatrist Steve Peters . Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is fronting a new promotional deal with car manufacturers Jaguar . Legendary jockey AP McCoy, is set to retire from racing on Saturday .


When high-energy electrons and ions from the sun hit Earth’s upper atmosphere, they can excite atoms and create fantastic colours - which we see on the ground as auroras. And now a study has claimed that we could create our own auroras, by firing a particle accelerator into the sky from space. The intriguing research says that a beam fired from the machine would create artificial auroras – and it could even create lightning in the atmosphere. Scientists in California have described how to create artificial auroras on Earth. They said a particle accelerator could be sent 185 miles (300km) up into space (illustration of a satellite in orbit shown). It would then fire high-energy beams back at Earth's atmosphere . The study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, was picked up by Mark Zastrow from Eos. The accelerator being proposed would be three times stronger than anything like it before, producing a beam with particles 0.5 to 10 million electron volts. Pulses of the beam would last just 0.1 microseconds. The accelerator would be located in space, 185 miles (300km) above the ground, and would fire back towards Earth's atmosphere. There are two types of auroras on Earth - the Aurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere, known as the Northern Lights, and the Aurora Australis in the Southern Hemisphere, known as the Southern Lights. Auroras occur when highly charged electrons from the solar wind collide with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen in the earth's atmosphere at altitudes from 20 to 200 miles (32 to 320km) above the planet’s surface. The interactions between the charged particles give off light. Auroral displays appear in many colours: red, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The color of the aurora depends on which atom is struck, and the altitude of the meeting. The common green hue is caused by colliding oxygen molecules at altitudes of up to 150 miles (240km). It would be based on a instrument called the Compact Particle Accelerator for Space Science (Compass), which is being developed by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and SRI International, both in California. ‘The authors say that employing such instrumentation would offer many scientific opportunities to study the behaviour of particles in the upper atmosphere,’ wrote Mr Zastrow. ‘The paths of the electrons would trace out the arcing field lines of Earth’s magnetic field, illustrating how they bend and snap during the intense geomagnetic activity caused by solar storms. ‘As they descend into the Earth’s atmosphere, some of the electrons would strike atmospheric molecules, producing visible aurora-like emission.’ He added that the beam might even be able to trigger different forms of lightning, including red sprites and blue jets. For now the idea is only a concept, and there are no concrete plans to build it. But the team says that by proving it works, it could be a step towards actually making it. There are two types of auroras on Earth - the Aurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere, known as the Northern Lights, and the Aurora Australis in the Southern Hemisphere, known as the

Summary: Scientists in California described how to create artificial auroras on Earth . They said a particle accelerator could be sent 185 miles up into space . It would then fire high-energy beams back at Earth's atmosphere . This would create auroras to study - and even types of lightning .


An terrified asthma sufferer was left coughing up blood after accidentally inhaling an earring into her lungs. The 41-year-old woman was getting ready for a party to celebrate the New Year when she started to wheeze. Worried her asthma would get worse and ruin the festivities, she reached into her bag for her inhaler, according to doctors writing in the journal BMJ Case reports. Her blue salbutamol inhaler was uncapped in her bag, and she heard a ‘coarse rattle’ when she shook it. Despite this, she ignored the noise, believing it was due to a loose connection inside the device. The 41-year-old Australian woman had a medical emergency on New Year's Eve after inhaling an earring into her lungs. An X-ray shows the earring lodged in her right bronchus - the airway leading to the lungs . Doctors put a thin tube with a camera on the end known as an endoscope into the woman's lung, which showed the earring was covered in mucus (pictured) She took a deep inspiration, but immediately felt a painful scratch in her throat. She began coughing up blood, wheezing and became short of breath, and was rushed by ambulance to the A&E department of St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, the report said. When she arrived, doctors ordered a chest X-ray, and saw something was wrong straight away. There was a mass that had ‘features consistent with a stud earring’, and a CT scan confirmed the earring was stuck in the woman’s right bronchus, one of the two main airways leading to the lungs. Doctors prescribed antibiotics to prevent any infection and then put a long, thin tube with a camera on the end into her throat - in a procedure known as an endoscopy. They were then able to examine the earring and remove it. They found large amounts of mucus around the earring, which was ‘the body’s attempt to expel the foreign body’ Dr Lucinda Blake, one of the doctors who treated the woman, told LiveScience. Alison Hall, 48, almost choked to death when she swallowed a false nail that shot out of her inhaler when she took a puff . If they had waited to remove the earring, the woman's body might have healed over the earring, embedding it within the bronchus, Dr Blake added. The woman made a full recovery, but in the report, doctors said her case highlights the need for people with asthma to be told about the dangers of storing their inhaler without a cap. Writing in the report, doctors concluded: ‘The importance of replacing caps on inhalers when not in use is illustrated and should be encouraged when inhaler technique is taught or reviewed.’ The news comes after MailOnline reported on the case of Alison Hall, 48, who almost choked to death when she nearly swallowed a false nail that had shot out of her inhaler when she took a breath. Ms Hall, 48, was at work when she felt her chest tightening and took out her blue salbutamol inhaler. She took a sharp breath and felt something shoot

Summary: Australian woman felt a wheeze and took a breath on her uncapped inhaler . Felt a scratch on her throat and began coughing up blood and wheezing . In hospital scans showed the earring was stuck in her right bronchus . It was removed and experts warned leaving caps off inhalers is dangerous .


Dope smokers beware: If Marco Rubio or Chris Christie manage to elbow out the competition and win the White House in 2016, they'll crack down on pot in states that have legalized marijuana. The Republican presidential hopefuls told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt in separate interviews on Tuesday that they'd enforce federal drug laws and block the sale of marijuana in Colorado and Washington. 'Marijuana is a gateway drug,' Christie said, citing an 'enormous addiction problem in this country.' 'And we need to send very clear leadership from the White House on down through the federal law enforcement. Marijuana is an illegal drug under federal law. And the states should not be permitted to sell it and profit from it.' New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, center, makes a campaign stop at Rockingham County GOP Happy Hour on Tuesday in Newmarket, New Hampshire, with his wife Mary Pat, right. During a radio interview that day, Christie, a candidate-in-waiting, said, 'Marijuana is a gateway drug' and claimed America has an 'enormous addiction problem.' he added, 'We need to send very clear leadership from the White House on down through the federal law enforcement' U.S. Senator Marco Rubio is pictured here on Monday with his wife Jeanette as he announces his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination during a Miami, Florida, event. Talking about weed on Tuesday, he said, 'I think we need to enforce our federal laws' Asked for his position on the topic, Rubio said 'I think we need to enforce our federal laws.' Rubio, who on Monday made official his candidacy, said he believes in states' rights - but laws created by the federal government legally supersede those of the states. 'I don’t believe we should be in the business of legalizing additional intoxicants in this country for the primary reason that when you legalize something, what you’re sending a message to young people is it can’t be that bad, because if it was that bad, it wouldn’t be legal,' the Florida senator said. Questioned about cannabis last year by ABC News' Jon Karl, Rubio took a hard-line stance, saying, 'I think there’s no responsible way to recreationally use marijuana.' 'I don’t want my kids to smoke marijuana, and I don’t want other people’s kids to smoke marijuana,' he said at the time. He refused to tell Karl if he'd engaged in any marijuana-related youthful indiscretions, arguing that his answer would either set a bad example for young people or make him look like a liar. Christie has also forcefully denounced marijuana legalization, saying last March, 'I don't favor legalization. I don't favor recreational use. I don't favor decriminalization. And I don't favor the use of marijuana as a medicine.' Texas Senator Ted Cruz, the first Republican to officially enter the 2016 race, also supports stricter enforcement of current law and has said he is against legalizing weed. He's also said he's willing to have an 'intelligent conversation' about drug policy, however. Other GOP contenders, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who tossed his hat in the ring last week, and former Texas

Summary: 'We need to send very clear leadership from the White House...' Christie said. 'And the states should not be permitted to sell it and profit from it' Rubio said: 'I think we need to enforce our federal laws' 'I don’t believe we should be in the business of legalizing additional intoxicants in this country,' he added - it sends a bad message to youth . He also defended his framing of Hillary Clinton as past her prime and said he was knocking her 'ideas,' not her age .


A Czech politician says he has created an entirely new country by claiming three-square-mile patch of land along the Croatia-Serbia border that neither country claims is theirs. Vit Jedlicka, 31, a member of the Czech Republic's Conservative Party of Free Citizens, is the self-declared president of 'Liberland', which is located on the banks of the Danube River. The land making up the so-called 'micronation' was apparently forgotten when the Balkan Peninsula which split into new countries following the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Mr Jedlicka says that under international law he is now entitled to take control of the apparently 'unclaimed' territory'. Hope: If Liberland is ever formally recognised it will become the third smallest sovereign state in the world, behind the Vatican City and Monaco . Mr Jedlicka describes himself as a Libertarian and says citizens living in 'Liberland' will be able to set their own individual rate of tax, as well as drawing up their own property and personal rights. Founder: Vít Jedlicka, 31, is a member of the Czech Republic's Conservative Party of Free Citizens . The anti-EU Czech politician says the idea for the state came from a desire to live in a country where 'honest' people could prosper with minimal to no interference from a centralised government. All services - such as medical, fire and refuse - would operate voluntarily, with the overall idea being that the nation's perfectly capable citizens would eventually work out the correct level of taxation and the right service requirements for a fully-functioning nation, without the levels being set by the state. 'We really felt restricted. We really felt under pressure,' Mr Jedlicka told Fox News. 'We really feel that Europe needs another tax haven. We need a place where people can prosper,' he added. During the phone interview Mr Jedlicka said: 'We couldn't make our government lower taxes. I tried hard to tell my politicians that we need to lower taxes. That we need to lower regulation. 'All my opponents told me, "you should have your own state to prove your ideas of liberty". So I did it,' he went on to say. After extensive research into areas classified as terra nullius, or 'no man's land', Mr Jedlicka discovered the 2.7 square mile patch of land along the Croatia-Serbia border. Unclaimed territory: Liberland is located on the Croatia-Serbia border, on the banks of the Danube River . The so-called creation of Liberland is far from the first time an individual has declared the formation of a new nation state. The most famous example is Principality of Sealand - an abandoned oil rig off the coast of Suffolk that declared independence in 1967. Although only two people live there and it has never been formally recognised, Sealand has its own football club and national flag. Even if after lengthy legal analysis proves 'Liberland' is a genuinely 'unclaimed territory', the world's new newest nation still fails one of the basic tests for sovereignty. With only one citizen currently living in the country and access to the area strictly limited by Croatia and

Summary: Vít Jedlicka researched unclaimed land in Europe to launch a 'new' nation . Czech politician named country 'Liberland' - saying citizens will decide tax and laws themselves and there will be minimal government involvement . Tiny 'country' lies on the banks of the Danube and has only one citizen . But legal experts believe the area is likely to already by part of Serbia .


Ukip has failed to outpoll the Liberal Democrats for the first time since 2013 in a fresh blow to Nigel Farage’s faltering election campaign. An exclusive ComRes survey for the Daily Mail and ITV News shows the Lib Dems are up three points to 12 per cent, equal with Ukip. The poll is the latest bad news for Mr Farage, and undermines his claim yesterday that support for Ukip has ‘rallied’ after a lacklustre few weeks. Scroll down for video . A ComRes survey has revealed that Nick Clegg's (right) Liberal Democrat party is now equal with Nigel Farage's UKIP in the polls. It is the first time since late 2013 that UKIP has failed to outpoll the Lib Dems . ‘Since the debates last week there is a very clear firming of the polls on Ukip,’ Mr Farage insisted. The poll will also ease Tory jitters, showing that with less than a month to go to election day, the Tories are on 34 per cent and Labour on 33 per cent. While the Tory lead has slipped slightly since the start of the campaign, the party will be relieved to be ahead after other pollsters suggested Labour had taken a lead in recent days. Labour has yet to be out in front in any ComRes telephone poll this year, reflecting what the pollster called ‘a small, but existent lead for the Conservatives’. The poll also gives the Tories a commanding lead on key economic issues. Voters are more likely to trust the Conservatives than Labour most to keep the economy growing, by 46 per cent to 28 per cent, and make the right level of cuts to government spending, by 38 per cent to 32 per cent. Even a significant number Labour voters trust the Tories most to secure growth (15 per cent) and make the right level of cuts to government spending (10 per cent). Following the ‘non-dom’ tax row, the public is evenly split in its trust of both main parties in setting the right levels of tax for everyone, with each backed by 36 per cent. Women are more likely to trust Labour most to set the right levels of tax, by 40 per cent to 31 per cent, while men trust the Conservatives, by 41 per cent to 33 per cent. Voters have mixed views on the role of the rampant SNP, threatening to steal dozens of seats from Labour, if it holds the balance of power in a hung parliament. The poll found that while the David Cameron's Conservative lead has slipped slightly since the start of the campaign, the Tories still have 34 per cent of voters compared to Ed Miliband's Labour on 33 per cent . Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she is prepared to prop up an Ed Miliband government even if Labour wins fewer seats. Half of all voters (50 per cent) say the SNP should be allowed to try to form a government with whichever party it chooses. But 32 per cent insist it should try to form a

Summary: Lib Dems move level with UKIP for first time since 2013, according to poll . Survey shows Conservatives' lead has slipped slightly but are still in front . Tories on 34 per cent and Labour at 33 per cent with less than month to go . Nick Clegg's Lib Dems are up three points to 12 per cent, equal with UKIP .


This video captures the stomach-churning moment a physics teacher swings an axe into his co-worker's genitals - in a disastrously misjudged class experiment. The nauseating footage was captured on a camera phone at a school in Portland, Oregon, and shows the well-built man lecturing a crowd of students before excitedly asking 'everybody ready?'. The teacher then orders the class to give him a count as he hoists the axe up over his head and swings it directly into the unlucky fellow-teacher's crotch - causing him to squirm violently on the floor. Facing the axe: The well-built teacher tells his class about the effect the axe will have on the cinder block before hoisting the implement into the air and swinging it straight on to the helpless teenager's groin . Ouch! This is the teacher's face the moment after he was stuck in the crotch by the blunt end of the axe. Amazingly, his co-worker stepped up and immediately took a second swing . Unmasked: The teacher, seen here after the second axe blow shattered the cinder block, seems to be hurting from the bed of nails he was holding to his chest - rather than to hit to his groin . The idea of the experiment appears to be to crack open a cinder block that is balancing on the chest of one of his co-workers using the blunt end of the axe. Standing with his legs astride over the teacher, he swings the tool over his head but completely misses his target. The man appears to be wearing face protection but has not thought to cover his groin area and is seen writhing on impact just before the 17-second clip cuts out. Uploaded to YouTube, the video has been titled: 'How the physics teacher lost his job.' No pain, no gain: As his class of pupils watch in anticipation, the teacher misses his target and brings the blunt end of the axe directly down on to the teacher's genitals before the clip cuts out . Another hit: The teacher with the axe immediately took a second swing and crushed the cinder block . However, teenager Haneef Mubarak says nobody was fired - and remarkably the teacher who was hit turned out OK. Mubarak, who says he is a student in the class, posted a second video and revealed that the unfortunate man holding the cinder block was actually the teacher of the AP Physics class at a high school in Portland. The new clip shows the teacher with the axe actually take a second swing at the block, even as his coworker writhes in pain on the floor. The teacher is actually holding the cinder block on his check on top of a bed of nails. The experiment was meant to show that the nails would not pierce the teacher because the force was evenly distributed, Mubarak wrote on Reddit. The new video shows the teacher get up and dust himself off. He appeared to have more pain in his chest, where he took the second hit, than his in groin.

Summary: Nauseating footage captured on phone and uploaded to YouTube in the US . Teacher tries to give lesson by showing effect of an axe on a cinder block, but misjudges swing, bringing tool directly into fellow teacher's groin . The victim appears to be OK and stands up and dusts himself off moments after being hit .


Sheriff's deputies undressed the body of a 20-year-old car crash victim then took inappropriate nude photos of her at the side of the road, her mother has claimed. Christina Mejia first outlined her accusations in a lawsuit filed against the Cook County Sheriff's Office in Illinois in 2010 and the trial is scheduled to begin next week. Her daughter, Jessica Mejia, was killed in the early hours of December 31, 2009 when her ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Sord, lost control of the car they were traveling in and smashed into a pole. When deputies arrived on the scene, they improperly removed clothing from Mejia's dead body and took photographs of her, according to the lawsuit. Scroll down for video . Heartbroken: Christina Mejia is pictured talking about her daughter Jessica, who was killed in a car crash in 2009. She is suing the responding deputies for stripping her daughter nearly naked and taking photos . Loss: Jessica Mejia, 20, was killed when her drunk ex-boyfriend smashed their car into a pole in 2009 . The young woman had been wearing a white t-shirt, jeans and high-heeled shoes but was photographed wearing just her lower undergarment, according to the Chicago Tribune. By doing so, the deputies intentionally caused emotional distress to the victim's family, they say. 'This was a young lady that just died and was treated with less dignity than a deer carcass you find on the side of the road,' family attorney Don Perry told the Tribune. Mrs Mejia added that the photos had left her feeling 'violated' and she accused the deputies' actions of perpetuating false rumors that the car had crashed because her daughter was on top of Sord. '(People) think my daughter died from having sex, not from somebody being drunk and killing her,' the heartbroken mother told the Tribune. 'By the time everybody else got to the scene... she was partially naked because they made her naked. So the rumors, and the allegations... they made it believable.' But the sheriff's office insisted that it took the photographs at the scene in order to gather evidence that ultimately helped to convict Sord. They called the images 'standard operating procedure'. Locked up: Nicholas Sord, left, was sentenced to 56 months in prison for the deadly crash. Mejia's family filed a lawsuit against the sheriff's office for taking the photos and the trial will begin next week . 'The family suffered an unimaginable loss, and the crime scene photos were taken as our officers investigated this crime and were instrumental in securing a conviction against the person responsible for this tragic death,' spokeswoman Cara Smith said. 'In no way were these photos intended to cause harm to the family.' Sord, whose blood alcohol level was .236 per cent when he smashed his Mercedes SUV into a pole, pleaded guilty to drunken driving last fall and was sentenced to 56 months in prison. Sord was a business partner with former Chicago Blackhawks player Denis Savard and is the son of Bryan Sord, a prominent developer and restaurateur. He and Mejia had dated but

Summary: Jessica Mejia, 20, died when her drunk ex-boyfriend smashed their car into a pole in Cook County, Illinois in December 2009 . Sheriff's deputies improperly undressed the young woman's body at the scene and took photographs of her, according to her mother's lawsuit . But the sheriff's office says it was necessary to take the photographs in order to preserve evidence that ultimately put the ex-boyfriend behind bars . The case goes to trial next week .


Egypt's former president Mohammed Morsi has been sentenced to 20 years for ordering the arrest and torture of protesters in 2012. But a court in the country's capital Cairo acquitted the 63-year-old leader of charges that would have seen him face the death penalty. Fourteen others were convicted on the same charges, with most also sentenced to 20 years in jail. Scroll down for video . Jailed: Egypt's former president Mohamed Morsi (pictured at an court appearance in December) has been sentenced to 20 years for ordering the arrest and torture of protesters in 2012 . But the court cleared the defendants on charges of inciting murder over the deaths of a journalist and two protesters during the December 5, 2012 clashes outside the presidential palace in Cairo. Defence lawyers said they would launch an appeal against the convictions. Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected leader, came to power following the 2011 ouster of Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising. But after just a year in power, Morsi was himself toppled by then-army chief and now President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi following mass street protests. Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood has been blacklisted and targeted in a government crackdown that has seen hundreds killed and thousands thrown in jail. Other Brotherhood leaders have been sentenced to death and Tuesday's decision to acquit Morsi on the incitement to murder charge was unexpected. 'This is a surprise... We were expecting them to be convicted of murder,' Ramy Ghanem, a lawyer for an anti-Morsi protester who was wounded in the clashes, told AFP. Buses were set ablaze during 2012 clashes between opponents and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria . 'But the sentences are not bad. We were expecting life in prison, but then 20 years is not very different,' he said. A life sentence in Egypt is 25 years. Hundreds of Morsi supporters have been sentenced to death in speedy mass trials which the United Nations has called 'unprecedented in recent history'. Earlier this month, a Cairo court confirmed death sentences for Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie and 13 others over protest violence. The Brotherhood had called for protests in support of Morsi on Tuesday. 'The coup commander is exploiting the judiciary,' it said in a statement ahead of the verdict, referring to Sisi. It said the president was using the courts 'as a weapon in the battle against the popular will and the democratic and revolutionary legitimacy represented by President Mohamed Morsi.' Morsi is facing two other trials in which he could face the death penalty, including one that sees him accused of spying for foreign powers. Verdicts in those two cases are due on May 16. Sisi has vowed to 'eradicate' the Brotherhood, an 85-year-old movement that topped successive polls between Mubarak's fall and Morsi's presidential election victory in May 2012. Supporters and opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood clashed during 2012 street battles in the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria . The authorities designated it a 'terrorist group' in December 2013, making even verbal expressions of support punishable by stiff

Summary: A court in Cairo has sentenced the former leader over abuses of protesters . But he was cleared of charges that would have seen him face death penalty . 14 others convicted on same charges with most also sentenced to 20 years . Defence lawyers said they would launch an appeal against the convictions .


Marks and Spencer's first clothes sales rise for four years has today been credited to its fashion supremo Belinda Earl, the former Saturday shopgirl parachuted in to turn round the business. The married mother-of-two ran Debenhams, Jaeger and Aquascutum before she won the make-or-break style director role at M&S in September 2012. Today it appears that her hard work has paid off, with general merchandise sales, which is mainly women's clothes, up 0.7 per cent - the first rise after 14 consecutive quarters of losses. Mrs Earl is also the woman behind the retailer's brown suede skirt - out this month - which is now being branded the item that could save the business. Sales have also been boosted by celebrity underwear ranges, like those promoted by M&S models Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and David Gandy. On trend: M&S fashion chief Belinda Earl, left, has been credited with helping bring in a number of sales hits, including the much lusted after suede skirt worn here by Alexa Chung, which is out this month . Increase: M&S stars Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and David Gandy have also helped increase sales with their own ranges - with Miss Huntington-Whiteley's bras proving particularly successful in the last quarter . Miss Huntington-Whiteley's £25 padded bra and Mr Gandy's luxury underwear ranges helped push up clothing sales 0.7 per cent in the post-Christmas period. The £199 brown suede skirt, based on a 1970’s M&S classic, has been worn by A-listers including Alexa Chung and Olivia Palermo and received worldwide coverage. Mrs Earl said: ‘When I first saw the skirt, I knew it would be a popular style for us though the support and excitement we have received has exceeded expectations'. Announcing the sales rise today, under pressure boss Marc Bolland said it proved 'we have been bang on trend'. Belinda Earl began her career aged 16 as a Saturday girl at Debenhams and after a brief stint as a Harrods trainee she moved back, and up the ranks, to become CEO before moving to Jaeger and then M&S . Belinda began her career aged 16 as a Saturday girl at Debenhams and after a brief stint as a Harrods trainee she moved back, and up the ranks, to become CEO. After running Aquascutum and Jaeger she was parachuted in as style director, in a bid to try to end the sales slump. Belinda spent her first two months talking to women shoppers, and they told her they want quality from M&S. She wrote for MailOnline last year: 'We believe that provenance and integrity are key. Best of British is made in 20 UK factories – we have got cloth from Yorkshire and Cheshire, outerwear from Manchester and footwear from Northamptonshire. We sell the range from our flagship .com site and in five UK stores. 'We are wholeheartedly committed to seeing these innovations through. Why? Because this is how the British fashion industry distinguishes itself. Because customers love it. Because it’s our heritage. And because it makes great business sense'. Today experts said the sales growth in the key womenswear sector, where

Summary: Belinda Earl was parachuted in to turn round the retailer's sales slump . Today M&S said sales were up 0.7% - the first time in almost four years . Food sales also up after retailer enjoys record Valentine's Day sales . Glitches with its expensive website also fixed with sales up 13% . M&S shares up 20p this morning - first time above £5.50 since 2007 .