Millions of devout Christians around the world have been commemorating the final days of Jesus Christ by taking part in awe-inspiring and shocking Holy Week celebrations. The festival, which marks the trial, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus culminating in Easter Sunday, has been met with mesmerising religious parades across five continents. In a diverse display of traditions, thousands of penitents have marched through streets in hooded cloaks while others have performed alarming religious self-flagellation in demonstrations of commitment to their faith. In northern Philippines, bare-footed men with bloodied backs lie on roads being beaten with sticks and whips in a divisive tradition thought to stem from 13th century Roman Catholics. Impressive effigies to Jesus Christ were erected in the Philippines, Belarus and in Venezuela - where crowds of penitents, some wearing crowns of thorns, gathered for mass at the Santa Teresa's Basilica in the capital city Caracas. In Spain, the week of celebration has seen thousands of haunting, hooded figures take part in entrancing marches through the streets of Seville in Andalucia and Zamora, in the north-west of the country. In Zamora, in the region of Castile and Leon, penitents from 16 Christian brotherhoods were pictured during an enthralling nighttime procession through the town's streets. Fraternities, wearing robes and conical hoods to maintain anonymity, were also seen beating drums in a spellbinding ceremony in Santander. Alarming display: A man uses a stick to whip a penitent in front of a chapel during a ritual in Angeles city, northern Philippines today . Reenactment: Acting the part of Jesus in the final march of his life, a man carries a cross through Manila in the Philippines today . Penance: Among a crowd attending a mass at the Santa Teresa's Basilica in Caracas, Venezuela yesterday, a devotee dons a crown of thorns . Dramatic: A procession of haunting figures wearing cloaks and conical hats beat drums while marching through Santander in Spain this week . Beaten bloody: A flagellant prays by the San Fernando Cathedral in the town of San Fernando, Pampanga in the Philippines yesterday . Religious self-harm: A flagellant covered in blood kneels in front of the San Fernando Cathedral in the Philippines yesterday . Red flares burn while penitents of the Cristo de Viga brotherhood carrying a float with a cross in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain this week . Penitents from 'Las Siete Palabras (Seven words)' brotherhood wait for their turn to leave a church in Zamora, Spain yesterday . Shocking display: Filipino flagellants whip their back along a street in Mabalacat city, Pampanga Province, in the Philippines today . Tradition: Flagellation is a form of religious discipline observed every lenten season by Catholic devotees in the Philippines . Divisive: The Catholic Church has previously expressed disapproval of the gory ritual which takes place in the Philippines every year . Contemplation: A group of penitents gather in front of a portrait of Jesus Christ prior to flagellating themselves in Manila today . Painful: A man with a hooded face swings a rope attached to chains while flagellating himself in a show

Summary: WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT . The week-long festival marks the trial, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ culminating in Easter Sunday . The event has been met with awe-inspiring and shocking displays of faith from Christians across five continents . In Philippines, the week sees thousands of penitents beaten bloody on the streets as part of 13th century tradition .


We are all guilty of taking the odd cheesy tourist photo, be it trying to push the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or 'touch' the top of a pyramid. One traveller in particular knows how wrong a holiday snap can go, after he posted a picture online of him 'missing' the top of the Eiffel Tower and asked users to help improve his photo. On a recent trip to Paris, Belgian food blogger Yves Van De Ven enjoyed poking fun at those tourist clichés and took a couple of pictures deliberately missing some of the more famous monuments. Little did he know he would become an internet sensation, after his photo with the Eiffel Tower captioned 'nailed it' was uploaded to photosharing website 4chan. Since then over 100 photoshopped pictures have sprung up comically connecting his finger with the tip of the famous attraction, and it didn't stop there... Nailed it! Yves Van De Ven, 37, uploaded this photograph on social media in a bid to poke fun of the typical tourist pictures . Going viral! An upload on photo-sharing site 4chan requested users connect his finger with the top of the tower, as many tourist pictures aim to achieve . The 37-year-old said he thought it would be hilarious to deliberately make fun of the typical pictures with famous landmarks. 'The original pictures in which me and my friends 'nailed it' were an instant hit with my friends as soon as I posted them on Facebook,' Van De Ven said. 'There were people that thought we just took poor pictures but luckily most of my friends know better.' Obviously the internet had something to say about the pictures and after someone uploaded the pictures to 4chan, users from all over the globe submitted their own 'improved' versions of Van De Ven's pictures. Created images ranged from the comical, with the 301m tower bent over to touch his outstretched finger, to the absurd, with Van De Ven imposed into Michaelango's Creation of Adam, reaching out towards the Eiffel Tower. The wondrous offerings demonstrate what a brilliant place the internet is, and how no one's holiday pictures are safe. Bendy tower! The tower appears to have flopped over in the summer heat, making a connection with the food blogger's finger . Cut out! Despite covering the 37-year-old, his finger is clearly in contact in this picture! Expert photoshopping creates a miniature tower touching his finger, never mind about the gaping white hole left behind! Close enough! Tilting the tower 45 degrees, and extending his arm in an octopus fashion were methods used to 'improve' the picture . Super hero! In a Hulk-like fashion, not only has Van De Ven knocked over the Eiffel Tower, but also has it grasped in two fingers . Van De Ven is shocked but highly entertained at the widespread response to his holiday pictures. 'I can honestly say that we have had as much fun taking these silly pictures as we have had the week after overviewing the hilarious aftermath. 'Some of the photoshopped pictures are just brilliant.' Eiffel

Summary: Food blogger Van De Ven wanted to poke fun at tourist cliche pictures . One of his finger missing the Eiffel Tower went viral on 4chan . Over 100 uploads have photoshopped him touching the 301m tower tip . Users created multiple memes of him in many various hilarious scenarios .


Tousled hair. Check. Five o'clock shadow across a lantern jaw. Check. A hint of fresh sweat? Check. The current crop of male leads smouldering all over our television screens are rocking a 'pretty but gritty' look that makes Colin Firth's erstwhile Mr Darcy look positively hygienic. Shows such as Poldark, Vikings, Outlander and Game of Thrones are dressing up their key actors in breeches, leather and chain metal and asking them to get down and dirty for their art, much to the delight of watching female fans. Battle of the breeches! Actor Kit Harington (left), clad in leather, plays Jon Snow in the hit HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones . And the dimly-lit period setting - think candlelight and flaming torches - only serves to accentuate the mean and moody looks. Aidan Turner is leading the way as Captain Ross Poldark in the BBC's much talked-about Sunday night offering. So enthralled are the viewing public by the Irish actor's good looks and rippling physique - which he shows off in plenty of topless scenes - that several Twitter handles have been dedicated to parts of Poldark's anatomy. Ongoing HBO success, Game of Thrones has caused a similar loin-stirring frenzy among those watching with characters such as Jon Snow and Jaime Lannister perfecting the tender but rugged look. Time travel drama, Outlander, based on the books by Diana Gabaldon, flings main character Claire Randall into the arms of 18th century Highland warrior Jamie Fraser, played by Sam Heughan. The handsome Scotsman admits he has found the ensuing attention overwhelming. And flying the flag for Nordic hunks is Travis Fimmel, who stars in the show Vikings, which charts the tumultuous rise of Viking king Ragnar Lothbrok. With his shaved hair, beard and quiff, Fimmel could be mistaken for a London hipster were he not pretending to be a Norse seafarer. So who are the actors behind this new breed of slightly grubby yet thoroughly enticing sex symbol? And do they ever wash their hair? We dig a little deeper below: . Scroll down for video . Stubble and swashbuckling: 2015 is all about the unkempt hunk. Leading the way is 'Poldark and handsome' Aidan Turner . POLDARK . Aidan Turner continues to get the nation's ladies a little breathless in his role as Captain Ross Poldark for the BBC. The star, pretty much an unknown before the hit show, has been catapulted into the spotlight with his 'Poldark and handsome' appeal responsible for soaring viewing figures. Irishman Aidan has stoked the fires somewhat himself by offering up some of the BBC beauty secrets that have transformed him into Winston Graham's hero. Aiden admitted to using baby oil to show off his well-honed pecs and even a slick of eyeliner to make his deep brown eyes stand out. Although the actor won't be drawn on his chest hair, his man rug does appear to have been pruned... ensuring Poldark is pretty but still gritty. The other Jon Snow: With his wild locks and leather outfits, actor Kit Harington has stolen hearts in Game of

Summary: Female fans captivated by new breed of 'pretty but gritty' male leads . Aidan Turner in Poldark perfects the rugged costume drama look . Other heartthrobs include Kit Harington in Games of Thrones, Sam Heughan in Outlander and Travis Fimmel in Vikings .


Cigars may be more harmful to smokers than cigarettes, researchers warned yesterday. The news comes as cigar use rises in the US, where the study was carried out, and cigarette smoking declines. Alarmingly, more young people appear to be taking up cigars thanks to new ranges of flavoured ones. Researchers have warned that cigars may be more harmful to smokers than cigarettes. They found the risk for cigar smokers of dying from oral, oesophageal or lung cancer was at least as bad as for cigarettes . Cigar consumption more than doubled from 6.2billion in 2000 to more than 13.7billion in 2011 – in contrast with a 33 per cent fall for cigarettes. Researchers analysed 22 studies, including five from Britain, and found the risks for cigar smokers of dying from oral, oesophageal or lung cancer was at least as bad as for cigarettes. They also found that those who smoked cigars and had previously smoked cigarettes had a much higher risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease compared to cigar smokers who had not previously smoked cigarettes. The team said they believed this could be due in part to the inhalation patterns of these different types of cigar smokers. Cindy Chang, of the US Food and Drug Administration, which did the study, said: ‘Some risks associated with cigar smoking can be as high or higher than with cigarette smoking. "Cigar smoking is linked to fatal oral, oesophageal, pancreatic, laryngeal, and lung cancers, as well as heart disease and aortic aneurysm." Cigar use is on the rise in the US, where the study was carried out, while cigarette smoking declines. Cigar consumption more than doubled from 2000-2011 – in contrast with a 33 per cent fall for cigarettes .

Summary: Risks for cigar smokers of dying from cancer 'at least as bad as cigarettes' Claim follows US study, where cigar use is on rise and cigarettes a decline . Cigar consumption doubled from 2000-2011; 33 per cent fall in cigarettes . More young people taking up cigars thanks to new range of flavoured ones .


A man whose car smashed into a Geelong house leaving a baby girl in an induced coma was allegedly attacked by a man who was inside the home at the time of the crash. The driver was left bloodied after the man allegedly hit him with a broken fence paling, witnesses told the Herald Sun. Police say the car crashed through a fence and into the front bedroom of the Breakwater house after its driver apparently failed to negotiate a roundabout just after 8.30pm on Sunday. Scroll down for video . A baby girl is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after a car crashed into the bedroom of a Geelong house . Her parents, who are in their 20s and were in the room at the time, are in Geelong Hospital with minor injuries . Detectives from the Major Collision Investigation Unit are at the scene on the corner of Fellmongers Road and Boundary Road in Breakwater . The four-month-old girl was airlifted to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne where she remains in an induced coma with life-threatening head injuries. A man and a woman in their 20s, who were in the bedroom at the time of the crash, are in Geelong Hospital with minor injuries. The driver, a 20-year-old Grovedale man, is under police guard in Geelong Hospital and is yet to be questioned. 'As he's entered the intersection at Boundary Road, he's failed to negotiate the roundabout and has in fact driven straight across the roundabout and crashed into the front room of a house,' Detective Sergeant Andrew Kilpatrick said. The four-month-old girl was airlifted to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne . Police say a car crashed through a fence and into the Breakwater house after its driver apparently failed to negotiate a roundabout just after 8.30pm on Sunday . 'The intersection is well lit... nothing that we can see here with road conditions and weather conditions would have contributed to the accident.' Detectives from the Major Collision Investigation Unit are at the scene. Neighbours who heard the moment of impact said it sounded 'like an explosion'.

Summary: A four-month-old baby girl is in hospital with life-threatening injuries . A 20-year-old man's car crashed into the bedroom of her Geelong house . Police say a car crashed through a fence and into the Breakwater house after its driver apparently failed to negotiate a roundabout .


A woman who is five months pregnant and was fired from her job at Popeyes after an armed robber made off with $400 on her shift says she has been offered her job. Only Marissa Holcomb isn't so sure she wants to go back to the fried chicken chain in Channelview, Texas. The mother-of-three was held at gunpoint on March 31, however she was fired when she refused to pay back the money that was stolen, with the store saying she should not have allowed so much cash to be in the till at one time. Now Popeyes have offered to take Holcomb back and have offered her $2,000 in backpay, since she has been out of work for almost one month. 'I do need a way to support my kids,' she told KHOU. '(But) I don't want to go back to a business where I'm treated the same and I just get pushed back out if something else happened.' Scroll down for video . Welcome back: Marissa Holcomb - who is five months pregnant with her fourth child - was fired from Popeyes after $400 was robbed from her till and she refused to pay it back. She has now been offered her job back, but is unsure whether to take it . Robbery: A man armed with a handgun and his concealed with a red beanie held up the Popeyes in Channelview, Texas, on March 31. Less than two days later Marissa Holcomb was fired . Hold up: The robber managed to get $400 cash from the till, which Popeyes said is too much money to have kept in the register. They said it is not the first time Holcomb had got in trouble for not clearing the till . Holcomb was left shaken by the incident, in which a man armed with a handgun and his face concealed with a red beanie jumped the counter and held the gun to her head, demanding money. Holcomb wasn't able to access the safes, so the robber made with the cash in the till - totaling $400. Her bosses said it was against there policy to have such an amount in the register and gave Holcomb an ultimatum - pay it back or lose her job. 'I just had a gun to me. I'm not paying the money,' Holcomb told KHOU earlier in the week. 'I don't think it's right because now I'm struggling for my family because what I had to do to keep my life. 'I mean who's gonna call me? I'm five months pregnant. 'The fact that I got robbed at gunpoint and it's like nobody cares.' Holcomb said she was fired less than two days after the incident. A Popeyes spokesman said it wasn't the first time Holcomb hadn't cleared the till. Marissa Holcomb, who is five months pregnant with her fourth child, was held at up at the fried chicken chain store in Channelview on March 31 and then fired because of it . The spokesman said that if Holcomb was given the opportunity to pay the

Summary: Marissa Holcomb was held up in Channelview, Texas, on March 31 . Robber held her at gunpoint and emptied $400 from the till . She was fired a day later after refusing to pay back the money . The store said she broke their policy by having so much cash in the till . Holcomb is five months pregnant with her fourth child . The store have apologized and offered her job back, with $2,000 backpay . Popeyes CEO Cheryl Bachelder asked the owner to 'rectify' the issue .


A catalogue of failings have been uncovered at two NHS hospitals after seven babies and three mothers died there in the space of just eight months. Independent investigators were called into Royal Oldham after the deaths of four babies and two mothers, and North Manchester General after the deaths of another three babies and one mother. Lisa Parkisson, 35, died at Oldham Royal 48 hours after giving birth in April this year, while newborn Thomas Beaty died at the same hospital in June after doctors pushed him back into the womb during birth. Lisa Parkisson, 35, (left with son Zac) died 48 hours after giving birth at Oldham Royal in June last year. Thomas Beaty (right) died from at the same hospital after doctors forced him back into the womb . A summary of the investigation, which was kept secret from the families of the dead until now, has been seen by MailOnline and found 'notable absence of clinical leadership' in the maternity wards, and a 'failure to adequately plan care' in a number of cases. A team of independent investigators also found risk management was 'below standard' in some cases - though there were no apparent 'deficiencies in care' in the deaths of the three mothers. The report noted that several of the mothers were obese or morbidly obese, which can lead to complications, but that national guidelines for treating overweight people were not followed. Officials also criticised the hospital's own investigations, saying the root cause of the deaths was not always identified, opportunities to learn lessons were not always picked up, and that some recommendations were too general and difficult to measure. All of the deaths are believed to have occurred between December 2013, and July last year. In one case mother Lisa Parkisson, 35, also died 48 hours after giving birth to her son Zac in June this year. In another case newborn Thomas Beaty died from head injuries in April after medics forced him back into the womb during birth. Doctors had also tried and failed to remove him from the womb five times using forceps, despite national guidelines only recommending three attempts. While his death was not included in the review, staff at North Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which controls the two hospitals, have asked investigators to look into it. Martin Beaty, the father of Thomas, said: 'Ten deaths in eight months is sickening. But I'm not surprised. Independent investigators found failings in care and hospital leadership at Oldham Royal following the deaths of four babies and two mothers there in eight months . The report, which also looked into the deaths of three babies and another mother at North Manchester General, found that national guidelines for treating obese mothers were also not followed . 'The standard of care we received during and after Thomas died gives me zero confidence in their organisation, structure and accountability. 'I'm angry we were not informed [about the report], even if out of courtesy. It feels like they're trying to cover each other's backs. 'But I'm fully behind any action

Summary: Four babies and two mothers died in Oldham Royal hospital maternity unit . Another three babies and one mum also died at North Manchester General . Independent inspectors found failings in care and leadership of both . Lisa Parkisson, 35, died at Oldham 48 hours after giving birth in April . Baby Thomas Beaty died from head injuries after botched delivery in June .


Super-fit Amy Hughes, 26, decided to take on the incredible challenge of running 53 marathons in 53 days last year, to raise money for a friend’s daughter who was diagnosed with a brain tumour. The sports therapist started her first marathon in Chester on August 6 and completed her 53rd consecutive run in Manchester on September 27. Incredibly, the challenge saw Amy pound out 1,388 miles and go through five different pairs of trainers as she smashed the world record. Super fit Amy Hughes, 26, decided to take on the incredible challenge of running 53 marathons in 53 days last year, to raise money for a friend’s daughter who was diagnosed with a brain tumour . The sports therapist also ran into a new love after she got close to long-term friend Dave Keighley (right) - who was part of her support crew, and cycled alongside Amy for 26 miles every day throughout her challenge . But the athlete also ran into a new relationship after she got close to long-term friend Dave Keighley - who was part of her support crew. The couple’s friendship blossomed during the world record marathon challenge which saw Dave cycling alongside Amy for 26 miles every day. Dave said: 'Neither of us expected to fall in love, it just happened. We are really happy and I am so proud of Amy.' Dave, who works in the security profession, has been constantly by Amy’s side since she completed the marathons as she attends major events and speaking engagements. 'Neither of us expected to fall in love, it just happened,' said Dave, who works in the security profession. 'We are really happy and I am so proud of Amy' The incredible world record has seen Amy raise £30,000 for charity and become the face of sportswear specialists Brooks and lingerie company Panache. She is also involved with the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust and has teamed up with the iconic children’s programme Blue Peter. Amy said: 'Following my 53 marathons in 53 days challenge last year, I’ve been approached and given some fantastic opportunities.' Following her 53 marathons in 53 days challenge Amy is currently working with Blue Peter and the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust to encourage more children to get active . She continued: 'I have spoken at Running Expos which has been amazing and I am currently working with Blue Peter at the BBC. 'I have been training one of their presenters, Lindsey Russell, to run her first marathon at the London Marathon this year.' 'I’ve decided to take on the challenge myself, but I will not only be running the marathon, I will also be running the 220-mile journey from my hometown Oswestry to London ahead of the big day.' 'I will also be starting from the celebrity start line which is unbelievable.' Amy is also attending the Running Awards 2015 at the O2 Arena in London on April 24 to receive her ‘best running moment of the year’ award. Dave has been constantly by Amy’s side since she completed the 53 marathons as she attends

Summary: Amy Hughes, 26, broke the world record with her 53:53 challenge . The sports therapist from Shropshire has raised £30,000 for charity . Now she's found love with the man who helped her see it all through .


The world's last surviving male northern white rhino - stripped of his horn for his own safety - is now under 24-hour armed guard in a desperate final bid to save the species. Sudan is guarded day and night by a group of rangers who risk their lives on a daily basis as they try to keep the rhino from poachers lured by the rising price of ivory. But even without his horn, keepers in the Kenyan reserve of Ol Pojeta in fear for his safety. Scroll down for video . Guard: The rangers keep an armed watch around Sudan at all times to deter poachers after his horn . Extreme measures: Rangers have even cut off the rhino's horn - but they fear it won't be enough . Hungry: Feeding time in Sudan's enclosure - he spent most of his life in a Czech zoo . Dangerous: The rangers are aware they are risking their lives to protect the enormous animal . The 43-year-old rhino - who could live until his 50s - is the last chance for any future northern white rhino calves. Sudan was moved, along with two female rhinos, from a zoo in the Czech Republic in December 2009. The reserve, which specialises in the conservation of rhinos, was chosen because of its successful breeding programme with black rhinos. It had been hoped the move would encourage them to breed, but all attempts have been unsuccessful. The project was dealt a further blow when Suni - the world's only other male, who also lived at Ol Pojeta - died last October. It left just five northern white rhinos in the world - and the three in Kenya are in particular danger. Hunted: Rhinos like Sudan have no predators in the wild because of their size - apart from humans . New home: It had been hoped moving Sudan to Kenya with two females would encourage them to breed . Simor Irungu, one of the rangers who guards Sudan, says the team regularly risk their lives to keep him safe. 'With the rising demand for rhino horn and ivory, we face many poaching attempts and while we manage to counter a large number of these, we often risk our lives in the line of duty.' It is a sad end for a species which used to roam across the heart of Africa - from southern Chad, across the Democratic Republic of Congo and up into Sudan. Just over half a century ago, there were 2,000 northern white rhinos; but 1984 there were only 15, all in the DRC, according to the World Wildlife Fund. But then conservationist managed to bring them back from the brink, and bought the population up to at least 30 animals less than a decade later. Failure: But attempts at breeding have been unsuccessful - and Sudan is now getting old . High value: The price of ivory is now said to be between £40,000 and £47,000 a kilo . But then poaching took its toll, and the entire park was emptied. The last northern

Summary: Sudan is the last hope for a species on the verge of being wiped out . Rangers in Kenya risking their lives to keep the 43-year-old rhino safe . But ivory is now fetching as much as £47,000 per kilo as demand grows . Animal sanctuary Ol Pejeta trying to raise money to help pay for guards .


Still employed: Rolling Stone is not expected to take any action against Sabrina Rubin Erdely, whose reporting was roundly discredited . An independent review of Rolling Stone's story about an alleged violent gang rape at the University of Virginia said the story fell apart because of 'basic, even routine' failures of journalism. Professors at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism issued a 12,000-word autopsy of the discredited story Sunday night, going through its shortcomings step by step. Rolling Stone bosses commissioned the review after the story, by contributing editor Sabrina Rubin Erdely, was called into serious question. However, despite the uncompromising conclusions of the journalism experts, nobody will lose their job over the story. Jann Wenner, the publisher of Rolling Stone, confirmed to the New York Times that everybody would remain in their positions. He defended her reporting, and described the supposed rape victim as 'a really expert fabulist storyteller'. Erdely, who went to ground as the row over her article erupted, issued an apology in the wake of the review, admitting 'I did not go far enough'. Her piece credulously recounted the story of an anonymous student - referred to as Jackie - who said she was lured to the Phi Kappa Psi house and raped by a gang of seven men. It described the ordeal, during which Jackie said she was passed from man to man in an excruciating three hours of pain, during which she was also supposedly penetrated with a beer bottle upstairs during a pledging event. The article recounted the event in vivid, graphic detail based on Jackie's account. It said: 'There was a heavy person on top of her, spreading open her thighs, and another person kneeling on her hair, hands pinning down her arms, sharp shards digging into her back, and excited male voices rising all around her. 'When yet another hand clamped over her mouth, Jackie bit it, and the hand became a fist that punched her in the face. The men surrounding her began to laugh.' Scroll down for video . Report: The Columbia Journalism School is expected to release a review of the botched story Sunday night . Describing the moment she supposedly passed out from pain, it continued: 'Someone handed her classmate a beer bottle. Jackie stared at the young man, silently begging him not to go through with it. 'And as he shoved the bottle into her, Jackie fell into a stupor, mentally untethering from the brutal tableau, her mind leaving behind the bleeding body under assault on the floor.' The review spelled out extensive contact between Erdely and Jackie, spanning eight interviews. Erdely wrote 405 pages of notes about the story. Jackie also spent four hours speaking to a Rolling Stone fact-checker. Anonymous: Jackie has never been identified. Police officials say she refused to be interviewed in the course of their investigation . Erdely had asked repeatedly for the name of the supposed attacker, but Jackie said she was not 'comfortable' with the idea of him being contacted for the story. But they ultimately decided to rely on

Summary: Magazine published A Rape on Campus in November 2014 issue . Graphically recounted supposed gang-rape of University of Virginia student . Sabrina Rubin Erdely wrote article based on interviews with victim 'Jackie' She claims she was raped by seven men and penetrated with a beer bottle . Jackie's account soon fell apart, and Rolling Stone commissioned review . 12,000-word account published Sunday, and recounted failures in depth . Rounded on Erdely and editors for not probing the account more deeply . Erdely is expected to apologize - but will get to keep her job .


Embarrassing footage has emerged of a missile launch going spectacularly wrong in Russia. The minute-long clip shows the S300 rocket barely managing to take off before plummeting back down to earth. A small thud can be heard and bits of debris fly off as the weapon makes a feeble attempt to launch at the military base in an unknown part of Russia. Lift off: The rocket just about launches with debris and a plume of smoke clearly visible next to the Russian flag . Up and down: The S300 rocket barely manages to take off before it starts plummeting back down to earth . It scarcely gets off the launchpad and is followed by a small plume of smoke, before it can be seen dropping out of the sky as shouts can be heard from those watching. Seconds later, the rocket goes out of view as whoever is filming takes cover and a huge explosion can be heard. The shaky camera returns to a massive plume of smoke. The leaked footage will be of some embarrassment to Vladimir Putin who as grown the Russian defence budget has grown by 33 per cent to £54billion over the past year. It comes not long after shocking footage emerged of failed another rocket launch which killed six Russian ballistic missile technicians. Bang: A loud explosion can be heard before plumes of smoke are clearly visible following the failed launch of a rocket in Russia . Footage of the accident, which happened several months ago but officials tried to keep quiet, was posted on social network sites. It happened near Donetsk in the Ukraine where it is believed the missile was about to be fired against government forces. A second OTR-21 Tochka missile was successfully launched a few seconds later from the wreckage, but there is nothing left of the launch site controlled by Russian backed militia. It shows a deafening explosion in a field with plumes of white smoke rising quickly into the atmosphere. A second missile, which would also have been programmed, is still launched from the wreckage a few seconds later, presumably heading towards its intended target.

Summary: S300 barely takes off before plunging back to the ground . Minute-long clip shows people dashing for cover as rocket hits ground . Mishap comes shortly after footage of crash killing missile engineers .


It has long been thought that Stone Age man abandoned their dead with little thought or respect. But the discovery of cremated bone, thought to be the earliest ever identified in Britain, could re-write the history of Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age burial practices. The deposit containing the bone was discovered during excavations ahead of a new pipeline in Landford, Essex and is thought to date to 5,600 BC. The discovery of cremated bone (pictured), thought to be the earliest ever identified in Britain, could re-write the history of Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age burial practices . The burnt material, which includes approximately just over four ounces (118g) of cremated bone, was uncovered by Oxford Archaeology. It was placed into a pit with a diameter of about three feet (one metre) and then backfilled with soil. Three radiocarbon dates, two from bone fragments and one from charcoal, have confirmed the remains are around 7,614 years old and fall within the the late Mesolithic, between 6,000 BC and 4,000 BC. Nick Gilmour, who lead the excavation, said ‘We were expecting this cremation to date to the Bronze Age - we were so surprised when the first radiocarbon date came back as Mesolithic that we did two more to double-check.’ The burnt material, which includes approximately just over four ounces (118g) of cremated bone, was uncovered by Oxford Archaeology. It was placed into a pit (pictured) with a diameter of about three feet (one metre) and then backfilled with soil . Little is known about Mesolithic man's beliefs, but the pit shows that ancient people understood how to create a pyre that was hot enough at over 600 °C to completely burn a corpse and appeared to respect the dead. This image is a still from a TV show called Meet the Ancestors showing what a Mesolithic hut may have looked like . The find is significant because it sheds light on early human society in Mesolithic Britain, when people were largely nomadic hunter gatherers before the arrival of farming. While little is known about their beliefs, the pit shows that ancient people understood how to create a pyre that was hot enough - at over 600 °C - to completely burn a corpse. It hints that people respected the dead enough to cremate them and not simply abandon them, as has been previously believed. Time and resources were invested in funerary practices despite a mobile hand-to-mouth existence, the experts explained. Dr Louise Loe, head of burials at Oxford Archaeology, analysed the bone to find that it represents the remains of at least one adult, despite the total weight being around seven per cent of what would be expected from a complete individual. Taken alongside evidence of a large amount of charcoal in the pit, it’s thought the material represents a deposit of some of the remains from a pyre, and not all of the cremated bone from it. The find is significant because it sheds light on early human society in Mesolithic Britain, when people were largely nomadic hunter gatherers before the arrival

Summary: Bone from more than one human dates to the Late Mesolithic in 5,600 BC . It was recovered from a pit with charcoal remains, in Landford, Essex . Evidence suggests ancient people respected and cremated their dead . It was previously thought that nomadic people simply abandoned them .


Barcelona's 1-0 La Liga victory against Celta Vigo on Sunday evening featured one of the most bizarre incidents of the season so far. With the score at 1-0 following Jeremy Mathieu's 73rd minute header, tempers flared between Celta striker Fabian Orellana and Sergio Busquets as the Barcelona midfielder attempted to waste time during the closing stages. Orellana remonstrated angrily with the match officials before grabbing a lump of grass from the floor and throwing it in the direction of Busquets. Fabian Orellana collects a lump of grass from the ground before throwing it towards Sergio Busquets . The Celta Vigo striker aims his throw in Busquets' direction during the closing stages of the match . Orellana was shown a red card for throwing the chunk of grass in the direction of Busquets . The lump of turf strikes Busquets in the neck after tempers reached boiling point in Spain . Referee Inaki Vicandi Garrido (right) brandishes a straight red card following the incident . Orellana (right) leaves the field in anger after being given his marching orders . As seems to be the midfielder's nature, Busquets made the most of the incident, grabbing his eye despite the clutch of turf clearly striking him on the neck. Referee Inaki Vicandi Garrido decided the incident was enough to warrant and straight red card and promptly gave Orellana his marching orders. Luis Enrique's side huffed and puffed towards the final whistle, but earned a crucial three points following Real Madrid's impressive 9-1 victory against Granada earlier on Sunday. Barcelona star Dani Alves attempts to talk with Orellana following his red card . Jeremy Mathieu (right) heads home in the 73rd minute to hand Barcelona a 1-0 lead against Celta Vigo . Celta Vigo goalkeeper Alvarez Conde (right) is unable to stop the powerful header from Mathieu .

Summary: Fabian Orellana was angered by Sergio Busquets' time-wasting tactics . Celta Vigo striker threw lump of turf towards the Barcelona star . Barcelona needed a Jeremy Mathieu header to earn 1-0 win .


Anyone who has seen The Lion King will surely agree that it contains one of the most tear-jerking scenes in all of Disney history. And for one little girl, whose crestfallen reaction as she witnessed it for the first time was captured on camera by her father, it proved almost too much to bear. Shot by adoring dad, called Barles Charkley on the site, who is based in Baltimore, Maryland, the video stars his toddler daughter Viktoria, as she comes to terms with the tragedy that is the death of Simba the lion's father, Mufasa. Tear-jerker: Viktoria's crestfallen reaction (pictured) as she witnessed a sad scene from Disney's The Lion King for the first time was captured on camera by her father Barles Charkley . Mr Charkley posted the brief video, which has so far garnered more than four million views, to his Facebook page on Saturday. It's captioned: 'Viktoria watching Lion King for the first time, and Scar just killed Mufasa!' He then urges viewers to 'check out' her reaction. The little girl is seated hunched up on the sofa gazing at the screen, and as the mournful music rolls in - a score composed by Hollywood heavyweight Hans Zimmer - her bottom lip trembles. The tot then appears to brush away a tear as the emotional scene progresses, before gathering her blanket up around her shoulders in speechless despair. 'Are you sad? Mufasa died?' Mr Charkley can be heard inquiring. The fragile toddler shakes her head repeatedly as her eyes fill with tears. 'You want a hug?' he persists, to which his Viktoria nods her head and makes her way dejectedly over to where he is sitting as the footage ends. Waterworks: Viktoria is seated hunched up on the sofa gazing at the screen, and as the mournful music rolls in - a score composed by Hollywood heavyweight Hans Zimmer - her bottom lip trembles . The Lion King was released in 1994 to rave reviews, and won two Oscars. It later became the highest-grossing hand-drawn animated film in history. The scene in question, which sees Mufasa murdered by his evil brother Scar leaving Simba fatherless, is generally considered to be one of Disney's most haunting spectacles. Other top contenders include the scene in 1942 hit Bambi where the deer loses his parents, and one in 1941's Dumbo, where the baby elephant visits his mother in jail. Chills: The scene in question (pictured), which sees Mufasa murdered by his evil brother Scar leaving Simba fatherless, is generally considered to be one of Disney's most haunting spectacles .

Summary: Dad Barles Charkley, based in Maryland, shot the video . It shows his daughter watching Disney's 1994 hit for the first time . Toddler visibly distraught when Mufasa is killed and Simba left fatherless .


The Easter holidays mean days off work and a chance to spend precious time with the family. But it can be hard to think of enough things to do to keep the little ones active. This roundup of events from across the country will provide fun everyone and make sure the kids are worn out in time for bed. Looking to entertain the kids? Try these fun family days out this Easter weekend . Scotland . Keep your little ones entertained for hours with probably the world's largest Easter Egg hunt in the maze at Traquair castle. Scotland's oldest inhabited castle also hosts drumming and singing, egg decorating, storytelling and an Easter bonnet parade. £23 (family); Apr 5; Traquair House, Innerleithen, Peeblesshire; 01896 830323; traquair.co.uk . Little monkeys can perfect their mischief making skills with an Easter weekend of merriment, mirth and tomfoolery at Stirling Castle. Learn how to play the fool at the royal court, enjoy medieval dancing and take part in the Games in the Gardens. Free with entry to the castle (from £8.70); April 3 and 4; Stirling Castle; Stirling Castle, Castle Esplanade, Stirling, FK8 1EJ; 01786 450 000; stirlingcastle.gov.uk . Traquair is Scotland's oldest inhabited castle and has a host of events planned for the weekend . Learn how to be a court jester at Stirling Castle with a special workshop for kids . Wales . What better way to celebrate the spring than by helping bring new life to the world? At Carreg Cennen Castle children can help bottle feed any lambs or keep a beady eye to see if they can spot any of the signs of a ewe in labour. Free with admission (adults £4); Carreg Cennen Castle,Llandeilo,Carmarthenshire,Wales, SA19 6UA; 01558 822291; www.carregcennencastle.com . Experience a Victorian Easter at Penryhn Castle, a spectacular 19th century fantasy castle. Play games, hunt Cadbury’s Easter eggs, enjoy crafts, games and explore the chocolate Dung Tower. Free with admission (Adults £10.70); Penryhn Castle, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 4HN; 01248 353084; nationaltrust.org.uk . Celebrate spring by feeding young lambs like this one at Carreg Cennen Castle . The splendid fantasy medieval castle at Penryhn makes for the perfect family day out . North East . Children can discover their inner Ray Mears at Hadrian's Wall this Easter. Bushcraft enthusiasts will learn how to light an open fire and build an outdoor shelter, take part in scavenger hunts and leaf printing and negotiate their way along a trail blindfolded. Children £10; April 7, Houseteads Roman Fort, Haydon Bridge, Hexham, NE47 6NN, 0844 249 1895; nationaltrust.org.uk . Strange things are afoot among the gardens of Belsay Hall in Alice’s Magic Mirror Garden. Have you found Alice, the Cheshire Cat and company hiding in the mirror maze, or is it just their reflections? £1 with admission (£37.50 family); Apr -19; Belsay Hall, Belsay, nr Morpeth, Northumberland; 01661 881636; english-heritage.org.uk . Housestead Roman Fort on Hadrian's Wall offers children a chance to copy Ray Mears . Look for Alice in Wonderland in the grounds of Belsay Hall . North West . Never mind hunting for

Summary: Take part in probably the world's largest Easter egg hunts in the maze at Traquair castle . Bottle feed lambs in Wales . Channel your inner Ray Mears at Hadrian's Wall . Watch fireworks to celebrate the 500th birthday of Hampton Court . Watch medieval jousting at Hedingham Castle . Tread the boards with the Royal Shakespeare Theatre .


The body of a dead sperm whale that washed up on a California beach last week was covered in graffiti spelling out the name of a Bay Area motorcycle gang. The 50-foot whale was still on the Pacifica State Beach on Wednesday after washing up on the sand the week before. Before the tide came in, beachgoers took photos of where 'East Bay Rats Motorcycle Club' was on the whale. Scroll down for video . The body of the 50-foot whale was tagged after it washed up on Pacifica State Beach in California last week . It's unclear how the whale died but it doesn't appear to have broken bones or signs of blunt force trauma . The name was erased by Wednesday's high tide, NBC Bay Area reported. The club did not respond to a request for comment. It is unknown how the whale died but it does not appear to have any broken bones or show signs of blunt force trauma. The results of an autopsy are pending. The body might be burned or dragged out to sea. A man who took pictures of the whale, Alan Grinberg, said: 'The East Bay Rats Motorcycle Club, or whoever did this, stinks more than this whale's rotting flesh.'

Summary: 50-foot whale washed up on Pacifica State Beach in California last week . It was sprayed with name of East Bay Rats Motorcycle Club at some point . It is unknown how the whale died and results of an autopsy are pending . Witness said 'Whoever did this, stinks more than whale's rotting flesh'


When Clarence David Moore escaped from a North Carolina prison as a 23-year-old inmate, President Richard Nixon occupied the White House, US forces were still fighting in Vietnam and a single ride on the New York City subway cost 30 cents. Moore has been on the run from the law for more than four decades, until Monday afternoon when he called the Franklin County Sheriff's Office in Kentucky and admitted to being a fugitive. Sheriff Pat Melton says Moore, 66, was at the former Polk Youth Institute in Butner, North Carolina, serving a sentence of more than 10 years for larceny when he broke free June 10, 1972. Scroll down for video . Captured: Clarence David Moore, 66, is seen being wheeled from his home in Frankfort, Kentucky, Monday, after he admitted to being a fugitive who escaped from a North Carolina prison in 1972 . Medical necessity: Moore suffers from several medical conditions and cannot walk, but because he has no Social Security card of any form of ID, he has been unable to receive medical treatment . At 4pm Monday, nearly 43 years after Moore’s escape, he finally emerged from the shadows. ‘I need to make this right and get through this,’ Moore was quoted as telling Sheriff Melton. After sheriff's deputies verified Moore's story, he was taken into custody. The 66-year-old, who suffers from several unspecified ailments and apparently cannot walk on his own, was captured by the station WTVQ being wheeled out of his Frankfort home on a gurney and taken to a hospital before being sent to jail. He explained to investigators he has not been able to get medical treatment because he does not have a Social Security card or any other form of identification. According to the sheriff's office, the man’s unexpected decision to give himself up after all these years was motivated by his desire to see a doctor. Now it will be up to prosecutors in North Carolina to decide whether to pursue extradition in Moore's case. Hiding in plain sight: Moore had worked on a ship for many years before moving to Frankfort and settling in a tidy red-brick home with white columns along a tree-lined residential street . According to North Carolina Department of Public Safety prison records obtained by WHAS11, Clarence Moore, who also went by the name David Moore, had been convicted of larceny in July 1967. Moore told deputies in Kentucky that the charge stemmed from the theft of two television sets. He was originally scheduled to be released June 1, 1978. During his time as an outlaw, Moore had worked on a ship for many years before moving to Frankfort and settling in a tidy red-brick home with white columns along a tree-lined residential street. When in 2009 he was involved in a car crash, Moore gave his name as Ronnie Dickinson to protect his true identity. He is now facing a charge of contempt of court in Kentucky for misrepresenting himself to police five years ago. Prison break: Moore, then, 23 years old, took off from

Summary: Clarence David Moore was serving a sentence for larceny when in June 1972 he escaped from North Carolina prison . Moore called sheriff's office in Frankfort, Kentucky, Monday admitting he was a fugitive . The 66-year-old outlaw suffers from many ailments but hasn't been able to seek medical treatment because he doesn't have Social Security card or ID .


Bruce Jenner has confirmed he started a gender transition process in the mid-1980s but stopped after he met and fell in love with Kris Kardashian, who became his third wife. The 65-year-old told Diane Sawyer he embarked on hormone therapy and electrolysis, and had plastic surgery to make his features look more feminine, shortly after winning the Olympic gold. However, he says, he stopped out of 'fear' of publicity and shame, and kept his secret to himself until he couldn't bear it any longer. Scroll down for video . Early signs? Bruce Jenner has revealed he started having hormone therapy and plastic surgery in the mid to late 1980s to make himself look more feminine. He's shown here in September 1987 . Before the changes: Bruce, seen here on set, still had his athletic physique and heavy set masculine features when he appeared in the 1980 film Can't Stop The Music. These were noticeably gone by the end of the decade . Bruce said he was exploring the idea of gender reassignment surgery with doctors in Denmark but had a change of heart after meeting Kris, the ex-wife of famed LA attorney Robert Kardashian. On Friday night, he publicly addressed about his personal journey and his transition to living as a woman in a two-hour ABC special tonight with Diane Sawyer. As the romance between Bruce and Kris blossomed in late 1990 and early 1991, the former star athlete halted hormone therapy and underwent breast reduction surgery. The couple married months after meeting on April 21, 1991, and went on to have two children together - Kendall, now 19, and Kylie, 17, - before divorcing in December last year. Change of heart: Bruce halted his gender transition after meeting Kris Kardashian in late 1990. He stopped hormone injections and even underwent breast reduction surgery before the couple married. He's seen here with Kris in February 1993 . Family man: Bruce and Kris tied the knot in April 1991 just months after meeting. Seen here in 2000 with their daughters Kendall and Kylie, the couple were married for 22 years. Bruce found fame again with a whole new generation thanks to the reality series about their blended family Keeping Up With The Kardashians . A source quoted by Entertainment Tonight says that Bruce was greatly influenced by the life story of transgender tennis player Renee Richards. Richards, born a boy Richard Raskind in 1934, underwent gender reassignment surgery in 1975. In 1976, she launched a legal challenge after the US Tennis Association denied her permission to compete as a woman in the U.S. Open because she had not been born a woman and in 1977 the New York Supreme Court ruled in her favor in a landmark decision for transsexual rights. It's believed that her autobiography Second Serve, published in 1983, had a significant influence on Bruce. In 1986, the book was made into a TV movie starring Vanessa Redgrave who received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance. Inspiration: Transgender tennis player Renee Richards won the right to complete as a woman

Summary: Bruce started hormone therapy and had plastic surgery to look more feminine in the late 1980s . He was inspired by the story of transgender tennis player Renee Richards who was born a man and in 1976 won the right to compete as a woman . Olympic decathlete reveals he halted the gender transition process after meeting Kris Kardashian in late 1990 . Bruce and Kris married in April 1991 and had two daughters before their divorce last December .


Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim put the finishing touches to his squad's preparation on Tuesday as the French club geared up for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Juventus. Dimitar Berbatov and Co were put through their paces ahead of the clash at Stade Louis II on Wednesday with the Bulgarian striker insisting a place in the last four is within their reach. A second-half Arturo Vidal penalty in Turin last week ensured that Juventus travel to the principality with a slender advantage. Dimitar Berbatov is convinced Monaco can reach Champions League semi-final at the expense of Juventus . Leonardo Jardim addresses his players at training on Tuesday morning ahead of Juventus match . Monaco are bidding to overturn a 1-0 deficit after defeat in the first leg in Turin last week . Berbatov believes the French club are within reach of the semi-final and should not have lost in Italy . Monaco's Belgian midfielder Yannick Ferreira Carrasco arrives fro training . The squad are put through heir paces ahead of Wednesday's clash at Stade Louis II . Monaco were aggrieved at the result after complaining at the award of the spot kick, with Jardim declaring the foul on Alvaro Morata by Ricardo Carvalho as non-existent. And Berbatov is certain Monaco can right the wrong by eliminating the Serie A champions. 'The Champions League semi-final is within our reach,' Berbatov told Tuttosport. 'We can do it against Juventus. We're a good team, we've already shown that both against Arsenal and a week ago in Turin. We absolutely did not deserve to lose. 'In the first half we should have had a penalty, if the referee had given it, it would have been a different game. Monaco coach Jardim watches on during the training session on Tuesday morning . Ricardo Carvalho (right), Elderson Echiejile (left) and Alain Traore arrive for training . Geoffrey Kondogbia controls the ball on his chest as Monaco gear up for quarter-final second leg . The Monaco squad warm up for training with a light jog ahead of the quarter-final against Juventus . The Monaco players are taken through their exercises as they train on Tuesday . 'Then in the second half we had a non-existent penalty given against us, but that's football. 'We look forward with confidence and optimism, we're preparing well for the comeback. We know that Juve are a team which creates a lot, but also gives opportunities. 'We know we have the ability to get to the next round.'

Summary: Monaco host Juventus in the quarter-final second leg on Wednesday night . The Italians hold a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg in Turin last week . The squad were put through their paces on Tuesday ahead of the clash . Dimitar Berbatov is confident Monaco can progress to the semi-final .


Church of England schools should stop selecting pupils on faith because it discriminates against the poor, a group of vicars has claimed. They say the system is open to abuse and many oversubscribed schools reject non-churchgoing families even though they may live nearby. Many Christian schools give priority to families who regularly attend services, a practice which they say preserves their faith ethos. Many Christian schools give priority to families who regularly attend services, a practice which they say preserves their faith ethos - but a group of vicars say it can lead to discrimination against the poor . But the clergymen said affluent parents were more likely to cheat the system by going to church just to get their children into a C of E school, which are often high-performing. In an open letter published yesterday, an alliance of Left-leaning clergy and laypeople called for an end to religious selection. They claimed the Church was being ‘turned to the advantage of those who are already advantaged’, and said it presented a ‘slow-burning crisis’. The comments, made in a letter to The Guardian, sparked anger from the Church of England, which labelled their arguments ‘doctrinaire’. The letter’s 20 signatories included Christina Baron, lay member of the General Synod, Barry Sheerman, Huddersfield Labour MP since 1979, and Theo Hobson, a theologian and religious commentator. The letter’s 20 signatories included Christina Baron, lay member of the General Synod, Barry Sheerman (left) Huddersfield Labour MP since 1979, and Theo Hobson, a theologian and religious commentator (right) Simon Barrow and Jonathan Bartley of the Christian think-tank Ekklesia also signed it, as did Reverend Richard Kirker, founding member of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement. Also on the list were Reverend Una Kroll, a women’s equality campaigner, former teachers’ union president John Swallow and Oxford professor Keith Ward. Referring to a 2013 survey by the Sutton Trust, they said 6 per cent of parents with a child at a state-funded school admitted to attending church services in order to get their child into a Church school. They said the level of false Church attendance rose to 10 per cent among affluent parents in the socio-economic group A. The letter said: ‘On a superficial level this is in the Church’s interest, as attendance figures in many parishes are inflated and the standard of our schools boosted by the admittance of children from more affluent families. ‘Ultimately however the universality of the Church is being turned to the advantage of those who are already advantaged. We believe this issue presents a slow-burning crisis. ‘We urge the Church to review and then amend its national guidance on pupil admissions, so that schools are guided towards having open admission arrangements. ‘Church of England schools should look outwards, as an expression of the warmth and generosity of its mission to the whole community.’ Yesterday, a Church spokesman said: ‘The arguments set out in the letter are so flawed and inaccurate they need to be placed in special measures. 'The interpretation of the data cited is mistaken and the arguments doctrinaire.’ Rev Nigel

Summary: Group of vicars say CoE schools should stop selecting pupils on faith . Many Christian schools give priority to those who regularly attend church . But vicars argue the system is open to abuse and oversubscribed schools may reject non-churchgoing families even though they may live nearby . Clergymen said affluent parents were more likely to cheat the system by going to church just to get their children into a high-performing CoE school .


Nigel Farage will say today that allowing refugees into Europe ‘could lead to half a million Islamic extremists coming to our countries and posing a direct threat to our civilisation’. The Ukip leader will say the boatloads of people trying to get to the continent from North Africa could provide a cover for jihadis wanting to do harm. Mr Farage will make his comments in a debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in the wake of more than 1,000 migrants drowning in the Mediterranean. Scroll down for video . Warning: The Ukip leader will say the boatloads of people trying to get to the continent from North Africa could provide a cover for jihadis . He will warn that if the EU agrees to give refuge to migrants from North Africa, it could lead to millions being given passports that allow them to move to Britain. A source close to Mr Farage said he was taking time out from the campaign trail in Britain to focus the election debate on immigration. Campaign bosses believe a provocative intervention could have the same effect as his controversial remarks on foreigners with HIV being treated in Britain – which were part of a so-called ‘shock and awful’ strategy to get attention and appeal to the party’s ‘core voters’. Mr Farage thinks his party could still get more than ten MPs if he manages to cause a ‘big shock’ in the eight days before polling day. A senior Ukip aide said: ‘He needs to make a special intervention. This is a big moment in the campaign. ‘Cameron and Miliband do not want to talk about this because they know the whole issue hinges on EU membership. ‘Nigel is going to highlight how jihadis are entering Europe, getting EU passports, and then are able to easily come to Britain because of the open-borders policy. 'If there is going to be one country where these guys are going to head to, it is going to be us because of the Iraq war and our involvement in Afghanistan and against Islamic State.’ Mr Farage said yesterday he opposed EU action to tackle migrant deaths in the Mediterranean because it could lead to a common migration policy and let millions of people into Britain. He added that the problem had the potential to be more damaging than the eurozone crisis. Mr Farage will warn that if the EU agrees to give refuge to migrants from North Africa, it could lead to millions being given passports that allow them to move to Britain . ‘I think what is happening in Strasbourg is far more significant than anything that has been said by any of the party leaders about immigration … during this campaign,’ he said. ‘They utterly refuse to accept that we are no longer in control of our borders … ‘I’m quite certain Miliband and Cameron will try and ignore this, so I am going there [Strasbourg] to engage in that debate and make sure they cannot ignore it.’ He added: ‘Are we about to see one of the

Summary: Nigel Farage says refugees into Europe could lead to influx of extremists . Ukip leader says it could provide a cover for jihadis wanting to do harm . He will make comments in a debate at the European Parliament today .


Prisoner Carlos Boente (pictured) was jailed for five years after he was found guilty of conspiracy to burgle, harassment and a phone possession charge . A serving prisoner has been jailed for making a teenager's life a misery by bombarding her with thousands of texts after he received her number from a cellmate. Carlos Boente, 33, was serving time at HMP Birmingham for similar harassment type offences when he began contacting the 19-year-old woman in November 2013. After getting her number from a cellmate, the prisoner originally asked her to change his Facebook password as a favour. He then bombarded the teen with thousands of texts and calls - telling her sob stories about his life saying he had no family and nobody visited him in prison. The victim continued to talk to Boente, who she felt sorry for, but he suddenly started asking where she was and leaving threatening messages if she didn't reply. She eventually contacted police when he told her he had friends on the outside watching her and even sent her a picture of her front door. In January last year Boente made numerous abusive calls to the woman - telling her she was going to die and making threats against her young child. Incredibly, he even sent three men to the home of the woman's aunt and uncle, before boasting on Facebook the gang were his 'soldiers'. Boente, from Birmingham, was charged with two counts of threats to kill, one count of harassment, one count of conspiracy to burgle and three counts of possessing a mobile phone while in prison in June last year. He denied all of the charges, except for two counts of possessing a mobile phone, but was found guilty of conspiracy to burgle, harassment and the remaining phone possession charge on April 1. Although he was cleared of the threats to kill charges he was last week jailed for five years at Birmingham Crown Court. Speaking after the hearing, Detective Constable Vanessa Lewis, from West Midlands Police, said: 'Even when the victim was giving a statement to us about Boente's behaviour, we witnessed him constantly calling her, shouting down the phone and being abusive. 'Despite knowing we were investigating him, Boente showed no signs of stopping his disturbing conduct. 'On 24 March, shortly after we blocked his letters and landline contact from the prison, three men entered the home of the woman's aunt and uncle looking for a safe. 'Boente's Facebook status two days later, boasting that he sent his 'soldiers' to the property indicated he was behind the burglary. Boente was serving time at HMP Birmingham (pictured) when he began contacting the woman . 'This is a highly unusual case which demonstrates Boente's ability to control, manipulate and harass young women. 'Boente has a proven history of violence and at the time of these crimes, he was serving a prison sentence for similar harassment offences. 'It is clear that Boente, who operated four Facebook accounts through five different phones from behind bars, thinks he is above the law and unfortunately, does not

Summary: Carlos Boente, 33, was serving time in prison for harassment-type offences . He began contacting the victim after receiving her number from a cellmate . She spoke to him out of sympathy, but the messages turned threatening . He started telling her she was going to die and threatening her child .


The prospect of a 'Blukip' alliance between David Cameron and Nigel Farage is now just as likely as a coalition between the SNP and Labour, Nick Clegg claimed today. The Deputy Prime Minister said there was a 'very real danger' that Ukip and Northern Ireland's DUP could hold Mr Cameron to 'ransom' in the event of a second hung Parliament. Mr Clegg's remarks come after Mr Farage held out an olive branch to the Prime Minister last night - as he said he wanted to work with him to prevent a possible Labour government. The Lib Dems released a new campaign poster this morning warning of the danger of a 'BluKip' alliance between the Tories and Ukip . The Ukip leader called on Conservatives to vote tactically for him in seats where they cannot win in order to help keep the Tory leader as Prime Minister. And in the strongest hint yet that they could work together, Mr Farage dropped his demand that the Tories ditch Mr Cameron before any post election deal. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the remarks showed that the 'mood music' had changed in the Conservative Party. He said: 'Only yesterday there were reports of Nigel Farage opening 'back channels' with the Tories to discuss a post-election pact. 'The Tory right wing has been waiting for its moment to reclaim the Conservative Party for years. 'And, with the help of MPs from UKIP and the DUP, that moment may be about to come.' Mr Clegg added: 'Everyone knows that David Cameron and Ed Miliband won't win this general election outright. 'That means that someone else will hold the balance of power on 8 May. The prospect of a left wing alliance between Labour and the SNP has been well covered.' The Deputy Prime Minister said there was a 'very real danger' that Ukip and Northern Ireland's DUP could hold Mr Cameron to 'ransom' in the event of a second hung Parliament . But he added: 'What's equally possible is an alliance that will drag Britain further and further to the right: BLUKIP – a bloc of right wingers from UKIP, the Conservatives and the DUP that could hold the balance of power. 'There is a very real danger that Nigel Farage and his friends could hold David Cameron to ransom.' It comes after Mr Farage issued a direct appeal to Tory voters yesterday. Mr Farage said he believed many were in 'their hearts' closer to his position of wanting an EU referendum as soon as possible without any attempted re-negotiation. Mr Farage also revealed that he has already held informal discussions with Tories about potential post-election arrangements. Yesterday, as he launched his party's manifesto, Mr Farage called on Mr Cameron to join with him to lock Ed Miliband and the SNP's Alex Salmond out of Downing Street. The Lib Dem leader's remarks come after Mr Farage (right) held out an olive branch to the Prime Minister (pictured in Glasgow this morning left) last night - as he said he wanted to work with him to prevent a

Summary: Lib Dem leader claims there is a real prospect of a Tory-Ukip alliance . Comes after Ukip said Tories should vote tactically where they can't win . Mr Farage dropped demand Tories ditch Cameron before post election deal . Ukip said he's held informal talks with Tories about post election deal .


She's the queen of reinvention who has tried her hand at many a field outside her record-breaking pop career, from acting to business and philanthropy. She's even opened a chain of gyms. But the consensus seems to be in on Madonna's turn at comedy: she's just not funny. The 56-year-old, who describes herself as a 'closet comedian', has been lambasted for her first-ever stand-up routine while taking over The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday. Scroll down for video . Awkward: Madonna performs a stand-up on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday, however the routine did not go down too well . Giuseppe Zanotti Concealed Wedge Heel Hi-Top Sneakers . Buy them now at Farfetch! Visit site . Madonna's had an absolute mare of it on live TV hasn't she?! The singer took that infamous tumble during her Brits performance and now she's bombed slightly during her stand up routine on The Today Show. The blonde bombshell might have been Like A Virgin when it came to cracking jokes on telly, but she's a seasoned pro when it comes to her style! She rocked this all over Moschino look in the way only Madonna can, and lent some bling to the proceedings with these Giuseppe Zanotti hi-top wedges. Instantly recognizable with that concealed wedge and heavy-duty zip ad buckle detail, these kicks have now reached cult Hollywood status, having been rocked by everyone from Jennifer Lopez to Cheryl Cole. These hi-tops actually come in a variety of colours, but we're coveting Madonna's snakeskin pair the most. So why not invest in these drool-worthy hi-tops now by following the link (right)? If you're a tad put off by the A-list price tag, then take a peek at our alternatives on the high street below. We love this Manish Arora number or bag a bargain with these gold wedge Forever 21 kicks. Forever 21 Clear Cut Wedge Sneakers (now on sale for $27.99!) Visit site . Adidas Superstar Up Casual Sneakers at Macy's . Visit site . United Nude Runner Sneakers at Shopbop . Visit site . Manish Arora Laser Cut Hearts Sneakers (now on sale for $632!) at Luisaviaroma . Visit site . Yo yo: The 56-year-old singer described herself as a 'closet comedian' before getting up for an 'impromptu' stand up routine. She told jokes about dating a 26-year-old man and her collection of Andy Warhol paintings . Cracking up: If no one else, Fallon found the stand-up pretty hilarious by the looks of things . 'Her three-minute routine was either the biggest bomb in late-night history or the most subversive, introspective critique of superstardom ever broadcast to a mass audience,' The Daily Beast reported. Crushable added: 'Unfortunately this segment just wasn’t funny, intentionally or unintentionally or anything in between. It was just very confusing, and a little sad. Okay, a lot sad.' The Chron said it was filled with 'awkward jokes and forced laughter'. Yahoo went the whole way and said the performance was 'a bomb'. The routine appeared to be rehearsed, however Madonna and Fallon tried to

Summary: Stand-up routine on The Tonight Show on Thursday branded 'a bomb' Singer said she was a 'closet comedian' always wanted to do stand-up . Her jokes were about dating younger men and her art collection . 'I crack myself up,' she said at one point .


Cesar Azpilicueta is counting down the games until Chelsea win the Barclays Premier League title, and he thinks they have shown their strength by staying top of the table since 'day one'. The Spanish defender and his club team-mates sit top of the table ahead of facing Stoke City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, six points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City with a game in hand. The Blues have long been considered title favourites and Azpilicueta puts that down to the lightning start they made back in August, winning seven of their first eight games to take up first place early on. Cesar Azpilicueta (centre) is counting down the games until Chelsea win the Barclays Premier League title . Azpilicueta's Chelsea sit top of the table ahead of facing Stoke City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday at 3pm . In fact, Jose Mourinho's men have only briefly relinquished the title lead, on goal difference, since their impressive 3-1 win over Burnley at Turf Moor in their season opener back on August 18. Their form has dipped at points since, most notably in defeats to Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, but Azpilicueta is confident that Chelsea have been able to get through their bad moments unscathed. 'We have been top of the table since day one,' he said. 'We kept that position obviously and had very good moments, as well as some less good moments, but we were there still top of the table and this is the strength of the team. 'You can be up and down, but you have to be focused on the target and I think now we are in a very good position.' Jose Mourinho's men have only briefly relinquished the title lead since their opening 3-1 win over Burnley . Diego Costa scored in the opening weekend win at Turf Moor and has scored 18 more in Chelsea's title bid . Chelsea signed Atletico Madrid left back for £16million in the summer, but he has been largely kept out of the team by Azpilicueta who has consistently played in his less-natural position rather than at right back. Unsurprisingly, the 25-year-old Spaniard - who has had two weeks off after not being selected for his national team - is pleased to have kept his place under new competition within the Chelsea squad this season as they go in search of a league and Capital One Cup double. Filipe Luis (right) arrived for £16million at Chelsea in the summer but has been kept out by Azpilicueta . 'If you ask every player in every team, they are going to say they want to play and when you do not play, obviously you are not as happy as when you do play,' Azpilicueta told Sky Sports. 'I have to go out on the pitch and give everything, to try to fight for every ball, to play and be useful for the team. And obviously when I finish the game and I feel I have given everything and we win, I am happy. 'There are individual battles in the game

Summary: Chelsea are six points clear with a game in hand in the Premier League . They have led the title race since a brilliant start to the season in August . Cesar Azpilicueta feels that consistency puts them in pole position to win .


Private matter: Larry Reid was arrested about 12:30 p.m. Monday on U.S. Highway 95 near the edge of Boulder City city limits . Senator Harry Reid's 73-year-old brother has been arrested and charged with driving drunk and hitting a police officer. Larry Reid was arrested for DUI about 12:40 p.m. between Boulder City and Searchlight in Nevada. Mr. Reid was also charged with battery of a police officer, driving across a median, resisting arrest, not wearing a seat belt and possession of a gun while under the influence of alcohol. A trooper saw Larry Reid's Lexus SUV in the dirt median with the engine still running, Patrol spokesman Trooper Loy Hixson said. The Nevada Senator's office released a statement confirming that Larry Reid is the Democrat's brother, saying only that it is 'a private matter.' Details of the arrest were not immediately available since the official complaint had not been filed with the court. Meanwhile, his older brother, Senator Harry Reid, who recently suffered an accident while exercising, said in a video message last week he would not seek re-election next year, and threw his weight behind New York Senator Chuck Schumer to replace him when he leaves office. 'The job of minority leader of the United States Senate is just as important as being the majority leader,' Reid said in the video. 'It gives you so much opportunity to do good things for this country. And that's what I am focused on.' U.S. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is pictured announcing that he will not seek re-election, in this still image taken from a video released in Washington last week. He is leaving Congress after 30 years .

Summary: Larry Reid was arrested about 12:30 p.m. Monday on U.S. Highway 95 . The incident happened on a highway in Nevada near Boulder City .


Cosmetic surgeon Dr Fredric Brandt hanged himself on Sunday at his Miami mansion. Miami Herald columnist Lesley Abravanel told Daily Mail Online exclusively that sources close to Dr Brandt said he had hanged himself. The City of Miami Police Department confirmed that Dr Brandt's death was a suicide by hanging on Monday. Abravanel said Brandt, 65, was 'devastated' recently over rumors comparing him to a character on the Netflix show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Scroll down for videos . Dr Fredric Brandt (left) has a striking resemblance to Dr Franff (right), a character on Tina Fey's Netflix show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. He was reportedly 'devastated' by the portrayal. Columnist Lesley Abravanel told Daily Mail Online exclusively that sources close to Dr Brandt said he had hanged himself at his home . Dr Fredric Brandt was last pictured on November 17, 2014 alongside life coach Tony Robbins and wife Sage Robbins (right) at a magazine party in New York City . The cosmetic surgeon, pictured left, with Hugh Jackman's wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, gallery owner Lisa Fox and Sting's wife Trudie Styler at a Donna Karan party in February last year . Dr Brandt, a cosmetic dermatologist and well-known art collector, at his apartment in New York on March 7, 2014 . Dr Brandt, who was known for working with stars including Madonna, Kelly Ripa and Stephanie Seymour, died after ‘suffering from an illness,’ his publicist said. Ripa's husband, actor Mark Consuelos, retweeted choreographer Isaac Calpito's post, which read: 'Devastated over the loss of our dear friend @drfredricbrandt. You are missed. You are loved. The world has lost one of its kindest souls.' Publicist Jacquie Tractenberg did not reveal information about the illness, cause of death or the circumstances of the death. Ms Abravanel, a Miami Herald columnist, posted a series of tweets on Sunday claiming that he had been 'devastated' by unflattering comparisons to Dr Franff on the hit show Kimmy Schmidt, according to unnamed sources. She also reported that he was found dead at his Coconut Grove mansion in Miami by his housekeeper where he lived alone. She called 911 at 9.19am. The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department confirmed that an autopsy will be conducted on Monday. Abravanel pointed out that the cosmetic surgeon character, played by Martin Short, has a striking resemblance to Dr Brandt. The New York Post also wrote a column last month comparing the real-life doctor to the fictional doctor on Tina Fey's hit comedy. 'Sources: Dr Fredric Brandt was "devastated" over comparisons to the protagonist on Tina Fey’s new Netflix show, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt",' Abravanel tweeted. Marc Jacobs and Dr Brandt pictured after lunching at Pastis restaurant in The Meat Packing District of New York City in June 2009 . Lesley Abravanel, a columnist for Miami Herald, claimed that Dr Brandt, pictured here with Lisa Falcone in 2007, claims she had a chance to speak with sources close to Dr Brandt . Brandt worked with stars including Madonna, Stephanie Seymour and Jane Holzer. Left, the doctor is pictured with morning show host Kelly Ripa in 2011 at his

Summary: Cosmetic dermatologist to the stars Fredric Brandt died at his Coconut Grove home in Miami on Sunday, aged 65 . The City of Miami Police Department confirmed that Dr Brandt's death was a suicide by hanging on Monday . The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department confirmed to Daily Mail Online that an autopsy will be conducted on Monday . Brandt was said to have been 'devastated' over rumors comparing him to a character on the show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt .


When Emma Jackson, 28, moved into a quiet cul-de-sac in Hull just over a year ago, she thought she had found the perfect place to call home. But within a week of moving in, her dream home turned into a nightmare thanks to an aggressive neighbour with a penchant for watching TV with the volume turned up at all hours of the day. Unable to sleep because of the racket, the photography student asked unemployed Mark Ray, 56, to turn it down - but was met with a barrage of abuse that culminated, a year later, in violent threats and stalking. Terrified: Emma Jackson, 28, was subjected to vile verbal abuse and was stalked by her neighbour . Now Ms Jackson has been forced to move home because of Mr Ray but says she lives in terror of him discovering her new address. Ms Jackson's ordeal began less than a week after moving into her ground floor flat, which she did despite having been warned that the previous occupants also had trouble with Mr Ray. 'I was told that the previous tenants antagonised him but I'm obviously not like that so I didn't think it would be a problem,' she said. Then the daily barrage of noise began. 'On the first morning, I was laid in bed and it was about 6am and all of a sudden, there was this noise. 'The TV was on at full blast to the point that you could hear what he was watching. The ceilings are really low so it was right above my bed.' After a week, Ms Jackson approached her neighbour to ask whether he would mind turning the sound down a bit but found herself on the receiving end of an expletive-laden tirade. Aggressive: Mark Ray, 56, waged a year-long campaign of terror against Ms Jackson . Quiet: Ms Jackson and Mr Ray were neighbours in this quiet cul-de-sac in Hull . 'I got this explosion, this tirade of abuse,' she remembers. 'Then he ran off and went into his flat and I was just totally shocked. It was the first time I'd met him and that's what I got from him.' The noise continued, with Ms Jackson forced to resort to headphones in order to get any sleep at all. Worse still, Mr Ray began to subject her to vile tirades every time he spotted her in the street or over the garden fence. Incensed, Ms Jackson got in touch with the local Housing Association. Although ordered to turn his television down, the 28-year-old says Mr Ray's new leaf lasted for just seven days. 'He kept to that for about a week and then he just crept back up again and it went back to how it was before.' Finally at breaking point, Ms Jackson snapped and banged on the ceiling with a broom handle during a cleaning session. Mr Ray responded by banging on her front door and, when confronted and accused of bullying by Ms Jackson, threw a 3ft wooden pole at her. Damage: As well as threatening violence, Mr

Summary: Emma Jackson, 28, from Hull was subjected to a campaign of terror . Unemployed Mark Ray, 56, made threats and went on expletive-laden rants . Also began following her to work and down the street . Dispute began because of Mr Ray's fondness for watching TV loudly . Ms Jackson says constant noise at all hours left her unable to sleep . Emma Jackson appears on The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door, tonight at 8pm on Channel 5 .


William Shakespeare may indeed have been the original author of the play Double Falsehood after all . A play discovered nearly 300 years ago and said to be a Shakespeare forgery was really written by the Bard himself, new research has revealed. The work titled Double Falsehood was presented by theatre impresario Lewis Theobald in the 18th century as an adaptation of a Shakespeare play about a Spanish nobleman's ignoble pursuit of two women. Theobald, a known scholar of Shakespeare, mounted his play at Drury Lane Theatre in London on December 13, 1727, claiming that it was a re-working of an original by the Bard and that he had three original texts. His claims were greeted with widespread scepticism in the eighteenth century, including from the great poet Alexander Pope, who had considerable clout. But a new study of its language to build up a psychological profile of the writer 'strongly identifies' the legendary playwright as the true author. Dr Ryan Boyd of the University of Texas said: 'Research in psychology has shown some of the core features of who a person is at their deepest level can be revealed based on how they use language. 'With our new study, we show you can actually take a lot of this information and put it all together at once to understand an author like Shakespeare rather deeply.' The study applied psychological theory and text analysing software and goes beyond confirming authorship by word counts and linguistic regularities. Mr Boyd explained: 'This research shows it is indeed possible to start modelling peoples' mental worlds in much more complete ways. 'We do not need a time machine and a survey form to figure out what type of person Shakespeare was - we can determine that very accurately just based on how he wrote using methods that are objective and easy to do.' Results showed the author of Double Falsehood was likely to be sociable and fairly well educated, findings that do not fit with accounts of Theobald as rigid and abrasive. Theobald published Double Falsehood in 1728 and claimed it was based on three original Shakespeare manuscripts which have since been lost, presumably destroyed by a library fire. Yet the authorship of the play has been hotly contested ever since. To get to the bottom of the mystery 33 plays by the Bard, twelve by Theobald and nine by Shakespeare's collaborator John Fletcher, were examined in the study published in Psychological Science. Jacobean dramatist John Fletcher (left) most likely collaborated with Shakespeare on Double Falsehood (right), which was long thought not to have had anything to do with the Bard . Software evaluated 'function words' including pronouns, articles and prepositions and words belonging to various content categories such as emotions, family, sensory perception and religion. They also looked at 'categorical writing' which tends to be heavy on nouns, articles and prepositions and indicates an analytic or formal way of thinking. People who rate high on this are likely to be emotionally distant, applying problem solving approaches to everyday situations while those who rate low tend

Summary: Double Falsehood was presented by Lewis Theobald in the 18th century . Theatre impresario made it out to be an adaptation of a play by the Bard . Claims met with scepticism, including from great poet Alexander Pope . But new study of its language identifies playwright as the true author . Psychological theory and text analysing software lead to conclusion of University of Texas study which claims to model Bard's 'mental world'


A ginger tabby cat sneaked inside a shipping container in Egypt before embarking on a mammoth 3,000 mile trip to Herefordshire - without food and water. The kitten, who has since been named Sinbad, was discovered by puzzled staff at Mediterranean Linens in Moreton-on-Lugg, Hereford. They heard meows coming from inside the container, which was carrying laundry linen. The RSPCA was called out to investigate and there they found the exhausted and ravenous eight-month-old kitten, who had made a bed for himself in one of the boxes. Sinbad the cat survived a 3,000 mile and 17 day journey from Egypt to Hereford in a shipping container . Sinbad with vet Amy Wheelr (left) and RSPCA inspector Pippa Boyd (right), who was called out by the company to investigate after they heard strange noises coming from the container . Laura Quinn, from the RSPCA, described the case as 'unique' and said it was incredible Sinbad had survived the 17-day journey. She told MailOnline: 'When we found him, he was really hungry, thirsty and tired but he also looked really friendly and was quite vocal. 'It's really unique, we've not had anything like this before. He had travelled quite some way. The linen company were also shocked by what had happened.' RSPCA inspector Pippa Boyd, who was called out to the scene, added: 'The company showed me the paperwork. They have to seal the containers and put a tag on there, which they did when the container left. They showed me the paperwork and the tag, and it did all match up. We thought maybe at customs someone might have opened it up, but they didn't.' Once found, Sinbad was taken to the Laurels Veterinary Surgery in Whitecross, Hereford, where he was fed a little at a time. He has now gone into quarantine in Bristol for four months. He will then go to an RSPCA centre for checks and it is hoped he will then be re-homed. This map shows the route taken by Sinbad took, from Alexandria Port in Egypt to Moreton-on-Lugg, Hereford . Sinbad, a ginger tabby, was found in the container where he had made a bed for himself in one of the boxes . RSPCA inspector Pippa Boyd said it was an incredible feat to have survived the 17 days and hard to believe . His epic journey began at the Nile Linen group in Alexandria port in Egypt on March 8. The container got to El-Dekheila port on March 9, Felixstowe in Suffolk on March 24 and then Moreton-on-Lugg on March 25. Graham Monteath, 56, managing director at Mediterranean Linens, said they could not work out what the noise was when the shipping container arrived. He said: 'I have never heard a cat meow like that in my life. I would never have thought that was a cat. 'One of the lads thought it was a baby. I thought it could have been a buzzard trying to get into the warehouse because we do get lots of them around here. 'I just turned round and thought "good God',

Summary: Journey started at Nile Linen Group in Alexandria port in Egypt on March 8 . After 17 day and 3,000 mile trip, arrived in Moreton-on-Lugg in Hereford . Staff heard meows from inside container, which had laundry linen in . Called out RSPCA who found ravenous eight-month-old kitten, Sinbad . Given two slices of British beef which was going company director's lunch . Has gone into quarantine for four months and then hopes to be re-homed .


The parents of Elijah Cook were worried he may be born deaf. Hearing problems had run strongly through the genetics of Ahavah and Jason Cook, with both their mothers and fathers deaf. But after the baby boy was confirmed to be profoundly deaf in his left ear and only able to hear 75 decibels in his right, the couple from Andova, Minnesota, were afforded something neither of their parents were. Last month, they were able to experience the moment their son was able to hear for the first time, thanks to a pair of specially-fitted hearing aids. Amazing moment: Elijah Cook was last month fitted with hearing aids that allowed him to properly hear the voice of his mother, Ahavah Cook, for the first time . All smiles: Tests confirmed he was profoundly death in his left ear and only able to hear 75 decibels in his right, but doctors decided to fit him with hearing aids as soon as possible . What's that noise?: Elijah will now undergone a more serious set of tests in a few months, at about seven-months-old, to determine what more can be done about his hearing . Elijah failed his first hearing test just 12 hours after being born in Coon Rapids on January 2. 'When Elijah came back (from the first test), we were expecting good news because we have almost a dozen nieces and nephews that have no hearing issues,' Mrs Cook wrote on the Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota website. Elijah went on to fail three more tests. Then on March 5, at nine-weeks-old, he was fitting with the hearing aids, and the amazing moment was caught on video. 'The first time I saw him blink, I had a lot of emotions,' Mrs Cook said. 'I was trying really hard not to cry. 'I didn't want him to see me cry. I was trying hard to keep it together and just talk to him.' Family: Ahavah and Jason Cook are pictured here with little Elijah and their eldest, daughter Evelyn, 7 . Progress: The mothers and fathers of both Ahavah and Jason Cook were all deaf, so the couple were expecting hearing problems following the birth of their son, Elijah (right) Since then, Elijah has been cooing, smiling and responding to the sounds made by his family, including big sister Evelyn, 7. 'The cooing is the big thing,' Mr Cook said. 'He wasn't very talkative, but ever since he was fitted for his hearing aids he's cooing more, he pays more attention.' Because he is so young, doctors will wait a until Elijah is about seven months old to make further deductions about his hearing. Until then, his parents are happy with the progress and say their experience growing up in deaf families has well-equipped them for the road ahead. The touching family moment was first uploaded to YouTube. Fighter: Elijah Cook was born profoundly deaf in his left ear and able to hear only 75 decibels in his right .

Summary: Elijah Cook was found to be profoundly death in his left ear and only able to hear 75 decibels in his shortly after his birth in January . The mothers and fathers of both his parents, Ahavah and Jason Cook, of Andova, Minnesota, were all deaf, so doctors decided to press ahead . Last month they fitted Elijah with a set of hearing aids . The moment he responded to his mom's voice for the first time was caught on video, with Elijah clearly responding .


Todd Kincannon, 33, has been arrested and charged with criminal domestic violence following an incident involving his wife last month . A Columbia attorney and former executive director of the South Carolina Republican Party has been arrested and charged with criminal domestic violence following an incident involving his wife last month. Todd Kincannon, 33, was arrested and booked into the Lexington County Detention Center on Monday evening. A bond hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. An arrest warrant alleges that Kincannon's wife, Ashely Griffith, told deputies that he grabbed her arm during a March 26 argument in their car, 'squeezing it tightly, thus preventing her from exiting the vehicle.' Griffith told police Kincannon threatened to kill her, himself and her family during the incident – threats he is accused of having made previously. 'It should be noted Ashely was trembling as she wrote her statement,' the report said. According to Kincannon, he 'accidentally overdosed' on the prescription drug Benzonatate – which he says he was taking to deal with an upper respiratory infection. An arrest warrant alleges that Kincannon's wife, Ashely Griffith, told deputies that he threatened to kill her, himself and her family during the incident – threats the lawyer is accused of having made previously also . 'Basically, I went completely crazy after taking it,' Kincannon told The City Paper two days after the incident. 'I don't even remember all of it. My wife called 911 because she was worried about me and my behavior was way out of character and erratic, and she was afraid for her safety and mine.' In the aftermath of that statement, it emerged that Griffith has more than forty-eight hours of audio recordings of her husband verbally abusing her as well as photographic evidence of possible domestic abuse, reports FITS. In one clip Kincannon tells Griffith he will have his 'revenge' if she leaves him, and that he will make her 'very f*cking sorry' if she fails to follow his instructions for improving their marriage. 'Now I’m going to tell you right now – I can’t survive in this f*cking environment that you create with your bad attitude and your unhappy spirit,' Kincannon said. 'I’m – I’m sick of it and I’m done with it. And I want to make very clear to you – I don’t give a sh*t about you, or about any of the sh*t in your life. I don’t give a sh*t about all your f*cking divorce threats. You have pushed me so far down the hole that I don’t care any more.' Kincannon, who refers to himself as the 'honey badger of American politics', has gained a reputation on Twitter for sending inflammatory tweets that have regularly left him open to accusations of racism and sexism . Kincannon, who refers to himself as the 'honey badger of American politics', has gained a reputation on Twitter for sending inflammatory tweets that have regularly left him open to accusations of racism and sexism. Last September in the wake of the NFL scandal about Ray Rice brutally knocking out Janay Palmer, Kincannon tweeted

Summary: Todd Kincannon, 33, has been arrested and charged with criminal domestic violence following an incident involving his wife last month . Arrest warrant alleges that he told wife, Ashely Griffith, that would kill her, himself and her family – threats he is accused of having made before . Lawyer claims he 'accidentally overdosed' on Benzonatate – which he says he was taking for an upper respiratory infection . Audio recordings of Kincannon verbally abusing his wife and threatening to make her 'very f*cking sorry' has since emerged . Kincannon has a reputation on Twitter for sending inflammatory tweets that have regularly left him open to accusations of racism and sexism .